SB 11.4.8 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

विज्ञाय शक्रकृतमक्रममादिदेव: प्राह प्रहस्य गतविस्मय एजमानान् । मा भैष्टभो मदन मारुत देववध्वो गृह्णीत नो बलिमशून्यमिमं कुरुध्वम् ॥ ८ ॥

Verse text

vijṣāya śakra-kṛtam akramam ādi-devaḥ prāha prahasya gata-vismaya ejamānān mā bhair vibho madana māruta deva-vadhvo gṛhṇīta no balim aśūnyam imaṁ kurudhvam

Synonyms

vijṣāya — understanding perfectly ; śakra — by Indra ; kṛtam — committed ; akramam — the offense ; ādi — devaḥ — the original Personality of Godhead ; prāha — He spoke ; prahasya — laughing ; gata — vismayaḥ — free from pride ; ejamānān — to those who were trembling ; mā bhaiḥ — please have no fear ; vibho — O mighty one ; madana — Cupid ; māruta — O god of the wind ; deva — vadhvaḥ — O wives of the demigods ; gṛhṇīta — please accept ; naḥ — from Us ; balim — these gifts ; aśūnyam — not empty ; imam — this ( āśrama ) ; kurudhvam — please make .

Translation

The primeval Lord, understanding the offense committed by Indra, did not become proud. Instead He spoke laughingly as follows to Cupid and his followers, who were trembling before Him: “Do not fear, O mighty Madana, O wind-god and wives of the demigods. Rather, please accept these gifts I am offering you and kindly sanctify My āśrama by your presence.”

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

The primeval Lord, understanding the offense committed by Indra and without pride, spoke laughingly as follows to Cupid and his followers, who were trembling before him: “Do not fear, O mighty Cupid, O wind-god and wives of the devatās! Please accept this gift I am offering you, and kindly sanctify my hermitage by your presence.” Akramam means offense. He was without pride, not thinking “Oh! I am fully in control of my senses.” Cupid was trembling in fear of being cursed. “O capable Cupid! O women of the devatās! Do not fear. Please accept as our welcome to guests the articles of worship and vegetable meals made of leaves. “But we have everything we need.” Without your accepting our hospitality, this hermitage is empty.

Purport

The word gata-vismayaḥ, or “free from false pride,” is very significant. If one becomes proud by performing severe penances, such penances are considered material. One should not think, “I am a great, austere personality.” Śrī Nara-Nārāyaṇa could immediately understand the foolishness of Indra, and thus He was amused by the whole situation. Cupid and the heavenly women, understanding their great offense, were trembling before Nara-Nārāyaṇa in fear of receiving a powerful curse. But the Lord, exhibiting most sublime saintly behavior, reassured them by saying, mā bhaiḥ — “Don’t worry about it” — and actually offered them nice prasādam and articles of worship. “If you do not give Me the opportunity to act as host to the demigods and other respectable personalities,” He said, “what will be the use of My āśrama ? My āśrama will be void without the opportunity to receive respectable personalities such as you.” Similarly, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness is establishing beautiful centers in all the major cities of the world. In some of these centers, such as those in Los Angeles, Bombay, London, Paris and Melbourne, the Society has established very gorgeous preaching āśramas. But the Vaiṣṇavas who live in these beautiful buildings feel that the buildings are void if guests do not come to hear about Kṛṣṇa and chant His holy name. Thus, one may establish a beautiful āśrama not for one’s personal sense gratification but to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness peacefully and encourage others to take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness also.