Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)
by Śī Śīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja | 2005 | 440,179 words | ISBN-13: 9781935428329
The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 2.3.66, 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 2.3.66 contained in Chapter 3—Bhajana (loving service)—of Part two (prathama-khanda).
Verse 2.3.66
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.3.66:
भगवन्त� सहस्रास्यं शे�-मूर्ति� नि�-प्रियम� �
नित्यम� अर्चयत� प्रेम्णा दासवज् जगद्-ईश्वरः � ६६ �bhagavanta� sahasrāsya� śṣa-mūrti� nija-priyam |
nityam arcayati ṇ� dāsavaj Ჹ-īś� || 66 ||bhagavantam–the Lord; -ⲹ–who has a thousand heads; śṣa–of Śeṣa; ūپ–fǰ; nija-priyam–his own beloved; nityam–eٱԲ; arcayati–wǰ; ṇ�–with love; -–like a servant; Ჹ-īś�–Ś� Ś, lord of the world.
Although Śī Ś is the lord of the world, like a servant, he always lovingly worships the thousand-hooded Śeṣa, his beloved form of .
Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda
(By Śīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)
Śī Gopa-ܳ says, “Although Śī Ś is the lord of the universe, he always affectionately worships the Śeṣa manifestation of , as a servant. The only reason for this worship is that he loves Śeṣa. As a ī, or pastime, the worshiped (ܱⲹ–Ś� Śeṣa) and the worshiper (ܱ첹–Ś� Ś) are both predominating Deities of the mode of ignorance. Because of that, Śī Ś eternally worships his beloved Śī Śeṣa with love.�
In the account of 屹ṛt-ṣa, Śīmad-岵ٲ (5.17.16) describes Śṅk as a worshiper:
भवानी-नाथै� स्त्री-गणार्बुद-सहस्रैर् अवरुध्यमान� भगवतश् चतुर�-मूर्तेर्
मह�-पुरुषस्य तुरीया� तामसी� मूर्ति� प्रकृतिम� आत्मनः सङ्कर्षण-संज्ञाम्
आत्म-समाध�-रूपे� सन्निधाप्यैतद् अभिगृणन् भव उपधावत�bhavānī-nāthai� strī-gaṇārbuda-sahasrair avarudhyamāno bhagavataś catur-mūrter
mahā-puruṣasya turīyā� tāmasī� mūrti� prakṛtim ٳna� saṅkarṣaṇa-saṃjñām
ٳ--rūpeṇa sannidhāpyaitad abhigṛṇan bhava upadhāvatiIn this ṣa (tract of land), Śṅk is always served by ī and her millions of maidservants. The Supreme Lord has four manifestations: ܻ𱹲, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, and ṅkṣaṇa. The fourth one, ṅkṣaṇa, is the direct cause of Śī Ś’s existence and predominates over the mode of ignorance, or tamas. In the yoga of ٳ-, the mystical practice of resolute meditation on the Supersoul, Śṅk meditates on ṅkṣaṇa’s form in his heart and always worships Him with prayers and glorifications.
This Śeṣa ṅkṣaṇa, who is worshiped by Śī Ś, is the presiding Deity of the mode of ignorance, or tama-ṇa, and, at the time of the cosmic annihilation, He sets this mode into motion. Factually, His completely pure and transcendental form is ٳܰīⲹ, meaning it is of the fourth dimension, which is beyond the three modes of material nature. Śeṣa ṅkṣaṇa has special qualities and characteristics in relation to ṅkṣaṇa who is the presiding Deity of the layer of false ego around the material universe. For this reason, the term -ⲹ (thousand-hooded) is being used in the original verse. Reference to Śeṣa is also found in the Ś-stuti, the prayers of Śī Ś [Śīmad-岵ٲ 5.17.21]. Śeṣa ṅkṣaṇa generally has four arms like Śī ṅkṣaṇa, Śī Pradyumna, Śī Aniruddha, etc. of the quadruple expansion.
In this way, the exultation and superiority of Śloka has been revealed.