FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.12.66

कलिमलसंहतिकालनोऽखिलेशो हरिरितरत्र न गीयते ह्यभीक्ष्णम् । इह तु पुनर्भगवानशेषमूर्ति: परिपठितोऽनुपदं कथाप्रसङ्गै: ॥ ६६ ॥
kali-mala-saṁhati-kālano ’khileśo
[kali-mala-samhati-kaalano ’khilesho]
harir itaratra na gīyate hy abhīkṣṇam
[harir itaratra na geeyate hy abheekshnam]
iha tu punar bhagavān aśeṣa-mūrtiḥ
[iha tu punar bhagavaan ashesha-moortih]
paripaṭhito ’nu-padaṁ kathā-prasaṅgaiḥ
[paripathito ’nu-padam kathaa-prasangaih]
kali — of the age of quarrel mala-saṁhati — of all the contamination kālanaḥ — the annihilator akhila-īśaḥ — the supreme controller of all beings hariḥ — Lord Hari itaratra — elsewhere na gīyate — is not described hi — indeed abhīkṣṇam — constantly iha — here tu — however punaḥ — on the other hand bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead aśeṣa-mūrtiḥ — who expands in unlimited personal forms paripaṭhitaḥ — is openly described in narration anu-padam — in each and every verse kathā-prasaṅgaiḥ — on the pretext of stories.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kali-mala-saṁhati-kālano ’khileśo
kali
of the age of quarrel
mala-saṁhati
of all the contamination
kālanaḥ
the annihilator
akhila-īśaḥ
the supreme controller of all beings
harir itaratra na gīyate hy abhīkṣṇam
hariḥ
Lord Hari
itaratra
elsewhere
na gīyate
is not described
hi
indeed
abhīkṣṇam
constantly
iha tu punar bhagavān aśeṣa-mūrtiḥ
iha
here
tu
however
punaḥ
on the other hand
bhagavān
the Personality of Godhead
aśeṣa-mūrtiḥ
who expands in unlimited personal forms
paripaṭhito ’nu-padaṁ kathā-prasaṅgaiḥ
paripaṭhitaḥ
is openly described in narration
anu-padam
in each and every verse
kathā-prasaṅgaiḥ
on the pretext of stories.
Lord Hari, the supreme controller of all beings, annihilates the accumulated sins of the Kali age, yet other literatures do not constantly glorify Him. But that Supreme Personality of Godhead, appearing in His innumerable personal expansions, is abundantly and constantly described throughout the various narrations of this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Nārāyaṇa, the soul of the universal form, who annihilates the accumulated sins of the Kali age, is not glorified much in other works. But Bhagavān, who has unlimited forms, is abundantly and constantly described throughout the various narrations of this Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The Lord is the destroyer (kālaṇaḥ) of the accumulated sins of Kali. Anupadam means “in every subject or chapter.” Other works (itaratra) glorify karma and devatās like Brahmā. Akhileśaḥ means the soul with the universal form, Nārāyaṇa, or the protector of the world, Viṣṇu. Those works do not glorify Viṣṇu. If they do, it is not much. The word tu indicates restriction. In Bhāgavatam alone (iha tu), Bhagavān, who has unlimited forms like Nārāyaṇa, is profusely glorified. This is not done in other works. No such consideration has been made. By all topics introduced, in every line, Bhagavān is glorified completely (pari).
Hari annihilates the accumulated sins of Kali by His glorification — yet other literatures do not constantly glorify Him. Constancy is the difference. Bhagavatam's relentlessness is itself a feature.
Reflection Questions
  • Where in my own life is constancy more important than intensity?
  • What 'relentless' small practice would I commit to?
📝 My note

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