Text 36]
Creation of the Universal Form
253
see this  viśva-rūpa , yet although he was able to see the Lord's innumerable hands and mouths, he was unable to see Him completely. Since Arjuna was unable to estimate the length and breadth of the potency of the Lord, who else would be able to do so? One may only indulge in miscalculation like the frog philosopher. The frog philosopher wanted to estimate the length and breadth of the Pacific Ocean by his experience of a well three cubic feet large, and thus he began to puff himself up to become as big as the Pacific Ocean, but at last he burst and died by this process. This story is applicable to the mental philosophers who, under the illusion of the Lord's external energy, indulge in estimating the length and breadth of the Supreme Lord. The best path is to become a cool-headed, submissive devotee of the Lord, try to hear about the Lord from the bona fide spiritual master, and thus serve the Lord in transcendental loving service, as suggested in the previous verse.
TEXT 36
तथापि कीर्तयाम्यज्ञ यथामति यथाश्रुतम् । कीर्ति हरेः स्वां सत्कर्तुं गिरमन्यामिधासतीम् ॥३६॥
tathāpi kīrtayāmy aṅga yathā-mati yathā-śrutam kīrtiṁ hareḥ svāṁ satkartuṁ giram anyābhidhāsatīm
tathā —therefore;  api —although it is so;  kīrtayāmi —I do describe;  aṅga —O Vidura;  yathā —as much as;  mati —intelligence;  yathā —as much as;  śrutam —heard;  kīrtim —glories;  hareḥ —of the Lord;  svām —own;  satkartum —just purify;  giram —speeches;  anyābhidhā —otherwise;  asatīm —unchaste.
TRANSLATION
In spite of my inability, whatever I have been able to hear [from the spiritual master] and whatever I could assimilate, I am now describing, in glorification of the Lord by pure speech, for otherwise my power of speaking would remain unchaste.
PURPORT
The purification of the conditioned soul necessitates purification of his consciousness. By the presence of consciousness, the presence of the transcendental soul is verified, and as soon as consciousness leaves the body, the material body is not active. Consciousness is perceived, therefore,