Shloka 38
Lord Viṣṇu Instructs Pṛthu: Forgiveness, Ātmā-Deha Viveka, and the Bhakti Ideal of Kingship
अदृष्टाय नमस्कृत्य नृप: सन्दर्शितात्मने । अव्यक्ताय च देवानां देवाय स्वपुरं ययौ ॥ ३८ ॥
adṛṣṭāya namaskṛtya nṛpaḥ sandarśitātmane avyaktāya ca devānāṁ devāya sva-puraṁ yayau
King Pṛthu offered respectful obeisances to the unmanifest Lord, the God of all devas—though beyond material sight, He had revealed Himself to the King; having bowed down, Pṛthu returned to his city.
The Supreme Lord is not visible to material eyes, but when the material senses are inclined to the transcendental loving service of the Lord and are thus purified, the Lord reveals Himself to the vision of the devotee. Avyakta means “unmanifested.” Although the material world is the creation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is unmanifested to material eyes. Mahārāja Pṛthu, however, developed spiritual eyes by his pure devotional service. Here, therefore, the Lord is described as sandarśitātmā, for He reveals Himself to the vision of the devotee, although He is not visible to ordinary eyes.
FAQs
This verse says the Lord is ordinarily unseen and unmanifest to material perception, yet He can reveal Himself to a devotee—here, to King Pṛthu—who then offers reverent obeisances.
After receiving the Lord’s darśana and honoring Him with namaskāra, Pṛthu resumed his royal duty, returning to his own city while keeping devotion to the Supreme Lord in his heart.
Do your responsibilities, but cultivate humility and devotion—recognizing that spiritual realization comes by the Lord’s grace, not merely by ordinary sense perception.