Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.14.11
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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sapta-vitasti
—
seven spans (of one's own hand)
Compound: sapta (seven) + vitasti (span — the distance from thumb to little finger, ~9 inches). The traditional measure of the human body. Brahmā, the universal creator, deflates himself to a human metric. The aṣṭāṅga-vinaya begins with body-measurement.
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aṇḍa-ghaṭa
—
the egg-shaped pot (of the universe)
Compound: aṇḍa (egg) + ghaṭa (pot). The brahmāṇḍa as clay vessel. Bhāgavatam's standard image — the universe is a sealed pot inside which Brahmā sits as a sapta-vitasti creature.
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vāta-adhva-roma-vivarasya
—
of whose pores serve as windows for the passage of air
Compound: vāta (wind) + adhvan (path) + roma (hair-pore) + vivara (opening). Universes drift past Kṛṣṇa's body the way dust drifts past a screen — the Bhāgavata's most extreme aiśvarya image. Yet Brahmā places it in a stuti to a boy holding rice.
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avigaṇita-aṇḍa
—
of uncountable universes
Compound: avigaṇita (uncounted) + aṇḍa (universes). Plural cosmoses. The Caitanya-caritāmṛta cites this view as evidence against single-universe cosmology — Bhagavān's aiśvarya is multi-cosmic, but His mādhurya is right here in Vraja.
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mahitvam
—
glory, greatness
From √mah. The same root as mahimā (verse 6). Brahmā piles up the aiśvarya not to glorify aiśvarya but to set up verses 31–34: Bhagavān whose pores hold universes lets Yaśodā bind Him.
In the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, Chapter Five, text 72, Śrīla Prabhupāda gives the following purport for this verse: “Then Lord Brahmā, after having stolen all Kṛṣṇa’s calves and cowherd boys, returned and saw that the calves and boys were still roaming with Kṛṣṇa, he offered this prayer in his defeat. A conditioned soul, even one so great as Brahmā, who manages the affairs of the entire universe, cannot compare to the Personality of Godhead, for He can produce numberless universes simply by the spiritual rays emanating from the pores of His body. Material scientists should take lessons from the utterances of Śrī Brahmā regarding our insignificance in comparison with God. In these prayers of Brahmā there is much to learn for those who are falsely puffed up by the accumulation of power.” In Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Chapter Fourteen, Śrīla Prabhupāda further comments on this verse: “Lord Brahmā realized his actual position. He is certainly the supreme teacher of this universe, in charge of the production of material nature, consisting of the complete material energy, false ego, sky, air, fire, water and earth. Such a universe may be gigantic, but it can be measured, just as we measure our body as seven spans. Generally, everyone’s personal bodily measurement is calculated to be seven spans of his hand. This particular universe may appear to be a very gigantic body, but it is nothing but the measurement of seven spans for Lord Brahmā. “Aside from this universe, there are unlimited other universes outside the jurisdiction of this particular Lord Brahmā. Just as innumerable atomic infinitesimal fragments pass through the holes of a screened window, so millions and trillions of universes in their seedling form are coming out from the bodily pores of Mahā-Viṣṇu, and that Mahā-Viṣṇu is but a part of the plenary expansion of Kṛṣṇa. Under these circumstances, although Lord Brahmā is the supreme creature within this universe, what is his importance in the presence of Lord Kṛṣṇa?”
"Though you create the universe, you are not proud of that. In comparison to that, what powers do I have to be proud of ? You have as your body of the universe surrounded by prakrti ( tamas), mahat tattva, ahankara (aham), ether (kham), air and fire (cara), water (vah) and earth (bhuh), within which are situated all the planets from patala to satya loka. In that expanse, where am I, being only three hands tall? And within the pores of your skin countless universes are moving like particles of air moving through the hole of a window screen. Who can measure that greatness? Here Brahma equates mahavisnu as creator of mahat tattva with Krsna, and shows that in comparison to Krsna, he is like a small bird in comparison to Garuda.
“I am insignificant. I cannot make you, such a great person, forgive me since I am very different from you, who pervade the spiritual and material realms as Vāsudeva, though I am lord of the material world.” He praises Kṛṣṇa as Mahā-viṣṇu in order to say this. The universe is compared to a pot because in a short time it will be destroyed. Brahmā, just seven hands high, is an insignificant person. Mahā-viṣṇu is nine hands in height. The universes pass through his pores, coming out or going in when he creates or destroys the universes (īdṛk-vidhā). The pores are very small and limiting, but in them all the universe reside. Yasyāyutāyutāṁśāṁśe viṣṇu-śaktir iyaṁ sthitā: the śakti of Viṣṇu is situated in a ten millionth portion of a portion of Viṣṇu. (Viṣṇu Purāṇa) This is your glory (mahitvaṁ). Therefore you should show mercy to me.
“How can I whom am so insignificant forgive you who are so great?” The universe is like a pot, insignificant compared to the Lord’s glory. What is your greatness! Therefore you should forgive me.
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- Romapada Sw SB 10-14-11 - 2019-05-07 ISKCON Chicago
- Which of my recent 'big concerns' shrinks when placed beside the actual scope of the Lord?
- Where am I treating my tiny circle of influence as if it were the whole universe?
A clay pot holds half a litre of air; the sky holds every pot. Brahmā measures himself at seven spans and locates himself inside a pot-shaped universe of pañca-bhūta; then he points at the Lord and says — universes pass through the pores of Your body like dust through a window-screen. The cosmic creator confesses he is the screen, not the sky.
My note
Source: vedabase.io