FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.10.16

कस्त्वं निगूढश्चरसि द्विजानां बिभर्षि सूत्रं कतमोऽवधूत: । कस्यासि कुत्रत्य इहापि कस्मात् क्षेमाय नश्चेदसि नोत शुक्ल: ॥ १६ ॥
kas tvaṁ nigūḍhaś carasi dvijānāṁ
[kas tvam nigoodhash charasi dvijaanaam]
bibharṣi sūtraṁ katamo ’vadhūtaḥ
[bibharshi sootram katamo ’vadhootah]
kasyāsi kutratya ihāpi kasmāt
[kasyaasi kutratya ihaapi kasmaat]
kṣemāya naś ced asi nota śuklaḥ
[kshemaaya nash ched asi nota shuklah]
Word-for-word
kaḥ tvam — who are you nigūḍhaḥ — very much covered carasi — you move within this world dvijānām — among the brāhmaṇas or saintly persons bibharṣi — you also wear sūtram — the sacred thread belonging to the first-class brāhmaṇas katamaḥ — which avadhūtaḥ — highly elevated person kasya asi — whose are you (whose disciple or son are you) kutratyaḥ — from where iha api — here in this place kasmāt — for what purpose kṣemāya — for the benefit naḥ — of us cet — if asi — you are na uta — or not śuklaḥ — the personality of the pure mode of goodness (Kapiladeva).
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
kas tvaṁ nigūḍhaś carasi dvijānāṁ
kaḥ tvam
who are you
nigūḍhaḥ
very much covered
carasi
you move within this world
dvijānām
among the brāhmaṇas or saintly persons
bibharṣi sūtraṁ katamo ’vadhūtaḥ
bibharṣi
you also wear
sūtram
the sacred thread belonging to the first-class brāhmaṇas
katamaḥ
which
avadhūtaḥ
highly elevated person
kasyāsi kutratya ihāpi kasmāt
kasya asi
whose are you (whose disciple or son are you)
kutratyaḥ
from where
iha api
here in this place
kasmāt
for what purpose
kṣemāya naś ced asi nota śuklaḥ
kṣemāya
for the benefit
naḥ
of us
cet
if
asi
you are
na uta
or not
śuklaḥ
the personality of the pure mode of goodness (Kapiladeva).
King Rahūgaṇa said: O brāhmaṇa, you appear to be moving in this world very much covered and unknown to others. Who are you? Are you a learned brāhmaṇa and saintly person? I see that you are wearing a sacred thread. Are you one of those exalted, liberated saints such as Dattātreya and other highly advanced, learned scholars? May I ask whose disciple you are? Where do you live? Why have you come to this place? Is your mission in coming here to do good for us? Please let me know who you are.
Purport

Mahārāja Rahūgaṇa was very anxious to receive further enlightenment in Vedic knowledge because he could understand that Jaḍa Bharata belonged to a brāhmaṇa family either by disciplic succession or by birth in a brāhmaṇa dynasty. As stated in the Vedas: tad vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet. Rahūgaṇa was accepting Jaḍa Bharata as a guru, but a guru must prove his position not only by wearing a sacred thread but by advancing knowledge in spiritual life. It is also significant that Rahūgaṇa asked Jaḍa Bharata which family he belonged to. There are two types of families — one according to dynasty and the other according to disciplic succession. In either way, one can be enlightened. The word śuklaḥ refers to a person in the mode of goodness. If one wants to receive spiritual knowledge, he must approach a bona fide brāhmaṇa-guru, either in the disciplic succession or in a family of learned brāhmaṇas.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Who are you, among the brāhmaṇas? Hidden, you move about. You wear the sacred thread. Which renounced sage are you? Whose son are you? Where were you born? Why did you come to this place? If you have come to benefit us, are you not Nārāyaṇa? Or are you not Kapila? Who are you among the brāhmaṇas, since you wear the thread? Are you Dattātreya, the avadhūta? Whose son are you? Which state were you born in (kutratyaḥ)? If you have come to benefit us, are you not Nārāyaṇa? Or are you not Kapila (śukla)?
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
When something genuine breaks through one's defenses, the right response is to ask honestly: who are you, where do you come from, who is your teacher? Curiosity about lineage and source is the beginning of becoming a real disciple.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose source and lineage have you never asked about because you were busy reacting to surface impressions?
  • Where could honest inquiry into someone's spiritual roots open a door for you?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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