Chaitanya Bhagavata
by Bhumipati Dāsa | 2008 | 1,349,850 words
The Chaitanya Bhagavata 2.5.122, English translation, including a commentary (Gaudiya-bhasya). This text is similair to the Caitanya-caritamrita and narrates the pastimes of Lord Caitanya, proclaimed to be the direct incarnation of Krishna (as Bhagavan) This is verse 122 of Madhya-khanda chapter 5—“Lord Nityananda’s Vyasa-puja Ceremony and His Darshana of the Lord’s Six-armed Form”.
Verse 2.5.122
Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 2.5.122:
ব্রহ্মা-মহেশ্বর-বন্দ্য যদ্যপি কমলাতবু তাঙ্র স্বভাব চরণ-সেবা-খেলা ॥ ১২২ ॥
ब्रह्मा-महेश्वर-वन्द्य यद्यपि कमलातबु ताङ्र स्वभाव चरण-सेवा-खेला ॥ १२२ ॥
brahmā-maheśvara-vandya yadyapi kamalātabu tāṅra svabhāva caraṇa-sevā-khelā || 122 ||
brahma-mahesvara-vandya yadyapi kamalatabu tanra svabhava carana-seva-khela (122)
English translation:
(122) Although Lakṣmī is worshiped by Brahmā and Śiva, her natural tendency is to serve the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord.
Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:
Svayam-prakāśa Baladeva Prabhu manifests His form of Saṅkarṣaṇa as well as various Viṣṇu forms and accepts worship from others, yet His service attitude remains undisturbed. In order to support this statement, the author gives the example of Lakṣmīdevī, the goddess of fortune.
Service to Kṛṣṇa is also the natural tendency of Lakṣmī, who is worshiped by Brahmā and Śiva. Although Lakṣmīdevī is respected by the four- headed Brahmā and the annihilator Lord Śiva, she remains engaged in the service of the Lord. In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (3.15.21) it is stated:
śrī rūpiṇī kvaṇayatī caraṇāravindaṃ līlāmbujena hari-sadmani mukta-doṣā saṃlakṣyate sphaṭika-kuḍya upeta-hemni sammārjatīva yad-anugrahaṇe ‘nya-yatnaḥ
“The ladies in the Vaikuṇṭha planets are as beautiful as the goddess of fortune herself. Such transcendentally beautiful ladies, their hands playing with lotuses and their leg bangles tinkling, are sometimes seen sweeping the marble walls, which are bedecked at intervals with golden borders, in order to receive the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”
Elsewhere in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (1.16.32) it is stated:
brahmādayo bahu-tithaṃ yad-apāṅga-mokṣa- kāmās tapaḥ samacaran bhagavat-prapannāḥ sāśrīḥ sva-vāsam aravinda-vanaṃ vihāya
yat-pāda-saubhagam alaṃ bhajate ‘nuraktā
“Lakṣmījī, the goddess of fortune, whose glance of grace was sought by demigods like Brahmā and for whom they surrendered many a day unto
the Personality of Godhead, gave up her own abode in the forest of lotus flowers and engaged herself in the service of the lotus feet of the Lord.”