FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.24.11

सभाजयन् विशुद्धेन चेतसा तच्चिकीर्षितम् । प्रहृष्यमाणैरसुभि: कर्दमं चेदमभ्यधात् ॥ ११ ॥
sabhājayan viśuddhena
[sabhaajayan vishuddhena]
cetasā tac-cikīrṣitam
[chetasaa tach-chikeershitam]
prahṛṣyamāṇair asubhiḥ
[prahrishyamaanair asubhih]
kardamaṁ cedam abhyadhāt
[kardamam chedam abhyadhaat]
sabhājayan — worshiping viśuddhena — pure cetasā — with a heart tat — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead cikīrṣitam — the intended activities prahṛṣyamāṇaiḥ — gladdened asubhiḥ — with senses kardamam — to Kardama Muni ca — and Devahūti idam — this abhyadhāt — spoke.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sabhājayan viśuddhena
sabhājayan
worshiping
viśuddhena
pure
cetasā tac-cikīrṣitam
cetasā
with a heart
tat
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
cikīrṣitam
the intended activities
prahṛṣyamāṇair asubhiḥ
prahṛṣyamāṇaiḥ
gladdened
asubhiḥ
with senses
kardamaṁ cedam abhyadhāt
kardamam
to Kardama Muni
ca
and Devahūti
idam
this
abhyadhāt
spoke.
After worshiping the Supreme Lord with gladdened senses and a pure heart for His intended activities as an incarnation, Brahmā spoke as follows to Kardama and Devahūti.

As explained in Bhagavad-gītā, Fourth Chapter, anyone who understands the transcendental activities, the appearance and the disappearance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is to be considered liberated. Brahmā is therefore a liberated soul. Although he is in charge of this material world, he is not exactly like the common living entity. Since he is liberated from the majority of the follies of the common living entities, he was in knowledge of the appearance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he therefore worshiped the Lord’s activities, and with a glad heart he also praised Kardama Muni because the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as Kapila, had appeared as his son. One who can become the father of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is certainly a great devotee. There is a verse spoken by a brāhmaṇa in which he says that he does not know what the Vedas and what the Purāṇas are, but while others might be interested in the Vedas or Purāṇas, he is interested in Nanda Mahārāja, who appeared as the father of Kṛṣṇa. The brāhmaṇa wanted to worship Nanda Mahārāja because the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as a child, crawled in the yard of his house. These are some of the good sentiments of devotees. If a recognized devotee brings forth the Supreme Personality of Godhead as his son, how he should be praised! Therefore Brahmā not only worshiped the incarnation of Godhead Kapila but also praised His so-called father, Kardama Muni.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Independent Brahmā, knowing that the Lord had appeared in a śuddha-sattva portion to teach enumeration of the elements, worshipped the Lord’s future activities with pure heart and then spoke to Kardama and his wife with joyful senses. This form of Kapila was not a full form, but a portion which was śuddha-sattva (sattvena aṁśena). Brahmā understood that the Lord had appeared to teach particularly (vijyaptai) the philosophy which enumerates elements (tattva-saṅkhyāna). He worshipped (sabhājayan) him. He spoke with joyful senses (asubhiḥ). Asubhiḥ actually means life airs, but that also includes the senses. The word ca indicates Devahūti.
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. The verse anchors this in Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Reflection Questions
  • Where have you been demanding outcomes from a system you did not design?
  • What would humility actually look like for you in your work this week?
📝 My note

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