Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)
by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja | 2005 | 440,179 words | ISBN-13: 9781935428329
The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 2.2.125, 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 2.2.125 contained in Chapter 2—Jnana (knowledge)—of Part two (prathama-khanda).
Verse 2.2.125
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.2.125:
प्रजापति-पतिर् ब्रह्मा स्रष्टा विश्वस्य नः पिता ।
स्वयम्भूः परमेष्ठ्य् एष जगत् पात्य् अनुशास्त्य् अपि ॥ १२५ ॥prajāpati-patir brahmā sraṣṭā viśvasya naḥ pitā |
svayambhūḥ parameṣṭhy eṣa jagat pāty anuśāsty api || 125 ||prajāpati–of the universal forefathers; patiḥ–the master; brahmā–Brahmā; sraṣṭā–the creator; viśvasya–of the universe; naḥ–our; pitā–father; svayam-bhūḥ–self-born; parame-ṣṭhī–the supreme entity; eṣaḥ–he; jagat–the universe; pāti–protects; anuśāsti–rules; api–and.
“He is Śrī Brahmā, the master of all the progenitors of the universe. He is our father, although he himself is self-born and fatherless. He is the supreme authority and the creator and maintainer of the universe. By spreading the message of the Vedas, he teaches religious principles.
Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda
(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)
“Who is he?” asks Śrī Gopa-kumāra.
The Kumāras reply with this verse beginning with prajā, saying, “He is the lord, protector, and maintainer of even Bhṛgu and all the other progenitors (prajāpatis), and he is our father.” Since all the prajāpatis are brothers of the four Kumāras, Śrī Brahmā is their father as well. “However, Śrī Brahmā is svayam-bhū (self-born); he simply manifested from the lotus navel of Śrī Bhagavān and has no father. He is parameṣṭhi, the supreme authority; he is pāti, the maintainer of the universe, supplying all living entities with their means of sustenance; and he is anuśāsti [meaning ‘one who governs,’ in the sense of giving direction], guiding everyone by disseminating the religious principles of the Vedas.”
Alternatively, the words sraṣṭā viśvasya indicate that Śrī Brahmā has the ability to create, while the two words pāti and anuśāsti indicate he also has the ability to maintain and protect (pāti) and annihilate as well. [Anuśāsti here also means ‘one who governs,’ but in the sense of a giver of chastisement.]