FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.18.20

दैत्यस्य यज्ञावयवस्य माया- गृहीतवाराहतनोर्महात्मन: । कौरव्य मह्यां द्विषतोर्विमर्दनं दिद‍ृक्षुरागाद‍ृषिभिर्वृत: स्वराट् ॥ २० ॥
daityasya yajñāvayavasya māyā-
[daityasya yajnaavayavasya maayaa-]
gṛhīta-vārāha-tanor mahātmanaḥ
[griheeta-vaaraaha-tanor mahaatmanah]
kauravya mahyāṁ dviṣator vimardanaṁ
[kauravya mahyaam dvishator vimardanam]
didṛkṣur āgād ṛṣibhir vṛtaḥ svarāṭ
[didrikshur aagaad rishibhir vritah svaraat]
daityasya — of the demon yajña-avayavasya — of the Personality of Godhead (of whose body yajña is a part) māyā — through His potency gṛhīta — was assumed vārāha — of a boar tanoḥ — whose form mahā-ātmanaḥ — of the Supreme Lord kauravya — O Vidura (descendant of Kuru) mahyām — for the sake of the world dviṣatoḥ — of the two enemies vimardanam — the fight didṛkṣuḥ — desirous to see āgāt — came ṛṣibhiḥ — by the sages vṛtaḥ — accompanied svarāṭ — Brahmā.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
daityasya yajñāvayavasya māyā-
daityasya
of the demon
yajña-avayavasya
of the Personality of Godhead (of whose body yajña is a part)
māyā
through His potency
gṛhīta-vārāha-tanor mahātmanaḥ
gṛhīta
was assumed
vārāha
of a boar
tanoḥ
whose form
mahā-ātmanaḥ
of the Supreme Lord
kauravya mahyāṁ dviṣator vimardanaṁ
kauravya
O Vidura (descendant of Kuru)
mahyām
for the sake of the world
dviṣatoḥ
of the two enemies
vimardanam
the fight
didṛkṣur āgād ṛṣibhir vṛtaḥ svarāṭ
didṛkṣuḥ
desirous to see
āgāt
came
ṛṣibhiḥ
by the sages
vṛtaḥ
accompanied
svarāṭ
Brahmā.
O descendant of Kuru, Brahmā, the most independent demigod of the universe, accompanied by his followers, came to see the terrible fight for the sake of the world between the demon and the Personality of Godhead, who appeared in the form of a boar.

The fight between the Lord, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and the demon is compared to a fight between bulls for the sake of a cow. The earth planet is also called go, or cow. As bulls fight between themselves to ascertain who will have union with a cow, there is always a constant fight between the demons and the Supreme Lord or His representative for supremacy over the earth. Here the Lord is significantly described as yajñāvayava. One should not consider the Lord to have the body of an ordinary boar. He can assume any form, and He possesses all such forms eternally. It is from Him that all other forms have emanated. This boar form is not to be considered the form of an ordinary hog; His body is actually full of yajña, or worshipful offerings. Yajña (sacrifices) are offered to Viṣṇu. Yajña means the body of Viṣṇu. His body is not material; therefore He should not be taken to be an ordinary boar.

Brahmā is described in this verse as svarāṭ. Actually, full independence is exclusive to the Lord Himself, but as part and parcel of the Supreme Lord, every living entity has a minute quantity of independence. Each and every one of the living entities within this universe has this minute independence, but Brahmā, being the chief of all living entities, has a greater potential of independence than any other. He is the representative of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and has been assigned to preside over universal affairs. All other demigods work for him; therefore he is described here as svarāṭ. He is always accompanied by great sages and transcendentalists, all of whom came to see the bullfight between the demon and the Lord.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O Vidura! Brahmā, surrounded by many sages, came to see the struggle between the combatants fighting for the earth—between the Lord with the form of a boar, whose body is sacrifice and who had accepted his energy as his consort, and the demon. The Lord had assumed the form of a boar with his consort who accepted him as her husband (māyā-gṛhīta). Jīva Gosvāmī explains the phrase as “accepting this form by his mercy.” Svarāt means Brahmā.
The scale of the creation in this verse is not given to overwhelm us but to right-size us. Most of our anxiety shrinks when our self-importance shrinks. The verse keeps returning to Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Reflection Questions
  • How does it change your day to remember the universe was not built around your preferences?
  • Which 'cosmic' problem are you trying to solve when your actual task is just to play your small part well?
📝 My note

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