Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.8.37-39
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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viśvam
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the whole universe
Accusative of viśva. The universal-form vision begins here. Gauḍīya: the entire cosmos resides eternally within Kṛṣṇa, but is normally veiled by Yoga-māyā for His Vraja-līlā's sake. The veil parts here for one breath.
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jīva - kāla
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the duration of life of all living entities
Jīva (living being) + kāla (time). The mouth contains not only space but time — every soul's allotted span. Kṛṣṇa as kāla is Gītā 11.32's revelation; here it appears in a toddler's mouth.
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guṇāḥ trayaḥ
—
the three material qualities (sattva, rajas, tamas)
Guṇa (mode) + trayaḥ (three). Sāṅkhya's basic ontology. Kṛṣṇa contains the guṇas; the guṇas do not contain Him. Gauḍīya: this verse refutes the impersonalist reading that the Absolute is beyond all qualities — He contains them as their guṇātīta source.
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karma - āśaya
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the seedbed of karma, desire-residues
Karma (action) + āśaya (resting-place, depository). The karmic latencies of every soul are present within His mouth. Vaiṣṇava ontology: even karmic causation has no independent existence — it rests in Bhagavān's supervisory will.
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liṅga - bhedam
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varieties of bodies according to desire
Liṅga (body, marker) + bheda (distinction). The 8,400,000 forms of life and their differentiations. The verse shows that the variegation of beings is Kṛṣṇa's internal arrangement, not an independent cosmic accident.
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vidārita - āsye
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within the wide-open mouth
Vidārita (split open) + āsya (mouth), locative. The technical phrase for the cosmic-disclosure moment. The verb suggests a violent opening — but the mouth is a child's, and the violence is only the discovery's, not the body's.
All the cosmic manifestations that exist on the gross and subtle elements, as well as the means of their agitation, the three guṇas, the living entity, creation, maintenance, annihilation and everything going on in the external energy of the Lord — all this comes from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda. Everything is within the control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (9.10) . Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram: everything in the material nature ( prakṛti ) works under His control. Because all these manifestations come from Govinda, they could all be visible within the mouth of Govinda. Quite astonished, mother Yaśodā was afraid because of intense maternal affection. She could not believe that within the mouth of her son such things could appear. Yet she saw them, and therefore she was struck with fear and wonder.
According to Brahma’s prayers she saw the universe not in Krsna’s mouth but in his belly. Jagat means moving and sthasnu means immobile. Kham means antariksa or bhuvar loka. Sadri refers to the whole earth along with its mountains, islands and oceans. Sa vayuh refers to the force moving the planets. Nabhasvan means air. Vaikarikani is the devata in charge of the senses. Gunas trayah are sattva rajas and tamas. These formless things became possible to see in the form of their presiding deities, and in taking gross forms. At the same time (saha) she saw the jiva, kala, which agitates the gunas, svabhava, the cause of transformation, karma, the cause of birth, and impressions in the form of desire (asaya). He showed the variegated universe within which exists all the different forms of bodies. Tanau, in his body, means in his belly. She saw in his belly through his wide open mouth. She also saw herself along with her son and husband in Vraja. By the words of Brahma it is understood that this vision was of this particular universe. Simultaneously the universe was inside his belly and outside by the power of inconceivable yogamaya. Showing himself in the universe and pervading the universe he showed his limitedness and unlimitedness. The vision of the Lord in the universe and the universe in the Lord , meant for the reverential devotees, was shown to Yasoda, whose lotus feet are touched by the heads of the madhurya devotees. Seeing this she began to worry about her son.
She saw the universe in his stomach (tatra) since what he had eaten would be in his stomach. Śrīdhara Svāmī says concerning a verse in the next chapter “the universe took shelter of his stomach.” The universe composed of moving and non-moving entities is described. Lightning should also be included with fire and the luminaries in the sky. Kham refers to bhuvar-loka. She even saw ākāśa (viyat) what to speak of its produces air, fire, water and earth. The word ca indicates ahaṅkāra, mahat-tattva and prakṛti. She saw what has no form (such as mind, ahaṅkāra, prakṛti etc.) by seeing their controlling deities which are considered non-different from the invisible objects. When her son opened his mouth she saw Vraja along with herself and Kṛṣṇa (sahātmānam). Brahmā later says: yasya kukṣāv idaṁ sarvaṁ sātmaṁ bhāti yathā tathā tat tvayy apīha tat sarvaṁ kim idaṁ māyayā vinā Just as this entire universe, including you, was exhibited within your abdomen, so it is now manifested here externally in the same exact form. How could such things happen unless arranged by your inconceivable energy? SB 10.14.17 By the inconceivable power of the small boy, simultaneously the great form containing the universe and small human form which reside within the universe and which contained the universe within it was shown. She started having various doubts or she worried about her son. She could see this because she was endowed with extraordinary powers (see commentary on SB 10.7.37.)
Within the Lord (tatra), within his stomach, she saw the universe. Śrīdhara Svāmī says concerning a verse in the next chapter “The universe took shelter of his stomach.” The universe composed of moving and non-moving entities is described starting with kham (ether). Air and fire are repeated with the words tejas and nabhasvān, but as part of the zodiac they refer to the wind that moves the planets and lightning. Kham and viyat refer to ether but also refer to planet and space. Or water, fire, air and ether along with bhugola (earth) can refer to the presiding deities of these five elements. Bhugola also refers to the spherical place. Viyad eva means she even saw ether which is usually invisible, being pervasive. This also indicates invisibilitiy of the list following. The word ca indicates ahaṅkāra, mahat-tattva and prakṛti. She saw this directly within the stomach of her son (tanau), with all details (vīkṣya), with her eyes, by the will of the Lord. Or she had special power in her eyes according the previously explained conclusions. She saw this when he opened his mouth. She then began to wonder various things.
- Notice today when something 'small' (a person, a task, a moment) suddenly reveals immensity, and refuse to retreat from Kṛṣṇa into the safety of treating Him as ordinary.
- When fear or doubt arises about the scope of what you are seeing, anchor in your specific relationship with Kṛṣṇa — son, friend, master — instead of abstracting Him into 'the universe.'
- Speak about Kṛṣṇa today as a Person who contains everything, not as 'consciousness' or 'energy' — correct your own language out loud at least once.
A mother opens her child's mouth expecting a clod of mud and instead sees, layered inside, the seven seas, the spinning planets, the wind, fire, herself, and the very courtyard she stands in — and the child still calmly waits for her to close His jaw. Kṛṣṇa is the only mouth that contains its own owner.
On Kurukṣetra, Kṛṣṇa granted Arjuna divine eyes, and Arjuna saw within Kṛṣṇa's body all worlds, all warriors, all directions, time itself with its grinding teeth (BG 11). The vision shook him so deeply he could not return at first to friendship-rasa.
Yaśodā in SB 10.8.37–39 sees the same viśva-rūpa, but Yoga-māyā holds her vātsalya open even through cosmic disclosure. Where Arjuna trembled, Yaśodā would, in a moment, simply close her son's mouth and resume nursing. Gauḍīyas note: vātsalya is the highest darśana — it survives what awe cannot.
My note
Source: vedabase.io