SB 11.16.34 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.16.34

अपां रसश्च परमस्तेजिष्ठानां विभावसु: । प्रभा सूर्येन्दुताराणां शब्दोऽहं नभस: पर: ॥ ३४ ॥

apāṁ rasaś ca paramas

[apaam rasash cha paramas]

tejiṣṭhānāṁ vibhāvasuḥ

[tejishthaanaam vibhaavasuh]

prabhā sūryendu-tārāṇāṁ

[prabhaa sooryendu-taaraanaam]

śabdo ’haṁ nabhasaḥ paraḥ

[shabdo ’ham nabhasah parah]

Word-for-word

apām — of water rasaḥ — the taste ca — also paramaḥ — excellent tejiṣṭhānām — among most brilliant things vibhāvasuḥ — the sun prabhā — the effulgence sūrya — of the sun indu — the moon tārāṇām — and the stars śabdaḥ — the sound vibration aham — I am nabhasaḥ — of the sky paraḥ — transcendental.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

apāṁ rasaś ca paramas

apām

of water

rasaḥ

the taste

also

paramaḥ

excellent

tejiṣṭhānāṁ vibhāvasuḥ

tejiṣṭhānām

among most brilliant things

vibhāvasuḥ

the sun

prabhā sūryendu-tārāṇāṁ

prabhā

the effulgence

sūrya

of the sun

indu

the moon

tārāṇām

and the stars

śabdo ’haṁ nabhasaḥ paraḥ

śabdaḥ

the sound vibration

aham

I am

nabhasaḥ

of the sky

paraḥ

transcendental.

I am the sweet taste of water, and among brilliant things I am the sun. I am the effulgence of the sun, moon and stars, and I am the transcendental sound that vibrates in the sky.

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

I am the sweet taste of water, and among brilliant things I am the sun. I am the effulgence of the sun, moon and stars, and I am sweet sound in the ether. I am the sweet (paramaḥ) taste of water. This excluded the other tastes like pungent. I am very sweet (paraḥ) sound. [Note: Taste is also the tan-mātra of water and sound is the tan-mātra of ether. ] Paraḥ can also refer to the most subtle sound parā which transforms into madhyamā, paśyantī and vaikharī.

Personal Guidance

He is the sweet taste of water, the brilliance of the sun, the effulgence of moon and stars, the transcendental sound in the sky. Sensory delights are not distractions but doorways.

Reflection Questions

When did I last drink water and notice the Lord in its sweetness?
What other sensation could become a doorway today?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io