SB 5.26.38 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.26.38

निवृत्तिलक्षणमार्ग आदावेव व्याख्यात: एतावानेवाण्डकोशो यश्चतुर्दशधा पुराणेषु विकल्पित उपगीयते यत्तद्भ‍गवतो नारायणस्य साक्षान्महापुरुषस्य स्थविष्ठं रूपमात्ममायागुणमयमनुवर्णितमाद‍ृत: पठति श‍ृणोति श्रावयति स उपगेयं भगवत: परमात्मनोऽग्राह्यमपि श्रद्धाभक्तिविशुद्धबुद्धिर्वेद ॥ ३८ ॥

nivṛtti-lakṣaṇa-mārga ādāv eva vyākhyātaḥ; etāvān evāṇḍa-kośo yaś caturdaśadhā purāṇeṣu vikalpita upagīyate yat tad bhagavato nārāyaṇasya sākṣān mahā-puruṣasya sthaviṣṭhaṁ rūpam ātmamāyā-guṇamayam anuvarṇitam ādṛtaḥ paṭhati śṛṇoti śrāvayati sa upageyaṁ bhagavataḥ paramātmano ’grāhyam api śraddhā-bhakti-viśuddha-buddhir veda.

[nivritti-lakshana-maarga aadaav eva vyaakhyaatah; etaavaan evaanda-kosho yash chaturdashadhaa puraaneshu vikalpita upageeyate yat tad bhagavato naaraayanasya saakshaan mahaa-purushasya sthavishtham roopam aatmamaayaa-gunamayam anuvarnitam aadritah pathati shrinoti shraavayati sa upageyam bhagavatah paramaatmano ’graahyam api shraddhaa-bhakti-vishuddha-buddhir veda.]

Word-for-word

nivṛtti-lakṣaṇa-mārgaḥ — the path symptomized by renunciation, or the path of liberation ādau — in the beginning (the second and third cantos) eva — indeed vyākhyātaḥ — described etāvān — this much eva — certainly aṇḍa-kośaḥ — the universe, which resembles a big egg yaḥ — which caturdaśa-dhā — in fourteen parts purāṇeṣu — in the Purāṇas vikalpitaḥ — divided upagīyate — is described yat — which tat — that bhagavataḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead nārāyaṇasya — of Lord Nārāyaṇa sākṣāt — directly mahā-puruṣasya — of the Supreme Person sthaviṣṭham — the gross rūpam — form ātma-māyā — of His own energy guṇa — of the qualities mayam — consisting anuvarṇitam — described ādṛtaḥ — venerating paṭhati — one reads śṛṇoti — or hears śrāvayati — or explains saḥ — that person upageyam — song bhagavataḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead paramātmanaḥ — of the Supersoul agrāhyam — difficult to understand api — although śraddhā — by faith bhakti — and devotion viśuddha — purified buddhiḥ — whose intelligence veda — understands.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

nivṛtti-lakṣaṇa-mārgaḥ

the path symptomized by renunciation, or the path of liberation

ādau

in the beginning (the second and third cantos)

eva

indeed

vyākhyātaḥ

described

etāvān

this much

eva

certainly

aṇḍa-kośaḥ

the universe, which resembles a big egg

yaḥ

which

caturdaśa-dhā

in fourteen parts

purāṇeṣu

in the Purāṇas

vikalpitaḥ

divided

upagīyate

is described

yat

which

tat

that

bhagavataḥ

of the Supreme Personality of Godhead

nārāyaṇasya

of Lord Nārāyaṇa

sākṣāt

directly

mahā-puruṣasya

of the Supreme Person

sthaviṣṭham

the gross

rūpam

form

ātma-māyā

of His own energy

guṇa

of the qualities

mayam

consisting

anuvarṇitam

described

ādṛtaḥ

venerating

paṭhati

one reads

śṛṇoti

or hears

śrāvayati

or explains

saḥ

that person

upageyam

song

bhagavataḥ

of the Supreme Personality of Godhead

paramātmanaḥ

of the Supersoul

agrāhyam

difficult to understand

api

although

śraddhā

by faith

bhakti

and devotion

viśuddha

purified

buddhiḥ

whose intelligence

veda

understands.

In the beginning [the second and third cantos of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam] I have already described how one can progress on the path of liberation. In the Purāṇas the vast universal existence, which is like an egg divided into fourteen parts, is described. This vast form is considered the external body of the Lord, created by His energy and qualities. It is generally called the virāṭ-rūpa. If one reads the description of this external form of the Lord with great faith, or if one hears about it or explains it to others to propagate bhāgavata-dharma, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, his faith and devotion in spiritual consciousness, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, will gradually increase. Although developing this consciousness is very difficult, by this process one can purify himself and gradually come to an awareness of the Supreme Absolute Truth.

Purport

The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is pushing forward the publication of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, as explained especially for the understanding of the modern civilized man, to awaken him to his original consciousness. Without this consciousness, one melts into complete darkness. Whether one goes to the upper planetary systems or the hellish planetary systems, he simply wastes his time. Therefore one should hear of the universal position of the virāṭ form of the Lord as described in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. That will help one save himself from material conditional life and gradually elevate him to the path of liberation so that he can go back home, back to Godhead.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

In the beginning [the Second and Third Cantos of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam I have already described how one can progress on the path of liberation. In the Purāṇas the universe divided into fourteen parts is described as the gross body of the Supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa, made of his material māyā. If one reads the description of this external form of the Lord with great faith, or if one hears about it or explains it to others, and develops faith, bhakti, and pure intelligence, he will understand the topic of the Supreme Lord, which is like an Upaniṣad, difficult to understand. In the Second and Third Cantos the path of renunciation was explained in verses such as the following: vaiśvānaraṁ yāti vihāyasā gataḥ suṣumṇayā brahma-pathena śociṣā vidhūta-kalko 'tha harer udastāt prayāti cakraṁ nṛpa śaiśumāram O King! The yogī, having gone by the path of Brahma-loka, goes to Vaiśvānara by means of the ether, through the luminaries of the suṣumna-nāḍī. Being free of all desires, he then approaches the Śiśumāra constellation above, which is related to the Lord. SB 2.2.24 Upageyam means it is similar to an Upaniṣad, difficult to understand.

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Personal Guidance

Reading or hearing the description of the universal form (virāṭ-rūpa) with faith leads to liberation. Even the difficult description of hells is part of the meditation that wakes us up. Don't skip the dark chapters; they are part of the medicine.

Reflection Questions

Which difficult parts of scripture have I been skipping because they feel grim?
What might receiving these chapters with faith actually awaken in me?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io