FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.21.1

विदुर उवाच स्वायम्भुवस्य च मनोर्वंश: परमसम्मत: । कथ्यतां भगवन् यत्र मैथुनेनैधिरे प्रजा: ॥ १ ॥
vidura uvāca
[vidura uvaacha]
svāyambhuvasya ca manor
[svaayambhuvasya cha manor]
vaṁśaḥ parama-sammataḥ
[vamshah parama-sammatah]
kathyatāṁ bhagavan yatra
[kathyataam bhagavan yatra]
maithunenaidhire prajāḥ
[maithunenaidhire prajaah]
Word-for-word
viduraḥ uvāca — Vidura said svāyambhuvasya — of Svāyambhuva ca — and manoḥ — of Manu vaṁśaḥ — the dynasty parama — most sammataḥ — esteemed kathyatām — kindly describe bhagavan — O worshipful sage yatra — in which maithunena — through sexual intercourse edhire — multiplied prajāḥ — the progeny.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
vidura uvāca
viduraḥ uvāca
Vidura said
svāyambhuvasya ca manor
svāyambhuvasya
of Svāyambhuva
ca
and
manoḥ
of Manu
vaṁśaḥ parama-sammataḥ
vaṁśaḥ
the dynasty
parama
most
sammataḥ
esteemed
kathyatāṁ bhagavan yatra
kathyatām
kindly describe
bhagavan
O worshipful sage
yatra
in which
maithunenaidhire prajāḥ
maithunena
through sexual intercourse
edhire
multiplied
prajāḥ
the progeny.
Vidura said: The line of Svāyambhuva Manu was most esteemed. O worshipful sage, I beg you: Give me an account of this race, whose progeny multiplied through sexual intercourse.
Purport

Regulated sex life to generate good population is worth accepting. Actually, Vidura was not interested in hearing the history of persons who merely engaged in sex life, but he was interested in the progeny of Svāyambhuva Manu because in that dynasty good devotee kings appeared who protected their subjects very carefully with spiritual knowledge. By hearing the history of their activities, therefore, one becomes more enlightened. An important word used in this connection is parama-sammataḥ, which indicates that the progeny created by Svāyambhuva Manu and his sons was approved of by great authorities. In other words, sex life for creating exemplary population is acceptable to all sages and authorities of Vedic scripture.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O Maitreya! Please describe the lineage of the highly respected Svāyambhuva Manu, in which the population increased through procreation. In the Twenty-first Chapter, the Lord, satisfied with Kardama’s austerity and prayers, describes his future marriage. Svāyambhuva Manu arrives. Edhire means “increased.”
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
The verse places hearing kṛṣṇa-kathā at the centre of spiritual practice. It is not preparation for some later realization — it is itself the work that does the rewiring.
Reflection Questions
  • When was the last time you sat to hear about the Lord without checking the time?
  • What would change if you treated 30 minutes of kṛṣṇa-kathā as non-negotiable as a meal?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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