Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)
by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja | 2005 | 440,179 words | ISBN-13: 9781935428329
The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 2.1.209, 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 2.1.209 contained in Chapter 1—Vairagya (renunciation)—of Part two (prathama-khanda).
Verse 2.1.209
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.1.209:
यात्रा-महोत्सवांश् चाहम् आवृतो राज-मण्डलैः ।
सुखं कलयितुं नेशे स्वेच्छया बहुधा भजन् ॥ २०९ ॥yātrā-mahotsavāṃś cāham āvṛto rāja-maṇḍalaiḥ |
sukhaṃ kalayituṃ neśe svecchayā bahudhā bhajan || 209 ||yātrā–at the Ratha-yātrā; maha-utsavān–and great festivals; ca–also; aham–I; āvṛtaḥ–surrounded; rāja-maṇḍalaiḥ–by royal entourage; sukham–happiness; kalayitum–to engage; na iśe–I was not able; sva-icchayā–as I pleased; bahudhā–in many ways; bhajan–while practising devotional activities.
Always surrounded by royal entourage and unable to do as I pleased, I could not fully enjoy the yātrās and other such grand festivals. Moreover, in spite of engaging in devotional service in so many ways, I did not experience complete happiness.
Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda
(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)
Śrī Gopa-kumāra elaborates, “I began to serve Śrī Jagannātha-deva in various ways, according to my desire. I would offer many services, from sweeping the path in front of His chariot up to washing His lotus face and offering Him tāmbūla and so on. In spite of serving and worshiping Him in a variety of ways, I did not experience the joy I experienced before.”