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Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.9.9
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A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 9
- tān sametān mahā-bhāgān
- upalabhya vasūttamaḥ
- pūjayām āsa dharma-jño
- deśa-kāla-vibhāgavit
tānall of them — all of them; sametānassembled together — assembled together; mahāall greatly powerful-bhāgānall greatly powerful — all greatly powerful; upalabhyahaving received — having received; vasuthe best among the Vasus (Bhīṣmadeva)-uttamaḥthe best among the Vasus (Bhīṣmadeva) — the best among the Vasus (Bhīṣmadeva); pūjayāmwelcomed āsawelcomed — welcomed; dharmaone who knows religious principles-jñaḥone who knows religious principles — one who knows religious principles; deśaplace — place; kālatime — time; vibhāgaone who knows the adjustment of place and time-vitone who knows the adjustment of place and time — one who knows the adjustment of place and time.
Bhīṣmadeva, who was the best amongst the eight Vasus, received and welcomed all the great and powerful ṛṣis who were assembled there, for he knew perfectly all the religious principles according to time and place.
Expert religionists know perfectly well how to adjust religious principles in terms of time and place. All the great ācāryas or religious preachers or reformers of the world executed their mission by adjustment of religious principles in terms of time and place. There are different climates and situations in different parts of the world, and if one has to discharge his duties to preach the message of the Lord, he must be expert in adjusting things in terms of the time and place. Bhīṣmadeva was one of the twelve great authorities in preaching this cult of devotional service, and therefore he could receive and welcome all the powerful sages assembled there at his deathbed from all parts of the universe. He was certainly unable at that time to welcome and receive them physically because he was neither at his home nor in a normal healthy condition. But he was quite fit by the activities of his sound mind, and therefore he could utter sweet words with hearty expressions, and all of them were well received. One can perform one's duty by physical work, by mind and by words. And he knew well how to utilize them in the proper place, and therefore there was no difficulty for him to receive them, although physically unfit.