Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)
by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja | 2005 | 440,179 words | ISBN-13: 9781935428329
The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 1.4.8, 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 1.4.8 contained in Chapter 4—Bhakta (the devotee)—of Part one (prathama-khanda).
Verse 1.4.8
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 1.4.8:
वित्रस्तेन ब्रह्मणा प्रार्थितो यः श्रीमत�-पादाम्भो�-मूले निपत्य �
तिष्ठन्न� उत्थाप्योत्तमाङ्गे कराब्ज� धृत्वाङ्गेषु श्री-नृसिंहेन लीढः � � �vitrastena brahmaṇ� prārthito ya� śrīmat-pādāmbhoja-mūle nipatya |
tiṣṭhann utthāpyottamāṅge karābja� dhṛtvāṅgeṣu śrī-nṛsiṃhena līḍha� || 8 ||As Śrī stood aghast after prayer, you fell down at the divine lotus feet of your Prabhu, then Śrī ṛsṃhdeva, raising you personally, put His lotus hand on your head and began licking all your limbs.
Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda
(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)
The honor displayed by Śrī towards Śrī ʰ岹 is expounded upon in the śǰ첹 beginning with vitrastena (with ghastliness).
Due to the hostility at the feet of His devotee and seeing Śrī ṛsṃhdeva’s readiness to destroy the entire universe by His great anger, became excessively timid and to pacify the anger of Śrī ṛsṃh, began to beseech ʰ岹. For example, in the Seventh Canto Śrī says to the nearby ʰ岹 (Śī-岵ٲ or 岵ٲ ʳܰṇa 7.9.3), ٲ praśamayopehi sva-pitre kupita� prabhum: “My child, our Lord, Śrī ṛsṃhdeva, is furious with your father, therefore go and appease Him of such anger.�
Then you gradually proceeded towards our Prabhu. Falling at His lotus feet, you offered your dandavats. Śrī ṛsṃhdeva personally raised you up with His divine lotus hands and began licking all your limbs.
The Seventh Canto (Śrīmad-岵ٲm or 岵ٲ ʳܰṇa 7.9.5) states:
स्�-पा�-मूले पतित� तम� अर्भकं विलोक्� देवः कृपय� परिप्लुत�
उत्थाप्य तच�-छीर्ष्ण्य् अदधात् कराम्बुज� कालाहि-वितस्त-धिया� कृताभयम्sva-pāda-mūle patita� tam arbhaka� vilokya deva� kṛpayā paripluta�
utthāpya tac-chīrṣṇy adadhāt karāmbuja� kālāhi-vitasta-dhiyā� kṛtābhayamSeeing ʰ岹 at the base of His feet, Śrī ṛsṃhdeva, whose lotus hands grant fearlessness to all people who fear the venomous factor of time, became overwhelmed by compassion and placed those same lotus hands on the head of ʰ岹.
In addition, the Śrī Bṛhan ṃh ʳܰṇa describes, lilihe tasya gātrāṇi sva-potasyeva śī: “Just as a lioness licks the body of her own cubs, Śrī Nṛsimhadeva began to lick ʰ岹’s body.�