FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.16.25

यं वानयोर्दममधीश भवान् विधत्ते वृत्तिं नु वा तदनुमन्महि निर्व्यलीकम् । अस्मासु वा य उचितो ध्रियतां स दण्डो येऽनागसौ वयमयुङ्‌क्ष्महि किल्बिषेण ॥ २५ ॥
yaṁ vānayor damam adhīśa bhavān vidhatte
[yam vaanayor damam adheesha bhavaan vidhatte]
vṛttiṁ nu vā tad anumanmahi nirvyalīkam
[vrittim nu vaa tad anumanmahi nirvyaleekam]
asmāsu vā ya ucito dhriyatāṁ sa daṇḍo
[asmaasu vaa ya uchito dhriyataam sa dando]
ye ’nāgasau vayam ayuṅkṣmahi kilbiṣeṇa
[ye ’naagasau vayam ayunkshmahi kilbishena]
yam — which vā — or anayoḥ — of both of them damam — punishment adhīśa — O Lord bhavān — Your Lordship vidhatte — awards vṛttim — better existence nu — certainly vā — or tat — that anumanmahi — we accept nirvyalīkam — without duplicity asmāsu — to us vā — or yaḥ — whichever ucitaḥ — is proper dhriyatām — may be awarded saḥ — that daṇḍaḥ — punishment ye — who anāgasau — sinless vayam — we ayuṅkṣmahi — allotted kilbiṣeṇa — with a curse.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yaṁ vānayor damam adhīśa bhavān vidhatte
yam
which
vā
or
anayoḥ
of both of them
damam
punishment
adhīśa
O Lord
bhavān
Your Lordship
vidhatte
awards
vṛttiṁ nu vā tad anumanmahi nirvyalīkam
vṛttim
better existence
nu
certainly
vā
or
tat
that
anumanmahi
we accept
nirvyalīkam
without duplicity
asmāsu vā ya ucito dhriyatāṁ sa daṇḍo
asmāsu
to us
vā
or
yaḥ
whichever
ucitaḥ
is proper
dhriyatām
may be awarded
saḥ
that
daṇḍaḥ
punishment
ye ’nāgasau vayam ayuṅkṣmahi kilbiṣeṇa
ye
who
anāgasau
sinless
vayam
we
ayuṅkṣmahi
allotted
kilbiṣeṇa
with a curse.
O Lord, whatever punishment You wish to award to these two innocent persons, or also to us, we shall accept without duplicity. We understand that we have cursed two faultless persons.

The sages, the four Kumāras, now reject their cursing of the two doorkeepers, Jaya and Vijaya, because they are now conscious that persons who engage in the service of the Lord cannot be at fault at any stage. It is said that anyone who has implicit faith in the service of the Lord, or who actually engages in transcendental loving service, has all the good qualities of the demigods. Therefore, a devotee cannot be at fault. If sometimes it is found that he is in error by accident or by some temporary arrangement, that should not be taken very seriously. The cursing of Jaya and Vijaya is here repented. Now the Kumāras are thinking in terms of their position in the modes of passion and ignorance, and they are prepared to accept any kind of punishment from the Lord. In general, when dealing with devotees, we should not try to find faults. In Bhagavad-gītā also it is confirmed that the devotee who faithfully serves the Supreme Lord, even if found to commit a gross mistake, should be considered a sādhu, or saintly person. Due to former habits he may commit some wrong, but because he is engaged in the service of the Lord, that wrong should not be taken very seriously.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O Lord! We willingly accept what punishment or reward you allot to the door keepers. May the suitable punishment which we gave to the innocent door keepers by our curse be given to us! Bowing to you with body, mind and words we make a request to you whose intentions are hard to understand. We accept whatever punishment you award to the gate keepers if you favor us brāhmaṇas, or whatever promotion in life you award them, if you are affectionate to your devotee door keepers. Do that as you wish, O Lord! May the curse we gave to them go to Rasātala! They then speak fearfully with tears and shaking bodies. Award fitting punishment to us, which we gave to the two sinless door keepers by our curse!
The verse describes a universe that is not a random stage but an arrangement with a purpose. Our work is not to engineer that purpose but to find our seat within it.
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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