Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)
by Śī Śīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja | 2005 | 440,179 words | ISBN-13: 9781935428329
The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 2.2.178, 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 2.2.178 contained in Chapter 2—Jnana (knowledge)—of Part two (prathama-khanda).
Verse 2.2.178
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.2.178:
भगवांस� तु पर� ब्रह्म परात्म� परमेश्वर� �
सुसान्द्�-सच�-चिद्-आनन्�-विग्रह� महिमार्णवः � १७� �bhagavāṃs tu 貹� brahma parātmā parameśvara� |
susāndra-sac-cid-ānanda-vigraho mahimārṇava� || 178 ||-–the Lord, possessor of six opulences in full; tu–rٳ; param brahma–the Supreme Spirit; 貹-ٳ–the Supersoul; 貹īś�–the Supreme Controller; -Ի–sublime intense; ٳ-ԲԻ岹–of eternality, cognizance, and felicity; �–the form; -ṇa�–an ocean of glories.
However, Śī is Parabrahman (the Supreme Absolute Spirit), ʲٳ (the Supersoul), and ʲś (the Supreme Controller). His form is the concentrated essence of pure eternal reality, knowledge, and bliss, and He is an ocean of variegated glories.
Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda
(By Śīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)
Śī Gopa-ܳ might ask, “How can one realize the true essence of happiness?�
In reply, the personified پ-śٰ say, “This is accomplished by the potency of bhagavad-bhakti, devotional service to the Lord in pure love.� This is explained in the four verses, beginning here with bhagavāṃs tu. “Ś� is the Supreme Spirit Parabrahman, and the Supersoul, ʲٳ. He is the controller of all, even of , for He is the indwelling presiding Deity of the consciousness of all living beings. As the Lord of Śī Vaikuṇṭha, His form is the ultimate embodiment of pure eternality, cognizance, and joy, and He is an ocean–a perpetual, boundlessly deep shelter–of myriad inconceivable astonishing splendors. In this way, the glorious Śī is also sometimes addressed as Para, meaning ‘supreme,� Brahman.
“For example, it is stated in the -ī (10.12): �貹� brahma 貹� 峾 貹ٰ� 貹� –You are the Supreme Spirit and the ultimate abode. You alone are supremely pure.� Generally, the words Brahman and Parabrahman are used in two ways. Parabrahman is used to mean the Supreme Personality of Godhead, , as in the phrase �parabrahma Բṛt–the Supreme Brahman in human form.�
Brahman is used to signify the Absolute Truth, ٳ-ٲٳٱ, as shown in Śīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.87.1):
ब्रह्म ब्रह्मण्य् अनिर्देश्य� निर्गुणे गु�-वृत्तय�
कथ� चरन्ति श्रुतय� साक्षात् सद�-असतः पर�brahma brahmaṇy anirdeśye nirguṇe guṇa-vṛttaya�
katha� caranti śrutaya� sākṣāt sad-asata� pareO ṇa, that which cannot be described directly is devoid of all material qualities (Ծṇa), beyond cause and effect, and untouched by the modes of goodness, passion, and ignorance. How will the Śܳپ (Vedas) describe the nature of that Brahman that is devoid of material qualities?
“In addition, in the Bhagavad-ī (14.27), personally states: �brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham–I am the basis of the all-cognizant Brahman.� In other words, just as the concentrated embodiment of brilliance, the sun, is the source of the sunrays and illumination, similarly the concentrated embodiment of knowledge, Śī , is the source of the all-cognizant Brahman.� In this last statement, only the word Brahman has been used. In some places, the adjective para (supreme) is used as a prefix, and the word becomes Parabrahman. This is to indicate an object that is even superior to Brahman. If Brahman who possesses a personal form is the object of reference, the adjective para is always used.