FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.13.35

मधुकारमहासर्पौ लोकेऽस्मिन्नो गुरूत्तमौ । वैराग्यं परितोषं च प्राप्ता यच्छिक्षया वयम् ॥ ३५ ॥
madhukāra-mahā-sarpau
[madhukaara-mahaa-sarpau]
loke ’smin no gurūttamau
[loke ’smin no guroottamau]
vairāgyaṁ paritoṣaṁ ca
[vairaagyam paritosham cha]
prāptā yac-chikṣayā vayam
[praaptaa yach-chikshayaa vayam]
Word-for-word
madhukāra — bees that go from flower to flower to collect honey mahā-sarpau — the big snake (the python, which does not move from one place to another) loke — in the world asmin — this naḥ — our guru — spiritual masters uttamau — first-class vairāgyam — renunciation paritoṣam ca — and satisfaction prāptāḥ — obtained yat-śikṣayā — by whose instruction vayam — we.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
madhukāra-mahā-sarpau
madhukāra
bees that go from flower to flower to collect honey
mahā-sarpau
the big snake (the python, which does not move from one place to another)
loke ’smin no gurūttamau
loke
in the world
asmin
this
naḥ
our
guru
spiritual masters
uttamau
first-class
vairāgyaṁ paritoṣaṁ ca
vairāgyam
renunciation
paritoṣam ca
and satisfaction
prāptā yac-chikṣayā vayam
prāptāḥ
obtained
yat-śikṣayā
by whose instruction
vayam
we.
The bee and the python are two excellent spiritual masters who give us exemplary instructions regarding how to be satisfied by collecting only a little and how to stay in one place and not move.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The bee and the python are our two excellent gurus who give us exemplary instructions regarding satisfaction and renunciation. “What guru has taught you this?” He gives this answer.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
The bee and the python are two excellent spiritual masters — one teaches collecting little, the other teaches staying put and waiting. Nature provides curriculum if we attend to it. Look around for teachers.
Reflection Questions
  • What in nature has been quietly teaching you a lesson you have not formally accepted?
  • Where is the bee's discipline or the python's needed in your life?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 13