SB 4.21.28-29

Srimad-Bhagavatam - Fourth Canto - Chapter 21: Instructions by Mahārāja Pṛthu

SB 4.21.27 - SB 4.21.30

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

TEXTS 28-29

manor uttānapādasya

dhruvasyāpi mahīpateḥ

priyavratasya rājarṣer

aṅgasyāsmat-pituḥ pituḥ

īdṛśānām athānyeṣām

ajasya ca bhavasya ca

prahlādasya baleś cāpi

kṛtyam asti gadābhṛtā

SYNONYMS

manoḥ — of Manu (Svāyambhuva Manu); uttānapādasya — of Uttānapāda, the father of Dhruva Mahārāja; dhruvasya — of Dhruva Mahārāja; api — certainly; mahī-pateḥ — of the great king; priyavratasya — of Priyavrata, in the family of Mahārāja Dhruva; rājarṣeḥ — of great saintly kings; aṅgasya — of the name Aṅga; asmat — my; pituḥ — of my father; pituḥ — of the father; īdṛśānām — of such personalities; atha — also; anyeṣām — of others; ajasya — of the supreme immortal; ca — also; bhavasya — of the living entities; ca — also; prahlādasya — of Mahārāja Prahlāda; baleḥ — of Mahārāja Bali; ca — also; api — certainly; kṛtyam — acknowledged by them; asti — there is; gadā-bhṛtā — the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who carries a club.

TRANSLATION

This is confirmed not only by the evidence of the Vedas but also by the personal behavior of great personalities like Manu, Uttānapāda, Dhruva, Priyavrata and my grandfather Aṅga, as well as by many other great personalities and ordinary living entities, exemplified by Mahārāja Prahlāda and Bali, all of whom are theists, believing in the existence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who carries a club.

PURPORT

Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura states that one has to ascertain the right path for his activities by following in the footsteps of great saintly persons and books of knowledge under the guidance of a spiritual master (sādhu-śāstra-guru-vākya). A saintly person is one who follows the Vedic injunctions, which are the orders of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The word guru refers to one who gives proper direction under the authority of the Vedic injunctions and according to the examples of the lives of great personalities. The best way to mold one's life is to follow in the footsteps of the authorized personalities like those mentioned herein by Pṛthu Mahārāja, beginning with Svāyambhuva Manu. The safest path in life is to follow such great personalities, especially those mentioned in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The mahājanas, or great personalities, are Brahmā, Lord Śiva, Nārada Muni, Manu, the Kumāras, Prahlāda Mahārāja, Bali Mahārāja, Yamarāja, Bhīṣma, Janaka, Śukadeva Gosvāmī and Kapila Muni.

SB 4.21.27 - SB 4.21.30