FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.17.7

त्वं वा मृणालधवल: पादैर्न्यून: पदा चरन् । वृषरूपेण किं कश्चिद् देवो न: परिखेदयन् ॥ ७ ॥
tvaṁ vā mṛṇāla-dhavalaḥ
[tvam vaa mrinaala-dhavalah]
pādair nyūnaḥ padā caran
[paadair nyoonah padaa charan]
vṛṣa-rūpeṇa kiṁ kaścid
[vrisha-roopena kim kashchid]
devo naḥ parikhedayan
[devo nah parikhedayan]
Word-for-word
tvam — you vā — either mṛṇāla-dhavalaḥ — as white as a lotus pādaiḥ — of three legs nyūnaḥ — being deprived padā — on one leg caran — moving vṛṣa — bull rūpeṇa — in the form of kim — whether kaścit — someone devaḥ — demigod naḥ — us parikhedayan — causing grief.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tvaṁ vā mṛṇāla-dhavalaḥ
tvam
you
vā
either
mṛṇāla-dhavalaḥ
as white as a lotus
pādair nyūnaḥ padā caran
pādaiḥ
of three legs
nyūnaḥ
being deprived
padā
on one leg
caran
moving
vṛṣa-rūpeṇa kiṁ kaścid
vṛṣa
bull
rūpeṇa
in the form of
kim
whether
kaścit
someone
devo naḥ parikhedayan
devaḥ
demigod
naḥ
us
parikhedayan
causing grief.
Then he [Mahārāja Parīkṣit] asked the bull: Oh, who are you? Are you a bull as white as a white lotus, or are you a demigod? You have lost three of your legs and are moving on only one. Are you some demigod causing us grief in the form of a bull?
Purport

At least up to the time of Mahārāja Parīkṣit, no one could imagine the wretched conditions of the cow and the bull. Mahārāja Parīkṣit, therefore, was astonished to see such a horrible scene. He inquired whether the bull was not a demigod assuming such a wretched condition to indicate the future of the cow and the bull.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
You are white like a water lily, and move around on one leg without the other legs in the form of a bull. Are you some devatā coming to afflict us by such an appearance?
Commentary

“Let that be. I will think of your first offense for a moment.” Thinking in this way the King then inquired from the bull. Are you some devatā who has come to produce lamentation for us? I have not seen such thinness and suffering even in my dreams.

Related lectures
Personal Guidance
He asked the bull: are you a bull as white as a lotus, or are you a demigod? Three legs gone, moving on one. Some sufferers are more than they appear; ask before you assume. Identity inquiry is itself respect.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose identity have I assumed before asking?
  • Where could a respectful inquiry reveal someone larger than I imagined?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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