FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.21.1

श्रीशुक उवाच सत्यं समीक्ष्याब्जभवो नखेन्दुभि- र्हतस्वधामद्युतिरावृतोऽभ्यगात् । मरीचिमिश्रा ऋषयो बृहद्‌व्रता: सनन्दनाद्या नरदेव योगिन: ॥ १ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca
[shree-shuka uvaacha]
satyaṁ samīkṣyābja-bhavo nakhendubhir
[satyam sameekshyaabja-bhavo nakhendubhir]
hata-svadhāma-dyutir āvṛto ’bhyagāt
[hata-svadhaama-dyutir aavrito ’bhyagaat]
marīci-miśrā ṛṣayo bṛhad-vratāḥ
[mareechi-mishraa rishayo brihad-vrataah]
sanandanādyā nara-deva yoginaḥ
[sanandanaadyaa nara-deva yoginah]
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said satyam — the planet Satyaloka samīkṣya — by observing abja-bhavaḥ — Lord Brahmā, who appeared on the lotus flower nakha-indubhiḥ — by the effulgence of the nails hata — having been reduced sva-dhāma-dyutiḥ — the illumination of his own residence āvṛtaḥ — being covered abhyagāt — came marīci-miśrāḥ — with sages like Marīci ṛṣayaḥ — great saintly persons bṛhat-vratāḥ — all of them absolutely brahmacārī sanandana-ādyāḥ — like Sanaka, Sanātana, Sanandana and Sanat-kumāra nara-deva — O King yoginaḥ — greatly powerful mystics.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śrī-śuka uvāca
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said
satyaṁ samīkṣyābja-bhavo nakhendubhir
satyam
the planet Satyaloka
samīkṣya
by observing
abja-bhavaḥ
Lord Brahmā, who appeared on the lotus flower
nakha-indubhiḥ
by the effulgence of the nails
hata-svadhāma-dyutir āvṛto ’bhyagāt
hata
having been reduced
sva-dhāma-dyutiḥ
the illumination of his own residence
āvṛtaḥ
being covered
abhyagāt
came
marīci-miśrā ṛṣayo bṛhad-vratāḥ
marīci-miśrāḥ
with sages like Marīci
ṛṣayaḥ
great saintly persons
bṛhat-vratāḥ
all of them absolutely brahmacārī
sanandanādyā nara-deva yoginaḥ
sanandana-ādyāḥ
like Sanaka, Sanātana, Sanandana and Sanat-kumāra
nara-deva
O King
yoginaḥ
greatly powerful mystics.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: When Lord Brahmā, who was born of a lotus flower, saw that the effulgence of his residence, Brahmaloka, had been reduced by the glaring effulgence from the toenails of Lord Vāmanadeva, he approached the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord Brahmā was accompanied by all the great sages, headed by Marīci, and by yogīs like Sanandana, but in the presence of that glaring effulgence, O King, even Lord Brahmā and his associates seemed insignificant.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King! After seeing his planet touched by Vāmana’s foot, Lord Brahmā, his abode, his effulgence and his own form became dim by the light from the effulgence of Vāmana’s moon-like toe nails. He offered respects to the Lord and the great sages headed by Marīci and by yogīs like Sanandana also offered respects to the Lord. In the Twenty-first Chapter, Brahmā worship Vāmana, Bali forbids the demons from attacking, and Garuḍa, knowing the Lord’s intentions, ties up Bali. In the last chapter it was mentioned Vāmana’s foot reached Brahmaloka. Then what happened? Seeing Satyaloka with the moon’s of Vāmana’s toe nails, Brahmā approached the Lord. Marīci and others also went. They offered respects and Brahmā offered respects. Verbs should be supplied for both subjects. Brahmā, whose effulgence and abode were dimmed by the moons of the nails of Vāmana, was also made dim by the moons of his toe nails. Thus the moons of his toe nails eclipsed Satyaloka, his effulgence and Brahmā himself.
When Brahmā saw his Brahmaloka effulgence reduced by Vāmana's toenails, he approached the Lord with all the great sages. Even the highest demigod's residence dimmed before the Lord's foot. Brahmā does not resist; he comes to worship.
Reflection Questions
  • When my own 'effulgence' is dimmed by a greater presence, do I resist or come to worship?
  • Where am I clinging to my brightness when the dharmic response is to recognize the brighter?
📝 My note

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