Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.84.22
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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yoga-māyayā
—
by His internal illusory potency
yoga (joining) + māyā (potency). Bhagavān's antaraṅga-śakti. Gauḍīyas sharply distinguish yoga-māyā (internal, enables līlā) from mahā-māyā (external, binds the conditioned soul). The same word, two completely different functions.
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ācchanna-mahimne
—
to Him whose glories are covered
ā + √chad (to cover) + mahiman (greatness). His glories are not absent — they are covered, on purpose. Gauḍīyas treat this as a positive feature, not a deficiency: covered greatness is what permits sakhya and vātsalya to operate.
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akuṇṭha-medhase
—
whose intelligence is unrestricted
Same compound as verse 14, here in dative. The sages return to the phrase deliberately — they began by being confused; they end by saluting the unrestricted intelligence that produced the confusion.
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parama-ātmane
—
to the Supersoul
parama (supreme) + ātman (Self). Gauḍīyas distinguish the three aspects of the Absolute — brahman, paramātmā, bhagavān — and read paramātmā as Bhagavān's localized aspect in every heart. The sages address Kṛṣṇa as the Person who is also the inner Witness.
Apart from any future profit to be obtained from worshiping the Supreme Lord, it is every person’s most essential obligation to bow down to Him as an acknowledgement of one’s dependence and servitude. Lord Kṛṣṇa recommends, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru mām evaiṣyasi yuktvaivam ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ “Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, become My devotee, offer obeisances to Me and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.” ( Bg. 9.34 )
Therefore you may praise us or offer respects to us to teach the common man, but we will still offer our respects to you, our worshipable lord. Thus they recite this verse.
Out of great devotion, with astonishment at Kṛṣṇa’s greatness, the sages offer respects. The prayer is directly to Kṛṣṇa expressing “We offer respects to you (tubhyam).” However the sages say, “We offer respects to him (tasmai).” Because of appearance of great devotion they indicate that he is beyond everyone’s understanding and vision (tasmai), since he is Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa (bhagavate), superior to all others, with unlimited intelligence (akuṇṭha-medhase). “But if I always have unlimited intelligence, and am superior to all, why are you not always situated in knowledge?” Your greatness is covered by your yoga-māyā. Nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyāsamāvṛtaḥ: covered by my yogamāyā I am not revealed to all. (BG 7.25) They previously said that they were bewildered by his māyā in verse 16. “How did you get knowledge at this time?” You are Paramātmā: by your merciful inspiration we have developed knowledge of you.
Out of great devotion, thinking themsels most fortunate, the sages offer respects. They do not directly say “We offer respects to you,” out of great devotion. Your greatness is not covered even by your extraordinary yoga-māyā, since you reveal unlimited powers. Or you cover your greatness by your yoga-māyā. Or you cover your greatness, giving mercy (māyā) by which devotees can meet you (yoga). Therefore you are dearest to everyone (paramātmane).
- Padaseva Pr SB 10-84-22 Oriya
- Revati Raman Pr SB 10-84-22 Telugu Translation - 2014-06-05 ISKCON Tirupati
- BhaktiVasudeva Sw SB 10-84-22 - Pay Obeisances to Lord Krishna - 2011-04-21 ISKCON New Jersey
- Bhanu Sw SB 10-84-22 - The living entity%27s obligation to Krishna - 2008-04-11
- Bhanu Sw SB 10-84-22 - Vraja Krsna-The Svayam Bhagavan and Vraja Vasis the topmost recipient of his mercy - ISKCON Chennai
- Where might God be hidden by design rather than by absence in my life?
- Can I treat the search itself as part of the game He is inviting me into?
A sun behind a curtain still warms the room. The sages bow not to the visible boy in the assembly but to the Person whose glories yoga-māyā has drawn a curtain over — knowing the warmth they receive is direct contact with the sun, not with the curtain.
In SB 10.29, when the gopīs come to Kṛṣṇa under the autumn moon, yoga-māyā arranges the entire scene so that the gopīs experience Him without the inhibitions of His aiśvarya.
Gauḍīyas use this to read the verse: yoga-māyā does not hide Bhagavān from devotees, but adjusts what they see so that mādhurya-rasa can flow.
My note
Source: vedabase.io