FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.20.52

तपसा विद्यया युक्तो योगेन सुसमाधिना । ऋषीनृषिर्हृषीकेश: ससर्जाभिमता: प्रजा: ॥ ५२ ॥
tapasā vidyayā yukto
[tapasaa vidyayaa yukto]
yogena susamādhinā
[yogena susamaadhinaa]
ṛṣīn ṛṣir hṛṣīkeśaḥ
[risheen rishir hrisheekeshah]
sasarjābhimatāḥ prajāḥ
[sasarjaabhimataah prajaah]
Word-for-word
tapasā — by penance vidyayā — by worship yuktaḥ — being engaged yogena — by concentration of the mind in devotion su-samādhinā — by nice meditation ṛṣīn — the sages ṛṣiḥ — the first seer (Brahmā) hṛṣīkeśaḥ — the controller of his senses sasarja — created abhimatāḥ — beloved prajāḥ — sons.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tapasā vidyayā yukto
tapasā
by penance
vidyayā
by worship
yuktaḥ
being engaged
yogena susamādhinā
yogena
by concentration of the mind in devotion
su-samādhinā
by nice meditation
ṛṣīn ṛṣir hṛṣīkeśaḥ
ṛṣīn
the sages
ṛṣiḥ
the first seer (Brahmā)
hṛṣīkeśaḥ
the controller of his senses
sasarjābhimatāḥ prajāḥ
sasarja
created
abhimatāḥ
beloved
prajāḥ
sons.
Having equipped himself with austere penance, adoration, mental concentration and absorption in devotion, accompanied by dispassion, and having controlled his senses, Brahmā, the self-born living creature, evolved great sages as his beloved sons.
Purport

The ritualistic performances of sacrifice are meant for material economic development; in other words, they are meant to keep the body in good condition for cultivation of spiritual knowledge. But for actual attainment of spiritual knowledge, other qualifications are needed. What is essential is vidyā, or worship of the Supreme Lord. Sometimes the word yoga is used to refer to the gymnastic performances of different bodily postures which help mental concentration. Generally, the different bodily postures in the yoga system are accepted by less intelligent men to be the end of yoga, but actually they are meant to concentrate the mind upon the Supersoul. After creating persons for economic development, Brahmā created sages who would set the example for spiritual realization.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Endowed with austerity, worship, aṣṭāṅga-yoga, jñāna and vairāgya, controlling his senses, Brahmā created the sages, his dear offspring. This describes Brahmā’s creation of the sages when he was engaged in worship. Vidyayā means “by worship.” Yogena means by aṣṭāṅga-yoga. Susamādhiṇā means “by jñāna and vairāgya.” Controlling his senses, he created the sages such as the Kumāras.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
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.
Reflection Questions
  • Where have you been demanding outcomes from a system you did not design?
  • Which 'cosmic' problem are you trying to solve when your actual task is just to play your small part well?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 20