पदं द्वितीयं क्रमतस्त्रिविष्टपं न वै तृतीयाय तदीयमण्वपि उरुक्रमस्यांघ्रिरुपर्युपर्यथो महर्जनाभ्यां तपसः परं गतः
padaṁ dvitīyaṁ kramatas triviṣṭapaṁ na vai tṛtīyāya tadīyam aṇv api urukramasyāṅghrir upary upary atho mahar-janābhyāṁ tapasaḥ paraṁ gataḥ
Synonyms
padam—step; dvitīyam—second; kramataḥ—advancing; triviṣṭapam—all of the heavenly planets; na—not; vai—indeed; tṛtīyāya—for the third step; tadīyam—of the Lord; aṇu api—only a spot of land remained; urukramasya—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who performs uncommon activities; aṅghriḥ—steps occupying above and below; upari upari—higher and higher; atho—now; mahaḥ-janābhyām—than Maharloka and Janaloka; tapasaḥ—that Tapoloka; param—beyond that; gataḥ—approached..
Translation
As the Lord took His second step, He covered the heavenly planets. And not even a spot remained for the third step, for the Lord's foot extended higher and higher, beyond Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka and even Satyaloka.
Purport
When the Lord's footstep exceeded the height of all the lokas, including Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka and Satyaloka, His nails certainly pierced the covering of the universe. The universe is covered by the five material elements (bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ kham). As stated in the śāstra, these elements are in layers, each ten times thicker than the previous one. Nonetheless, the nails of the Lord pierced through all these layers and made a hole penetrating into the spiritual world. From this hole, the water of the Ganges infiltrated into this material world, and therefore it is said, pada-nakha-nīra-janita-jana-pāvana [Daśāvatāra-stotra 5]. Because the Lord kicked a hole in the covering of the universe, the water of the Ganges came into this material world to deliver all the fallen souls.