Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)

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

The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 2.2.159, 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 2.2.159 contained in Chapter 2—Jnana (knowledge)—of Part two (prathama-khanda).

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.2.159:

बहुलोपनिषद्-देव्यः श्रुति-स्मृतिभिर् अन्विताः ।
ऊचुर् एकेन साध्योऽसौ मोक्षो ज्ञानेन नान्यथा ॥ १५९ ॥

bahulopaniṣad-devyaḥ śruti-smṛtibhir anvitāḥ |
ūcur ekena sādhyo'sau mokṣo jñānena nānyathā || 159 ||

bahula–many; upaniṣat-devyaḥ–goddesses of the Upaniṣads; śruti–the Vedas; smṛtibhiḥ–with the literatures in pursuance of the Vedic version; anvitāḥ–with; ūcuḥ–said; ekena–with one voice; sādhyaḥ–object of attainment; asau–this; mokṣaḥ–liberation; jñānena–through knowledge; na–not; anyathā–other way.

Many Upaniṣads, present in the form of goddesses and accompanied by Śrutis (Vedas) and Smṛtis (supplementary Vedas), replied in unison, “Liberation is attained only by knowledge–there is no other way of achieving this goal.”

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

Śrī Gopa-kumāra says, “Many Upaniṣads, the essence of all the Vedas, were present as devyaḥ, meaning they had assumed brilliantly effulgent forms as the upaniṣad-devīs (goddesses). They joined the personified Purāṇas, the Āgamas, and others and spoke as one voice, saying, ‘Mokṣa, or liberation, is the most exalted goal and also the most difficult to achieve. It is attained exclusively by advaya-jñāna, or transcendental knowledge that is beyond duality, and not by any other means.’

“One of the Śrutis said, ‘“tam eva viditvāti-mṛtyum eti nānyaḥ panthā vidyate’yanāya–Only through knowledge of Brahman can death be transcended. There is no other way to attain liberation.” (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 3.8, 6–15). However, advaya-jñāna, knowledge of the non-dual Absolute, arises from devotion, or bhakti, and therefore should be understood as a form of bhakti. This is because it is not possible to achieve liberation by other types of knowledge, specifically by nirviśeṣa-jñāna, or knowledge that only encompasses an impersonal conception of the Absolute Truth.’”

This subject will be thoroughly analyzed in later verses.

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