222 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 7
which he was condemned even by Lord Krsna, Arjuna excused him by not
killing him because he happened to be the son of a brahmana. The word
brahma-bandhusu used here is significant. Brahma-bandhu means a person
who is born of a brahmana father but whose activities are not up to the
standard of the brahmanas. Such a person is not a brahmana, but is a
brahma-bandhu. Daksa proved himself to be a brahma-bandhu. He was
born of a great brahmana father, Lord Brahma, but his treatment of Lord
Siva was not exactly brahminical; therefore he admitted that he was not a
perfect brahmana. Lord Siva and Lord Visnu, however, are affectionate
even to an imperfect brahmana. Lord Siva punished Daksa not as one does
his enemy, but he punished him just to bring him to his senses, so that he
would know that he had done wrong. Daksa could understand this, and he
acknowledged the great mercy of Lord Krsna and Lord Siva towards the
fallen brahmanas, including even himself. Although he was fallen, his vow
was to execute the sacrifice, as is the duty of brahmanas, and thus he
began his prayers to Lord Siva.
TEXT 14
RenaTaTTTd Fad: a a
AMSAT TANTS 1A THATS: |
TEVA TH TAT Ta
res: Tenfera faeTt meTRTATMS: 112 VII
vid yd-tapo-vrata-dharan mukhatah sma vipran
brahmatma-tattvam avitum prathamam tvam asrak
tad brahmanan parama sarva-vipatsu pasi
palah pasiin iva vibho pragrhita-dandah
vidya—learning; tapah—austerities; vrata—vows; dharan—the followers;
mukhatah—from the mouth; sma—was; vipran—the brahmanas; brahma—
Lord Brahma; atma-tattvam—self-realization; avitum—to disseminate;
prathamam-—first; tvam—you; asrak—created; tat— therefore; brahmandn—the
brahmanas; parama—O great one; sarva—all; vipatsu—in dangers; pasi—you
protect; palah—like the protector; pasin—the animals; iva—like; vibho—O
great one; pragrhita—taking in hand; dandah—a stick.
TRANSLATION
My dear great and powerful Lord Siva, you were created first from the
mouth of Lord Brahma in order to protect the brahmanas in pursuing
education, austerities, vows and self-realization. As protector of the
