SB 9.18.14 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

यैरिदं तपसा सृष्टं मुखं पुंस: परस्य ये । धार्यते यैरिह ज्योति: शिव: पन्था: प्रदर्शित: ॥ १२ ॥ यान् वन्दन्त्युपतिष्ठन्ते लोकनाथा: सुरेश्वरा: । भगवानपि विश्वात्मा पावन: श्रीनिकेतन: ॥ १३ ॥ वयं तत्रापि भृगव: शिष्योऽस्या न: पितासुर: । अस्मद्धार्यं धृतवती शूद्रो वेदमिवासती ॥ १४ ॥

Verse text

yair idaṁ tapasā sṛṣṭaṁ mukhaṁ puṁsaḥ parasya ye dhāryate yair iha jyotiḥ śivaḥ panthāḥ pradarśitaḥ yān vandanty upatiṣṭhante loka-nāthāḥ sureśvarāḥ bhagavān api viśvātmā pāvanaḥ śrī-niketanaḥ vayaṁ tatrāpi bhṛgavaḥ śiṣyo ’syā naḥ pitāsuraḥ asmad-dhāryaṁ dhṛtavatī śūdro vedam ivāsatī

Synonyms

yaiḥ — by which persons ; idam — this entire universe ; tapasā — by austerity ; sṛṣṭam — was created ; mukham — the face ; puṁsaḥ — of the Supreme Person ; parasya — transcendental ; ye — those who (are) ; dhāryate — is always born ; yaiḥ — by which persons ; iha — here ; jyotiḥ — the brahmajyoti, the effulgence of the Supreme Lord ; śivaḥ — auspicious ; panthāḥ — way ; pradarśitaḥ — is directed ; yān — to whom ; vandanti — offer prayers ; upatiṣṭhante — honor and follow ; loka — nāthāḥ — the directors of the various planets ; sura — īśvarāḥ — the demigods ; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; api — even ; viśva — ātmā — the Supersoul ; pāvanaḥ — the purifier ; śrī — niketanaḥ — the husband of the goddess of fortune ; vayam — we (are) ; tatra api — even greater than other brāhmaṇas ; bhṛgavaḥ — descendants of Bhṛgu ; śiṣyaḥ — disciple ; asyāḥ — of her ; naḥ — our ; pitā — father ; asuraḥ — belong to the demoniac group ; asmat — dhāryam — meant to be worn by us ; dhṛtavatī — she has put on ; śūdraḥ — a non- brāhmaṇa worker ; vedam — the Vedas ; iva — like ; asatī — unchaste .

Translation

We are among the qualified brāhmaṇas, who are accepted as the face of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The brāhmaṇas have created the entire universe by their austerity, and they always keep the Absolute Truth within the core of their hearts. They have directed the path of good fortune, the path of Vedic civilization, and because they are the only worshipable objects within this world, they are offered prayers and worshiped even by the great demigods, the directors of the various planets, and even by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul, the supreme purifier, the husband of the goddess of fortune. And we are even more respectable because we are in the dynasty of Bhṛgu. Yet although this woman’s father, being among the demons, is our disciple, she has put on my dress, exactly like a śūdra taking charge of Vedic knowledge.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

The brāhmaṇas have created the universe by their austerities. They are the face of the Supreme Lord, possess Brahman and show the auspicious path. The devatās, lords of the world, and even the Supreme Lord, the purifier, the soul of the universe, the abode of Lakṣmī, glorify and honor the brāhmaṇas. Among the brāhmaṇas, we are the descendents of Bhṛgu, and her demonic father is our disciple. This unchaste woman puts on the clothing of a brāhmaṇa, just as a śūdra tries to study the Vedas. In three verses she describes the impropriety. Sages like Dakṣa possess Brahman (jyotiḥ). Just being a brāhmaṇa is worthy of such respect. And we are the descendents of Bhṛgu among the brāhmaṇas. Her father is our disciple.