FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.10.17

नाहं विशङ्के सुरराजवज्रा- न्न त्र्यक्षशूलान्न यमस्य दण्डात् । नाग्‍न्‍यर्कसोमानिलवित्तपास्त्रा- च्छङ्के भृशं ब्रह्मकुलावमानात् ॥ १७ ॥
nāhaṁ viśaṅke sura-rāja-vajrān
[naaham vishanke sura-raaja-vajraan]
na tryakṣa-śūlān na yamasya daṇḍāt
[na tryaksha-shoolaan na yamasya dandaat]
nāgny-arka-somānila-vittapāstrāc
[naagny-arka-somaanila-vittapaastraach]
chaṅke bhṛśaṁ brahma-kulāvamānāt
[chanke bhrisham brahma-kulaavamaanaat]
Word-for-word
na — not aham — I viśaṅke — am afraid sura-rāja-vajrāt — from the thunderbolt of the King of heaven, Indra na — nor tryakṣa-śūlāt — from the piercing trident of Lord Śiva na — nor yamasya — of the superintendent of death, Yamarāja daṇḍāt — from the punishment na — nor agni — of fire arka — of the scorching heat of the sun soma — of the moon anila — of the wind vitta-pa — of the owner of riches, Kuvera, the treasurer of the heavenly planets astrāt — from the weapons śaṅke — I am afraid bhṛśam — very much brahma-kula — the group of the brāhmaṇas avamānāt — from offending.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
nāhaṁ viśaṅke sura-rāja-vajrān
na
not
aham
I
viśaṅke
am afraid
sura-rāja-vajrāt
from the thunderbolt of the King of heaven, Indra
na tryakṣa-śūlān na yamasya daṇḍāt
na
nor
tryakṣa-śūlāt
from the piercing trident of Lord Śiva
na
nor
yamasya
of the superintendent of death, Yamarāja
daṇḍāt
from the punishment
nāgny-arka-somānila-vittapāstrāc
na
nor
agni
of fire
arka
of the scorching heat of the sun
soma
of the moon
anila
of the wind
vitta-pa
of the owner of riches, Kuvera, the treasurer of the heavenly planets
astrāt
from the weapons
chaṅke bhṛśaṁ brahma-kulāvamānāt
śaṅke
I am afraid
bhṛśam
very much
brahma-kula
the group of the brāhmaṇas
avamānāt
from offending.
My dear sir, I am not at all afraid of the thunderbolt of King Indra, nor am I afraid of the serpentine, piercing trident of Lord Śiva. I do not care about the punishment of Yamarāja, the superintendent of death, nor am I afraid of fire, scorching sun, moon, wind, nor the weapons of Kuvera. Yet I am afraid of offending a brāhmaṇa. I am very much afraid of this.
Purport

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was instructing Rūpa Gosvāmī at the Daśāśvamedha-ghāṭa in Prayāga, He pointed out very clearly the seriousness of offending a Vaiṣṇava. He compared the vaiṣṇava-aparādha to hātī mātā, a mad elephant. When a mad elephant enters a garden, it spoils all the fruits and flowers. Similarly, if one offends a Vaiṣṇava, he spoils all his spiritual assets. Offending a brāhmaṇa is very dangerous, and this was known to Mahārāja Rahūgaṇa. He therefore frankly admitted his fault. There are many dangerous things — thunderbolts, fire, Yamarāja’s punishment, the punishment of Lord Śiva’s trident, and so forth — but none is considered as serious as offending a brāhmaṇa like Jaḍa Bharata. Therefore Mahārāja Rahūgaṇa immediately descended from his palanquin and fell flat before the lotus feet of the brāhmaṇa Jaḍa Bharata just to be excused.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
I am not at all afraid of the thunderbolt of King Indra, nor am I afraid of the trident of Lord Śiva. I do not fear the staff of Yamarāja, the superintendent of death, nor am I afraid of fire, the sun, moon, wind, nor the weapons of Kuvera. Yet I am afraid of offending a brāhmaṇa. “Sitting on your palanquin, what is the use reflecting in this way?” If they try to kill me in battle with their weapons, I am not afraid, since I have my natural courage. Rather I experience joy in such competition. Or, having offended them, I do not fear them when they attack me in anger with their weapons.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Rahūgaṇa is afraid not of weapons or natural disasters but of offending a brāhmaṇa. Vaiṣṇava-aparādha is the mad elephant that destroys the garden of spiritual progress. Guard your speech toward devotees as you would guard your most precious possession.
Reflection Questions
  • Whose feet should you be very careful not to offend, given their spiritual position?
  • Where might unguarded speech of yours have already let the mad elephant into someone else's garden — or your own?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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