Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.17.15
इलावृते तु भगवान् भव एक एव पुमान्न ह्यन्यस्तत्रापरो निर्विशति भवान्या: शापनिमित्तज्ञो यत्प्रवेक्ष्यत: स्त्रीभावस्तत्पश्चाद्वक्ष्यामि ॥ १५ ॥
ilāvṛte tu bhagavān bhava eka eva pumān na hy anyas tatrāparo nirviśati bhavānyāḥ śāpa-nimitta-jño yat-pravekṣyataḥ strī-bhāvas tat paścād vakṣyāmi.
[ilaavrite tu bhagavaan bhava eka eva pumaan na hy anyas tatraaparo nirvishati bhavaanyaah shaapa-nimitta-jno yat-pravekshyatah stree-bhaavas tat pashchaad vakshyaami.]
Word-for-word
ilāvṛte
—
in the tract of land known as Ilāvṛta-varṣa
tu
—
but
bhagavān
—
the most powerful
bhavaḥ
—
Lord Śiva
eka
—
only
eva
—
certainly
pumān
—
male person
na
—
not
hi
—
certainly
anyaḥ
—
any other
tatra
—
there
aparaḥ
—
besides
nirviśati
—
enters
bhavānyāḥ śāpa-nimitta-jñaḥ
—
who knows the cause of the curse by Bhavānī, the wife of Lord Śiva
yat-pravekṣyataḥ
—
of one who forcibly enters that tract of land
strī-bhāvaḥ
—
transformation into a female
tat
—
that
paścāt
—
later
vakṣyāmi
—
I shall explain.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ilāvṛte tu bhagavān bhava eka eva pumān na hy anyas tatrāparo nirviśati bhavānyāḥ śāpa-nimitta-jño yat-pravekṣyataḥ strī-bhāvas tat paścād vakṣyāmi.
ilāvṛte
in the tract of land known as Ilāvṛta-varṣa
tu
but
bhagavān
the most powerful
bhavaḥ
Lord Śiva
eka
only
eva
certainly
pumān
male person
na
not
hi
certainly
anyaḥ
any other
tatra
there
aparaḥ
besides
nirviśati
enters
bhavānyāḥ śāpa-nimitta-jñaḥ
who knows the cause of the curse by Bhavānī, the wife of Lord Śiva
yat-pravekṣyataḥ
of one who forcibly enters that tract of land
strī-bhāvaḥ
transformation into a female
tat
that
paścāt
later
vakṣyāmi
I shall explain.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: In the tract of land known as Ilāvṛta-varṣa, the only male person is Lord Śiva, the most powerful demigod. Goddess Durgā, the wife of Lord Śiva, does not like any man to enter that land. If any foolish man dares to do so, she immediately turns him into a woman. I shall explain this later [in the Ninth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam].
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
In the tract of land known as Ilāvṛta-varṣa, the only male person is Lord Śiva. No other male exists there. One who knows about Durgā’s curse does not enter there. If any foolish man dares to do so, he turns into a woman. I shall explain this later.
The curse of Durgā is explained in the Ninth Canto.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Some doors close themselves to the foolish so that what is sacred remains sacred. Not every space is meant to be entered by everyone, and that is a kindness, not exclusion. Respect spiritual boundaries rather than trying to barge in to prove yourself.
Reflection Questions
- Where am I trying to force entry into spiritual territory I have not earned through humility?
- How can I respect what is sacred to others without needing to inspect or possess it?
My note
Source: vedabase.io