FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 9.13.8

राज्ञो जीवतु देहोऽयं प्रसन्ना: प्रभवो यदि । तथेत्युक्ते निमि: प्राह मा भून्मे देहबन्धनम् ॥ ८ ॥
rājño jīvatu deho ’yaṁ
[raajno jeevatu deho ’yam]
prasannāḥ prabhavo yadi
[prasannaah prabhavo yadi]
tathety ukte nimiḥ prāha
[tathety ukte nimih praaha]
mā bhūn me deha-bandhanam
[maa bhoon me deha-bandhanam]
rājñaḥ — of the King jīvatu — may again be enlivened dehaḥ ayam — this body (now preserved) prasannāḥ — very much pleased prabhavaḥ — all able to do it yadi — if tathā — let it be so iti — thus ukte — when it was replied (by the demigods) nimiḥ — Mahārāja Nimi prāha — said mā bhūt — do not do it me — my deha-bandhanam — imprisonment again in a material body.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
rājño jīvatu deho ’yaṁ
rājñaḥ
of the King
jīvatu
may again be enlivened
dehaḥ ayam
this body (now preserved)
prasannāḥ prabhavo yadi
prasannāḥ
very much pleased
prabhavaḥ
all able to do it
yadi
if
tathety ukte nimiḥ prāha
tathā
let it be so
iti
thus
ukte
when it was replied (by the demigods)
nimiḥ
Mahārāja Nimi
prāha
said
mā bhūn me deha-bandhanam
mā bhūt
do not do it
me
my
deha-bandhanam
imprisonment again in a material body.
“If you are satisfied with this sacrifice and if you are actually able to do so, kindly bring Mahārāja Nimi back to life in this body.” The demigods said yes to this request by the sages, but Mahārāja Nimi said, “Please do not imprison me again in a material body.”

The demigods are in a position many times higher than that of human beings. Therefore, although the great saints and sages were also powerful brāhmaṇas, they requested the demigods to revive Mahārāja Nimi’s body, which had been preserved in various perfumed balms. One should not think that the demigods are powerful only in enjoying the senses; they are also powerful in such deeds as bringing life back to a dead body. There are many similar instances in the Vedic literature. For example, according to the history of Sāvitrī and Satyavān, Satyavān died and was being taken away by Yamarāja, but on the request of his wife, Sāvitrī, Satyavān was revived in the same body. This is an important fact about the power of the demigods.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
"If you are satisfied with this sacrifice and if you are actually able to do so, kindly bring Mahārāja Nimi’s body back to life." The devatās agreed, but Mahārāja Nimi said, "Please do not imprison me again in a material body." If you are pleased and capable, then bring his body to life. The devatās said “Let it be so (tathā).”
The demigods agree to revive Nimi, but he refuses — he does not want re-imprisonment in a material body. Some grace must be politely declined when accepting it would chain us again.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I asking for a blessing that, if granted, would re-bind me?
  • What apparent kindness should I decline because it serves an outdated version of me?
📝 My note

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