Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 9.22.16-17
एवमुक्तो द्विजैर्ज्येष्ठं छन्दयामास सोऽब्रवीत् ।
तन्मन्त्रिप्रहितैर्विप्रैर्वेदाद् विभ्रंशितो गिरा ॥ १६ ॥
वेदवादातिवादान् वै तदा देवो ववर्ष ह ।
देवापिर्योगमास्थाय कलापग्राममाश्रित: ॥ १७ ॥
evam ukto dvijair jyeṣṭhaṁ
[evam ukto dvijair jyeshtham]
chandayām āsa so ’bravīt
[chandayaam aasa so ’braveet]
tan-mantri-prahitair viprair
[tan-mantri-prahitair viprair]
vedād vibhraṁśito girā
[vedaad vibhramshito giraa]
veda-vādātivādān vai
[veda-vaadaativaadaan vai]
tadā devo vavarṣa ha
[tadaa devo vavarsha ha]
devāpir yogam āsthāya
[devaapir yogam aasthaaya]
kalāpa-grāmam āśritaḥ
[kalaapa-graamam aashritah]
Word-for-word
evam
—
thus (as above mentioned)
uktaḥ
—
being advised
dvijaiḥ
—
by the brāhmaṇas
jyeṣṭham
—
unto his eldest brother, Devāpi
chandayām āsa
—
requested to take charge of the kingdom
saḥ
—
he (Devāpi)
abravīt
—
said
tat-mantri
—
by Śāntanu’s minister
prahitaiḥ
—
instigated
vipraiḥ
—
by the brāhmaṇas
vedāt
—
from the principles of the Vedas
vibhraṁśitaḥ
—
fallen
girā
—
by such words
veda-vāda-ativādān
—
words blaspheming the Vedic injunctions
vai
—
indeed
tadā
—
at that time
devaḥ
—
the demigod
vavarṣa
—
showered rains
ha
—
in the past
devāpiḥ
—
Devāpi
yogam āsthāya
—
accepting the process of mystic yoga
kalāpa-grāmam
—
the village known as Kalāpa
āśritaḥ
—
took shelter of (and is living in even now).
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
evam ukto dvijair jyeṣṭhaṁ
evam
thus (as above mentioned)
uktaḥ
being advised
dvijaiḥ
by the brāhmaṇas
jyeṣṭham
unto his eldest brother, Devāpi
chandayām āsa so ’bravīt
chandayām āsa
requested to take charge of the kingdom
saḥ
he (Devāpi)
abravīt
said
tan-mantri-prahitair viprair
tat-mantri
by Śāntanu’s minister
prahitaiḥ
instigated
vipraiḥ
by the brāhmaṇas
vedād vibhraṁśito girā
vedāt
from the principles of the Vedas
vibhraṁśitaḥ
fallen
girā
by such words
veda-vādātivādān vai
veda-vāda-ativādān
words blaspheming the Vedic injunctions
vai
indeed
tadā devo vavarṣa ha
tadā
at that time
devaḥ
the demigod
vavarṣa
showered rains
ha
in the past
devāpir yogam āsthāya
devāpiḥ
Devāpi
yogam āsthāya
accepting the process of mystic yoga
kalāpa-grāmam āśritaḥ
kalāpa-grāmam
the village known as Kalāpa
āśritaḥ
took shelter of (and is living in even now).
When the brāhmaṇas said this, Mahārāja Śāntanu went to the forest and requested his elder brother Devāpi to take charge of the kingdom, for it is the duty of a king to maintain his subjects. Previously, however, Śāntanu’s minister Aśvavāra had instigated some brāhmaṇas to induce Devāpi to transgress the injunctions of the Vedas and thus make himself unfit for the post of ruler. The brāhmaṇas deviated Devāpi from the path of the Vedic principles, and therefore when asked by Śāntanu he did not agree to accept the post of ruler. On the contrary, he blasphemed the Vedic principles and therefore became fallen. Under the circumstances, Śāntanu again became the king, and Indra, being pleased, showered rains. Devāpi later took to the path of mystic yoga to control his mind and senses and went to the village named Kalāpagrāma, where he is still living.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
When the brāhmaṇas said this, Mahārāja Śāntanu requested his elder brother Devāpi to take charge of the kingdom. Previously, however, Śāntanu's minister Aśvavāra instigated some brāhmaṇas to induce Devāpi to transgress the injunctions of the Vedas. He thus blasphemed the Vedic principles. Under the circumstances, Śāntanu again became the king, and Indra, being pleased, showered rains. Devāpi later took to the path of mystic yoga in a village named Kalāpagrāma.
He requested Devāpi to rule the kingdom. Devāpi made statements criticizing the Vedas. The cause is explained. Before Śāntanu made his request, Śāntanu’s minister Aśvavāra made Devāpi a heretic in order to make him unsuitable to rule. Unknown to Śāntanu, he sent brāhmaṇas who made him deviate from the Vedas by uttering heretical words. Since Devāpi was unsuitable to rule because of his degradation, there was no fault in Śāntanu ruling. Indra then supplied rain.
Personal Guidance
Śāntanu's minister had earlier instigated brāhmaṇas to deviate Devāpi from Vedic principles, disqualifying him for kingship. Power-loving advisors quietly engineer disqualifications of legitimate claimants — and we should be alert to them in our own decisions.
Reflection Questions
- Whose 'disqualification' am I accepting that may have been engineered by an interested party?
- Where could fresh inquiry restore someone to their rightful role?
My note
Source: vedabase.io