Shloka 26

Varṣa-devatā Worship in Jambūdvīpa: Hayagrīva/Hayaśīrṣa, Nṛsiṁha, Kāmadeva (Pradyumna), Matsya, Kūrma, and Varāha

Devanagari script

अन्तर्बहिश्चाखिललोकपालकै- रद‍ृष्टरूपो विचरस्युरुस्वन: । स ईश्वरस्त्वं य इदं वशेऽनय- न्नाम्ना यथा दारुमयीं नर: स्त्रियम् ॥ २६ ॥

Transliteration

antar bahiś cākhila-loka-pālakair adṛṣṭa-rūpo vicarasy uru-svanaḥ sa īśvaras tvaṁ ya idaṁ vaśe ’nayan nāmnā yathā dārumayīṁ naraḥ striyam

Translation

హే ప్రభూ! నీవు అంతరంగములోనూ బాహ్యములోనూ—సర్వ లోకపాలకులతో కూడ—అదృశ్యరూపంగా సంచరిస్తావు; నీ ధ్వని మహత్తరమైనది. నీవే ఈశ్వరుడు; ఈ జగత్తును నీ వశంలో నడిపిస్తావు—ఎలా ఒక మనిషి తాడు/సూత్రంతో చెక్క బొమ్మ-స్త్రీని నర్తింపజేస్తాడో అలా.

Synonyms

• antaḥ: within
• antaḥ: Deśa (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: antar (अव्यय/प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• bahiḥ: without/outside
• bahiḥ: Deśa (देश)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bahis (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (देशवाचक-अव्यय)

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction (समुच्चय)

• akhila-loka-pālakaiḥ: by all the world-protectors
• akhila-loka-pālakaiḥ: Karaṇa/Hetu (करण/हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: akhila (प्रातिपदिक) + loka (प्रातिपदिक) + pālaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Instrumental (तृतीया/3rd), Plural (बहुवचन); तत्पुरुष: 'guardians of all worlds'

• adṛṣṭa-rūpaḥ: of unseen form
• adṛṣṭa-rūpaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a-dṛṣṭa (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular (एकवचन); बहुव्रीहि: 'whose form is unseen'

• vicarasi: you move/wander
• vicarasi: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: vi + car (चर्, धातु)
• Form: Present (लट्), Parasmaipada, 2nd person (मध्यमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन)

• uru-svanaḥ: great-roaring
• uru-svanaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: uru (प्रातिपदिक) + svana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular (एकवचन); बहुव्रीहि: 'having great sound/roar'

• saḥ: he/that (one)
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular (एकवचन)

• īśvaraḥ: the Lord
• īśvaraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: īśvara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular (एकवचन)

• tvam: you
• tvam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yusmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Nominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular (एकवचन)

• yaḥ: who
• yaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: yad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular (एकवचन); relative pronoun

• idam: this (world/creation)
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

• vaśe: under control/in subjection
• vaśe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaśa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Locative (सप्तमी/7th), Singular (एकवचन)

• anayan: brought/led
• anayan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni (नी, धातु) with prefix ā (आ+नी)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), Parasmaipada, 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन); with preverb ā-; 'led/brought'

• nāmnā: by name
• nāmnā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nāman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Instrumental (तृतीया/3rd), Singular (एकवचन)

• yathā: as/just as
• yathā: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yathā (अव्यय)
• Form: Comparative particle (उपमानवाचक-अव्यय)

• dārumayīm: wooden
• dārumayīm: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dāru (प्रातिपदिक) + mayaṭ (मयट्)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2nd), Singular (एकवचन); 'made of wood'

• naraḥ: a man
• naraḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nara (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative (प्रथमा/1st), Singular (एकवचन)

• striyam: a woman
• striyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: strī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2nd), Singular (एकवचन)

Purport

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is antarbahiḥ, present within and without everything. One must overcome the delusion caused by the Lord’s external energy and realize His presence both externally and internally. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.8.19) Śrīmatī Kuntīdevī has explained that Kṛṣṇa appears in this world naṭo nāṭyadharo yathā, “exactly like an actor dressed as a player.” In Bhagavad-gītā (18.61) Kṛṣṇa says, īśvaraḥ sama-bhūtānāṁ hṛd-deśe ’rjuna tiṣṭhati: “The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna.” The Lord is situated within everyone’s heart, and outside as well. Within the heart He is the Supersoul, the incarnation who acts as the adviser and witness. Yet although God is residing within their hearts, foolish people say, “I cannot see God. Please show Him to me.”

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about God being unseen yet controlling everything?

This verse says the Lord moves within and without all beings, remaining unseen even to the world-governors, yet He alone is the īśvara who brings the entire creation under His control.

Why is the universe compared to a wooden puppet in Srimad Bhagavatam 5.18.26?

The comparison highlights the Lord’s effortless sovereignty: just as a person can direct a wooden figure by command, the Lord governs the cosmos simply by His will and order.

Practical application of this teaching in modern life?

It encourages humility and surrender—recognizing a higher controller behind events helps a devotee act responsibly while trusting the Lord’s ultimate governance.