Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.40.7
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
-
saṁskṛta-ātmānaḥ
—
those whose minds are purified
Compound: saṁskṛta (refined) + ātmā (mind/self). Purification through Vaiṣṇava regulation (Pāñcarātra-vidhi). Gauḍīyas treat this saṁskāra as the proper soil in which rāgānuga-bhakti can later grow.
-
vidhinā abhihitena
—
by the rules declared by You
vidhi (injunction) + abhihita (declared). The Lord Himself promulgates the Pāñcarātra system — it is not human invention. Jīva Gosvāmī in Bhakti-sandarbha leans on this verse for Pāñcarātra's scriptural authority.
-
tvat-mayāḥ
—
absorbed in You
tvat (You) + maya (consisting of). The mark of bhakta-consciousness: not merely thinking about the Lord but consisting-of-Him in mood. Echoes man-manā bhava mad-bhakto (Gītā 18.65).
-
bahu-mūrti-eka-mūrtikam
—
the one form manifesting as many forms
Compound: bahu (many) + mūrti (form) + eka (one) + mūrtika (formed one). The exact Pāñcarātra metaphysic — vyūha, avatāra, arcā, antaryāmī — Bhagavān is one and yet truly takes many forms without losing unity.
The word saṁskṛtātmānaḥ, “they whose intelligence is pure,” is significant here. It implies that the worshipers mentioned before have not completely purified their intelligence of material contamination and thus worship the Lord indirectly. Those who are purified, however, directly worship the Lord, either as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Kṛṣṇa, or as one of His various plenary forms, such as Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna or Aniruddha, as indicated here.
This verse depicts the vaisnavas. Other types of worshippers being without good qualities, these vaisnavas, being of good qualities, worship you according to pancaratrika rules (vidhina) uttered by yourself. For the scriptures say, "the pancaratras were all uttered by the lord himself." Pancaratra is regarded in all the smrtis as the supreme pramana or proof. Although you are manifest as various spiritual forms , being present within and without, they actually worship only Krsna. "The one independent Krsna spread everywhere is most worshippable, though he has many forms." Gopala tapani upanisad.
The word ca indicates the previous were all similar. They worship you by the process described by you. This statement shows the great authority of Paṣcarātra and that it is respected by all. This will also be shown by statements from Mokṣa-dharma. These people have hearts endowed with excellent qualities (saṁskṛtātmānaḥ), disregarding initiation into worship of Śiva or others. They are absorbed in you (tvan-mayāḥ). They worship you seeing internally and externally in many forms such as Vāsudeva and Matsya which are forms of the one Mahā-nārāyaṇa in Vaikuṇṭha. Or, though there are many forms they are actually one.
A potter sees one lump of clay become many pots — bowls, lamps, jars — and never forgets it is one clay shaped many ways. The Pāñcarātra worshiper sees Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, the avatāras, the Deity — many mūrtis, one Bhagavān. Plural form, singular Person.
Nārada Muni, instructed by his previous-life teacher and by the Lord directly, transmitted the Pāñcarātra-vidhi for Deity worship and Vaiṣṇava sādhana down the paramparā (SB 1.5–6, Nārada-pañcarātra).
Gauḍīyas regard Pāñcarātra as a sister to śruti for the regulative side of bhakti — Akrūra's verse 7 names exactly its worshipers: those of purified intelligence who see one Lord in many mūrtis.
My note
Source: vedabase.io