FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.19.16

पुनश्च भूयाद्भगवत्यनन्ते रति: प्रसङ्गश्च तदाश्रयेषु । महत्सु यां यामुपयामि सृष्टिं मैत्र्यस्तु सर्वत्र नमो द्विजेभ्य: ॥ १६ ॥
punaś ca bhūyād bhagavaty anante
[punash cha bhooyaad bhagavaty anante]
ratiḥ prasaṅgaś ca tad-āśrayeṣu
[ratih prasangash cha tad-aashrayeshu]
mahatsu yāṁ yām upayāmi sṛṣṭiṁ
[mahatsu yaam yaam upayaami srishtim]
maitry astu sarvatra namo dvijebhyaḥ
[maitry astu sarvatra namo dvijebhyah]
punaḥ — again ca — and bhūyāt — let it be bhagavati — unto Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa anante — who has unlimited potency ratiḥ — attracting prasaṅgaḥ — association ca — also tat — His āśrayeṣu — with those who are His devotees mahatsu — within the material creation yām yām — wherever upayāmi — I may take sṛṣṭim — my birth maitrī — friendly relation astu — let it be sarvatra — everywhere namaḥ — my obeisances dvijebhyaḥ — unto the brāhmaṇas..
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
punaś ca bhūyād bhagavaty anante
punaḥ
again
ca
and
bhūyāt
let it be
bhagavati
unto Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa
anante
who has unlimited potency
ratiḥ prasaṅgaś ca tad-āśrayeṣu
ratiḥ
attracting
prasaṅgaḥ
association
ca
also
tat
His
āśrayeṣu
with those who are His devotees
mahatsu yāṁ yām upayāmi sṛṣṭiṁ
mahatsu
within the material creation
yām yām
wherever
upayāmi
I may take
sṛṣṭim
my birth
maitry astu sarvatra namo dvijebhyaḥ
maitrī
friendly relation
astu
let it be
sarvatra
everywhere
namaḥ
my obeisances
dvijebhyaḥ
unto the brāhmaṇas..
Again, offering obeisances unto all you brāhmaṇas, I pray that if I should again take my birth in the material world I will have complete attachment to the unlimited Lord Kṛṣṇa, association with His devotees and friendly relations with all living beings.

That a devotee of the Lord is the only perfect living being is explained herein by Mahārāja Parīkṣit. A devotee of the Lord is no one’s enemy, although there may be many enemies of a devotee. A devotee of the Lord does not like to associate with nondevotees, although he has no enmity with them. He desires association with the devotees of the Lord. This is perfectly natural because birds of the same feather mix together. And the most important function of a devotee is to have complete attachment for Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the father of all living beings. As a good son of the father behaves in a friendly way with all his other brothers, so also the devotee of the Lord, being a good son of the supreme father, Lord Kṛṣṇa, sees all other living beings in relation with the supreme father. He tries to bring back the upstart sons of the father to a saner stage and to get them to accept the supreme fatherhood of God. Mahārāja Parīkṣit was certainly going back to Godhead, but even if he were not to go back, he prayed for a pattern of life which is the most perfect way in the material world. A pure devotee does not desire the company of a personality as great as Brahmā, but he prefers the association of a petty living being, provided he is a devotee of the Lord.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
On the other hand, in whatever birth I receive, may I have rati for the unlimited Lord, excellent association with his devotees who take shelter of him and friendship with all living beings! I offer respects to the brāhmaṇas.
Commentary

Punar ca means “on the other hand.” In whatever birth I take, may I have rati for the Lord and excellent association (prasaṅgaḥ) with his devotees, and friendship with all living entities! May these three desires be fulfilled! After praying for these, he then offers his respects. Or offering respects can be considered a fourth wish, out of repentance for disrespecting a brāhmaṇa. May I have respect for the brāhmaṇas! (dvijebhyaḥ namo bhūyāt).

If I take birth again in the material world, may I have complete attachment to Kṛṣṇa, association with His devotees, and friendly relations with all. The right prayer for the in-between. The seeds of the next birth are sown now.
Reflection Questions
  • What seeds for a next chapter — this life or another — am I planting now?
  • Where could prayer for ongoing devotion shape what comes?
📝 My note

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