FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.24.16

वेदाहमाद्यं पुरुषमवतीर्णं स्वमायया । भूतानां शेवधिं देहं बिभ्राणं कपिलं मुने ॥ १६ ॥
vedāham ādyaṁ puruṣam
[vedaaham aadyam purusham]
avatīrṇaṁ sva-māyayā
[avateernam sva-maayayaa]
bhūtānāṁ śevadhiṁ dehaṁ
[bhootaanaam shevadhim deham]
bibhrāṇaṁ kapilaṁ mune
[bibhraanam kapilam mune]
veda — know aham — I ādyam — the original puruṣam — enjoyer avatīrṇam — incarnated sva-māyayā — by His own internal energy bhūtānām — of all the living entities śevadhim — the bestower of all that is desired, who is just like a vast treasure deham — the body bibhrāṇam — assuming kapilam — Kapila Muni mune — O sage (Kardama).
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
vedāham ādyaṁ puruṣam
veda
know
aham
I
ādyam
the original
puruṣam
enjoyer
avatīrṇaṁ sva-māyayā
avatīrṇam
incarnated
sva-māyayā
by His own internal energy
bhūtānāṁ śevadhiṁ dehaṁ
bhūtānām
of all the living entities
śevadhim
the bestower of all that is desired, who is just like a vast treasure
deham
the body
bibhrāṇaṁ kapilaṁ mune
bibhrāṇam
assuming
kapilam
Kapila Muni
mune
O sage (Kardama).
O Kardama, I know that the original Supreme Personality of Godhead has now appeared as an incarnation by His internal energy. He is the bestower of all that is desired by the living entities, and He has now assumed the body of Kapila Muni.

In this verse we find the words puruṣam avatīrṇaṁ sva-māyayā. The Supreme Personality of Godhead is everlastingly, eternally the form of puruṣa, the predominator or enjoyer, and when He appears He never accepts anything of this material energy. The spiritual world is a manifestation of His personal, internal potency, whereas the material world is a manifestation of His material, or differentiated, energy. The word sva-māyayā, “by His own internal potency,” indicates that whenever the Supreme Personality of Godhead descends He comes in His own energy. He may assume the body of a human being, but that body is not material. In Bhagavad-gītā it is therefore clearly stated that only fools and rascals, mūḍhas, consider the body of Kṛṣṇa to be the body of a common human being. The word śevadhim means that He is the original bestower of all the necessities of life upon the living entities. In the Vedas also it is stated that He is the chief living entity and that He bestows all the desired necessities of other living entities. Because He is the bestower of the necessities of all others, He is called God. The Supreme is also a living entity; He is not impersonal. As we are individual, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is also individual — but He is the supreme individual. That is the difference between God and the ordinary living entities.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
O sage! I know that the original Lord, the treasure of the living beings, has appeared by his own energy, assuming the body of Kapila By his energy alone, the Lord, treasure of the living entities-- who can bestow all desires and give pure knowledge-- has appeared. Accepting a body means that actually he has an eternal body, but that body now makes an appearance.
The verse insists on the Lord's specific identity — not an idea of God but a person with name, form, and intent. Vague spirituality cannot reach what only personal address can. The pivot here is Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Reflection Questions
  • Whom do you actually address when you pray — a concept, or a person?
  • What single attribute of the Lord, taken seriously today, would reorganize a corner of your life?
📝 My note

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