FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.22.6

हाटकासन आसीनान् स्वधिष्ण्येष्विव पावकान् । श्रद्धासंयमसंयुक्त: प्रीत: प्राह भवाग्रजान् ॥ ६ ॥
hāṭakāsana āsīnān
[haatakaasana aaseenaan]
sva-dhiṣṇyeṣv iva pāvakān
[sva-dhishnyeshv iva paavakaan]
śraddhā-saṁyama-saṁyuktaḥ
[shraddhaa-samyama-samyuktah]
prītaḥ prāha bhavāgrajān
[preetah praaha bhavaagrajaan]
hāṭaka-āsane — on the throne made of gold āsīnān — when they were seated sva-dhiṣṇyeṣu — on the altar iva — like pāvakān — fire śraddhā — respect saṁyama — restraint saṁyuktaḥ — being decorated with prītaḥ — pleased prāha — said bhava — Lord Śiva agra-jān — the elder brothers.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
hāṭakāsana āsīnān
hāṭaka-āsane
on the throne made of gold
āsīnān
when they were seated
sva-dhiṣṇyeṣv iva pāvakān
sva-dhiṣṇyeṣu
on the altar
iva
like
pāvakān
fire
śraddhā-saṁyama-saṁyuktaḥ
śraddhā
respect
saṁyama
restraint
saṁyuktaḥ
being decorated with
prītaḥ prāha bhavāgrajān
prītaḥ
pleased
prāha
said
bhava
Lord Śiva
agra-jān
the elder brothers.
The four great sages were elder to Lord Śiva, and when they were seated on the golden throne, they appeared just like fire blazing on an altar. Mahārāja Pṛthu, out of his great gentleness and respect for them, began to speak with great restraint as follows.

The Kumāras are described herein as the elder brothers of Lord Śiva. When the Kumāras were born out of the body of Lord Brahmā, they were requested to get married and increase the population. In the beginning of the creation there was a great need of population; therefore Lord Brahmā was creating one son after another and ordering them to increase. However, when the Kumāras were requested to do so, they declined. They wanted to remain brahmacārī throughout life and be engaged fully in the devotional service of the Lord. The Kumāras are called naiṣṭhika-brahmacārī, meaning they are never to marry. Because of their refusal to marry, Lord Brahmā became so angry that his eyes became reddish. From between his eyes, Lord Śiva, or Rudra, appeared. The mode of anger is consequently known as rudra. Lord Śiva also has a sampradāya party, known as the Rudra sampradāya, and they are also known as Vaiṣṇavas.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
With respect and restraint, and very pleased, Pṛthu then addressed the Kumāras, the elder brothers of Śiva, who sat on seats made of gold, and who resembled fires in sacrificial fire pits. They were elder brothers of Śiva, and thus to be respected.
The four Kumāras, elder to Lord Śiva, on the golden throne blazed like altar fire; Pṛthu spoke with great restraint. Fire-like sages deserve fire-like attention; speak carefully near them.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose fire have I approached carelessly, getting singed for it?
  • What does speaking with restraint look like in your most sacred conversations?
📝 My note

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