yato ’prāpya nyavartanta. vācaś ca manasā saha. ahaṁ cānya ime devās. tasmai bhagavate namaḥ. I offer respects to that Supreme Lord whom words, along with mind, the devatās such as Bṛhaspati, Rudra, and

yato ’prāpya nyavartanta

vācaś ca manasā saha

ahaṁ cānya ime devās

tasmai bhagavate namaḥ

 

I offer respects to that Supreme Lord whom words, along with mind, the devatās such as Bṛhaspati, Rudra, and others, could not understand and gave up.

Establishing that the Lord cannot be completely understood Maitreya offers respects. The end of the Lord’s glories cannot be reached (aprāpya). The power of speech of the universal form and all the individual jīva (vācaḥ) along with their minds retreated from the Lord. Or the words emanating from Brahmā’s mouth, along with his mind, retreated. Rudra the presiding deity of ahaṅkāra (aham) and the devatās such as Bṛhaspati retreated from him. Why? They retreated because they could not completely comprehend the sweetness of his name, form and pastimes, and could find no end to them. Thus the Lord is aprapya. Śruti says yato vāco nivarttante aprāpya manasā saha: words, along with the mind, turn back from the Lord, who cannot be fully understood. (Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.4.1), The intention of this verse is to show that it impossible to measure the Lord because of his infinity, and thus words and mind are both mentioned. Words and other senses cannot at all realize the Lord. But the same should not be said about knowing the Lord through the vision of ātmā. (Thus the Lord can be known to some extent when ātmā is employed.) Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedā: I am to be known by the Vedas. (BG 15.15) There is no incongruity with śruti:

 

manasaivānudraṣṭavyam …..etad ameyaṁ dhruvam

That immeasurable, unchanging Lord should be understood by the mind. Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.4.19-20

 

tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ

The devotees always see that supreme form of Viṣṇu. Ṛg Veda 1.22.20

 

Thus ends the commentary on Sixth Chapter of the Third Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas.