टीका

Commentary

Although the Supreme Lord is the source of all the senses of all living beings, He Himself does not possess material senses like those of conditioned souls. In reality, the living entities have spiritual senses in their liberated state, but in the conditioned state of material bondage, these senses are covered by material elements. The Lord’s senses, on the other hand, are never covered in this way — His senses are transcendental and divine.

The Shvetashvatara Upanishad (3.19) also describes the Lord as apaanipado javano graheetaa — without material hands and feet, yet He grasps and moves faster than anyone. Though the senses of the living beings are our sources for all sensory activities, these are material senses, whereas His senses are transcendental and never subject to contamination by material qualities.

He is described as asaktam — unattached — and yet sarvabhrit — the maintainer of all. This is a beautiful paradox that reveals the nature of divine love. A parent who provides for a child is attached through emotion, but the Lord maintains the entire creation without any material attachment or selfish motive. His maintenance is an act of pure, unconditional grace.

The term nirgunam does not mean “without qualities” but rather “without material qualities.” The Lord possesses infinite spiritual qualities — beauty, knowledge, strength, fame, wealth, and renunciation — but He is never touched by the three material modes of goodness, passion, and ignorance. At the same time, He is gunabhoktri — the master and controller of these very modes. The modes operate under His direction, yet He remains forever beyond their influence.