FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.26.55

घ्राणाद्वायुरभिद्येतामक्षिणी चक्षुरेतयो: । तस्मात्सूर्यो न्यभिद्येतां कर्णौ श्रोत्रं ततो दिश: ॥ ५५ ॥
ghrāṇād vāyur abhidyetām
[ghraanaad vaayur abhidyetaam]
akṣiṇī cakṣur etayoḥ
[akshinee chakshur etayoh]
tasmāt sūryo nyabhidyetāṁ
[tasmaat sooryo nyabhidyetaam]
karṇau śrotraṁ tato diśaḥ
[karnau shrotram tato dishah]
ghrāṇāt — from the olfactory sense vāyuḥ — the wind-god abhidyetām — appeared akṣiṇī — the two eyes cakṣuḥ — the sense of sight etayoḥ — in them tasmāt — from that sūryaḥ — the sun-god nyabhidyetām — appeared karṇau — the two ears śrotram — the auditory sense tataḥ — from that diśaḥ — the deities presiding over the directions.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ghrāṇād vāyur abhidyetām
ghrāṇāt
from the olfactory sense
vāyuḥ
the wind-god
abhidyetām
appeared
akṣiṇī cakṣur etayoḥ
akṣiṇī
the two eyes
cakṣuḥ
the sense of sight
etayoḥ
in them
tasmāt sūryo nyabhidyetāṁ
tasmāt
from that
sūryaḥ
the sun-god
nyabhidyetām
appeared
karṇau śrotraṁ tato diśaḥ
karṇau
the two ears
śrotram
the auditory sense
tataḥ
from that
diśaḥ
the deities presiding over the directions.
In the wake of the olfactory sense came the wind-god, who presides over that sense. Thereafter a pair of eyes appeared in the universal form, and in them the sense of sight. In the wake of this sense came the sun-god, who presides over it. Next there appeared in Him a pair of ears, and in them the auditory sense and in its wake the Dig-devatās, or the deities who preside over the directions.

The appearance of different bodily parts of the Lord’s universal form and the appearance of the presiding deities of those bodily parts is being described. As in the womb of a mother a child gradually grows different bodily parts, so in the universal womb the universal form of the Lord gives rise to the creation of various paraphernalia. The senses appear, and over each of them there is a presiding deity. It is corroborated by this statement of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, and also by Brahma-saṁhitā, that the sun appeared after the appearance of the eyes of the universal form of the Lord. The sun is dependent on the eyes of the universal form. The Brahma-saṁhitā also says that the sun is the eye of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Yac-cakṣur eṣa savitā. Savitā means “the sun.” The sun is the eye of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Actually, everything is created by the universal body of the Supreme Godhead. Material nature is simply the supplier of materials. The creation is actually done by the Supreme Lord, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (9.10) . Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: “Under My direction does material nature create all moving and nonmoving objects in the cosmic creation.”

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
After the appearance of the nose, the air devatā entered. Then the two eye balls and the subtle sense organ, the eyes, appeared. Then the sun devatā entered. The two ears appeared. Then the ear organ (subtle) and the direction devatās appeared. After the appearance of the nose, air entered. In these verses the ablative case (eg. ghrāṇāt) is used to mean “after the appearance of.” Anubhidyetām is sometimes seen instead of nyabhidyetām
The cosmology here is not abstract scenery — it locates the reader inside a vast, intelligent order. Seeing your tiny role in this design quietly cools the urge to make yourself the centre. Its centre of gravity is Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Reflection Questions
  • What would change in your prayer if you remembered how small your sphere actually is?
  • What would humility actually look like for you in your work this week?
📝 My note

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