FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.18.33

यस्मिन्नसङ्ख्येयविशेषनाम- रूपाकृतौ कविभि: कल्पितेयम् । सङ्ख्या यया तत्त्वद‍ृशापनीयते तस्मै नम: साङ्ख्यनिदर्शनाय ते इति ॥ ३३ ॥
yasminn asaṅkhyeya-viśeṣa-nāma-
[yasminn asankhyeya-vishesha-naama-]
rūpākṛtau kavibhiḥ kalpiteyam
[roopaakritau kavibhih kalpiteyam]
saṅkhyā yayā tattva-dṛśāpanīyate
[sankhyaa yayaa tattva-drishaapaneeyate]
tasmai namaḥ sāṅkhya-nidarśanāya te iti
[tasmai namah saankhya-nidarshanaaya te iti]
yasmin — in You (the Supreme Personality of Godhead) asaṅkhyeya — innumerable viśeṣa — particular nāma — names rūpa — forms ākṛtau — possessing bodily features kavibhiḥ — by great learned persons kalpitā — imagined iyam — this saṅkhyā — number yayā — by whom tattva — of the truth dṛśā — by knowledge apanīyate — is extracted tasmai — unto Him namaḥ — respectful obeisances sāṅkhya-nidarśanāya — who is the revealer of this numerical knowledge te — unto You iti — thus.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yasminn asaṅkhyeya-viśeṣa-nāma-
yasmin
in You (the Supreme Personality of Godhead)
asaṅkhyeya
innumerable
viśeṣa
particular
nāma
names
rūpākṛtau kavibhiḥ kalpiteyam
rūpa
forms
ākṛtau
possessing bodily features
kavibhiḥ
by great learned persons
kalpitā
imagined
saṅkhyā yayā tattva-dṛśāpanīyate
iyam
this
tasmai namaḥ sāṅkhya-nidarśanāya te iti
saṅkhyā
number
yayā
by whom
tattva
of the truth
dṛśā
by knowledge
apanīyate
is extracted
tasmai
unto Him
namaḥ
respectful obeisances
sāṅkhya-nidarśanāya
who is the revealer of this numerical knowledge
te
unto You
iti
thus.
O my Lord, Your name, form and bodily features are expanded in countless forms. No one can determine exactly how many forms exist, yet You Yourself, in Your incarnation as the learned scholar Kapiladeva, have analyzed the cosmic manifestation as containing twenty-four elements. Therefore if one is interested in Sāṅkhya philosophy, by which one can enumerate the different truths, he must hear it from You. Unfortunately, nondevotees simply count the different elements and remain ignorant of Your actual form. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.

Philosophers and scientists have been trying to study the entire cosmic situation and have been theorizing and calculating in different ways for millions and millions of years. However, the speculative research work of a so-called scientist or philosopher is always interrupted when he dies, and the laws of nature go on without regard for his work.

For billions of years changes take place in the material creation, until at last the whole universe is dissolved and remains in an unmanifested state. Constant change and destruction ( bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate ) is perpetually going on in nature, yet the material scientists want to study natural laws without knowing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the background of nature. As Kṛṣṇa states in Bhagavad-gītā (9.10) :

mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram hetunānena kaunteya jagad viparivartate

“This material nature is working under My direction, O son of Kuntī, and it is producing all moving and unmoving beings. By its rule this manifestation is created and annihilated again and again.”

Now the material creation is manifest, eventually it will be annihilated and remain for many millions of years in a dormant state, and finally it will again be created. This is the law of nature.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
I offer respects to the form of knowledge by which the countless forms imagined by the sages to be residing in you with your unlimited names, forms and species are removed. Since this universe is temporary, it is not considered valuable by the jñānīs. The sages have counted many forms in you, having unlimited types of names, forms and kinds. I offer respects of the form of knowledge (saṅkhya-nidarśanāya), by which knowledge of tattva, the numerous manufactured forms are removed.
Philosophers count the elements of nature for ages and still miss the One whose energy they all are. Categorizing is not knowing. Hear from the Lord Himself (through scripture) if you want the elements to actually make sense.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I substituting analysis for hearing from authentic sources?
  • What scripture or teaching am I overdue to actually let speak rather than dissect?
📝 My note

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