Srimad Bhagavatam — Panchama Skandha, Shloka 5
Nābhi’s Sacrifice and Lord Viṣṇu’s Promise to Appear as a Son (Ṛṣabhadeva’s Advent Prelude)
ऋत्विज ऊचु: अर्हसि मुहुरर्हत्तमार्हणमस्माकमनुपथानां नमो नम इत्येतावत्सदुपशिक्षितं कोऽर्हति पुमान् प्रकृतिगुणव्यतिकरमतिरनीश ईश्वरस्य परस्य प्रकृतिपुरुषयोरर्वाक्तनाभिर्नामरूपाकृतिभी रूपनिरूपणम् ॥ ४ ॥ सकलजननिकायवृजिननिरसनशिवतमप्रवरगुणगणैकदेशकथनादृते ॥ ५ ॥
ṛtvija ūcuḥ arhasi muhur arhattamārhaṇam asmākam anupathānāṁ namo nama ity etāvat sad-upaśikṣitaṁ ko ’rhati pumān prakṛti-guṇa-vyatikara-matir anīśa īśvarasya parasya prakṛti-puruṣayor arvāktanābhir nāma-rūpākṛtibhī rūpa-nirūpaṇam; sakala-jana-nikāya-vṛjina-nirasana-śivatama-pravara-guṇa-gaṇaika-deśa-kathanād ṛte.
Nagsalita ang mga pari: O Pinakamataas na Panginoon na karapat-dapat sambahin! Kami ay mga walang hanggang lingkod Mo. Bagama’t Ikaw ay ganap sa Iyong sarili, dahil sa Iyong walang-sanhing habag, tanggapin Mo ang munting paglilingkod namin. Hindi namin tunay na nalalaman ang Iyong banal na anyo; ayon sa Veda at sa mga awtorisadong ācārya, kaya lamang naming mag-alay ng pagyukod nang paulit-ulit, na nagsasabing ‘namo namaḥ’. Ang mga nilalang na naaakit sa mga guṇa ng kalikasan ay hindi kailanman ganap, ngunit Ikaw ay lampas sa lahat ng materyal na pag-iisip. Ang Iyong pangalan, anyo, at mga katangian ay transendental at di-maabot ng kaalamang pang-eksperimento; sino ang makaaunawa sa Iyo? Kaya’t paggalang at panalangin lamang ang maihahandog namin. Ang pag-awit ng Iyong mapalad na mga katangian ay pumapawi sa kasalanan ng lahat; ito ang pinakabanal na gawain para sa amin, at dito namin bahagyang nauunawaan ang Iyong kahima-himala na kalagayan.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead has nothing to do with material perception. Even the impersonalist Śaṅkarācārya says, nārāyaṇaḥ paro ’vyaktāt: “Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is beyond the material conception.” We cannot concoct the form and attributes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. We must simply accept the description given in Vedic literatures about the Lord’s form and activities. As stated in Brahma-saṁhitā (5.29) :
FAQs
This verse says conditioned people, whose minds are shaped by material qualities and limited notions of name and form, cannot fully define the Supreme Lord; they can only offer repeated obeisance and speak partial glorification of His auspicious qualities.
Because as ritual specialists they admit their training is mainly formal worship and obeisances, and they recognize that the Supreme Lord is beyond the categories of prakṛti and puruṣa, making complete description impossible for materially conditioned intellect.
Approach God with humility, avoid reducing the Divine to rigid concepts, and focus on sincere glorification and remembrance of the Lord’s qualities, which purify the heart and remove sinful tendencies.