FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.10.21

यदात्मनि निरालोकमात्मानं च दिद‍ृक्षत: । निर्भिन्ने ह्यक्षिणी तस्य ज्योतिश्चक्षुर्गुणग्रह: ॥ २१ ॥
yadātmani nirālokam
[yadaatmani niraalokam]
ātmānaṁ ca didṛkṣataḥ
[aatmaanam cha didrikshatah]
nirbhinne hy akṣiṇī tasya
[nirbhinne hy akshinee tasya]
jyotiś cakṣur guṇa-grahaḥ
[jyotish chakshur guna-grahah]
Word-for-word
yadā — while ātmani — unto Himself nirālokam — without any light ātmānam — His own transcendental body ca — also other bodily forms didṛkṣataḥ — desired to look upon nirbhinne — due to being sprouted hi — for akṣiṇī — of the eyes tasya — of Him jyotiḥ — the sun cakṣuḥ — the eyes guṇa-grahaḥ — the power of seeing.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yadātmani nirālokam
yadā
while
ātmani
unto Himself
nirālokam
without any light
ātmānaṁ ca didṛkṣataḥ
ātmānam
His own transcendental body
ca
also other bodily forms
didṛkṣataḥ
desired to look upon
nirbhinne hy akṣiṇī tasya
nirbhinne
due to being sprouted
hi
for
akṣiṇī
of the eyes
tasya
of Him
jyotiś cakṣur guṇa-grahaḥ
jyotiḥ
the sun
cakṣuḥ
the eyes
guṇa-grahaḥ
the power of seeing.
Thus when everything existed in darkness, the Lord desired to see Himself and all that was created. Then the eyes, the illuminating god Sun, the power of vision and the object of sight all became manifested.
Purport

The universe is by nature dense darkness, and therefore the total creation is called tamas, or darkness. The night is the real feature of the universe, for then one cannot see anything, including oneself. The Lord, out of His causeless mercy, first desired to see Himself and all the creation as well, and thus the sun became manifested, the power of vision for all living entities became possible, and the objects of vision were also manifested. This means that the whole phenomenal world became visible after the creation of the sun.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
When there was no vision in the universal form, and he desired to see, the two eyes, the presiding deity known as the sun, the sense organ called the eye, which experiences form (sense object) appeared.
Commentary

When there was no vision (nirālokam) within himself (ātmani), desiring to see himself and other objects (ca), the location called the gross eye, the sun devatā and the eye (subtle sense organ) which experiences form (guṇa) appeared. Form is the sense object. Nirālokam (devoid of vision) is an indeclinable word, like nirmakṣikam (free from flies).

Related lectures
Personal Guidance
When the Lord desired to see Himself and creation, eyes, the sun-deity, vision, and visible objects all manifested. The universe is natively dense darkness; what we call 'the world seen' is a temporary illumination granted by His desire to see.
Reflection Questions
  • Do I treat what I see as 'just there', or as a temporary illumination by His will?
  • What changes in my looking when I receive it as His desire to see being passed to me?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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