Devanagari
तथा परमहंसानां मुनीनाममलात्मनाम् ।
भक्तियोगविधानार्थं कथं पश्येम हि स्त्रिय: ॥ २० ॥
Verse text
tathā paramahaṁsānāṁ
munīnām amalātmanām
bhakti-yoga-vidhānārthaṁ
kathaṁ paśyema hi striyaḥ
Synonyms
tathā
—
besides that
;
paramahaṁsānām
—
of the advanced transcendentalists
;
munīnām
—
of the great philosophers or mental speculators
;
amala
—
ātmanām — those whose minds are competent to discern between spirit and matter
;
bhakti
—
yoga — the science of devotional service
;
vidhāna
—
artham — for executing
;
katham
—
how
;
paśyema
—
can observe
;
hi
—
certainly
;
striyaḥ
—
women .
Translation
You Yourself descend to propagate the transcendental science of devotional service unto the hearts of the advanced transcendentalists and mental speculators, who are purified by being able to discriminate between matter and spirit. How then can we women know You perfectly?
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
How can we women hope to see you, the object of bhakti for the omniscient, liberated sages?
Purport
Even the greatest philosophical speculators cannot have access to the region of the Lord. It is said in the
Upaniṣads
that the Supreme Truth, the Absolute Personality of Godhead, is beyond the range of the thinking power of the greatest philosopher. He is unknowable by great learning or by the greatest brain. He is knowable only by one who has His mercy. Others may go on thinking about Him for years together, yet He is unknowable. This very fact is corroborated by the Queen, who is playing the part of an innocent woman. Women in general are unable to speculate like philosophers, but they are blessed by the Lord because they believe at once in the superiority and almightiness of the Lord, and thus they offer obeisances without reservation. The Lord is so kind that He does not show special favor only to one who is a great philosopher. He knows the sincerity of purpose. For this reason only, women generally assemble in great number in any sort of religious function. In every country and in every sect of religion it appears that the women are more interested than the men. This simplicity of acceptance of the Lord’s authority is more effective than showy insincere religious fervor.
Commentary (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
I am hopeless as a woman. Can even the omniscient sages, paramahaṁsas, who worship you with attraction for your sweet pastimes, being ignorant of the truth about your pastimes, know the intricacies of your pastimes? That is expressed in this verse.
Amalātmanām refers to those who are free from the contamination of material guṇas, liberated souls in this life. How can we see you, who are the object of bhakti-yoga practice (bhakti-yoga-vidhānārtham) for the paramahaṁsas? That the paramahaṁsas worship the Lord has been explained in the verse ātmārāmas ca munayaḥ. (SB 1.7.10)