FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.17.32

नूनं बतेशस्य समीहितं जनै- स्तन्मायया दुर्जययाकृतात्मभि: । न लक्ष्यते यस्त्वकरोदकारयद् योऽनेक एक: परतश्च ईश्वर: ॥ ३२ ॥
nūnaṁ bateśasya samīhitaṁ janais
[noonam bateshasya sameehitam janais]
tan-māyayā durjayayākṛtātmabhiḥ
[tan-maayayaa durjayayaakritaatmabhih]
na lakṣyate yas tv akarod akārayad
[na lakshyate yas tv akarod akaarayad]
yo ’neka ekaḥ parataś ca īśvaraḥ
[yo ’neka ekah paratash cha eeshvarah]
nūnam — surely bata — certainly īśasya — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead samīhitam — activities, plan janaiḥ — by people tat-māyayā — by His potency durjayayā — which is unconquerable akṛta-ātmabhiḥ — who are not sufficiently experienced na — never lakṣyate — are seen yaḥ — he who tu — then akarot — created akārayat — caused to create yaḥ — one who anekaḥ — many ekaḥ — one parataḥ — by His inconceivable potencies ca — and īśvaraḥ — controller.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
nūnaṁ bateśasya samīhitaṁ janais
nūnam
surely
bata
certainly
īśasya
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
samīhitam
activities, plan
tan-māyayā durjayayākṛtātmabhiḥ
janaiḥ
by people
tat-māyayā
by His potency
durjayayā
which is unconquerable
na lakṣyate yas tv akarod akārayad
akṛta-ātmabhiḥ
who are not sufficiently experienced
na
never
lakṣyate
are seen
yaḥ
he who
tu
then
akarot
created
akārayat
caused to create
yaḥ
one who
anekaḥ
many
yo ’neka ekaḥ parataś ca īśvaraḥ
ekaḥ
one
parataḥ
by His inconceivable potencies
ca
and
īśvaraḥ
controller.
My dear Lord, although You are one, by Your inconceivable potencies You have expanded Yourself in many forms. Through the agency of Brahmā, You have created this universe. You are therefore directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those who are not sufficiently experienced cannot understand Your transcendental activities because these persons are covered by Your illusory energy.

God is one, but He expands Himself in a variety of energies — the material energy, the spiritual energy, the marginal energy and so forth. Unless one is favored and especially endowed with grace, he cannot understand how the one Supreme Personality of Godhead acts through His different energies. The living entities are also the marginal energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Brahmā is also one of these living entities, but he is especially empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although Brahmā is supposed to be the creator of this universe, actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead is its ultimate creator. In this verse the word māyayā is significant. Māyā means “energy.” Lord Brahmā is not the energetic but is one of the manifestations of the Lord’s marginal energy. In other words, Lord Brahmā is only an instrument. Although sometimes plans appear contradictory, there is a definite plan behind all action. One who is experienced and is favored by the Lord can understand that everything is being done according to the Lord’s supreme plan.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The plan of the Lord, who carries out primary creation and engages others in secondary creation, who is one through himself and is many through māyā, cannot be understood by people whose minds are bewildered by his unconquerable māyā. “You are saying that I am irreligious.” No, not at all! But your powers are hard to understand. Akṛtātmabhiḥ means “by persons with bewildered minds. The Lord who carried out primary creation has made Brahmā carry out secondary creation (akārayat). He is one alone, and many by māyā (parataḥ).
You are one but inconceivably expanded; through Brahmā You create — the inexperienced can't grasp Your transcendental activities. Once you see God's unity-in-multiplicity, your old confusions are explainable.
Reflection Questions
  • Which of my recent confusions about the divine might be resolved by holding 'one yet many' together?
  • Where am I still demanding a tidy picture when the truth is multi-formed?
📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 17