FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.16.24

इदं ममाचक्ष्व तवाधिमूलं वसुन्धरे येन विकर्शितासि । कालेन वा ते बलिनां बलीयसा सुरार्चितं किं हृतमम्ब सौभगम् ॥ २४ ॥
idaṁ mamācakṣva tavādhi-mūlaṁ
[idam mamaachakshva tavaadhi-moolam]
vasundhare yena vikarśitāsi
[vasundhare yena vikarshitaasi]
kālena vā te balināṁ balīyasā
[kaalena vaa te balinaam baleeyasaa]
surārcitaṁ kiṁ hṛtam amba saubhagam
[suraarchitam kim hritam amba saubhagam]
idam — this mama — unto me ācakṣva — kindly inform tava — your ādhimūlam — the root cause of your tribulations vasundhare — O reservoir of all riches yena — by which vikarśitā asi — reduced to much weakness kālena — by the influence of time vā — or te — your balinām — very powerful balīyasā — more powerful sura-arcitam — adored by the demigods kim — whether hṛtam — taken away amba — mother saubhagam — fortune.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
idaṁ mamācakṣva tavādhi-mūlaṁ
idam
this
mama
unto me
ācakṣva
kindly inform
tava
your
ādhimūlam
the root cause of your tribulations
vasundhare yena vikarśitāsi
vasundhare
O reservoir of all riches
yena
by which
vikarśitā asi
reduced to much weakness
kālena vā te balināṁ balīyasā
kālena
by the influence of time
vā
or
te
your
balinām
very powerful
balīyasā
more powerful
surārcitaṁ kiṁ hṛtam amba saubhagam
sura-arcitam
adored by the demigods
kim
whether
hṛtam
taken away
amba
mother
saubhagam
fortune.
Mother, you are the reservoir of all riches. Please inform me of the root cause of your tribulations by which you have been reduced to such a weak state. I think that the powerful influence of time, which conquers the most powerful, might have forcibly taken away all your fortune, which was adored even by the demigods.

By the grace of the Lord, each and every planet is created fully equipped. So not only is this earth fully equipped with all the riches for the maintenance of its inhabitants, but also, when the Lord descends to the earth the whole earth becomes so enriched with all kinds of opulences that even the denizens of heaven worship it with all affection. But by the will of the Lord, the whole earth can at once be changed. He can do and undo a thing by His sweet will. Therefore no one should consider himself to be self-sufficient or independent of the Lord.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O mother! O earth! Are you lamenting on remembering the activities — which make a mockery of liberation by their sweetness — of the Lord who appeared to relieve your heavy burden and then disappeared, leaving you alone?
Commentary

Remembering the activities of the Lord who appeared (kṛtāvatārasya) to relieve (avatāra) your burden. The activities made liberation a laughing stock (vilambitāni) because of their sweetness. The syllables ḍa and la can be exchanged and thus the word becomes viḍambitāni (mocking).

Mother, you are the reservoir of all riches. Tell me the root cause of your weakness. The powerful influence of time might have worn you. Diagnose all the way down. Symptoms aren't enough.
Reflection Questions
  • What root cause of my weakness have I not yet diagnosed?
  • Where do I treat symptoms because the root is too uncomfortable?
📝 My note

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