FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.16.14

तवैव मारीच मन:शरीरजा: प्रजा इमा: सत्त्वरजस्तमोजुष: । समो भवांस्तास्वसुरादिषु प्रभो तथापि भक्तं भजते महेश्वर: ॥ १४ ॥
tavaiva mārīca manaḥ-śarīrajāḥ
[tavaiva maareecha manah-shareerajaah]
prajā imāḥ sattva-rajas-tamo-juṣaḥ
[prajaa imaah sattva-rajas-tamo-jushah]
samo bhavāṁs tāsv asurādiṣu prabho
[samo bhavaams taasv asuraadishu prabho]
tathāpi bhaktaṁ bhajate maheśvaraḥ
[tathaapi bhaktam bhajate maheshvarah]
Word-for-word
tava — your eva — indeed mārīca — O son of Marīci manaḥ-śarīra-jāḥ — born either of your body or of your mind (all the demons and demigods) prajāḥ — born of you imāḥ — all of them sattva-rajaḥ-tamaḥ-juṣaḥ — infected with sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa or tamo-guṇa samaḥ — equal bhavān — your good self tāsu — to every one of them asura-ādiṣu — beginning with the asuras prabho — O my lord tathā api — still bhaktam — unto the devotees bhajate — takes care of mahā-īśvaraḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tavaiva mārīca manaḥ-śarīrajāḥ
tava
your
eva
indeed
mārīca
O son of Marīci
manaḥ-śarīra-jāḥ
born either of your body or of your mind (all the demons and demigods)
prajā imāḥ sattva-rajas-tamo-juṣaḥ
prajāḥ
born of you
imāḥ
all of them
sattva-rajaḥ-tamaḥ-juṣaḥ
infected with sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa or tamo-guṇa
samaḥ
equal
samo bhavāṁs tāsv asurādiṣu prabho
bhavān
your good self
tāsu
to every one of them
asura-ādiṣu
beginning with the asuras
prabho
O my lord
tathāpi bhaktaṁ bhajate maheśvaraḥ
tathā api
still
bhaktam
unto the devotees
bhajate
takes care of
mahā-īśvaraḥ
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller.
O son of Marīci, because you are a great personality you are equal toward all the demons and demigods, who are born either from your body or from your mind and who possess one or another of the three qualities — sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa or tamo-guṇa. But although the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller, is equal toward all living entities, He is especially favorable to the devotees.
Purport

In Bhagavad-gītā (9.29) the Lord says:

samo ’haṁ sarva-bhūteṣu na me dveṣyo ’sti na priyaḥ ye bhajanti tu māṁ bhaktyā mayi te teṣu cāpy aham

Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead is equal toward everyone, He is especially inclined toward those who engage in His devotional service. The Lord says, kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati: “My dear son of Kuntī, please declare that My devotee will never be vanquished.” Elsewhere, Kṛṣṇa also says:

ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ

(Bg. 4.11)

Actually, everyone is trying to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead in various ways, but according to their methods of approach, the Supreme Lord endows them with different benedictions. Thus Aditi appealed to her husband by saying that since even the supreme controller favors His devotees and since Indra, Kaśyapa’s devoted son, was in difficulty, Kaśyapa should bestow his favor upon Indra.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O son of Marīci! All the demons and devatās, possessing sattva, rajas, or tamas, are born either from your body or from your mind. O master! You are equal to the all, but the Supreme Lord protects his devotee. If you ask, then my suffering can be relieved very easily by your mercy. This is explained in four verses. Just as the Lord, though equal to all, serves his devotee, you, though equal to all your sons, should protect Indra, who is devoted to you.
Related values & verses
Related verses
BG 4.11
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
You, son of Marīci, are equal to demigods and demons born of you. But the Supreme Lord, though equal to all, especially favors devotees. The principle of equality coexists with the principle of devotional favor.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do I resist the truth that the Lord favors devotees, preferring a flat 'God treats all alike'?
  • What in my service might attract that special favor, rather than just the baseline equal regard?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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