FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.21.45-47

प्रविश्य तत्तीर्थवरमादिराज: सहात्मज: । ददर्श मुनिमासीनं तस्मिन् हुतहुताशनम् ॥ ४५ ॥ विद्योतमानं वपुषा तपस्युग्रयुजा चिरम् । नातिक्षामं भगवत: स्‍निग्धापाङ्गावलोकनात् । त द्वय‍हृतामृतकलापीयूषश्रवणेन च ॥ ४६ ॥ प्रांशुं पद्मपलाशाक्षं जटिलं चीरवाससम् । उपसंश्रित्य मलिनं यथार्हणमसंस्कृतम् ॥ ४७ ॥
praviśya tat tīrtha-varam
[pravishya tat teertha-varam]
ādi-rājaḥ sahātmajaḥ
[aadi-raajah sahaatmajah]
dadarśa munim āsīnaṁ
[dadarsha munim aaseenam]
tasmin huta-hutāśanam
[tasmin huta-hutaashanam]
vidyotamānaṁ vapuṣā
[vidyotamaanam vapushaa]
tapasy ugra-yujā ciram
[tapasy ugra-yujaa chiram]
nātikṣāmaṁ bhagavataḥ
[naatikshaamam bhagavatah]
snigdhāpāṅgāvalokanāt
[snigdhaapaangaavalokanaat]
tad-vyāhṛtāmṛta-kalā-
[tad-vyaahritaamrita-kalaa-]
pīyūṣa-śravaṇena ca
[peeyoosha-shravanena cha]
prāṁśuṁ padma-palāśākṣaṁ
[praamshum padma-palaashaaksham]
jaṭilaṁ cīra-vāsasam
[jatilam cheera-vaasasam]
upasaṁśritya malinaṁ
[upasamshritya malinam]
yathārhaṇam asaṁskṛtam
[yathaarhanam asamskritam]
praviśya — entering tat — that tīrtha-varam — best of sacred places ādi-rājaḥ — the first monarch (Svāyambhuva Manu) saha-ātmajaḥ — along with his daughter dadarśa — saw munim — the sage āsīnam — sitting tasmin — in the hermitage huta — being offered oblations huta-aśanam — the sacred fire vidyotamānam — shining brilliantly vapuṣā — by his body tapasi — in penance ugra — terribly yujā — engaged in yoga ciram — for a long time na — not atikṣāmam — very emaciated bhagavataḥ — of the Lord snigdha — affectionate apāṅga — sidelong avalokanāt — from the glance tat — of Him vyāhṛta — from the words amṛta-kalā — moonlike pīyūṣa — the nectar śravaṇena — by hearing ca — and prāṁśum — tall padma — lotus flower palāśa — petal akṣam — eyes jaṭilam — matted locks cīra-vāsasam — having rags for clothes upasaṁśritya — having approached malinam — soiled yathā — like arhaṇam — gem asaṁskṛtam — unpolished.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
praviśya tat tīrtha-varam
praviśya
entering
tat
that
tīrtha-varam
best of sacred places
ādi-rājaḥ sahātmajaḥ
ādi-rājaḥ
the first monarch (Svāyambhuva Manu)
saha-ātmajaḥ
along with his daughter
dadarśa munim āsīnaṁ
dadarśa
saw
munim
the sage
āsīnam
sitting
tasmin huta-hutāśanam
tasmin
in the hermitage
huta
being offered oblations
huta-aśanam
the sacred fire
vidyotamānaṁ vapuṣā
vidyotamānam
shining brilliantly
vapuṣā
by his body
tapasy ugra-yujā ciram
tapasi
in penance
ugra
terribly
yujā
engaged in yoga
ciram
for a long time
nātikṣāmaṁ bhagavataḥ
na
not
atikṣāmam
very emaciated
bhagavataḥ
of the Lord
snigdhāpāṅgāvalokanāt
snigdha
affectionate
apāṅga
sidelong
avalokanāt
from the glance
tad-vyāhṛtāmṛta-kalā-
tat
of Him
vyāhṛta
from the words
amṛta-kalā
moonlike
pīyūṣa-śravaṇena ca
pīyūṣa
the nectar
śravaṇena
by hearing
ca
and
prāṁśuṁ padma-palāśākṣaṁ
prāṁśum
tall
padma
lotus flower
palāśa
petal
akṣam
eyes
jaṭilaṁ cīra-vāsasam
jaṭilam
matted locks
cīra-vāsasam
having rags for clothes
upasaṁśritya malinaṁ
upasaṁśritya
having approached
malinam
soiled
yathārhaṇam asaṁskṛtam
yathā
like
arhaṇam
gem
asaṁskṛtam
unpolished.
Entering that most sacred spot with his daughter and going near the sage, the first monarch, Svāyambhuva Manu, saw the sage sitting in his hermitage, having just propitiated the sacred fire by pouring oblations into it. His body shone most brilliantly; though he had engaged in austere penance for a long time, he was not emaciated, for the Lord had cast His affectionate sidelong glance upon him and he had also heard the nectar flowing from the moonlike words of the Lord. The sage was tall, his eyes were large, like the petals of a lotus, and he had matted locks on his head. He was clad in rags. Svāyambhuva Manu approached and saw him to be somewhat soiled, like an unpolished gem.

Here are some descriptions of a brahmacārī-yogī. In the morning, the first duty of a brahmacārī seeking spiritual elevation is huta-hutāśana, to offer sacrificial oblations to the Supreme Lord. Those engaged in brahmacarya cannot sleep until seven or nine o’clock in the morning. They must rise early in the morning, at least one and a half hours before the sun rises, and offer oblations, or in this age, they must chant the holy name of the Lord, Hare Kṛṣṇa. As referred to by Lord Caitanya, kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā: there is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative, in this age, to chanting the holy name of the Lord. The brahmacārī must rise early in the morning and, after placing himself, should chant the holy name of the Lord. From the very features of the sage, it appeared that he had undergone great austerities; that is the sign of one observing brahmacarya, the vow of celibacy. If one lives otherwise, it will be manifest in the lust visible in his face and body. The word vidyotamānam indicates that the brahmacārī feature showed in his body. That is the certificate that one has undergone great austerity in yoga. A drunkard or smoker or sex-monger can never be eligible to practice yoga. Generally yogīs look very skinny because of their not being comfortably situated, but Kardama Muni was not emaciated, for he had seen the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face. Here the word snigdhāpāṅgāvalokanāt means that he was fortunate enough to see the Supreme Lord face to face. He looked healthy because he had directly received the nectarean sound vibrations from the lotus lips of the Personality of Godhead. Similarly, one who hears the transcendental sound vibration of the holy name of the Lord, Hare Kṛṣṇa, also improves in health. We have actually seen that many brahmacārīs and gṛhasthas connected with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness have improved in health, and a luster has come to their faces. It is essential that a brahmacārī engaged in spiritual advancement look very healthy and lustrous. The comparison of the sage to an unpolished gem is very appropriate. Even if a gem just taken from a mine looks unpolished, the luster of the gem cannot be stopped. Similarly, although Kardama was not properly dressed and his body was not properly cleansed, his overall appearance was gemlike.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Entering that best of holy places along with his entourage, Manu approached and saw the seated sage, whose body was shining because of executing penance with intense yoga. Because of the Lord’s affectionate glance and because of hearing the nectar of the Lord’s sweet words, which were like nectar from the moon, his body was not too emaciated. He appeared like a jewel covered with dirt, with a tall body, lotus eyes, matted hair, and tattered cloth. He was engaged in intense yoga as an austerity, but he was not too thin, for two reasons--the Lord’s glance and the Lord’s words which were completely (ā) filled with nectar from the moon (amṛta-kala). This indicates the Lord’s mouth was a moon. Prāṁśum indicates that his body was eight vitastis in height or six feet tall. Manu approached (upasaṁsṛtya) and saw him. The verb is in verse 45. The sage’s soiled condition was like a valuable jewel (arhaṇa) left unclean.
Hearing about the Lord is treated here as daily medicine, not entertainment. Slowly it rewires what the heart finds attractive, until devotion stops feeling like effort. The pivot here is Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Reflection Questions
  • Where is your ear most often during the day, and what is that input doing to your taste?
  • Whose hearing have you helped this month, and whose could you help next week?
📝 My note

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