FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.10.49

स वा अयं ब्रह्म महद्विमृग्य- कैवल्यनिर्वाणसुखानुभूति: । प्रिय: सुहृद् व: खलु मातुलेय आत्मार्हणीयो विधिकृद्गुरुश्च ॥ ४९ ॥
sa vā ayaṁ brahma mahad-vimṛgya-
[sa vaa ayam brahma mahad-vimrigya-]
kaivalya-nirvāṇa-sukhānubhūtiḥ
[kaivalya-nirvaana-sukhaanubhootih]
priyaḥ suhṛd vaḥ khalu mātuleya
[priyah suhrid vah khalu maatuleya]
ātmārhaṇīyo vidhi-kṛd guruś ca
[aatmaarhaneeyo vidhi-krid gurush cha]
saḥ — that (Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa) vā — also ayam — this brahma — the impersonal Brahman (which is an emanation from Kṛṣṇa) mahat — by great personalities vimṛgya — searched for kaivalya — oneness nirvāṇa-sukha — of transcendental happiness anubhūtiḥ — the source of practical experience priyaḥ — very, very dear suhṛt — well-wisher vaḥ — of you khalu — indeed mātuleyaḥ — the son of a maternal uncle ātmā — exactly like body and soul together arhaṇīyaḥ — worshipable (because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead) vidhi-kṛt — (yet He serves you as) an order carrier guruḥ — your supreme advisor ca — as well.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa vā ayaṁ brahma mahad-vimṛgya-
saḥ
that (Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa)
vā
also
ayam
this
brahma
the impersonal Brahman (which is an emanation from Kṛṣṇa)
mahat
by great personalities
vimṛgya
searched for
kaivalya-nirvāṇa-sukhānubhūtiḥ
kaivalya
oneness
nirvāṇa-sukha
of transcendental happiness
anubhūtiḥ
the source of practical experience
priyaḥ suhṛd vaḥ khalu mātuleya
priyaḥ
very, very dear
suhṛt
well-wisher
vaḥ
of you
khalu
indeed
mātuleyaḥ
the son of a maternal uncle
ātmārhaṇīyo vidhi-kṛd guruś ca
ātmā
exactly like body and soul together
arhaṇīyaḥ
worshipable (because He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead)
vidhi-kṛt
(yet He serves you as) an order carrier
guruḥ
your supreme advisor
ca
as well.
The impersonal Brahman is Kṛṣṇa Himself because Kṛṣṇa is the source of the impersonal Brahman. He is the origin of the transcendental bliss sought by great saintly persons, yet He, the Supreme Person, is your most dear friend and constant well-wisher and is intimately related to you as the son of your maternal uncle. Indeed, He is always like your body and soul. He is worshipable, yet He acts as your servant and sometimes as your spiritual master.

There is always a difference of opinion about the Absolute Truth. One class of transcendentalists concludes that the Absolute Truth is impersonal, and another class concludes that the Absolute Truth is a person. In Bhagavad-gītā, the Absolute Truth is accepted as the Supreme Person. Indeed, that Supreme Person Himself, Lord Kṛṣṇa, instructs in Bhagavad-gītā, brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham, mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat. “The impersonal Brahman is My partial manifestation, and there is no truth superior to Me.” That same Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, acted as the supreme friend and relative of the Pāṇḍavas, and sometimes He even acted as their servant by carrying a letter from the Pāṇḍavas to Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Duryodhana. Because Kṛṣṇa was the well-wisher of the Pāṇḍavas, He also acted as guru by becoming the spiritual master of Arjuna. Arjuna accepted Kṛṣṇa as his spiritual master ( śiṣyas te ’haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam ), and Kṛṣṇa sometimes chastised him. For example, the Lord said, aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase: “While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief.” The Lord also said, kutas tvā kaśmalam idaṁ viṣame samupasthitam: “My dear Arjuna, how have these impurities come upon you?” Such was the intimate relationship between the Pāṇḍavas and Kṛṣṇa. In the same way, a pure devotee of the Lord is always with Kṛṣṇa through thick and thin; his way of life is Kṛṣṇa. This is the statement of the authority Śrī Nārada Muni.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Kṛṣṇa definitely expands as the Brahman, the realization of bliss without qualities, which is sought by great sages. He also resides in your house as the object of affection, a friend, a cousin, as your soul, as a person worthy of worship, as a servant and as a guru. One should not say that the Param Brahman has become the human form of Kṛṣṇa. Rather Kṛṣṇa becomes the Param Brahman. This famous human form of Kṛṣṇa (saḥ ayam) is Brahman, sought by the great saints, a realization of supreme bliss without distinctions or qualities. One should explain it as a statement of confirmation like kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam. The proof is brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham: I am the basis of Brahman. (BG 14.27) The word vai indicates certainly about this. Not only does he live in your house, but he is dear: he gives you great bliss. He is a friend: he does things for your benefit. He is your cousin: his is obedient to you because of a family relationship. He is your ātmā: he thinks of you as his own body. He is worthy of worship: he protects you by his mercy. He is your servant: he places himself at your disposal as a charioteer. He is guru: he gives you good advice. He does not reside in the houses of Prahlāda and others acting as a servant or guru.
Kṛṣṇa is the source of impersonal Brahman, the origin of transcendental bliss — yet He is your most dear friend, cousin, and even your servant or spiritual master. He plays every role simultaneously. The same Person is many things to you.
Reflection Questions
  • Which role of the Lord — friend, master, servant, kin — have you under-cultivated?
  • How could you let Him play a new role in your life this week?
📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 10