Srimad Bhagavatam — Chaturtha Skandha, Shloka 41
The Pracetās Meet Lord Viṣṇu—Benedictions, Pure Prayer, and the Birth of Dakṣa
मनु: स्वयम्भूर्भगवान् भवश्च येऽन्ये तपोज्ञानविशुद्धसत्त्वा: । अदृष्टपारा अपि यन्महिम्न: स्तुवन्त्यथो त्वात्मसमं गृणीम: ॥ ४१ ॥
manuḥ svayambhūr bhagavān bhavaś ca ye ’nye tapo-jñāna-viśuddha-sattvāḥ adṛṣṭa-pārā api yan-mahimnaḥ stuvanty atho tvātma-samaṁ gṛṇīmaḥ
主啊，即使摩奴、自生梵天、薄伽梵湿婆，以及以苦行与智慧而住于清净萨埵的伟大瑜伽行者，也不能彻底了知你的荣耀与神力。然而他们仍依各自能力献上赞颂；同样，我们虽更卑微，也依自身所能向你祈祷赞礼。
Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, Manu (the father of mankind), great saintly persons and also great sages who have elevated themselves to the transcendental platform through austerities and penance, as well as devotional service, are imperfect in knowledge compared to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the case with anyone within this material world. No one can be equal to the Supreme Lord in anything, certainly not in knowledge. Consequently, anyone’s prayer to the Supreme Personality of Godhead is never complete. It is not possible to measure the complete glories of the Supreme Lord, who is unlimited. Even the Lord Himself in His incarnation as Ananta, or Śeṣa, cannot describe His own glories. Although Ananta has many thousands of faces and has been glorifying the Lord for many, many years, He could not find the limit of the glories of the Lord. Thus it is not possible to estimate the complete potencies and glories of the Supreme Lord.
FAQs
This verse says that even Brahmā, Śiva, Manu, and other purified sages cannot reach the far limit of the Lord’s glory, though they continually praise Him.
They acknowledge that the Lord’s greatness is immeasurable; therefore their praise is offered humbly, matching their finite ability rather than claiming completeness.
Offer sincere prayer and kīrtana without pride—serve and glorify God steadily, accepting that the Divine is unlimited and our understanding grows gradually through bhakti.