Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 10
The Glories of Lord Ananta (Śeṣa/Saṅkarṣaṇa) and the Cosmic Foundation Beneath Pātāla
मूर्तिं न: पुरुकृपया बभार सत्त्वं संशुद्धं सदसदिदं विभाति तत्र । यल्लीलां मृगपतिराददेऽनवद्या- मादातुं स्वजनमनांस्युदारवीर्य: ॥ १० ॥
mūrtiṁ naḥ puru-kṛpayā babhāra sattvaṁ saṁśuddhaṁ sad-asad idaṁ vibhāti tatra yal-līlāṁ mṛga-patir ādade ’navadyām ādātuṁ svajana-manāṁsy udāra-vīryaḥ
This manifestation of subtle and gross matter exists within the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Out of causeless mercy toward His devotees, He exhibits various forms, which are all transcendental. The Supreme Lord is most liberal, and He possesses all mystic power. To conquer the minds of His devotees and give pleasure to their hearts, He appears in different incarnations and manifests many pastimes.
Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī has translated this verse as follows. “The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the cause of all causes. It is by His will that gross and subtle ingredients interact. He appears in various incarnations just to please the hearts of His pure devotees.” For example, the Supreme Lord appeared in the transcendental incarnation of Lord Varāha (the boar) just to please His devotees by lifting the planet earth from the Garbhodaka Ocean.
FAQs
This verse says the Lord, out of great mercy, assumes a manifest form in perfectly purified goodness so that conditioned souls can perceive truth properly and be drawn toward Him.
He uses the lion metaphor to express the Lord’s unrivaled spiritual power—His flawless līlā naturally overpowers and captivates the hearts of His devotees.
By regularly hearing and contemplating the Lord’s spotless pastimes, one’s mind becomes attracted away from temporary distractions and steadied in devotion and clarity.