Shloka 46
Kāliya-damana: Kṛṣṇa Subdues the Serpent and Purifies the Yamunā
नमो गुणप्रदीपाय गुणात्मच्छादनाय च । गुणवृत्त्युपलक्ष्याय गुणद्रष्ट्रे स्वसंविदे ॥ ४६ ॥
namo guṇa-pradīpāya guṇātma-cchādanāya ca guṇa-vṛtty-upalakṣyāya guṇa-draṣṭre sva-saṁvide
Sembah sujud kepada-Mu, wahai Tuhan, yang menzahirkan pelbagai guna, namun juga menyelubungi diri dengan guna-guna itu. Gerak guna tersebut akhirnya menandai kewujudan-Mu. Engkau menjadi saksi yang melampaui guna, dan hanya dapat dikenal sepenuhnya melalui kesedaran batin para bhakta-Mu.
The word guṇa conveys various meanings: the three basic qualities of material nature, i.e., goodness, passion and ignorance; excellent qualities one manifests because of piety and spiritual achievement; or the internal senses, such as the mind and intelligence. The word pradīpāya means “unto Him who manifests or illumines.” Thus here the Nāgapatnīs are addressing the Supreme Lord as “He who manifests all material and spiritual qualities and who causes the living entities to be conscious.” One can see the Lord by going beyond the screen of material nature, and therefore He is called guṇātma-cchādanāya. If one methodically and intelligently studies the functioning of the material qualities, he will ultimately conclude that there is a Supreme Personality of Godhead and that He exhibits His illusory potency to bewilder those who do not surrender unto Him.
FAQs
This verse says Kṛṣṇa both reveals the guṇas and remains their witness—He is known through their activities, yet He is beyond them as self-luminous consciousness.
Seeing Kṛṣṇa subducing Kāliya, they begged for mercy and offered philosophical prayers, acknowledging Kṛṣṇa as the Supreme who controls and transcends material nature.
Practice stepping back from reactive moods (sattva/rajas/tamas), remember the Lord as the inner witness, and choose devotion and self-control instead of being driven by changing mental states.