FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.16.16

सारथ्यपारषदसेवनसख्यदौत्य- वीरासनानुगमनस्तवनप्रणामान् । स्‍निग्धेषु पाण्डुषु जगत्प्रणतिं च विष्णो- र्भक्तिं करोति नृपतिश्चरणारविन्दे ॥ १६ ॥
sārathya-pāraṣada-sevana-sakhya-dautya-
[saarathya-paarashada-sevana-sakhya-dautya-]
vīrāsanānugamana-stavana-praṇāmān
[veeraasanaanugamana-stavana-pranaamaan]
snigdheṣu pāṇḍuṣu jagat-praṇatiṁ ca viṣṇor
[snigdheshu paandushu jagat-pranatim cha vishnor]
bhaktiṁ karoti nṛ-patiś caraṇāravinde
[bhaktim karoti nri-patish charanaaravinde]
Word-for-word
sārathya — acceptance of the post of a chariot driver pāraṣada — acceptance of the presidency in the assembly of the Rājasūya sacrifice sevana — engaging the mind constantly in the service of the Lord sakhya — to think of the Lord as a friend dautya — acceptance of the post of a messenger vīra-āsana — acceptance of the post of a watchman with a drawn sword at night anugamana — following in the footsteps stavana — offering of prayers praṇāmān — offering obeisances snigdheṣu — unto them who are malleable to the will of the Lord pāṇḍuṣu — unto the sons of Pāṇḍu jagat — the universal praṇatim — one who is obeyed ca — and viṣṇoḥ — of Viṣṇu bhaktim — devotion karoti — does nṛ-patiḥ — the King caraṇa-aravinde — unto His lotus feet.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sārathya-pāraṣada-sevana-sakhya-dautya-
sārathya
acceptance of the post of a chariot driver
pāraṣada
acceptance of the presidency in the assembly of the Rājasūya sacrifice
sevana
engaging the mind constantly in the service of the Lord
sakhya
to think of the Lord as a friend
dautya
acceptance of the post of a messenger
vīrāsanānugamana-stavana-praṇāmān
vīra-āsana
acceptance of the post of a watchman with a drawn sword at night
anugamana
following in the footsteps
stavana
offering of prayers
praṇāmān
offering obeisances
snigdheṣu pāṇḍuṣu jagat-praṇatiṁ ca viṣṇor
snigdheṣu
unto them who are malleable to the will of the Lord
pāṇḍuṣu
unto the sons of Pāṇḍu
jagat
the universal
praṇatim
one who is obeyed
ca
and
viṣṇoḥ
of Viṣṇu
bhaktiṁ karoti nṛ-patiś caraṇāravinde
bhaktim
devotion
karoti
does
nṛ-patiḥ
the King
caraṇa-aravinde
unto His lotus feet.
Mahārāja Parīkṣit heard that out of His causeless mercy Lord Kṛṣṇa [Viṣṇu], who is universally obeyed, rendered all kinds of service to the malleable sons of Pāṇḍu by accepting posts ranging from chariot driver to president to messenger, friend, night watchman, etc., according to the will of the Pāṇḍavas, obeying them like a servant and offering obeisances like one younger in years. When he heard this, Mahārāja Parīkṣit became overwhelmed with devotion to the lotus feet of the Lord.
Purport

Lord Kṛṣṇa is everything to the unalloyed devotees like the Pāṇḍavas. The Lord was for them the Supreme Lord, the spiritual master, the worshipable Deity, the guide, the chariot driver, the friend, the servant, the messenger and everything they could conceive of. And thus the Lord also reciprocated the feelings of the Pāṇḍavas. Mahārāja Parīkṣit, as a pure devotee of the Lord, could appreciate the Lord’s transcendental reciprocation of the feelings of His devotees, and thus he himself also was overwhelmed with the dealings of the Lord. Simply by appreciating the dealings of the Lord with His pure devotees, one can attain salvation. The Lord’s dealings with His devotees appear to be ordinary human dealings, but one who knows them in truth becomes at once eligible to go back home, back to Godhead. The Pāṇḍavas were so malleable to the will of the Lord that they could sacrifice any amount of energy for the service of the Lord, and by such unalloyed determination they could secure the Lord’s mercy in any shape they desired.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
In those places, hearing the glories of his ancestors being sung which indicated glory to Kṛṣṇa, his deliverance from the brahmāstra of Aśvatthāmā, and the great devotion and affection of the Pāṇḍavas and Vṛṣṇis for Kṛṣṇa, highly satisfied and very generous, his eyes filled with affection, he gave those glorifiers great wealth and cloth.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
He heard how Kṛṣṇa rendered all kinds of service to the Pāṇḍavas — chariot driver, president, messenger. The Lord serves His devotees. Greatness reveals itself in willingness to take humble roles.
Reflection Questions
  • What humble role would I never take, and what does that say about my limits?
  • Where could lowering myself in service raise the work I'm part of?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 16