FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.9.25

य एक ईशो निजमायया न: ससर्ज येनानुसृजाम विश्वम् ।
ya eka īśo nija-māyayā naḥ
[ya eka eesho nija-maayayaa nah]
sasarja yenānusṛjāma viśvam
[sasarja yenaanusrijaama vishvam]
vayaṁ na yasyāpi puraḥ samīhataḥ
[vayam na yasyaapi purah sameehatah]
paśyāma liṅgaṁ pṛthag īśa-māninaḥ
[pashyaama lingam prithag eesha-maaninah]
Word-for-word
yaḥ — He who ekaḥ — one īśaḥ — controller nija-māyayā — by His transcendental potency naḥ — us sasarja — created yena — by whom (through whose mercy) anusṛjāma — we also create viśvam — the universe vayam — we na — not yasya — of whom api — although puraḥ — in front of us samīhataḥ — of Him who is acting paśyāma — see liṅgam — the form pṛthak — separate īśa — as controllers māninaḥ — thinking of ourselves.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ya eka īśo nija-māyayā naḥ
yaḥ
He who
ekaḥ
one
īśaḥ
controller
nija-māyayā
by His transcendental potency
naḥ
us
sasarja yenānusṛjāma viśvam
sasarja
created
yena
by whom (through whose mercy)
anusṛjāma
we also create
viśvam
the universe
vayaṁ na yasyāpi puraḥ samīhataḥ
vayam
we
na
not
yasya
of whom
api
although
puraḥ
in front of us
samīhataḥ
of Him who is acting
paśyāma liṅgaṁ pṛthag īśa-māninaḥ
paśyāma
see
liṅgam
the form
pṛthak
separate
īśa
as controllers
māninaḥ
thinking of ourselves.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who created us by His external potency and by whose mercy we expand the creation of the universe, is always situated before us as the Supersoul, but we cannot see His form. We are unable to see Him because all of us think that we are separate and independent gods.
Purport

Here is an explanation of why the conditioned soul cannot see the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face. Even though the Lord appears before us as Lord Kṛṣṇa or Lord Rāmacandra and lives in human society as a leader or king, the conditioned soul cannot understand Him. Avajānanti māṁ mūḍhā mānuṣīṁ tanum āśritam: rascals ( mūḍhas ) deride the Supreme Personality of Godhead, thinking Him an ordinary human being. However insignificant we are, we think that we are also God, that we can create a universe or that we can create another God. This is why we cannot see or understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In this regard, Śrīla Madhvācārya says:

liṅgam eva paśyāmaḥ kadācid abhimānas tu devānām api sann iva prāyaḥ kāleṣu nāsty eva

tāratamyena so ’pi tu

We are all conditioned to various degrees, but we think that we are God. This is why we cannot understand who God is or see Him face to face.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
That one Lord created us by his own energy, and by him alone we create the universe. We, thinking we are also creators, do not see the form of the Lord who performed pastimes long before we existed. Though the Lord is present everywhere and also here, he is not visible to our material senses. But by his mercy may he become visible and protect us! This is expressed in three verses. We do not see the form of the Lord who performed pastimes (samīhataḥ puraḥ) in the forms of Rāma or Kṛṣṇa before we existed. The reason is that we think we are the lords.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
By His external potency the Lord created us; by His mercy we expand creation; He stands before us as the Supersoul, yet invisible. We collaborate with One we cannot see directly.
Reflection Questions
  • What practice could let me sense the Supersoul I cannot see?
  • How does invisibility change my relationship with the One who stands before me?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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