SB 10.84.29 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

श्रीवसुदेव उवाच नमो व: सर्वदेवेभ्य ऋषय: श्रोतुमर्हथ । कर्मणा कर्मनिर्हारो यथा स्यान्नस्तदुच्यताम् ॥ २९ ॥

Verse text

śrī-vasudeva uvāca namo vaḥ sarva-devebhya ṛṣayaḥ śrotum arhatha karmaṇā karma-nirhāro yathā syān nas tad ucyatām

Synonyms

śrī — vasudevaḥ uvāca — Śrī Vasudeva said ; namaḥ — obeisances ; vaḥ — to you ; sarva — all ; devebhyaḥ — (who comprise) the demigods ; ṛṣayaḥ — O sages ; śrotum arhatha — please listen ; karmaṇā — by material work ; karma — of (previous) work ; nirhāraḥ — the purging ; yathā — how ; syāt — there may be ; naḥ — to us ; tat — that ; ucyatām — please say .

Translation

Śrī Vasudeva said: Obeisances to you, the residence of all the demigods. Please hear me, O sages. Kindly tell us how the reactions of one’s work can be counteracted by further work.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Śrī Vasudeva said: Obeisances to you, the residence of all the demigods. Please hear me, O sages. Kindly tell us how the reactions of one's work can be counteracted by further work. KB 10.84.29 Vasudeva said, “My dear great sages, you are more respected than the demigods. I therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto you. I wish for you to accept my one request, if you so desire. I shall consider it a great blessing if you kindly explain the supreme fruitive activity by which one can counteract the reactions of all other activities.”

Purport

Here Vasudeva addresses the sages as “the residence of all the demigods.” His statement is confirmed in the authoritative śruti-mantras, which declare, yāvatīr vai devatās tāḥ sarvā veda-vidi brāhmaṇe vasanti: “Whatever demigods exist, all reside in a brāhmaṇa who knows the Veda. ”

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

" I offer respects to you, the form of all the devatas." This shown in sruti which says, "All the devatas reside in the brahmana who knows the Vedas." "Please describe how I can destroy the bondage of karma by action, because, being greatly attached to house, children and wives, I am not qualified for jnana or bhakti."

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

Though he knew the answer, he asked the sages in order to protect codes of respect by taking proof from persons qualified to teach.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

I offer respects to you (vaḥ). He first offers respects out of devotion in order to make a request. O sages! You are omniscient! Therefore you should listen to me. You are qualified. I make this request. Though he knows the answer he asks them. At that holy place he wanted the assembled kings, sages and relatives to follow what the sages said, with a desire for a festive sacrifice.