FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 9.11.16

तच्छ्रुत्वा भगवान् रामो रुन्धन्नपि धिया शुच: । स्मरंस्तस्या गुणांस्तांस्तान्नाशक्नोद् रोद्धुमीश्वर: ॥ १६ ॥
tac chrutvā bhagavān rāmo
[tach chrutvaa bhagavaan raamo]
rundhann api dhiyā śucaḥ
[rundhann api dhiyaa shuchah]
smaraṁs tasyā guṇāṁs tāṁs tān
[smarams tasyaa gunaams taams taan]
nāśaknod roddhum īśvaraḥ
[naashaknod roddhum eeshvarah]
Word-for-word
tat — this (the news of Sītādevī’s entering the earth) śrutvā — hearing bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead rāmaḥ — Lord Rāmacandra rundhan — trying to reject api — although dhiyā — by intelligence śucaḥ — grief smaran — remembering tasyāḥ — of her guṇān — qualities tān tān — under different circumstances na — not aśaknot — was able roddhum — to check īśvaraḥ — although the supreme controller.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tac chrutvā bhagavān rāmo
tat
this (the news of Sītādevī’s entering the earth)
śrutvā
hearing
bhagavān
the Supreme Personality of Godhead
rāmaḥ
Lord Rāmacandra
rundhann api dhiyā śucaḥ
rundhan
trying to reject
api
although
dhiyā
by intelligence
śucaḥ
grief
smaraṁs tasyā guṇāṁs tāṁs tān
smaran
remembering
tasyāḥ
of her
guṇān
qualities
tān tān
under different circumstances
nāśaknod roddhum īśvaraḥ
na
not
aśaknot
was able
roddhum
to check
īśvaraḥ
although the supreme controller.
After hearing the news of mother Sītā’s entering the earth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was certainly aggrieved. Although He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, upon remembering the exalted qualities of mother Sītā, He could not check His grief in transcendental love.
Purport

Lord Rāmacandra’s grief at the news of Sītādevī’s entering the earth is not to be considered material. In the spiritual world also there are feelings of separation, but such feelings are considered spiritual bliss. Grief in separation exists even in the Absolute, but such feelings of separation in the spiritual world are transcendentally blissful. Such feelings are a sign of tasya prema-vaśyatva-svabhāva, being under the influence of hlādinī-śakti and being controlled by love. In the material world such feelings of separation are only a perverted reflection.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
After hearing the news of mother Sītā's entering the earth, the Supreme Lord Rāma, though capable of checking his grief by intelligence, on remembering her good qualities he could not do so, though he was the Lord. Though Rāma was the Supreme Lord, he could not check his grief, since his nature is to be controlled by prema.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Even the Supreme Lord grieves Sītā's departure — but His grief is spiritual bliss, not material misery. Feelings of separation in the spiritual realm are themselves a kind of intensified love, not a contradiction of perfection.
Reflection Questions
  • Have I assumed that spiritual perfection means flatness of feeling?
  • Where could deeper feeling — even of separation — actually deepen my devotion?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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