Srimad Bhagavatam 10.78.18-23 - Reasoning Behind Following Rituals (download mp3)
by Radha Gopinath Prabhu at ISKCON Chowpatty
www.iskcondesiretree.com
SB 10.78.18
snatva prabhase santarpya
devarsi-pitr-manavan
sarasvatim prati-srotam
yayau brahmana-samvrtah
Translation:
After bathing at Prabhasa and honoring the demigods, sages, forefathers and prominent human beings, He went in the company of brahmanas to the portion of the Sarasvati that flows westward into the sea.
SB 10.78.19-20
prthudakam bindu-saras
tritakupam sudarsanam
visalam brahma-tirtham ca
cakram pracim sarasvatim
yamunam anu yany eva
gangam anu ca bharata
jagama naimisam yatra
rsayah satram asate
Translation:
Lord Balarama visited the broad Bindu-saras Lake, Tritakupa, Sudarsana, Visala, Brahma-tirtha, Cakra-tirtha and the eastward-flowing Sarasvati. He also went to all the holy places along the Yamuna and the Ganges, O Bharata, and then He came to the Naimisa forest, where great sages were performing an elaborate sacrifice.
SB 10.78.21
tam agatam abhipretya
munayo dirgha-satrinah
abhinandya yatha-nyayam
pranamyotthaya carcayan
Translation:
Recognizing the Lord upon His arrival, the sages, who had been engaged in their sacrificial rituals for a long time, greeted Him properly by standing up, bowing down and worshiping Him.
SB 10.78.22
so ’rcitah sa-parivarah
krtasana-parigrahah
romaharsanam asinam
maharseh sisyam aiksata
Translation:
After being thus worshiped along with His entourage, the Lord accepted a seat of honor. Then He noticed that Romaharsana, Vyasadeva’s disciple, had remained seated.
SB 10.78.23
apratyutthayinam sutam
akrta-prahvanañjalim
adhyasinam ca tan viprams
cukopodviksya madhavah
Translation:
Lord Balarama became extremely angry upon seeing how this member of the suta caste had failed to stand up, bow down or join his palms, and also how he was sitting above all the learned brahmanas.
Purport:
Romaharsana had failed to greet Lord Balarama in any of the standard ways for welcoming a superior personality. Also, despite being of a lower caste, he sat in a seat above the assembly of exalted brahmanas.
