FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.9.19

तं प्रीयमाणं समुपस्थितं कविं प्रजाविसर्गे निजशासनार्हणम् । बभाष ईषत्स्मितशोचिषा गिरा प्रिय: प्रियं प्रीतमना: करे स्पृशन् ॥ १९ ॥
taṁ prīyamāṇaṁ samupasthitaṁ kaviṁ
[tam preeyamaanam samupasthitam kavim]
prajā-visarge nija-śāsanārhaṇam
[prajaa-visarge nija-shaasanaarhanam]
babhāṣa īṣat-smita-śociṣā girā
[babhaasha eeshat-smita-shochishaa giraa]
priyaḥ priyaṁ prīta-manāḥ kare spṛśan
[priyah priyam preeta-manaah kare sprishan]
tam — unto Lord Brahmā prīyamāṇam — worthy of being dear samupasthitam — present before kavim — the great scholar prajā — living entities visarge — in the matter of creation nija — His own śāsana — control arhaṇam — just suitable babhāṣe — addressed īṣat — mild smita — smiling śociṣā — with enlightening girā — words priyaḥ — the beloved priyam — the counterpart of love prīta-manāḥ — being very much pleased kare — by the hand spṛśan — shaking.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
taṁ prīyamāṇaṁ samupasthitaṁ kaviṁ
tam
unto Lord Brahmā
prīyamāṇam
worthy of being dear
samupasthitam
present before
kavim
the great scholar
prajā-visarge nija-śāsanārhaṇam
prajā
living entities
visarge
in the matter of creation
nija
His own
śāsana
control
arhaṇam
just suitable
babhāṣa īṣat-smita-śociṣā girā
babhāṣe
addressed
īṣat
mild
smita
smiling
śociṣā
with enlightening
girā
words
priyaḥ priyaṁ prīta-manāḥ kare spṛśan
priyaḥ
the beloved
priyam
the counterpart of love
prīta-manāḥ
being very much pleased
kare
by the hand
spṛśan
shaking.
And seeing Brahmā present before Him, the Lord accepted him as worthy to create living beings, to be controlled as He desired, and thus being much satisfied with him, the Lord shook hands with Brahmā and, slightly smiling, addressed him thus.

The creation of the material world is not blind or accidental. The living entities who are ever conditioned, or nitya-baddha, are thus given a chance for liberation under the guidance of His own representative like Brahmā. The Lord instructs Brahmā in Vedic knowledge in order to diffuse this knowledge to the conditioned souls. The conditioned souls are forgetful souls in their relationship with the Lord, and thus a period of creation and the process of dissemination of Vedic knowledge are necessary activities of the Lord. Lord Brahmā has a great responsibility in delivering the conditioned souls, and therefore he is very dear to the Lord.

Brahmā also does his duty very perfectly, not only by generating the living entities but also by spreading his party for reclaiming the fallen souls. The party is called the Brahma sampradāya, and any member of this party to date is naturally engaged in reclaiming the fallen souls back to Godhead, back home. The Lord is very much anxious to get back His parts and parcels, as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. No one is more dear than the one who takes the task of reclaiming the fallen souls back to Godhead.

There are many renegades from the Brahma sampradāya whose only business is to make men more forgetful of the Lord and thus entangle them more and more in material existence. Such persons are never dear to the Lord, and the Lord sends them deeper into the darkest region of matter so that such envious demons may not be able to know the Supreme Lord.

Anyone, however, preaching the mission of the Lord in the line of the Brahma sampradāya is always dear to the Lord, and the Lord, being satisfied with such a preacher of the authorized bhakti cult, shakes hands with him in great satisfaction.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The Lord, overjoyed, filled with prema for Brahmā, touching Brahmā with his hand because of his love for him, with words lit by a slight smile, spoke to Brahmā, who was filled with prema on seeing the Lord, and who was worthy of following the Lord’s command for creating the universe.
Commentary

Brahmā was fit to follow the orders of the Lord (nija-śāsanārhaṇam). The Lord’s words were lit with a slight smile.

The Lord accepted Brahmā as worthy and shook hands with him with a slight smile. The creation is not blind or accidental; it is a relational arrangement begun with the Lord shaking hands with His chosen servant.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do I doubt that my work is in relational arrangement with the Lord?
  • What does it look like in my day to be 'shaken hands with' for a role?
📝 My note

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