Devanagari
प्रजापतिर्धर्मपतिरेकदा नियमान् यमान् ।
भद्रं प्रजानामन्विच्छन्नातिष्ठत् स्वार्थकाम्यया ॥ ४० ॥
Verse text
prajāpatir dharma-patir
ekadā niyamān yamān
bhadraṁ prajānām anvicchann
ātiṣṭhat svārtha-kāmyayā
Synonyms
prajā
—
patiḥ — the forefather of all living entities
;
dharma
—
patiḥ — the father of religious life
;
ekadā
—
once upon a time
;
niyamān
—
rules and regulations
;
yamān
—
principles of control
;
bhadram
—
welfare
;
prajānām
—
of the living beings
;
anvicchan
—
desiring
;
ātiṣṭhat
—
situated
;
sva
—
artha — own interest
;
kāmyayā
—
so desiring .
Translation
Thus once upon a time the forefather of living entities and the father of religiousness, Lord Brahmā, situated himself in acts of regulative principles, desiring self-interest for the welfare of all living entities.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Once, Brahmā, lord of dharma, desiring the benefit of the progeny, followed rules and regulations to fulfill his desire.
Purport
One cannot be situated in an exalted position without having undertaken a regulative life of rules and regulations. An unrestricted life of sense gratification is animal life, and Lord Brahmā, in order to teach all concerned within the jurisdiction of his generations, taught the same principles of sense control for executing higher duties. He desired the welfare of all as servants of God, and anyone desiring the welfare of the members of his family and generations must conduct a moral, religious life. The highest life of moral principles is to become a devotee of the Lord because a pure devotee of the Lord has all the good qualities of the Lord. On the other hand, one who is not a devotee of the Lord, however qualified he may be in the mundane sense of the term, cannot be qualified with any good quality worthy of the name. The pure devotees of the Lord, like Brahmā and persons in the chain of disciplic succession, do not do anything to instruct their subordinates without acting accordingly themselves.
Commentary (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
After this, the conversation between Nārada and Brahmā which was previously described in SB 2.5 took place. Five verses describe this conditions under which this conversation took place. Desiring benefit for the progeny he followed rules and regulations, teaching others by his conduct, with his own purpose in mind -- “Let them also follow these rules.”