Verse 2.1.110

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.1.110:

श्री-गोप-कुमार उवाच—
अत्रेतिहासा बहवो विद्यन्तेऽथापि कथ्यते ।
स्व-वृत्तम् एवानुस्मृत्य मोहादाव् अपि सङ्गतम् ॥ ११० ॥

śrī-gopa-kumāra uvāca—
atretihāsā bahavo vidyante'thāpi kathyate |
sva-vṛttam evānusmṛtya mohādāv api saṅgatam || 110 ||

śrī-gopa-kumāraḥ uvāca–Śrī Gopa-kumāra said; atra–here; itihāsāḥ–histories; bahavaḥ–many; vidyante–there are; atha api–nonetheless; kathyate–to be said; sva-vṛttam–my personal experiences; eva–indeed; anusmṛtya–recollecting; moha–during my ecstatic swoon; ādau–and so on; api–also; saṅgatam–what happened.

Śrī Gopa-kumāra said: There are many historical accounts on this subject, but I will relate only my personal experience. I shall certainly recount all those experiences that I realized in my natural condition. In regard to those that took place during my states of ecstasy, I will first remember them, and then relate them to you as well.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

Śrī Gopa-kumāra says:

धर्मार्थ-काम-मोक्षाणाम्, उपदेश-समन्वितम्
पूर्व-वृत्त-कथा-युक्तम् इतिहासं प्रचक्षते

dharmārtha-kāma-mokṣāṇām, upadeśa-samanvitam
pūrva-vṛtta-kathā-yuktam itihāsaṃ pracakṣate

The ancient scriptures, known as Itihāsas, present many historical accounts in regard to determining the essential truth of the highest goal of life and the means to achieve it (sādhya-sādhana). This includes advice for obtaining dharma (religiosity), artha (economic development), kāma (sense gratification), and mokṣa (liberation).

“However, I consider my practical experiences of sādhya-sādhana to be evidential. Although there are many examples from ancient texts, I will simply narrate that which I have directly realized because personal experience is the best form of evidence to evoke proper faith. Moreover, although that which I experienced when I fell into my ecstatic trance of love of God (prema-mūrcchā) is very confidential in nature, I will describe even that to you.

“When I was overwhelmed with prema and had fallen unconscious, wonderful ecstatic symptoms that were evident to external vision appeared on my body. Even though I was unconscious at the time, I could perceive the extraordinary influence of those ecstatic emotions (bhāvas) through the cognizance of my soul. Now, I will take shelter of that knowledge of the self and describe these topics from my past memories.”

This reveals Gopa-kumāra’s exalted potency of knowledge (jñāna-śakti). Here, the word ādi indicates that this account is most confidential in nature and therefore inappropriate to be revealed publicly. Gopa-kumāra is also shy to disclose his personal experiences, but for the brāhmaṇa’s benefit, he feels it would certainly be befitting to do so.

Gopa-kumāra will personally describe this in the Seventh Chapter (Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta 2.7.4), wherein he says:

पश्य यच् चात्मनस् तस्य तदीयानाम् च सर्वथा
वृत्तं परम-गोप्यं तत् सर्वं ते कथितं मया

paśya yac cātmanas tasya tadīyānām ca sarvathā
vṛttaṃ parama-gopyaṃ tat sarvaṃ te kathitaṃ mayā

Whatever confidential topics there are in relation to me; to the Supreme Person, Bhagavān; or to the devotees of the Lord, I have described to you.