Devanagari
तुभ्यं मद्विचिकित्सायामात्मा मे दर्शितोऽबहि: ।
नालेन सलिले मूलं पुष्करस्य विचिन्वत: ॥ ३७ ॥
Verse text
tubhyaṁ mad-vicikitsāyām
ātmā me darśito ’bahiḥ
nālena salile mūlaṁ
puṣkarasya vicinvataḥ
Synonyms
tubhyam
—
unto you
;
mat
—
Me
;
vicikitsāyām
—
on your trying to know
;
ātmā
—
self
;
me
—
of Myself
;
darśitaḥ
—
exhibited
;
abahiḥ
—
from within
;
nālena
—
through the stem
;
salile
—
in the water
;
mūlam
—
root
;
puṣkarasya
—
of the lotus, the primeval source
;
vicinvataḥ
—
contemplating .
Translation
When you were contemplating whether there was a source to the stem of the lotus of your birth and you even entered into that stem, you could not trace out anything. But at that time I manifested My form from within.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
While you were searching in the water for the base of the lotus by going down the stem, with an inquiry concerning me, I revealed my spiritual form to make you successful.
You are the proof that since my form can only be seen my inconceivable desire, it cannot actually be perceived by material eye. I have shown my spiritual form (ātmā) in your heart (abahiḥ) to make you successful (tubhyam). [Note: kriyārthopapadasya ca. (Aṣṭādhyāyī, Pāṇini 2.3.14) Use of dative case with the verb indicates there is a hidden infinite which should be understood. ] Or the word can be taken as bahih, and thus the meaning is “I have shown my form even externally.” For the Gopala-tāpanī Upaniṣad says gopaveśo me purastād āvirvabhūva: the Lord appeared before me in the dress of a cowherd. Or tubhyam can express the dative case, while the verb expresses giving. Thus the meaning is “I showed my form to you.” When? I revealed my form when you were searching the base of the lotus with inquiry about me: does this lotus have a foundation or not? Actually, the cause of seeing me is not the worship or the meditation because these are not mentioned here at all. The cause of seeing me is my desire only. One should understand that the Lord revealed to Brahmā this confidential conclusion.
Purport
The Personality of Godhead can be experienced only by His causeless mercy, not by mental speculation or with the help of the material senses. Material senses cannot approach the transcendental understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He can be appreciated only by submissive devotional service when He reveals Himself before the devotee. Only by love of Godhead can one know God, and not otherwise. The Personality of Godhead cannot be seen with the material eyes, but He can be seen from within by spiritual eyes opened by the ointment of love of Godhead. As long as one’s spiritual eyes are closed due to the dirty covering of matter, one cannot see the Lord. But when the dirt is removed by the process of devotional service, one can see the Lord, without a doubt. Brahmā’s personal endeavor to see the root of the lotus pipe failed, but when the Lord was satisfied by his penance and devotion, He revealed Himself from within with no external endeavor.