FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.14.1

श्रीपरीक्षिदुवाच रजस्तम:स्वभावस्य ब्रह्मन् वृत्रस्य पाप्मन: । नारायणे भगवति कथमासीद् दृढा मति: ॥ १ ॥
śrī-parīkṣid uvāca
[shree-pareekshid uvaacha]
rajas-tamaḥ-svabhāvasya
[rajas-tamah-svabhaavasya]
brahman vṛtrasya pāpmanaḥ
[brahman vritrasya paapmanah]
nārāyaṇe bhagavati
[naaraayane bhagavati]
katham āsīd dṛḍhā matiḥ
[katham aaseed dridhaa matih]
Word-for-word
śrī-parīkṣit uvāca — King Parīkṣit inquired rajaḥ — of the mode of passion tamaḥ — and of the mode of ignorance sva-bhāvasya — having a nature brahman — O learned brāhmaṇa vṛtrasya — of Vṛtrāsura pāpmanaḥ — who was supposedly sinful nārāyaṇe — in Lord Nārāyaṇa bhagavati — the Supreme Personality of Godhead katham — how āsīt — was there dṛḍhā — very strong matiḥ — consciousness.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-parīkṣid uvāca
śrī-parīkṣit uvāca
King Parīkṣit inquired
rajas-tamaḥ-svabhāvasya
rajaḥ
of the mode of passion
tamaḥ
and of the mode of ignorance
sva-bhāvasya
having a nature
brahman vṛtrasya pāpmanaḥ
brahman
O learned brāhmaṇa
vṛtrasya
of Vṛtrāsura
pāpmanaḥ
who was supposedly sinful
nārāyaṇe bhagavati
nārāyaṇe
in Lord Nārāyaṇa
bhagavati
the Supreme Personality of Godhead
katham āsīd dṛḍhā matiḥ
katham
how
āsīt
was there
dṛḍhā
very strong
matiḥ
consciousness.
King Parīkṣit inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī: O learned brāhmaṇa, demons are generally sinful, being obsessed with the modes of passion and ignorance. How, then, could Vṛtrāsura have attained such exalted love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa?
Purport

In this material world, everyone is obsessed with the modes of passion and ignorance. However, unless one conquers these modes and comes to the platform of goodness, there is no chance of one’s becoming a pure devotee. This is confirmed by Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself in Bhagavad-gītā (7.28) :

yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

“Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination.” Since Vṛtrāsura was among the demons, Mahārāja Parīkṣit wondered how it was possible for him to have become such an exalted devotee.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
King Parīkṣit said: O brāhmaṇa! Since he was sinful, with a nature of rajas and tamas, how could Vṛtrāsura have firm attachment to Nārāyaṇa? The Fourteenth Chapter describes how Citraketu, by the mercy of devotees, obtained a son whose birth caused happiness and whose death caused distress.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Parīkṣit asks how Vṛtra, a sinful demon obsessed with passion and ignorance, could attain such exalted love for the Lord. The right question deepens wonder: how does mercy reach where it shouldn't be possible?
Reflection Questions
  • Whose devotion seems impossible to me, and what does my surprise reveal about my theology?
  • Where am I underestimating the reach of mercy?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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