SB 11.17.3-4 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.17.3-4

पुरा किल महाबाहो धर्मं परमकं प्रभो । यत्तेन हंसरूपेण ब्रह्मणेऽभ्यात्थ माधव ॥ ३ ॥ स इदानीं सुमहता कालेनामित्रकर्शन । न प्रायो भविता मर्त्यलोके प्रागनुशासित: ॥ ४ ॥

purā kila mahā-bāho

[puraa kila mahaa-baaho]

dharmaṁ paramakaṁ prabho

[dharmam paramakam prabho]

yat tena haṁsa-rūpeṇa

[yat tena hamsa-roopena]

brahmaṇe ’bhyāttha mādhava

[brahmane ’bhyaattha maadhava]

sa idānīṁ su-mahatā

[sa idaaneem su-mahataa]

kālenāmitra-karśana

[kaalenaamitra-karshana]

na prāyo bhavitā martya-

[na praayo bhavitaa martya-]

loke prāg anuśāsitaḥ

[loke praag anushaasitah]

Word-for-word

purā — previously kila — indeed mahā-bāho — O mighty-armed one dharmam — religious principles paramakam — bringing the greatest happiness prabho — my Lord yat — which tena — by that haṁsa-rūpeṇa — in the form of Lord Haṁsa brahmaṇe — unto Lord Brahmā abhyāttha — You spoke mādhava — my dear Mādhava saḥ — that (knowledge of religious principles) idānīm — presently su-mahatā — after very long kālena — time amitra-karśana — O subduer of the enemy na — not prāyaḥ — generally bhavitā — will exist martya-loke — in human society prāk — previously anuśāsitaḥ — instructed.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

purā kila mahā-bāho

purā

previously

kila

indeed

mahā-bāho

O mighty-armed one

dharmaṁ paramakaṁ prabho

dharmam

religious principles

paramakam

bringing the greatest happiness

prabho

my Lord

yat tena haṁsa-rūpeṇa

yat

which

tena

by that

haṁsa-rūpeṇa

in the form of Lord Haṁsa

brahmaṇe ’bhyāttha mādhava

brahmaṇe

unto Lord Brahmā

abhyāttha

You spoke

mādhava

my dear Mādhava

sa idānīṁ su-mahatā

saḥ

that (knowledge of religious principles)

idānīm

presently

su-mahatā

after very long

kālenāmitra-karśana

kālena

time

amitra-karśana

O subduer of the enemy

not

na prāyo bhavitā martya-

prāyaḥ

generally

bhavitā

will exist

martya-loke

in human society

loke prāg anuśāsitaḥ

prāk

previously

anuśāsitaḥ

instructed.

My dear Lord, O mighty-armed one, previously in Your form of Lord Haṁsa You spoke to Lord Brahmā those religious principles that bring supreme happiness to the practitioner. My dear Mādhava, now much time has passed, and that which You previously instructed will soon practically cease to exist, O subduer of the enemy.

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

O Lord! O mighty-armed one! Previously in your form of Haṁsa you spoke to Brahmā about dharma that brings supreme happiness to the practitioner. O Mādhava! O subduer of the enemy! Now much time has passed and that which you previously instructed will soon practically cease to exist. “Have I not explained dharma to you previously?” Paramakam dharmam means the supreme dharma having the happiness of liberation (kam). As Haṁsa, you spoke not only about yoga, but also about sva-dharma (varṇāśrama, karma-yoga) to Brahmā: mayaitad uktaṁ vo viprā guhyaṁ yat sāṅkhya-yogayoḥ jānīta māgataṁ yajñaṁ yuṣmad-dharma-vivakṣayā O brāhmaṇas! Know that it is I, Viṣṇu, who has come with a desire to teach you dharma. I have spoken the confidential knowledge of Sāṅkhya, and aṣṭāṅga-yoga. SB 11.13.38 Though you taught this previously, it will not be present in the future.

Personal Guidance

Uddhava notes that the principles spoken to Brahmā long ago will soon vanish on earth, and asks for them to be spoken again. Teachings need re-speaking as time erodes them.

Reflection Questions

What teaching in my own life feels like it is fading and needs re-hearing?
Who might I ask to speak it again?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io