FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.56.8

नन्वन्विच्छन्ति ते मार्गं त्रिलोक्यां विबुधर्षभा: । ज्ञात्वाद्य गूढं यदुषु द्रष्टुं त्वां यात्यज: प्रभो ॥ ८ ॥
nanv anvicchanti te mārgaṁ
[nanv anvichchanti te maargam]
trī-lokyāṁ vibudharṣabhāḥ
[tree-lokyaam vibudharshabhaah]
jñātvādya gūḍhaṁ yaduṣu
[jnaatvaadya goodham yadushu]
draṣṭuṁ tvāṁ yāty ajaḥ prabho
[drashtum tvaam yaaty ajah prabho]
nanu — certainly anvicchanti — they seek out te — Your mārgam — path tri - lokyām — in all the three worlds vibudha — of the wise demigods ṛṣabhāḥ — the most exalted yñātvā — knowing adya — now gūḍham — disguised yaduṣu — among the Yadus draṣṭum — to see tvām — You yāti — comes ajaḥ — the unborn (sun-god) prabho — O Lord .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
nanv anvicchanti te mārgaṁ
nanu
certainly
anvicchanti
they seek out
te
Your
mārgam
path
trī-lokyāṁ vibudharṣabhāḥ
tri - lokyām
in all the three worlds
vibudha
of the wise demigods
ṛṣabhāḥ
the most exalted
yñātvā
knowing
jñātvādya gūḍhaṁ yaduṣu
adya
now
gūḍham
disguised
yaduṣu
among the Yadus
draṣṭuṁ tvāṁ yāty ajaḥ prabho
draṣṭum
to see
tvām
You
yāti
comes
ajaḥ
the unborn (sun-god)
prabho
O Lord .
  • gūḍham — disguised, hidden
    Past participle of √guh. The technical Bhāgavata term for Bhagavān's chosen concealment among His devotees. His aiśvarya is veiled by mādhurya — the very point of the avatāra.
  • yaduṣu — among the Yadus
    Locative plural. The hiding place is a family. Gauḍīya doctrine: Bhagavān's 'disguise' is never solitary — He hides inside relationships (Vraja, Yadu, Mathurā), which is precisely why bhakti is relational, not solitary.
  • tri-lokyām — in the three worlds
    Compound: tri (three) + lokyām (in the world). The cosmos searches for what one Yadu home holds. Hierarchy of value reversed — domestic over cosmic.
The most exalted demigods in the three worlds are certainly anxious to seek You out, O Lord, now that You have hidden Yourself among the Yadu dynasty. Thus the unborn sun-god has come to see You here.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The most exalted demigods in the three worlds are certainly anxious to seek You out, O Lord, now that You have hidden Yourself among the Yadu dynasty. Thus the unborn sun-god has come to see You here.
Commentary

"You should not say that the sun god wants to see me, a mere mortal." "Indeed (nanu) the best of the devatas search for you and today the sun god (ajah) has come to see you."

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

The best of the devatās in the three worlds like Brahmā search for the process to attain you (mārgam), but are far from that attainment. They have found out by some good fortune for certain that you, though secretive, are presently living among the Yadus. “If Brahmā and others are searching, how can the sun god come here?” He is not born since he can be said to have no beginning (ajaḥ), since he is worshipped as non-different from the soul of the universe, since he is the abode of the Lord, taking twelve forms (for the various months). Or he is the three Vedas (ajaḥ). Therefore he has excellent knowledge. O lord of all of us! We have good fortune to be your servants.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

The best of the devatās in the three worlds like Brahmā search for the process to attain you (mārgam), but are far from that attainment. Nanu indicates certainty. Or they search continually for you without interest in material happiness. This indicates the rarity of attaining the Lord. They have found out by some good fortune that you, though secretive, are presently living among the Yadus. His qualification for coming to the world is indicated. You eternally appear in the world (ajaḥ). You are the best of the devas because you are eternal. O our lord (prabho)! We are fortunate to be your servants.

Related values
Bhakti (Devotion)Tejas (Inner Radiance / Vigour)Daksya (Resourcefulness / Skill)
Related verses
Concepts
Jiva
Exalted demigods seek You out now that You've hidden among the Yadus; thus the sun-god has come. The citizens praise the Lord's hidden presence; even hiding produces visitation.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do you hide yourself spiritually and still attract visitations?
  • How does Kṛṣṇa's hiding redefine what 'hidden' means?

The citizens have intuited the deepest fact: Kṛṣṇa has hidden Himself among the Yadus, and even the highest demigods come searching. Like children sure the king is in the kitchen because the smell of feasting reaches them, they know Bhagavān is here by the rasa that spills from this household.

Brahmā's hidden visit in Canto 10

Earlier in the same Canto, even Brahmā — bewildered by Kṛṣṇa's cowherd play — stole the calves and boys to test Him. Kṛṣṇa expanded into every calf and boy for a year; Brahmā returned and fell at His feet in stunned recognition.

The citizens' instinct here echoes that scene: the highest demigods do come to find Bhagavān hidden in domestic disguise. What Brahmā did in Vraja, Sūrya is imagined to do in Dvārakā.

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