Text 13

Text

sa eṣa ātmā sva-parety abuddhibhir
duratyayānukramaṇo nirūpyate
muhyanti yad-vartmani veda-vādino
brahmādayo hy eṣa bhinatti me matim

Synonyms

saḥ—He; eṣaḥ—this; atma—Supersoul situated in everyone’s heart; sva-para—this is my own business, and that is someone else’s; iti—thus; abuddhibhiḥ—by those who have such bad intelligence; duratyaya—very difficult to follow; anukramaṇaḥ—whose devotional service; nirūpyate—is ascertained (by scriptures or the instructions of the spiritual master); muhyanti—are bewildered; yat—of whom; vartmani—on the path; veda-vādinaḥ—the followers of Vedic instructions; brahma-ādayaḥ—the demigods, beginning from Lord Brahmā; hi—indeed; eṣaḥ—this one; bhinatti—changes; me—my; matim—intelligence. 

Translation

Persons who always think in terms of “enemy” and “friend” are unable to ascertain the Supersoul within themselves. Not to speak of them, even such exalted persons as Lord Brahmā, who are fully conversant with the Vedic literature, are sometimes bewildered in following the principles of devotional service. The same Supreme Personality of Godhead who has created this situation has certainly given me the intelligence to take the side of your so-called enemy. 

Purport

Prahlāda Mahārāja admitted frankly, “My dear teachers, you wrongly think that Lord Viṣṇu is your enemy, but because He is favorable toward me, I understand that He is the friend of everyone. You may think that I have taken the side of your enemy, but factually He has bestowed a great favor upon me.” 

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