Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 9.21.15
तस्य त्रिभुवनाधीशा: फलदा: फलमिच्छताम् ।
आत्मानं दर्शयां चक्रुर्माया विष्णुविनिर्मिता: ॥ १५ ॥
tasya tribhuvanādhīśāḥ
[tasya tribhuvanaadheeshaah]
phaladāḥ phalam icchatām
[phaladaah phalam ichchataam]
ātmānaṁ darśayāṁ cakrur
[aatmaanam darshayaam chakrur]
māyā viṣṇu-vinirmitāḥ
[maayaa vishnu-vinirmitaah]
Word-for-word
tasya
—
before him (King Rantideva)
tri-bhuvana-adhīśāḥ
—
the controllers of the three worlds (demigods like Brahmā and Śiva)
phaladāḥ
—
who can bestow all fruitive results
phalam icchatām
—
of persons who desire material benefit
ātmānam
—
their own identities
darśayām cakruḥ
—
manifested
māyāḥ
—
the illusory energy
viṣṇu
—
by Lord Viṣṇu
vinirmitāḥ
—
created.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tasya tribhuvanādhīśāḥ
tasya
before him (King Rantideva)
tri-bhuvana-adhīśāḥ
the controllers of the three worlds (demigods like Brahmā and Śiva)
phaladāḥ phalam icchatām
phaladāḥ
who can bestow all fruitive results
phalam icchatām
of persons who desire material benefit
ātmānam
their own identities
ātmānaṁ darśayāṁ cakrur
darśayām cakruḥ
manifested
māyā viṣṇu-vinirmitāḥ
māyāḥ
the illusory energy
viṣṇu
by Lord Viṣṇu
vinirmitāḥ
created.
Demigods like Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva, who can satisfy all materially ambitious men by giving them the rewards they desire, then manifested their own identities before King Rantideva, for it was they who had presented themselves as the brāhmaṇa, śūdra, caṇḍāla and so on.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura
Gauḍīya
Translation
Viṣṇu, Brahmā and Śiva, who can satisfy all materially ambitious men by giving them the rewards they desire, and who had first disguised themselves as a brāhmaṇa, śūdra and dog keeper, then manifested their real identities before King Rantideva.
Viṣṇu, Brahmā and Śiva first showed deceptive forms as a brāhmaṇa, a śūdra and dog keeper to test Rantideva. They then showed their real forms (ātmānam).
Personal Guidance
Brahmā, Śiva, and the demigods reveal that they were the guests testing him. The Lord and His associates often arrive disguised as beggars; routine hospitality is, in fact, a regular spiritual examination.
Reflection Questions
- Whom have I turned away who might have been a demigod in disguise?
- How could I treat every routine encounter as a possible examination?
My note
Source: vedabase.io