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 9: Liberation | Chapter 4: Ambarīsha Mahārāja Offended by Durvāsā Muni |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 9.4.44
śriyonmattasya paśyata
dharma-vyatikramam vishnor
abhaktasyeśa-māninah
SYNONYMS
aho — alas; asya — of this man; nri-śamsasya — who is so cruel; śriyā unmattasya — puffed up because of great opulence; paśyata — everyone just see; dharma-vyatikramam — the transgression of the regulative principles of religion; vishnoh abhaktasya — who is not a devotee of Lord Vishnu; īśa-māninah — considering himself the Supreme Lord, independent of everything.
TRANSLATION
Alas, just see the behavior of this cruel man! He is not a devotee of Lord Vishnu. Being proud of his material opulence and his position, he considers himself God. Just see how he has transgressed the laws of religion.
PURPORT
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Thākura has diverted the entire meaning of this verse as spoken by Durvāsā Muni. Durvāsā Muni used the word nri-śamsasya to indicate that the King was cruel, but Viśvanātha Cakravartī Thākura interprets it to mean that the King's character was glorified by all the local people. He says that the word nri means "by all the local people" and that śamsasya means "of he (Ambarīsha) whose character was glorified." Similarly, one who is very rich becomes mad because of his wealth and is therefore called śriyā-unmattasya, but Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Thākura interprets these words to mean that although Mahārāja Ambarīsha was such an opulent king, he was not mad after money, for he had already surpassed the madness of material opulence. Similarly, the word īśa-māninah is interpreted to mean that he was so respectful to the Supreme Personality of Godhead that he did not transgress the laws for observing Ekādaśī-pārana, despite the thinking of Durvāsā Muni, for he only took water. In this way, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Thākura has supported Ambarīsha Mahārāja and all his activities.
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