SB 5.18.6 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.18.6

वेदान् युगान्ते तमसा तिरस्कृतान्रसातलाद्यो नृतुरङ्गविग्रह: प्रत्याददे वै कवयेऽभियाचतेतस्मै नमस्तेऽवितथेहिताय इति ॥ ६ ॥

vedān yugānte tamasā tiraskṛtān

[vedaan yugaante tamasaa tiraskritaan]

rasātalād yo nṛ-turaṅga-vigrahaḥ

[rasaatalaad yo nri-turanga-vigrahah]

pratyādade vai kavaye ’bhiyācate

[pratyaadade vai kavaye ’bhiyaachate]

tasmai namas te ’vitathehitāya iti

[tasmai namas te ’vitathehitaaya iti]

Word-for-word

vedān — the four Vedas yuga-ante — at the end of the millennium tamasā — by the demon of ignorance personified tiraskṛtān — stolen away rasātalāt — from the lowest planetary system (Rasātala) yaḥ — who (the Supreme Personality of Godhead) nṛ-turaṅga-vigrahaḥ — assuming the form of half-horse, half-man pratyādade — returned vai — indeed kavaye — to the supreme poet (Lord Brahmā) abhiyā-cate — when he asked for them tasmai — unto Him (the form of Hayagrīva) namaḥ — my respectful obeisances te — to You avitatha-īhitāya — whose resolution never fails iti — thus.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

vedān yugānte tamasā tiraskṛtān

vedān

the four Vedas

yuga-ante

at the end of the millennium

tamasā

by the demon of ignorance personified

tiraskṛtān

stolen away

rasātalād yo nṛ-turaṅga-vigrahaḥ

rasātalāt

from the lowest planetary system (Rasātala)

pratyādade vai kavaye ’bhiyācate

yaḥ

who (the Supreme Personality of Godhead)

nṛ-turaṅga-vigrahaḥ

assuming the form of half-horse, half-man

pratyādade

returned

vai

indeed

kavaye

to the supreme poet (Lord Brahmā)

abhiyā-cate

when he asked for them

tasmai namas te ’vitathehitāya iti

tasmai

unto Him (the form of Hayagrīva)

namaḥ

my respectful obeisances

to You

avitatha-īhitāya

whose resolution never fails

iti

thus.

At the end of the millennium, ignorance personified assumed the form of a demon, stole all the Vedas and took them down to the planet of Rasātala. The Supreme Lord, however, in His form of Hayagrīva retrieved the Vedas and returned them to Lord Brahmā when he begged for them. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, whose determination never fails.

Purport

Although Vedic knowledge is imperishable, within this material world it is sometimes manifest and sometimes not. When the people of this material world become too absorbed in ignorance, the Vedic knowledge disappears. Lord Hayagrīva or Lord Matsya, however, always protects the Vedic knowledge, and in due course of time it is again distributed through the medium of Lord Brahmā. Brahmā is the trustworthy representative of the Supreme Lord. Therefore when he again asked for the treasure of Vedic knowledge, the Lord fulfilled his desire.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

I offer respects to Hayagrīva, whose desires comes true, who taking the form of man and horse, and who returned the Vedas to Brahmā from Rasātala when a demon took them away at the end of the yuga (pralaya). This verse describes a pastime of the avatāra related to the topic. Hayagrīva returned to Brahmā (kavaye) the Vedas which were take away by a demon (tamasā). He has the form of a man and horse. I offer respect to he whose desires comes true (avitatha-īhitāya).

Personal Guidance

When ignorance steals sacred knowledge from the world, the Lord retrieves it — Hayagrīva returns the Vedas. Spiritual truth is never permanently lost; whenever a sincere heart asks (as Brahmā did), the Lord restores it. Ask, and the lineage will deliver.

Reflection Questions

Have I sincerely asked for sacred knowledge to be restored to my life, or only assumed it should appear on its own?
Whom can I approach (teacher, scripture, community) as my Brahmā-channel for what has been lost or forgotten?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io