Shloka 24
Dakṣa’s Sacrifice Restored: Śiva’s Mercy and Nārāyaṇa’s Appearance
अप्यर्वाग्वृत्तयो यस्य महि त्वात्मभुवादय: । यथामति गृणन्ति स्म कृतानुग्रहविग्रहम् ॥ २४ ॥
apy arvāg-vṛttayo yasya mahi tv ātmabhuv-ādayaḥ yathā-mati gṛṇanti sma kṛtānugraha-vigraham
Embora nem mesmo o alcance mental de semideuses como Brahmā pudesse compreender as glórias ilimitadas do Senhor Supremo, por Sua graça eles puderam contemplar Sua forma transcendental. Somente por essa misericórdia ofereceram preces respeitosas conforme a capacidade de cada um.
The Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, is always unlimited, and His glories cannot be completely enumerated by anyone, even by a personality like Lord Brahmā. It is said that Ananta, a direct incarnation of the Lord, has unlimited mouths, and with each mouth He has been trying to describe the glories of the Lord for an unlimited span of time, yet the glories of the Lord remain unlimited, and He therefore never finishes. It is not possible for any ordinary living entity to understand or to glorify the unlimited Personality of Godhead, but one can offer prayers or service to the Lord according to one’s particular capacity. This capacity is increased by the service spirit. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau means that the service of the Lord begins with the tongue. This refers to chanting. By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, one begins the service of the Lord. Another function of the tongue is to taste and accept the Lord’s prasāda. We have to begin our service to the Unlimited with the tongue and become perfect in chanting, and accepting the Lord’s prasāda. To accept the Lord’s prasāda means to control the entire set of senses. The tongue is considered to be the most uncontrollable sense because it hankers for so many unwholesome eatables, thereby forcing the living entity into the dungeon of material conditional life. As the living entity transmigrates from one form of life to another, he has to eat so many abominable foodstuffs that finally there is no limit. The tongue should be engaged in chanting and in eating the Lord’s prasāda so that the other senses will be controlled. Chanting is the medicine, and prasāda is the diet. With these processes one can begin his service, and as the service increases, the Lord reveals more and more to the devotee. But there is no limit to His glories, and there is no limit to engaging oneself in the service of the Lord.
FAQs
This verse says that even Brahmā and other exalted beings can glorify the Lord only according to their limited capacity; His greatness ultimately exceeds all created intellect.
It indicates that the Lord, out of compassion, manifests a personal form so that conditioned and even highly elevated souls can approach, praise, and receive His grace.
Approach scripture and devotion with humility—offer sincere praise and service within your capacity, trusting that realizations deepen by the Lord’s mercy rather than by pride in intellect.