Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)

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

The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 2.4.131, 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 2.4.131 contained in Chapter 4—Vaikuntha (the spiritual world)—of Part two (prathama-khanda).

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.4.131:

तस्यापि सोऽत्यन्त-सुख-प्रदायकश् चेतो-हरः प्रीति-विशेष-गोचरः ।
गोप्योत्तमस् तद् व्रज-लोकवन्-महा-प्रेमैक-लभ्योऽसुलभो हि मादृशाम् ॥ १३१ ॥

tasyāpi so'tyanta-sukha-pradāyakaś ceto-haraḥ prīti-viśeṣa-gocaraḥ |
gopyottamas tad vraja-lokavan-mahā-premaika-labhyo'sulabho hi mādṛśām || 131 ||

tasya–of Him; api–also; saḥ–that; atyanta-sukha-pradāyakaḥ–giving limitless delight; cetaḥ-haraḥ–mind-enchanting; prītiviśeṣa-gocaraḥ–perceivable by special love; gopya-uttamaḥ–most confidential; tat–that; vraja-loka-vat–like that of the residents of Vraja; mahā–great; prema–love; eka–only; labhyaḥ–achieved; asulabhaḥ–rarely attained; hi–indeed; mādṛśam–by those such as me.

Such pastimes are also very pleasing for the Lord Himself. They delight the heart but can be perceived only if one possesses an exceptional kind of affection for the Lord. These pastimes are most confidential and are rarely attained even by sages like myself. Entrance into these pastimes can only be achieved by a powerful prema like that of the residents of Vraja.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

Śrī Nārada says, “These enchanting, pleasurable pastimes bring the greatest happiness to the Lord as well. They can be witnessed only if one possesses extraordinary affection for the Lord. Certainly, even persons like me are also rarely privileged to experience these pastimes, as they are amongst the most confidential of all.” He concludes, “These pastimes can be experienced only on the strength of the highest degree of prema like that of the most celebrated and glorious residents of Vraja.”

As stated in the beginning of this section, the residents of Vaikuṇṭha had imaginary opinions about the position of the Gokula pastimes, but here Śrī Nārada indisputably presents the true conclusion.

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