FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.24.15

तमात्मनोऽनुग्रहार्थं प्रीत्या मत्स्यवपुर्धरम् । अजानन् रक्षणार्थाय शफर्या: स मनो दधे ॥ १५ ॥
tam ātmano ’nugrahārthaṁ
[tam aatmano ’nugrahaartham]
prītyā matsya-vapur-dharam
[preetyaa matsya-vapur-dharam]
ajānan rakṣaṇārthāya
[ajaanan rakshanaarthaaya]
śapharyāḥ sa mano dadhe
[shapharyaah sa mano dadhe]
Word-for-word
tam — unto the fish ātmanaḥ — personal anugraha-artham — to show favor prītyā — very much pleased matsya-vapuḥ-dharam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who had assumed the form of a fish ajānan — without knowledge of this rakṣaṇa-arthāya — just to give protection śapharyāḥ — of the fish saḥ — the King manaḥ — mind dadhe — decided.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tam ātmano ’nugrahārthaṁ
tam
unto the fish
ātmanaḥ
personal
prītyā matsya-vapur-dharam
ajānan rakṣaṇārthāya
anugraha-artham
to show favor
prītyā
very much pleased
śapharyāḥ sa mano dadhe
matsya-vapuḥ-dharam
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who had assumed the form of a fish
ajānan
without knowledge of this
rakṣaṇa-arthāya
just to give protection
śapharyāḥ
of the fish
saḥ
the King
manaḥ
mind
dadhe
decided.
To please himself, King Satyavrata, not knowing that the fish was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, decided with great pleasure to give the fish protection.
Purport

Here is an example of giving service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead even without knowledge. Such service is called ajñāta-sukṛti. King Satyavrata wanted to show his own mercy, not knowing that the fish was Lord Viṣṇu. By such unknowing devotional service, one is favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Service rendered to the Supreme Lord, knowingly or unknowingly, never goes in vain.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
King Satyavrata, not knowing that the fish was the Supreme Lord, out of affection decided to give the fish protection, in order to show it his mercy. He did not know that this fish was his worshippable Lord Viṣṇu.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Not knowing the fish was Viṣṇu, the King with great pleasure decided to protect it. Ajñāta-sukṛti: unknown good deed. Service rendered without recognition still counts and even more so.
Reflection Questions
  • What recent kindness of mine, given without knowing its full recipient, may have been ajñāta-sukṛti?
  • Where am I withholding kindness until I confirm the worthiness of the recipient?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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