Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.1.16
विदुर उवाच
अत्रेर्गृहे सुरश्रेष्ठा: स्थित्युत्पत्त्यन्तहेतव: ।
किञ्चिच्चिकीर्षवो जाता एतदाख्याहि मे गुरो ॥ १६ ॥
vidura uvāca
[vidura uvaacha]
atrer gṛhe sura-śreṣṭhāḥ
[atrer grihe sura-shreshthaah]
sthity-utpatty-anta-hetavaḥ
[sthity-utpatty-anta-hetavah]
kiñcic cikīrṣavo jātā
[kinchich chikeershavo jaataa]
etad ākhyāhi me guro
[etad aakhyaahi me guro]
Word-for-word
viduraḥ uvāca
—
Śrī Vidura said
atreḥ gṛhe
—
in the house of Atri
sura-śreṣṭhāḥ
—
chief demigods
sthiti
—
maintenance
utpatti
—
creation
anta
—
destruction
hetavaḥ
—
causes
kiñcit
—
something
cikīrṣavaḥ
—
desiring to do
jātāḥ
—
appeared
etat
—
this
ākhyāhi
—
tell
me
—
to me
guro
—
my dear spiritual master.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
vidura uvāca
viduraḥ uvāca
Śrī Vidura said
atrer gṛhe sura-śreṣṭhāḥ
atreḥ gṛhe
in the house of Atri
sura-śreṣṭhāḥ
chief demigods
sthiti
maintenance
sthity-utpatty-anta-hetavaḥ
utpatti
creation
anta
destruction
hetavaḥ
causes
kiñcic cikīrṣavo jātā
kiñcit
something
cikīrṣavaḥ
desiring to do
jātāḥ
appeared
etad ākhyāhi me guro
etat
this
ākhyāhi
tell
me
to me
guro
my dear spiritual master.
After hearing this, Vidura inquired from Maitreya: My dear master, how is it that the three deities Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva, who are the creator, maintainer and destroyer of the whole creation, became the offspring of the wife of Atri Muni?
Purport
The inquisitiveness of Vidura was quite fitting, for he understood that when the Supersoul, Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva all appeared through the person of Anasūyā, the wife of Atri Muni, there must have been some great purpose. Otherwise why should they have appeared in such a way?
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Vidura said: O guru! Please tell me why Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva, who are the creator, maintainer and destroyer, desired to be born in the house of Atri Muni.
Kiñcit means “why.”
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Vidura asks the right question — how do creator, maintainer, and destroyer all become sons of one woman? Genuine inquiry from a humble disciple unlocks scripture. Don't suppress your honest puzzlement; voice it.
Reflection Questions
- What honest spiritual question am I sitting on instead of voicing?
- Who is my Maitreya — the elder I can ask without shame?
My note
Source: vedabase.io