Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)

by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja | 2005 | 440,179 words | ISBN-13: 9781935428329

The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 2.1.48-49, English translation, including commentary (Dig-darshini-tika): an important Vaishnava text dealing with the importance of devotional service. The Brihad-bhagavatamrita, although an indepent Sanskrit work, covers the essential teachings of the Shrimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavata-purana). This is verse 2.1.48-49 contained in Chapter 1—Vairagya (renunciation)—of Part two (prathama-khanda).

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.1.48-49:

शृण्वन्न् अविरतं न्यास-मोक्षोत्कर्ष-पराणि सः ।
तेभ्यो वेदान्त-वाक्यानि मणिकर्ण्यां समाचरन् ॥ ४८ ॥
स्नानं विश्वेश्वरं पश्यंस् तेषां सङ्गेऽप्रयासतः ।
मिष्टेष्ट-भोगान् भुञ्जानः सन्न्यासं कर्तुम् इष्टवान् ॥ ४९ ॥

śṛṇvann avirataṃ nyāsa-mokṣotkarṣa-parāṇi saḥ |
tebhyo vedānta-vākyāni maṇikarṇyāṃ samācaran || 48 ||
snānaṃ viśveśvaraṃ paśyaṃs teṣāṃ saṅge'prayāsataḥ |
miṣṭeṣṭa-bhogān bhuñjānaḥ sannyāsaṃ kartum iṣṭavān || 49 ||

śṛṇvan–hearing; aviratam–regularly; nyāsa–of the renounced order of life; mokṣa–of liberation; utkarṣa-parāṇi–superiority; saḥ–he; tebhyaḥ–from them; vedānta-vākyāni–the verses of Vedānta; maṇikarṇyam–in the Gaṅgā at Maṇikarṇikā-ghāṭa; samācaran–taking; snānam–bath; viśveśvaram–Śrī Viśveśvara; paśyan–seeing; teṣām saṅge–in their company; aprayāsataḥ–without having to work; miṣṭa-iṣṭa-bhogān–sweet delectable food; bhuñjānaḥ–enjoying; sannyāsam–the renounced order; kartum–to take; iṣṭavān–he had a desire.

The brāhmaṇa regularly heard those sannyāsīs cite verses from Vedānta declaring the superiority of the renounced order of life (sannyāsa) and of impersonal liberation. Daily, after bathing in the Gaṅgā at Maṇikarṇikā-ghāṭa, he took darśana of Śrī Viśvanātha. Without having to work, he ate delectable meals to his heart’s content with those sannyāsīs. Thus, he developed an urge to accept sannyāsa.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)

Śrī Parīkṣit says, “By regularly hearing from the sannyāsīs the statements from the Vedānta establishing the superiority of impersonal liberation (mokṣa) and the renounced order of life (sannyāsa), the brāhmaṇa also developed a desire to accept sannyāsa.” This is explained in these two verses.

There are reasons why the brāhmaṇa felt the urge to accept sannyāsa: (1) he was hearing statements from the Vedānta, (2) he was bathing daily in the Gaṅgā, and (3) he was going for darśana of Śrī Viśvanātha. His daily activities like bathing in Gaṅgā at Maṇikarṇikā-ghāṭa in the company of sannyāsīs happened naturally and easily. The word aprayāsataḥ, meaning ‘effortlessly,’ applies to all three reasons, or to all the brāhmaṇa’s activities.

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