FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.24.24

నూనం బతాయం భగవానర్థేషు న నిష్ణాతో యోఽసావిన్ద్రో యస్య సచివో మన్త్రాయ వృత ఏకాన్తతో బృహస్పతిస్తమతిహాయ స్వయముపేన్ద్రేణాత్మానమయాచతాత్మనశ్చాశిషో నో ఏవ తద్దాస్యమతిగమ్భీరవయస: కాలస్య మన్వన్తరపరివృత్తం కియల్లోకత్రయమిదమ్ ॥ ౨౪ ॥
nūnaṁ batāyaṁ bhagavān artheṣu na niṣṇāto yo ’sāv indro yasya sacivo mantrāya vṛta ekāntato bṛhaspatis tam atihāya svayam upendreṇātmānam ayācatātmanaś cāśiṣo no eva tad-dāsyam ati-gambhīra-vayasaḥ kālasya manvantara-parivṛttaṁ kiyal loka-trayam idam.
[noonam bataayam bhagavaan artheshu na nishnaato yo ’saav indro yasya sachivo mantraaya vrita ekaantato brihaspatis tam atihaaya svayam upendrenaatmaanam ayaachataatmanash chaashisho no eva tad-daasyam ati-gambheera-vayasah kaalasya manvantara-parivrittam kiyal loka-trayam idam.]
nūnam — certainly bata — alas ayam — this bhagavān — very learned artheṣu — in self-interest na — not niṣṇātaḥ — very experienced yaḥ — who asau — the King of heaven indraḥ — Indra yasya — of whom sacivaḥ — the prime minister mantrāya — for giving instructions vṛtaḥ — chosen ekāntataḥ — alone bṛhaspatiḥ — named Bṛhaspati tam — him atihāya — ignoring svayam — personally upendreṇa — by means of Upendra (Lord Vāmanadeva) ātmānam — myself ayācata — requested ātmanaḥ — for himself ca — and āśiṣaḥ — blessings (the three worlds) no — not eva — certainly tat-dāsyam — the loving service of the Lord ati — very gambhīra-vayasaḥ — having an insurmountable duration kālasya — of time manvantara-parivṛttam — changed by the end of a life of a Manu kiyat — what is the value of loka-trayam — three worlds idam — these.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
nūnaṁ batāyaṁ bhagavān artheṣu na niṣṇāto yo ’sāv indro yasya sacivo mantrāya vṛta ekāntato bṛhaspatis tam atihāya svayam upendreṇātmānam ayācatātmanaś cāśiṣo no eva tad-dāsyam ati-gambhīra-vayasaḥ kālasya manvantara-parivṛttaṁ kiyal loka-trayam idam.
nūnam
certainly
bata
alas
ayam
this
bhagavān
very learned
artheṣu
in self-interest
na
not
niṣṇātaḥ
very experienced
yaḥ
who
asau
the King of heaven
indraḥ
Indra
yasya
of whom
sacivaḥ
the prime minister
mantrāya
for giving instructions
vṛtaḥ
chosen
ekāntataḥ
alone
bṛhaspatiḥ
named Bṛhaspati
tam
him
atihāya
ignoring
svayam
personally
upendreṇa
by means of Upendra (Lord Vāmanadeva)
ātmānam
myself
ayācata
requested
ātmanaḥ
for himself
ca
and
āśiṣaḥ
blessings (the three worlds)
no
not
eva
certainly
tat-dāsyam
the loving service of the Lord
ati
very
gambhīra-vayasaḥ
having an insurmountable duration
kālasya
of time
manvantara-parivṛttam
changed by the end of a life of a Manu
kiyat
what is the value of
loka-trayam
three worlds
idam
these.
Alas, how pitiable it is for Indra, the King of heaven, that although he is very learned and powerful and although he chose Bṛhaspati as his prime minister to instruct him, he is completely ignorant concerning spiritual advancement. Bṛhaspati is also unintelligent because he did not properly instruct his disciple Indra. Lord Vāmanadeva was standing at Indra’s door, but King Indra, instead of begging Him for an opportunity to render transcendental loving service, engaged Him in asking me for alms to gain the three worlds for his sense gratification. Sovereignty over the three worlds is very insignificant because whatever material opulence one may possess lasts only for an age of Manu, which is but a tiny fraction of endless time.

Bali Mahārāja was so powerful that he fought with Indra and took possession of the three worlds. Indra was certainly very advanced in knowledge, but instead of asking Vāmanadeva for engagement in His service, he used the Lord to beg for material possessions that would be finished at the end of one age of Manu. An age of Manu, which is the duration of Manu’s life, is calculated to last seventy-two yugas. One yuga consists of 4,300,000 years, and therefore the duration of Manu’s life is 309,600,000 years. The demigods possess their material opulence only until the end of the life of Manu. Time is insurmountable. The time one is allotted, even if it be millions of years, is quickly gone. The demigods own their material possessions only within the limits of time. Therefore Bali Mahārāja lamented that although Indra was very learned, he did not know how to use his intelligence properly, for instead of asking Vāmanadeva to allow him to engage in His service, Indra used Him to beg Bali Mahārāja for material wealth. Although Indra was learned and his prime minister, Bṛhaspati, was also learned, neither of them begged to be able to render loving service to Lord Vāmanadeva. Therefore Bali Mahārāja lamented for Indra.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Indeed, Indra, who employed Bṛhaspati as his exclusive assistant and minister, is not experienced in affairs. Neglecting the Lord, he instead asked me for the three worlds, material happiness, using the Lord, and not service to the Lord. What value are the three worlds, which change every Manvantara by the great speed of time? Indra, whose minister is Bṛhaspati, though very learned, is not fixed in the goal of human life, because Bṛhaspati did not teach him properly. This is indicated by Indra asking for the three worlds from me by sending Upendra standing at his door. He thus gave up Upendra. Why did he not ask for Upendra? If he did, what wouldn’t the Lord give him? Why did he not ask for the Lord? He asked for material blessings, like a person completely blinded by illusion. Or why did he not send (apahāya) Bṛhaspati to ask me for the land? If Bṛhaspati had asked, would I not have given that brāhmaṇa the three worlds? Why did he ask the Lord to get him back his land? Material desires are all insignificant. What is the value of the three worlds which changes every Manvantara because of the great speed of time?
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