Shloka 2
Hymns to Nārāyaṇa: Humility, Bhakti, Yoga, and the Guṇas
मित्र उवाच / नतोस्म्यज्ञस्त्वच्चरणारविन्दं भवच्छिदं स्वस्त्ययनं भवच्छिदे / वेद स्वयं भगवान्वासुदेवो नाहं नाग्निर्न त्रिदेवा मुनीन्द्राः
mitra uvāca / natosmyajñastvaccaraṇāravindaṃ bhavacchidaṃ svastyayanaṃ bhavacchide / veda svayaṃ bhagavānvāsudevo nāhaṃ nāgnirna tridevā munīndrāḥ
మిత్రుడు అన్నాడు—నేను అజ్ఞుడనైనా నీ పాదపద్మాలకు నమస్కరిస్తున్నాను; నీవు సంసారభవాన్ని ఛేదించువాడవు, మోక్షార్థులకు శుభాశ్రయమువి. దీనిని సంపూర్ణంగా భగవాన్ వాసుదేవుడే తెలుసుకొనును; నేను కాదు, అగ్ని కాదు, త్రిదేవులు కాదు, మునీంద్రులూ కాదు।
Mitra
Concept: Only Bhagavān Vāsudeva fully knows the highest truth; the devotee approaches through humility and surrender to the Lord’s feet as the auspicious refuge that cuts saṃsāra.
Vedantic Theme: Īśvara-sarvajñatva and jīva-alpatva; saṃsāra-ccheda through śaraṇāgati; implicit distinction between limited knowers (devas/ṛṣis) and the Supreme.
Application: Cultivate humility in spiritual inquiry; take refuge in Viṣṇu’s feet through prayer and remembrance rather than relying on status, learning, or even celestial authority.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: karuna
Related Themes: Garuda Purana: recurring motif of ‘Hari’s feet’ as refuge and ‘saṃsāra-ccheda’ in bhakti passages (general thematic parallel)
FAQs
This verse frames surrender to the Lord’s feet as an “auspicious refuge” that cuts through saṁsāra, emphasizing devotion as a direct support for liberation.
Mitra states that complete knowledge belongs to Bhagavān Vāsudeva alone, placing divine revelation above even gods (Agni, tri-devas) and great sages.
Cultivate humility in spiritual learning: seek guidance through devotion, and treat ultimate truth as something realized through surrender and practice, not mere status or scholarship.