Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.8.19
स इत्थमुद्वीक्ष्य तदब्जनाल-
नाडीभिरन्तर्जलमाविवेश ।
नार्वाग्गतस्तत्खरनालनाल-
नाभिं विचिन्वंस्तदविन्दताज: ॥ १९ ॥
sa ittham udvīkṣya tad-abja-nāla-
[sa ittham udveekshya tad-abja-naala-]
nāḍībhir antar-jalam āviveśa
[naadeebhir antar-jalam aavivesha]
nārvāg-gatas tat-khara-nāla-nāla-
[naarvaag-gatas tat-khara-naala-naala-]
nābhiṁ vicinvaṁs tad avindatājaḥ
[naabhim vichinvams tad avindataajah]
Word-for-word
saḥ
—
he (Brahmā)
ittham
—
in this way
udvīkṣya
—
contemplating
tat
—
that
abja
—
lotus
nāla
—
stem
nāḍībhiḥ
—
by the pipe
antaḥ-jalam
—
within the water
āviveśa
—
entered into
na
—
not
arvāk-gataḥ
—
in spite of going inside
tat-khara-nāla
—
the stem of the lotus
nāla
—
pipe
nābhim
—
of the navel
vicinvan
—
thinking much of it
tat
—
that
avindata
—
understood
ajaḥ
—
the self-born.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa ittham udvīkṣya tad-abja-nāla-
saḥ
he (Brahmā)
ittham
in this way
udvīkṣya
contemplating
tat
that
abja
lotus
nāla
stem
nāḍībhir antar-jalam āviveśa
nāḍībhiḥ
by the pipe
antaḥ-jalam
within the water
āviveśa
entered into
nārvāg-gatas tat-khara-nāla-nāla-
na
not
arvāk-gataḥ
in spite of going inside
tat-khara-nāla
the stem of the lotus
nāla
pipe
nābhim
of the navel
nābhiṁ vicinvaṁs tad avindatājaḥ
vicinvan
thinking much of it
tat
that
avindata
understood
ajaḥ
the self-born.
Lord Brahmā, thus contemplating, entered the water through the channel of the stem of the lotus. But in spite of entering the stem and going nearer to the navel of Viṣṇu, he could not trace out the root.
Purport
By dint of one’s personal endeavor one may go nearer to the Lord, but without the Lord’s mercy one cannot reach the ultimate point. Such understanding of the Lord is possible only by devotional service, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (18.55) : bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ.
— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Reflecting in this way, Brahmā entered into the water by the tubes in the stem of the lotus. Searching out the navel of Viṣṇu from which rose the stem of the lotus, , he could not reach it though he approached close.
This verse shows that with the will of the Lord, all attempts by materialists will end in failure. He entered the water by means of the tubes in the lotus stem. He searched out the lotus navel of Nārāyaṇa from which arose the stem (nāla) of the lotus (khara-nāla). Though he approached very close, he could not reach it, since it is impossible to reach without bhakti.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Real devotion is steady, not theatrical. The verse treats bhakti as the work the soul was made for — every other career is a temporary detour from this primary employment.
Reflection Questions
- What ordinary activity could you re-aim today so it becomes an offering rather than a transaction?
- Whom in your life would notice if your devotional service deepened, and what would they see?
My note
Source: vedabase.io