FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.5.28

इत्थं शरत्प्रावृषिकावृतू हरे- र्विश‍ृण्वतो मेऽनुसवं यशोऽमलम् । सङ्कीर्त्यमानं मुनिभिर्महात्मभि- र्भक्ति: प्रवृत्तात्मरजस्तमोपहा ॥ २८ ॥
itthaṁ śarat-prāvṛṣikāv ṛtū harer
[ittham sharat-praavrishikaav ritoo harer]
viśṛṇvato me ’nusavaṁ yaśo ’malam
[vishrinvato me ’nusavam yasho ’malam]
saṅkīrtyamānaṁ munibhir mahātmabhir
[sankeertyamaanam munibhir mahaatmabhir]
bhaktiḥ pravṛttātma-rajas-tamopahā
[bhaktih pravrittaatma-rajas-tamopahaa]
ittham — thus śarat — autumn prāvṛṣikau — rainy season ṛtū — two seasons hareḥ — of the Lord viśṛṇvataḥ — continuously hearing me — myself anusavam — constantly yaśaḥ amalam — unadulterated glories saṅkīrtyamānam — chanted by munibhiḥ — the great sages mahā-ātmabhiḥ — great souls bhaktiḥ — devotional service pravṛttā — began to flow ātma — living being rajaḥ — mode of passion tama — mode of ignorance upahā — vanishing.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
itthaṁ śarat-prāvṛṣikāv ṛtū harer
ittham
thus
śarat
autumn
prāvṛṣikau
rainy season
ṛtū
two seasons
hareḥ
of the Lord
viśṛṇvato me ’nusavaṁ yaśo ’malam
viśṛṇvataḥ
continuously hearing
me
myself
saṅkīrtyamānaṁ munibhir mahātmabhir
anusavam
constantly
yaśaḥ amalam
unadulterated glories
saṅkīrtyamānam
chanted by
munibhiḥ
the great sages
mahā-ātmabhiḥ
great souls
bhaktiḥ
devotional service
bhaktiḥ pravṛttātma-rajas-tamopahā
pravṛttā
began to flow
ātma
living being
rajaḥ
mode of passion
tama
mode of ignorance
upahā
vanishing.
Thus during two seasons — the rainy season and autumn — I had the opportunity to hear these great-souled sages constantly chant the unadulterated glories of the Lord Hari. As the flow of my devotional service began, the coverings of the modes of passion and ignorance vanished.

Transcendental loving service for the Supreme Lord is the natural inclination of every living being. The instinct is dormant in everyone, but due to the association of material nature the modes of passion and ignorance cover this from time immemorial. If, by the grace of the Lord and the great-souled devotees of the Lord, a living being becomes fortunate enough to associate with the unadulterated devotees of the Lord and gets a chance to hear the unadulterated glories of the Lord, certainly the flow of devotional service takes place like the flow of a river. As the river flows on till she reaches the sea, similarly pure devotional service flows by the association of pure devotees till it reaches the ultimate goal, namely, transcendental love of God. Such a flow of devotional service cannot stop. On the contrary, it increases more and more without limitation. The flow of devotional service is so potent that any onlooker also becomes liberated from the influence of the modes of passion and ignorance. These two qualities of nature are thus removed, and the living being is liberated, being situated in his original position.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
In this way, for the two seasons of monsoon and autumn, I constantly heard the pure glories of the Lord chanted by the generous sages. I then developed prema, which destroys rajas and tamas in the jīvas.
Commentary

Extending over two seasons (four months) I heard constantly (anusavam). Premā (bhaktiḥ) which destroys (apahā) rajas and tamas in all jīvas (ātma) then appeared. It is implied here that there was destruction of rajas and tamas in others as well who realized devotion to the Lord. This is the twelfth stage of bhakti. Direct vision of the Lord and the experience of sweetness will be explained in the next chapter.

Two seasons of constant hearing of Hari's glories from great souls — and the modes of passion and ignorance lifted away. Sustained immersion in pure company does what willpower cannot.
Reflection Questions
  • Where could I plant a 'two-season' immersion in something genuinely purifying?
  • Which modes still pull me, and have I tried sustained company as a remedy rather than willpower?
📝 My note

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