Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 8 Chapter 5 Verses 19-20

Canto 8: Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations | Chapter 5: The Demigods Appeal to the Lord for Protection

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 8.5.19-20

sa vilokyendra-vāyv-ādīn

niḥsattvān vigata-prabhān

lokān amańgala-prāyān

asurān ayathā vibhuḥ

samāhitena manasā

saḿsmaran puruṣaḿ param

uvācotphulla-vadano

devān sa bhagavān paraḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ — Lord Brahmā; vilokya — looking over; indra-vāyu-ādīn — all the demigods, headed by Lord Indra and Vāyu; niḥsattvān — bereft of all spiritual potency; vigata-prabhān — bereft of all effulgence; lokān — all the three worlds; amańgala-prāyān — merged into misfortune; asurān — all the demons; ayathāḥ — flourishing; vibhuḥ — Lord Brahmā, the supreme within this material world; samāhitena — by full adjustment; manasā — of the mind; saḿsmaran — remembering again and again; puruṣam — the Supreme Person; param — transcendental; uvāca — said; utphulla-vadanaḥ — bright-faced; devān — unto the demigods; saḥ — he; bhagavān — the most powerful; paraḥ — of the demigods.

TRANSLATION

Upon seeing that the demigods were bereft of all influence and strength and that the three worlds were consequently devoid of auspiciousness, and upon seeing that the demigods were in an awkward position whereas all the demons were flourishing, Lord Brahmā, who is above all the demigods and who is most powerful, concentrated his mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus being encouraged, he became bright-faced and spoke to the demigods as follows.

PURPORT

After hearing from the demigods the real situation, Lord Brahmā was very much concerned because the demons were unnecessarily so powerful. When demons become powerful, the entire world is placed in an awkward position because demons are simply interested in their own sense gratification and not in the welfare of the world. Demigods or devotees, however, are concerned with the welfare of all living beings. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, for example, left his ministership and went to Vṛndāvana for the benefit of the entire world (lokānāḿ hita-kāriṇau). This is the nature of a saintly person or demigod. Even impersonalists think of the welfare of all people. Thus Brahmā was very much concerned at seeing the demons in power.

<<< >>>

Copyright © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness