CC Madhya 24.21
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT 21
viṣṇor nu vīrya-gaṇanāṁ katamo ‘rhatīha
yaḥ pārthivāny api kavir vimame rajāṁsi
caskambha yaḥ sva-raṁhasāskhalatā tri-pṛṣṭhaṁ
yasmāt tri-sāmya-sadanād uru kampayānam
SYNONYMS
viṣṇoḥ—of Lord Viṣṇu; nu—certainly; vīrya-gaṇanām—a counting of the different potencies; katamaḥ—who; arhati—is able to do; iha—in this world; yaḥ—who; pārthivāni—of the element earth; api—although; kaviḥ—a learned person; vimame—has counted; rajāṁsi—the atoms; caskambha—captured; yaḥ—who; sva—His own; raṁhasā—by potency; askhalatā—without hindrances; tri-pṛṣṭham—the topmost planet (Satyaloka); yasmāt—from some cause; tri-sāmya—where there is equilibrium of the three guṇas; sadanāt—from the place (from the root of the material world); uru kampayānam—trembling greatly.
TRANSLATION
“‘Even if a learned man is able to count all the minute atoms in this material world, he still cannot count the potencies of Lord Viṣṇu. In the form of the Vāmana incarnation, Lord Viṣṇu, without hindrance, captured all the planets, extending from the root of the material world up to Satyaloka. Indeed, He caused every planetary system to tremble by the force of His steps.’
PURPORT
This is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (SB 2.7.40). In the Ṛg Veda mantras (1.2.154.1), it is said:
- oṁ viṣṇor nu vīryāṇi kaṁ prāvocaṁ
- yaḥ pārthivāni vimame rajāṁsi
- yo ‘skambhayad uttaraṁ sadha-sthaṁ
- vicakramāṇas tredhorugāyaḥ
The meaning of this verse is practically identical to that of the verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam quoted above.