494 Srimad Bhagavatam [Canto 2, Ch. 9

TEXT 24

aay qqaag wae aa ga: |
frat aver fat Ta eae aa 112311

srjami tapasaivedarm
grasami tapasa punah
bibharmi tapasa visvam
viryarm me duscaram tapah

srjami—I create; tapasa—by the same energy of penance; eva—certain-
ly; idam—this; grasami ltapasd—I do withdraw also by the same energy;
punah—again; bibharmi—do maintain: tapasa—by penance; visvam—the
cosmos; viryam—potency ; me—Mine; duscaram—severe ; tapahi—penance.

TRANSLATION

I create this cosmos by such penance, I maintain it by the same energy,
and I withdraw it all by the same energy. Therefore the potential power is
penance only.

PURPORT

In executing penance, one must be determined to return home, back to
Godhead, and must decide to undergo all types of tribulations for that end.
Even for material prosperity, name and fame, one has to undergo severe
types of penance, otherwise no one can become an important figure in this
material world. Why, then, are there severe types of penance for perfection
of devotional service? An easygoing life and attainment of perfection in
transcendental realization cannot go together. The Lord is more clever than
any living entity; therefore He wants Lo see how painstaking the devotee is
in devotional service. The order is reccived from the Lord, either directly
or through the bona fide spiritual master, and to execute that order, how-
cver painstaking, is the severe lype of penance. One who follows the
principle rigidly is sure Lo achieve success in attaining the Lord’s mercy.
