Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)

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

The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 2.2.183, 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 2.2.183 contained in Chapter 2—Jnana (knowledge)—of Part two (prathama-khanda).

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.2.183:

तथापि जीव-तत्त्वानि तस्यांसा एव सन्-मताः ।
घन-तेजः-समूहस्य तेजो-जालं यथा रवेः ॥ १८३ ॥

tathāpi jīva-tattvāni tasyāṃsā eva san-matāḥ |
ghana-tejaḥ-samūhasya tejo-jālaṃ yathā raveḥ || 183 ||

tathā api–however; jīva–the individual spirit souls; tattvāni–as factual entities; tasya–of Him; aṃsāḥ–parts; eva–indeed; sammatāḥ–considered; ghana-tejaḥ–concentrated power; samūhasya–of the aggregate; tejaḥ-jālam–the net of energetic sunrays; yathā–as; raveḥ–of the sun.

However, all jīvas are parts (aṃśas) of Bhagavān just as rays of concentrated brilliance are parts of the mass of effulgence that is the sun. This is the opinion of the seers of the Absolute Truth.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

The bhakti-śāstras say, “Yet, the opinion of Śrī Parāśara and others is that in reality, all jīvas, by principle (tattva)–in other words, by their nature, or svarūpa–are parts and parcels (aṃśas) of Brahman. However, in the antonym of the word ghana (concentrated, referring to Bhagavān, who is the concentrate of bliss), in the word aghana (dilute), there is an indication of another entity also, which, in comparison [to ghana], represents proportionately less, or a mere amount, of bliss. That other, aghana entity must be understood to be ātmā-tattva (pure, conscious reality), or the jīvas. The plurality of that other entity–ātmā-tattva–is due to the variegated natures of the jīvas. An example using the sun clarifies this. As the diffused rays of light (aghana) are part of the dense sphere (ghana) of the radiance of the sun, in the same way, the living beings are parts of Brahman. Nothing exists apart from Him.”

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