जलस्थलौकसः सर्वे नववारिनिषेवया ।
अबिभ्रन् रुचिरं रूपं यथा हरिनिषेवया ॥
jala-sthalaukasaḥ sarve nava-vāri-niṣevayā |
abibhran ruciraṁ rūpaṁ yathā hari-niṣevayā ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.20.13)
“All [living beings] dwelling on land and in water bore a bright appearance by partaking of the fresh water [of the monsoon rains] just as [all living beings do] by serving Hari.”
Commentary
abibhrad abibharuḥ, yathā hari-niṣevayeti, hari-sevāyāṁ pravṛttā hi sadya eva sarve rucirā bhavanti, tasyāḥ parama-dharmatvāt parama-sukhatvāc ca tadvad iti (upādeyā) |
(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā; Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā)
“[All living beings] Bore (abibhrat) [a bright appearance] just as [they do] by serving Hari, since all who are engaged in service to Hari immediately become bright (rucira) on account of its [i.e., service to Hari’s] being the highest dharma and the highest bliss. Similarly (it is to be taken) [that all living beings dwelling on land and in water bore a bright appearance by partaking of the fresh water of the monsoon rains].”
jalaukaso mīna-maṇḍūkādayaḥ, sthalaukaso go-mṛgādaya, nava-vārīṇāṁ nitarāṁ sevayā pānādinā rūciraṁ rūpaṁ varṇaṁ kiṁ vā puṣṭy-ādi-sampatter mālinyādy apagamāc ca, uttamaṁ saundaryaṁ dadhur ity arthaḥ | harer mahāmanoharasya bhagavato niṣevayā kathañcid bhajanārambheṇety arthaḥ | anyat tair vyākhyātam | yad vā, niṣevayā prema-lakṣaṇa-bhaktyā rūpam aśrupātādinā saundaryam, yad vā nitya-pūjayā mahāprasāda-mālādi-dhāraṇādinā |
(Bṛhad Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī-ṭīkā)
“Those whose dwelling is in water are fish, frogs, and so on. Those whose dwelling is on land are cows, deer, and so on. By partaking of fresh water, that is, by drinking and so on, they bore a bright appearance, that is, color (varṇa), or, [they born forth] excellent beauty on account of the attainment of nourishment and so on, and the departure of impurities and so on. This is the meaning. [Just as all living beings do] By serving, that is, by somehow taking up worshiping (bhajana), Hari, that is, Bhagavān, who is most captivating of the mind. This is the meaning. The rest was explained by him [i.e., by Śrī Śrīdhara Svāmīpāda]. Alternately, ‘by serving’ (niṣevayā), that is, by bhakti possessed of the characteristic of prema, [they bear forth] beauty by virtue of a flow of tears and so on, or, alternately, by daily adoration (pūjā) [they bear forth beauty] by means of wearing mahāprasāda garlands and so on.”
jaleti tair vyākhyātaṁ tatra sādhanāvasthāyāṁ parama-dharmatvaṁ prasiddham eva sukha-rūpatvaṁ ca—‘karmaṇy asminn anāśvāse dhūma-dhūmrātmanāṁ bhavan | āpāyayati govinda-pāda-padmāsavaṁ madhuḥ ||’ ity anusāreṇa sādhyāvasthāyāṁ tu parama-sukha-rūpatvaṁ prasiddham eveti vivecanīyam |
(Laghu Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī-ṭīkā)
“This verse (jala …) has been explained by him [i.e., by Śrī Śrīdhara Svāmīpāda]. In this regard, [“serving Hari’s” (Hari-niṣevā’s)] Being the highest dharma in the stage of sādhana is certainly well known, and as per [the statement in SB 1.18.12 of the sages led by Śaunaka to Sūta Gosvāmī], ‘You caused we whose bodies have become blackened with smoke in the midst of this uncertain rite to drink the sweet nectar of Govinda’s lotus feet,’ its being a form of bliss [in that stage] and being a form of the highest bliss in the stage to be accomplished [i.e., in the stage of perfection] is certainly well known. Such is to be discerned.”