Verse 2.17.5

Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 2.17.5:

ব্যবহারে দেখি প্রভু যেন দম্ভ-ময বিদ্যা-বল দেখি’ পাষণ্ডী ও পায ভয ॥ ৫ ॥

व्यवहारे देखि प्रभु येन दम्भ-मय विद्या-बल देखि’ पाषण्डी ओ पाय भय ॥ ५ ॥

vyavahāre dekhi prabhu yena dambha-maya vidyā-bala dekhi’ pāṣaṇḍī o pāya bhaya || 5 ||

vyavahare dekhi prabhu yena dambha-maya vidya-bala dekhi’ pasandi o paya bhaya (5)

English translation:

(5) In ordinary dealings, the Lord appeared to be full of pride. Even atheists were frightened by seeing the strength of His knowledge.

Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:

Those who consider that the Absolute Truth and material objects are equal, or those who try to equate the origin with its byproducts, are known by common people as ignorant or atheistic. Domination over others to nourish one’s false ego by persons who are expert in material considerations is called “pride.” Egoistic proud persons who try to establish their own prominence over Vaiṣṇavas by taking advantage of their natural humility in worldly dealings become intoxicated by self- praise. Manifesting His own ingenuity over such so-called learned persons who were filled with false-ego, Śrī Gaurasundara instilled fear in the atheists who were envious of Viṣṇu. They thus realized the insignificance of their own knowledge and were defeated by the strength of Mahāprabhu’s knowledge. Therefore the mundane scholars realized their own weakness and accepted Him as the conqueror of the proud.