FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.12.25

ధర్మ: స్తనాద్దక్షిణతో యత్ర నారాయణ: స్వయమ్ । అధర్మ పృష్ఠతో యస్మాన్మృత్యుర్లోకభయఙ్కర: ॥ ౨౫ ॥
dharmaḥ stanād dakṣiṇato
[dharmah stanaad dakshinato]
yatra nārāyaṇaḥ svayam
[yatra naaraayanah svayam]
adharmaḥ pṛṣṭhato yasmān
[adharmah prishthato yasmaan]
mṛtyur loka-bhayaṅkaraḥ
[mrityur loka-bhayankarah]
dharmaḥ — religion stanāt — from the breast dakṣiṇataḥ — on the right side yatra — wherein nārāyaṇaḥ — the Supreme Lord svayam — personally adharmaḥ — irreligion pṛṣṭhataḥ — from the back yasmāt — from which mṛtyuḥ — death loka — to the living entity bhayam-karaḥ — horrible.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
dharmaḥ stanād dakṣiṇato
dharmaḥ
religion
stanāt
from the breast
dakṣiṇataḥ
on the right side
yatra nārāyaṇaḥ svayam
yatra
wherein
nārāyaṇaḥ
the Supreme Lord
svayam
personally
adharmaḥ pṛṣṭhato yasmān
adharmaḥ
irreligion
pṛṣṭhataḥ
from the back
yasmāt
from which
mṛtyur loka-bhayaṅkaraḥ
mṛtyuḥ
death
loka
to the living entity
bhayam-karaḥ
horrible.
Religion was manifested from the breast of Brahmā, wherein is seated the Supreme Personality of Godhead Nārāyaṇa, and irreligion appeared from his back, where horrible death takes place for the living entity.

That religion was manifested from the place where the Personality of Godhead is personally situated is very significant because religion means devotional service to the Personality of Godhead, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā as well as the Bhāgavatam. In Bhagavad-gītā the last instruction is to give up all other engagements in the name of religion and take shelter of the Personality of Godhead. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also confirms that the highest perfection of religion is that which leads to the devotional service of the Lord, unmotivated and unhampered by material impediments. Religion in its perfect form is the devotional service of the Lord, and irreligion is just the opposite. The heart is the most important part of the body, whereas the back is the most neglected part. When one is attacked by an enemy one is apt to endure attacks from the back and protect himself carefully from all attacks on the chest. All types of irreligion spring from the back of Brahmā, whereas real religion, the devotional service of the Lord, is generated from the chest, the seat of Nārāyaṇa. Anything which does not lead to the devotional service of the Lord is irreligion, and anything which leads to the devotional service of the Lord is called religion.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Religion appeared from the right breast of Brahmā, where Paramātmā is situated. Irreligion from which death, feared by all people, arises, appeared from his back. Supreme dharma appears from actions prescribed in bhakti-yoga and karma-yoga. Thus this verse describes the appearance of dharma. The heart or breast is considered the best place since it is the location of affection. Adharma refers to non-performance of prescribed dharma, and the performance of forbidden acts. Adharma appeared from Brahmā’s back, which is not attractive, and is not a place of affection.
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