FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.5.28

सोऽप्यंशगुणकालात्मा भगवद्‍दृष्टिगोचर: । आत्मानं व्यकरोदात्मा विश्वस्यास्य सिसृक्षया ॥ २८ ॥
so ’py aṁśa-guṇa-kālātmā
[so ’py amsha-guna-kaalaatmaa]
bhagavad-dṛṣṭi-gocaraḥ
[bhagavad-drishti-gocharah]
ātmānaṁ vyakarod ātmā
[aatmaanam vyakarod aatmaa]
viśvasyāsya sisṛkṣayā
[vishvasyaasya sisrikshayaa]
Word-for-word
saḥ — mahat-tattva api — also aṁśa — puruṣa plenary expansion guṇa — chiefly the quality of ignorance kāla — the duration of time ātmā — full consciousness bhagavat — the Personality of Godhead dṛṣṭi-gocaraḥ — range of sight ātmānam — many different forms vyakarot — differentiated ātmā — reservoir viśvasya — the would-be entities asya — of this sisṛkṣayā — generates the false ego.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
so ’py aṁśa-guṇa-kālātmā
saḥ
mahat-tattva
api
also
bhagavad-dṛṣṭi-gocaraḥ
ātmānaṁ vyakarod ātmā
aṁśa
puruṣa plenary expansion
guṇa
chiefly the quality of ignorance
kāla
the duration of time
ātmā
full consciousness
bhagavat
the Personality of Godhead
dṛṣṭi-gocaraḥ
range of sight
ātmānam
many different forms
vyakarot
differentiated
ātmā
reservoir
viśvasyāsya sisṛkṣayā
viśvasya
the would-be entities
asya
of this
sisṛkṣayā
generates the false ego.
Thereafter the mahat-tattva differentiated itself into many different forms as the reservoir of the would-be entities. The mahat-tattva is chiefly in the mode of ignorance, and it generates the false ego. It is a plenary expansion of the Personality of Godhead, with full consciousness of creative principles and time for fructification.
Purport

The mahat-tattva is the medium between pure spirit and material existence. It is the junction of matter and spirit wherefrom the false ego of the living entity is generated. All living entities are differentiated parts and parcels of the Personality of Godhead. Under the pressure of false ego, the conditioned souls, although parts and parcels of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, claim to be the enjoyers of material nature. This false ego is the binding force of material existence. The Lord again and again gives a chance to the bewildered conditioned souls to get free from this false ego, and that is why the material creation takes place at intervals. He gives the conditioned souls all facilities for rectifying the activities of the false ego, but He does not interfere with their small independence as parts and parcels of the Lord.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Mahat-tattva, the shelter of the universe which was being created, whose form arises by jīva-śakti, guṇas of prakṛti and time, and is glanced upon by the Lord, transformed itself into another form, by the Lord’s desire to create ahaṅkāra. When the tamas portion of mahat-tattva becomes prominent, ahaṅkāra arises. This maha-tattva, whose form arises by the jīva-śakti (aṁśa), portions of prakṛti in the form of the guṇas, and time, the impeller of creation, glanced upon (dṛṣṭi) by the Lord, transformed itself into another form, by the desire of the Lord to create ahaṅkāra. Mahat-tattva is the shelter (ātmā) of the universe being created.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
The verse describes a universe that is not a random stage but an arrangement with a purpose. Our work is not to engineer that purpose but to find our seat within it. 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

Source: vedabase.io

← Read full Chapter 5