FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.11.40

विकारै: सहितो युक्तैर्विशेषादिभिरावृत: । आण्डकोशो बहिरयं पञ्चाशत्कोटिविस्तृत: ॥ ४० ॥
vikāraiḥ sahito yuktair
[vikaaraih sahito yuktair]
viśeṣādibhir āvṛtaḥ
[visheshaadibhir aavritah]
āṇḍakośo bahir ayaṁ
[aandakosho bahir ayam]
pañcāśat-koṭi-vistṛtaḥ
[panchaashat-koti-vistritah]
Word-for-word
vikāraiḥ — by the transformation of the elements sahitaḥ — along with yuktaiḥ — being so amalgamated viśeṣa — manifestations ādibhiḥ — by them āvṛtaḥ — covered āṇḍa-kośaḥ — the universe bahiḥ — outside ayam — this pañcāśat — fifty koṭi — ten million vistṛtaḥ — widespread.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
vikāraiḥ sahito yuktair
vikāraiḥ
by the transformation of the elements
sahitaḥ
along with
yuktaiḥ
being so amalgamated
viśeṣādibhir āvṛtaḥ
viśeṣa
manifestations
ādibhiḥ
by them
āvṛtaḥ
covered
āṇḍakośo bahir ayaṁ
āṇḍa-kośaḥ
the universe
bahiḥ
outside
ayam
this
pañcāśat-koṭi-vistṛtaḥ
pañcāśat
fifty
koṭi
ten million
vistṛtaḥ
widespread.
This phenomenal material world is expanded to a diameter of four billion miles, as a combination of eight material elements transformed into sixteen further categories, within and without, as follows.
Purport

As explained before, the entire material world is a display of sixteen diversities and eight material elements. The analytical studies of the material world are the subject matter of Sāṅkhya philosophy. The first sixteen diversities are the eleven senses and five sense objects, and the eight elements are the gross and subtle matter, namely earth, water, fire, air, sky, mind, intelligence and ego. All these combined together are distributed throughout the entire universe, which extends diametrically to four billion miles. Besides this universe of our experience, there are innumerable other universes. Some of them are bigger than the present one, and all of them are clustered together under similar material elements as described below.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Within the pore hole of Mahāviṣṇu, the universe composed of sixteen transformations and eight elements, measuring 500,000,000 yojanas, covered by seven layers of elements which are ten times thicker than the previous layer, appears like a paramāṇu. Millions of other universes also, within the Lord’s pores, appear small as well. The Lord was described as the soul of the universe. Now he is described as covering the whole universe. Beginning with eight elements (five gross elements, mahat-tattva, ahaṅkāra and prakṛti) and sixteen transformations (ten senses, mind, five sense objects), the universe, covered by seven layers such as earth (bahiḥ viśeṣādibhiḥ), each ten times thicker than the previous layer appears very small. This is the case not only with one universe, but others as well.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
The scale of the creation in this verse is not given to overwhelm us but to right-size us. Most of our anxiety shrinks when our self-importance shrinks.
Reflection Questions
  • How does it change your day to remember the universe was not built around your preferences?
  • How could awe of the creation become a daily practice and not just a Sunday feeling?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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