Verse 2.4.159

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.4.159:

अतो हि बिम्ब-प्रतिबिम्ब-भेदतो विचित्रता सा सलिले रवेर् इव ।
किन्त्व् एष ख-स्थोऽद्वय एव सर्वतः स्व-स्व-प्रदेसे बहुधेक्ष्यते यथा ॥ १५९ ॥

ato hi bimba-pratibimba-bhedato vicitratā sā salile raver iva |
kintv eṣa kha-stho'dvaya eva sarvataḥ sva-sva-pradese bahudhekṣyate yathā || 159 ||

ataḥ–as; na–not; bimba–of an object; pratibimba–and its reflection; bhedataḥ–from the difference; vicitratā–the quality of variety; saḥ–it; salile–in water; raveḥ–of the sun; iva–like; kintu–rather; eṣaḥ–He; kha-sthaḥ–situated in the sky; advayaḥ–nondual; eva–certainly; sarvataḥ–in every respect; sva-sva-pradeśe–in the respective places; bahudhā–as many; īkṣyate–is seen; yathā–as.

Therefore, the difference seen in the forms of Bhagavān is not just a matter of perception, like the difference between an object and its reflection–the sun, for example, and its reflection in water. Rather, all the incarnations are like the one, undivided sun globe that is situated in the sky and simultaneously seen everywhere, but in different ways in different locations.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)

Śrī Nārada continues, “Therefore, when one considers the variegatedness of Bhagavān’s forms, it seems illogical that the difference between His forms is like the difference between the sun and its reflections. The sun globe, situated in the sky, reflects in various bodies of water, but all those reflections are temporary, unreal, and illusory. None of the Lord’s incarnations, though, are similarly illusory. If one were to accept bimba-pratibimba-nyāya, or the logic of an object and its reflection [which posits that reality exists only in the object], it follows that the source of all incarnations (avatārī) would be like the sun globe and all the incarnations would be its reflections. But this would mean that all these manifestations of Bhagavān are illusory and temporary. This idea pierces the hearts of the devotees. The truth is that all the incarnations, which are analogous to the object (bimba), are fully sac-cid-ānanda.

“There is an appropriate example in this regard. Everyone sees the same sun differently, according to their country and their prospect. From their vantage point, they see the sun as if it were in close proximity to the trees and mountains that are situated in that region. Similarly, the various types of worshipers of the sun also set forth the sun’s form, color, characteristics, etc. in relation to their own moods and thus receive its darśana. For example, some visualize it as an orb full of concentrated brilliance; some envision it as a red, four-armed form; and some see it as a two-armed form holding a lotus. Thus, the same sun is perceived in many different ways. Just as what is explained in this example is not tinged with even a trace of illusion, in the same way, when the devotees of Bhagavān directly experience all the incarnations and view Them with eyes imbued with devotion, these forms always appear as topmost reality, devoid of any connection with Māyā.”