FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.5.16

स विश्वजन्मस्थितिसंयमार्थे कृतावतार: प्रगृहीतशक्ति: । चकार कर्माण्यतिपूरुषाणि यानीश्वर: कीर्तय तानि मह्यम् ॥ १६ ॥
sa viśva-janma-sthiti-saṁyamārthe
[sa vishva-janma-sthiti-samyamaarthe]
kṛtāvatāraḥ pragṛhīta-śaktiḥ
[kritaavataarah pragriheeta-shaktih]
cakāra karmāṇy atipūruṣāṇi
[chakaara karmaany atipoorushaani]
yānīśvaraḥ kīrtaya tāni mahyam
[yaaneeshvarah keertaya taani mahyam]
Word-for-word
saḥ — the Personality of Godhead viśva — universe janma — creation sthiti — maintenance saṁyama-arthe — with a view to perfect control kṛta — accepted avatāraḥ — incarnation pragṛhīta — accomplished with śaktiḥ — potency cakāra — performed karmāṇi — transcendental activities ati-pūruṣāṇi — superhuman yāni — all those īśvaraḥ — the Lord kīrtaya — please chant tāni — all those mahyam — unto me.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa viśva-janma-sthiti-saṁyamārthe
saḥ
the Personality of Godhead
viśva
universe
janma
creation
sthiti
maintenance
saṁyama-arthe
with a view to perfect control
kṛtāvatāraḥ pragṛhīta-śaktiḥ
kṛta
accepted
avatāraḥ
incarnation
pragṛhīta
accomplished with
śaktiḥ
potency
cakāra karmāṇy atipūruṣāṇi
cakāra
performed
karmāṇi
transcendental activities
ati-pūruṣāṇi
superhuman
yānīśvaraḥ kīrtaya tāni mahyam
yāni
all those
īśvaraḥ
the Lord
kīrtaya
please chant
tāni
all those
mahyam
unto me.
Kindly chant all those superhuman transcendental activities of the supreme controller, the Personality of Godhead, who accepted incarnations fully equipped with all potency for the full manifestation and maintenance of the cosmic creation.
Purport

Vidura was undoubtedly very eager to hear about Lord Kṛṣṇa in particular, but he was overwhelmed because Lord Kṛṣṇa had just passed away from the visible world. He therefore wanted to hear about Him in His puruṣa incarnations, which He manifests with full potencies for the creation and maintenance of the cosmic world. The activities of the puruṣa incarnations are but an extension of the activities of the Lord. This hint was given by Vidura to Maitreya because Maitreya could not decide which part of the activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa should he chanted.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Showing kindness to me, please describe how the Supreme Lord, endowed with power, having already appeared as the puruṣas for creating, maintaining and destroying the universe, performs superhuman actions,. After briefly answering my questions in order to satisfy me, then in detail describe about the avatāras of Kṛṣṇa, since things should end in sweetness. [Note: Madhuryena samāpaya iti nyāya. ] Kṛtāvatāraḥ means his appearance as the puruṣas. Mahyam means “to show mercy to me.”
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
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.
Reflection Questions
  • What would change in your prayer if you remembered how small your sphere actually is?
  • How could awe of the creation become a daily practice and not just a Sunday feeling?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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