Devanagari
रसामचष्टाङ्घ्रितलेऽथ पादयो-
र्महीं महीध्रान्पुरुषस्य जङ्घयो: ।
पतत्त्रिणो जानुनि विश्वमूर्ते-
रूर्वोर्गणं मारुतमिन्द्रसेन: ॥ २३ ॥
Verse text
rasām acaṣṭāṅghri-tale ’tha pādayor
mahīṁ mahīdhrān puruṣasya jaṅghayoḥ
patattriṇo jānuni viśva-mūrter
ūrvor gaṇaṁ mārutam indrasenaḥ
Synonyms
rasām
—
the lower planetary system
;
acaṣṭa
—
observed
;
aṅghri
—
tale — beneath the feet, or on the sole
;
atha
—
thereafter
;
pādayoḥ
—
on the feet
;
mahīm
—
the surface of the land
;
mahīdhrān
—
the mountains
;
puruṣasya
—
of the giant Personality of Godhead
;
jaṅghayoḥ
—
on the calves
;
patattriṇaḥ
—
the flying living entities
;
jānuni
—
on the knees
;
viśva
—
mūrteḥ — of the form of the gigantic Lord
;
ūrvoḥ
—
on the thighs
;
gaṇam mārutam
—
varieties of air
;
indra
—
senaḥ — Bali Mahārāja, who had obtained the soldiers of King Indra and who was situated in the post of Indra .
Translation
Thereafter, Bali Mahārāja, who was occupying the seat of King Indra, could see the lower planetary systems, such as Rasātala, on the soles of the feet of the Lord’s universal form. He saw on the Lord’s feet the surface of the globe, on the surface of His calves all the mountains, on His knees the various birds, and on His thighs the varieties of air.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Bali Mahārāja, who was occupying the seat of Indra, saw the surface of the earth on the soles of the feet of the Lord's universal form. He saw on the Lord's feet objects situated on the earth, on his calves he saw all the mountains, on his knees he saw the various birds, and on his thighs he saw the varieties of winds.
The form is further described in seven verses minus one line. Rasām means the surface of the earth. Mahīm means “what is situated on the earth: villages, houses, palaces and trees.” Patatriṇaḥ means birds which are situated about the mountains. Mārutam means the group of winds. Indra-senaḥ means Bali, who possessed the troops of Indra.
Purport
The universal situation is described herein in regard to the complete constitution of the Lord’s gigantic universal form. The study of this universal form begins from the sole. Above the soles are the feet, above the feet are the calves, above the calves are the knees, and above the knees are the thighs. Thus the parts of the universal body, one after another, are described herein. The knees are the place of birds, and above that are varieties of air. The birds can fly over the mountains, and above the birds are varieties of air.