Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8: “Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

Chapter Five

SB8.5.34

TEXT 34

somam mano yasya samamananti

divaukasam yo balam andha ayuh

iso naganam prajanah prajanam

prasidatam nah sa maha-vibhutih

SYNONYMS

somam—the moon; manah—the mind; yasya—of whom (of the Supreme Personality of Godhead); samamananti—they say; divaukasam—of the denizens of the upper planetary systems; yah—who; balam—the strength; andhah—the food grains; ayuh—the duration of life; isah—the Supreme Lord; naganam—of the trees; prajanah—the source of breeding; prajanam—of all living entities; prasidatam—may He be pleased; nah—upon us; sah—that Supreme Personality of Godhead; maha-vibhutih—the source of all opulences.

TRANSLATION

Soma, the moon, is the source of food grains, strength and longevity for all the demigods. He is also the master of all vegetation and the source of generation for all living entities. As stated by learned scholars, the moon is the mind of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead, the source of all opulences, be pleased with us.

PURPORT

Soma, the predominating deity of the moon, is the source of food grains and therefore the source of strength even for the celestial beings, the demigods. He is the vital force for all vegetation. Unfortunately, modern so-called scientists, who do not fully understand the moon, describe the moon as being full of deserts. Since the moon is the source for our vegetation, how can the moon be a desert? The moonshine is the vital force for all vegetation, and therefore we cannot possibly accept that the moon is a desert.

SB8.5.35

TEXT 35

agnir mukham yasya tu jata-veda

jatah kriya-kanda-nimitta-janma

antah-samudre ’nupacan sva-dhatun

prasidatam nah sa maha-vibhutih

SYNONYMS

agnih—fire; mukham—the mouth through which the Supreme Personality of Godhead eats; yasya—of whom; tu—but; jata-vedah—the producer of wealth or of all necessities of life; jatah—produced; kriya-kanda—ritualistic ceremonies; nimitta—for the sake of; janma—formed for this reason; antah-samudre—within the depths of the ocean; anupacan—always digesting; sva-dhatun—all elements; prasidatam—may be pleased; nah—upon us; sah—He; maha-vibhutih—the supremely powerful.

TRANSLATION

Fire, which is born for the sake of accepting oblations in ritualistic ceremonies, is the mouth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Fire exists within the depths of the ocean to produce wealth, and fire is also present in the abdomen to digest food and produce various secretions for the maintenance of the body. May that supremely powerful Personality of Godhead be pleased with us.

SB8.5.36

TEXT 36

yac-caksur asit taranir deva-yanam

trayimayo brahmana esa dhisnyam

dvaram ca mukter amrtam ca mrtyuh

prasidatam nah sa maha-vibhutih

SYNONYMS

yat—that which; caksuh—eye; asit—became; taranih—the sun-god; deva-yanam—the predominating deity for the path of deliverance for the demigods; trayi-mayah—for the sake of guidance in karma-kanda Vedic knowledge; brahmanah—of the supreme truth; esah—this; dhisnyam—the place for realization; dvaram ca—as well as the gateway; mukteh—for liberation; amrtam—the path of eternal life; ca—as well as; mrtyuh—the cause of death; prasidatam—may He be pleased; nah—upon us; sah—that Supreme Personality of Godhead; maha-vibhutih—the all-powerful.

TRANSLATION

The sun-god marks the path of liberation, which is called arciradi-vartma. He is the chief source for understanding of the Vedas, he is the abode where the Absolute Truth can be worshiped, He is the gateway to liberation, and he is the source of eternal life as well as the cause of death. The sun-god is the eye of the Lord. May that Supreme Lord, who is supremely opulent, be pleased with us.

PURPORT

The sun-god is considered to be the chief of the demigods. He is also considered to be the demigod who watches the northern side of the universe. He gives help for understanding the Vedas. As confirmed in Brahma-samhita (5.52):

yac-caksur esa savita sakala-grahanam
raja samasta-sura-murtir asesa-tejah
yasyajnaya bhramati sambhrta-kala-cakro
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

“The sun, full of infinite effulgence, is the king of all the planets and the image of the good soul. The sun is like the eye of the Supreme Lord. I adore the primeval Lord Govinda, in pursuance of whose order the sun performs his journey, mounting the wheel of time.” The sun is actually the eye of the Lord. In the Vedic mantras it is said that unless the Supreme Personality of Godhead sees, no one can see. Unless there is sunlight, no living entity on any planet can see. Therefore the sun is considered to be the eye of the Supreme Lord. That is confirmed here by the words yac-caksur asit and in the Brahma-samhita by the words yac-caksur esa savita. The word savita means the sun-god.

SB8.5.37

TEXT 37

pranad abhud yasya caracaranam

pranah saho balam ojas ca vayuh

anvasma samrajam ivanuga vayam

prasidatam nah sa maha-vibhutih

SYNONYMS

pranat—from the vital force; abhut—generated; yasya—of whom; cara-acaranam—of all living entities, moving and nonmoving; pranah—the vital force; sahah—the basic principle of life; balam—strength; ojah—the vital force; ca—and; vayuh—the air; anvasma—follow; samrajam—an emperor; iva—like; anugah—followers; vayam—all of us; prasidatam—may be pleased; nah—upon us; sah—He; maha-vibhutih—the supremely powerful.

TRANSLATION

All living entities, moving and nonmoving, receive their vital force, their bodily strength and their very lives from the air. All of us follow the air for our vital force, exactly as servants follow an emperor. The vital force of air is generated from the original vital force of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. May that Supreme Lord be pleased with us.

SB8.5.38

TEXT 38

srotrad diso yasya hrdas ca khani

prajajnire kham purusasya nabhyah

pranendriyatmasu-sarira-ketah

prasidatam nah sa maha-vibhutih

SYNONYMS

srotrat—from the ears; disah—different directions; yasya—of whom; hrdah—from the heart; ca—also; khani—the holes of the body; prajajnire—generated; kham—the sky; purusasya—of the Supreme Person; nabhyah—from the navel; prana—of the life force; indriya—senses; atma—mind; asu—vital force; sarira—and body; ketah—the shelter; prasidatam—may be pleased; nah—upon us; sah—He; maha-vibhutih—the supremely powerful.

TRANSLATION

May the supremely powerful Personality of Godhead be pleased with us. The different directions are generated from His ears, the holes of the body come from His heart, and the vital force, the senses, the mind, the air within the body, and the ether, which is the shelter of the body, come from His navel.

 

TEXT 39

balan mahendras tri-dasah prasadan

manyor giriso dhisanad virincah

khebhyas tu chandamsy rsayo medhratah kah

prasidatam nah sa maha-vibhutih

SYNONYMS

balat—by His strength; maha-indrah—King Indra became possible; tri-dasah—as well as the demigods; prasadat—by satisfaction; manyoh—by anger; giri-isah—Lord Siva; dhisanat—from sober intelligence; virincah—Lord Brahma; khebhyah—from the bodily holes; tu—as well as; chandamsi—Vedic mantras; rsayah—great saintly persons; medhratah—from the genitals; kah—the prajapatis; prasidatam—may be pleased; nah—upon us; sah—He; maha-vibhutih—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has extraordinary power.

TRANSLATION

Mahendra, the King of Heaven, was generated from the prowess of the Lord, the demigods were generated from the mercy of the Lord, Lord Siva was generated from the anger of the Lord, and Lord Brahma from His sober intelligence. The Vedic mantras were generated from the bodily holes of the Lord, and the great saints and prajapatis were generated from His genitals. May that supremely powerful Lord be pleased with us.

SB8.5.40

TEXT 40

srir vaksasah pitaras chayayasan

dharmah stanad itarah prsthato ’bhut

dyaur yasya sirsno ’psaraso viharat

prasidatam nah sa maha-vibhutih

SYNONYMS

srih—the goddess of fortune; vaksasah—from His chest; pitarah—the inhabitants of Pitrloka; chayaya—from His shadow; asan—became possible; dharmah—the principle of religion; stanat—from His bosom; itarah—irreligion (the opposite of dharma); prsthatah—from the back; abhut—became possible; dyauh—the heavenly planets; yasya—of whom; sirsnah—from the top of the head; apsarasah—the inhabitants of Apsaroloka; viharat—by His sense enjoyment; prasidatam—kindly be pleased; nah—upon us; sah—He (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); maha-vibhutih—the greatest in all prowess.

TRANSLATION

The goddess of fortune was generated from His chest, the inhabitants of Pitrloka from His shadow, religion from His bosom, and irreligion [the opposite of religion] from His back. The heavenly planets were generated from the top of His head, and the Apsaras from His sense enjoyment. May that supremely powerful Personality of Godhead be pleased with us.

SB8.5.41

TEXT 41

vipro mukhad brahma ca yasya guhyam

rajanya asid bhujayor balam ca

urvor vid ojo ’nghrir aveda-sudrau

prasidatam nah sa maha-vibhutih

SYNONYMS

viprah—the brahmanas; mukhat—from His mouth; brahma—the Vedic literatures; ca—also; yasya—of whom; guhyam—from His confidential knowledge; rajanyah—the ksatriyas; asit—became possible; bhujayoh—from His arms; balam ca—as well as bodily strength; urvoh—from the thighs; vitvaisyas; ojah—and their expert productive knowledge; anghrih—from His feet; aveda—those who are beyond the jurisdiction of Vedic knowledge; sudrau—the worker class; prasidatam—may be pleased; nah—upon us; sah—He; maha-vibhutih—the supremely powerful Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

The brahmanas and Vedic knowledge come from the mouth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the ksatriyas and bodily strength come from His arms, the vaisyas and their expert knowledge in productivity and wealth come from His thighs, and the sudras, who are outside of Vedic knowledge, come from His feet. May that Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is full in prowess, be pleased with us.

SB8.5.42

TEXT 42

lobho ’dharat pritir upary abhud dyutir

nastah pasavyah sparsena kamah

bhruvor yamah paksma-bhavas tu kalah

prasidatam nah sa maha-vibhutih

SYNONYMS

lobhah—greed; adharat—from the lower lip; pritih—affection; upari—from the upper lip; abhut—became possible; dyutih—bodily luster; nastah—from the nose; pasavyah—fit for the animals; sparsena—by the touch; kamah—lusty desires; bhruvoh—from the eyebrows; yamah—Yamaraja became possible; paksma-bhavah—from the eyelashes; tu—but; kalah—eternal time, which brings death; prasidatam—be pleased; nah—upon us; sah—He; maha-vibhutih—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has great prowess.

TRANSLATION

Greed is generated from His lower lip, affection from His upper lip, bodily luster from His nose, animalistic lusty desires from His sense of touch, Yamaraja from His eyebrows, and eternal time from His eyelashes. May that Supreme Lord be pleased with us.

SB8.5.43

TEXT 43

dravyam vayah karma gunan visesam

yad-yogamaya-vihitan vadanti

yad durvibhavyam prabudhapabadham

prasidatam nah sa maha-vibhutih

SYNONYMS

dravyam—the five elements of the material world; vayah—time; karma—fruitive activities; gunan—the three modes of material nature; visesam—the varieties caused by combinations of the twenty-three elements; yat—that which; yoga-maya—by the Lord’s creative potency; vihitan—all done; vadanti—all learned men say; yat durvibhavyam—which is actually extremely difficult to understand; prabudha-apabadham—rejected by the learned, by those who are fully aware; prasidatam—may be pleased; nah—upon us; sah—He; maha-vibhutih—the controller of everything.

TRANSLATION

All learned men say that the five elements, eternal time, fruitive activity, the three modes of material nature, and the varieties produced by these modes are all creations of yogamaya. This material world is therefore extremely difficult to understand, but those who are highly learned have rejected it. May the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the controller of everything, be pleased with us.

PURPORT

The word durvibhavyam is very important in this verse. No one can understand how everything is happening in this material world by the arrangement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead through His material energies. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (9.10), mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sacaracaram: everything is actually happening under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This much we can learn, but how it is happening is extremely difficult to understand. We cannot even understand how the affairs within our body are systematically taking place. The body is a small universe, and since we cannot understand how things are happening in this small universe, how can we understand the affairs of the bigger universe? Actually this universe is very difficult to understand, yet learned sages have advised, as Krsna has also advised, that this material world is duhkhalayam asasvatam; [Bg. 8.15] in other words, it is a place of misery and temporality. One must give up this world and go back home, back to the Personality of Godhead. Materialists may argue, “If this material world and its affairs are impossible to understand, how can we reject it?” The answer is provided by the word prabudhapabadham. We have to reject this material world because it is rejected by those who are learned in Vedic wisdom. Even though we cannot understand what this material world is, we should be ready to reject it in accordance with the advice of learned persons, especially the advice of Krsna. Krsna says:

mam upetya punar janma
duhkhalayam asasvatam
napnuvanti mahatmanah
samsiddhim paramam gatah

“After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogis in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection.” (Bg. 8.15) One has to return home, back to Godhead, for this is the highest perfection of life. To go back to Godhead means to reject this material world. Although we cannot understand the functions of this material world and whether it is good for us or bad for us, in accordance with the advice of the supreme authority we must reject it and go back home, back to Godhead.

SB8.5.44

TEXT 44

namo ’stu tasma upasanta-saktaye

svarajya-labha-pratipuritatmane

gunesu maya-racitesu vrttibhir

na sajjamanaya nabhasvad-utaye

SYNONYMS

namah—our respectful obeisances; astu—let there be; tasmai—unto Him; upasanta-saktaye—who does not endeavor to achieve anything else, who is free from restlessness; svarajya—completely independent; labha—of all gains; pratipurita—fully achieved; atmane—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; gunesu—of the material world, which is moving because of the three modes of nature; maya-racitesu—things created by the external energy; vrttibhih—by such activities of the senses; na sajjamanaya—one who does not become attached, or one who is above material pains and pleasures; nabhasvat—the air; utaye—unto the Lord, who has created this material world as His pastime.

TRANSLATION

Let us offer our respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is completely silent, free from endeavor, and completely satisfied by His own achievements. He is not attached to the activities of the material world through His senses. Indeed, in performing His pastimes in this material world, He is just like the unattached air.

PURPORT

We can simply understand that behind the activities of material nature is the Supreme Lord, by whose indications everything takes place, although we cannot see Him. Even without seeing Him, we should offer Him our respectful obeisances. We should know that He is complete. Everything is done systematically by His energies (parasya saktir vividhaiva sruyate), and therefore He has nothing to do (na tasya karyam karanam ca vidyate). As indicated here by the word upasanta-saktaye, His different energies act, but although He sets these energies in action, He Himself has nothing to do. He is not attached to anything, for He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, let us offer our respectful obeisances unto Him.

SB8.5.45

TEXT 45

sa tvam no darsayatmanam

asmat-karana-gocaram

prapannanam didrksunam

sasmitam te mukhambujam

SYNONYMS

sah—He (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); tvam—You are my Lord; nah—to us; darsaya—be visible; atmanam—in Your original form; asmat-karana-gocaram—appreciable by our direct senses, especially by our eyes; prapannanam—we are all surrendered unto You; didrksunam—yet we wish to see You; sasmitam—smiling; te—Your; mukha-ambujam—lotuslike face.

TRANSLATION

O Supreme Personality of Godhead, we are surrendered unto You, yet we wish to see You. Please make Your original form and smiling lotus face visible to our eyes and appreciable to our other senses.

PURPORT

The devotees are always eager to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His original form, with His smiling lotuslike face. They are not interested in experiencing the impersonal form. The Lord has both impersonal and personal features. The impersonalists have no idea of the personal feature of the Lord, but Lord Brahma and the members of his disciplic succession want to see the Lord in His personal form. Without a personal form there can be no question of a smiling face, which is clearly indicated here by the words sasmitam te mukhambujam. Those who are in the Vaisnava sampradaya of Brahma always want to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They are eager to realize the Lord’s personal feature, not the impersonal feature. As clearly stated here, asmat-karana-gocaram: the personal feature of the Lord can be directly perceived by our senses.

SB8.5.46

TEXT 46

tais taih sveccha-bhutai rupaih

kale kale svayam vibho

karma durvisaham yan no

bhagavams tat karoti hi

SYNONYMS

taih—by such appearances; taih—by such incarnations; sva-iccha-bhutaih—all appearing by Your personal sweet will; rupaih—by factual forms; kale kale—in different millenniums; svayam—personally; vibho—O Supreme; karma—activities; durvisaham—uncommon (unable to be enacted by anyone else); yat—that which; nah—unto us; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tat—that; karoti—executes; hi—indeed.

TRANSLATION

O Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, by Your sweet will You appear in various incarnations, millennium after millennium, and act wonderfully, performing uncommon activities that would be impossible for us.

PURPORT

The Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (4.7):

yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself.” Thus it is not imagination but a fact that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by His sweet will, appears in different incarnations, such as Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Nrsimha, Vamana, Parasurama, Ramacandra, Balarama, Buddha and many other forms. Devotees are always eager to see one of the Lord’s innumerable forms. It is said that just as no one can count how many waves there are in the sea, no one can count the forms of the Lord. This does not mean, however, that anyone can claim to be a form of the Lord and be acceptable as an incarnation. The incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead must be accepted in terms of the descriptions found in the sastras. Lord Brahma is eager to see the incarnation of the Lord, or the original source of all incarnations; he is not eager to see an imposter. The incarnation’s activities are proof of His identity. All the incarnations described in the sastras act wonderfully (kesava dhrta-mina-sarira jaya jagadisa hare). It is only by the personal sweet will of the Supreme Personality of Godhead that He appears and disappears, and only fortunate devotees can expect to see Him face to face.

SB8.5.47

TEXT 47

klesa-bhury-alpa-sarani

karmani viphalani va

dehinam visayartanam

na tathaivarpitam tvayi

SYNONYMS

klesa—hardship; bhuri—very much; alpa—very little; sarani—good result; karmani—activities; viphalani—frustration; va—either; dehinam—of persons; visaya-artanam—who are eager to enjoy the material world; na—not; tatha—like that; eva—indeed; arpitam—dedicated; tvayi—unto Your Lordship.

TRANSLATION

Karmis are always anxious to accumulate wealth for their sense gratification, but for that purpose they must work very hard. Yet even though they work hard, the results are not satisfying. Indeed, sometimes their work results only in frustration. But devotees who have dedicated their lives to the service of the Lord can achieve substantial results without working very hard. These results exceed the devotee’s expectations.

PURPORT

We can practically see how the devotees who have dedicated their lives for the service of the Lord in the Krsna consciousness movement are getting immense opportunities for the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead without working very hard. The Krsna consciousness movement actually started with only forty rupees, but now it has more than forty crores worth of property, and all this opulence has been achieved within eight or ten years. No karmi can expect to improve his business so swiftly, and besides that, whatever a karmi acquires is temporary and sometimes frustrating. In Krsna consciousness, however, everything is encouraging and improving. The Krsna consciousness movement is not very popular with the karmis because this movement recommends that one refrain from illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication. These are restrictions that karmis very much dislike. Nonetheless, in the presence of so many enemies, this movement is progressing, going forward without impediments. If the devotees continue to spread this movement, dedicating life and soul to the lotus feet of Krsna, no one will be able to check it. The movement will go forward without limits. Chant Hare Krsna!

SB8.5.48

TEXT 48

navamah karma-kalpo ’pi

viphalayesvararpitah

kalpate purusasyaiva

sa hy atma dayito hitah

SYNONYMS

na—not; avamah—very little, or insignificant; karma—activities; kalpah—rightly executed; api—even; viphalaya—go in vain; isvara-arpitah—because of being dedicated to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kalpate—it is so accepted; purusasya—of all persons; eva—indeed; sah—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; hi—certainly; atma—the Supersoul, the supreme father; dayitah—extremely dear; hitah—beneficial.

TRANSLATION

Activities dedicated to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, even if performed in small measure, never go in vain. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, being the supreme father, is naturally very dear and always ready to act for the good of the living entities.

PURPORT

In Bhagavad-gita (2.40), the Lord says svalpam apy asya dharmasya trayate mahato bhayat: this dharma, devotional service, is so important that even if performed to a very small, almost negligible extent, it can give one the supreme result. There are many instances in the history of the world in which even a slight service rendered to the Lord has saved a living entity from the greatest danger. Ajamila, for example, was saved by the Supreme Personality of Godhead from the greatest danger, that of going to hell. He was saved simply because he chanted the name Narayana at the end of his life. When Ajamila chanted this holy name of the Lord, Narayana, he did not chant knowingly; actually he was calling his youngest son, whose name was Narayana. Nonetheless, Lord Narayana took this chanting seriously, and thus Ajamila achieved the result of ante narayana-smrtih, remembering Narayana at the end of life. If one somehow or other remembers the holy name of Narayana, Krsna or Rama at the end of life, he immediately achieves the transcendental result of going back home, back to Godhead.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is actually the only object of our love. As long as we are in this material world we have so many desires to fulfill, but when we come in touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we immediately become perfect and fully satisfied, just as a child is fully satisfied when he comes to the lap of his mother. Dhruva Maharaja went to the forest to achieve some material result by austerity and penance, but when he actually saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead he said, “I do not want any material benediction. I am completely satisfied.” Even if one wants some material benefit from serving the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this can be achieved extremely easily, without hard labor. Therefore the sastra recommends:

akamah sarva-kamo va
moksa-kama udara-dhih
tivrena bhakti-yogena
yajeta purusam param

“Whether one desires everything or nothing or desires to merge into the existence of the Lord, he is intelligent only if he worships Lord Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by rendering transcendental loving service.” (Bhag. 2.3.10) Even if one has material desires, one can undoubtedly achieve what he wants by rendering service to the Lord.

SB8.5.49

TEXT 49

yatha hi skandha-sakhanam

taror mulavasecanam

evam aradhanam visnoh

sarvesam atmanas ca hi

SYNONYMS

yatha—as; hi—indeed; skandha—of the trunk; sakhanam—and of the branches; taroh—of a tree; mula—the root; avasecanam—watering; evam—in this way; aradhanam—worship; visnoh—of Lord Visnu; sarvesam—of everyone; atmanah—of the Supersoul; ca—also; hi—indeed.

TRANSLATION

When one pours water on the root of a tree, the trunk and branches of the tree are automatically pleased. Similarly, when one becomes a devotee of Lord Visnu, everyone is served, for the Lord is the Supersoul of everyone.

PURPORT

As stated in the Padma Purana:

aradhananam sarvesam
visnor aradhanam param
tasmat parataram devi
tadiyanam samarcanam

“Of all types of worship, worship of Lord Visnu is best, and better than the worship of Lord Visnu is the worship of His devotee, the Vaisnava.” There are many demigods worshiped by people who are attached to material desires (kamais tais tair hrta jnanah prapadyante’nya-devatah [Bg. 7.20]). Because people are embarrassed by so many material desires, they worship Lord Siva, Lord Brahma, the goddess Kali, Durga, Ganesa and Surya to achieve different results. However, one can achieve all these results simultaneously just by worshiping Lord Visnu. As stated elsewhere in the Bhagavatam (4.31.14):

yatha taror mula-nisecanena
trpyanti tat-skandha-bhujopasakhah
pranopaharac ca yathendriyanam
tathaiva sarvarhanam acyutejya

“Just by pouring water on the root of a tree, one nourishes its trunk and all of its branches, fruits and flowers, and just by supplying food to the stomach, one satisfies all the limbs of the body. Similarly, by worshiping Lord Visnu one can satisfy everyone.” Krsna consciousness is not a sectarian religious movement. Rather, it is meant for all-embracing welfare activities for the world. One can enter this movement without discrimination in terms of caste, creed, religion or nationality. If one is trained to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, who is the origin of visnu-tattva, one can become fully satisfied and perfect in all respects.

SB8.5.50

TEXT 50

namas tubhyam anantaya

durvitarkyatma-karmane

nirgunaya gunesaya

sattva-sthaya ca sampratam

SYNONYMS

namah—all obeisances; tubhyam—unto You, my Lord; anantaya—who are everlasting, transcending the three phases of time (past, present and future); durvitarkya-atma-karmane—unto You, who perform inconceivable activities; nirgunaya—which are all transcendental, free from the inebriety of material qualities; guna-isaya—unto You, who control the three modes of material nature; sattva-sthaya—who are in favor of the material quality of goodness; ca—also; sampratam—at present.

TRANSLATION

My Lord, all obeisances unto You, who are eternal, beyond time’s limits of past, present and future. You are inconceivable in Your activities, You are the master of the three modes of material nature, and, being transcendental to all material qualities, You are free from material contamination. You are the controller of all three of the modes of nature, but at the present You are in favor of the quality of goodness. Let us offer our respectful obeisances unto You.

PURPORT

The Supreme Personality of Godhead controls the material activities manifested by the three modes of material nature. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, nirgunam guna-bhoktr ca: the Supreme Personality of Godhead is always transcendental to the material qualities (sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna), but nonetheless He is their controller. The Lord manifests Himself in three features—as Brahma, Visnu and Mahesvara—to control these three qualities. He personally takes charge of sattva-guna as Lord Visnu, and He entrusts the charge of rajo-guna and tamo-guna to Lord Brahma and Lord Siva. Ultimately, however, He is the controller of all three gunas. Lord Brahma, expressing his appreciation, said that because Lord Visnu had now taken charge of the activities of goodness, there was every hope that the demigods would be successful in fulfilling their desires. The demigods were harassed by the demons, who were infested with tamo-guna. However, as Lord Brahma has previously described, since the time of sattva-guna had now arrived, the demigods could naturally expect to fulfill their desires. The demigods are supposedly well advanced in knowledge, yet they could not understand the knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the Lord is addressed here as anantaya. Although Lord Brahma knows past, present and future, he is unable to understand the unlimited knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Eighth Canto, Fifth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled “The Demigods Appeal to the Lord for Protection.”

Next chapter (SB 8.6)