FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.19.37

अत: पृच्छामि संसिद्धिं योगिनां परमं गुरुम् । पुरुषस्येह यत्कार्यं म्रियमाणस्य सर्वथा ॥ ३७ ॥
ataḥ pṛcchāmi saṁsiddhiṁ
[atah prichchaami samsiddhim]
yogināṁ paramaṁ gurum
[yoginaam paramam gurum]
puruṣasyeha yat kāryaṁ
[purushasyeha yat kaaryam]
mriyamāṇasya sarvathā
[mriyamaanasya sarvathaa]
ataḥ — therefore pṛcchāmi — beg to inquire saṁsiddhim — the way of perfection yoginām — of the saints paramam — the supreme gurum — the spiritual master puruṣasya — of a person iha — in this life yat — whatever kāryam — duty mriyamāṇasya — of one who is going to die sarvathā — in every way.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ataḥ pṛcchāmi saṁsiddhiṁ
ataḥ
therefore
pṛcchāmi
beg to inquire
saṁsiddhim
the way of perfection
yogināṁ paramaṁ gurum
yoginām
of the saints
paramam
the supreme
gurum
the spiritual master
puruṣasyeha yat kāryaṁ
puruṣasya
of a person
iha
in this life
yat
whatever
kāryam
duty
mriyamāṇasya sarvathā
mriyamāṇasya
of one who is going to die
sarvathā
in every way.
You are the spiritual master of great saints and devotees. I am therefore begging you to show the way of perfection for all persons, and especially for one who is about to die.

Unless one is perfectly anxious to inquire about the way of perfection, there is no necessity of approaching a spiritual master. A spiritual master is not a kind of decoration for a householder. Generally a fashionable materialist engages a so-called spiritual master without any profit. The pseudo spiritual master flatters the so-called disciple, and thereby both the master and his ward go to hell without a doubt. Mahārāja Parīkṣit is the right type of disciple because he puts forward questions vital to the interest of all men, particularly for the dying men. The question put forward by Mahārāja Parīkṣit is the basic principle of the complete thesis of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Now let us see how intelligently the great master replies.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
I ask the supreme guru of the yogīs “What is complete perfection and what is to be done at all times for attaining that perfection for a man about to die?”.
Commentary

I ask about the complete perfection (saṁṣiddhim) and I ask the sādhana to be performed at all times for that perfection.

You are the spiritual master of great saints and devotees. I am therefore begging you to show the way of perfection for all persons, especially one about to die. Ask the master what only the master can show.
Reflection Questions
  • What only-this-master question have I been holding back?
  • Where could I beg more openly for the way?
📝 My note

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