Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.13.52
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
-
aṇimā-ādyaiḥ
—
headed by aṇimā
Compound: aṇimā (the siddhi of becoming small) + ādi (etc.). Aṇimā is the first of the eight mystic siddhis. Gauḍīyas note: even the siddhis — which yogīs strive lifetimes to attain — stand here as retinue, not as objects.
-
ajā-ādyābhiḥ
—
headed by Ajā
Compound: ajā (the unborn one, a name for māyā-śakti) + ādi. Ajā is the cosmic feminine power, the personified māyā. Gauḍīyas read her appearance as retinue as a Bhāgavata-doctrine: māyā herself serves Viṣṇu.
-
vibhūtibhiḥ
—
by mystic potencies
Instrumental plural of vibhūti (manifestation, opulence, power). The same vibhūti-language as BG chapter 10. Gauḍīyas note the resonance: every vibhūti of Bhagavān is here standing in Brahmā's vision, embodied and worshiping.
-
catuḥ-viṁśatibhiḥ
—
twenty-four (in number)
Compound: catur (four) + viṁśati (twenty). Paired in the verse with tattvaiḥ — twenty-four tattvas: the Sāṅkhya inventory of five mahābhūtas, five tan-mātras, five jñānendriyas, five karmendriyas, mind, intellect, false ego, mahat-tattva. Gauḍīyas read their inclusion as the verse's claim that even Sāṅkhya's whole inventory is Viṣṇu's retinue.
-
mahat-ādibhiḥ
—
headed by the mahat-tattva
Compound: mahat (the great principle, primal intellect) + ādi. Mahat-tattva is the first product of prakṛti's evolution. Gauḍīyas read its retinue-status as the Bhāgavata's standing reply to Sāṅkhya: mahat is not autonomous; it serves.
In this verse the word mahimabhiḥ means aiśvarya, or opulence. The Supreme Personality of Godhead can do whatever He likes. That is His aiśvarya. No one can command Him, but He can command everyone. Sad-aiśvarya-pūrṇam. The Lord is full in six opulences. The yoga-siddhis, the perfections of yoga, such as the ability to become smaller than the smallest ( aṇimā-siddhi ) or bigger than the biggest ( mahimā-siddhi ), are present in Lord Viṣṇu. Sad-aiśvaryaiḥ pūrṇo ya iha bhagavān (Cc. Ādi 1.3). The word ajā means māyā, or mystic power. Everything mysterious is in full existence in Viṣṇu. The twenty-four elements mentioned are the five working senses ( pañca-karmendriya ), the five senses for obtaining knowledge ( pañca-jñānendriya ), the five gross material elements ( pañca-mahābhūta ), the five sense objects ( pañca-tanmātra ), the mind ( manas ), the false ego ( ahaṅkāra ), the mahat-tattva, and material nature ( prakṛti ). All twenty-four of these elements are employed for the manifestation of this material world. The mahat-tattva is divided into different subtle categories, but originally it is called the mahat-tattva.
They were surrounded by the eight powers (mahimabhih), by maya and other saktis (ajadyabhih vibhuti bhih) and by the twenty four elements (caturvimsatibhih tattvaih) starting with mahat tattva. In this enumeration of the twenty four elements starting with mahat tattva, a distinction is made between mahat tattva (twenty fourth element, instead of prakrti) and sutra tattva (a state where the gunas are slightly manifested, becoming the twenty third element, instead of mahat tattva). Tattvaih means "by causes of the universe."
The forms were surrounded by great powers, such as the ability to become small. Ajā means “she who is not born.” This can refer to the nitya-siddha Lakṣmī or Yogamāyā. Ādi means the material māyā along with vidyā and avidyā.
- Anuttama Pr SB 10-13-52 - 2019-04-13 ISKCON Chicago
- Padaseva Pr SB 10-13-52 Oriya
- Amal Bhakta Sw SB 10-13-52 - 2017-06-20 Los Angeles
- BVVNarsimhaS SB 10-13-52 - 2020-06-27 ISKCON Mayapur
- JPS SB 10-13-52 - 1995-08-09 Poland
- PrahladAnS SB 10-13-52 - Knower - 2024-02-13 ISKCON Slovenia
- PrahladAnS SB 10-13-52 Slovenian Translation - Poznavalec - 2024-02-13 ISKCON Slovenia
- Have I confused acquiring 'powers' (focus, eloquence, success) with arriving — when they are meant to serve the Lord, not be served by Him?
- Where would I let a capacity I have go back to being His servant rather than mine?
Around each Viṣṇu-mūrti, the entire metaphysical inventory — the eight mystic siddhis like a halo, the personified mystic energies like attendants, and the twenty-four tattvas of Sāṅkhya like courtiers — all standing as embodied retinue. The forest meadow has become the throne room of cosmology.
My note
Source: vedabase.io