FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.9.29

भगवच्छिक्षितमहं करवाणि ह्यतन्द्रित: । नेहमान: प्रजासर्गं बध्येयं यदनुग्रहात् ॥ २९ ॥
bhagavac-chikṣitam ahaṁ
[bhagavach-chikshitam aham]
karavāṇi hy atandritaḥ
[karavaani hy atandritah]
nehamānaḥ prajā-sargaṁ
[nehamaanah prajaa-sargam]
badhyeyaṁ yad-anugrahāt
[badhyeyam yad-anugrahaat]
bhagavat — by the Personality of Godhead śikṣitam — taught aham — myself karavāṇi — by acting hi — certainly atandritaḥ — instrumental na — never ihamānaḥ — although acting prajā-sargam — generation of the living entities badhyeyam — be conditioned yat — as a matter of fact anugrahāt — by the mercy of.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
bhagavac-chikṣitam ahaṁ
bhagavat
by the Personality of Godhead
śikṣitam
taught
aham
myself
karavāṇi hy atandritaḥ
karavāṇi
by acting
hi
certainly
atandritaḥ
instrumental
nehamānaḥ prajā-sargaṁ
na
never
ihamānaḥ
although acting
prajā-sargam
generation of the living entities
badhyeyaṁ yad-anugrahāt
badhyeyam
be conditioned
yat
as a matter of fact
anugrahāt
by the mercy of.
Please tell me so that I may be taught in the matter by the instruction of the Personality of Godhead and may thus act instrumentally to generate living entities, without being conditioned by such activities.

Brahmājī does not want to become a speculator dependent on the strength of his personal knowledge and conditioned to material bondage. Everyone should know in clear consciousness that one is, in the execution of all activities, an instrument. A conditioned soul is instrumental in the hands of the external energy, guṇamayī māyā, or the illusory energy of the Lord, and in the liberated stage the living entity is instrumental to the will of the Personality of Godhead directly. To be instrumental to the direct will of the Lord is the natural constitutional position of the living entity, whereas to be an instrument in the hands of the illusory energy of the Lord is material bondage for the living entity. In that conditioned state, the living entity speculates on the Absolute Truth and His different activities. But in the unconditioned stage the living entity directly receives knowledge from the Lord, and such a liberated soul acts flawlessly, without any speculative habit. The Bhagavad-gītā (10.10-11) confirms emphatically that the pure devotees, who are constantly engaged in the loving transcendental service of the Lord, are directly advised by the Lord, so much so that the devotee unwaveringly makes progress on the path home, back to Godhead. Pure devotees of the Lord are therefore not proud of their definite progress, whereas the nondevotee speculator is in the darkness of illusory energy and is very much proud of his misleading knowledge based on speculation without any definite path. Lord Brahmā wanted to be saved from that pitfall of pride, although he was posted in the most exalted position within the universe.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Without lethargy may I carry out instructions on how to worship you as given by you, because by your mercy alone I will not be bound by false ego when I carry out the creation.
Commentary

May I carry out instructions given by the Lord. Since you are my guru, please give me, your disciple, some instructions on how to worship you, because by your mercy, though I carry out creation of the offspring, I should not be bound by false ego.

Brahmā doesn't want to act as a speculator on his own strength; he asks to be taught so he can act instrumentally. Our natural position is as instrument of the Lord's direct will, not as instrument of māyā.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose instrument am I currently — the Lord's will, or māyā's?
  • What teaching would I have to receive to act as a real instrument rather than a self-driven planner?
📝 My note

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