FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.9.28

విదుర ఉవాచ సుదుర్లభం యత్పరమం పదం హరే- ర్మాయావినస్తచ్చరణార్చనార్జితమ్ । లబ్ధ్వాప్యసిద్ధార్థమివైకజన్మనా కథం స్వమాత్మానమమన్యతార్థవిత్ ॥ ౨౮ ॥
vidura uvāca
[vidura uvaacha]
sudurlabhaṁ yat paramaṁ padaṁ harer
[sudurlabham yat paramam padam harer]
māyāvinas tac-caraṇārcanārjitam
[maayaavinas tach-charanaarchanaarjitam]
labdhvāpy asiddhārtham ivaika-janmanā
[labdhvaapy asiddhaartham ivaika-janmanaa]
kathaṁ svam ātmānam amanyatārtha-vit
[katham svam aatmaanam amanyataartha-vit]
viduraḥ uvāca — Vidura continued to inquire sudurlabham — very rare yat — that which paramam — is the supreme padam — situation hareḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead māyā-vinaḥ — very affectionate tat — His caraṇa — lotus feet arcana — by worshiping arjitam — achieved labdhvā — having attained api — although asiddha-artham — not fulfilled iva — as if eka-janmanā — in the duration of one life katham — why svam — own ātmānam — heart amanyata — he felt artha-vit — being very wise.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
vidura uvāca
viduraḥ uvāca
Vidura continued to inquire
sudurlabhaṁ yat paramaṁ padaṁ harer
sudurlabham
very rare
yat
that which
paramam
is the supreme
padam
situation
hareḥ
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
māyāvinas tac-caraṇārcanārjitam
māyā-vinaḥ
very affectionate
tat
His
caraṇa
lotus feet
arcana
by worshiping
arjitam
achieved
labdhvāpy asiddhārtham ivaika-janmanā
labdhvā
having attained
api
although
asiddha-artham
not fulfilled
iva
as if
eka-janmanā
in the duration of one life
katham
why
kathaṁ svam ātmānam amanyatārtha-vit
svam
own
ātmānam
heart
amanyata
he felt
artha-vit
being very wise.
Śrī Vidura inquired: My dear brāhmaṇa, the abode of the Lord is very difficult to attain. It can be attained only by pure devotional service, which alone pleases the most affectionate, merciful Lord. Dhruva Mahārāja achieved this position even in one life, and he was very wise and conscientious. Why, then, was he not very pleased?

Saint Vidura’s inquiry is very relevant. The word artha-vit, which refers to one who knows how to discriminate between reality and unreality, is very significant in this connection. An artha-vit is also called paramahaṁsa. A paramahaṁsa accepts only the active principle of everything. Just as a swan accepts only the milk from a mixture of water and milk, a paramahaṁsa accepts only the Supreme Personality of Godhead as his life and soul, neglecting all external, material things. Dhruva Mahārāja was in this category, and due to his determination he achieved the result he desired, but still, when he returned home he was not very pleased.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Vidura said: Having attained the supreme abode of the merciful Lord which is rarely attained, through worshipping the Lord’s feet, within one lifetime, though he was knowledgeable, why did he consider himself unfulfilled? Hearing that Dhruva was not pleased, Vidura asks why. Māyāvināḥ means merciful. Arthavit means wise.
📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 9