ayaṁ ca tasya sthiti-pālana-kṣaṇaḥ
ayaṁ ca tasya sthiti-pālana-kṣaṇaḥ
sattvaṁ juṣāṇasya bhavāya dehinām
tasmād vrajāmaḥ śaraṇaṁ jagad-guruṁ
svānāṁ sa no dhāsyati śaṁ sura-priyaḥ
It is now the time for the Lord who accepts sattva to protect proper conduct for the welfare of the living entities. Therefore we should take shelter of the guru of the universe. Being affectionate to the devatās, he will give prosperity to us, his devotees.
But now is not the time for destruction and tamas. Now is the time for protection of proper conduct (sthiti). Accepting sattva (juṣānasya), he should be affectionate to the devatās.
|| 8.5.24 ||
śrī-śuka uvāca
ity ābhāṣya surān vedhāḥ
saha devair arindama
ajitasya padaṁ sākṣāj
jagāma tamasaḥ param
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O subduer of all enemies! After Lord Brahmā finished speaking to the devatās, he went with to the abode of Ajita, which is beyond prakṛti.
This abode is Śvetadvīpa situated in the Milk Ocean (within the universe).
|| 8.5.25 ||
tatrādṛṣṭa-svarūpāya
śruta-pūrvāya vai prabhuḥ
stutim abrūta daivībhir
gīrbhis tv avahitendriyaḥ
There, Lord Brahmā, with a fixed mind, offered prayers to the Supreme Lord who could not be seen, but was previous described, using words of the Vedas.
Though the Lord was present, he could not be seen except by his will. Abrūta means “he did.” Daivībhiḥ means by verse like Puruṣa-sūkta from the Vedas.
|| 8.5.26 ||
śrī-brahmovāca
avikriyaṁ satyam anantam ādyaṁ
guhā-śayaṁ niṣkalam apratarkyam
mano-'grayānaṁ vacasāniruktaṁ
namāmahe deva-varaṁ vareṇyam
Lord Brahmā said: We offer respects to the unlimited, unchanging Lord who is real, the first cause, and who is invisible like a person hiding in a cave, who is without parts, inconceivable, beyond mind and speech, who is the best of the devas, and the most worthy of praise.
O Lord! We are unable to meditate on you or praise you. We simply offer you respects. Mano-'grayānam means that he goes in front of the mind.
Śruti says:
anejad ekaṁ manaso javīyo
nainad devā āpnuvan pūrvam arṣat
tad dhāvato ’nyān atyeti tiṣṭhat
tasminn apo mātariśvā dadhāti
The Lord is without fear, supreme, faster than the mind. The senses cannot reach him. He has gone far in front. Standing in one place he surpasses all others who move quickly. Vāyu offers the actions of the living entities to him. Īśopaniṣad 4
He cannot be defined by words. Śruti says yad vācā nābhyuditaṁ yena vāg abhyudyate: the Lord is not expressed by words, and by him words take their meaning. (Kena Upaniṣad 1.5) Because our minds and words are material and you are beyond matter, we cannot approach you with our minds and words. That form beyond matter is described. It is devoid of transformation, whereas the guṇas’ nature is transformation. But though you are beyond mind and words, you are not unreal. You are real (satyam). “Then I am like a pot or cloth?” No, you are unlimited, devoid of limit in time and space, since you are the cause of the whole universe (ādyam). Therefore, because no one can understand you, you are like a person hiding in a cave. You are unlimited, since you are without coverings or upādhis (niṣkalam). Or because you cannot be measured, you are without divisions. Medinī says kala can mean amount. This is because you are inconceivable.
|| 8.5.27 ||
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