SB 1.19.30 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

स संवृतस्तत्र महान् महीयसां ब्रह्मर्षिराजर्षिदेवर्षिसङ्घै: । व्यरोचतालं भगवान् यथेन्दु- र्ग्रहर्क्षतारानिकरै: परीत: ॥ ३० ॥

Verse text

sa saṁvṛtas tatra mahān mahīyasāṁ brahmarṣi-rājarṣi-devarṣi-saṅghaiḥ vyarocatālaṁ bhagavān yathendur graharkṣa-tārā-nikaraiḥ parītaḥ

Synonyms

saḥ — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī ; saṁvṛtaḥ — surrounded by ; tatra — there ; mahān — great ; mahīyasām — of the greatest ; brahmarṣi — saint among the brāhmaṇas ; rājarṣi — saint among the kings ; devarṣi — saint among the demigods ; saṅghaiḥ — by the assembly of ; vyarocata — well deserved ; alam — able ; bhagavān — powerful ; yathā — as ; induḥ — the moon ; graha — planets ; ṛkṣa — heavenly bodies ; tārā — stars ; nikaraiḥ — by the assembly of ; parītaḥ — surrounded by .

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī was then surrounded by saintly sages and demigods just as the moon is surrounded by stars, planets and other heavenly bodies. His presence was gorgeous, and he was respected by all.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

The greatest among the great, Śukadeva, seated there, surrounded by the crowd of sages among brāhmaṇas, sages among kings and sages among devatās shone like the moon surrounded by groups of planets, constellations, and stars.

Purport

In the great assembly of saintly personalities, there was Vyāsadeva the brahmarṣi, Nārada the devarṣi, Paraśurāma the great ruler of the kṣatriya kings, etc. Some of them were powerful incarnations of the Lord. Śukadeva Gosvāmī was not known as brahmarṣi, rājarṣi or devarṣi, nor was he an incarnation like Nārada, Vyāsa or Paraśurāma. And yet he excelled them in respects paid. This means that the devotee of the Lord is more honored in the world than the Lord Himself. One should therefore never minimize the importance of a devotee like Śukadeva Gosvāmī.

Commentary (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

There, sitting on the throne, Śukadeva, greatest among the great, surrounded by the sages, shone like the moon surrounded by the planets and stars. The planets are Venus and others. The constellations are Aśvini and others. The stars are all other luminaries in the sky. Brahmarṣis are headed by Vaśiṣṭha. Rājarṣis are headed by Ārṣṭiṣeṇa. Devaṛsis are headed by Nārada.