SB 3.16.11 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

ये ब्राह्मणान्मयि धिया क्षिपतोऽर्चयन्त- स्तुष्यद्‍धृद: स्मितसुधोक्षितपद्मवक्त्रा: । वाण्यानुरागकलयात्मजवद् गृणन्त: सम्बोधयन्त्यहमिवाहमुपाहृतस्तै: ॥ ११ ॥

Verse text

ye brāhmaṇān mayi dhiyā kṣipato ’rcayantas tuṣyad-dhṛdaḥ smita-sudhokṣita-padma-vaktrāḥ vāṇyānurāga-kalayātmajavad gṛṇantaḥ sambodhayanty aham ivāham upāhṛtas taiḥ

Synonyms

ye — which persons ; brāhmaṇān — the brāhmaṇas ; mayi — in Me ; dhiyā — with intelligence ; kṣipataḥ — uttering harsh words ; arcayantaḥ — respecting ; tuṣyat — gladdened ; hṛdaḥ — hearts ; smita — smiling ; sudhā — nectar ; ukṣita — wet ; padma — lotuslike ; vaktrāḥ — faces ; vāṇyā — with words ; anurāga — kalayā — loving ; ātmaja — vat — like a son ; gṛṇantaḥ — praising ; sambodhayanti — pacify ; aham — I ; iva — as ; aham — I ; upāhṛtaḥ — being controlled ; taiḥ — by them .

Translation

On the other hand, they captivate My heart who are gladdened in heart and who, their lotus faces enlightened by nectarean smiles, respect the brāhmaṇas, even though the brāhmaṇas utter harsh words. They look upon the brāhmaṇas as My own Self and pacify them by praising them in loving words, even as a son would appease an angry father or as I am pacifying you.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Just as I am controlled by you, I am controlled by those who worship the brāhmaṇas who have offended others, who see those brāhmaṇas as non-different from me, who remain pleased in heart in spite of their harsh words, showing lotus faces moistened with sweet smiles, and who pacify them by praising them with words filled with love, just as a son praises an angry father. I am controlled by those who praise brāhmaṇas who have committed offense and even more than that, please them. I am controlled by those who worship the brāhmaṇas who utter harsh words (kṣipataḥ). They see the brāhmaṇas as non-different from me, and remain satisfied even by harsh words. They pacify them, praising them like a good son praises an angry father with words filled with love (anurāga-kalayā vāṇyā), saying “You do not speak rough words, but rain a shower of merciful nectar for the highest benefit.” They please them with soft addresses such as “O masters! O oceans of mercy!” I am controlled by them, just as I am controlled by you or Bhṛgu.

Purport

It has been observed in many instances in the Vedic scriptures that when the brāhmaṇas or Vaiṣṇavas curse someone in an angry mood, the person who is cursed does not take it upon himself to treat the brāhmaṇas or Vaiṣṇavas in the same way. There are many examples of this. For instance, the sons of Kuvera, when cursed by the great sage Nārada, did not seek revenge in the same harsh way, but submitted. Here also, when Jaya and Vijaya were cursed by the four Kumāras, they did not become harsh towards them; rather, they submitted. That should be the way of treating brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas. One may sometimes be faced with a grievous situation created by a brāhmaṇa, but instead of meeting him with a similar mood, one should try to pacify him with a smiling face and mild treatment. Brāhmaṇas and Vaiṣṇavas should be accepted as earthly representatives of Nārāyaṇa. Nowadays some foolish persons have manufactured the term daridra-nārāyaṇa, indicating that the poor man should be accepted as the representative of Nārāyaṇa. But in Vedic literature we do not find that poor men should be treated as representatives of Nārāyaṇa. Of course, “those who are unprotected” are mentioned here, but the definition of this phrase is clear from the śāstras. The poor man should not be unprotected, but the brāhmaṇa should especially be treated as the representative of Nārāyaṇa and should be worshiped like Him. It is specifically said that to pacify the brāhmaṇas, one’s face should be lotuslike. A lotuslike face is exhibited when one is adorned with love and affection. In this respect, the example of the father’s being angry at the son and the son’s trying to pacify the father with smiling and sweet words is very appropriate.