Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 31
Soma Pacifies the Pracetās; Dakṣa’s Haṁsa-guhya Prayers; Hari Grants Creative Power
यच्छक्तयो वदतां वादिनां वै विवादसंवादभुवो भवन्ति । कुर्वन्ति चैषां मुहुरात्ममोहं तस्मै नमोऽनन्तगुणाय भूम्ने ॥ ३१ ॥
yac-chaktayo vadatāṁ vādināṁ vai vivāda-saṁvāda-bhuvo bhavanti kurvanti caiṣāṁ muhur ātma-mohaṁ tasmai namo ’nanta-guṇāya bhūmne
Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the all-pervading Supreme Personality of Godhead, who possesses unlimited transcendental qualities. Acting from within the cores of the hearts of all philosophers, who propagate various views, He causes them to forget their own souls while sometimes agreeing and sometimes disagreeing among themselves. Thus He creates within this material world a situation in which they are unable to come to a conclusion. I offer my obeisances unto Him.
Since time immemorial or since the creation of the cosmic manifestation, the conditioned souls have formed various parties of philosophical speculation, but this is not true of the devotees. Nondevotees have different ideas of creation, maintenance and annihilation, and therefore they are called vādīs and prativādīs — proponents and counterproponents. It is understood from the statement of Mahābhārata that there are many munis, or speculators:
FAQs
This verse teaches that mere argument and discussion can become a field of dispute and repeated self-delusion when one forgets the Lord’s potency; true clarity comes by offering oneself to the Supreme of infinite qualities.
In his prayer, Daksha acknowledges that even learned speakers can be bewildered by the Lord’s energies; therefore he turns from intellectual pride to surrender, honoring the Supreme as the ultimate source and controller.
Use discussion to seek truth rather than victory, cultivate humility, and anchor the mind in devotion—remembering that clarity about the self arises through surrender to God, not through endless quarrel.