naite svarūpaḿ vidur ātmanas te
hy ajādayo 'nātmatayā gṛhītaḥ
ajo 'nubaddhaḥ sa guṇair ajāyā
guṇāt paraḿ veda na te svarūpam
na -- do not; ete -- these (elements of creation); svarupam -- the true identity; viduh -- know; atmanah -- of the Supreme Soul; te -- You; hi -- indeed; aja-adayah -- headed by the total material nature; anatmataya -- by the status of being nonliving matter; grihitah -- seized; ajah -- Lord Brahma; anubaddhah -- bound up; sah -- he; gunaih -- by the modes; ajayah -- of material nature; gunat -- to these modes; param -- transcendental; veda na -- he does not know; te -- Your; svarupam -- true form.
The total material nature and these other elements of creation certainly cannot know You as You are, for they are manifested in the realm of dull matter. Since You are beyond the modes of nature, even Lord Brahma, who is bound up in these modes, does not know Your true identity.
God is transcendental to material nature. Unless we also transcend the limited consciousness of material existence, we cannot know Him. Even the greatest living entity in the universe, Brahma, cannot understand the Supreme unless he comes to the platform of pure Krishna consciousness.
