Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvitiya Skandha, Shloka 44
Daśa-lakṣaṇam: The Ten Topics, Virāṭ-Puruṣa Sense-Manifestation, and the Supreme Shelter (Āśraya)
इत्थंभावेन कथितो भगवान् भगवत्तम: । नेत्थंभावेन हि परं द्रष्टुमर्हन्ति सूरय: ॥ ४४ ॥
ittham-bhāvena kathito bhagavān bhagavattamaḥ nettham-bhāvena hi paraṁ draṣṭum arhanti sūrayaḥ
अशा प्रकारे भगवत्तम भगवान् यांचे वर्णन केले आहे. परंतु शुद्ध भक्त हे या भावापलीकडे, अधिक दिव्य व महिमामय दर्शन पाहण्यास पात्र आहेत.
The Lord is not only the creator and destroyer of the material manifestations of His different energies. He is more than a simple creator and destroyer, for there is His feature of ānanda, or His pleasure feature. This pleasure feature of the Lord is understood by the pure devotees only, and not by others. The impersonalist is satisfied simply by understanding the all-pervasive influence of the Lord. This is called Brahman realization. Greater than the impersonalist is the mystic who sees the Lord situated in his heart as Paramātmā, the partial representation of the Lord. But there are pure devotees who take part in the direct pleasure ( ānanda ) potency of the Lord by factual reciprocation of loving service. The Lord in His abode called the Vaikuṇṭha planets, which are eternal manifestations, always remains with His associates and enjoys transcendental loving services by His pure devotees in different transcendental humors. The pure devotees of the Lord thus undergo a practice of that devotional service to the Lord during the manifestation of the creation and take full advantage of the manifestation by qualifying themselves to enter into the kingdom of God. The Bhagavad-gītā (18.55) confirms this:
FAQs
This verse states that Bhagavān is truly seen only when approached in the proper devotional disposition (itthaṁ-bhāva); without that mood, even great sages cannot fully behold the Supreme.
In summarizing Bhagavatam’s essential teachings, Śukadeva highlights that realization is not merely intellectual—direct vision of the Lord depends on the right inner attitude of devotion and surrender.
Cultivate a sincere devotional mood—humility, attentiveness in hearing/chanting, and service-mindedness—so spiritual practice becomes relationship-based rather than only information-based.