FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.20.23

रसामचष्टाङ्‍‍घ्रितलेऽथ पादयो- र्महीं महीध्रान्पुरुषस्य जङ्घयो: । पतत्‍त्रिणो जानुनि विश्वमूर्ते- रूर्वोर्गणं मारुतमिन्द्रसेन: ॥ २३ ॥
rasām acaṣṭāṅghri-tale ’tha pādayor
[rasaam achashtaanghri-tale ’tha paadayor]
mahīṁ mahīdhrān puruṣasya jaṅghayoḥ
[maheem maheedhraan purushasya janghayoh]
patattriṇo jānuni viśva-mūrter
[patattrino jaanuni vishva-moorter]
ūrvor gaṇaṁ mārutam indrasenaḥ
[oorvor ganam maarutam indrasenah]
Word-for-word
rasām — the lower planetary system acaṣṭa — observed aṅghri-tale — beneath the feet, or on the sole atha — thereafter pādayoḥ — on the feet mahīm — the surface of the land mahīdhrān — the mountains puruṣasya — of the giant Personality of Godhead jaṅghayoḥ — on the calves patattriṇaḥ — the flying living entities jānuni — on the knees viśva-mūrteḥ — of the form of the gigantic Lord ūrvoḥ — on the thighs gaṇam mārutam — varieties of air indra-senaḥ — Bali Mahārāja, who had obtained the soldiers of King Indra and who was situated in the post of Indra.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
rasām acaṣṭāṅghri-tale ’tha pādayor
rasām
the lower planetary system
acaṣṭa
observed
aṅghri-tale
beneath the feet, or on the sole
mahīṁ mahīdhrān puruṣasya jaṅghayoḥ
patattriṇo jānuni viśva-mūrter
atha
thereafter
pādayoḥ
on the feet
ūrvor gaṇaṁ mārutam indrasenaḥ
mahīm
the surface of the land
mahīdhrān
the mountains
puruṣasya
of the giant Personality of Godhead
jaṅghayoḥ
on the calves
patattriṇaḥ
the flying living entities
jānuni
on the knees
viśva-mūrteḥ
of the form of the gigantic Lord
ūrvoḥ
on the thighs
gaṇam mārutam
varieties of air
indra-senaḥ
Bali Mahārāja, who had obtained the soldiers of King Indra and who was situated in the post of Indra.
Thereafter, Bali Mahārāja, who was occupying the seat of King Indra, could see the lower planetary systems, such as Rasātala, on the soles of the feet of the Lord’s universal form. He saw on the Lord’s feet the surface of the globe, on the surface of His calves all the mountains, on His knees the various birds, and on His thighs the varieties of air.
Purport

The universal situation is described herein in regard to the complete constitution of the Lord’s gigantic universal form. The study of this universal form begins from the sole. Above the soles are the feet, above the feet are the calves, above the calves are the knees, and above the knees are the thighs. Thus the parts of the universal body, one after another, are described herein. The knees are the place of birds, and above that are varieties of air. The birds can fly over the mountains, and above the birds are varieties of air.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Bali Mahārāja, who was occupying the seat of Indra, saw the surface of the earth on the soles of the feet of the Lord's universal form. He saw on the Lord's feet objects situated on the earth, on his calves he saw all the mountains, on his knees he saw the various birds, and on his thighs he saw the varieties of winds. The form is further described in seven verses minus one line. Rasām means the surface of the earth. Mahīm means “what is situated on the earth: villages, houses, palaces and trees.” Patatriṇaḥ means birds which are situated about the mountains. Mārutam means the group of winds. Indra-senaḥ means Bali, who possessed the troops of Indra.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Bali saw Rasātala on the soles, the globe on the feet, mountains on the calves, birds on the knees, varieties of air on the thighs. The cosmos is mapped onto His body. Geography itself is divine anatomy.
Reflection Questions
  • Where do I see geography as merely physical and miss its divine-anatomy nature?
  • What part of the world I encounter daily maps to which part of the Lord's body?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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