Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.7.2
हरि: पुरस्ताज्जगृहे पूर्वं देवास्ततोऽभवन् ॥ २ ॥
hariḥ purastāj jagṛhe
[harih purastaaj jagrihe]
pūrvaṁ devās tato ’bhavan
[poorvam devaas tato ’bhavan]
Word-for-word
hariḥ
—
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ajita
purastāt
—
from the front
jagṛhe
—
took
pūrvam
—
at first
devāḥ
—
the demigods
tataḥ
—
thereafter
abhavan
—
took the front portion of Vāsuki.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
hariḥ purastāj jagṛhe
hariḥ
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Ajita
purastāt
from the front
jagṛhe
took
pūrvaṁ devās tato ’bhavan
pūrvam
at first
devāḥ
the demigods
tataḥ
thereafter
abhavan
took the front portion of Vāsuki.
The Personality of Godhead, Ajita, grasped the front portion of the snake, and then the demigods followed.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Ajita first grasped the head portion of the snake and the devatās followed.
In order to make the demons take the head portion with poison, the Lord first grasped this portion. The devatās also grasped this portion.
Personal Guidance
The Lord grasped the front of the snake first, and the demigods followed. Devotees take the position the Lord takes — not by argument, but by simple following. Leadership in bhakti is downstream of His example.
Reflection Questions
- Where am I leading on my own initiative when I should be following the Lord's lead?
- Whom do I imitate by default in my spiritual life, and is that person aligned with the Lord?
My note
Source: vedabase.io