Shloka 5
The Universal Form (Virāṭ-Puruṣa): The Lord’s Entry into the Elements, the Devas, and the Origin of Varṇāśrama
परेण विशता स्वस्मिन्मात्रया विश्वसृग्गण: । चुक्षोभान्योन्यमासाद्य यस्मिन्लोकाश्चराचरा: ॥ ५ ॥
pareṇa viśatā svasmin mātrayā viśva-sṛg-gaṇaḥ cukṣobhānyonyam āsādya yasmin lokāś carācarāḥ
ពេលព្រះអម្ចាស់ដោយភាគពេញលេញរបស់ព្រះองค์ ចូលទៅក្នុងធាតុទាំងឡាយ ក្រុមធាតុនៃការបង្កើតលោកបានកក្រើកប្រសព្វគ្នា ហើយបម្លែងទៅជារូបធំវិរាដ ដែលជាទីស្ថិតនៃលោកទាំងអស់ និងសត្វចលាចល-អចល។
The elements of cosmic creation are all matter and have no potency to increase in volume unless entered into by the Lord in His plenary portion. This means that matter does not increase or decrease unless it is spiritually touched. Matter is a product of spirit and increases only by the touch of spirit. The entire cosmic manifestation has not assumed its gigantic form by itself, as wrongly calculated by less intelligent persons. As long as spirit is within matter, matter can increase as needed; but without the spirit, matter stops increasing. For example, as long as there is spiritual consciousness within the material body of a living entity, the body increases to the required size, but a dead material body, which has no spiritual consciousness, stops increasing. In Bhagavad-gītā (Chapter Two) importance is given to the spiritual consciousness, not the body. The entire cosmic body increased by the same process that we experience in our small bodies. One should not, however, foolishly think that the individual infinitesimal soul is the cause of the gigantic manifestation of the universal form. The universal form is called the virāṭ-rūpa because the Supreme Lord is within it in His plenary portion.
FAQs
This verse says creation proceeds when the Supreme enters the cosmic aggregate by His own potency, causing the material elements to become active and interact, from which the worlds and beings manifest.
The Bhagavatam describes the Lord as present as Paramātmā; His ‘entering’ indicates His immanence and activating supervision, by which inert matter becomes organized and productive.
It teaches that real movement and meaning come from divine presence—so one should invite the Lord into one’s life through bhakti (hearing, chanting, remembrance), which awakens purpose and harmony.