SB 10.1.2 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

यदोश्च धर्मशीलस्य नितरां मुनिसत्तम तत्रांशेनावतीर्णस्य विष्णोर्वीर्याणि शंस न: ॥ २ ॥

Verse text

yadoś ca dharma-śīlasya nitarāṁ muni-sattama tatrāṁśenāvatīrṇasya viṣṇor vīryāṇi śaṁsa naḥ

Synonyms

yadoḥ — of Yadu or the Yadu dynasty ; ca — also ; dharma — śīlasya — who were strictly attached to religious principles ; nitarām — highly qualified ; muni — sattama — O best of all munis, king of the munis (Śukadeva Gosvāmī) ; tatra — in that dynasty ; aṁśena — with His plenary expansion Baladeva ; avatīrṇasya — who appeared as an incarnation ; viṣṇoḥ — of Lord Viṣṇu ; vīryāṇi — the glorious activities ; śaṁsa — kindly describe ; naḥ — unto us .

Translation

O best of munis, you have also described the descendants of Yadu, who were very pious and strictly adherent to religious principles. Now, if you will, kindly describe the wonderful, glorious activities of Lord Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa, who appeared in that Yadu dynasty with Baladeva, His plenary expansion.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

O best of munis, you have also described the descendants of Yadu, who were very pious and strictly adherent to religious principles. Now, if you will, kindly describe the wonderful, glorious activities of Lord Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa, who appeared in that Yadu dynasty with Baladeva, His plenary expansion.

Purport

The Brahma-saṁhitā (5.1) explains that Kṛṣṇa is the origin of the viṣṇu-tattva. īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam “Kṛṣṇa, who is known as Govinda, is the supreme controller. He has an eternal, blissful, spiritual body. He is the origin of all. He has no other origin, for He is the prime cause of all causes.” yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ viṣṇur mahān sa iha yasya kalā-viśeṣo govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi “The Brahmās, the heads of the innumerable universes, live only for the duration of one breath of Mahā-Viṣṇu. I worship Govinda, the original Lord, of whom Mahā-Viṣṇu is but a portion of a plenary portion.” ( Brahma-saṁhitā 5.48 ) Govinda, Kṛṣṇa, is the original Personality of Godhead. Kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam . Even Lord Mahā-Viṣṇu, who by His breathing creates many millions upon millions of universes, is Lord Kṛṣṇa’s kalā-viśeṣa, or plenary portion of a plenary portion. Mahā-Viṣṇu is a plenary expansion of Saṅkarṣaṇa, who is a plenary expansion of Nārāyaṇa. Nārāyaṇa is a plenary expansion of the catur-vyūha, and the catur-vyūha are plenary expansions of Baladeva, the first manifestation of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore when Kṛṣṇa appeared with Baladeva, all the viṣṇu-tattvas appeared with Him. Mahārāja Parīkṣit requested Śukadeva Gosvāmī to describe Kṛṣṇa and His glorious activities. Another meaning may be derived from this verse as follows, Although Śukadeva Gosvāmī was the greatest muni, he could describe Kṛṣṇa only partially ( aṁśena ), for no one can describe Kṛṣṇa fully. It is said that Anantadeva has thousands of heads, but although He tries to describe Kṛṣṇa with thousands of tongues, His descriptions are still incomplete.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

You have also previously described the pious nature of Yadu. Though Yadu disobeyed his father’s order, because of his pure devotion, his exalted character is praised in the Ninth and Eleventh cantos. Pariksit addresses Sukadeva as the king of the munis—muni sattama, because as a muni he is completely knowledgeable, and as a devotee (sat), he is the chief since he established the supreme position of bhakti. "Please describe the exploits (viryani) of he who has appeared (avatirnasya), of that person whose amsa is Visnu in Vaikuntha." Another meaning is "Please describe the exploits partially (amsena), since it is impossible to describe the Lord’s pastimes completely."

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

You have also described the details of Yadu’s dynasty and the astonishing activities of its kings to a great degree, since Yadu was filled with bhakti (dharma-śīlasya). Dharma means bhakti because it is said dharmo mad-bhakti-kṛt proktaḥ: dharma means bhakti to me. (SB 11.19.27) Yadu’s steady bhakti is described in the Eleventh Canto. Kuntī has also said yadoḥ priyasyānvavāye: you have taken birth to please King Yadu, one of your dearest devotees. (SB 1.8.32) Parīkṣit particularly mentions Yadu, because his dynasty became the best by the appearance of Kṛṣṇa, and he has in mind many questions concerning Kṛṣṇa. He addresses Śukadeva as the best of sages. He is a devotee of the Lord, and better than that he is absorbed in Kṛṣṇa. Best of all, he has intense prema at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. He thus indicates Śukadeva’s high qualification for what he spoke previously and for what he will speak in the upcoming chapters. The second line of the verse states Parīkṣit’s desire. Please describe to us the activities of Kṛṣṇa (viṣṇoḥ) who appeared in this world from his place known as Goloka in Yadu’s dynasty (tatra), since he was a great devotee. Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that the word aṁśena (Kṛṣṇa is an expansion of Viṣṇu) has been used for the common people in the assembly. The Gītā (9.25) says nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ: covered by my māyā I do not reveal myself to all people. The phrase can also mean “he appeared with a nature not easily understood by all.” Or it can mean “he appeared along with Balarāma, his aṁśa.” Such meanings must be given, because otherwise there is a contradiction to other statements in the Bhāgavatam: darśayām āsa lokaṁ svaṁ gopānāṁ tamasaḥ param Kṛṣṇa revealed to the cowherd men his abode, which is beyond material darkness. SB 10.28.14 kṛṣṇaṁ ca tatra cchandobhiḥ stūyamānaṁ su-vismitāḥ They were amazed to see Kṛṣṇa there, surrounded by the personified Vedas, who were offering him prayers. SB 10.28.17 Also of course there are the words kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam which will be explained in detail later. Brahmā also says: goloka-nāmni nija-dhāmni tale ca tasya devī-maheśa-hari-dhāmasu teṣu teṣu | te te prabhāva-nicayā vihitāś ca yena govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi || I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda by whom respective powers are given to the abodes of Durgā, Śiva and Viṣṇu, which are situated below his own planet of Goloka. Brahma-saṁhitā 5.43 rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu | kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yo govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi || I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda who, though appearing in the worlds in eternal forms such as Rāma and Nṛsiṁha with their characteristic powers, also appears personally in the supreme form of Kṛṣṇa with the most attractive pastimes. Brahma-saṁhitā 5.39 These verses defeat all doubts. There are other verses as well. The word viṣṇu is used to indicate Kṛṣṇa in this verse because it indicates that he as the highest position of pervasion (viṣṇu means the pervader). Please describe with excellence (śaṁsa) as if in verses of praise, the greatly powerful activites of Kṛṣṇa. This statement hints at the supremely astonishing nature of Krṣṇa’s activities among the activities of all forms of the Lord. The word naḥ (us) is used in the plural out of respect, with great desire to hear, or out of consideration of the other people listening. Or it can indicate humility, to receive mercy. The word naḥ can also modify viṣṇoḥ, indicating “Kṛṣṇa belonging to us Pāṇḍavas.” This would indicate his devotion to Kṛṣṇa and his great desire to hear about his activities.