Text 30]
The Sacrifice Performed by Dakṣa
239
ब्रह्मादयस्तनुभृतस्तमसि स्वपन्तः । नात्मन् श्रितं तव विदन्त्यधुनापि तच्चं सोऽयं प्रसीदतु मवान् प्रणतात्मवन्धुः॥३०॥
bhṛgur uvāca  
 yan māyayā gahanayāpahṛtātma-bodhā  
 brahmādayas tanu-bhṛtas tamasi svapantaḥ  
 nātman śritam tava vidanty adhunāpi tattvam  
 so 'yam prasīdatu bhavān praṇatātma-bandhuḥ
bhṛguḥ uvāca —Śrī Bhṛgu said;  yat —who;  māyayā —by illusory energy;  gahanayā —insurmountable;  apahṛta —stolen;  ātma-bodhāḥ —knowledge of the constitutional position;  brahma-ādayaḥ —Lord Brahmā, etc;  tanu-bhṛtaḥ —embodied living entities;  tamasi —in the darkness of illusion;  svapantaḥ —lying down;  na —not;  ātman —in the living entity;  śritam —situated in;  tava —Your;  vidanti —understand;  adhunā —now;  api —certainly;  tattvam —absolute position;  saḥ —You;  ayam —this;  prasīdatu —be kind;  bhavān —Your Lordship;  praṇata-ātma —surrendered soul;  bandhuḥ —friend.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Bhṛgu said: My dear Lord, all living entities, beginning from the highest, namely Lord Brahmā, down to the ordinary ant, are under the influence of the insurmountable spell of illusory energy, and thus they are ignorant of their constitutional position. Everyone believes in the concept of the body, and thus all are submerged in the darkness of illusion. They are actually unable to understand how You live in every living entity as the Supersoul, nor can they understand Your absolute position. But You are the eternal friend and protector of all surrendered souls. Therefore, please be kind towards us and forgive all our offenses.
PURPORT
Bhṛgu Muni was conscious of the scandalous behavior exhibited by each and every one of them, including Brahmā and Lord Śiva, in the sacrificial ceremony of Dakṣa. By mentioning Brahmā, the chief of all living entities within this material world, he wanted to state that everyone, including also Brahmā and Lord Śiva, is under the concept of the body and under the spell of material energy—all but  Viṣṇu . That is the version of Bhṛgu. As long as one is under the concept of the body as self, it is very difficult to understand the Supersoul or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Conscious that he was not greater than Brahmā, Bhṛgu included himself in