FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.16.4

ऋषिरुवाच न वै महाराज भगवतो मायागुणविभूते: काष्ठां मनसा वचसा वाधिगन्तुमलं विबुधायुषापि पुरुषस्तस्मात्प्राधान्येनैव भूगोलकविशेषं नामरूप मानलक्षणतो व्याख्यास्याम: ॥ ४ ॥
ṛṣir uvāca
[rishir uvaacha]
na vai mahārāja bhagavato māyā-guṇa-vibhūteḥ kāṣṭhāṁ manasā vacasā vādhigantum alaṁ vibudhāyuṣāpi puruṣas tasmāt prādhān-yenaiva bhū-golaka-viśeṣaṁ nāma-rūpa-māna-lakṣaṇato vyākhyāsyāmaḥ.
[na vai mahaaraaja bhagavato maayaa-guna-vibhooteh kaashthaam manasaa vachasaa vaadhigantum alam vibudhaayushaapi purushas tasmaat praadhaan-yenaiva bhoo-golaka-vishesham naama-roopa-maana-lakshanato vyaakhyaasyaamah.]
ṛṣiḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued to speak na — not vai — indeed mahā-rāja — O great King bhagavataḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead māyā-guṇa-vibhūteḥ — of the transformation of the qualities of the material energy kāṣṭhām — the end manasā — by the mind vacasā — by words vā — either adhigantum — to understand fully alam — capable vibudha-āyuṣā — with a duration of life like that of Brahmā api — even puruṣaḥ — a person tasmāt — therefore prādhānyena — by a general description of the chief places eva — certainly bhū-golaka-viśeṣam — the particular description of Bhūloka nāma-rūpa — names and forms māna — measurements lakṣaṇataḥ — according to symptoms vyākhyāsyāmaḥ — I shall try to explain.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ṛṣir uvāca
ṛṣiḥ uvāca
Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued to speak
na vai mahārāja bhagavato māyā-guṇa-vibhūteḥ kāṣṭhāṁ manasā vacasā vādhigantum alaṁ vibudhāyuṣāpi puruṣas tasmāt prādhān-yenaiva bhū-golaka-viśeṣaṁ nāma-rūpa-māna-lakṣaṇato vyākhyāsyāmaḥ.
na
not
vai
indeed
mahā-rāja
O great King
bhagavataḥ
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
māyā-guṇa-vibhūteḥ
of the transformation of the qualities of the material energy
kāṣṭhām
the end
manasā
by the mind
vacasā
by words
vā
either
adhigantum
to understand fully
alam
capable
vibudha-āyuṣā
with a duration of life like that of Brahmā
api
even
puruṣaḥ
a person
tasmāt
therefore
prādhānyena
by a general description of the chief places
eva
certainly
bhū-golaka-viśeṣam
the particular description of Bhūloka
nāma-rūpa
names and forms
māna
measurements
lakṣaṇataḥ
according to symptoms
vyākhyāsyāmaḥ
I shall try to explain.
The great ṛṣi Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear King, there is no limit to the expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s material energy. This material world is a transformation of the material qualities [sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa], yet no one could possibly explain it perfectly, even in a lifetime as long as that of Brahmā. No one in the material world is perfect, and an imperfect person could not describe this material universe accurately, even after continued speculation. O King, I shall nevertheless try to explain to you the principal regions, such as Bhūloka, with their names, forms, measurements and various symptoms.

The material world is only one fourth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s creation, but it is unlimited and impossible for anyone to know or describe, even with the qualification of a life as long as that of Brahmā, who lives for millions and millions of years. Modern scientists and astronomers try to explain the cosmic situation and the vastness of space, and some of them believe that all the glittering stars are different suns. From Bhagavad-gītā, however, we understand that all these stars ( nakṣatras ) are like the moon, in that they reflect the sunshine. They are not independent luminaries. Bhūloka is explained to be that portion of outer space through which the heat and light of the sun extend. Therefore it is natural to conclude that this universe extends in space as far as we can see and encompasses the glittering stars. Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī admitted that to give full details of this expansive material universe would be impossible, but nevertheless he wanted to give the King as much knowledge as he had received through the paramparā system. We should conclude that if one cannot comprehend the material expansions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one certainly cannot estimate the expansiveness of the spiritual world. The Brahma-saṁhitā (5.33) confirms this:

advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam ādyaṁ purāṇa-puruṣaṁ nava-yauvanaṁ ca

The limits of the expansions of Govinda, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, cannot be estimated by anyone, even a person as perfect as Brahmā, not to speak of tiny scientists whose senses and instruments are all imperfect and who cannot give us information of even this one universe. We should therefore be satisfied with the information obtainable from Vedic sources as spoken by authorities like Śukadeva Gosvāmī.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Śukadeva said: O King! It is not possible even for a person with the lifespan of a devatā to understand by words or mind the end of the transformations of māyā’s guṇas, belonging to the Lord. Therefore by giving a general description I will explain the particulars of Bhū-loka, giving characteristics of name, shape and dimension. Kāṣṭam means end. Rūpam means shape or appearance. Lakṣaṇam means marking.
Even Brahmā in millions of years cannot fully describe the material world's expanse — let alone the spiritual. Scientific arrogance about 'understanding the universe' collapses on contact with the Bhāgavatam's scale. Hold cosmology with humility.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do you treat human knowledge of the universe as if it were nearing completion?
  • How would deep humility about cosmic scale change the tone of your spiritual life?
📝 My note

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