Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 5.16.4
Sthāna· The universe in orderHear Humbly About the Lord’s Unlimited Energy
“The great ṛṣi Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: My dear King, there is no limit to the expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s material energy. This material world is a transformation of the material qualities [sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa], yet no one could possibly explain it perfectly, even in a lifetime as long as that of Brahmā. No one in the material world is perfect, and an imperfect person could not describe this material universe accurately, even after continued speculation. O King, I shall nevertheless try to explain to you the principal regions, such as Bhūloka, with their names, forms, measurements and various symptoms.”
What the purport teaches
- The material world is only one fourth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s creation, yet no one can fully describe it. Even a lifetime as long as Brahmā’s would not be enough.
- Śukadeva Gosvāmī acknowledges this limit while offering a description of the principal regions. He shares the knowledge he has received through the paramparā system.
- If we cannot comprehend the Lord’s material expansions, we cannot estimate His spiritual expansions. The purport therefore encourages us to receive information from Vedic authorities like Śukadeva Gosvāmī.
Try this today
Read the translation slowly today, noting both Śukadeva Gosvāmī’s humility and his willingness to teach.
Ask yourself
Can I approach this description with a willingness to learn without expecting to grasp everything?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.