Text 37: When you were contemplating whether there was a source to the stem of the lotus of your birth and you even entered into that stem, you could not trace out anything. But at that time I manifested My form from within.
Text 38: O Brahmā, the prayers that you have chanted praising the glories of My transcendental activities, the penances you have undertaken to understand Me, and your firm faith in Me — all these are to be considered My causeless mercy.
Text 39: I am very much pleased by your description of Me in terms of My transcendental qualities, which appear mundane to the mundaners. I grant you all benedictions in your desire to glorify all the planets by your activities.
Text 40: Any human being who prays like Brahmā, and who thus worships Me, shall very soon be blessed with the fulfillment of all his desires, for I am the Lord of all benediction.
Śrīdhara Svāmi-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Vyākhyā
To you, searching for the root foundation of the lotus through its stem in the water, there should be doubt in me, as its support is not seen. Thus, in the doubt of whether it exists or not, the Self, my form, was shown by me to you internally, not externally, in your heart. || 37 ||
O Brahmā! You have done my praise which is marked by prosperity. This absence of bondage in me, the attachment of mind to me, knowledge of me, seeing my form in the heart, praise of me, and steadfastness in austerity - all this is indeed my grace. || 38 ||
Though perceived as possessing qualities, describing me as without qualities. || 39 ||
What is to be said about being pleased with you, he says. Ya iti. || 40 ||
Śrī Vaṃśīdhara-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Prakāśa Vyākhyā
Since the visibility of my form is only by my inscrutable will, not actually graspable by eyes and other senses, you yourself are the proof of this - he says: To you, to make you fulfilled, the Self is the divine form. Or, it was also shown externally, as per the śruti "My cow-herder form appeared before", as self-vision is to be given, the action should also be taken, or the dative case is used for the recipient. Here, as austerity and meditation are not mentioned, they are also not actually the causes of vision, but only my will - this secret conclusion was also made known to Brahmā. || 37 ||
Therefore your praises of me etc. also happened only by my grace - yacca iti. || 38 ||
Am I pleased again by devotion arising only from my grace? See this wonderful way of mine - he says prīta iti. By the wish "May the worlds I create be victorious", I am pleased with you who describe me, the ocean of auspicious qualities with form, as without qualities, free from material sattva etc. May there be good fortune for them. But those who praise me, Śrī Nārāyaṇa with qualities, only as having sattva etc. qualities, not as without qualities - I am not pleased with them, there is no good fortune for them - this is the meaning. || 39 ||
For him who always praises. || 40 ||
Śrī Rādhā Ramaṇa dāsa Gosvāmi Viracitā Dīpanī Vyākhyā
To you, in your doubt about me, knowledge of its absence - he explains doubt. Bhavitavyam iti - by the support of this lotus, and the support is not seen by me, therefore due to absence of seeing. || 37 ||
Sa eṣa iti - summarizing the meaning of the four verses starting with ṛṣim iti, he explains bandha-abhāva iti. That which does not bind is absence of bondage. Yan mana iti - mind is fixed on me. Jñāto'ham iti - knowledge of me, tubhyam iti is seeing in the heart. Yac cakartha iti is praise of me, or tapasī iti is steadfastness in austerity - this set of six, sa eṣa is all six types. Due to reference to the predicate, sa eṣa is masculine. || 38 ||
Guṇamayatvena - though perceived by the ignorant as having material qualities, nirguṇam - devoid of material qualities, describing as full of transcendental qualities. || 39-40 ||
Śrīmad Vīrarāghava Vyākhyā
Moreover, in doubt about me of the form "Is there something below here on which this rests that can be perceived?" - in such deliberation about me which was the cause, to you who was searching for the root foundation of the lotus in the water through its stem, the Self, my form, was shown by me externally. || 37 ||
Moreover, O Brahmā! That which is marked by prosperity through stories about me, that praise about me which you have done, and your steadfastness in austerity - all this is indeed my grace. || 38 ||
Since everything is done by my grace, I am pleased with you, he says - prīto'ham iti. As you praised me, full of auspicious qualities yet without qualities, free from material qualities, with the desire for victory and creation of the worlds, therefore I am extremely pleased - may there be good fortune for you, this is the meaning. || 39 ||
What is to be said about being pleased with you, he says - ya iti. By this praise done by you, if a person always praises and worships me, I quickly become pleased and become the giver of all desired boons for that person. What is to be said about being pleased with you - this is the idea. || 40 ||
Śrīmad Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha-kṛtā Pada Ratnāvalī Vyākhyā
To reveal that even the non-manifestation of my form earlier was for the purpose of a special grace for you, he says - tubhyam iti. To you who was searching for the root cause of the lotus through its stem in the dissolution waters, in your desire to see and know me, the Self characterized by existence, consciousness and bliss was shown externally as an object of perception for your sake. || 37 ||
So that pride may not arise thinking "You became directly perceptible due to the power of your narrations and austerities about me, not by itself", he says - yañ cakartha iti. Kathā means a composition of sentences, from the root kath. A composition of sentences in the form of praise is kathā. Its proper manifestation is marked by that. Without my grace, the functioning of the organ of speech is not possible, therefore auspicious activity happened for you by that. That itself is called my grace, as per "He who abides in speech, abiding" etc. || 38 ||
To clarify that kathā also means praise, not a riddle pleasing to children, he says - prīta iti. The construction is: As you praised me, full of qualities like omniscience etc. yet free from qualities like sattva etc., with desire for creation and victory of the worlds, by that I am pleased - may there be good fortune for you. "Keśava becomes pleased with one who knows Hari as endowed with qualities like omniscience etc. yet free from qualities like sattva etc." - this authority is cited to show that knowledge of excellence of qualities alone generates pleasure, not knowledge of being without qualities. || 39 ||
Meaning "I become pleased and grant desires to one who worships me with your praise, what to speak of you", he says - ya etena iti. "For the pleasure of Viṣṇu, the desire of the gods for their own domains becomes the cause of devotion etc." - by this, the doubt "How can this praise done by Brahmā desiring the domain of creation be pleasing to Hari?" should be removed. Therefore sarva-kāma-vareśvara is said, meaning the Lord of all desired boons. || 40 ||
Śrīmaj Jīva Gosvāmi-kṛtā Krama Sandarbha Vyākhyā
Yacceti. Even in the state of animals and humans, this kind of my story alone is prosperity, and therein a hymn marked by it is the special feature. .. Thus. The meaning is that all this is in the form of my grace. 38.
Prīto'hamiti. Some praise with the possession of material qualities. Some, however, with the absence of those. Full of qualities, endowed with transcendental infinite qualities, you praised me as devoid of those and abundant in material qualities - this is the meaning. 39. 40.
Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravarti-kṛtā Sārārtha darśinī Vyākhyā
Since the visibility of my form is only by my inconceivable will, not actually graspable by the senses like eyes, you alone are the evidence for this, he says. To you, to make you fulfilled, the self, the divine form of mine, by me, not externally but internally in the heart. Or externally also was shown, as per the śruti "Appeared before in cowherd dress". Since self-vision is to be given, the action should also be taken, thus dative case or accusative. When, while searching for the root of the lotus, in your doubt about me whether there is a basis for this or not, that is the meaning. Here, due to the non-mention of austerity and meditation, those two are also not really the cause of seeing me, but it is my will - this secret conclusion was also made known to Brahmā, it should be understood. 37.
Therefore your praises of me etc. were also by my grace alone, he says. Whatever you did, all that is this famous, directly perceived grace of mine. This alone is the effect of that, know this - this is the meaning. 38.
Moreover. By devotion arising from my grace alone, I am again extremely pleased - see this wonderful pattern of mine, he says. Prīta iti. With the desire for victory over the world, may the worlds created by me be victorious - with this desire, praising me as full of qualities, an ocean of auspiciousness, with form, and as without qualities, devoid of material qualities like goodness etc., I am pleased. Therefore, let there be auspiciousness for those. But those who praise me, Śrī Nārāyaṇa, full of qualities, only as possessing qualities like goodness etc., but not as without qualities, I am not pleased with them. So there is no auspiciousness for them - this is the purport. 39. 40.
Śrīmac Chukadeva-kṛta Siddhānta Pradīpaḥ
In your doubt about me, is there indeed something below here, in such doubt concerning me, which was the cause of investigation, through the stem, through the passage of the hole in the stem, while searching for the root of the lotus, to you, the self was shown by me, not externally, internally in the heart. 37.
Marked by prosperity in the form of my story. 38.
Om. Full of qualities means repository of auspicious qualities. Without qualities means devoid of material qualities. 39. 40.
Śrīmad Vallabhācārya Viracitā Subodhinī Vyākhyā
The form was not shown, he says - Tubhyam iti. In doubt about me, in the desire to know my nature, I was not shown externally, otherwise your arisen erroneous knowledge would have agreed with your intellect, so you would not have true knowledge of my nature at all. Therefore, though existing internally and externally, I did not show myself externally so that you may not have such knowledge. And it should not be said, "I was not deluded", otherwise you would not have gone to search in the water. He says that - Nālena iti. Through the stem, in the middle of the water, while searching for the root of the lotus, to you - this is the connection. 37.
Then how is it known that I knew at that time? To this he says - Yaccakarthāṅgeti. Because, O Aṅga, you made a hymn to me. Is knowledge of the true nature obtained merely by a hymn? To this he says - Matkathābhyudayāṅkitam iti. My story, and prosperity - marked by both. By the hymn, all your knowledge was revealed. That hymn is connected with my story, only my account is narrated there. By saying "my story" it is indicated that no other story is imposed and narrated there, but whatever story is there is only mine. Your knowledge arose especially, since it is also marked by my prosperity. Prosperity means the highest form of conduct. How was my knowledge not gained earlier, or gained later? To this he says - Yadvā tapasi te niṣṭheti. By saying yadvā, the first half is connected again. That you made such a hymn, or your steadfastness in austerity, all this is indeed my grace alone. Therefore, due to absence of grace earlier there was no vision, due to grace later there was vision. Vision is not due to austerity, austerity is only indicative of grace. 38.
Thus it was said that his knowledge and intellect were connected previously, and that was established. Now regarding the prayer for the mind to be focused on the Lord's activities, he says in four verses starting with Prīto'ham - The mind becomes focused on the Lord's activities only when the Lord is pleased. It is doubtful by what the Lord becomes pleased. To this the Lord says - Astu iti. If the Lord wishes auspiciousness, then he becomes pleased. The supreme Lord wishes auspiciousness. Therefore if the supreme Lord is worshipped in every way, then even if some aspect is not in accordance with that due to time etc. when acting according to his pleasure, then again by worship, by doing thus again, by worship again, the Lord thinking it impossible, being true to his word and resolve, wishes what is desired by him. Then due to his true speech, with the removal of all obstacles, everything becomes suitable for the Lord's grace for him, then he becomes pleased. So there is no mutual dependence. Even in connecting "May there be auspiciousness for you", this very meaning is required. In restatement, "Let there be" would not be appropriate as a prayer. Even for obtained time, the imperative would only be restatement. Therefore there is indeed auspiciousness for you, your mind will be focused on my activities - this is the meaning, your desired control over people will be accomplished. If it is said that only focus on activities is desired by me, not victory over people, to this he says - Yadastauṣīr iti. If there were no desire for victory over people, it would have been done, and not done in this way. Full of qualities means filled with infinite qualities. Without qualities means beyond the material qualities like goodness etc. In the manner of faultless, full of qualities, with form - praising me thus, therefore it is known that there is desire in such qualities. 39.
Then how will such a great result come about merely by a hymn? Desired things are not obtained merely by stating what is desired. To this he says - Ya etena iti. By this hymn, if someone else also makes a hymn, I am pleased with him too; what to speak of you. By this hymn, an independent person would worship me regularly, according to rule. In service to the Lord, in worship, reciting this hymn himself as if composing it with understanding of the meaning like you; having praised, he would perform service; I quickly become pleased with him. The hymn is not a part of service. Grace is the fruit of service, quickness is the fruit of the hymn. It removes faults created by time - this is the result. What would happen by that? To this concern he says - Sarvakāmavareśvara iti. All desired boons, accomplishments of desired objects, lord of those - therefore when I am pleased, all desires are automatically accomplished for him - this is the meaning. 40.
Śrīmad Gosvāmi Śrī Puruṣottama Caraṇa Viracitaḥ Śrī Subodhinī Prakāśaḥ
Regarding "prīta" (pleased). Now, starting from "By wishing, there is pleasure, and by pleasure..." up to "there is no mutual dependence." "He becomes pleased" means: Due to the accomplishment of the task, he naturally becomes pleased. Thus, worship through grace, desirability through that, auspicious wishes due to desirability, and pleasure from that - this means there is no mutual dependence. Now, if there is a fault in another interpretation, they say: "ta" etc. This very meaning is expected. Since the mind's character-focused nature is desired, and since pleasure alone is to be accomplished, and since that wish is indeed necessary, only the stated meaning is expected. Therefore, the unnecessariness itself is the fault, this is the meaning. Now, in the sūtra "praiṣānuvāda (?)", by the word "ca", the imperative mood is also continued, so in the present context, let the meaning of the imperative be a respectful statement, not a wish - to this they say: "anuvāda" etc. "Prārthanā" means: a request for character-focus. Then, if the imperative should be at the appropriate time, to this they say: "prāpta" etc. Thus, the appropriateness of respect itself should be stated, but that is established directly through seeing the Lord, etc. So due to the absence of any subject matter, the imperative would be a meaningless statement, this is the meaning. They state the conclusion: "atas te bhadram eva" etc. Thus, following the sequence, this very meaning is established in the explanation, this is the meaning. || 39 ||
Śrī Giridhara-kṛtā Bāla Prabodhinī
In my investigation, by resorting to this, that is seen. Therefore, when there is doubt about me whether I exist or not, to you who are searching for the root foundation of the lotus in the water through the stalk's path, the Self, my essential nature, has been shown in the heart, not outside or inside. || 37 || And it should not be thought "I have seen due to the power of my own austerities." Even the inclination there is only due to my grace - thus he says "yad" (which). Due to being focused on his own work in the form of creation etc., and due to being his devotee, indicating his own affection there, he addresses: "aṅga" (dear one). The glory in narrating about me, marked by that, the praise of me which you have performed, or the steadfastness which occurred in your austerity - all this indeed is my grace, this is the connection. || 38 || With a desire for victory over people, with a desire to protect, though full of auspicious qualities, describing me as nirguṇa (without qualities), free from material qualities to be abandoned, since you have praised, therefore I am pleased with you - this is the connection. Showing the intensity of pleasure, he gives a blessing: "te tava bhadraṃ" (may there be good fortune to you). || 39 || He states the a fortiori argument regarding pleasure: "ya" (who) etc. By this praise made by you, the person who would constantly praise and worship me, I would quickly become pleased with him too - what more needs to be said about being pleased with you? This is the connection. And if it is expected "What is the result of being pleased with you?", with the intention that everything is according to various desires, he says: "sarvakāmavareśvara" - the lord of all desired boons, meaning the giver, this is the meaning. || 40 ||
Hindī Anuvāda
Is there any refuge for me or not' - with this doubt you were searching for its root in the water through a lotus stem, so I showed you this form of mine in your inner heart itself ॥ 37 ॥ * Dear Brahmaji! The praise of me that you have done with the glory of my stories and your dedication to penance, that too is the result of my grace ॥ 38 ॥ * * With the desire to create the world, although appearing to have qualities, you praised me as without qualities - I am very pleased with that; may you be blessed ॥ 39 ॥ * * I am capable of fulfilling all desires and wishes. The person who worships me daily by reciting this praise, I will quickly become pleased with him ॥ 40 ॥
SB 3.9.37-40
