FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.69.40

श्रीभगवानुवाच ब्रह्मन् धर्मस्य वक्ताहं कर्ता तदनुमोदिता । तच्छिक्षयन् लोकमिममास्थित: पुत्र मा खिद: ॥ ४० ॥
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
[shree-bhagavaan uvaacha]
brahman dhannasya vaktāhaṁ
[brahman dhannasya vaktaaham]
kartā tad-anumoditā
[kartaa tad-anumoditaa]
tac chikṣayan lokam imam
[tach chikshayan lokam imam]
āsthitaḥ putra mā khidaḥ
[aasthitah putra maa khidah]
śrī - bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Lord said brahman — O brāhmaṇa dharmasya — of religion vaktā — the speaker aham — I kartā — the executor tat — of it anumoditā — the sanctioner tat — it śikṣayan — teaching lokam — to the world imam — in this āsthitaḥ — situated putra — O son mā khidaḥ — do not be disturbed .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
śrī - bhagavān uvāca
the Supreme Lord said
brahman dhannasya vaktāhaṁ
brahman
O brāhmaṇa
dharmasya
of religion
vaktā
the speaker
aham
I
kartā tad-anumoditā
kartā
the executor
tat
of it
anumoditā
the sanctioner
tac chikṣayan lokam imam
tat
it
śikṣayan
teaching
lokam
to the world
imam
in this
āsthitaḥ putra mā khidaḥ
āsthitaḥ
situated
putra
O son
mā khidaḥ
do not be disturbed .
  • anumoditā — the sanctioner
    From anu + √mud (to approve, to take joy in). The third member of the dharma-triple: vaktā (speaker), kartā (executor), anumoditā (approver). The Lord covers every angle: He gives the law, keeps the law, and approves those who keep it. Gauḍīyas: dharma has no extra-Kṛṣṇa basis — it is Kṛṣṇa's own self-expression.
  • śikṣayan lokam — teaching the world
    Causative participle of √śikṣ (to teach) + loka (world). The crucial purpose. Compare BG 3.21: yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas. The chapter's whole sixteen-thousand-fold display is given here its single justification: śikṣaṇa, instruction by example.
  • putra — O son
    Vocative — Kṛṣṇa calls Nārada putra (son), and follows with mā khidaḥ (do not be disturbed). The affection of vātsalya extends to the sage. Gauḍīyas: the Lord ends His teaching with the bhāva of fatherhood, sealing the chapter's gṛhastha-mood into the relation with the sage himself.
  • āsthitaḥ — situated, settled
    Past participle of ā + √sthā. Kṛṣṇa is settled into the human mode — not stuck in it, but situated as a teacher takes a seat. The word implies voluntary occupation: He chooses His place in the human curriculum and stays.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O brāhmaṇa, I am the speaker of religion, its performer and sanctioner. I observe religious principles to teach them to the world, My child, so do not be disturbed.

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī explains that Lord Kṛṣṇa wanted to dispel Nārada’s distress, which the sage felt because he saw Lord Kṛṣṇa worshiping the demigods and even Nārada himself. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains Lord Kṛṣṇa’s feelings as follows: “As I state in the Bhagavad-gītā, yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ: [‘Whatever a great person does, ordinary people follow.’] Thus I bathed your feet today in order to help propagate the principles of religion. In the past, before I began My pastimes of directly teaching religious principles, you came and offered prayers to Me after I had killed the Keśī demon, but I simply listened to your elaborate prayers and glorification and did nothing to honor you. Just remember this and consider. “Do not think that you have committed an offense by allowing Me to bathe your feet today and accept the water as holy remnants. Just as a son does not offend his father by touching him with his foot while sitting on the father’s lap, so you should understand that in the same way, My son, you have not offended Me.”

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O brāhmaṇa, I am the speaker of religion, its performer and sanctioner. I observe religious principles to teach them to the world, My child, so do not be disturbed.
Commentary

"I, your devoted servant, have great sorrow in your presence, because you have washed with your lotus hands my unfortunate feet, hardened by traveling." In response to this, Krsna speaks this verse. "Therefore I am present to teach people (lokam) this dharma. I am a householder ksatriya and you are a brahmana . If I do not worship you when you come to my house, then how can dharma preached by me through proper conduct be established? " yad yad acarati sresthas tad tad evetaro janah." Thus, just to teach dharma, I have washed your feet toda. Before I began my pastimes of preaching dharma, when I killed Kesi, you approached me with many praises. At that time I just listened and did not worship you at all. Please remember that and consider." "That may be, but in washing my feet, I have committed offense in letting you drink the water that touched my feet." "Oh son" he addresses Narada with affection to pacify him, "You should understand that just as there is no offense for the son in touching his father’s body with his foot, there is no offense for you if I touch your feet or drink your foot wash."

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

The Lord spoke, understanding what was really on Nārada’s mind since he was Hṛṣīkeśa. Since I am the speaker of dharma, I must perform dharma. Thus I give joy to others by performing dharma (anumoditā). Otherwise no one will respect dharma. Therefore I teach this dharma to the people. By words, by actions and by mentality, and by hiss very self, he establishes dharma. O brāhmaṇa! You know this since you know the Vedas. To please people like you I protect the path of the Vedas. I remain here for that purpose. Not seeing Nārada give up his sadness, since he desired to leave and spread the Lord’s bhakti by chanting his glories, he called out with affection, “O son!” to make him give up his respectful attitude of which he did not approve, by showing mercy with the proper mood of affection.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

I am the sanctioner of dharma (tad-anumoditā) or therefore I cause joy when persons perform dharma. I instituted dharma by words, by actions and by feelings. O Nārada, filled with the Vedas (brahman)! You know this. Or by protecting the path of the Vedas, I give happiness to people like you. I perform (āsthitaḥ) this dharma to teach people. O son! You are the object of my affection. He says this to pacify him. Or do not become foolishly unhappy by not understanding the truth. By your great bhakti you can understand my intentions. Thus he calls out to him with affection, “O son!”

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Apaishunam (Non-slander)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Asteya (Non-stealing / Honesty)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)
Related verses
Concepts
Dharma
Kṛṣṇa told Nārada, 'I observe religious principles to teach them to the world; do not be disturbed.' The Lord's apparent need for ritual is pedagogy; He shows us what to do because we will follow what He does.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I unconsciously imitating someone — for better or worse?
  • What in my behavior would I be content to have copied by those who watch me?

A teacher who answers his pupil's farewell with the lesson the pupil came to receive: 'I am the speaker, doer, and sanctioner of dharma; I keep dharma in order to teach the world to keep it — so do not be troubled by what you have seen.' Kṛṣṇa frames the entire spectacle as pedagogy, and Nārada as the privileged classroom.

📝 My note

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