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Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)

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

The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 1.5.22-23, 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 1.5.22-23 contained in Chapter 5—Priya (the beloved devotees)—of Part one (prathama-khanda).

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 1.5.22-23:

तप�-जप-ज्ञा�-पर� मुनय� येऽर्थ-साधकाः �
विश्वामित्रो गौतमश् � वशिष्ठोऽपि तथापरे � २२ �
तं कुरुक्षेत्�-यात्राया� गत्व� कृष्�-प्रसादतः �
भक्तिं तं प्रार्थ्यतां प्राप्याभवंस� तद�-भक्त�-तत्परा� � २३ �

tapo-japa-ñԲ-parā munayo ye'rtha-sādhakā� |
viśvāmitro gautamaś ca vaśiṣṭho'pi tathāpare || 22 ||
ta� kurukṣetra-yātrāyā� gatvā kṛṣṇa-prasādata� |
bhakti� ta� prārthyatā� prāpyābhavaṃs tad-bhakti-tatparā� || 23 ||

Though վś峾ٰ was intent on performing penance and austerities (tapa);Gautama intent on silent meditation of mantras (japa);Vaṣiṣṭha intent on the pursuit of knowledge (ñԲ); as well as other munis who were practitioners of dharma, artha, and ǰṣa—at the time of pilgrimage to ܰܰṣeٰ, all prayed to Śrī ṛṣṇa for bhakti and ultimately obtained that dedication to bhakti by the mercy of Śrī ṛṣṇa.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

With these two verses, beginning with tapa, Śrī now explains how sages obtained the bhakti of Śrī ṛṣṇa. Tapa-Ծṣṭ վś峾ٰ, japa-Ծṣṭ Gautama, ñԲ-Ծṣṭ Vaṣiṣṭha and other munis, despite initially being practitioners of dharma, artha, and ǰṣa, made pilgrimages to ܰܰṣeٰ. There they first prayed to Śrī ṛṣṇa for bhakti and having received that bhakti they prayed for, they remained fully engaged in their respective devotional services in the end.

In this connection the Tenth Canto (Śī-岵ٲ or 岵ٲ ʳܰṇa 10.84.26) has stated:

तस्याद्य ते ददृशिमाङ्घ्रिम� अघौघ-मर्ष तीर्थास्पद� हृदि कृतं सु-विपक्व-योगै�
उत्सिक्त-भक्त्य�-उपहताश� जी�-कोशा आपुर� भवद्-गतिम� अथानुगृहान भक्तान�

tasyādya te dadṛśimāṅghrim aghaugha-marṣa tīrthāspada� hṛdi kṛta� su-vipakva-yogai�
utsikta-bhakty-upahatāśaya jīva-kośā āpur bhavad-gatim athānugṛhāna bhaktān

“O Śrī ṛṣṇa, today we have had the 岹śԲ of your lotus feet! These lotus feet destroy all types of sins. They are the source of the holy waters of the River Ganges. The Dzī who have obtained perfection in yoga also meditate upon them within the heart. We have directly seen those holy feet today. Please grant us devotional service and bestow your mercy upon us. Only the people whose īṣa (imprisonment from false ego) in the form of (material desires) has been destroyed by bhakti endowed with tattva-ñԲ (knowledge of the truth), perform the devotional service of Your transcendental lotus feet.�

In the commentary to this verse Śī󲹰 Swāmī expounded:

“Fully matured Dzī who have attained the topmost perfection meditate on those lotus feet within the heart. However, they cannot obtain the direct 岹śԲ of those feet. Those lotus feet destroy all sin; they are the shelter of the holy pilgrimage named Ҳṅg. O Prabhu, we directly viewed those same lotus feet as the result of many pious activities. Now, please show us mercy by making us your devotees.�

What is the need of devotional service? You should perform chanting and austerities as before. In response the sages say, “O Prabhu, by having the 岹śԲ of your lotus feet bhakti has arisen in our hearts, and due to this, our souls� imprisonment from the false ego in the form of material desires has been vanquished. Therefore, we desire to obtain Your beautiful lotus feet—we do not want any other destination!�

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