Text 25: The Lord, who is supreme and is the oldest of all, is unlimitedly merciful. I wish that He may smilingly bestow His benediction upon me by opening His lotus eyes. He can uplift the entire cosmic creation and remove our dejection by kindly speaking His directions.
Text 26: The sage Maitreya said: O Vidura, after observing the source of his appearance, namely the Personality of Godhead, Brahmā prayed for His mercy as far as his mind and words would permit him. Thus having prayed, he became silent, as if tired from his activities of penance, knowledge and mental concentration.
Texts 27-28: The Lord saw that Brahmā was very anxious about the planning and construction of the different planetary systems and was depressed upon seeing the devastating water. He could understand the intention of Brahmā, and thus He spoke in deep, thoughtful words, removing all the illusion that had arisen.
Śrīdhara Svāmi-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Vyākhyā
Smiling with increased love, expanding for the victory and emergence of the universe, He arose for our grace. [25] * * From whom is one's own origin. Having observed and seen through austerities, knowledge, meditation, and concentration to the best of one's ability, he ceased as if tired. [26] * * The connection of the two is that perceiving Brahmā's intention, who was exhausted in understanding the constitution of the world, He addressed him. With a dejected mind due to the waters of dissolution. [27] * * Kaśmala means delusion. The "or" indicates the removal of all delusion. [28]
Śrīvaṃśīdhara's Bhāvārthadīpikāprakāśa:
With abundant compassion, an ocean of mercy. Vijṛmbhayan means revealing, manifesting. For the victory of the universe, meaning for the absence of defeat in creation, etc. May he remove māyā (illusion), the directive principle of universal creation. "Viṣāda is the breaking of the mind," according to Hema. [25] Śārīra means bodily practices like austerities. "He reveals his own state through the form of the teacher and the sacred image," in this way upāsanā (worship) of that mantra obtained through sudden inspiration, and samādhi (deep meditation) is contemplation with one-pointed mind. "Vidyā means knowledge and worship, in Sarasvatī, intellect, and speech," according to the lexicon. [26] Now, after hearing Brahmā's praise. Kalpa-vyatikara means dissolution, where there is destruction of the kalpa. "Now vyatikara in masculine means misfortune and mixing," according to Medinī. Vyasana here means destruction. Or, "saṃvarta, pralaya, kalpa" according to Amara. There, vyatikara means the incidental contact with water, in that the constitution of the worlds, gods, animals, etc., means the creation in their proper nature, the arrangement of the stationary etc., in the knowledge of that. Iva here means certainty, by that the cessation of all ignorance is shown. [27] [28]
Śrīrādhāramaṇadāsagosvāmi's Dīpinī commentary:
He is that famous Śrī Nārāyaṇa, lying on the water. [25] * * Due to the infinity of the Lord's qualities, though tired, still due to the non-cessation of eagerness, the vat suffix is used. [26] Atha is a pair. Atha means after the praise. Abhipreta means the intention for creation, the past participle in the sense of condition. In one's own knowledge of the constitution of the world, in the knowledge of world-creation by oneself, due to engagement in improper acts like approaching one's daughter, samasta is explained by the word iva. [27] [28]
Śrīmadvīrarāghava's commentary:
Now he prays for the source of everything desired to be addressed directly, "He". Abhra-karuṇa means of great compassion, the ancient person, that Lord, with a smile of increased love, in which love has increased, with such a smile, expanding the lotus-like eyes, meaning revealing, illuminating, for the victory and emergence of the universe, and for our grace, having arisen, may he remove our despondency, sorrow, with sweet speech. [25] * * He concludes the praise with svasaṃbhavam. From whom is one's own origin, having observed and seen that Lord through austerities, knowledge, and meditation, meaning karma, jñāna, and bhakti, having praised thus to the best of one's ability, but not completely, meaning. "Arrows cease due to exhaustion, not the sky and earth; Thoughts cease due to exhaustion, not Govinda's qualities." Thus according to the saying, he ceased as if tired, as if exhausted. [26] * * The connection of the two is that Madhusūdana, perceiving the intention of Brahmā, whose mind was dejected by the waters of kalpa-dissolution, who was exhausted regarding the constitution of the world of himself, spoke as if removing the delusion, kaśmala, of that Brahmā, Hiraṇyagarbha, with profound, deep speech. [27] [28]
Śrīmadvijayaḍhvajatīrtha's Padaratnāvalī:
Although the intention is accomplished by mere grace, there is greater confidence through conversation, so he desires conversation on the pretext of praying for the removal of dejection regarding creation, "He". That ancient person, the Lord, of great compassion, a full ocean of mercy, described by me with those qualities, having arisen from the serpent-couch for the victory of the universe, expanding, opening his lotus-like eyes along with a smile of increased love, a gentle laugh arising from the flow of full affection, may he remove the despondency, fear, from our minds with sweet speech intoxicating like wine and causing horripilation. The connection is: O Vedagarbha, let there be no fear, make all efforts, etc. – by such words, may he cause joy and love. [25] * * Maitreya removes the doubt of the less intelligent: "How did the wise Virañci praise Hari for his entire life, given the infinity of Hari's qualities?" Svasaṃbhava means one's own father. Vidyā means mantra. Cessation of praise due to the infinity of qualities, lack of new insights, accomplishment of one's desires – thus multiple meanings are seen, but here only the first option is meant, he says "as much as". As if exhausted means as if lacking the idea of "enough". By this he indicates the desire to praise again. [26] Then, thinking "this will not accomplish my desire," he says atha. Kalpa-vyatikara means dissolution, by its waters. [27] Exhausted in the knowledge of the constitution of the worlds of himself, not making the idea of "enough", perceiving the intention of that Brahmā, knowing through signs, kaśmala means difficulty in knowledge. [28]
Śrī Vaṃśīdhara-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Prakāśa Vyākhyā
With abundant compassion, an ocean of mercy. Vijṛmbhayan means revealing, manifesting. For the victory of the universe, meaning for the absence of defeat in creation, etc. May he remove māyā (illusion), the directive principle of universal creation. "Viṣāda is the breaking of the mind," according to Hema. [25] Śārīra means bodily practices like austerities. "He reveals his own state through the form of the teacher and the sacred image," in this way upāsanā (worship) of that mantra obtained through sudden inspiration, and samādhi (deep meditation) is contemplation with one-pointed mind. "Vidyā means knowledge and worship, in Sarasvatī, intellect, and speech," according to the lexicon. [26] Now, after hearing Brahmā's praise. Kalpa-vyatikara means dissolution, where there is destruction of the kalpa. "Now vyatikara in masculine means misfortune and mixing," according to Medinī. Vyasana here means destruction. Or, "saṃvarta, pralaya, kalpa" according to Amara. There, vyatikara means the incidental contact with water, in that the constitution of the worlds, gods, animals, etc., means the creation in their proper nature, the arrangement of the stationary etc., in the knowledge of that. Iva here means certainty, by that the cessation of all ignorance is shown. [27] [28]
Śrī Rādhā Ramaṇa dāsa Gosvāmi Viracitā Dīpanī Vyākhyā
He is that famous Śrī Nārāyaṇa, lying on the water. [25] * * Due to the infinity of the Lord's qualities, though tired, still due to the non-cessation of eagerness, the vat suffix is used. [26] Atha is a pair. Atha means after the praise. Abhipreta means the intention for creation, the past participle in the sense of condition. In one's own knowledge of the constitution of the world, in the knowledge of world-creation by oneself, due to engagement in improper acts like approaching one's daughter, samasta is explained by the word iva. [27] [28]
Śrīmad Vīrarāghava Vyākhyā
Now he prays for the source of everything desired to be addressed directly, "He". Abhra-karuṇa means of great compassion, the ancient person, that Lord, with a smile of increased love, in which love has increased, with such a smile, expanding the lotus-like eyes, meaning revealing, illuminating, for the victory and emergence of the universe, and for our grace, having arisen, may he remove our despondency, sorrow, with sweet speech. [25] * * He concludes the praise with svasaṃbhavam. From whom is one's own origin, having observed and seen that Lord through austerities, knowledge, and meditation, meaning karma, jñāna, and bhakti, having praised thus to the best of one's ability, but not completely, meaning. "Arrows cease due to exhaustion, not the sky and earth; Thoughts cease due to exhaustion, not Govinda's qualities." Thus according to the saying, he ceased as if tired, as if exhausted. [26] * * The connection of the two is that Madhusūdana, perceiving the intention of Brahmā, whose mind was dejected by the waters of kalpa-dissolution, who was exhausted regarding the constitution of the world of himself, spoke as if removing the delusion, kaśmala, of that Brahmā, Hiraṇyagarbha, with profound, deep speech. [27] [28]
Śrīmad Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha-kṛtā Pada Ratnāvalī Vyākhyā
Although the intention is accomplished by mere grace, there is greater confidence through conversation, so he desires conversation on the pretext of praying for the removal of dejection regarding creation, "He". That ancient person, the Lord, of great compassion, a full ocean of mercy, described by me with those qualities, having arisen from the serpent-couch for the victory of the universe, expanding, opening his lotus-like eyes along with a smile of increased love, a gentle laugh arising from the flow of full affection, may he remove the despondency, fear, from our minds with sweet speech intoxicating like wine and causing horripilation. The connection is: O Vedagarbha, let there be no fear, make all efforts, etc. – by such words, may he cause joy and love. [25] * * Maitreya removes the doubt of the less intelligent: "How did the wise Virañci praise Hari for his entire life, given the infinity of Hari's qualities?" Svasaṃbhava means one's own father. Vidyā means mantra. Cessation of praise due to the infinity of qualities, lack of new insights, accomplishment of one's desires – thus multiple meanings are seen, but here only the first option is meant, he says "as much as". As if exhausted means as if lacking the idea of "enough". By this he indicates the desire to praise again. [26] Then, thinking "this will not accomplish my desire," he says atha. Kalpa-vyatikara means dissolution, by its waters. [27] Exhausted in the knowledge of the constitution of the worlds of himself, not making the idea of "enough", perceiving the intention of that Brahmā, knowing through signs, kaśmala means difficulty in knowledge. [28]
Śrīmaj Jīva Gosvāmi-kṛtā Krama Sandarbha Vyākhyā
There are no sequential explanations for these verses.
Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravarti-kṛtā Sārārtha darśinī Vyākhyā
Moreover, he prays only for those two - the merciful glance and compassionate instruction of the Lord - which alone would give certain bliss to the servant. May that Lord, expanding His lotus eyes for our victory everywhere in the universe, for the absence of defeat in creation etc., and for the fulfillment of the aforementioned desires, remove our dejection with His sweet, mellifluous voice full of instructions. (25)
Having heard and seen through tapas (austerity), vidyā (knowledge in the form of worship of the mantra suddenly manifested), and samādhi (meditation with one-pointed concentration), and having praised to the best of his ability, he stopped as if distressed due to not obtaining the merciful glance. (26)
The sequence is: Observing the intention of Brahmā who was distressed in his knowledge of the proper arrangement of himself and the worlds of devas, animals, etc., and whose mind was dejected due to the waters of dissolution at the end of the kalpa, He addressed him, dispelling his bewilderment. (27-28)
Śrīmac Chukadeva-kṛta Siddhānta Pradīpaḥ
May He whose compassion is abundant, expanding His lotus eyes for victory in the universe and for our benefit, remove our dejection with His sweet voice and smile in which love has increased. (25)
That Brahmā, having heard and seen through tapas etc. Him from whom his own origin comes, and having praised according to his mental and verbal capacity, stopped as if distressed. (26-27-28)
The sequence of these two verses: Having observed the intention of Brahmā who was distressed in his knowledge of the arrangement of himself and the worlds, and whose mind was dejected due to the waters that destroy the three worlds at the end of the kalpa, Madhusūdana addressed that Brahmā.
Śrīmad Vallabhācārya Viracitā Subodhinī Vyākhyā
He prays for the removal of dejection with satisfaction: "May that Lord, having arisen, remove my dejection with His sweet voice" - this is the connection. The previous description with "He" is to indicate the ability to grant what is prayed for. "Whose compassion is abundant" - compassion alone is the cause of granting what is prayed for. "The Lord" indicates He is worthy of prayer. "With a smile of increased love" - remembering the devotee's distress, the Lord's love for the devotee increases. To remove distress, He also causes some bewilderment to prevent separation from devotion. Then the Lord's power of knowledge, to prevent dryness, becomes connected with cool, watery sensual pleasure - thus even the jīva becomes touched by sensual pleasure. Hence it says "lotus of the eyes". Its expansion is a special blossoming. The knowledge power, being extremely playful, revealing the true nature of all things, completely removes distress. And the special blossoming aims at similarly arising in the effect also. "Having arisen" is said to mean the creation of the world becomes active. "For victory in the universe" means desire to accomplish one's intention in the universe, by negating natural tendencies etc., and by the word "and" for making the universe favorable to oneself. "Our dejection" refers to the previously mentioned dejection of ourselves. "Our" implies including the beings situated in one's heart. "With sweet voice" is said to remove the doubt of harshness in the Lord's command. "Ancient person" is said for equality as the grandfather. The expansion of the lotus eyes is the cause of fulfilling the desired victory in the universe and removing dejection, and so is the voice. But one enters the doer through the extraordinary, both being done by that one; one enters through the ordinary. Doubting whether He who is engaged in the effect will do all this or not, he describes the Supreme Person nature there - "Ancient". (25)
With three verses he says that having prayed for everything for himself, due to the humility of devotion like in Brahmā's day, and the possibility of offense in the middle due to long enjoyment, indicating the three guṇas as intervening, He gave the reply after a long time: "From whom his own origin" - as far as Brahmā's knowledge about the Lord was produced; through austerity, worship, and yoga up to samādhi. "From whom his own origin" means his own father. Thus "having heard" means having known in the previously mentioned way. Having conceived as far as the capacity of his own mind, having praised as far as could be spoken by speech, when the Lord remained silent, doubting "Is this not the opportunity?", he himself also remained silent. Having seen the Lord with a pleased face, due to the continuation of the previous distress also, it is said "as if distressed". As He is praised more and more, so He is known - thus knowledge is also indicated at the end. (26)
He says that even contemplation of the Lord in the middle became a cause of delay: "Then" - the immediacy is due to the delay in time. "Intention" means the certainty of praying for knowledge and lordship equal to His own; "observing" means examining whether there would be no harm in the future if that were given. "Of Brahmā" indicates qualification; thus there is no offense even in such a prayer. "Madhusūdana" means the Lord's conduct is naturally beneficial. The meaning is: just as He removes what is undesirable, so He fulfills what is desirable. "With dejected mind" indicates compassion. Due to qualification, and because it is possible for him, there is only instruction in the means. "By that" means by what was previously mentioned without the Lord. But if it belonged to the Lord, he would not have anxiety about it, and would be agreeable in the Lord's work. To show it does not belong to the Lord, he says "by the waters of dissolution at the end of the kalpa". The dissolution is the destruction of the kalpa, by the waters accomplishing that. Therefore the Lord's future conduct is also for removing his sorrow - this is stated. (27)
And this sorrow is for one's own sake. But the sorrow that is for the Lord's work, He removes directly - thus he says "in the knowledge of the arrangement of the worlds". The proper arrangement of the worlds means the appropriate situation in the body etc. according to use; "distressed" in the knowledge of that means attaining distress all around. The self alone is the cause, because the goal is known only by the means. One who desires the goal without doing the means certainly becomes distressed. Austerity also was quickly stopped, hence the Lord's delay. For that purpose alone the Lord appeared while lying down. But he, without doing that, becoming agitated, having offered praise and prayer, remained silent. The Lord addresses even such a one as him. The Lord's speech is unfathomable, due to not knowing the intention. "Bewilderment" of both types, "as if dispelling" due to instruction in the means. (28)
Śrīmad Gosvāmi Śrī Puruṣottama Caraṇa Viracitaḥ Śrī Subodhinī Prakāśaḥ
In "He" here: "Similarly arising in the effect also" means: arising of knowledge even in the individual category. "In the universe indeed" means: in all indeed. "But one" etc.: One is the expansion of the lotus eyes. "Entered the doer" means come to the four-faced one, "doer of both" means doer of both obtaining the desired and removing the undesired. "But one" means: the voice indeed. (25)
In "from whom his own origin" here: "Indicated" means: indicated by the word "having heard". (26)
In "of the worlds" here: "Without doing that" means: without doing austerity. (28)
Śrī Giridhara-kṛtā Bāla Prabodhinī
Thus, even after praying, not finding satisfaction without the Lord's speech, he prays for his own satisfaction through His words - sa iti. That Lord who is the cause of me, with a smile in which love has increased, expanding (opening) the lotus of the eyes, for the victory (rise) of the universe, and also for our grace, rising up with a sweet voice, may he remove our despondency and peculiarity - this is the connection. Saying "Without you, no other is capable of removing my despondency", he says - puruṣaḥ purāṇa iti. Saying that this is appropriate for you, he says - adabhra-karuṇa iti, meaning "ocean of compassion". || 25 ||
He concludes the praise - svasambhavam iti. The Lord from whom one's own birth originates, perceiving Him through austerity (enduring bodily torment), knowledge, devotion, and samādhi (concentration of mind), and praising Him according to one's mental and verbal capacity, that Brahmā fell silent - this is the connection. He gives an example for this - khinna-vad iti. Just as a person doing work becomes tired without reaching its end and becomes exhausted, similarly praising without reaching the end of the Lord's qualities, he became tired and exhausted - this is the meaning. || 26 ||
Perceiving Brahmā's intended purpose, then immediately after the silence, as if removing his despondency, with a voice of profound meaning, Madhusūdana spoke to that Brahmā - this is the connection of the two. Indicating the reason why it is necessary for the Lord to remove Brahmā's despondency, he qualifies Brahmā - viṣaṇṇa-cetasam iti. By that which is known as fearsome, destroying the kalpa - kalpa-vyatikara, and its water - by that his mind is despondent - this is the meaning. For his own sake, regarding the knowledge of the arrangement of the world, the creation of the world, being extremely distressed, not obtaining that - this is the meaning. || 27 || 28 ||
Hindī Anuvāda
You are the infinitely compassionate Ancient Person. Please open your lotus eyes with a supremely loving smile, rise from your serpent bed, and dispel my dejection with your sweet voice for the creation of the universe. || 25 ||
Śrī Maitreya says - Vidura! In this way, after seeing Lord Śrī Bhagavān, the source of his origin, through austerity, knowledge and samādhi (meditation), and praising Him according to the power of his mind and speech, Brahmā became silent as if tired. || 26 ||
Śrī Madhusūdana Bhagavān saw that Brahmā was very distressed by this deluge of water and his mind was very dejected due to lack of any definite idea about the creation of the world. Then, knowing his intention, He began to speak in His deep voice, alleviating his sorrow. || 27-28 ||
SB 3.9.25-28
