FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.15.24

येऽभ्यर्थितामपि च तो नृगतिं प्रपन्ना ज्ञानं च तत्त्वविषयं सहधर्मं यत्र । नाराधनं भगवतो वितरन्त्यमुष्य सम्मोहिता विततया बत मायया ते ॥ २४ ॥
ye ’bhyarthitām api ca no nṛ-gatiṁ prapannā
[ye ’bhyarthitaam api cha no nri-gatim prapannaa]
jñānaṁ ca tattva-viṣayaṁ saha-dharmaṁ yatra
[jnaanam cha tattva-vishayam saha-dharmam yatra]
nārādhanaṁ bhagavato vitaranty amuṣya
[naaraadhanam bhagavato vitaranty amushya]
sammohitā vitatayā bata māyayā te
[sammohitaa vitatayaa bata maayayaa te]
ye — those persons abhyarthitām — desired api — certainly ca — and naḥ — by us (Brahmā and the other demigods) nṛ-gatim — the human form of life prapannāḥ — have attained jñānam — knowledge ca — and tattva-viṣayam — subject matter about the Absolute Truth saha-dharmam — along with religious principles yatra — where na — not ārādhanam — worship bhagavataḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead vitaranti — perform amuṣya — of the Supreme Lord sammohitāḥ — being bewildered vitatayā — all-pervading bata — alas māyayā — by the influence of the illusory energy te — they.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ye ’bhyarthitām api ca no nṛ-gatiṁ prapannā
ye
those persons
jñānaṁ ca tattva-viṣayaṁ saha-dharmaṁ yatra
nārādhanaṁ bhagavato vitaranty amuṣya
sammohitā vitatayā bata māyayā te
abhyarthitām
desired
api
certainly
ca
and
naḥ
by us (Brahmā and the other demigods)
nṛ-gatim
the human form of life
prapannāḥ
have attained
jñānam
knowledge
ca
and
tattva-viṣayam
subject matter about the Absolute Truth
saha-dharmam
along with religious principles
yatra
where
na
not
ārādhanam
worship
bhagavataḥ
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
vitaranti
perform
amuṣya
of the Supreme Lord
sammohitāḥ
being bewildered
vitatayā
all-pervading
bata
alas
māyayā
by the influence of the illusory energy
te
they.
Lord Brahmā said: My dear demigods, the human form of life is of such importance that we also desire to have such life, for in the human form one can attain perfect religious truth and knowledge. If one in this human form of life does not understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His abode, it is to be understood that he is very much affected by the influence of external nature.

Brahmājī condemns very vehemently the condition of the human being who does not take interest in the Personality of Godhead and His transcendental abode, Vaikuṇṭha. The human form of life is desired even by Brahmājī. Brahmā and other demigods have much better material bodies than human beings, yet the demigods, including Brahmā, nevertheless desire to attain the human form of life because it is specifically meant for the living entity who can attain transcendental knowledge and religious perfection. It is not possible to go back to Godhead in one life, but in the human form one should at least understand the goal of life and begin Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is said that the human form is a great boon because it is the most suitable boat for crossing over the nescience ocean. The spiritual master is considered to be the most able captain in that boat, and the information from the scriptures is the favorable wind for floating over the ocean of nescience. The human being who does not take advantage of all these facilities in this life is committing suicide. Therefore one who does not begin Kṛṣṇa consciousness in the human form of life loses his life to the influence of the illusory energy. Brahmā regrets the situation of such a human being.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Those who have taken human birth, desired even by the devatās, in which knowledge and dharma are present, are completely bewildered by the Lord’s extensive māyā if they do not perform worship of the Lord. Oh! Those of human birth are qualified to go to Vaikuṇṭha and not the devatās. But those humans whose intelligence is misled by scriptures devoid of bhakti are cheated. They are lamentable. If we were born as humans in Bhārata, then, worshipping Kṛṣṇa, we could attain Vaikuṇṭha very quickly. Those who attain human life desired by us, Brahmā and others, in which there is knowledge (tattva-viṣayam) along with dharma, if they do not perform worship of the Lord, are bewildered by the Lord’s māyā. This means that even dharma and jñāna, devoid of bhakti, are useless. Of, those who take human life in which they perform dharma and jñāna and not your worship are also bewildered. Or another meaning is “They do not give the Lord his worship, they do not perform actions for his pleasure.” They are devotees with material desires.
The cosmology here is not abstract scenery — it locates the reader inside a vast, intelligent order. Seeing your tiny role in this design quietly cools the urge to make yourself the centre. Its centre of gravity is Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Reflection Questions
  • How does it change your day to remember the universe was not built around your preferences?
  • How could awe of the creation become a daily practice and not just a Sunday feeling?
📝 My note

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