Shloka 39
Kūrma Supports Mandara; Hālahala Appears; Śiva Becomes Nīlakaṇṭha
प्राणै: स्वै: प्राणिन: पान्ति साधव: क्षणभङ्गुरै: । बद्धवैरेषु भूतेषु मोहितेष्वात्ममायया ॥ ३९ ॥
prāṇaiḥ svaiḥ prāṇinaḥ pānti sādhavaḥ kṣaṇa-bhaṅguraiḥ baddha-vaireṣu bhūteṣu mohiteṣv ātma-māyayā
ผู้คนทั่วไปถูกพลังมายาของพระผู้เป็นเจ้าทำให้หลง จึงมัวหมกมุ่นในความเป็นศัตรูกันเอง แต่บรรดาสาธุและภักตะ แม้ต้องเสี่ยงชีวิตอันไม่ยั่งยืน ก็ยังพยายามช่วยกู้สรรพชีวิตที่ถูกผูกมัดด้วยความพยาบาท
This is the characteristic of a Vaiṣṇava. Para-duḥkha-duḥkhī: a Vaiṣṇava is always unhappy to see the conditioned souls unhappy. Otherwise, he would have no business teaching them how to become happy. In materialistic life, people must certainly engage in activities of animosity. Materialistic life is therefore compared to saṁsāra-dāvānala, a blazing forest fire that automatically takes place. Lord Śiva and his followers in the paramparā system try to save people from this dangerous condition of materialistic life. This is the duty of devotees following the principles of Lord Śiva and belonging to the Rudra sampradāya. There are four Vaiṣṇava sampradāyas, and the Rudra sampradāya is one of them because Lord Śiva (Rudra) is the best of the Vaiṣṇavas ( vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā śambhuḥ ). Indeed, as we shall see, Lord Śiva drank all the poison for the benefit of humanity.
FAQs
This verse says saintly devotees protect living beings even with their own fragile lives, showing mercy even toward those trapped in hostility, because such souls are deluded by the Lord’s māyā.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī speaks this verse while narrating to Mahārāja Parīkṣit, describing the nature of sādhus within the events surrounding the churning of the ocean.
See even antagonistic people as conditioned and confused, respond with protection and goodwill where appropriate, and act with courage and compassion rather than retaliation.