FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.7.11

सत्रे ममास भगवान् हयशीरषाथो साक्षात् स यज्ञपुरुषस्तपनीयवर्ण: । छन्दोमयो मखमयोऽखिलदेवतात्मा वाचो बभूवुरुशती: श्वसतोऽस्य नस्त: ॥ ११ ॥
satre mamāsa bhagavān haya-śīraṣātho
[satre mamaasa bhagavaan haya-sheerashaatho]
sākṣāt sa yajña-puruṣas tapanīya-varṇaḥ
[saakshaat sa yajna-purushas tapaneeya-varnah]
chandomayo makhamayo ’khila-devatātmā
[chandomayo makhamayo ’khila-devataatmaa]
vāco babhūvur uśatīḥ śvasato ’sya nastaḥ
[vaacho babhoovur ushateeh shvasato ’sya nastah]
Word-for-word
satre — in the sacrificial ceremony mama — of mine āsa — appeared bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead haya-śīraṣā — with His horselike head atha — thus sākṣāt — directly saḥ — He yajña-puruṣaḥ — the person who is pleased by performances of sacrifice tapanīya — golden varṇaḥ — hue chandaḥ-mayaḥ — personified Vedic hymns makha-mayaḥ — personified sacrifices akhila — all that be devatā-ātmā — the soul of the demigods vācaḥ — sounds babhūvuḥ — become audible uśatīḥ — very pleasing to hear śvasataḥ — while breathing asya — His nastaḥ — through the nostrils.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
satre mamāsa bhagavān haya-śīraṣātho
satre
in the sacrificial ceremony
mama
of mine
āsa
appeared
bhagavān
the Personality of Godhead
haya-śīraṣā
with His horselike head
atha
thus
sākṣāt sa yajña-puruṣas tapanīya-varṇaḥ
sākṣāt
directly
saḥ
He
yajña-puruṣaḥ
the person who is pleased by performances of sacrifice
tapanīya
golden
varṇaḥ
hue
chandomayo makhamayo ’khila-devatātmā
chandaḥ-mayaḥ
personified Vedic hymns
makha-mayaḥ
personified sacrifices
akhila
all that be
devatā-ātmā
the soul of the demigods
vāco babhūvur uśatīḥ śvasato ’sya nastaḥ
vācaḥ
sounds
babhūvuḥ
become audible
uśatīḥ
very pleasing to hear
śvasataḥ
while breathing
asya
His
nastaḥ
through the nostrils.
The Lord appeared as the Hayagrīva incarnation in a sacrifice performed by me [Brahmā]. He is the personified sacrifices, and the hue of His body is golden. He is the personified Vedas as well, and the Supersoul of all demigods. When He breathed, all the sweet sounds of the Vedic hymns came out of His nostrils.
Purport

The Vedic hymns are generally meant for sacrifices performed by fruitive workers who also want to satisfy the demigods to achieve their fruitive result. But the Lord is the personified sacrifices and personified Vedic hymns. Therefore one who is directly a devotee of the Lord is a person who has automatically both served the purposes of sacrifices and pleased the demigods. The devotees of the Lord may not perform any sacrifice or may not please the demigods as per Vedic injunctions, and still the devotees are on a higher level than the fruitive workers or the worshipers of different demigods.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
At my sacrifice the Lord, the very form of sacrifice, golden in color, appeared as Hayagrīva. From the breathing of his nostrils the charming Vedas, complete with meters, sacrifices and prayers to the devatās, appeared.
Commentary

Hayagrīva is described. At my sacrifice (satre), the Lord appeared as Hayagrīva. From the exhaling (śvasataḥ) of Hayagrīva (asya) through his nostrils (nastaḥ) the pleasant (uśatīh) words of the Vedas appeared. The three words chandomayo makhamayo ’khila-devatātmā describe karma-kāṇdā, jñāna-kāṇḍā and devatā kāṇdā śrutis. Instead of makhamaya sometimes amṛtamaya is seen.

Related lectures
Personal Guidance
The Lord as Hayagrīva is the personified Vedas and sacrifices themselves. A devotee of the Lord directly is already serving every sacrifice and pleasing every demigod. Going to the root simplifies everything.
Reflection Questions
  • Am I scattering my devotion among many forms when one root practice would cover them all?
  • What would my spiritual life look like if I served Him as the root of all sacrifices?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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