SB 7.4.46 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.4.46

किमुतानुवशान् साधूंस्ताद‍ृशान् गुरुदेवतान् । एतत्कौतूहलं ब्रह्मन्नस्माकं विधम प्रभो । पितु: पुत्राय यद्‌द्वेषो मरणाय प्रयोजित: ॥ ४६ ॥

kim utānuvaśān sādhūṁs

[kim utaanuvashaan saadhooms]

tādṛśān guru-devatān

[taadrishaan guru-devataan]

etat kautūhalaṁ brahmann

[etat kautoohalam brahmann]

asmākaṁ vidhama prabho

[asmaakam vidhama prabho]

pituḥ putrāya yad dveṣo

[pituh putraaya yad dvesho]

maraṇāya prayojitaḥ

[maranaaya prayojitah]

Word-for-word

kim uta — much less anuvaśān — to obedient and perfect sons sādhūn — great devotees tādṛśān — of that sort guru-devatān — honoring the father as the Supreme Personality of Godhead etat — this kautūhalam — doubt brahman — O brāhmaṇa asmākam — of us vidhama — dissipate prabho — O my lord pituḥ — of the father putrāya — unto the son yat — which dveṣaḥ — envy maraṇāya — for killing prayojitaḥ — applied.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

kim utānuvaśān sādhūṁs

kim uta

much less

anuvaśān

to obedient and perfect sons

sādhūn

great devotees

tādṛśān guru-devatān

tādṛśān

of that sort

guru-devatān

honoring the father as the Supreme Personality of Godhead

etat kautūhalaṁ brahmann

etat

this

kautūhalam

doubt

brahman

O brāhmaṇa

asmākaṁ vidhama prabho

asmākam

of us

vidhama

dissipate

prabho

O my lord

pituḥ putrāya yad dveṣo

pituḥ

of the father

putrāya

unto the son

yat

which

dveṣaḥ

envy

maraṇāya prayojitaḥ

maraṇāya

for killing

prayojitaḥ

applied.

Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira further inquired: How was it possible for a father to be so violent toward an exalted son who was obedient, well-behaved and respectful to his father? O brāhmaṇa, O master, I have never heard of such a contradiction as an affectionate father’s punishing his noble son with the intention of killing him. Kindly dissipate our doubts in this regard.

Purport

In the history of human society, an affectionate father is rarely found to chastise a noble and devoted son. Therefore Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira wanted Nārada Muni to dissipate his doubt.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Seventh Canto, Fourth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Hiraṇyakaśipu Terrorizes the Universe.”

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

What to speak of tormenting sons who honor their fathers, who are devotees and who are obedient! Please remove my doubt-- that a father could have such hatred that he would try to kill his own son. Anuvaśān means favorable. Kautūhalam means doubt. Please remove this doubt—what hatred of a father would be so intense that he would kill his own son? Thus ends the commentary on the Fourth Chapter of the Seventh Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas. Chapter Five Hiraṇyakaśipu Attacks Prahlāda

Personal Guidance

Yudhisthira repeats: it is rare in human society for an affectionate father to punish a noble son with intent to kill. The contradiction must be dissipated. When something genuinely does not make sense, do not pretend; ask until the doubt clears.

Reflection Questions

Which 'contradiction' in your spiritual life have you stopped questioning?
What would it mean to keep asking until your doubt is genuinely dissipated?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io