Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.11.6-8
एतद् वै पौरुषं रूपं भू: पादौ द्यौ: शिरो नभ: ।
नाभि: सूर्योऽक्षिणी नासे वायु: कर्णौ दिश: प्रभो: ॥ ६ ॥
प्रजापति: प्रजननमपानो मृत्युरीशितु: ।
तद्बाहवो लोकपाला मनश्चन्द्रो भ्रुवौ यम: ॥ ७ ॥
लज्जोत्तरोऽधरो लोभो दन्ता ज्योत्स्ना स्मयो भ्रम: ।
रोमाणि भूरुहा भूम्नो मेघा: पुरुषमूर्धजा: ॥ ८ ॥
etad vai pauruṣaṁ rūpaṁ
[etad vai paurusham roopam]
bhūḥ pādau dyauḥ śiro nabhaḥ
[bhooh paadau dyauh shiro nabhah]
nābhiḥ sūryo ’kṣiṇī nāse
[naabhih sooryo ’kshinee naase]
vāyuḥ karṇau diśaḥ prabhoḥ
[vaayuh karnau dishah prabhoh]
prajāpatiḥ prajananam
[prajaapatih prajananam]
apāno mṛtyur īśituḥ
[apaano mrityur eeshituh]
tad-bāhavo loka-pālā
[tad-baahavo loka-paalaa]
manaś candro bhruvau yamaḥ
[manash chandro bhruvau yamah]
lajjottaro ’dharo lobho
[lajjottaro ’dharo lobho]
dantā jyotsnā smayo bhramaḥ
[dantaa jyotsnaa smayo bhramah]
romāṇi bhūruhā bhūmno
[romaani bhooruhaa bhoomno]
meghāḥ puruṣa-mūrdhajāḥ
[meghaah purusha-moordhajaah]
Word-for-word
etat
—
this
vai
—
indeed
pauruṣam
—
of the Virāṭ-puruṣa
rūpam
—
the form
bhūḥ
—
the earth
pādau
—
His feet
dyauḥ
—
heaven
śiraḥ
—
His head
nabhaḥ
—
the sky
nābhiḥ
—
His navel
sūryaḥ
—
the sun
akṣiṇī
—
His eyes
nāse
—
His nostrils
vāyuḥ
—
the air
karṇau
—
His ears
diśaḥ
—
the directions
prabhoḥ
—
of the Supreme Lord
prajā-patiḥ
—
the demigod of procreation
prajananam
—
His genitals
apānaḥ
—
His anus
mṛtyuḥ
—
death
īśituḥ
—
of the absolute controller
tat-bāhavaḥ
—
His many arms
loka-pālāḥ
—
the presiding demigods of the various planets
manaḥ
—
His mind
candraḥ
—
the moon
bhruvau
—
His eyebrows
yamaḥ
—
the god of death
lajjā
—
shame
uttaraḥ
—
His upper lip
adharaḥ
—
His lower lip
lobhaḥ
—
greed
dantāḥ
—
His teeth
jyotsnā
—
the light of the moon
smayaḥ
—
His smile
bhramaḥ
—
delusion
romāṇi
—
the hairs of the body
bhū-ruhāḥ
—
the trees
bhūmnaḥ
—
of the almighty Lord
meghāḥ
—
the clouds
puruṣa
—
of the Virāṭ-puruṣa
mūrdha-jāḥ
—
the hairs upon the head.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
etad vai pauruṣaṁ rūpaṁ
etat
this
vai
indeed
pauruṣam
of the Virāṭ-puruṣa
rūpam
the form
bhūḥ pādau dyauḥ śiro nabhaḥ
bhūḥ
the earth
pādau
His feet
dyauḥ
heaven
śiraḥ
His head
nabhaḥ
the sky
nābhiḥ sūryo ’kṣiṇī nāse
nābhiḥ
His navel
sūryaḥ
the sun
akṣiṇī
His eyes
nāse
His nostrils
vāyuḥ karṇau diśaḥ prabhoḥ
vāyuḥ
the air
karṇau
His ears
diśaḥ
the directions
prabhoḥ
of the Supreme Lord
prajāpatiḥ prajananam
prajā-patiḥ
the demigod of procreation
prajananam
His genitals
apāno mṛtyur īśituḥ
apānaḥ
His anus
mṛtyuḥ
death
īśituḥ
of the absolute controller
tad-bāhavo loka-pālā
tat-bāhavaḥ
His many arms
loka-pālāḥ
the presiding demigods of the various planets
manaś candro bhruvau yamaḥ
manaḥ
His mind
candraḥ
the moon
bhruvau
His eyebrows
yamaḥ
the god of death
lajjottaro ’dharo lobho
lajjā
shame
uttaraḥ
His upper lip
adharaḥ
His lower lip
lobhaḥ
greed
dantā jyotsnā smayo bhramaḥ
dantāḥ
His teeth
jyotsnā
the light of the moon
smayaḥ
His smile
bhramaḥ
delusion
romāṇi bhūruhā bhūmno
romāṇi
the hairs of the body
bhū-ruhāḥ
the trees
bhūmnaḥ
of the almighty Lord
meghāḥ puruṣa-mūrdhajāḥ
meghāḥ
the clouds
puruṣa
of the Virāṭ-puruṣa
mūrdha-jāḥ
the hairs upon the head.
This is the representation of the Supreme Lord as the universal person, in which the earth is His feet, the sky His navel, the sun His eyes, the wind His nostrils, the demigod of procreation His genitals, death His anus and the moon His mind. The heavenly planets are His head, the directions His ears, and the demigods protecting the various planets His many arms. The god of death is His eyebrows, shame His lower lip, greed His upper lip, delusion His smile, and moonshine His teeth, while the trees are the almighty Puruṣa’s bodily hairs, and the clouds the hair on His head.
Purport
Various aspects of material creation, such as the earth, the sun and the trees, are sustained by various limbs of the universal body of the Lord. Thus they are considered nondifferent from Him, as described in this verse, which is meant for meditation.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
This is the representation of the Supreme Lord as the universal person, in which the earth is his feet, the antarikṣa his navel, the heavenly planets his head, the sun his eyes, the air his nostrils, the directions his ears, the Prajāpati his genitals, death his anus and the moon his mind. The devatās protecting the various planets are his many arms. The god of death is his eyebrows, shame his lower lip, greed his upper lip, delusion his smile, and moon light his teeth. The trees are the Lord's bodily hairs, and the clouds are the hair on his head.
This is a material form of the Lord (pauruṣam rūpam) not his svarūpa. By what vibhūtis are his limbs conceived? This question is answered here. The vibhūti for the feet of the Lord is earth. By earth one imagines his feet. Since they are considered non-different they are equated in the text: the earth is his feet. All statements following are similar. Then by thinking of the feet and other limbs of the universal form one should remember the spiritual limbs of the Lord composed of eternity, knowledge and bliss. My lord supports the earth, his vibhūti, by his two feet. He supports the heaven, his vibhūti, by his head. All things visible to eye and conceived by the mind are also the Lord’s limbs, since they are all his vibhūtis. All conceptions are only conceptions of the Lord. This is what the person discerns. Prajananam means the genital. Apānam is the anus. The upper lip is shame. The lower lip is greed. Delusion (bhramaḥ) is his smile.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Earth is His feet, sky His navel, sun His eyes, wind His breath. The universe is mapped onto a divine person. The mapping invites us to greet creation as a face.
Reflection Questions
- When I look at the sun or feel the wind, do I sense any 'face'?
- What practice cultivates that perception?
My note
Source: vedabase.io