200 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 5, Ch. 18
antar bahis cakhila-loka-palakair
adrsta-riipo vicarasy uru-svanah
sa isvaras tvarh ya idarh vase ‘nayan
nadmna yatha darumayim narah striyam

antah—within; bahih—without; ca—also; akhila-loka-palakaih—by
the leaders of the different planets, societies, kingdoms and so on;
adrsta-riipah—not seen; vicarasi—You wander; uru—very great;
svanah—whose sounds (Vedic mantras); sah—He; isvarah—the
supreme controller; tvam—You; yah—who; idam—this; vase—under
control; anayat—has brought; ndmnd—by different names like
brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya and siidra; yatha—exactly like; ddru-
mayim—made of wood; narah—a man: striyam—a doll.

TRANSLATION

My dear Lord, just as a puppeteer controls his dancing dolls and
a husband controls his wife, Your Lordship controls all the living
entities in the universe, such as the brahmanas, ksatriyas, vaisyas
and gadras. Although You are in everyone’s heart as the supreme
witness and commander and are outside everyone as well, the so-
called leaders of societies, communities and countries cannot real-
ize You. Only those who hear the vibration of the Vedic mantras
can appreciate You.

PURPORT

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is antarbahih, present within
and without everything. One must overcome the delusion caused by the
Lord’s external energy and realize His presence both externally and in-
ternally. In Srimad-Bhaégavatam (1.8.19) Srimati Kuntidevi has ex-
plained that Krsna appears in this world nato ndatyadharo yatha,
“exactly like an actor dressed as a player.” In Bhagavad-gita (18.61)
Krsna ‘says, isvarah sarva-bhitanam hrd-dese ’rjuna tisthati: ‘The
Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna.” The Lord is
situated within everyone’s heart, and outside as well. Within the heart
He is the Supersoul, the incarnation who acts as the adviser and witness.
Yet although God is residing within their hearts, foolish people say, “I
cannot see God. Please show Him to me.”
