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Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.6.35
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A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 35
- etat kṣattar bhagavato
- daiva-karmātma-rūpiṇaḥ
- kaḥ śraddadhyād upākartuṁ
- yogamāyā-balodayam
etatthis — this; kṣattaḥO Vidura — O Vidura; bhagavataḥof the Supreme Personality of Godhead — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; daivaof the gigantic form of transcendental work, time and nature-karmaof the gigantic form of transcendental work, time and nature-ātmaof the gigantic form of transcendental work, time and nature-rūpiṇaḥof the gigantic form of transcendental work, time and nature — of the gigantic form of transcendental work, time and nature; kaḥwho else — who else; śraddadhyātcan aspire — can aspire; upākartummeasure in totality — measure in totality; yogamāyāinternal potency — internal potency; balamanifested by the strength of-udayammanifested by the strength of — manifested by the strength of.
O Vidura, who can estimate or measure the transcendental time, work and potency of the gigantic form manifested by the internal potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead?
The froggish philosophers may go on with their mental speculations on the subject matter of the virāṭ, the gigantic form exhibited by the yoga-māyā internal potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but factually no one can measure such a vast exhibition. In Bhagavad-gītā (BG 11.16, Not yet available in the library. Try the live source.), Arjuna, the recognized devotee of the Lord, says:
- aneka-bāhūdara-vaktra-netraṁ
- paśyāmi tvāṁ sarvato 'nanta-rūpam
- nāntaṁ na madhyaṁ na punas tavādiṁ
- paśyāmi viśveśvara viśva-rūpa
"O my Lord, O gigantic viśva-rūpa form, O master of the universe, I see innumerable hands, bodies, mouths and eyes in all directions, and they are all unlimited. I cannot find the end of this manifestation, nor do I see the middle, nor the beginning."
Bhagavad-gītā was specifically spoken to Arjuna, and the viśva-rūpa was exhibited before him at his request. He was awarded the specific eyes to see this viśva-rūpa, yet although he was able to see the Lord's innumerable hands and mouths, he was unable to see Him completely. Since Arjuna was unable to estimate the length and breadth of the potency of the Lord, who else would be able to do so? One may only indulge in miscalculation like the frog-philosopher. The frog-philosopher wanted to estimate the length and breadth of the Pacific Ocean by his experience of a well three cubic feet large, and thus he began to puff himself up to become as big as the Pacific Ocean, but at last he burst and died by this process. This story is applicable to the mental philosophers who, under the illusion of the Lord's external energy, indulge in estimating the length and breadth of the Supreme Lord. The best path is to become a cool-headed, submissive devotee of the Lord, try to hear about the Lord from the bona fide spiritual master, and thus serve the Lord in transcendental loving service, as suggested in the previous verse.