Shloka 17
Chapter 90
भो भोः सदा निष्टनसे उदन्वन्न् अलब्ध-निद्रो ’धिगत-प्रजागरः ।
किं वा मुकुन्दापहृतात्म-लाञ्छनः प्राप्तां दशां त्वं च गतो दुरत्ययाम् ॥
bho bhoḥ sadā niṣṭanase udanvann alabdha-nidro 'dhigata-prajāgaraḥ / kim vā mukundāpahṛtātma-lāñchanaḥ prāptāṃ daśāṃ tvaṃ ca gato duratyayām //
โอมหาสมุทร โอมหาสมุทร! ไฉนท่านจึงคำรามอยู่เสมอ—ไร้การหลับใหล ตื่นเฝ้าอยู่ตลอด? หรือว่ามุกุนทะได้ชิงเอาเครื่องหมายแห่งตัวตนของท่านไป จนท่านตกสู่สภาพอันยากทน?
In this verse the speaker poetically addresses the ocean, reading spiritual meaning into a natural phenomenon. The ocean’s constant roaring and ceaseless motion are interpreted as symptoms of inner agitation—either from wakefulness born of anxiety or from a loss of dignity. The key devotional point is the name “Mukunda,” the Lord who grants liberation and bliss. By suggesting that Mukunda has “stolen” the ocean’s self-mark (ātma-lāñchana), the verse hints at how the Supreme Lord can subdue even the most vast and proud elements of nature. In Bhāgavata’s theology, the Lord is not merely a distant creator but the intimate controller of all energies; when He acts, even the ocean can be made to “lament.” On a practical level, the verse invites the reader to see the world through bhakti—where every sight and sound can become a reminder of the Lord’s supremacy and sweetness. The ocean becomes a mirror for the conditioned soul: restless, noisy, and sleepless until one’s false identity is taken away and one turns toward Mukunda.
FAQs
This verse models a bhakti vision: even the ocean’s roar is read as spiritually meaningful, reminding the devotee that Mukunda governs all energies and can humble all pride.
Mukunda is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the giver of liberation and bliss; the verse suggests that His power can “steal” even the ocean’s dignity, emphasizing His supremacy.
Practice devotional perception—use ordinary sights and sounds to remember Kṛṣṇa, and reflect that restlessness settles when identity and pride are surrendered to Mukunda.