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
Ainsi, ta position véritable, au-delà de toute création mobile et immobile, ne peut être connue en vérité par personne. Si même Brahmā et les autres ne peuvent te comprendre, comment pourrions-nous t’offrir des louanges adéquates? Nous ne sommes que des êtres au sein de la création de Brahmā, d’une puissance infime. Pourtant, selon notre capacité, nous avons exprimé notre sentiment de bhakti.
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.