Brahma’s prayers to Sri Krishna (part 3) ”Bhakti Leads to Liberation” by Swami Bhajanananda

Class by Rev. Dr. Mahant Swami Bhajanananda Saraswati on Book X, chapter 13, verses 6 - 8 of Srimad Bhagavatam given at Kali Mandir Ramakrishna Ashram on 21 June 2025.

Brahma said:

तथापि भूमन् महिमागुणस्य ते विबोद्धुम् अर्हत्य् अमलान्तरात्मभिः |

अविक्रियात् स्वानुभवाद् अरूपतो ह्य् अनन्यबोध्यात्मतया न चान्यथा || ६ ||

tathāpi bhūman mahimāguṇasya te viboddhum arhaty amalāntar-ātmabhiḥ |

avikriyāt svānubhavād arūpato hy ananya-bodhyātmatayā na cānyathā || 6 ||

 

6. "Nevertheless, Oh Infinite One (tathāpi bhūman), Your infinite nature beyond the gunas (mahimā aguṇasya te), changeless (avikriyāt), formless (arūpataḥ), and self-effulgent (hi ananya bodhya can be known by self realization (ātmatayā viboddhum) by one whose mind and senses are pure and in-drawn (arhati amala antar-ātmabhih), through one's own direct perception (sva anubhava), and not otherwise (na ca anyathā)."

 

गुन्̣आत्मनस् तेऽपि गुन्̣आन् विमातुं हितावतीर्̣नस्य क ईशिरेऽस्य |

कालेन यैर् वा विमिताह्̣ सुकल्पैर् भूपांशवह्̣ खे मिहिका द्युभासह्̣ || ७ ||

guṇātmanas te 'pi guṇān vimātuḿ hitāvatīṛnasya ka īśire 'sya |

kālena yair vā vimitāḥ su-kalpair bhū-pāḿśavaḥ khe mihikā dyu-bhāsaḥ || 7 ||

 

7. "Oh Self of the gunas (guṇa-ātmanaḥ), to count Your qualities ( te api guṇān vimātum) -- You who have incarnated for the good of all ( hita-avatīrṇasya ) -- is like a geniuses, for all eternity, counting (asya kālena yaiḥ vā vimitāḥ su-kalpaiḥ) all the grains of sand on the earth (bhū-pāḿśavaḥ), all water drops in the air ( khe mihikāḥ), and all the stars in the sky (dyu-bhāsaḥ)."

 

तत् ते ऽनुकम्पां सुसमीक्स्̣अमान्̣ओ भुञ्जान एवात्मक्र्̣तं विपाकम् |

ह्र्̣द्वाग्वपुर्भिर् विदधन् नमस् ते जीवेत यो मुक्तिपदे स दायभाक् || ८ ||

tat te 'nukampāṃ su-samīkṣamāṇo bhuñjāna evātma-kṛtaṃ vipākam |

hṛd-vāg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te jīveta yo mukti-pade sa dāya-bhāk || 8 ||

 

8. "Therefore (tat) whoever lives (jīveta yaḥ) depending upon Your compassion (te anukampām su-samīkṣamāṇaḥ), tolerating the results of their own actions (bhuñjānaḥ eva ātma-kṛtam  vipākam) and surrendering to You with heart, words and body (hṛt vāk vapurbhiḥ vidadhan namaḥ te), becomes the rightful heir of liberation (mukti-pade saḥ dāya-bhāk)."