Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.14.13
पुरा पिता नो भगवान्दक्षो दुहितृवत्सल: ।
कं वृणीत वरं वत्सा इत्यपृच्छत न: पृथक् ॥ १३ ॥
purā pitā no bhagavān
[puraa pitaa no bhagavaan]
dakṣo duhitṛ-vatsalaḥ
[daksho duhitri-vatsalah]
kaṁ vṛṇīta varaṁ vatsā
[kam vrineeta varam vatsaa]
ity apṛcchata naḥ pṛthak
[ity aprichchata nah prithak]
Word-for-word
purā
—
in days long ago
pitā
—
father
naḥ
—
our
bhagavān
—
the most opulent
dakṣaḥ
—
Dakṣa
duhitṛ-vatsalaḥ
—
affectionate to his daughters
kam
—
unto whom
vṛṇīta
—
you want to accept
varam
—
your husband
vatsāḥ
—
O my children
iti
—
thus
apṛcchata
—
inquired
naḥ
—
us
pṛthak
—
separately.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
purā pitā no bhagavān
purā
in days long ago
pitā
father
dakṣo duhitṛ-vatsalaḥ
kaṁ vṛṇīta varaṁ vatsā
ity apṛcchata naḥ pṛthak
naḥ
our
bhagavān
the most opulent
dakṣaḥ
Dakṣa
duhitṛ-vatsalaḥ
affectionate to his daughters
kam
unto whom
vṛṇīta
you want to accept
varam
your husband
vatsāḥ
O my children
iti
thus
apṛcchata
inquired
naḥ
us
pṛthak
separately.
In days long ago, our father, the most opulent Dakṣa, who was affectionate to his daughters, asked each of us separately whom we would prefer to select as our husband.
Purport
It appears from this verse that free selection of a husband was allowed by the father, but not by free association. The daughters were asked separately to submit their selection of a husband who was famous for his acts and personality. The ultimate selection depended on the choice of the father.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Long ago, our father, powerful Dakṣa, affectionate to his daughters, asked each of us individually whom we would select as our husbands.
Since even before marriage I was attracted to you, I could not refuse. Our father asked us.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
The Lord is named here as the actual proprietor of everything we manage. The verse asks us to relax our grip on what was never ours and let Him hold it again.
Reflection Questions
- What in your life are you treating as 'mine' that the verse would call 'His'?
- What single attribute of the Lord, taken seriously today, would reorganize a corner of your life?
My note
Source: vedabase.io