Text 31]
Kapila's Instructions on Devotional Service
1209
imagine a form of the Lord. They are not satisfied by something imaginary. The Lord has different eternal forms; each devotee likes a particular form and thus engages himself in the service of the Lord by worshiping that form. The Lord's form is depicted in different ways according to scriptures. As already discussed, there are eight kinds of representations of the original form of the Lord. These representations can be produced by the use of clay, stone, wood, paint, sand, etc., depending upon the resources of the devotee.
Manomayam  is a carving of the form of the Lord within the mind. This is included as one of the eight different carvings of the form of the Lord. It is not imagination. Meditation on the actual form of the Lord may be manifested in different manners, but it should not be concluded that one has to imagine a form. There are two comparisons in this verse: first, the Lord's face is compared to a lotus, and then His black hair is compared to humming bees swarming around the lotus, and His two eyes are compared to two fish swimming about. A lotus flower on the water is very beautiful when surrounded by humming bees and fish. The Lord's face is self-sufficient and complete. His beauty defies the natural beauty of a lotus.
TEXT 31
तस्यावलोकमधिकं कृपयातिधार-  
 तापत्रयोपशमनाय निसृष्टमस्मनोः ।  
 त्विग्धस्थितानुगुणितं विपुलप्रसादं  
 ध्यायेच्चिरं विपुलभावनया गुहायाम् ॥ ३ १ ॥
tasyāvalokam adhikam kṛpayātighora-  
 tāpa-trayopaśamanāya nisṛṣṭam akṣṇoḥ  
 snigdha-smitānuguṇitam vipula-prasādam  
 dhyāyec ciram vipula-bhāvanayā guhāyām
tasya —of the Personality of Godhead;  avalokam —glances;  adhikam —frequent;  kṛpayā —with compassion;  atighora —most fearful;  tāpa-traya —threefold agonies;  upaśamanāya —soothing;  nisṛṣṭam —cast;  akṣṇoḥ —from His eyes;  snigdha —loving;  smita —smiles;  anuguṇitam —accompanied by;  vipula —abundant;  prasādam —full of grace;  dhyāyet —he should contemplate;  ciram —for a long time;  vipula —full;  bhāvanayā —with devotion;  guhāyām —in the heart.