Shloka 32

Pṛthu Pursues the Earth and the Earth Takes the Form of a Cow

Bhūmi as Gauḥ

Devanagari script

नूनं बतेशस्य समीहितं जनै- स्तन्मायया दुर्जययाकृतात्मभि: । न लक्ष्यते यस्त्वकरोदकारयद् योऽनेक एक: परतश्च ईश्वर: ॥ ३२ ॥

Transliteration

nūnaṁ bateśasya samīhitaṁ janais tan-māyayā durjayayākṛtātmabhiḥ na lakṣyate yas tv akarod akārayad yo ’neka ekaḥ parataś ca īśvaraḥ

Translation

يا ربّ، مع أنك واحد، فإنك بقدراتك غير المتصوَّرة تتجلّى في صور كثيرة. وبواسطة براهما جعلتَ هذا الكون يُخلَق؛ فأنت إذن شخصيّة الإله العليا بذاتها. لكن الذين تغشاهم ماياك التي لا تُقهَر لا يدركون أفعالك المتعالية.

Synonyms

• nūnam: surely
• nūnam: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: nūnam (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (अव्यय) — 'surely'

• bata: alas/indeed!
• bata: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bata (अव्यय)
• Form: Exclamatory particle (विस्मय-निपात)

• īśasya: of the Lord
• īśasya: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular — 'of the Lord'

• samīhitam: the intended (plan)
• samīhitam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sam-√īh (धातु) → samīhita (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: Past participle (क्त) used substantively; Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular — 'what is intended/willed'

• janaiḥ: by people
• janaiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: jana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural — 'by people'

• tat-māyayā: by that māyā
• tat-māyayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + māyā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular; कर्मधारय: 'that māyā (his māyā)'

• durjayayā: hard-to-overcome
• durjayayā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durjaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Instrumental, Singular — 'hard to conquer' (qualifies māyayā)

• akṛta-ātmabhiḥ: by the unrefined (undisciplined)
• akṛta-ātmabhiḥ: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-kṛta (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental, Plural; बहुव्रीहि: 'those whose self is not (properly) formed/controlled' (unrefined persons)

• na: not
• na: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: Negation particle (निषेध-निपात)

• lakṣyate: is perceived
• lakṣyate: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √lakṣ (धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), 3rd person, Singular, Passive voice (कर्मणि) — 'is perceived/recognized'

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular — relative pronoun (refers to īśvaraḥ)

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction/particle (निपात) — contrast

• akarot: did/made
• akarot: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular — 'did/made'

• akārayat: caused (to do)
• akārayat: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (धातु) (णिच् causative)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 3rd person, Singular; causative (णिच्) — 'caused to be done/made (others do)'

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular — relative pronoun (repeated)

• anekaḥ: many
• anekaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: aneka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular — 'many (as if many)'

• ekaḥ: one
• ekaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: eka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular — 'one'

• parataḥ: beyond/otherwise
• parataḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: paratas (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb — 'from without/otherwise/beyond'

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय-निपात) — 'and'

• īśvaraḥ: the Lord
• īśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular — 'Lord, controller'

Purport

God is one, but He expands Himself in a variety of energies — the material energy, the spiritual energy, the marginal energy and so forth. Unless one is favored and especially endowed with grace, he cannot understand how the one Supreme Personality of Godhead acts through His different energies. The living entities are also the marginal energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Brahmā is also one of these living entities, but he is especially empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although Brahmā is supposed to be the creator of this universe, actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead is its ultimate creator. In this verse the word māyayā is significant. Māyā means “energy.” Lord Brahmā is not the energetic but is one of the manifestations of the Lord’s marginal energy. In other words, Lord Brahmā is only an instrument. Although sometimes plans appear contradictory, there is a definite plan behind all action. One who is experienced and is favored by the Lord can understand that everything is being done according to the Lord’s supreme plan.

Characters & Entities

• Īśvara (Supreme Lord)

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Supreme Lord acting through māyā?

This verse says the Lord’s intention is fulfilled through beings influenced by His unconquerable māyā, while He remains difficult to perceive directly.

Who is described as 'the one who acts and also causes others to act' in Bhagavatam 4.17.32?

Īśvara—the Supreme Lord—is described as both the doer and the ultimate cause who empowers others to act.

How can this teaching be applied in modern life when events feel out of control?

It encourages seeing a higher divine governance behind circumstances, cultivating humility and devotion rather than obsession with blaming individuals as the ultimate cause.