FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.12.33

स इत्थं गृणत: पुत्रान् पुरो दृष्ट्वा प्रजापतीन् । प्रजापतिपतिस्तन्वं तत्याज व्रीडितस्तदा । तां दिशो जगृहुर्घोरां नीहारं यद्विदुस्तम: ॥ ३३ ॥
sa itthaṁ gṛṇataḥ putrān
[sa ittham grinatah putraan]
puro dṛṣṭvā prajāpatīn
[puro drishtvaa prajaapateen]
prajāpati-patis tanvaṁ
[prajaapati-patis tanvam]
tatyāja vrīḍitas tadā
[tatyaaja vreeditas tadaa]
tāṁ diśo jagṛhur ghorāṁ
[taam disho jagrihur ghoraam]
nīhāraṁ yad vidus tamaḥ
[neehaaram yad vidus tamah]
saḥ — he (Brahmā) ittham — thus gṛṇataḥ — speaking putrān — sons puraḥ — before dṛṣṭvā — seeing prajā-patīn — all the progenitors of living entities prajāpati-patiḥ — the father of them (Brahmā) tanvam — body tatyāja — quit vrīḍitaḥ — ashamed tadā — at that time tām — that body diśaḥ — all directions jagṛhuḥ — accepted ghorām — blamable nīhāram — fog yat — which viduḥ — they know as tamaḥ — darkness.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa itthaṁ gṛṇataḥ putrān
saḥ
he (Brahmā)
ittham
thus
gṛṇataḥ
speaking
putrān
sons
puro dṛṣṭvā prajāpatīn
puraḥ
before
dṛṣṭvā
seeing
prajā-patīn
all the progenitors of living entities
prajāpati-patis tanvaṁ
prajāpati-patiḥ
the father of them (Brahmā)
tanvam
body
tatyāja vrīḍitas tadā
tatyāja
quit
vrīḍitaḥ
ashamed
tadā
at that time
tāṁ diśo jagṛhur ghorāṁ
tām
that body
diśaḥ
all directions
jagṛhuḥ
accepted
ghorām
blamable
nīhāraṁ yad vidus tamaḥ
nīhāram
fog
yat
which
viduḥ
they know as
tamaḥ
darkness.
The father of all Prajāpatis, Brahmā, thus seeing all his Prajāpati sons speaking in that way, became very much ashamed and at once gave up the body he had accepted. Later that body appeared in all directions as the dangerous fog in darkness.

The best way to compensate for one’s sinful acts is to give up one’s body at once, and Brahmā, the leader of the living entities, showed this by his personal example. Brahmā has a fabulous duration of life, but he was obliged to give up his body due to his grievous sin, even though he had merely contemplated it in his mind without having actually done it.

This is a lesson for the living entities, showing how sinful an act it is to indulge in unrestricted sex life. Even to think of abominable sex life is sinful, and to compensate for such acts, one has to give up his body. In other words, one’s duration of life, blessings, opulence, etc., are decreased by sinful acts, and the most dangerous type of sinful act is unrestricted sex.

Ignorance is the cause of sinful life, or sinful life is the cause of gross ignorance. The feature of ignorance is darkness or fog. Darkness or fog still covers the whole universe, and the sun is the only counteracting principle. One who takes shelter of the Lord, the perpetual light, has no fear of being annihilated in the darkness of fog or ignorance.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Seeing his sons, the Prajāpatis, speak before him in this way, Brahmā, their father, gave up his previous disposition in shame. The directions accepted that disposition, a terrible fog, which is known as darkness. Giving up his body indicates that the chief remedial measure for great sin is death. Since it is impossible for Brahmā to die before his life span of two parardhas is complete, “giving up his body” means “giving up a disposition.” The directions are covered with darkness even today.
Taking shelter of the Lord's lotus feet is not a poetic flourish — it names a real reorientation. The verse invites us to test which shelters we currently lean on and to notice when they fail to hold weight.
Reflection Questions
  • Which security in your life have you confused with the Lord's protection?
  • What small act of dependence on the Lord could you practice this week instead of self-reliance?
📝 My note

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