Verse 2.2.198

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.2.198:

तथैतद्-अनुकूलानि पुरा-वृत्तानि सन्ति च ।
नैव सङ्गच्छते तस्माद् अर्थवादत्व-कल्पना ॥ १९८ ॥

tathaitad-anukūlāni purā-vṛttāni santi ca |
naiva saṅgacchate tasmād arthavādatva-kalpanā || 198 ||

tathā–so; etat–to this; anukūlāni–favorable; parā-vṛttāni–historical accounts; santi–exist; ca–also; na–not; eva–certainly; saṅgacchate–agree; tasmāt–with that; artha-vādatva–that such historical accounts are merely exaggeration; kalpanā–imaginative speculation.

Many ancient histories support this truth. A presumption that these accounts are simply exaggerated praise would reveal fallacious reasoning.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

The bhakti-śāstras say, “Thus, by self-evident examples [given in the previous verses and commentaries] it is proven that pure devotion is vastly superior to liberation. This conclusion is substantiated by many ancient histories that support the scriptural statements and examples of the conduct of great personalities.

“Once in Dvārakā there lived a brāhmaṇa who was devoted to the loving service of Bhagavān. This brāhmaṇa had sons who died and attained liberation, but this did not give any comfort to the brāhmaṇa. Therefore, he quite intelligently criticized the strength of Arjuna [who then vowed to protect the brāhmaṇa’s next-born son]. In order to protect the words of Arjuna, Śrī Bhagavān brought those sons of the brāhmaṇa back from the abode of mukti to the abode of bhakti, the city of Dvārakā. [An elaborate description of this pastime is found in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.89).]

“The great sages, Ekata, Dvita, and Trita, who were absorbed in Brahman (brahma-niṣṭhā) like Sanaka and the other Kumāras, once went to Śvetadvīpa to have audience of Śrī Bhagavān. However, in spite of their assiduous efforts to see the Lord, they were unable to do so.

“The Lord attempted to bestow the most exalted benediction upon His own devotee incarnation, Mahārāja Pṛthu, but Pṛthu Mahārāja, refused, saying (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.20.31): ‘yathā cared bāla-hitaṃ pitā svayaṃ tathā tvam evārhasi naḥ samīhitum–O Lord, Your words, “Accept a boon,” are bewildering for the whole universe. Therefore, O Lord, as a father personally desires to benefit his son, after considering my welfare, please give me any benediction You think best.’

“Śrī Bhagavān replies to Śrī Pṛthu’s prayers, saying (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.20.32): ‘…mayi bhaktir astu te–My beloved son, as you have desired bhakti, may you be blessed with loving devotion to Me.’

“There are many such historical accounts of the conduct of great personalities that constitute evidence for the superiority of bhakti over liberation. It is incorrect to dismiss these historical accounts as mere exaggeration. If one imagines that such thousands upon thousands of authoritative statements are only exaggerations, then his thinking only reveals the defect of atyanta-vyāpakatā (overextention) or fallacious reasoning (kutarka).”