FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.23.17

तथापि वदतो भूमन् करिष्याम्यनुशासनम् । एतच्छ्रेय: परं पुंसां यत् तवाज्ञानुपालनम् ॥ १७ ॥
tathāpi vadato bhūman
[tathaapi vadato bhooman]
kariṣyāmy anuśāsanam
[karishyaamy anushaasanam]
etac chreyaḥ paraṁ puṁsāṁ
[etach chreyah param pumsaam]
yat tavājñānupālanam
[yat tavaajnaanupaalanam]
Word-for-word
tathāpi — although there was no fault on the part of Bali Mahārāja vadataḥ — because of your order bhūman — O Supreme kariṣyāmi — I must execute anuśāsanam — because it is Your order etat — this is śreyaḥ — that which is the most auspicious param — supreme puṁsām — of all persons yat — because tava ājñā-anupālanam — to obey Your order.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tathāpi vadato bhūman
tathāpi
although there was no fault on the part of Bali Mahārāja
vadataḥ
because of your order
bhūman
O Supreme
kariṣyāmy anuśāsanam
kariṣyāmi
I must execute
anuśāsanam
because it is Your order
etac chreyaḥ paraṁ puṁsāṁ
etat
this is
śreyaḥ
that which is the most auspicious
param
supreme
puṁsām
of all persons
yat tavājñānupālanam
yat
because
tava ājñā-anupālanam
to obey Your order.
Lord Viṣṇu, I must nonetheless act in obedience to Your order because obeying Your order is most auspicious and is the first duty of everyone.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Lord Viṣṇu! I must nonetheless act in obedience to your order because obeying your order is most auspicious for everyone.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
I must nonetheless act in obedience to Your order; obeying You is most auspicious and is everyone's first duty. Śukra accepts even what his curse contradicted. Obedience to the Lord supersedes any prior commitment.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I refusing to obey the Lord because doing so would contradict an old commitment of mine?
  • What 'first duty' has been crowded out by promises to lesser parties?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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