Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 2
The Appearance and Coronation of King Pṛthu (Pṛthu-avatāra) and His Humble Refusal of Premature Praise
तद् दृष्ट्वा मिथुनं जातमृषयो ब्रह्मवादिन: । ऊचु: परमसन्तुष्टा विदित्वा भगवत्कलाम् ॥ २ ॥
tad dṛṣṭvā mithunaṁ jātam ṛṣayo brahma-vādinaḥ ūcuḥ parama-santuṣṭā viditvā bhagavat-kalām
En voyant naître ce couple, les sages versés dans les Vedas furent comblés de joie, car ils comprirent que ces deux êtres étaient l’expansion d’une portion plénière (kalā) de Bhagavān Viṣṇu, la Personne Suprême.
The method adopted by the great sages and scholars, who were learned in Vedic knowledge, was perfect. They removed all the reactions of King Vena’s sinful activities by seeing that King Vena first gave birth to Bāhuka, described in the previous chapter. After King Vena’s body was thus purified, a male and female came out of it, and the great sages could understand that this was an expansion of Lord Viṣṇu. This expansion, of course, was not viṣṇu-tattva but a specifically empowered expansion of Lord Viṣṇu known as āveśa.
FAQs
In this verse, 'bhagavat-kalā' indicates a partial expansion or empowered manifestation of the Supreme Lord—divinity present in a specific form and mission.
They were delighted because they recognized the pair as divinely empowered—connected to the Lord’s potency—and thus auspicious for restoring dharma and welfare in the world.
It teaches discernment and reverence: recognize genuine divine qualities—selflessness, dharma, and God-centered purpose—and support such leadership and conduct in society.