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 5: The Creative Impetus | Chapter 4: The Characteristics of Rishabhadeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 5.4.7
brahmanyo 'nyah kuto nābher
SYNONYMS
brahmanyah — a devotee of the brāhmanas; anyah — any. other; kutah — where is; nābheh — besides Mahārāja Nābhi; viprāh — the brāhmanas; mańgala-pūjitāh — well worshiped and satisfied; yasya — of whom; barhishi — in the sacrificial arena; yajña-īśam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the enjoyer of all sacrificial ceremonies; darśayām āsuh — showed; ojasā — by their brahminical prowess.
TRANSLATION
[The second prayer is this.] "Who is a better worshiper of brāhmanas than Mahārāja Nābhi? Because he worshiped the qualified brāhmanas to their full satisfaction, the brāhmanas, by their brahminical prowess, showed Mahārāja Nābhi the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyana, in person."
PURPORT
The brāhmanas engaged as priests in the sacrificial ceremony were not ordinary brāhmanas. They were so powerful that they could bring forth the Supreme Personality of Godhead by their prayers. Thus Mahārāja Nābhi was able to see the Lord face to face. Unless one is a Vaishnava, he cannot call forth the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The Lord does not accept an invitation unless one is a Vaishnava. Therefore it is said in Padma Purāna:
shat-karma-nipuno vipro
avaishnavo gurur na syād
vaishnavah śva-paco guruh
"A scholarly brāhmana expert in all subjects of Vedic knowledge is unfit to become a spiritual master without being a Vaishnava, but a person born in a family of a lower caste can become a spiritual master if he is a Vaishnava." These brāhmanas were certainly very expert in chanting the Vedic mantras. They were competent in the performance of the Vedic rituals, and over and above this they were Vaishnavas. Therefore by their spiritual powers they could call on the Supreme Personality of Godhead and enable their disciple, Mahārāja Nābhi, to see the Lord face to face. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Thākura comments that the word ojasā means "by dint of devotional service."
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