न चास्य कश्चिन्निपुणेन धातु- रवैति जन्तु: कुमनीष ऊती: । नामानि रूपाणि मनोवचोभि: सन्तन्वतो नटचर्यामिवाज्ञ: ॥ ३७ ॥

na cÄsya kaÅ›cin nipuṇena dhÄtur
avaiti jantuḥ kumanīṣa ūtīḥ
nÄmÄni rÅ«pÄṇi mano-vacobhiḥ
santanvato naá¹­a-caryÄm ivÄjñaḥ


Text

The falsely intelligent person, with skill in jñÄna or yoga cannot understand using their mind and words the pastimes, names and forms of the Lord who distributes these whenever he descends, just as an ignorant person cannot appreciate the performance of an actor.

Purport

The Lord cannot be understood by material knowledge. By skill in jnana or yoga (nipunena) no ignorant person (kumanisa jantuh) can understand the pastimes (utih), names and forms of the Lord through material mind and speech, since the lord is beyond mind and words. He who is devoid of bhakti, the jnani, says that any object with the name and form is illusory. That notion is indicated by the word kumanisa (person with bad intelligence). The Lord broadcasts (santanvatah) these names and forms when he repeatedly appears in the world by his mercy. An example of ignorance is given. The person ignorant of drama cannot understand the names and forms indicated by the actor through theatrical gestures of the hands and poetic words indicating the moon or the lotus. Thus he does not appreciate the drama and says there is no rasa. The person in knowledge directly experiences the rasa, which pervades all his senses and heart.