SB 1.3.31
एवं द्रष्टरि दृश्यत्वमारोपितमबुद्धिभिः ॥ ३१ ॥
evaṁ draṣṭari dṛśyatvam āropitam abuddhibhiḥ
Synonyms
yathā — just as; megha-oghaḥ — a mass of clouds [megha-samūhaḥ148]; [is superimposed (āropitam)149]; nabhasi — onto the sky [ākāśe]; vā — or [as]; reṇuḥ — dust; pārthivaḥ — which is a product of the earth [pṛthvī-vikāraḥ]; [is superimposed (āropitam)]; anile — onto the air [vāyau150]; evam — so too [tathaiva]; dṛśyatvam — the visible world [the gross universal form mentioned in the previous verse (virāḍ-rūpam iti pūrveṇaivānvayaḥ), which possesses the same characteristic of visibility specified in the examples (evam evādhiṣṭhita dharmo dṛśyatvam api)]; āropitam — is superimposed; draṣṭari — onto the Seer [Bhagavān (bhagavati), although He is invisible (adṛśyepi), as the characteristic of visibility (dṛśyatvam) possessed by clouds and dust (megha-reṇu-dharmaḥ) is superimposed (āropitam) on the sky and air (nabho’nilayor), respectively, although they are invisible (adṛśyor api), imparting the visible characteristics of blueness and greyishness (nīlaṁ dhūsaratva-lakṣaṇam)]; abuddhibhiḥ — by the unawakened [or those of diminished intellective capacity (alpa-buddhibhiḥ), who thus think, “the sky is blue,” or “the air is dusty” (nīlaṁ nabha iti dhūsaro’nila iti), so too (tataś ca), the visible (dṛśya) universal form (virāṭ) is the object of worship (ārādhya) for beginners on the path (prathama-daśā-sthair yogibhir), who thus think, “God is this visible universe” (bhagavān ayam virāḍ dṛśyaḥ iti)].
Translation
Just as a mass of clouds is superimposed onto the sky, or as dust, which is a product of the earth, is superimposed onto the air, so too, the visible world is superimposed onto the Seer by the unawakened.151