FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.9.17

तस्मादिदं दैवतन्त्रं व्यवस्य भरतर्षभ । तस्यानुविहितोऽनाथा नाथ पाहि प्रजा: प्रभो ॥ १७ ॥
tasmād idaṁ daiva-tantraṁ
[tasmaad idam daiva-tantram]
vyavasya bharatarṣabha
[vyavasya bharatarshabha]
tasyānuvihito ’nāthā
[tasyaanuvihito ’naathaa]
nātha pāhi prajāḥ prabho
[naatha paahi prajaah prabho]
Word-for-word
tasmāt — therefore idam — this daiva-tantram — enchantment of providence only vyavasya — ascertaining bharata-ṛṣabha — O best among the descendants of Bharata tasya — by Him anuvihitaḥ — as desired anāthāḥ — helpless nātha — O master pāhi — just take care of prajāḥ — of the subjects prabho — O Lord.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tasmād idaṁ daiva-tantraṁ
tasmāt
therefore
idam
this
daiva-tantram
enchantment of providence only
vyavasya bharatarṣabha
vyavasya
ascertaining
bharata-ṛṣabha
O best among the descendants of Bharata
tasyānuvihito ’nāthā
tasya
by Him
anuvihitaḥ
as desired
anāthāḥ
helpless
nātha
O master
nātha pāhi prajāḥ prabho
pāhi
just take care of
prajāḥ
of the subjects
prabho
O Lord.
O best among the descendants of Bharata [Yudhiṣṭhira], I maintain, therefore, that all this is within the plan of the Lord. Accepting the inconceivable plan of the Lord, you must follow it. You are now the appointed administrative head, and, my lord, you should now take care of those subjects who are now rendered helpless.
Purport

The popular saying is that a housewife teaches the daughter-in-law by teaching the daughter. Similarly, the Lord teaches the world by teaching the devotee. The devotee does not have to learn anything new from the Lord because the Lord teaches the sincere devotee always from within. Whenever, therefore, a show is made to teach the devotee, as in the case of the teachings of Bhagavad-gītā, it is for teaching the less intelligent men. A devotee’s duty, therefore, is to ungrudgingly accept tribulations from the Lord as a benediction. The Pāṇḍavas were advised by Bhīṣmadeva to accept the responsibility of administration without hesitation. The poor subjects were without protection due to the Battle of Kurukṣetra, and they were awaiting the assumption of power by Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira. A pure devotee of the Lord accepts tribulations as favors from the Lord. Since the Lord is absolute, there is no mundane difference between the two.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O master! O controller! Of best of the Bharata lineage! Therefore, discerning that the suffering and happiness is dependent only on Kṛṣṇa, follow him and protect the helpless citizens.
Commentary

Discern (vyavasya) that this happiness and suffering (idam) is dependent on the lord (daiva-tantram), but understand that the purpose of giving happiness and distress to his devotee is not easily understood, since it has already been said that his plan is hard to comprehend. Having discerned this, follow Kṛṣṇa (tasya anuvihitaḥ) and protect the citizens who are without a guide (anāthāḥ) to lead them to Kṛṣṇa.

Related lectures
Personal Guidance
All this is within His plan; accept it and follow. You are the appointed administrative head and must protect the helpless. Acceptance of His plan is the beginning of right action, not an excuse for inaction.
Reflection Questions
  • What role am I appointed to that I am avoiding by waiting for clarity?
  • Where could acceptance free me to act today?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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