FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.3.17

तस्यात्मतन्त्रस्य हरेरधीशितु: परस्य मायाधिपतेर्महात्मन: । प्रायेण दूता इह वै मनोहरा- श्चरन्ति तद्रूपगुणस्वभावा: ॥ १७ ॥
tasyātma-tantrasya harer adhīśituḥ
[tasyaatma-tantrasya harer adheeshituh]
parasya māyādhipater mahātmanaḥ
[parasya maayaadhipater mahaatmanah]
prāyeṇa dūtā iha vai manoharāś
[praayena dootaa iha vai manoharaash]
caranti tad-rūpa-guṇa-svabhāvāḥ
[charanti tad-roopa-guna-svabhaavaah]
Word-for-word
tasya — of Him ātma-tantrasya — being self-sufficient, not dependent on any other person hareḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead adhīśituḥ — who is the master of everything parasya — the Transcendence māyā-adhipateḥ — the master of the illusory energy mahā-ātmanaḥ — of the Supreme Soul prāyeṇa — almost dūtāḥ — the order carriers iha — in this world vai — indeed manoharāḥ — pleasing in their dealings and bodily features caranti — they move tat — of Him rūpa — possessing the bodily features guṇa — the transcendental qualities svabhāvāḥ — and nature.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tasyātma-tantrasya harer adhīśituḥ
tasya
of Him
ātma-tantrasya
being self-sufficient, not dependent on any other person
hareḥ
the Supreme Personality of Godhead
adhīśituḥ
who is the master of everything
parasya māyādhipater mahātmanaḥ
parasya
the Transcendence
māyā-adhipateḥ
the master of the illusory energy
mahā-ātmanaḥ
of the Supreme Soul
prāyeṇa dūtā iha vai manoharāś
prāyeṇa
almost
dūtāḥ
the order carriers
iha
in this world
vai
indeed
manoharāḥ
pleasing in their dealings and bodily features
caranti tad-rūpa-guṇa-svabhāvāḥ
caranti
they move
tat
of Him
rūpa
possessing the bodily features
guṇa
the transcendental qualities
svabhāvāḥ
and nature.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is self-sufficient and fully independent. He is the master of everyone and everything, including the illusory energy. He has His form, qualities and features; and similarly His order carriers, the Vaiṣṇavas, who are very beautiful, possess bodily features, transcendental qualities and a transcendental nature almost like His. They always wander within this world with full independence.
Purport

Yamarāja was describing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller, but the order carriers of Yamarāja were very eager to know about the Viṣṇudūtas, who had defeated them in their encounter with Ajāmila. Yamarāja therefore stated that the Viṣṇudūtas resemble the Supreme Personality of Godhead in their bodily features, transcendental qualities and nature. In other words, the Viṣṇudūtas, or Vaiṣṇavas, are almost as qualified as the Supreme Lord. Yamarāja informed the Yamadūtas that the Viṣṇudūtas are no less powerful than Lord Viṣṇu. Since Viṣṇu is above Yamarāja, the Viṣṇudūtas are above the Yamadūtas. Persons protected by the Viṣṇudūtas, therefore, cannot be touched by the Yamadūtas.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The very attractive servants of the independent Supreme Lord, the supreme soul, the master of material energy, having natures, qualities and forms similar to the Lord’s, move about this world. “Let the Supreme Lord be. We will not ask about him. Who are those persons who scolded us and protected the sinner?” Prāyena mahoharāḥ means “very attractive.” This implies that the servants of Yama are not attractive.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
The Supreme Lord is self-sufficient and independent, with His own form and qualities, and His Vaiṣṇava order-carriers reflect Him. To meet a true devotee is to glimpse the Lord's character.
Reflection Questions
  • Which devotee in my life is showing me what Kṛṣṇa is like?
  • What qualities of theirs would I want to learn to embody?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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