FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.23.39

अनुदिनमिदमादरेण श‍ृण्वन् पृथुचरितं प्रथयन् विमुक्तसङ्ग: । भगवति भवसिन्धुपोतपादे स च निपुणां लभते रतिं मनुष्य: ॥ ३९ ॥
anudinam idam ādareṇa śṛṇvan
[anudinam idam aadarena shrinvan]
pṛthu-caritaṁ prathayan vimukta-saṅgaḥ
[prithu-charitam prathayan vimukta-sangah]
bhagavati bhava-sindhu-pota-pāde
[bhagavati bhava-sindhu-pota-paade]
sa ca nipuṇāṁ labhate ratiṁ manuṣyaḥ
[sa cha nipunaam labhate ratim manushyah]
anu-dinam — day after day idam — this ādareṇa — with great respect śṛṇvan — hearing pṛthu-caritam — the narration of Pṛthu Mahārāja prathayan — chanting vimukta — liberated saṅgaḥ — association bhagavati — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead bhava-sindhu — the ocean of nescience pota — the boat pāde — whose lotus feet saḥ — he ca — also nipuṇām — complete labhate — achieves ratim — attachment manuṣyaḥ — the person.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
anudinam idam ādareṇa śṛṇvan
anu-dinam
day after day
idam
this
ādareṇa
with great respect
śṛṇvan
hearing
pṛthu-caritaṁ prathayan vimukta-saṅgaḥ
pṛthu-caritam
the narration of Pṛthu Mahārāja
prathayan
chanting
vimukta
liberated
saṅgaḥ
association
bhagavati bhava-sindhu-pota-pāde
bhagavati
unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead
bhava-sindhu
the ocean of nescience
pota
the boat
pāde
whose lotus feet
sa ca nipuṇāṁ labhate ratiṁ manuṣyaḥ
saḥ
he
ca
also
nipuṇām
complete
labhate
achieves
ratim
attachment
manuṣyaḥ
the person.
Whoever, with great reverence and adoration, regularly reads, chants and describes the history of Mahārāja Pṛthu’s activities will certainly increase unflinching faith and attraction for the lotus feet of the Lord. The Lord’s lotus feet are the boat by which one can cross the ocean of nescience.

The word bhava-sindhu-pota-pāde is significant in this verse. The lotus feet of the Lord are known as mahat-padam; this means that the total source of material existence rests on the lotus feet of the Lord. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (10.8) , ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ: everything is emanating from Him. This cosmic manifestation, which is compared to an ocean of nescience, is also resting on the lotus feet of the Lord. As such, this great ocean of nescience is minimized by a person who is a pure devotee. One who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord need not cross over the ocean, for he has already crossed it by virtue of his position at the Lord’s lotus feet. By hearing and chanting of the glories of the Lord or the Lord’s devotee, one can become firmly fixed in the service of the lotus feet of the Lord. This position can also be achieved very easily by narrating the history of the life of Pṛthu Mahārāja regularly every day. The word vimukta-saṅgaḥ is also significant in this connection. Because we associate with the three qualities of material nature, our position in this material world is full of dangers, but when we engage in the devotional service of the Lord by the process of śravaṇam and kīrtanam, we immediately become vimukta-saṅga, or liberated.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Fourth Canto, Twenty-third Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Mahārāja Pṛthu’s Going Back Home.”

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Whoever hears or recites this story of Pṛthu daily with respect, avoiding material association, will attain rati to the Lord whose feet are a boat for crossing the ocean of material existence. Thus ends the commentary on the Twenty-third Chapter of the Fourth Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas. Chapter Twenty-four Śiva Instructs the Pracetās
Regular reading, chanting and describing increases unflinching faith and attraction to the Lord's feet, which are the boat across nescience. The lotus feet are not metaphor; they are the boat — the actual conveyance home.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do I treat 'the Lord's feet' as image when scripture calls them transport?
  • What does climbing into the boat look like, practically, in my next twenty-four hours?
📝 My note

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