SB 10.85.25
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Please note: The synonyms, translation and purport of this verse were composed by disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda
TEXT 25
- khaṁ vāyur jyotir āpo bhūs
- tat-kṛteṣu yathāśayam
- āvis-tiro-'lpa-bhūry eko
- nānātvaṁ yāty asāv api
SYNONYMS
kham—ether; vāyuḥ—air; jyotiḥ—fire; bhūḥ—earth; tat—their; kṛteṣu—in the products; yathā-āśayam—according to the particular locations; tiraḥ—unmanifest; alpa—small; bhūri—large; ekaḥ—one; nānātvam—the status of being many; yāti—assumes; asau—it; api—also.
Translation and purport composed by disciples of Śrīla Prabhupāda
TRANSLATION
The elements of ether, air, fire, water and earth become visible, invisible, minute or extensive as they manifest in various objects. Similarly, the Paramātmā, though one, appears to become many.
PURPORT
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains this and the previous verse as follows: The one Paramātmā appears to be many by the influence of the modes of nature that He Himself creates. How is that? Because although in truth the Paramātmā is self-illuminating, eternal, aloof from everything, and free of the modes of nature, when He appears as His manifestations He seems to be just the opposite—a multiplicity of temporary objects saturated with the modes of nature. Just as the elements of ether and so on, when manifesting in pots and other things, seem to appear and disappear, so the Paramātmā seems to appear and disappear in His various manifestations.