170
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 1, Ch. 3]
PURPORT
In the  Bhagavad-gītā  the Personality of Godhead has declared that anyone who knows the principles of the transcendental birth and activities of the Lord will go back to Godhead after being relieved from this material tabernacle. So simply knowing factually the mysterious way of the Lord's incarnation in this material world can liberate one from material bondage. Therefore the birth and activities of the Lord, as manifested by Him for the welfare of the people in general, are not ordinary. They are mysterious, and only by those who carefully try to go deep into the matter by spiritual devotion is the mystery discovered. Thus one gets liberation from the material bondage. It is advised therefore that one who simply recites this chapter of  Bhāgavatam , describing the appearance of the Lord in different incarnations, in sincerity and devotion, can have insight into such birth and activities of the Lord. The very word  vimukti , or liberation, indicates that the Lord's birth and activities are all transcendental; otherwise simply by reciting them one could not attain liberation. They are therefore mysterious, and those who do not follow the prescribed regulations of devotional service are not entitled to enter into the mysteries of His births and activities.
TEXT 30
एतद्दृषं भगवतो ह्यरूपस्य चिदात्मनः । मायागुणैर्विरचितं महदादिभिरात्मनि ॥३०॥
etad rūpaṁ bhagavato hy arūpasya cid-ātmanaḥ māyā-guṇair viracitaṁ mahadādibhir ātmani
etat —all these;  rūpaṁ —forms;  bhagavataḥ —of the Lord;  hi —certainly;  arūpasya —of one who has no material form;  cit-ātmanaḥ —of the transcendence;  māyā —material energy;  guṇaiḥ —by the qualities;  viracitaṁ —manufactured;  mahat-ādibhiḥ —with the ingredients of matter;  ātmani —in the self.
TRANSLATION
The conception of the  virāṭa  universal form of the Lord, as appearing in the material world, is imaginary. It is to enable the less intelligent [and