Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)
by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja | 2005 | 440,179 words | ISBN-13: 9781935428329
The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 2.1.137, 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 2.1.137 contained in Chapter 1—Vairagya (renunciation)—of Part two (prathama-khanda).
Verse 2.1.137
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.1.137:
नव-वैष्णव किं कर्तुं दरिद्रः शक्नुयां परम् ।
अर्पयामि स्व-भोग्यं हि जगद्-ईशाय केवलम् ॥ १३७ ॥nava-vaiṣṇava kiṃ kartuṃ daridraḥ śaknuyāṃ param |
arpayāmi sva-bhogyaṃ hi jagad-īśāya kevalam || 137 ||nava-vaiṣṇava–O young devotee of Viṣṇu; kim–what?; kartum–to do; daridraḥ–a poor man; śaknuyām–I can; param–more; arpayāmi–I offer; sva-bhogyam–my own meals; hi–indeed; jagad-īśāya–to the Lord of the universe; kevalam–only.
“O young Vaiṣṇava! I am a poor man. What more can I do than this? The only food I can offer to Jagadīśvara are the meals I prepare for myself.
Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda
(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)
The brāhmaṇa says, “Have you never in any other place seen anyone worshiping śālagrāma like I do?” Because Gopa-kumāra was unaware of this worship, the brāhmaṇa addresses him as a nava-vaiṣṇava, a new or neophyte, devotee. The word param, meaning ‘more,’ implies, “What more can I do? I am a poor brāhmaṇa.
I am only able to offer to the Lord that food I prepare for myself.”