Verse 1.2.14

Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 1.2.14:

কো বেত্তি ভূমন্ ভগবন্ পরাত্মন্ যোগেশ্বরোতীর্ ভবতস্ ত্রি-লোক্যাম্ ক্ব বা কথং বা কতি বা কদেতি বিস্তারযন্ ক্রীডসি যোগ-মাযাম্ ॥ ১৪ ॥

को वेत्ति भूमन् भगवन् परात्मन् योगेश्वरोतीर् भवतस् त्रि-लोक्याम् क्व वा कथं वा कति वा कदेति विस्तारयन् क्रीडसि योग-मायाम् ॥ १४ ॥

ko vetti bhūman bhagavan parātman yogeśvarotīr bhavatas tri-lokyām kva vā kathaṃ vā kati vā kadeti vistārayan krīḍasi yoga-māyām || 14 ||

ko vetti bhuman bhagavan paratman yogesvarotir bhavatas tri-lokyam kva va katham va kati va kadeti vistarayan kridasi yoga-mayam (14)

English translation:

(14) O supreme great one! O Supreme Personality of Godhead! O Supersoul, master of all mystic power! Your pastimes are taking place continuously in these three worlds, but who can estimate where, how, and when You are employing Your spiritual energy and performing these innumerable pastimes? No one can understand the mystery of how Your spiritual energy acts.

Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:

After Lord Kṛṣṇa smashed the pride of Brahmā, who had stolen the calves of Vraja, Brahmā offered prayers to Lord Kṛṣṇa, including the above verse from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (10.14.21).

This verse was spoken by Brahmā to counteract the following doubts: Why does the supremely independent Lord appear in an lowborn species like Matsya? Why does the Lord exhibit the humble act of begging in His Vāmana incarnation? Why did Kṛṣṇa run away from the battle? By addressing the Lord as bhūman, it is understood that the Lord is incomprehensible. (Śrīdhara Svāmī)

The word bhūman means “the supreme great one,” the word bhagavān means “full of all opulences,” the word parātman means “the Supersoul of all” or “the cause of all causes,” and the word yogeśvara means “the

eternal master of all mystic potencies.” Since no one knows Your pastimes, You are Yourself the basis of Your unmanifest pastimes; since You are full of all opulences, You are Yourself the source of varieties of pastimes; since You are the Supersoul, You are Yourself the limit of Your pastimes; and since You are ever-existing, You are Yourself the knower of the time of Your pastimes. The word yogamāyā refers to the supreme internal energy of the Lord. (Jīva Gosvāmī)

If it is said that You (Kṛṣṇa) appeared to minimize the burden of the earth, Rāma appeared to kill Rāvaṇa, and various other incarnations appeared to reestablish the principles of religion, is Your destruction of the pride of the demons deluded with material knowledge not known?

Yes, it is known. But no one is able to fully understand the cause of the Lord’s advent, for what purpose the Lord’s pastimes are performed, when the Lord will appear, and how long the Lord will stay. This verse was spoken to emphasize this point.

The word bhūman refers to the all-pervading personality with innumerable forms. The word bhagavān indicates that although the Lord has a universal form, He is nevertheless full with six opulences. The word parātman indicates that although the Lord is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is also the Supersoul. The word yogeśvara indicates that by the influence of His yogamāyā the Lord is full of the greatest opulences, such as His universal form. The word ūtīḥ refers to the Lord’s pastimes beginning with His appearance. Since Your innumerable forms are all- pervading, full with six opulences, not made of material elements, and forms of the Supersoul, how then is it possible that Your innumerable forms are simultaneously performing various pastimes within the three worlds for the pleasure of the devotees? In answer to this it is understood that these innumerable forms of the Lord perform Their pastimes by manifesting Themselves at appropriate times, according to the desire of His devotees, and by the influence of His inconceivable yogamāyā potency. (Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura)

Since there is no truth superior to Kṛṣṇa, no one is able to realize His

omnipotency. Although the Lord is the Absolute Truth, He manifests His pastimes within this material world, yet He has not given anyone the ability to fully understand the purposes for which He incarnates.