FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.18.17

तन्न: परं पुण्यमसंवृतार्थ- माख्यानमत्यद्भुतयोगनिष्ठम् । आख्याह्यनन्ताचरितोपपन्नं पारीक्षितं भागवताभिरामम् ॥ १७ ॥
tan naḥ paraṁ puṇyam asaṁvṛtārtham
[tan nah param punyam asamvritaartham]
ākhyānam atyadbhuta-yoga-niṣṭham
[aakhyaanam atyadbhuta-yoga-nishtham]
ākhyāhy anantācaritopapannaṁ
[aakhyaahy anantaacharitopapannam]
pārīkṣitaṁ bhāgavatābhirāmam
[paareekshitam bhaagavataabhiraamam]
tat — therefore naḥ — unto us param — supreme puṇyam — purifying asaṁvṛta-artham — as it is ākhyānam — narration ati — very adbhuta — wonderful yoga-niṣṭham — compact in bhakti-yoga ākhyāhi — describe ananta — the Unlimited ācarita — activities upapannam — full of pārīkṣitam — spoken to Mahārāja Parīkṣit bhāgavata — of the pure devotees abhirāmam — particularly very dear.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tan naḥ paraṁ puṇyam asaṁvṛtārtham
tat
therefore
naḥ
unto us
param
supreme
puṇyam
purifying
asaṁvṛta-artham
as it is
ākhyānam atyadbhuta-yoga-niṣṭham
ākhyānam
narration
ati
very
adbhuta
wonderful
yoga-niṣṭham
compact in bhakti-yoga
ākhyāhy anantācaritopapannaṁ
ākhyāhi
describe
ananta
the Unlimited
ācarita
activities
upapannam
full of
pārīkṣitam
spoken to Mahārāja Parīkṣit
pārīkṣitaṁ bhāgavatābhirāmam
bhāgavata
of the pure devotees
abhirāmam
particularly very dear.
Thus please narrate to us the narrations of the Unlimited, for they are purifying and supreme. They were spoken to Mahārāja Parīkṣit, and they are very dear to the pure devotees, being full of bhakti-yoga.

What was spoken to Mahārāja Parīkṣit and what is very dear to the pure devotees is Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is mainly full of the narrations of the activities of the Supreme Unlimited, and therefore it is the science of bhakti-yoga, or the devotional service of the Lord. Thus it is para, or supreme, because although it is enriched with all knowledge and religion, it is specifically enriched with the devotional service of the Lord.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Please tell us clearly the most pure Bhāgavatam containing unlimited pastimes, which is devoted to astonishing bhakti, since it is dear to the devotees and was recited to Parīkṣit.
Commentary

Tell us clearly (asaṁvṛtārtham) the Bhāgavatam (ākhyānam), which is devoted to bhakti-yoga, because it is dear to the devotees and was recited to Parīkṣit.

Please narrate the narrations of the Unlimited — purifying and supreme — spoken to Parīkṣit and dear to pure devotees, full of bhakti-yoga. Two qualities: purifying and dear. Both matter.
Reflection Questions
  • What input is purifying me — and is it also becoming dear?
  • Where am I taking in what purifies but doesn't yet delight?
📝 My note

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