Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)
by Śī Śīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja | 2005 | 440,179 words | ISBN-13: 9781935428329
The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 2.4.213, 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 2.4.213 contained in Chapter 4—Vaikuntha (the spiritual world)—of Part two (prathama-khanda).
Verse 2.4.213
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.4.213:
ये तु तत�-प्रतिमां नूत्नाम् अधिष्ठानां हरेर� इत� �
भे�-दृष्ट्या� शैलादि-बुद्ध्या सम्पूजयन्त� हि � २१� �ye tu tat-pratimā� ūٲ峾 adhiṣṭhānā� harer iti |
bheda-dṛṣṭyātha śail徱-ܻ ūᲹⲹԳپ hi || 213 ||ye–w; tu–bܳ; ٲ-پ峾–His Deity form; ūٲ峾–n; ṣṭԲ–cDzԲپDz; �–of Śī Hari; iti–tܲ; 岹ṛṣṭy–due to vision of differentiation; atha–t; ś–of stone; 徱–and so on; ܻ–with a conception; ūᲹⲹԳپ–they worship; hi–iԻ.
However, some people believe that because certain images of Śī Hari are newly made, they are different from the Lord. They worship them considering them to be stone, wood, or some other material element.
Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda
(By Śīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)
Śī Gopa-ܳ might raise the following doubt, “If this is the case, why do the ʳܰṇa condemn those who worship the Deity?�
To reconcile this, 岹 speaks three verses, beginning here with ye tu. He says, “Some people do not consider the Deity as the direct manifestation of Śī Hari, but only a substitute representation or symbol of Him. In this way, they see the Deity as different from and made of stone, wood, or metal. Or, they worship the Deity, thinking that He is newly fabricated or is an artificial statue. These are the people condemned in the ʳܰṇa.�