FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.23.38-39

अहो एष महासारो धृतिमान् गिरिराडिव । मौनेन साधयत्यर्थं बकवद् द‍ृढनिश्चय: ॥ ३८ ॥ इत्येके विहसन्त्येनमेके दुर्वातयन्ति च । तं बबन्धुर्निरुरुधुर्यथा क्रीडनकं द्विजम् ॥ ३९ ॥
aho eṣa mahā-sāro
[aho esha mahaa-saaro]
dhṛtimān giri-rāḍ iva
[dhritimaan giri-raad iva]
maunena sādhayaty arthaṁ
[maunena saadhayaty artham]
baka-vad dṛḍha-niścayaḥ
[baka-vad dridha-nishchayah]
ity eke vihasanty enam
[ity eke vihasanty enam]
eke durvātayanti ca
[eke durvaatayanti cha]
taṁ babandhur nirurudhur
[tam babandhur nirurudhur]
yathā krīḍanakaṁ dvijam
[yathaa kreedanakam dvijam]
aho — just see eṣaḥ — this person mahā-sāraḥ — very powerful dhṛtimān — steadfast giri-rāṭ — the Himālaya Mountains iva — just like maunena — with his vow of silence sādhayati — he is striving artham — for his goal baka-vat — just like a heron dṛḍha — firm niścayaḥ — his determination iti — thus speaking eke — some vihasanti — ridicule enam — him eke — some durvātayanti — pass foul air ca — and tam — him babandhuḥ — they bound in chains nirurudhuḥ — kept captive yathā — as krīḍanakam — a pet animal dvijam — that brāhmaṇa..
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
aho eṣa mahā-sāro
aho
just see
eṣaḥ
this person
mahā-sāraḥ
very powerful
dhṛtimān giri-rāḍ iva
dhṛtimān
steadfast
giri-rāṭ
the Himālaya Mountains
iva
just like
maunena sādhayaty arthaṁ
maunena
with his vow of silence
sādhayati
he is striving
artham
for his goal
baka-vad dṛḍha-niścayaḥ
baka-vat
just like a heron
dṛḍha
firm
niścayaḥ
his determination
ity eke vihasanty enam
iti
thus speaking
eke
some
vihasanti
ridicule
enam
him
eke durvātayanti ca
eke
some
durvātayanti
pass foul air
ca
and
taṁ babandhur nirurudhur
tam
him
babandhuḥ
they bound in chains
nirurudhuḥ
kept captive
yathā krīḍanakaṁ dvijam
yathā
as
krīḍanakam
a pet animal
dvijam
that brāhmaṇa..
Some would ridicule him by saying, “Just see this greatly powerful sage! He is as steadfast as the Himālaya Mountains. By practice of silence he strives for his goal with great determination, just like a heron.” Other persons would pass foul air upon him, and sometimes others would bind this twice-born brāhmaṇa in chains and keep him captive like a pet animal.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Some would ridicule him by saying, “Just see this greatly powerful sage! He is as steady as the Himalaya Mountains. By practice of silence he strives for his goal with great determination, just like a duck.” Other persons would pass foul air upon him, and sometimes others would bind him in chains and keep him captive like a pet bird. Mahā-sāraḥ means a person desiring great gain. They passed air on him (durvātayanti). They bound him in chains in prisons like a parrot or sārika bird (dvijam).
Some ridiculed him as steadfast as the Himalayas and silent as a heron, passing foul air and imprisoning him; many other indignities followed. Mockery of even sincere effort is normal in this world.
Reflection Questions
  • Where does ridicule of sincere effort discourage me?
  • What practice keeps me steady through it?
📝 My note

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