FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.89.59

పూర్ణకామావపి యువాం నరనారాయణావృషీ । ధర్మమాచరతాం స్థిత్యై ఋషభౌ లోకసఙ్గ్రహమ్ ॥ ౫౯ ॥
pūrṇa-kāmāv api yuvāṁ
[poorna-kaamaav api yuvaam]
nara-nārāyaṇāv ṛṣī
[nara-naaraayanaav rishee]
dharmam ācaratāṁ sthityai
[dharmam aacharataam sthityai]
ṛṣabhau loka-saṅgraham
[rishabhau loka-sangraham]
pūrṇa — full kāmau — in all desires api — although yuvām — you two nara - nārāyaṇau ṛṣī — as the sages Nara and Nārāyaṇa dharmam — the principles of religion ācaratām — should execute sthityai — for its maintenance ṛṣabhau — the best of all persons loka - saṅgraham — for the benefit of the general populace .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
pūrṇa-kāmāv api yuvāṁ
pūrṇa
full
kāmau
in all desires
api
although
yuvām
you two
nara-nārāyaṇāv ṛṣī
nara - nārāyaṇau ṛṣī
as the sages Nara and Nārāyaṇa
dharmam ācaratāṁ sthityai
dharmam
the principles of religion
ācaratām
should execute
sthityai
for its maintenance
ṛṣabhau loka-saṅgraham
ṛṣabhau
the best of all persons
loka - saṅgraham
for the benefit of the general populace .
  • pūrṇa-kāmau — (you two are) fully fulfilled in desires
    Compound: pūrṇa (full) + kāma (desire). Mahā-Viṣṇu states that both Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna are without unfulfilled desire — and still must enact dharma. Gauḍīyas note: action is not driven by lack but by līlā.
  • nara-nārāyaṇau ṛṣī — the two sages Nara and Nārāyaṇa
    Compound phrase. Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna are named as Nara-Nārāyaṇa. The Bhāgavatam will return to this identification at SB 10.87 and Mahābhārata multiple times — the pair is permanent.
  • dharmam-ācaratām — you two should practice dharma
    Compound: dharma + ācaratām (let both practice). Imperative dual. Even the topmost Persons enact dharma — the precise teaching of BG 3.21–22 (yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ).
  • loka-saṅgraham — the maintenance of the people
    Compound: loka (people) + saṅgraha (holding together). The technical term from BG 3.20. Mahā-Viṣṇu cites this Gītā concept directly back at Arjuna, who first heard it from Kṛṣṇa on Kurukṣetra.
Although all your desires are completely fulfilled, O best of exalted personalities, for the benefit of the people in general you should continue to exemplify religious behavior as the sages Nara and Nārāyaṇa.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Although all your desires are completely fulfilled, O best of exalted personalities, for the benefit of the people in general you should continue to exemplify religious behavior as the sages Nara and Nārāyaṇa.
Commentary

Follow dharma (acaratam) to teach others. Acaratam is used for acaratam.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

“Since we two are perfect in all ways, how can we be devoted to serving brāhmaṇas?” By your mercy you establish dharma. He proves this conclusion by giving an example. You are the best of all those who appear on earth (ṛṣabhau). Therefore you are full in your desires (pūrṇa-kāmau). You should enact dharma to teach the people, to protect everyone (sthityai). Nara and Nārāyaṇa are your aṁśas. In that form you protect dharma. Kṛṣṇa says to Uddhava nārāyaṇo munīnām: I am Nārāyaṇa among the sages. (SB 11.16.25) If that is so, then what to speak of your activities directly as Bhagavān? Ācaratām (perform) does not mean that they should practice to become perfect. “Come and merge with me (Mahāviṣnu)” and “become Nāra-nārāyana and practice dharma” are both contrary to the traditional understanding.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

And as long as you are there on earth, maintain your conduct according to dharma to teach the people since you are complete in your desires. You are sages (ṛṣī), having extraordinary qualities. You should remain on earth to protect the people. Why? You should make the people follow dharma (loka-sangraham). Protect them by promoting dharma. Why? You are the best of all people (ṛṣabhau). Yad yad ācarati śresṭhas tat tad evetaro janaḥ: whatever the great people do the others follow. (BG 3.21) Or since you two are a wealth of all sweetness, desiring to see you, I brought the sons of the brāhmaṇa here. To be able to see you always, you should come here again quickly, or you should come here often. “If we come here, dharma will not be protected.” Your expansions have appeared on earth (kalāvatīrṇau). You should remain on earth in those forms to protect my dharma. “Who should protect dharma? Or how should the two protect dharma?” Being complete in yourselves, execute dharma. The two (yuvām) are accepted as Nara and Nārānaya, since the aṁśas (Nara and Nārāyaṇa) and the aṁśīs (Arjjuna and Kṛsṇa) are considered non-different. Your aṁśas should perform dharma. By their performing dharma you will serve to protect dharma.

Related values
Nyaya (Justice / Righteous Judgment)Daya (Compassion / Mercy)Vairagya (Detachment / Dispassion)Kritajnata (Gratitude)Discriminative WisdomShanti (Peace / Tranquility)Asteya (Non-stealing / Honesty)Tapas (Austerity / Discipline)Atma Nigraha (Self-control)
Related verses
Concepts
JivaDharma

Mahā-Viṣṇu addresses Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna as Nara-Nārāyaṇa — the eternal sage-pair of Badarikāśrama — and tells them to continue exemplifying religious behavior for the sake of loka-saṅgraha. The chapter cross-references SB 5.19 and BG 3.20–25 in one breath: pūrṇa-kāmas still act, for the world's sake.

Nara-Nārāyaṇa at Badarikāśrama

The two sages Nara and Nārāyaṇa perform unending austerities at Badarī, the Bhāgavatam tells us in multiple cantos (SB 4.1.59, 5.19, 11.4). They are the prototype of bhakta and Bhagavān eternally side by side — Nara serves, Nārāyaṇa is served.

Mahā-Viṣṇu names Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna here as the same pair in another body. Gauḍīyas treat this verse as the formal disclosure of Arjuna's identity: he is not merely a Pāṇḍava but Nara, the eternal companion-jīva of Bhagavān.

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