SB 8.5.20 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

स विलोक्येन्द्रवाय्वादीन् नि:सत्त्वान्विगतप्रभान् । लोकानमङ्गलप्रायानसुरानयथा विभु: ॥ १९ ॥ समाहितेन मनसा संस्मरन्पुरुषं परम् । उवाचोत्फुल्ल‍वदनो देवान्स भगवान्पर: ॥ २० ॥

Verse text

sa vilokyendra-vāyv-ādīn niḥsattvān vigata-prabhān lokān amaṅgala-prāyān asurān ayathā vibhuḥ samāhitena manasā saṁsmaran puruṣaṁ param uvācotphulla-vadano devān sa bhagavān paraḥ

Synonyms

saḥ — Lord Brahmā ; vilokya — looking over ; indra — vāyu — ādīn — all the demigods, headed by Lord Indra and Vāyu ; niḥsattvān — bereft of all spiritual potency ; vigata — prabhān — bereft of all effulgence ; lokān — all the three worlds ; amaṅgala — prāyān — merged into misfortune ; asurān — all the demons ; ayathāḥ — flourishing ; vibhuḥ — Lord Brahmā, the supreme within this material world ; samāhitena — by full adjustment ; manasā — of the mind ; saṁsmaran — remembering again and again ; puruṣam — the Supreme Person ; param — transcendental ; uvāca — said ; utphulla — vadanaḥ — bright-faced ; devān — unto the demigods ; saḥ — he ; bhagavān — the most powerful ; paraḥ — of the demigods .

Translation

Upon seeing that the demigods were bereft of all influence and strength and that the three worlds were consequently devoid of auspiciousness, and upon seeing that the demigods were in an awkward position whereas all the demons were flourishing, Lord Brahmā, who is above all the demigods and who is most powerful, concentrated his mind on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus being encouraged, he became bright-faced and spoke to the demigods as follows.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Upon seeing that the devatās were bereft of all influence and strength, that the three worlds were devoid of auspiciousness, and that the demons were flourishing, powerful Brahmā, who is superior to the devatās, concentrated his mind on the Supreme Lord and then spoke with a joyful countenance. Brahmā (saḥ) saw that the demons were opposite of what they should be (ayathā): they had more power.

Purport

After hearing from the demigods the real situation, Lord Brahmā was very much concerned because the demons were unnecessarily so powerful. When demons become powerful, the entire world is placed in an awkward position because demons are simply interested in their own sense gratification and not in the welfare of the world. Demigods or devotees, however, are concerned with the welfare of all living beings. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, for example, left his ministership and went to Vṛndāvana for the benefit of the entire world ( lokānāṁ hita-kāriṇau ). This is the nature of a saintly person or demigod. Even impersonalists think of the welfare of all people. Thus Brahmā was very much concerned at seeing the demons in power.