विगर्हितं धर्मशीलैर्ब्रह्मवर्चौपव्ययम् ।
कथं नु मद्विधो नाथा लोकेशैरभियाचितम् ।
प्रत्याख्यास्यति तच्छिष्यः स एव स्वार्थ उच्यते ॥३५॥
Å›rÄ«-viÅ›varÅ«pa uvÄca
vigarhitaṠdharma-śīlair
brahmavarca-upavyayam
kathaá¹ nu mad-vidho nÄthÄ
lokeÅ›air abhiyÄcitam
pratyÄkhyÄsyati tac-chiá¹£yaḥ
sa eva svÄrtha ucyate
Å›rÄ«-viÅ›varÅ«paḥ uvÄca - ÅšrÄ« ViÅ›varÅ«pa said; vigarhitam - condemned; dharma-śīlaiḥ - by persons respectful to the religious principles; brahma-varcaḥ - of brahminical strength or power; upavyayam - causes loss; katham - how; nu - indeed; mat-vidhaḥ - a person like me; nÄthÄḥ - O lords; loka-Ä«Å›aiḥ - by the ruling powers of different planets; abhiyÄcitam - request; pratyÄkhyÄsyati - will refuse; tat-Å›iá¹£yaḥ - who is on the level of their disciple; saḥ - that; eva - indeed; sva-arthaḥ - real interest; ucyate - is described as.
Śrī Viśvarūpa said: O demigods, although the acceptance of priesthood is decried as causing the loss of previously acquired brahminical power, how can someone like me refuse to accept your personal request? You are all exalted commanders of the entire universe. I am your disciple and must take many lessons from you. Therefore I cannot refuse you. I must agree for my own benefit.
The professions of a qualified brÄhmaṇa are paá¹hana, pÄá¹hana, yajana, yÄjana, dÄna and pratigraha. The words yajana and yÄjana mean that a brÄhmaṇa becomes the priest of the populace for the sake of their elevation. One who accepts the post of spiritual master neutralizes the sinful reactions of the yajamÄna, the one on whose behalf he performs yajña. Thus the results of the pious acts previously performed by the priest or spiritual master are diminished. Therefore priesthood is not accepted by learned brÄhmaṇas. Nevertheless, the greatly learned brÄhmaṇa ViÅ›varÅ«pa became the priest of the demigods because of his profound respect for them.
