Inspire others and get inspired

2013-03-19
Srimad Bhagavatam 10.16.45-46 - Inspire others and get inspired (download mp3), (download flv) & (download mp4)
by Navina Nirada Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty
www.iskcondesiretree.net




SB 10.16.45

namah krsnaya ramaya
 vasudeva-sutaya ca
pradyumnayaniruddhaya
 satvatam pataye namah


Translation: 
We offer our obeisances to Lord Krsna and Lord Rama, the sons of Vasudeva, and to Lord Pradyumna and Lord Aniruddha. We offer our respectful obeisances unto the master of all the saintly devotees of Visnu.




SB 10.16.46

namo guna-pradipaya
 gunatma-cchadanaya ca
guna-vrtty-upalaksyaya
 guna-drastre sva-samvide

Translation: 
Obeisances to You, O Lord, who manifest varieties of material and spiritual qualities. You disguise Yourself with the material qualities, and yet the functioning of those same material qualities ultimately reveals Your existence. You stand apart from the material qualities as a witness and can be fully known only by Your devotees.

Purport: 
The word guna conveys various meanings: the three basic qualities of material nature, i.e., goodness, passion and ignorance; excellent qualities one manifests because of piety and spiritual achievement; or the internal senses, such as the mind and intelligence. The word pradipaya means “unto Him who manifests or illumines.” Thus here the Nagapatnis are addressing the Supreme Lord as “He who manifests all material and spiritual qualities and who causes the living entities to be conscious.” One can see the Lord by going beyond the screen of material nature, and therefore He is called gunatma-cchadanaya. If one methodically and intelligently studies the functioning of the material qualities, he will ultimately conclude that there is a Supreme Personality of Godhead and that He exhibits His illusory potency to bewilder those who do not surrender unto Him.

The Lord is never affected by the modes of nature, being their witness, and thus He is called guna-drastre. The word sva indicates “one’s own,” and thus sva-samvide means that Lord Krsna can be known only by His own people, the devotees, and also that ultimately only the Lord can know Himself perfectly. Therefore we should take Lord Krsna’s instructions in Bhagavad-gita and immediately come to the right conclusion: full surrender to the Lord’s lotus feet. Thus we should humbly glorify the Lord, following the example of the Nagapatnis.