Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvitiya Skandha, Shloka 7
Nārada’s Questions and Brahmā’s Reply: Vāsudeva as the Source; Sarga–Visarga; Virāṭ-rūpa Mapping
स भवानचरद् घोरं यत् तप: सुसमाहित: । तेन खेदयसे नस्त्वं पराशङ्कां च यच्छसि ॥ ७ ॥
sa bhavān acarad ghoraṁ yat tapaḥ susamāhitaḥ tena khedayase nas tvaṁ parā-śaṅkāṁ ca yacchasi
आपण पूर्ण समाधानी वृत्तीने घोर तप आचरले; म्हणून सृष्टीकर्मात समर्थ असूनही आम्हाला शंका येते की आपल्याहून अधिक सामर्थ्यवान कोणी तरी आहे काय.
Following in the footsteps of Śrī Nārada Muni, one should not blindly accept his spiritual master as God Himself. A spiritual master is duly respected on a par with God, but a spiritual master claiming to be God Himself should at once be rejected. Nārada Muni accepted Brahmā as the Supreme due to Lord Brahmā’s wonderful acts in creation, but doubts arose in him when he saw that Lord Brahmā also worshiped some superior authority. The Supreme is supreme, and He has no worshipable superior. The ahaṅgrahopāsitā, or the one who worships himself with the idea of becoming God Himself, is misleading, but the intelligent disciple can at once detect that the Supreme God does not need to worship anyone, including Himself, in order to become God. Ahaṅgrahopāsanā may be one of the processes for transcendental realization, but the ahaṅgrahopāsitā can never be God Himself. No one becomes God by undergoing a process of transcendental realization. Nārada Muni thought of Brahmājī as the Supreme Person, but when he saw Brahmājī engaged in the process of transcendental realization, doubts arose in him. So he wanted to be clearly informed.
FAQs
This verse implies that severe, focused tapasya carries weight and authority—so if such austerity leads to unclear conclusions, listeners naturally feel disturbed and doubtful, prompting them to seek clarification.
In the Naimiṣāraṇya assembly, the sages press Sūta Gosvāmī for clear, conclusive truth; they note that his intense discipline should yield certainty, so any ambiguity creates concern and invites deeper explanation.
Practice discipline with steady focus, but also value honest inquiry—when confusion arises, seek clear guidance from authentic sources rather than suppressing doubts.