FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.18.36

यस्य स्वरूपं कवयो विपश्चितो गुणेषु दारुष्विव जातवेदसम् । मथ्नन्ति मथ्ना मनसा दिद‍ृक्षवो गूढं क्रियार्थैर्नम ईरितात्मने ॥ ३६ ॥
yasya svarūpaṁ kavayo vipaścito
[yasya svaroopam kavayo vipashchito]
guṇeṣu dāruṣv iva jāta-vedasam
[guneshu daarushv iva jaata-vedasam]
mathnanti mathnā manasā didṛkṣavo
[mathnanti mathnaa manasaa didrikshavo]
gūḍhaṁ kriyārthair nama īritātmane
[goodham kriyaarthair nama eeritaatmane]
Word-for-word
yasya — whose sva-rūpam — form kavayaḥ — the greatly learned sages vipaścitaḥ — expert in ascertaining the Absolute Truth guṇeṣu — in the material manifestation, consisting of the three modes of nature dāruṣu — in wood iva — like jāta — manifested vedasam — fire mathnanti — stir mathnā — with a piece of wood used for producing fire manasā — by the mind didṛkṣavaḥ — who are inquisitive gūḍham — hidden kriyā-arthaiḥ — by fruitive activities and their results namaḥ — respectful obeisances īrita-ātmane — unto the Lord, who is manifested.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yasya svarūpaṁ kavayo vipaścito
yasya
whose
sva-rūpam
form
kavayaḥ
the greatly learned sages
vipaścitaḥ
expert in ascertaining the Absolute Truth
guṇeṣu dāruṣv iva jāta-vedasam
guṇeṣu
in the material manifestation, consisting of the three modes of nature
dāruṣu
in wood
iva
like
jāta
manifested
vedasam
fire
mathnanti mathnā manasā didṛkṣavo
mathnanti
stir
mathnā
with a piece of wood used for producing fire
manasā
by the mind
didṛkṣavaḥ
who are inquisitive
gūḍhaṁ kriyārthair nama īritātmane
gūḍham
hidden
kriyā-arthaiḥ
by fruitive activities and their results
namaḥ
respectful obeisances
īrita-ātmane
unto the Lord, who is manifested.
By manipulating a fire-generating stick, great saints and sages can bring forth the fire lying dormant within wood. In the same way, O Lord, those expert in understanding the Absolute Truth try to see You in everything — even in their own bodies. Yet you remain concealed. You are not to be understood by indirect processes involving mental or physical activities. Because You are self-manifested, only when You see that a person is wholeheartedly engaged in searching for You do You reveal Yourself. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.
Purport

The word kriyārthaiḥ means “by performing ritualistic ceremonies to satisfy the demigods.” The word vipaścitaḥ is explained in the Taittirīya Upaniṣad as follows: satyaṁ jñānam anantaṁ brahma; yo veda nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ parame vyoman; so ’śnute sarvān kāmān saha brahmaṇā vipaściteti. As Kṛṣṇa states in Bhagavad-gītā (7.19) , bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate: “After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me.” When one understands that the Lord is situated in everyone’s heart and actually sees the Lord present everywhere, he has perfect knowledge. The word jāta-vedaḥ means “fire which is produced by rubbing wood.” In Vedic times, learned sages could bring forth fire from wood. Jāta-vedaḥ also indicates the fire in the stomach, which digests everything we eat and which produces an appetite. The word gūḍha is explained in the Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad. Eko devaḥ sarva-bhūteṣu gūḍhaḥ: The Supreme Personality of Godhead is understood by chanting the Vedic mantras. Sarva-vyāpī sarva-bhūtāntar-ātmā: He is all-pervading, and He is within the heart of living entities. Karmādhyakṣaḥ sarva-bhūtādhivāsaḥ: He witnesses all activities of the living entity. Sākṣī cetā kevalo nirguṇaś ca: The Supreme Lord is the witness as well as the living force, yet He is transcendental to all material qualities.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Just as a person churns fire from pieces of wood, learned persons and devotees, desiring to see you, make visible your form which is invisible by performing karma and accepting its results. They do this by concentrating the mind on your name and form. I offer respects to the Lord whose nature has been described. Learned people (kavayaḥ) and devotees (vipaścitaḥ), by the mind which is like a churning rod, desiring to see your form in your names such as Kṛṣṇa and Rāma and your blackish or green manifestations, make you appear. Just as fire (jāta-vedasam) appears by repeated friction, they make you appear by repeatedly fixing your name and form in their minds. This form remains hidden by performing karma and enjoying its results (kriyārthaiḥ), but can be seen by bhakti, if it is not mixed with karma. I offer respects to the Lord whose nature (ātmane) has been described (īrita), or to the Lord in whom there is effort (ātmane) for his form to manifest. Or, they churn your form in their senses (guṇeṣu) such as ear and voice using the mind which hears and chants about the Lord’s name, qualities and pastimes. They make the Lord appear by determined practice of hearing and chanting using the mind. The rest of the verse would be interpreted as above.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Fire lies hidden in wood and only a sincere effort can draw it out — similarly, the Lord is hidden in everything but reveals Himself only to wholehearted seekers. He is not far; He is just waiting for a heart that is fully turned toward Him.
Reflection Questions
  • Am I seeking the Lord wholeheartedly, or with one hand on the exit?
  • What needs to be 'rubbed' in my own life so that the hidden fire of devotion can catch?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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