SB 7.5.50 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.5.50

इमं तु पाशैर्वरुणस्य बद्ध्वा निधेहि भीतो न पलायते यथा । बुद्धिश्च पुंसो वयसार्यसेवया यावद्गुरुर्भार्गव आगमिष्यति ॥ ५० ॥

imaṁ tu pāśair varuṇasya baddhvā

[imam tu paashair varunasya baddhvaa]

nidhehi bhīto na palāyate yathā

[nidhehi bheeto na palaayate yathaa]

buddhiś ca puṁso vayasārya-sevayā

[buddhish cha pumso vayasaarya-sevayaa]

yāvad gurur bhārgava āgamiṣyati

[yaavad gurur bhaargava aagamishyati]

Word-for-word

imam — this tu — but pāśaiḥ — by the ropes varuṇasya — of the demigod known as Varuṇa baddhvā — binding nidhehi — keep (him) bhītaḥ — being afraid na — not palāyate — runs away yathā — so that buddhiḥ — the intelligence ca — also puṁsaḥ — of a man vayasā — by increase of age ārya — of experienced, advanced persons sevayā — by the service yāvat — until guruḥ — our spiritual master bhārgavaḥ — Śukrācārya āgamiṣyati — will come.

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

imaṁ tu pāśair varuṇasya baddhvā

imam

this

but

pāśaiḥ

by the ropes

varuṇasya

of the demigod known as Varuṇa

baddhvā

binding

nidhehi bhīto na palāyate yathā

nidhehi

keep (him)

bhītaḥ

being afraid

not

palāyate

runs away

yathā

so that

buddhiś ca puṁso vayasārya-sevayā

buddhiḥ

the intelligence

also

puṁsaḥ

of a man

vayasā

by increase of age

ārya

of experienced, advanced persons

sevayā

by the service

yāvad gurur bhārgava āgamiṣyati

yāvat

until

guruḥ

our spiritual master

bhārgavaḥ

Śukrācārya

āgamiṣyati

will come.

Until the return of our spiritual master, Śukrācārya, arrest this child with the ropes of Varuṇa so that he will not flee in fear. In any case, by the time he is somewhat grown up and has assimilated our instructions or served our spiritual master, he will change in his intelligence. Thus there need be no cause for anxiety.

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

Keep him bound with Varuṇa’s ropes so that he does not run away in fear. His intelligence will develop with age and service to the ācārya, when Śukrācārya arrives. “Let that be. What should I do right now?” They give their advice in this verse. Any man develops intelligence, by age, after passing childhood, and by service to the ācārya. “Who is the ācāryā? When will he serve the ācārya?” When Śukrācārya returns, he will become intelligent.

Personal Guidance

Wait for Śukrācārya's return; arrest the child with Varuṇa's ropes; he will grow up and conform. Time and pressure are expected to flatten devotion. Demonic strategy bets on the maturation of conformity. It loses that bet with real bhaktas.

Reflection Questions

Where has someone bet on your spiritual youth fading into conformity?
How do you guard against the slow pressures to 'grow up' out of devotion?

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io