Canto & Chapters
Creation (19 Chapters)
Chapter 123v
Questions by the Sages
Chapter 233v
Divinity and Divine Service
Chapter 344v
Kṛṣṇa Is the Source of All Incarnations
Chapter 431v
The Appearance of Śrī Nārada
Chapter 540v
Nārada’s Instructions on Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam for Vyāsadeva
Chapter 638v
Conversation Between Nārada and Vyāsadeva
Chapter 756v
The Son of Droṇa Punished
Chapter 852v
Prayers by Queen Kuntī and Parīkṣit Saved
Chapter 948v
The Passing Away of Bhīṣmadeva in the Presence of Lord Kṛṣṇa
Chapter 1033v
Departure of Lord Kṛṣṇa for Dvārakā
Chapter 1137v
Lord Kṛṣṇa’s Entrance into Dvārakā
Chapter 1236v
Birth of Emperor Parīkṣit
Chapter 1359v
Dhṛtarāṣṭra Quits Home
Chapter 1441v
The Disappearance of Lord Kṛṣṇa
Chapter 1548v
The Pāṇḍavas Retire Timely
Chapter 1629v
How Parīkṣit Received the Age of Kali
Chapter 1743v
Punishment and Reward of Kali
Chapter 1849v
Mahārāja Parīkṣit Cursed by a Brāhmaṇa Boy
Chapter 1939v
The Appearance of Śukadeva Gosvāmī
Canto 1, Chapter 3
Kṛṣṇa Is the Source of All Incarnations
Verse 31 (SB 1.3.31)
SB 1.3.31 • मूल श्लोक
यथा नभसि मेघौघो रेणुर्वा पार्थिवोऽनिले । एवं द्रष्टरि दृश्यत्वमारोपितमबुद्धिभि: ॥ ३१ ॥
Transliteration
yathā nabhasi meghaugho reṇur vā pārthivo ’nile evaṁ draṣṭari dṛśyatvam āropitam abuddhibhiḥ
Synonyms (Word-for-Word)
yathā — as it is; nabhasi — in the sky; megha-oghaḥ — a mass of clouds; reṇuḥ — dust; vā — as well as; pārthivaḥ — muddiness; anile — in the air; evam — thus; draṣṭari — to the seer; dṛśyatvam — for the purpose of seeing; āropitam — is implied; abuddhibhiḥ — by the less intelligent persons.
Translation
“Clouds and dust are carried by the air, but less intelligent persons say that the sky is cloudy and the air is dirty. Similarly, they also implant material bodily conceptions on the spirit self.”
Bhaktivedanta Purport
By Śrīla PrabhupādaIt is further confirmed herein that with our material eyes and senses we cannot see the Lord, who is all spirit. We cannot even detect the spiritual spark which exists within the material body of the living being. We look to the outward covering of the body or subtle mind of the living being, but we cannot see the spiritual spark within the body. So we have to accept the living being’s presence by the presence of his gross body. Similarly, those who want to see the Lord with their present material eyes or with the material senses are advised to meditate on the gigantic external feature called the virāṭ-rūpa. For instance, when a particular gentleman goes in his car, which can be seen very easily, we identify the car with the man within the car. When the President goes out in his particular car, we say, “There is the President.” For the time being we identify the car with the President. Similarly, less intelligent men who want to see God immediately without necessary qualification are shown first the gigantic material cosmos as the form of the Lord, although the Lord is within and without. The clouds in the sky and the blue of the sky are better appreciated in this connection. Although the bluish tint of the sky and the sky itself are different, we conceive of the color of the sky as blue. But that is a general conception for the laymen only.