FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.78.37

किं व: कामो मुनिश्रेष्ठा ब्रूताहं करवाण्यथ । अजानतस्त्वपचितिं यथा मे चिन्त्यतां बुधा: ॥ ३७ ॥
kiṁ vaḥ kāmo muni-śreṣṭhā
[kim vah kaamo muni-shreshthaa]
brūtāhaṁ karavāṇy atha
[brootaaham karavaany atha]
ajānatas tv apacitiṁ
[ajaanatas tv apachitim]
yathā me cintyatāṁ budhāḥ
[yathaa me chintyataam budhaah]
kim — what vaḥ — your kāmaḥ — desire muni — of sages śreṣṭhāḥ — O best brūta — please say aham — I karavāṇi — shall do it atha — and then ajānataḥ — who does not know tu — indeed apacitim — the atonement yathā — properly me — for Me cintyatām — please think of budhāḥ — O intelligent ones .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kiṁ vaḥ kāmo muni-śreṣṭhā
kim
what
vaḥ
your
kāmaḥ
desire
muni
of sages
śreṣṭhāḥ
O best
brūtāhaṁ karavāṇy atha
brūta
please say
aham
I
karavāṇi
shall do it
atha
and then
ajānatas tv apacitiṁ
ajānataḥ
who does not know
tu
indeed
apacitim
the atonement
yathā me cintyatāṁ budhāḥ
yathā
properly
me
for Me
cintyatām
please think of
budhāḥ
O intelligent ones .
  • kāmaḥ — desire
    From √kam. The Lord inquires after the sages' kāma — what they wish. He acts as fulfilling agent. Note: in His mouth, kāma-pūrti is service, not consumption.
  • muni-śreṣṭhāḥ — O foremost of sages
    Muni + śreṣṭha. Vocative of honor. The Lord addresses the sages with full deference — performing, in form, the very humility Romaharṣaṇa lacked. The contrast is the teaching.
  • ajānataḥ — of one who does not know
    Present participle of √jñā, negated. The Lord places Himself in the position of ajānat — not-knowing. Gauḍīyas note: this is bhakta-vatsalatā in pedagogical form. The omniscient assumes ignorance to honor His petitioners.
  • apacitim — atonement
    From apa- + √ci (to gather). 'To gather away,' i.e. to remove the residue of an act. A technical śāstric term for prāyaścitta. The Lord asks for the apaciti — the precise removal-procedure.
  • budhāḥ — O wise ones
    Vocative of budha. From √budh (to awaken, to know). Those who are awake. The Lord addresses the sages as knowers, again inverting Romaharṣaṇa's claim to be a paṇḍita.
Please tell Me your desire, O best of sages, and I shall certainly fulfill it. And, O wise souls, please carefully determine My proper atonement, since I do not know what it might be.

Lord Balarāma here sets a perfect example for people in general by humbly submitting Himself before the qualified brāhmaṇas.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Please tell Me your desire, O best of sages, and I shall certainly fulfill it. And, O wise souls, please carefully determine My proper atonement, since I do not know what it might be.
Commentary

First I should give something to you wise brahmanas who give instruction on atonement. After that, you should after thinking carefully prescribe for me some atonement, as I am ignorant.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Balarāma pretends he is ignorant, since he plays the part of a human in these pastimes. Actually he had no fault in killing Romaharṣaṇa.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

I will do as you say since you are the best sages. What is your desire? You have no desire, since you are great ātmārāmas (muni-śreṣṭhā). Therefore say something to me out of affection. Balarāma says he is ignorant out of great humility. O intelligent ones! You know this. He says all this to satisfy them.

Related values
Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)Discriminative WisdomAbhaya (Fearlessness)Seva (Service / Selfless Action)Saurya (Heroism / Bravery)Ahimsa (Non-violence / Compassion)Hrih (Modesty / Sense of Shame)Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)
Related verses
'Tell Me your desire — I shall certainly fulfill it. Determine My atonement — I do not know what it might be.' The Lord humbly submits to the qualified brāhmaṇas. Greatness asks for guidance.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I too proud to ask qualified guidance?
  • Whose counsel could I solicit this week with genuine submission?

The Lord asks the sages to name their desire and to prescribe His atonement. He volunteers His ignorance — 'I do not know what My proper prāyaścitta might be' — though He is omniscient. This is the same self-veiling by which He asks Arjuna 'kac cid etac chrutaṁ pārtha?' or asks His mother for butter. Aiśvarya hides itself so dharma's protocol can speak.

📝 My note

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