FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.19.18

एवं च तस्मिन्नरदेवदेवे प्रायोपविष्टे दिवि देवसङ्घा: । प्रशस्य भूमौ व्यकिरन् प्रसूनै- र्मुदा मुहुर्दुन्दुभयश्च नेदु: ॥ १८ ॥
evaṁ ca tasmin nara-deva-deve
[evam cha tasmin nara-deva-deve]
prāyopaviṣṭe divi deva-saṅghāḥ
[praayopavishte divi deva-sanghaah]
praśasya bhūmau vyakiran prasūnair
[prashasya bhoomau vyakiran prasoonair]
mudā muhur dundubhayaś ca neduḥ
[mudaa muhur dundubhayash cha neduh]
evam — thus ca — and tasmin — in that nara-deva-deve — upon the King’s prāya-upaviṣṭe — being engaged in fasting to death divi — in the sky deva — demigods saṅghāḥ — all of them praśasya — having praised the action bhūmau — on the earth vyakiran — scattered prasūnaiḥ — with flowers mudā — in pleasure muhuḥ — continually dundubhayaḥ — celestial drums ca — also neduḥ — beaten.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
evaṁ ca tasmin nara-deva-deve
evam
thus
ca
and
tasmin
in that
nara-deva-deve
upon the King’s
prāyopaviṣṭe divi deva-saṅghāḥ
prāya-upaviṣṭe
being engaged in fasting to death
divi
in the sky
deva
demigods
saṅghāḥ
all of them
praśasya bhūmau vyakiran prasūnair
praśasya
having praised the action
bhūmau
on the earth
vyakiran
scattered
prasūnaiḥ
with flowers
mudā muhur dundubhayaś ca neduḥ
mudā
in pleasure
muhuḥ
continually
dundubhayaḥ
celestial drums
ca
also
neduḥ
beaten.
Thus the King, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, sat to fast until death. All the demigods of the higher planets praised the King’s actions and in pleasure continually scattered flowers over the earth and beat celestial drums.

Even up to the time of Mahārāja Parīkṣit there were interplanetary communications, and the news of Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s fasting unto death to attain salvation reached the higher planets in the sky where the intelligent demigods live. The demigods are more luxurious than human beings, but all of them are obedient to the orders of the Supreme Lord. There is no one in the heavenly planets who is an atheist or nonbeliever. Thus any devotee of the Lord on the surface of the earth is always praised by them, and in the case of Mahārāja Parīkṣit they were greatly delighted and thus gave tokens of honor by scattering flowers over the earth and by beating celestial drums. A demigod takes pleasure in seeing someone go back to Godhead. He is always pleased with a devotee of the Lord, so much so that by his adhidaivic powers he may help the devotees in all respects. And by their actions, the Lord is pleased with them. There is an invisible chain of complete cooperation between the Lord, the demigods and the devotee of the Lord on earth.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
When the best of the kings sat fasting, the devatās in the sky showered the earth with flowers in praise and continually drums sounded in joy.
Commentary

Vyakiran means that they made a shower. The drums sounded spontaneously (neduḥ) by themselves.

The King sat to fast until death. All the demigods praised the King's actions and scattered flowers and beat celestial drums. Higher worlds notice noble human acts. Beauty is rained when we choose well.
Reflection Questions
  • What act of mine recently might have been noticed by the higher world?
  • Where could I act knowing I am being witnessed by more than I see?
📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 19