ŚB 3.9.18
Devanagari
यस्माद्बिभेम्यहमपि द्विपरार्धधिष्ण्य-
मध्यासित: सकललोकनमस्कृतं यत् ।
तेपे तपो बहुसवोऽवरुरुत्समान-
स्तस्मै नमो भगवतेऽधिमखाय तुभ्यम् ॥ १८ ॥
मध्यासित: सकललोकनमस्कृतं यत् ।
तेपे तपो बहुसवोऽवरुरुत्समान-
स्तस्मै नमो भगवतेऽधिमखाय तुभ्यम् ॥ १८ ॥
Verse text
yasmād bibhemy aham api dviparārdha-dhiṣṇyam
adhyāsitaḥ sakala-loka-namaskṛtaṁ yat
tepe tapo bahu-savo ’varurutsamānas
tasmai namo bhagavate ’dhimakhāya tubhyam
adhyāsitaḥ sakala-loka-namaskṛtaṁ yat
tepe tapo bahu-savo ’varurutsamānas
tasmai namo bhagavate ’dhimakhāya tubhyam
Synonyms
yasmāt — from whom; bibhemi — fear; aham — I; api — also; dvi-para-ardha — up to the limit of 4,300,000,000 × 2 × 30 × 12 × 100 solar years; dhiṣṇyam — place; adhyāsitaḥ — situated in; sakala-loka — all other planets; namaskṛtam — honored by; yat — that; tepe — underwent; tapaḥ — penances; bahu-savaḥ — many, many years; avarurutsamānaḥ — desiring to obtain You; tasmai — unto Him; namaḥ — I do offer my obeisances; bhagavate — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adhimakhāya — unto Him who is the enjoyer of all sacrifices; tubhyam — unto Your Lordship.
Translation
Your Lordship, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You who are indefatigable time and the enjoyer of all sacrifices. Although I am situated in an abode which will continue to exist for a time duration of two parārdhas, although I am the leader of all other planets in the universe, and although I have undergone many, many years of penance for self-realization, still I offer my respects unto You.
Purport
Brahmā is the greatest personality in the universe because he has the longest duration of life. He is the most respectable personality because of his penance, influence, prestige, etc., and still he has to offer his respectful obeisances unto the Lord. Therefore, it is incumbent upon all others, who are far, far below the standard of Brahmā, to do as he did and offer respects as a matter of duty.