SB 7.15.73 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

तावद्दास्यामहं जज्ञे तत्रापि ब्रह्मवादिनाम् । शुश्रूषयानुषङ्गेण प्राप्तोऽहं ब्रह्मपुत्रताम् ॥ ७३ ॥

Verse text

tāvad dāsyām ahaṁ jajṣe tatrāpi brahma-vādinām śuśrūṣayānuṣaṅgeṇa prāpto ’haṁ brahma-putratām

Synonyms

tāvat — since being cursed ; dāsyām — in the womb of a maidservant ; aham — I ; jajṣe — took birth ; tatrāpi — although (being a śūdra ) ; brahma — vādinām — unto persons well conversant with the Vedic knowledge ; śuśrūṣayā — by rendering service ; anuṣaṅgeṇa — simultaneously ; prāptaḥ — obtained ; aham — I ; brahma — putratām — a birth as the son of Lord Brahmā (in this life) .

Translation

Although I took birth as a śūdra from the womb of a maidservant, I engaged in the service of Vaiṣṇavas who were well-versed in Vedic knowledge. Consequently, in this life I got the opportunity to take birth as the son of Lord Brahmā.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

I took birth as a śūdra from the womb of a maidservant. By engaging repeatedly in service to Vaiṣṇavas who were well-versed in Vedic knowledge, I became the son of Lord Brahmā. Though born as a śūdra (tatrāpi), by association with devotees I became the son of Brahmā (at the beginning of this Brahmā’s life). Or tatrāpi can mean “in spite of the curse.” This story shows that bhakti originated in a previous life. Anusaṅgena means by repeated (anu) association, or by favorable association.

Purport

The Supreme Personality of Godhead says in Bhagavad-gītā (9.32) : māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye ’pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te ’pi yānti parāṁ gatim “O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth — women, vaiśyas [merchants], as well as śūdras [workers] — can approach the supreme destination.” It doesn’t matter whether a person is born as a śūdra, a woman or a vaiśya; if he associates with devotees repeatedly or always ( sādhu-saṅgena ), he can be elevated to the highest perfection. Nārada Muni is explaining this in relation to his own life. The saṅkīrtana movement is important, for regardless of whether one is a śūdra, vaiśya, mleccha, yavana or whatever, if one associates with a pure devotee, follows his instructions and serves the pure devotee, his life is successful. This is bhakti. Ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam. Bhakti consists of serving Kṛṣṇa and His devotees very favorably. Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam. If one has no desire other than to serve Kṛṣṇa and His devotee, then his life is successful. This is explained by Nārada Muni through this practical example from his own life.