FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.9.34

मयैतत्प्रार्थितं व्यर्थं चिकित्सेव गतायुषि प्रसाद्य जगदात्मानं तपसा दुष्प्रसादनम् भवच्छिदमयाचेऽहं भवं भाग्यविवर्जित: ॥ ३४ ॥
mayaitat prārthitaṁ vyarthaṁ
[mayaitat praarthitam vyartham]
cikitseva gatāyuṣi
[chikitseva gataayushi]
prasādya jagad-ātmānaṁ
[prasaadya jagad-aatmaanam]
tapasā duṣprasādanam
[tapasaa dushprasaadanam]
bhava-cchidam ayāce ’haṁ
[bhava-chchidam ayaache ’ham]
bhavaṁ bhāgya-vivarjitaḥ
[bhavam bhaagya-vivarjitah]
Word-for-word
mayā — by me etat — this prārthitam — prayed for vyartham — uselessly cikitsā — treatment iva — like gata — has ended āyuṣi — for one whose life prasādya — after satisfying jagat-ātmānam — the soul of the universe tapasā — by austerity duṣprasādanam — who is very difficult to satisfy bhava-chidam — the Personality of Godhead, who can cut the chain of birth and death ayāce — prayed for aham — I bhavam — repetition of birth and death bhāgya — fortune vivarjitaḥ — being without.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
mayaitat prārthitaṁ vyarthaṁ
mayā
by me
etat
this
prārthitam
prayed for
vyartham
uselessly
cikitseva gatāyuṣi
cikitsā
treatment
prasādya jagad-ātmānaṁ
tapasā duṣprasādanam
bhava-cchidam ayāce ’haṁ
bhavaṁ bhāgya-vivarjitaḥ
iva
like
gata
has ended
āyuṣi
for one whose life
prasādya
after satisfying
jagat-ātmānam
the soul of the universe
tapasā
by austerity
duṣprasādanam
who is very difficult to satisfy
bhava-chidam
the Personality of Godhead, who can cut the chain of birth and death
ayāce
prayed for
aham
I
bhavam
repetition of birth and death
bhāgya
fortune
vivarjitaḥ
being without.
It is very difficult to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but in my case, although I have satisfied the Supersoul of the whole universe, I have prayed only for useless things. My activities were exactly like treatment given to a person who is already dead. Just see how unfortunate I am, for in spite of meeting the Supreme Lord, who can cut one’s link with birth and death, I have prayed for the same conditions again.
Purport

Sometimes it so happens that a devotee engaged in the loving service of the Lord desires some material benefit in exchange for this service. This is not the proper way to discharge devotional service. Out of ignorance, of course, sometimes a devotee does so, but Dhruva Mahārāja regrets his personal behavior in this connection.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
I prayed for useless things, which are like medicine given to a dead person. Having pleased the Lord who is the soul of the universe, difficult to please by austerities, and who can destroy material existence, I prayed for material enjoyment, since I was devoid of good fortune. Bhavam means objects of enjoyment, the cause of repeated birth.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
I petitioned the Supersoul of the universe for useless things — like trying to revive the dead. The diagnosis of one's own folly in retrospect is severe but also liberating; you can finally aim correctly.
Reflection Questions
  • Which of my recent prayers were 'treatment for the already-dead'?
  • What useful, life-giving request can I make now to redeem the wasted ask?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 9