FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.24.37

स्वर्गापवर्गद्वाराय नित्यं शुचिषदे नम: । नमो हिरण्यवीर्याय चातुर्होत्राय तन्तवे ॥ ३७ ॥
svargāpavarga-dvārāya
[svargaapavarga-dvaaraaya]
nityaṁ śuci-ṣade namaḥ
[nityam shuchi-shade namah]
namo hiraṇya-vīryāya
[namo hiranya-veeryaaya]
cātur-hotrāya tantave
[chaatur-hotraaya tantave]
svarga — the heavenly planets apavarga — the path of liberation dvārāya — unto the door of nityam — eternally śuci-sade — unto the most purified namaḥ — my obeisances unto You namaḥ — my obeisances hiraṇya — gold vīryāya — semen cātuḥ-hotrāya — the Vedic sacrifices of the name tantave — unto one who expands.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
svargāpavarga-dvārāya
svarga
the heavenly planets
apavarga
the path of liberation
dvārāya
unto the door of
nityaṁ śuci-ṣade namaḥ
nityam
eternally
śuci-sade
unto the most purified
namaḥ
my obeisances unto You
namo hiraṇya-vīryāya
namaḥ
my obeisances
hiraṇya
gold
vīryāya
semen
cātur-hotrāya tantave
cātuḥ-hotrāya
the Vedic sacrifices of the name
tantave
unto one who expands.
My Lord, O Aniruddha, You are the authority by which the doors of the higher planetary systems and liberation are opened. You are always within the pure heart of the living entity. Therefore I offer my obeisances unto You. You are the possessor of semen which is like gold, and thus, in the form of fire, You help the Vedic sacrifices, beginning with cātur-hotra. Therefore I offer my obeisances unto You.

The word svarga indicates a position in the higher or heavenly planetary systems, and the word apavarga means “liberation.” Those who are attached to the karma-kāṇḍīya activities described in the Vedas are actually entangled in the three modes of material nature. The Bhagavad-gītā therefore says that one should be above the dominion of fruitive activities. There are different kinds of liberation, or mukti. The best mukti is engagement in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord. Not only does Lord Aniruddha help fruitive actors by elevating them to the higher planetary systems, but He also helps the devotee engage in devotional service by dint of His inexhaustible energy. Just as heat is the source of material energy, the inspiration of Lord Aniruddha is the energy by which one can engage in executing devotional service.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
I constantly offer my respects to the sun, the door to Svarga and liberation. I offer respects to Agni, who accomplishes actions of the four priests and expands the fire sacrifice. I offer respects to Agni (hiraṇya-vīryāya) who accomplishes the actions of the four sacrificial priests. How? He expands the sacrifice (tantave). O devatā of fire! Just as you stimulate other actions, engage my words in chanting the glories of the Lord! (Agni is the deity of the voice.) May my strength, non-different from fire, be purified! I offer my respects to you.
You open the doors to higher planets and liberation; You are within the pure heart; You possess gold-like semen helping Vedic followers. The Lord is both the door-opener and the indweller; both addresses lead to Him.
Reflection Questions
  • Which door am I trying to open from outside when the One who opens it is already inside me?
  • Where do I treat the spiritual doors as locked when the key-holder lives within?
📝 My note

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