Shloka 31
Raivata and Cākṣuṣa Manvantaras; Brahmā’s Prayers at Śvetadvīpa
Prelude to Samudra-manthana
इमे वयं यत्प्रिययैव तन्वा सत्त्वेन सृष्टा बहिरन्तरावि: । गतिं न सूक्ष्मामृषयश्च विद्महे कुतोऽसुराद्या इतरप्रधाना: ॥ ३१ ॥
ime vayaṁ yat-priyayaiva tanvā sattvena sṛṣṭā bahir-antar-āviḥ gatiṁ na sūkṣmām ṛṣayaś ca vidmahe kuto ’surādyā itara-pradhānāḥ
We demigods, by the will of the beloved Lord, are fashioned with sattva-filled bodies and thus stand in goodness within and without; the great sages are likewise. Yet even we do not know the Lord’s subtle course—what then of the asuras and others, whose constitutions are ruled by passion and ignorance? How could they understand Him? Unto Him we offer our respectful obeisances.
Atheists and demons cannot understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, although He is situated within everyone. For them the Lord finally appears in the form of death, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā ( mṛtyuḥ sarva-haraś cāham ). Atheists think that they are independent, and therefore they do not care about the supremacy of the Lord, yet the Lord asserts His supremacy when He overcomes them as death. At the time of death, their attempts to use their so-called scientific knowledge and philosophical speculation to deny the supremacy of the Lord cannot work. Hiraṇyakaśipu, for example, was an exalted representative of the atheistic class of men. He always challenged the existence of God, and thus he became inimical even toward his own son. Everyone was afraid of Hiraṇyakaśipu’s atheistic principles. Nonetheless, when Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva appeared in order to kill him, Hiraṇyakaśipu’s atheistic principles could not save him. Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva killed Hiraṇyakaśipu and took away all his power, influence and pride. Atheistic men, however, never understand how everything they create is annihilated. The Supersoul is situated within them, but because of the predominance of the modes of passion and ignorance, they cannot understand the supremacy of the Lord. Even the demigods, the devotees, who are transcendentally situated or situated on the platform of goodness, are not fully aware of the qualities and position of the Lord. How then can the demons and atheists understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead? It is not possible. Therefore, to gain this understanding, the demigods, headed by Lord Brahmā, offered their respectful obeisances to the Lord.
FAQs
This verse says that even great sages cannot fully grasp the Lord’s subtle course; therefore one should approach Him with humility and devotion rather than pride in intellect.
In their prayer to Vishnu, the devas explain that they are created in predominating goodness, yet still cannot comprehend Him completely—so asuras, dominated by rajas and tamas, are even less able to perceive His purpose.
When outcomes are unclear, cultivate humility, increase sattva through disciplined living and prayer, and rely on devotion rather than assuming you can fully control or predict the divine arrangement.