FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.1.27

द्वे जानुनी सुतलं विश्वमूर्ते- रूरुद्वयं वितलं चातलं च । महीतलं तज्जघनं महीपते नभस्तलं नाभिसरो गृणन्ति ॥ २७ ॥
dve jānunī sutalaṁ viśva-mūrter
[dve jaanunee sutalam vishva-moorter]
ūru-dvayaṁ vitalaṁ cātalaṁ ca
[ooru-dvayam vitalam chaatalam cha]
mahītalaṁ taj-jaghanaṁ mahīpate
[maheetalam taj-jaghanam maheepate]
nabhastalaṁ nābhi-saro gṛṇanti
[nabhastalam naabhi-saro grinanti]
dve — two jānunī — two knees sutalam — the planetary system named Sutala viśva-mūrteḥ — of the universal form ūru-dvayam — the two thighs vitalam — the planetary system named Vitala ca — also atalam — the planets named Atala ca — and mahītalam — the planetary system named Mahītala tat — of that jaghanam — the hips mahīpate — O King nabhastalam — outer space nābhi-saraḥ — the depression of the navel gṛṇanti — they take it so.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
dve jānunī sutalaṁ viśva-mūrter
dve
two
jānunī
two knees
sutalam
the planetary system named Sutala
viśva-mūrteḥ
of the universal form
ūru-dvayam
the two thighs
ūru-dvayaṁ vitalaṁ cātalaṁ ca
vitalam
the planetary system named Vitala
ca
also
atalam
the planets named Atala
ca
and
mahītalaṁ taj-jaghanaṁ mahīpate
mahītalam
the planetary system named Mahītala
tat
of that
jaghanam
the hips
mahīpate
O King
nabhastalaṁ nābhi-saro gṛṇanti
nabhastalam
outer space
nābhi-saraḥ
the depression of the navel
gṛṇanti
they take it so.
The knees of the universal form are the planetary system of the name Sutala, and the two thighs are the Vitala and Atala planetary systems. The hips are Mahītala, and outer space is the depression of His navel.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Sutala is the two knees. Vitala is lower part of the two thighs, and Atala is the upper part of the thighs. Mahītala, the earth, is the hips. Bhuvar is the navel.
Commentary

The lower portion of the thighs is Vitala and the upper portion is Atala.

Even the navel of the universal form is identified with outer space — every visible region of the cosmos has its place in the Lord's body. The student is invited to map reality onto His form rather than onto self.
Reflection Questions
  • What part of the world have I been treating as 'just background' that this verse asks me to re-see?
  • How does mapping creation onto the Lord's body change how I move through it?
📝 My note

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