FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.1.31

छन्दांस्यनन्तस्य शिरो गृणन्ति दंष्ट्रा यम: स्‍नेहकला द्विजानि । हासो जनोन्मादकरी च माया दुरन्तसर्गो यदपाङ्गमोक्ष: ॥ ३१ ॥
chandāṁsy anantasya śiro gṛṇanti
[chandaamsy anantasya shiro grinanti]
daṁṣṭrā yamaḥ sneha-kalā dvijāni
[damshtraa yamah sneha-kalaa dvijaani]
hāso janonmāda-karī ca māyā
[haaso janonmaada-karee cha maayaa]
duranta-sargo yad-apāṅga-mokṣaḥ
[duranta-sargo yad-apaanga-mokshah]
chandāṁsi — the Vedic hymns anantasya — of the Supreme śiraḥ — the cerebral passage gṛṇanti — they say daṁṣṭrāḥ — the jaws of teeth yamaḥ — Yamarāja, the director of sinners sneha-kalāḥ — the art of affection dvijāni — the set of teeth hāsaḥ — smile jana-unmāda-karī — the most alluring ca — also māyā — illusory energy duranta — unsurpassable sargaḥ — the material creation yat-apāṅga — whose glance mokṣaḥ — casting over.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
chandāṁsy anantasya śiro gṛṇanti
chandāṁsi
the Vedic hymns
anantasya
of the Supreme
śiraḥ
the cerebral passage
gṛṇanti
they say
daṁṣṭrā yamaḥ sneha-kalā dvijāni
daṁṣṭrāḥ
the jaws of teeth
yamaḥ
Yamarāja, the director of sinners
sneha-kalāḥ
the art of affection
dvijāni
the set of teeth
hāso janonmāda-karī ca māyā
hāsaḥ
smile
jana-unmāda-karī
the most alluring
ca
also
māyā
illusory energy
duranta-sargo yad-apāṅga-mokṣaḥ
duranta
unsurpassable
sargaḥ
the material creation
yat-apāṅga
whose glance
mokṣaḥ
casting over.
They say that the Vedic hymns are the cerebral passage of the Lord, and His jaws of teeth are Yama, god of death, who punishes the sinners. The art of affection is His set of teeth, and the most alluring illusory material energy is His smile. This great ocean of material creation is but the casting of His glance over us.

According to Vedic assertion, this material creation is the result of the Lord’s casting a glance over the material energy, which is described herein as the most alluring illusory energy. The conditioned souls who are allured by such materialism should know that the material temporary creation is simply an imitation of the reality and that those who are captivated by such alluring glances of the Lord are put under the direction of the controller of sinners called Yamarāja. The Lord smiles affectionately, displaying His teeth. The intelligent person who can grasp these truths about the Lord becomes a soul fully surrendered unto Him.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The Vedic verses are the top of his head. Yama is his front teeth. Affection is the two rows of teeth. His smile is māyā which illusions all men. His glance is insurmountable saṁsāra.
Commentary

Chandāṁsi means Vedas. Śiraḥ means the brahma-randhram. Sneha-kalāḥ means particles of affection for sons etc. Dvijāni means teeth. Neuter case is poetic license. Duranta-sarga means saṁsāra which is hard to cross.

Vedic hymns are His cerebral passage; this whole oceanic creation is just one glance of His. We who feel so overwhelmed by life are watching the casual gaze of the Person at its center.
Reflection Questions
  • What in my life feels overwhelming today that I could see as a single glance of the Supreme?
  • How might it change my anxiety to remember that the entire creation is His passing look?
📝 My note

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