FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.29.49

भवभयमपहन्तुं ज्ञानविज्ञानसारं निगमकृदुपजह्रे भृङ्गवद् वेदसारम् । अमृतमुदधितश्चापाययद् भृत्यवर्गान् पुरुषमृषभमाद्यं कृष्णसंज्ञं नतोऽस्मि ॥ ४९ ॥
bhava-bhayam apahantuṁ jñāna-vijñāna-sāraṁ
[bhava-bhayam apahantum jnaana-vijnaana-saaram]
nigama-kṛd upajahre bhṛṅga-vad veda-sāram
[nigama-krid upajahre bhringa-vad veda-saaram]
amṛtam udadhitaś cāpāyayad bhṛtya-vargān
[amritam udadhitash chaapaayayad bhritya-vargaan]
puruṣam ṛṣabham ādyaṁ kṛṣṇa-saṁjñaṁ nato ’smi
[purusham rishabham aadyam krishna-samjnam nato ’smi]
bhava — of material life bhayam — the fear apahantum — in order to take away jñāna-vijñāna — of knowledge and self-realization sāram — the essence nigama — of the Vedas kṛt — the author upajahre — delivered bhṛṅga-vat — like a bee veda-sāram — the essential meaning of the Vedas amṛtam — the nectar udadhitaḥ — from the ocean ca — and apāyayat — made to drink bhṛtya-vargān — His many devotees puruṣam — to the Supreme Personality of Godhead ṛṣabham — the greatest ādyam — the first of all beings kṛṣṇa-saṁjñam — named Lord Kṛṣṇa nataḥ — bowed down asmi — I am.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
bhava-bhayam apahantuṁ jñāna-vijñāna-sāraṁ
bhava
of material life
bhayam
the fear
apahantum
in order to take away
jñāna-vijñāna
of knowledge and self-realization
sāram
the essence
nigama-kṛd upajahre bhṛṅga-vad veda-sāram
nigama
of the Vedas
kṛt
the author
upajahre
delivered
bhṛṅga-vat
like a bee
veda-sāram
the essential meaning of the Vedas
amṛtam
the nectar
amṛtam udadhitaś cāpāyayad bhṛtya-vargān
udadhitaḥ
from the ocean
ca
and
apāyayat
made to drink
bhṛtya-vargān
His many devotees
puruṣam ṛṣabham ādyaṁ kṛṣṇa-saṁjñaṁ nato ’smi
puruṣam
to the Supreme Personality of Godhead
ṛṣabham
the greatest
ādyam
the first of all beings
kṛṣṇa-saṁjñam
named Lord Kṛṣṇa
nataḥ
bowed down
asmi
I am.
I offer my obeisances to that Supreme Personality of Godhead, the original and greatest of all beings, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He is the author of the Vedas, and just to destroy His devotees’ fear of material existence, like a bee He has collected this nectarean essence of all knowledge and self-realization. Thus He has awarded to His many devotees this nectar from the ocean of bliss, and by His mercy they have drunk it.

Just as a bee extracts nectar from a flower without harming the flower, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa extracts the essence of all Vedic knowledge without disturbing the elaborate system of Vedic advancement. In other words, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa establishes Himself as the goal of Vedic knowledge without destroying preliminary, inferior processes that may be applicable to grossly materialistic men. Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī thus concludes by offering his obeisances to the spiritual master of the entire universe, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Eleventh Canto, Twenty-ninth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Bhakti-yoga.”

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Since he is the author of the Vedas, the Lord, like a bee, has extracted the real essence from the Vedas in order to destroy fear of material existence. This essence of all knowledge and self-realization is like the nectar extracted from the milk ocean, which the Lord as Mohinī made his devotees drink while cheating the demons. I offer my obeisances to that Supreme Lord, the original and greatest of all beings, Śrī Kṛṣṇa. At the conclusion the author offers respects to the guru of the universe. He has extracted the essences from the Vedas. “But have not other sages and philosophers also extracted the essence from the Vedas?” That is true. But they do not completely understand the purport of the Vedas, which is hard to comprehend. Therefore one cannot believe their explanations. But the Lord is not like that. He is creator of the Vedas. He who created the scriptures must know the difficult meaning. He is like a bee, taking the honey from the garden of flowers made of the Vedas. He makes his servants drink it, but he has cheated the demons and non-devotees. An example is given. It is nectar the essence taken from the ocean. In the form of Mohinī, the Lord let the devatās, his servants, drink the nectar, and cheated the demons. I offer my respects to that Lord. Thus ends the commentary on the Twenty-ninth Chapter of the Eleventh Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas. Chapter Thirty The Disappearance of Kṛṣṇa
Obeisances to Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, original and greatest of beings, author of the Vedas, who like a bee collects nectarean essence to destroy His devotees' fear of material existence. The author and the gatherer of the text are one.
Reflection Questions
  • What does it do for me to picture the Lord as bee gathering this nectar for my benefit?
  • How does this image close the chapter for me?
📝 My note

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