FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.3.36

स वा इदं विश्वममोघलील: सृजत्यवत्यत्ति न सज्जतेऽस्मिन् । भूतेषु चान्तर्हित आत्मतन्त्र: षाड्‍वर्गिकं जिघ्रति षड्‍गुणेश: ॥ ३६ ॥
sa vā idaṁ viśvam amogha-līlaḥ
[sa vaa idam vishvam amogha-leelah]
sṛjaty avaty atti na sajjate ’smin
[srijaty avaty atti na sajjate ’smin]
bhūteṣu cāntarhita ātma-tantraḥ
[bhooteshu chaantarhita aatma-tantrah]
ṣāḍ-vargikaṁ jighrati ṣaḍ-guṇeśaḥ
[shaad-vargikam jighrati shad-guneshah]
saḥ — the Supreme Lord vā — alternately idam — this viśvam — manifested universes amogha-līlaḥ — one whose activities are spotless sṛjati — creates avati atti — maintains and annihilates na — not sajjate — is affected by asmin — in them bhūteṣu — in all living beings ca — also antarhitaḥ — living within ātma-tantraḥ — self-independent ṣāṭ-vargikam — endowed with all the potencies of His opulences jighrati — superficially attached, like smelling the fragrance ṣaṭ-guṇa-īśaḥ — master of the six senses.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa vā idaṁ viśvam amogha-līlaḥ
saḥ
the Supreme Lord
vā
alternately
idam
this
viśvam
manifested universes
amogha-līlaḥ
one whose activities are spotless
sṛjaty avaty atti na sajjate ’smin
sṛjati
creates
avati atti
maintains and annihilates
na
not
sajjate
is affected by
asmin
in them
bhūteṣu cāntarhita ātma-tantraḥ
bhūteṣu
in all living beings
ca
also
antarhitaḥ
living within
ātma-tantraḥ
self-independent
ṣāḍ-vargikaṁ jighrati ṣaḍ-guṇeśaḥ
ṣāṭ-vargikam
endowed with all the potencies of His opulences
jighrati
superficially attached, like smelling the fragrance
ṣaṭ-guṇa-īśaḥ
master of the six senses.
The Lord, whose activities are always spotless, is the master of the six senses and is fully omnipotent with six opulences. He creates the manifested universes, maintains them and annihilates them without being in the least affected. He is within every living being and is always independent.

The prime difference between the Lord and the living entities is that the Lord is the creator and the living entities are the created. Here He is called the amogha-līlaḥ, which indicates that there is nothing lamentable in His creation. Those who create disturbance in His creation are themselves disturbed. He is transcendental to all material afflictions because He is full with all six opulences, namely wealth, power, fame, beauty, knowledge and renunciation, and thus He is the master of the senses. He creates these manifested universes in order to reclaim the living beings who are within them suffering threefold miseries, maintains them, and in due course annihilates them without being the least affected by such actions. He is connected with this material creation very superficially, as one smells odor without being connected with the odorous article. Nongodly elements, therefore, can never approach Him, despite all endeavors.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The independent Lord, who has spotless pastimes, who has entered into all beings, creates, maintains and destroys this universe. Being the master of the six senses, he contacts the six sense objects ((sound, touch, form, taste, smell and thought) without being affected.
Commentary

There are many other remarkable qualities of the Lord. First his unlimited power is described. From far off, the Lord senses the six sense objects (ṣāḍ-vargikam), but is not attached to them. Why? He is the master of the six senses (ṣad-guṇeśaḥ). Or he is the master of the six auspicious qualities (aiśvarya, vīrya, yaśas etc.) Thus he experiences happiness arising from these six qualities.

The Lord creates, maintains, and destroys universes — and is unaffected by any of it. He is within every being yet always independent. The model is presence without entanglement.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I entangled in something I'm only meant to be present to?
  • What would it look like to be 'within everything' I do today and yet remain independent?
📝 My note

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