sayanam sriya utsange

pada vaksasy atadayat

tata utthaya bhagavan

saha laksmya satam gatih

 

sva-talpad avaruhyatha

nanama sirasa munim

aha te svagatam brahman

nisidatrasane ksanam

ajanatam agatan vah

ksantum arhatha nah prabho

 

Translation: 

 

There he went up to the Supreme Lord, who was lying with His head on the lap of His consort, Sri, and kicked Him on the chest. The Lord then rose, along with Goddess Laksmi, as a sign of respect. Coming down from His bedstead, that supreme goal of all pure devotees bowed His head to the floor before the sage and told him, ‘Welcome, brahmana. Please sit in this chair and rest awhile. Kindly forgive us, dear master, for not noticing your arrival.’

 

Purport: 

 

According to Srila Jiva Gosvami, at the time of this pastime Bhrgu Muni had not yet become a pure Vaisnava; otherwise he would not have acted so rashly toward the Supreme Lord. Not only was Lord Visnu taking rest, but He was lying with His head in His wife’s lap. For Bhrgu to strike Him in this position — and not with his hand but with his foot — was worse than any other offense Bhrgu could have imagined.

 

Srila Prabhupada comments: “Of course, Lord Visnu is all-merciful. He did not become angry at the activities of Bhrgu Muni, for Bhrgu Muni was a great brahmana. A brahmana is to be excused even if he sometimes commits an offense, and Lord Visnu set the example. Yet it is said that from the time of this incident the goddess of fortune, Laksmi, has not been very favorably disposed toward the brahmanas, and therefore because the goddess of fortune withholds her benedictions from them, the brahmanas are generally very poor.”