SB 10.14.17 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

यस्य कुक्षाविदं सर्वं सात्मं भाति यथा तथा । तत्त्वय्यपीह तत् सर्वं किमिदं मायया विना ॥ १७ ॥

Verse text

yasya kukṣāv idaṁ sarvaṁ sātmaṁ bhāti yathā tathā tat tvayy apīha tat sarvaṁ kim idaṁ māyayā vinā

Synonyms

yasya — of whom ; kukṣau — within the abdomen ; idam — this cosmic manifestation ; sarvam — all ; sa — ātmam — including Yourself ; bhāti — is manifested ; yathā — as ; tathā — so ; tat — that ; tvayi — within You ; api — although ; iha — here externally ; tat — that cosmic manifestation ; sarvam — whole ; kim — what ; idam — this ; māyayā — the influence of Your inconceivable energy ; vinā — without .

Translation

Just as this entire universe, including You, was exhibited within Your abdomen, so it is now manifested here externally in the same exact form. How could such things happen unless arranged by Your inconceivable energy?

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Just as this entire universe, including You, was exhibited within Your abdomen, so it is now manifested here externally in the same exact form. How could such things happen unless arranged by Your inconceivable energy? KB 10.14.17 “My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, the whole cosmic manifestation that we are visualizing at present is all within Your body. Yet I am seeing You outside, and You are also seeing me outside. How can such things happen without being influenced by Your inconceivable energy?” Lord Brahmā stressed herein that without accepting the inconceivable energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one cannot explain things as they are.

Purport

Śrīla Prabhupāda comments on this verse as follows in Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead: “Lord Brahmā stressed herein that without accepting the inconceivable energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one cannot explain things as they are.”

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Since the external universe and that within the Lord’s belly are exactly the same, the one within his belly must be one created by the illusion of the Lord. Just as the universe (idam) within your belly which became visible, the external universe also remained visible when you showed the universal form to your mother. Was the universe exhibited within your belly a reflection of the external universe? --How can that be? The universe was there along with you. Can a reflection of a mirror be seen in a mirror? An illusory external universe was visible within your belly. As the universe visible within your belly contained you, so the external universe also contained you. Because there was not even a trace of difference between the two universes, the universe within your belly (idam) could not exist without the work of maya. Taking your mother’s realization and mine as proof, I conclude that I exist within you by your yogamaya potency. And therefore I pray, please forgive me for offense, as a mother forgives her child who kicks her while he is in the womb.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

This is further explained. The whole universe with its coverings (yasya), which appeared within your abdomen along with you, exists within you in this form (iha). Since this is incomprehensible, without māyā how is this possible? It is not possible without having some relationship to you. Therefore this universe is not spiritual like you.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

“That can be his manifestation of maya, as a shadow. But this world is always directly experienced as true.” The whole universe appeared along with you inside you. Or “The world manifested in side is real. The world manifested outside is real. Cannot both be true?” If the two forms are actually one like an object and its reflection, then it amounts to an illusion. Or the one form is also false, since the variety in the universe cannot be proved by experience or scripture. Though many varieties were said to exist in SB 10.14.11, by saying that everything is real, material things become equal to the lord and his spiritual objects. That is not proper. This will also be contrary to the words of śruti and smṛti, and contrary to the devotees’s experiences of falsity in dreams and fantasies. Everything should be false. This verse replies.