FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.22.3

तद्दर्शनोद्गतान् प्राणान् प्रत्यादित्सुरिवोत्थित: । ससदस्यानुगो वैन्य इन्द्रियेशो गुणानिव ॥ ३ ॥
tad-darśanodgatān prāṇān
[tad-darshanodgataan praanaan]
pratyāditsur ivotthitaḥ
[pratyaaditsur ivotthitah]
sa-sadasyānugo vainya
[sa-sadasyaanugo vainya]
indriyeśo guṇān iva
[indriyesho gunaan iva]
tat — him darśana — seeing udgatān — being greatly desired prāṇān — life pratyāditsuḥ — peacefully going iva — like utthitaḥ — got up sa — with sadasya — associates or followers anugaḥ — officers vainyaḥ — King Pṛthu indriya-īśaḥ — a living entity guṇān iva — as influenced by the modes of material nature.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tad-darśanodgatān prāṇān
tat
him
darśana
seeing
udgatān
being greatly desired
prāṇān
life
pratyāditsur ivotthitaḥ
pratyāditsuḥ
peacefully going
iva
like
utthitaḥ
got up
sa-sadasyānugo vainya
sa
with
sadasya
associates or followers
anugaḥ
officers
vainyaḥ
King Pṛthu
indriyeśo guṇān iva
indriya-īśaḥ
a living entity
guṇān iva
as influenced by the modes of material nature.
Seeing the four Kumāras, Pṛthu Mahārāja was greatly anxious to receive them. Therefore the King, with all his officers, very hastily got up, as anxiously as a conditioned soul whose senses are immediately attracted by the modes of material nature.

In Bhagavad-gītā (3.27) it is said:

prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate

Every conditioned soul is influenced by a particular mixture of the modes of material nature. As such, the conditioned soul is attracted to certain types of activity which he is forced to perform because he is completely under the influence of material nature. Here Pṛthu Mahārāja is compared to such a conditioned soul, not because he was a conditioned soul but because he was so anxious to receive the Kumāras that it was as if without them he would have lost his life. The conditioned soul is attracted by the objects of sense gratification. His eyes are attracted to see beautiful things, his ears are attracted to hear nice music, his nose is attracted to enjoy the aroma of a nice flower, and his tongue is attracted to taste nice food. Similarly, all his other senses — his hands, his legs, his belly, his genitals, his mind, etc. — are so susceptible to the attraction of the objects of enjoyment that he cannot restrain himself. Pṛthu Mahārāja, in the same way, could not restrain himself from receiving the four Kumāras, who were bright by dint of their spiritual progress, and thus not only he himself but also his officers and associates all received the four Kumāras. It is said, “Birds of a feather flock together.” In this world, everyone is attracted by a person of the same category. A drunkard is attracted to persons who are also drunkards. Similarly, a saintly person is attracted by other saintly persons. Pṛthu Mahārāja was in the topmost position of spiritual advancement, and as such, he was attracted by the Kumāras, who were of the same category. It is said, therefore, that a man is known by his company.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Pṛthu, along with the assembly and his followers, rose to his feet, as if eager to regain his life airs which had exited his body on seeing the Kumāras, as eager as the jīva following sense objects. An analogy is given to illustrate Pṛthu standing up. Pṛthu rose up as if to regain his life airs which had left his body on seeing the effulgence of the Kumāras. Smṛti says: ūrddhvaṁ prāṇā hy utkrāmanti yunaḥ sthavira agate praty utthānābhivādābhyāṁ punas tān pratipadyata When elders approach the life airs of the young move upwards out of the body. By standing up in respect and greeting the elders, the life airs return to the body. Mahābhārata 13.107.32 Thus if one does not rise up when elders approach one’s life span decreases. Pṛthu’s eagerness is shown by an example: the jīva follows after sense objects (guṇān) like smell.
Pṛthu and his officers hastily got up — as eagerly as conditioned souls drawn by the modes. Use the same speed for sacred encounters that material pulls usually claim.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do I move slowly for the sacred and fast for the material?
  • Which sacred opportunity have I left unrushed when the right speed was immediately?
📝 My note

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