FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.15.18

पारावतान्यभृतसारसचक्रवाक- दात्यूहहंसशुकतित्तिरिबर्हिणां य: । कोलाहलो विरमतेऽचिरमात्रमुच्चै र्भृङ्गाधिपे हरिकथामिव गायमाने ॥ १८ ॥
pārāvatānyabhṛta-sārasa-cakravāka-
[paaraavataanyabhrita-saarasa-chakravaaka-]
dātyūha-haṁsa-śuka-tittiri-barhiṇāṁ yaḥ
[daatyooha-hamsa-shuka-tittiri-barhinaam yah]
kolāhalo viramate ’cira-mātram uccair
[kolaahalo viramate ’chira-maatram uchchair]
bhṛṅgādhipe hari-kathām iva gāyamāne
[bhringaadhipe hari-kathaam iva gaayamaane]
pārāvata — pigeons anyabhṛta — cuckoo sārasa — crane cakravāka — cakravāka dātyūha — gallinule haṁsa — swan śuka — parrot tittiri — partridge barhiṇām — of the peacock yaḥ — which kolāhalaḥ — tumult viramate — stops acira-mātram — temporarily uccaiḥ — loudly bhṛṅga-adhipe — king of the bumblebees hari-kathām — the glories of the Lord iva — as gāyamāne — while singing.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
pārāvatānyabhṛta-sārasa-cakravāka-
pārāvata
pigeons
anyabhṛta
cuckoo
sārasa
crane
cakravāka
cakravāka
dātyūha-haṁsa-śuka-tittiri-barhiṇāṁ yaḥ
dātyūha
gallinule
haṁsa
swan
śuka
parrot
tittiri
partridge
barhiṇām
of the peacock
yaḥ
which
kolāhalo viramate ’cira-mātram uccair
kolāhalaḥ
tumult
viramate
stops
acira-mātram
temporarily
uccaiḥ
loudly
bhṛṅgādhipe hari-kathām iva gāyamāne
bhṛṅga-adhipe
king of the bumblebees
hari-kathām
the glories of the Lord
iva
as
gāyamāne
while singing.
When the king of bees hums in a high pitch, singing the glories of the Lord, there is a temporary lull in the noise of the pigeon, the cuckoo, the crane, the cakravāka, the swan, the parrot, the partridge and the peacock. Such transcendental birds stop their own singing simply to hear the glories of the Lord.

This verse reveals the absolute nature of Vaikuṇṭha. There is no difference between the birds there and the human residents. The situation in the spiritual sky is that everything is spiritual and variegated. Spiritual variegatedness means that everything is animate. There is nothing inanimate. Even the trees, the ground, the plants, the flowers, the birds and the beasts are all on the level of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The special feature of Vaikuṇṭhaloka is that there is no question of sense gratification, In the material world even an ass enjoys his sound vibration, but in the Vaikuṇṭhas such nice birds as the peacock, the cakravāka and the cuckoo prefer to hear the vibration of the glories of the Lord from the bees. The principles of devotional service, beginning with hearing and chanting, are very prominent in the Vaikuṇṭha world.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The clamor of the doves, cuckoos, cranes, cakravākas, gallinules, swans, parrots, partridges and peacocks immediately ceases when the king of bees loudly hums, with resemblance to glorification of the Lord. Like the devotees riding on airplanes, the birds also are great devotees with pure bhakti. The doves (pārāvata), cuckoos (anyabhṛta), and gallinules (dātyūha) immediately stop chirping. “Oh! There is glorification of the Lord! Let us be silent and listen!” What is it? The king of bees, qualified to sit on the garland of the Lord, is humming “Hari, hari!” caused by the sound of his vibrating wings. This is equal to glorification of the Lord. I do not know how much more respect the birds show for the bee if he directly glorifies the Lord!
Talks about the Lord, repeated with attention, are described here as transformative in their own right. The verse implies that what we listen to all day is quietly shaping who we become.
Reflection Questions
  • When was the last time you sat to hear about the Lord without checking the time?
  • Whose hearing have you helped this month, and whose could you help next week?
📝 My note

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