Srimad Bhagavatam — Ashtama Skandha, Shloka 34
Kūrma Supports Mandara; Hālahala Appears; Śiva Becomes Nīlakaṇṭha
तत् तस्य ते सदसतो: परत: परस्य नाञ्ज: स्वरूपगमने प्रभवन्ति भूम्न: । ब्रह्मादय: किमुत संस्तवने वयं तु तत्सर्गसर्गविषया अपि शक्तिमात्रम् ॥ ३४ ॥
tat tasya te sad-asatoḥ parataḥ parasya nāñjaḥ svarūpa-gamane prabhavanti bhūmnaḥ brahmādayaḥ kim uta saṁstavane vayaṁ tu tat-sarga-sarga-viṣayā api śakti-mātram
Therefore, Your true position—beyond all moving and nonmoving creation—cannot be reached in truth by anyone. If even Brahmā and the other devas cannot understand You, how can we offer prayers worthy of You? We are but beings within Brahmā’s creation, possessing only a little power; yet, as far as our ability allowed, we have expressed our devotional feelings.
FAQs
This verse states that the Lord is beyond both sat (the manifest) and asat (the unmanifest), and even beyond what is considered 'beyond'—His true nature cannot be fully grasped by conditioned or even exalted beings.
In their prayer, the devas emphasize the Lord’s infinite transcendence: even Brahmā, the greatest created being, cannot reach complete knowledge of the Lord’s svarūpa, so their own praise is necessarily limited.
It encourages humility in spiritual practice—recognizing that the Divine is greater than our concepts—and inspires sincere devotion and prayer rather than pride in intellect or position.