Srimad Bhagavatam. Canto 3: The Status Quo

Chapter 5: Vidura's Talks with Maitreya. Text 32

तामसो भूतसूक्ष्मादिर्यतः खं लिङ्गमात्मनः ॥३२॥

tÄmaso bhÅ«ta-sÅ«ká¹£mÄdir
yataḥ khaá¹ liá¹…gam Ätmanaḥ

 tÄmasaḥ - from the mode of passion; bhÅ«ta-sÅ«ká¹£ma-Ädiḥ - subtle sense objects; yataḥ - from which; kham - the sky; liá¹…gam - symbolic representation; Ätmanaḥ - of the Supreme Soul.


Text

The sky is a product of sound, and sound is the transformation of egoistic ignorance. In other words, the sky is the symbolic representation of the Supreme Soul.

Purport

In the Vedic hymns it is said, etasmÄd Ätmanaḥ ÄkÄÅ›aḥ sambhÅ«taḥ. The sky is the symbolic representation of the Supreme Soul. Those who are egoistic in passion and ignorance cannot conceive of the Personality of Godhead. For them the sky is the symbolic representation of the Supreme Soul.