Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)
by Śī Śīmad Bhaktivedānta ⲹԲ Gosvāmī Ѳrāja | 2005 | 440,179 words | ISBN-13: 9781935428329
The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 1.5.12-13, 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 1.5.12-13 contained in Chapter 5—Priya (the beloved devotees)—of Part one (prathama-khanda).
Verse 1.5.12-13
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 1.5.12-13:
कस्मिन्न� अप� प्राज्�-वरैर� विविक्ते गर्गादिभिर� यो निभृतं प्रकाश्यते �
नारायणोऽसौ भगवान् अनेन साम्यं कथञ्चिल् लभते � चापर� � १२ �
अत� श्री-मध�-पुर्या� यो दीर्�-विष्णुर् इत� श्रुतः �
मह�-हरिर� मह�-विष्णुर् मह�-नारायणोऽपि � � १३ �kasminn api prājña-varair vivikte gargādibhir yo nibhṛta� prakāśyate |
nārāyaṇo'sau bhagavān anena sāmya� kathañcil labhate na cāpara� || 12 ||
ata� śī-madhu-puryā� yo dīrgha-viṣṇur iti śruta� |
mahā-harir mahā-viṣṇur mahā-nārāyaṇo'pi ca || 13 ||Somewhere Garga, the best among learned sages, revealed in confidence that Śī ṛṣṇa can be equated only with Śī ⲹṇa to some degree, but not completely. He is also famous in Śī Madhupuri (Ѳٳܰ) by such names as ī-ṣṇ, Ѳhari, Ѳ-ṣṇ and Ѳ-ⲹṇa.
Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda
(By Śīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)
Suppose the question arises, “Is Śī ٱ𱹲īԲԻ岹Բ that Śī ⲹṇa Himself?� Śī 岹 wants to remove this doubt and mention the greater importance of the Ჹī such as Śī Nanda in contrast to the associates of ղṇṭ such as Śī Ҳḍa. Therefore, he first depicts the glories of Śī ٱ𱹲ī-ԲԻ岹Բ as superior to the glories of Śī ⲹṇa with these verses beginning with kasmin (somewhere).
Although this word kasmin indicates such vraja-ī as Śī Nanda, their names are not openly mentioned. They have attained the pinnacle of highest mercy from Śī ṛṣṇa, therefore their glories will be mentioned later. In this context it was not appropriate to mention their glories. Discriminating like this, Śī 岹 simply hints at their glories with the word kasmin.
In this way, the best among learned scholars, Garga and other sages, somewhere quietly divulged the glories of Śī ٱ𱹲ī-nandana. In what way did they disclose it? He is equal in some degree to Śī Vaikuṇṭheśvara who possesses six opulences, but not wholesale. In some respects, such as being the source of all incarnations (ī) or having the excellence of form, Śī ṛṣṇa is similar to Śī ⲹṇa. Still, He is not equal in every way or all respects. In what way is He Śī ⲹṇa?
In վṣṇ ʳܰṇa (6.5.74) it is written:
ऐश्वर्यस्य समग्रस्य धर्मस्� (वीर्यस्य) यशसः श्रियः
ज्ञा�-वैराग्ययोश� चापि शण्णां भग इतीङ्गन�śⲹsya samagrasya dharmasya (īⲹsya) ⲹśsa� śriya�
ñԲ-岵ⲹyoś cāpi śaṇṇā� bhaga itīṅganāAll six qualities such as opulence (śⲹ), strength (dharma or īⲹ), fame (ⲹś), beauty (śī), knowledge (ñԲ) and renunciation (岵ⲹ) are expressed by the word bhaga and all these six qualities are present completely in Śī ⲹṇa; therefore, He is known as who is possessed of six opulences.
Hence, the meaning of the word is “the multitude of living beings� and the meaning of the word ayana is “one who glances mercifully.� Thus, through His potency of knowledge and action (ñԲ--śپ), He endows and engages them with their own maintenance requirements and appropriate management.
Therefore, in name alone Śī Vaikuṇṭheśvara is Śī ⲹṇa, and only from time to time is Śī ⲹṇa similar to Śī ṛṣṇa. However, in Śī ٱ𱹲ī-ԲԻ岹Բ the above-mentioned qualities are wonderfully realized to the fullest extent;therefore, He is renowned as the original ⲹṇa or Ѳ-ⲹṇa. Hence Garga Muni said, “Ś� Vaikuṇṭheśvara ⲹԲ is similar to Śī ṛṣṇa to a certain degree.� No other -ܰṣa is superior to Śī ⲹṇa. Etan nānāvatārāṇāṃ, ԾԲ� bījam avyayam (Śīmad-岵ٲm or 岵ٲ ʳܰṇa 1.3.5): “His transcendental form is the seed of all other incarnations.�
By all these proofs it is known that Śī ⲹṇa is the root of all the various incarnations or is the source of all incarnations. However, He does not possess the supra-sweet form, qualities, pastimes and other qualities like Śī ٱ𱹲ī-ԲԻ岹Բ. Even this Supreme ⲹṇa cannot slightly equate to Śī ٱ𱹲ī-ԲԻ岹Բ, because Śī ṛṣṇa expands that prema by manifesting the waves of the essence of His sweet form, qualities and pastimes.
For instance, the words of Śī Ҳ峦ⲹ to Śī Nanda Ѳrāja are as follows (Śīmad-岵ٲm or 岵ٲ ʳܰṇa 10.8.19):
तस्मान� नन्दात्मजो’य� ते नारायण-सम� गुणै�
श्रिया कीर्त्यानुभावे� गोपायस्व समाहित�tasmān nandātmajo’ya� te nārāyaṇa-samo guṇai�
śriyā kīrtyānubhāvena gopāyasva samāhita�“O Nanda, this Son of yours is equal to ⲹԲ in His transcendental qualities, opulence, fame and influence—therefore you should carefully raise Him.�
The purport is that one whose qualities, form, opulences and so on, are like Śī ⲹṇa’s, alone is similar to Śī ⲹṇa. Now, although that same ⲹṇa’s qualities are like Him, however Śī ⲹṇa is not equal in manifesting His sweet dress and pastimes. In other words, this Śī ṛṣṇa will increase the ⲹ� or wealth of the prema of the gopas such as Śī Nanda or the meaning of the word ⲹ� is “that beneficial process and wealth of the topmost bliss that is aptly collected.� On the other hand, if it is read as sveti, then by the words ⲹ� and sva the meaning comes out to be Dz-ṣe (acquirement and maintenance). He is of the nature of yoga-ṣe for the gopas; therefore, focus your heart one-pointedly on Him. By these words of Śī Garga it is revealed that Śī ṛṣṇa makes arrangements for the maintenance and acquirements of the gopas; therefore, He would exhibit the most sweet qualities, form, pastimes and so on, in Vraja. However, in ղṇṭ there is no such arrangement of the Dzṣe. Therefore, He is directly ; in other words, although the qualities are present so wonderfully in Śī ⲹԲ, this Śī ṛṣṇa alone is known as svaya� bhagavān (the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself).