FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.20.41

आकल्पमेवं वेषं गत एष भगवानात्मयोगमायया विरचितविविधलोकयात्रागोपीयायेत्यर्थ: ॥ ४१ ॥
ākalpam evaṁ veṣaṁ gata eṣa bhagavān ātma-yogamāyayā viracita-vividha-loka-yātrā-gopīyāyety arthaḥ.
[aakalpam evam vesham gata esha bhagavaan aatma-yogamaayayaa virachita-vividha-loka-yaatraa-gopeeyaayety arthah.]
Word-for-word
ā-kalpam — for the duration of the time of creation evam — thus veṣam — appearance gataḥ — has accepted eṣaḥ — this bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead ātma-yoga-māyayā — by His own spiritual potency viracita — perfected vividha-loka-yātrā — the livelihood of the various planetary systems gopīyāya — just to maintain iti — thus arthaḥ — the purpose.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ākalpam evaṁ veṣaṁ gata eṣa bhagavān ātma-yogamāyayā viracita-vividha-loka-yātrā-gopīyāyety arthaḥ.
ā-kalpam
for the duration of the time of creation
evam
thus
veṣam
appearance
gataḥ
has accepted
eṣaḥ
this
bhagavān
the Supreme Personality of Godhead
ātma-yoga-māyayā
by His own spiritual potency
viracita
perfected
vividha-loka-yātrā
the livelihood of the various planetary systems
gopīyāya
just to maintain
iti
thus
arthaḥ
the purpose.
The various forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, such as Nārāyaṇa and Viṣṇu, are beautifully decorated with different weapons. The Lord exhibits those forms to maintain all the varied planets created by His personal potency, yoga-māyā.
Purport

In Bhagavad-gītā (4.6) Lord Kṛṣṇa says, sambhavāmy ātma-māyayā: “I appear by My internal potency.” The word ātma-māyā refers to the Lord’s personal potency, yoga-māyā. After creating both the material world and spiritual world through yoga-māyā, the Supreme Personality of Godhead personally maintains them by expanding Himself in different categories as the Viṣṇu mūrtis and the demigods. He maintains the material creation from beginning to end, and He personally maintains the spiritual world.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
The Lord remains there until the end of the kalpa in order to protect the worldly affairs created by his yoga-māyā. “Why does the Lord remain there?” He remains for the welfare of the people. That statement is explained in this verse. The Lord remains thus, on Lokāloka, until the end of the kalpa. Ākalpam gataḥ can also mean accepting this decoration or appearance. He remains in order to protect the various affairs of the world produced by his own (ātma) yoga-māyā. If the Lord does not protect what he has produced from his energy, who else can?
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
The Lord's various forms (Nārāyaṇa, Viṣṇu) are decorated with weapons to maintain the world through His personal energy yoga-māyā. Maintenance is also fierce work; protection requires power. The Lord's beauty and His armaments are not contradictory.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do I expect protection without picturing the weaponry that makes it possible?
  • How can my own service be both beautiful and ready to defend what matters?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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