Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)
by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja | 2005 | 440,179 words | ISBN-13: 9781935428329
The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 2.1.62, English translation, including commentary (Dig-darshini-tika): an important Vaishnava text dealing with the importance of devotional service. The Brihad-bhagavatamrita, although an indepent Sanskrit work, covers the essential teachings of the Shrimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavata-purana). This is verse 2.1.62 contained in Chapter 1—Vairagya (renunciation)—of Part two (prathama-khanda).
Verse 2.1.62
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.1.62:
भगवन्तम् इमे विष्णुं नित्यं वयम् उपास्महे ।
गुरोर् गृहीत-दीक्षका यथा-मन्त्रं यथा-विधि ॥ ६२ ॥bhagavantam ime viṣṇuṃ nityaṃ vayam upāsmahe |
guror gṛhīta-dīkṣakā yathā-mantraṃ yathā-vidhi || 62 ||bhagavantam–Supreme Lord; ime–they; viṣṇum–Śrī Viṣṇu; nityam–always; vayam upāsmahe–we worship; guroḥ–from śrī guru; gṛhīta–having accepted; dīkṣākāḥ–spiritual initiation; yathā mantram–through mantra; yathā vidhi–through purificatory regulative principles.
O brāhmaṇa, we have all accepted spiritual initiation, or dīkṣā, from our guru. Thus accordingly to our respective mantras, we all worship Śrī Viṣṇu appropriately.
Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda
(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)
Because the brāhmaṇa may question, “What type of Viṣṇu devotees are you?” the Vaiṣṇavas speak this verse beginning with bhagavantam ime.
They say, “O brāhmaṇa, we are all worshiping Śrī Viṣṇu according to the appropriate rules and regulations, associated with our individual mantras. We have received spiritual initiation from śrī guru.” The implication of this statement is, “You have not received dīkṣā from śrī guru. As a result, even though you are chanting a mantra, still, knowledge of transcendental truth (tattva-jñāna) is not manifesting quickly to you.”