FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.7.19

यत्सेवया भगवत: कूटस्थस्य मधुद्विष: । रतिरासो भवेत्तीव्र: पादयोर्व्यसनार्दन: ॥ १९ ॥
yat-sevayā bhagavataḥ
[yat-sevayaa bhagavatah]
kūṭa-sthasya madhu-dviṣaḥ
[koota-sthasya madhu-dvishah]
rati-rāso bhavet tīvraḥ
[rati-raaso bhavet teevrah]
pādayor vyasanārdanaḥ
[paadayor vyasanaardanah]
Word-for-word
yat — to whom sevayā — by service bhagavataḥ — of the Personality of Godhead kūṭa-sthasya — of the unchangeable madhu-dviṣaḥ — the enemy of the Madhu asura rati-rāsaḥ — attachment in different relationships bhavet — develops tīvraḥ — highly ecstatic pādayoḥ — of the feet vyasana — distresses ardanaḥ — vanquishing.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yat-sevayā bhagavataḥ
yat
to whom
sevayā
by service
bhagavataḥ
of the Personality of Godhead
kūṭa-sthasya madhu-dviṣaḥ
kūṭa-sthasya
of the unchangeable
madhu-dviṣaḥ
the enemy of the Madhu asura
rati-rāso bhavet tīvraḥ
rati-rāsaḥ
attachment in different relationships
bhavet
develops
tīvraḥ
highly ecstatic
pādayor vyasanārdanaḥ
pādayoḥ
of the feet
vyasana
distresses
ardanaḥ
vanquishing.
By serving the feet of the spiritual master, one is enabled to develop transcendental ecstasy in the service of the Personality of Godhead, who is the unchangeable enemy of the Madhu demon and whose service vanquishes one’s material distresses.
Purport

The association of a bona fide spiritual master like the sage Maitreya can be of absolute help in achieving transcendental attachment for the direct service of the Lord. The Lord is the enemy of the Madhu demon, or in other words He is the enemy of the suffering of His pure devotee. The word rati-rāsaḥ is significant in this verse. Service to the Lord is rendered in different transcendental mellows (relationships): neutral, active, friendly, parental and conjugal. A living entity in the liberated position of transcendental service to the Lord becomes attracted to one of the above-mentioned mellows, and when one is engaged in transcendental loving service to the Lord, one’s service attachment in the material world is automatically vanquished. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (2.59) , rasa-varjaṁ raso ’py asya paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
By service to the devotees, intense rasa of bhāva-bhakti to the Lord who is fixed in one form and destroys obstacles for the devotee appears, and destruction of material suffering then takes place. What is impossible by serving the devotee? Kutāstha means “fixed in one form over all time” according to the Amara-koṣa. By service to devotees ), the rāsa of rati or bhāva-bhakti (composed of vibhāva, anubhāva, sthāyi-bhava, sāttvika-bhāva and vyabhicāri-bhāvas) with varieties such as śānta and dāsya arises for Bhagavān, who is fixed as Bhagavān over all time (kūṭa-sthasya), who destroys material life of the devotee just as he destroyed the Madhu demon (madhu-dviṣaḥ). Bhāva-bhakti is called tivraḥ or sharp because by its sweetness it suppresses all other material or spiritual sweetness. It impels one to become unaware of all else.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
The verse models the central spiritual relationship: an inquirer approaching a realized teacher. Spiritual life rarely advances without this living human pivot. The verse keeps returning to spiritual master.
Reflection Questions
  • Where have you tried to learn devotion without a living human guide?
  • What would it cost you to approach a teacher in the posture this verse models?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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