FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.4.22-23

तस्यै नमोऽस्तु काष्ठायै यत्रात्मा हरिरीश्वर: । यद्गत्वा न निवर्तन्ते शान्ता: संन्यासिनोऽमला: ॥ २२ ॥ इति ते संयतात्मान: समाहितधियोऽमला: । उपतस्थुर्हृषीकेशं विनिद्रा वायुभोजना: ॥ २३ ॥
tasyai namo ’stu kāṣṭhāyai
[tasyai namo ’stu kaashthaayai]
yatrātmā harir īśvaraḥ
[yatraatmaa harir eeshvarah]
yad gatvā na nivartante
[yad gatvaa na nivartante]
śāntāḥ sannyāsino ’malāḥ
[shaantaah sannyaasino ’malaah]
iti te saṁyatātmānaḥ
[iti te samyataatmaanah]
samāhita-dhiyo ’malāḥ
[samaahita-dhiyo ’malaah]
upatasthur hṛṣīkeśaṁ
[upatasthur hrisheekesham]
vinidrā vāyu-bhojanāḥ
[vinidraa vaayu-bhojanaah]
Word-for-word
tasyai — unto that namaḥ — our respectful obeisances astu — let there be kāṣṭhāyai — direction yatra — wherein ātmā — the Supersoul hariḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead īśvaraḥ — the supreme controller yat — which gatvā — approaching na — never nivartante — return śāntāḥ — peaceful sannyāsinaḥ — saintly persons in the renounced order of life amalāḥ — pure iti — thus te — they saṁyata-ātmānaḥ — having controlled minds samāhita — steadied dhiyaḥ — intelligences amalāḥ — purified upatasthuḥ — worshiped hṛṣīkeśam — the master of the senses vinidrāḥ — without sleeping vāyu-bhojanāḥ — eating only air.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tasyai namo ’stu kāṣṭhāyai
tasyai
unto that
namaḥ
our respectful obeisances
astu
let there be
kāṣṭhāyai
direction
yatra
wherein
yatrātmā harir īśvaraḥ
ātmā
the Supersoul
hariḥ
the Supreme Personality of Godhead
īśvaraḥ
the supreme controller
yad gatvā na nivartante
yat
which
gatvā
approaching
na
never
nivartante
return
śāntāḥ sannyāsino ’malāḥ
śāntāḥ
peaceful
sannyāsinaḥ
saintly persons in the renounced order of life
iti te saṁyatātmānaḥ
amalāḥ
pure
samāhita-dhiyo ’malāḥ
iti
thus
te
they
upatasthur hṛṣīkeśaṁ
saṁyata-ātmānaḥ
having controlled minds
samāhita
steadied
dhiyaḥ
intelligences
amalāḥ
purified
upatasthuḥ
worshiped
hṛṣīkeśam
the master of the senses
vinidrā vāyu-bhojanāḥ
vinidrāḥ
without sleeping
vāyu-bhojanāḥ
eating only air.
“Let us offer our respectful obeisances unto that direction where the Supreme Personality of Godhead is situated, where those purified souls in the renounced order of life, the great saintly persons, go, and from which, having gone, they never return.” Without sleep, fully controlling their minds, and living on only their breath, the predominating deities of the various planets began worshiping Hṛṣīkeśa with this meditation.
Purport

The two words tasyai kāṣṭhāyai are very significant. Everywhere, in every direction, in every heart and in every atom, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is situated in His features as Brahman and Paramātmā. Then what is the purpose of saying tasyai kāṣṭhāyai — “in that direction where Hari is situated”? During Hiraṇyakaśipu’s time, his influence was everywhere, but he could not force his influence into the places where the Supreme Personality of Godhead had His pastimes. For example, on this earth there are such places as Vṛndāvana and Ayodhyā, which are called dhāmas. In the dhāma, there is no influence from Kali-yuga or any demon. If one takes shelter of such a dhāma, worship of the Lord becomes very easy, and resultant spiritual advancement quickly takes place. In fact, in India one may still go to Vṛndāvana and similar places to achieve the results of spiritual activities quickly.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
“We offer respects to the direction in which the peaceful, pure Lord, Paramātmā, who is unattached to the material world, exists, and from which one does not return.” Without sleep, with fully controlled minds and purified intelligence, and living on only their breath, the devatās began worshiping Hṛṣīkeśa, master of the senses. We offer respects to the direction where the Lord exists. Because the demon has control of all places, we cannot go any holy place (where the Lord resides) and worship him. This is the indication. Or another meaning is “We offer respects to the excellent place, where the Lord exists.” All other excellent places have been conquered by the demon. Amara-koṣa says that kāṣthā means excellent place and direction.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
The demigods meditate without sleep, living on breath alone, worshiping Hrsikesa in the direction where the renunciants who never return reside. Even Hiranyakasipu's influence cannot enter the Lord's dhamas. Some places remain inviolably the Lord's.
Reflection Questions
  • What inner dhama in your life remains untouched by the demonic forces of your day?
  • How do you protect and visit that place daily?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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