Copyright © r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
| Canto 4: Creation of the Fourth Order | Chapter 31: Nārada Instructs the Pracetās |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.31.8
maitreya uvāca
iti pracetasām prishto
āvishtātmābravīn nripān
SYNONYMS
maitreyah uvāca — Maitreya said; iti — thus; pracetasām — by the Pracetās; prishtah — being asked; bhagavān — the great devotee of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; nāradah — Nārada; munih — very thoughtful; bhagavati — in the Supreme Personality of Godhead; uttama-śloke — possessing excellent renown; āvishta — absorbed; ātmā — whose mind; abravīt — replied; nripān — to the Kings.
TRANSLATION
The great sage Maitreya continued: My dear Vidura, being thus petitioned by the Pracetās, the supreme devotee Nārada, who is always absorbed in thoughts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, began to reply.
PURPORT
In this verse bhagavān nāradah indicates that Nārada is always absorbed in thoughts of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Bhagavaty uttama-śloka āvishtātmā. Nārada has no other business than thinking of Krishna, talking of Krishna and preaching about Krishna; therefore he is sometimes called bhagavān. Bhagavān means "one who possesses all opulences." When a person possesses Bhagavān within his heart, he is also sometimes called bhagavān. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Thākura said, sākshād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraih: in every śāstra the spiritual master is accepted directly as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This does not mean that the spiritual master or a saintly person like Nārada has actually become the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but he is accepted in this way because he possesses the Supreme Personality of Godhead within his heart constantly. As described here (āvishtātmā), when one is simply absorbed in the thought of Krishna, one is also called bhagavān. Bhagavān possesses all opulence. If one possesses Bhagavān within his heart always, does he not automatically possess all opulence also? In that sense a great devotee like Nārada can be called bhagavān. However, we cannot tolerate when a rascal or imposter is called bhagavān. One must possess either all opulences or the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Bhagavān, who possesses all opulences.
Copyright © r The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness