Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.40.3
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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svarūpam
—
true form, real identity
sva (own) + rūpa (form). The Lord's own intrinsic form, distinct from any of His manifestations. Gauḍīya tattva insists this svarūpa is sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha — eternal, conscious, blissful — and unreachable by guṇa-bound cognition.
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anātmatayā
—
because of being inert (non-self)
an- + ātmatayā. The tattvas of verse 2 are anātma — without consciousness of their own — and so cannot witness the cetana Lord. A pot does not see; only one with ātmā sees.
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guṇaiḥ
—
by the modes
Instrumental plural of guṇa. Sattva, rajas, tamas — the three ropes that bind even the demigods. Viśvanātha Cakravartī emphasizes that until these are transcended by bhakti, Bhagavān's svarūpa remains veiled.
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ajaḥ
—
the unborn one (Brahmā)
Same root as ajā (prakṛti) but masculine — Brahmā, born from no mother, only from the lotus. Yet even he is anubaddha — bound. The verse cuts cleanly: highest jīva still falls short of the Person.
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guṇāt param
—
beyond the modes
Ablative + param. The technical phrase for the guṇātīta Lord. Gītā 14.26 promises that pure bhakti carries one to this very param, exceeding what jñāna alone can reach.
God is transcendental to material nature. Unless we also transcend the limited consciousness of material existence, we cannot know Him. Even the greatest living entity in the universe, Brahmā, cannot understand the Supreme unless he comes to the platform of pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
"All the causes of the universe from earth to the devatas, arise from you, but they do not know you. They, including Brahma, their source (ete), do not know your form as paramatma. Why do they not know? Being covered by matter, they do not know." "The covered jivas may not know me, but the pure jivas know me." "No, even Brahma does not know you." "Why?" "As he is covered by the gunas of matter, he cannot know your real form which is beyond the gunas."
Brahmā does not know your form which is unattached to the guṇas. Matter cannot know you. “Matter is unconscious, but the jīvas should be able to know me.” Even Brahmā does not know you. Or matter cannot know you. The jīvas know matter and themselves, but not your svarūpa. Or, “Why have you not recognized me as the Lord till this time?” Even Brahmā does not know you. Now you are known since you have come as avatāra.
All these with prakṛti as their origin (ajādayaḥ) do not know you. And though conscious, the jīva, does not know you. Or even Brahmā, constantly bound (anubaddhaḥ), does not know you. Or “Describing Nārāyaṇa, you praise me. Why do you not describe my two handed form, the joy of Gokula?” The great devotees who are beyond the guṇas know your two handed form, the joy of Gokula, most attractive, and not others. That is explained in this verse. Materially conscious jīvas (ajadayaḥ) do not know that form of yours, though it is directly present (ātmanaḥ). Only the people of Vraja know that form. “Does this hope not arise in anyone else?” By similar bhakti, someone, sometime, can know that form. Brahmā (ajaḥ) knows this. Going to Vṛndāvana, though bound by the guṇas, offering respect to you (nate), he knows your (te) form. That is described in SB 10.14.1.
A clay pot cannot know the potter; the modes of nature cannot turn back to see Him who set them spinning. Even Brahmā, the first-born and topmost guṇa-bound jīva, cannot fathom Kṛṣṇa's true svarūpa — for guṇa-bound vision cannot pierce the guṇātīta Person. Only His descending mercy can.
When Brahmā stole the calves and cowherd boys of Vraja to test Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa expanded Himself into all of them for a year. Brahmā returned and saw two sets — and fainted (SB 10.13). Rising, he offered prayers (SB 10.14) confessing that even he, the original guṇa-bound creature, could not grasp the Lord's svarūpa.
Akrūra's verse 3 is the philosophical statement of what Brahmā learned by experience: guṇa-anubaddhaḥ — bound by the modes — cannot know guṇāt param — the One beyond them.
My note
Source: vedabase.io