Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 2
Vidura’s Questions: How the Unchangeable Lord Relates to Māyā; Bhakti as the Remedy; Blueprint for the Coming Cosmology
विदुर उवाच ब्रह्मन् कथं भगवतश्चिन्मात्रस्याविकारिण: । लीलया चापि युज्येरन्निर्गुणस्य गुणा: क्रिया: ॥ २ ॥
vidura uvāca brahman kathaṁ bhagavataś cin-mātrasyāvikāriṇaḥ līlayā cāpi yujyeran nirguṇasya guṇāḥ kriyāḥ
Vidura dit : Ô brāhmane, puisque Bhagavān est pure conscience, immuable et nirguṇa, comment les guṇa de la nature matérielle et leurs activités peuvent-ils être liés à Lui ? Si c’est Sa līlā, comment l’action se manifeste-t-elle en Celui qui ne change pas ?
As described in the previous chapter, the difference between the Supersoul, the Supreme Lord, and the living entities is that the activities of the Lord in creating the cosmic manifestation are performed by the Lord through the agency of His multifarious energies, but this manifestation is bewildering to the living entities. The Lord is therefore the master of the energies, whereas the living entities are subjugated by them. By asking various questions about transcendental activities, Vidura is clearing the misconception that when the Lord either descends to the earth in His incarnation or appears Himself with all His potencies, He too is subjected to the influence of māyā, just like an ordinary living entity. This is generally the calculation of less intelligent philosophers who consider the position of the Lord and that of the living entities to be on the same level. Vidura is hearing the great sage Maitreya refute these arguments. The Lord is described in this verse as cin-mātra, or completely spiritual. The Personality of Godhead has unlimited potencies to create and manifest many wonderful things, both temporary and permanent. Because this material world is the creation of His external energy, it thus appears to be temporary; it is manifested at certain intervals, maintained for some time, and again dissolved and conserved in His own energy. As described in Bhagavad-gītā (8.19) , bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate. But the creation of His internal potency, the spiritual world, is not a temporary manifestation like the material world, but is eternal and full of transcendental knowledge, opulence, energy, strength, beauties and glories. Such manifestations of the Lord’s potencies are eternal and are therefore called nirguṇa, or free from all tinges of the modes of material nature, even up to the mode of material goodness. The spiritual world is transcendental even to material goodness and thus is unchangeable. Since the Supreme Lord of such eternal and unchangeable qualities is never subjugated by anything like material influence, how can His activities and form be conceived to be under the influence of illusory māyā, as is the case with the living entities?
FAQs
This verse raises the key teaching that the Lord is beyond material modes and change, so His “activities” are not forced by guṇas; they are transcendental pastimes, perceived as action while He remains unmodified.
Vidura seeks a clear philosophical foundation: if Bhagavān is pure consciousness and unchanging, he wants to understand how scriptures describe the Lord’s deeds and attributes without compromising His transcendence.
It trains discernment: do not project human limitations onto God; approach divine stories as transcendental līlā, and cultivate reverence and bhakti while studying philosophy to avoid confusion.