FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.78.30

अस्य ब्रह्मासनं दत्तमस्माभिर्यदुनन्दन । आयुश्चात्माक्लमं तावद् यावत् सत्रं समाप्यते ॥ ३० ॥
asya brahmāsanaṁ dattam
[asya brahmaasanam dattam]
asmābhir yadu-nandana
[asmaabhir yadu-nandana]
āyuś cātmāklamaṁ tāvad
[aayush chaatmaaklamam taavad]
yāvat satraṁ samāpyate
[yaavat satram samaapyate]
asya — his brahma - āsanam — the spiritual master’s seat dattam — given asmābhiḥ — by us yadu - nandana — O darling of the Yadus āyuḥ — long life ca — and ātma — bodily aklamam — freedom from trouble tāvat — for that long yāvat — until satram — the sacrifice samāpyate — is completed .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
asya brahmāsanaṁ dattam
asya
his
brahma - āsanam
the spiritual master’s seat
dattam
given
asmābhir yadu-nandana
asmābhiḥ
by us
yadu - nandana
O darling of the Yadus
āyuś cātmāklamaṁ tāvad
āyuḥ
long life
ca
and
ātma
bodily
aklamam
freedom from trouble
tāvat
for that long
yāvat satraṁ samāpyate
yāvat
until
satram
the sacrifice
samāpyate
is completed .
  • brahma-āsanam — the seat of brahman / spiritual teacher
    Brahma (here = the supreme/teacher) + āsana (seat). The seat the sages had bestowed on Romaharṣaṇa. This explains why he was sitting above brāhmaṇas — they had elevated him. The geometry was their gift; the conduct was his failure.
  • yadu-nandana — O joy of the Yadus
    Yadu + nandana (delight, son). Vocative address. They invoke Balarāma's Yadu-affiliation precisely while reminding Him of obligations to brāhmaṇas — a gentle pressure point.
  • āyuḥ — lifespan
    Āyus — Vedic vital duration. The sages had promised him āyuḥ; the Lord will need to restore equivalent vital quantum, which He does by transferring it to his son in v.36.
  • ātma-aklamam — freedom from physical pain
    Ātma (body/self) + a-klama (un-fatigue, freedom from exhaustion). The second item of the vow. Klama = exhaustion. The sages had pledged he would not tire mid-satra; the Lord must replace this too.
  • satram samāpyate — until the sacrifice is completed
    Satra + samāpyate (passive of sam-√āp, 'reach completion'). The duration of the vow. The Lord's responsibility is bounded by the duration of the rite — He must arrange that the satra completes intact.
“O favorite of the Yadus, we gave him the seat of the spiritual master and promised him long life and freedom from physical pain for as long as this sacrifice continues.

Although Romaharṣaṇa was not a brāhmaṇa, having been born of a mixed marriage, he was invested with that status by the assembled sages and thus given the brahmāsana, the seat of the chief officiating priest.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
"O favorite of the Yadus, we gave him the seat of the spiritual master and promised him long life and freedom from physical pain for as long as this sacrifice continues.
Commentary

We granted him the boon of no fatigue and long life for the duration of the sacrifice.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

You have appeared in the Yadu family to protect true dharma (yadu-nandana). Therefore you must protect what we granted to him.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

O joy of the Yadus! You have appeared in the Yadu dynasty to protect dharma. You must maintain what we have promised. Or you must act just as you gave to Ugrasena the kingdom, as a reward, in order to give joy to the Yadus.

Related values
Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)Discriminative WisdomAbhaya (Fearlessness)Seva (Service / Selfless Action)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)
Related verses
Concepts
Tamas
The sages had given Romaharṣaṇa the spiritual master's seat and promised long life. Authority granted by the community is real; even when misused, it deserves honoring before correction.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do I dismiss authority that the community has genuinely granted?
  • How do I honor the position even when its holder is unworthy?

The sages had given Romaharṣaṇa the brahma-āsana, the very seat of the spiritual teacher — and a vow of long life, freedom from bodily pain, for as long as the satra lasted. When the Lord kills him, He has also broken their vow. The accusation is in fact two accusations folded into one: against their guest, but also against their own pledge.

📝 My note

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