Chapter 6: Puruṣa-sūkta Confirmed

 

2.6.1

brahmovāca

vācāḿ vahner mukhaḿ kṣetraḿ

chandasāḿ sapta dhātavaḥ

havya-kavyāmṛtānnānāḿ

jihvā sarva-rasasya ca

 

brahmā uvāca — Lord Brahmā said; vācām — of the voice; vahneḥ — of fire; mukham — the mouth; kṣetram — the generating center; chandasām — of the Vedic hymns, such as Gāyatrī; sapta — seven; dhātavaḥ — skin and six other layers; havya-kavya — offerings for the demigods and the forefathers; amṛta — food for human beings; annānām — of all sorts of foodstuffs; jihvā — the tongue; sarva — all; rasasya — of all delicacies; ca — also.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Brahmā said: The mouth of the virāṭ-puruṣa [the universal form of the Lord] is the generating center of the voice, and the controlling deity is fire. His skin and six other layers are the generating centers of the Vedic hymns, and His tongue is the productive center of different foodstuffs and delicacies for offering to the demigods, the forefathers and the general mass of people.

 

2.6.2

sarvāsūnāḿ ca vāyoś ca

tan-nāse paramāyaṇe

aśvinor oṣadhīnāḿ ca

ghrāṇo moda-pramodayoḥ

 

sarva — all; asūnām — different kinds of life air; ca — and; vāyoḥ — of the air; ca — also; tat — His; nāse — in the nose; parama-āyaṇe — in the transcendental generating center; aśvinoḥ — of the Aśvinī-kumāra demigods; oṣadhīnām — of all medicinal herbs; ca — also; ghrāṇaḥ — His smelling power; moda — pleasure; pramodayoḥ — specific sport.

 

TRANSLATION

 

His two nostrils are the generating centers of our breathing and of all other airs, His smelling powers generate the Aśvinī-kumāra demigods and all kinds of medicinal herbs, and His breathing energies produce different kinds of fragrance.

 

2.6.3

rūpāṇāḿ tejasāḿ cakṣur

divaḥ sūryasya cākṣiṇī

karṇau diśāḿ ca tīrthānāḿ

śrotram ākāśa-śabdayoḥ

 

rūpāṇām — for all kinds of forms; tejasām — of all that is illuminating; cakṣuḥ — the eyes; divaḥ — that which glitters; sūryasya — of the sun; ca — also; akṣiṇī — the eyeballs; karṇau — the ears; diśām — of all directions; ca — and; tīrthānām — of all the Vedas; śrotram — the sense of hearing; ākāśa — the sky; śabdayoḥ — of all sounds.

 

TRANSLATION

 

His eyes are the generating centers of all kinds of forms, and they glitter and illuminate. His eyeballs are like the sun and the heavenly planets. His ears hear from all sides and are receptacles for all the Vedas, and His sense of hearing is the generating center of the sky and of all kinds of sound.

 

2.6.4

tad-gātraḿ vastu-sārāṇāḿ

saubhagasya ca bhājanam

tvag asya sparśa-vāyoś ca

sarva-medhasya caiva hi

 

tat — His; gātram — bodily surface; vastu-sārāṇām — of the active principles of all articles; saubhagasya — of all auspicious opportunities; ca — and; bhājanam — the field of production; tvak — skin; asya — His; sparśa — touch; vāyoḥ — of the moving airs; ca — also; sarva — all kinds of; medhasya — of sacrifices; ca — also; eva — certainly; hi — exactly.

 

TRANSLATION

 

His bodily surface is the breeding ground for the active principles of everything and for all kinds of auspicious opportunities. His skin, like the moving air, is the generating center for all kinds of sense of touch and is the place for performing all kinds of sacrifice.

 

2.6.5

romāṇy udbhijja-jātīnāḿ

yair vā yajñas tu sambhṛtaḥ

keśa-śmaśru-nakhāny asya

śilā-lohābhra-vidyutām

 

romāṇi — hairs on the body; udbhijja — vegetables; jātīnām — of the kingdoms; yaiḥ — by which; vā — either; yajñaḥ — sacrifices; tu — but; sambhṛtaḥ — particularly served; keśa — hairs on the head; śmaśru — facial hair; nakhāni — nails; asya — of Him; śilā — stones; loha — iron ores; abhra — clouds; vidyutām — electricity.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The hairs on His body are the cause of all vegetation, particularly of those trees which are required as ingredients for sacrifice. The hairs on His head and face are reservoirs for the clouds, and His nails are the breeding ground of electricity, stones and iron ores.

 

2.6.6

bāhavo loka-pālānāḿ

prāyaśaḥ kṣema-karmaṇām

 

bāhavaḥ — arms; loka-pālānām — of the governing deities of the planets, the demigods; prāyaśaḥ — almost always; kṣema-karmaṇām — of those who are leaders and protectors of the general mass.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Lord's arms are the productive fields for the great demigods and other leaders of the living entities who protect the general mass.

 

2.6.7

vikramo bhūr bhuvaḥ svaś ca

kṣemasya śaraṇasya ca

sarva-kāma-varasyāpi

hareś caraṇa āspadam

 

vikramaḥ — forward steps; bhūḥ bhuvaḥ — of the lower and upper planets; svaḥ — as well as of heaven; ca — also; kṣemasya — of protection of all that we have; śaraṇasya — of fearlessness; ca — also; sarva-kāma — all that we need; varasya — of all benedictions; api — exactly; hareḥ — of the Lord; caraṇaḥ — the lotus feet; āspadam — shelter.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thus the forward steps of the Lord are the shelter for the upper, lower and heavenly planets, as well as for all that we need. His lotus feet serve as protection from all kinds of fear.

 

2.6.8

apāḿ vīryasya sargasya

parjanyasya prajāpateḥ

puḿsaḥ śiśna upasthas tu

prajāty-ānanda-nirvṛteḥ

 

apām — of water; vīryasya — of the semen; sargasya — of the generative; parjanyasya — of rains; prajāpateḥ — of the creator; puḿsaḥ — of the Lord; śiśnaḥ — the genitals; upasthaḥ tu — the place where the genitals are situated; prajāti — due to begetting; ānanda — pleasure; nirvṛteḥ — cause.

 

TRANSLATION

 

From the Lord's genitals originate water, semen, generatives, rains, and the procreators. His genitals are the cause of a pleasure that counteracts the distress of begetting.

 

2.6.9

pāyur yamasya mitrasya

parimokṣasya nārada

hiḿsāyā nirṛter mṛtyor

nirayasya gudaḿ smṛtaḥ

 

pāyuḥ — the evacuating outlet; yamasya — the controlling deity of death; mitrasya — of Mitra; parimokṣasya — of the evacuating hole; nārada — O Nārada; hiḿsāyāḥ — of envy; nirṛteḥ — of misfortune; mṛtyoḥ — of death; nirayasya — of hell; gudam — the rectum; smṛtaḥ — is understood.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O Nārada, the evacuating outlet of the universal form of the Lord is the abode of the controlling deity of death, Mitra, and the evacuating hole and the rectum of the Lord is the place of envy, misfortune, death, hell, etc.

 

2.6.10

parābhūter adharmasya

tamasaś cāpi paścimaḥ

nāḍyo nada-nadīnāḿ ca

gotrāṇām asthi-saḿhatiḥ

 

parābhūteḥ — of frustration; adharmasya — of immorality; tamasaḥ — of ignorance; ca — and; api — as also; paścimaḥ — the back; nāḍyaḥ — of the intestines; nada — of the great rivers; nadīnām — of the rivulets; ca — also; gotrāṇām — of the mountains; asthi — bones; saḿhatiḥ — accumulation.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The back of the Lord is the place for all kinds of frustration and ignorance, as well as for immorality. From His veins flow the great rivers and rivulets, and on His bones are stacked the great mountains.

 

2.6.11

avyakta-rasa-sindhūnāḿ

bhūtānāḿ nidhanasya ca

udaraḿ viditaḿ puḿso

hṛdayaḿ manasaḥ padam

 

avyakta — the impersonal feature; rasa-sindhūnām — of the seas and oceans of water; bhūtānām — of those who take birth in the material world; nidhanasya — of the annihilation; ca — also; udaram — His belly; viditam — is known by the intelligent class of men; puḿsaḥ — of the great personality; hṛdayam — the heart; manasaḥ — of the subtle body; padam — the place.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The impersonal feature of the Lord is the abode of great oceans, and His belly is the resting place for the materially annihilated living entities. His heart is the abode of the subtle material bodies of living beings. Thus it is known by the intelligent class of men.

 

2.6.12

dharmasya mama tubhyaḿ ca

kumārāṇāḿ bhavasya ca

vijñānasya ca sattvasya

parasyātmā parāyaṇam

 

dharmasya — of religious principles, or of Yamarāja; mama — mine; tubhyam — of yours; ca — and; kumārāṇām — of the four Kumāras; bhavasya — Lord Śiva; ca — and also; vijñānasya — of transcendental knowledge; ca — also; sattvasya — of truth; parasya — of the great personality; ātmā — consciousness; parāyaṇam — dependent.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Also, the consciousness of that great personality is the abode of religious principles — mine, yours, and those of the four bachelors Sanaka, Sanātana, Sanat-kumāra and Sanandana. That consciousness is also the abode of truth and transcendental knowledge.

 

2.6.13-16

ahaḿ bhavān bhavaś caiva

ta ime munayo 'grajāḥ

surāsura-narā nāgāḥ

khagā mṛga-sarīsṛpāḥ

 

gandharvāpsaraso yakṣā

rakṣo-bhūta-gaṇoragāḥ

paśavaḥ pitaraḥ siddhā

vidyādhrāś cāraṇā drumāḥ

 

anye ca vividhā jīvā

jala-sthala-nabhaukasaḥ

graharkṣa-ketavas tārās

taḍitaḥ stanayitnavaḥ

 

sarvaḿ puruṣa evedaḿ

bhūtaḿ bhavyaḿ bhavac ca yat

tenedam āvṛtaḿ viśvaḿ

vitastim adhitiṣṭhati

 

aham — myself; bhavān — yourself; bhavaḥ — Lord Śiva; ca — also; eva — certainly; te — they; ime — all; munayaḥ — the great sages; agra-jāḥ — born before you; sura — the demigods; asura — the demons; narāḥ — the human beings; nāgāḥ — the inhabitants of the Nāga planet; khagāḥ — birds; mṛga — beasts; sarīsṛpāḥ — reptiles;

 

gandharva-apsarasaḥ, yakṣāḥ, rakṣaḥ-bhūta-gaṇa-uragāḥ, paśavaḥ, pitaraḥ, siddhāḥ, vidyādhrāḥ, cāraṇāḥ — all inhabitants of different planets; drumāḥ — the vegetable kingdom;

 

anye — many others; ca — also; vividhāḥ — of different varieties; jīvāḥ — living entities; jala — water; sthala — land; nabha-okasaḥ — the inhabitants of the sky, or the birds; graha — the asteroids; ṛkṣa — the influential stars; ketavaḥ — the comets; tārāḥ — the luminaries; taḍitaḥ — the lightning; stanayitnavaḥ — the sound of the clouds;

 

sarvam — everything; puruṣaḥ — the Personality of Godhead; eva idam — certainly all these; bhūtam — whatever is created; bhavyam — whatever will be created; bhavat — and whatever was created in the past; ca — also; yat — whatever; tena idam — it is all by Him; āvṛtam — covered; viśvam — universally comprehending; vitastim — half a cubit; adhitiṣṭhati — situated.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Beginning from me [Brahmā] down to you and Bhava [Śiva], all the great sages who were born before you, the demigods, the demons, the Nāgas, the human beings, the birds, the beasts, as well as the reptiles, etc., and all phenomenal manifestations of the universes, namely the planets, stars, asteroids, luminaries, lightning, thunder, and the inhabitants of the different planetary systems, namely the Gandharvas, Apsarās, Yakṣas, Rakṣas, Bhūtagaṇas, Uragas, Paśus, Pitās, Siddhas, Vidyādharas, Cāraṇas, and all other different varieties of living entities, including the birds, beasts, trees and everything that be, are all covered by the universal form of the Lord at all times, namely past, present and future, although He is transcendental to all of them, eternally existing in a form not exceeding nine inches.

 

2.6.17

sva-dhiṣṇyaḿ pratapan prāṇo

bahiś ca pratapaty asau

evaḿ virājaḿ pratapaḿs

tapaty antar bahiḥ pumān

 

sva-dhiṣṇyam — radiation; pratapan — by expansion; prāṇaḥ — living energy; bahiḥ — external; ca — also; pratapati — illuminated; asau — the sun; evam — in the same way; virājam — the universal form; pratapan — by expansion of; tapati — enlivens; antaḥ — internally; bahiḥ — externally; pumān — the Supreme Personality.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The sun illuminates both internally and externally by expanding its radiation; similarly, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, by expanding His universal form, maintains everything in the creation both internally and externally.

 

 2.6.18

so 'mṛtasyābhayasyeśo

martyam annaḿ yad atyagāt

mahimaiṣa tato brahman

puruṣasya duratyayaḥ

 

saḥ — He (the Lord); amṛtasya — of deathlessness; abhayasya — of fearlessness; īśaḥ — the controller; martyam — dying; annam — fruitive action; yat — one who has; atyagāt — has transcended; mahimā — the glories; eṣaḥ — of Him; tataḥ — therefore; brahman — O brāhmaṇa Nārada; puruṣasya — of the Supreme Personality; duratyayaḥ — immeasurable.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the controller of immortality and fearlessness, and He is transcendental to death and the fruitive actions of the material world. O Nārada, O brāhmaṇa, it is therefore difficult to measure the glories of the Supreme Person.

 

2.6.19

pādeṣu sarva-bhūtāni

puḿsaḥ sthiti-pado viduḥ

amṛtaḿ kṣemam abhayaḿ

tri-mūrdhno 'dhāyi mūrdhasu

 

pādeṣu — in the one fourth; sarva — all; bhūtāni — living entities; puḿsaḥ — of the Supreme Person; sthiti-padaḥ — the reservoir of all material opulence; viduḥ — you should know; amṛtam — deathlessness; kṣemam — all happiness, free from the anxiety of old age, diseases, etc.; abhayam — fearlessness; tri-mūrdhnaḥ — beyond the three higher planetary systems; adhāyi — exist; mūrdhasu — beyond the material coverings.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is to be known as the supreme reservoir of all material opulences by the one fourth of His energy in which all the living entities exist. Deathlessness, fearlessness and freedom from the anxieties of old age and disease exist in the kingdom of God, which is beyond the three higher planetary systems and beyond the material coverings.

 

2.6.20

pādās trayo bahiś cāsann

aprajānāḿ ya āśramāḥ

antas tri-lokyās tv aparo

gṛha-medho 'bṛhad-vrataḥ

 

pādāḥ trayaḥ — the cosmos of three fourths of the Lord's energy; bahiḥ — thus situated beyond; ca — and for all; āsan — were; aprajānām — of those who are not meant for rebirth; ye — those; āśramāḥ — status of life; antaḥ — within; tri-lokyāḥ — of the three worlds; tu — but; aparaḥ — others; gṛha-medhaḥ — attached to family life; abṛhat-vrataḥ — without strictly following a vow of celibacy.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The spiritual world, which consists of three fourths of the Lord's energy, is situated beyond this material world, and it is especially meant for those who will never be reborn. Others, who are attached to family life and who do not strictly follow celibacy vows, must live within the three material worlds.

 

2.6.21

sṛtī vicakrame viśvam

sāśanānaśane ubhe

yad avidyā ca vidyā ca

puruṣas tūbhayāśrayaḥ

 

sṛtī — the destination of the living entities; vicakrame — exists comprehensively; viśvań — the all-pervading Personality of Godhead; sāśana — activities of lording it over; anaśane — activities in devotional service; ubhe — both; yat — what is; avidyā — nescience; ca — as well as; vidyā — factual knowledge; ca — and; puruṣaḥ — the Supreme Person; tu — but; ubhaya — for both of them; āśrayaḥ — the master.

 

TRANSLATION

 

By His energies, the all-pervading Personality of Godhead is thus comprehensively the master in the activities of controlling and in devotional service. He is the ultimate master of both nescience and factual knowledge of all situations.

 

2.6.22

yasmād aṇḍaḿ virāḍ jajñe

bhūtendriya-guṇātmakaḥ

tad dravyam atyagād viśvaḿ

gobhiḥ sūrya ivātapan

 

yasmāt — from whom; aṇḍam — the universal globes; virāṭ — and the gigantic universal form; jajñe — appeared; bhūta — elements; indriya — senses; guṇa-ātmakaḥ — qualitative; tat dravyam — the universes and the universal form, etc.; atyagāt — surpassed; viśvam — all the universes; gobhiḥ — by the rays; sūryaḥ — the sun; iva — like; ātapan — distributed rays and heat.

 

TRANSLATION

 

From that Personality of Godhead, all the universal globes and the universal form with all material elements, qualities and senses are generated. Yet He is aloof from such material manifestations, like the sun, which is separate from its rays and heat.

 

2.6.23

yadāsya nābhyān nalinād

aham āsaḿ mahātmanaḥ

nāvidaḿ yajña-sambhārān

puruṣāvayavān ṛte

 

yadā — at the time of; asya — His; nābhyāt — from the abdomen; nalināt — from the lotus flower; aham — myself; āsam — took my birth; mahā-ātmanaḥ — of the great person; na avidam — did not know; yajña — sacrificial; sambhārān — ingredients; puruṣa — of the Lord; avayavān — personal bodily limbs; ṛte — except.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When I was born from the abdominal lotus flower of the Lord [Mahā-Viṣṇu], the great person, I had no ingredients for sacrificial performances except the bodily limbs of the great Personality of Godhead.

 

2.6.24

teṣu yajñasya paśavaḥ

savanaspatayaḥ kuśāḥ

idaḿ ca deva-yajanaḿ

kālaś coru-guṇānvitaḥ

 

teṣu — in such sacrifices; yajñasya — of the sacrificial performance; paśavaḥ — the animals or the sacrificial ingredients; sa-vanaspatayaḥ — along with flowers and leaves; kuśāḥ — the straw; idam — all these; ca — as also; deva-yajanam — the sacrificial altar; kālaḥ — a suitable time; ca — as also; uru — great; guṇa-anvitaḥ — qualified.

 

TRANSLATION

 

For performing sacrificial ceremonies, one requires sacrificial ingredients, such as flowers, leaves and straw, along with the sacrificial altar and a suitable time [spring].

 

2.6.25

vastūny oṣadhayaḥ snehā

rasa-loha-mṛdo jalam

ṛco yajūḿṣi sāmāni

cātur-hotraḿ ca sattama

 

vastūni — utensils; oṣadhayaḥ — grains; snehāḥ — clarified butter; rasa-loha-mṛdaḥ — honey, gold and earth; jalam — water; ṛcaḥ — the Ṛg Veda; yajūḿṣi — the Yajur Veda; sāmāni — the Sāma Veda; cātuḥ-hotram — four persons conducting the performance; ca — all these; sattama — O most pious one.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Other requirements are utensils, grains, clarified butter, honey, gold, earth, water, the Ṛg Veda, Yajur Veda and Sāma Veda and four priests to perform the sacrifice.

 

2.6.26

nāma-dheyāni mantrāś ca

dakṣiṇāś ca vratāni ca

devatānukramaḥ kalpaḥ

sańkalpas tantram eva ca

 

nāma-dheyāni — invoking the names of the demigods; mantrāḥ — specific hymns to offer to a particular demigod; ca — also; dakṣiṇāḥ — reward; ca — and; vratāni — vows; ca — and; devatā-anukramaḥ — one demigod after another; kalpaḥ — the specific scripture; sańkalpaḥ — the specific purpose; tantram — a particular process; eva — as they are; ca — also.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Other necessities include invoking the different names of the demigods by specific hymns and vows of recompense, in accordance with the particular scripture, for specific purposes and by specific processes.

 

2.6.27

gatayo matayaś caiva

prāyaścittaḿ samarpaṇam

puruṣāvayavair ete

sambhārāḥ sambhṛtā mayā

 

gatayaḥ — progress to the ultimate goal (Viṣṇu); matayaḥ — worshiping the demigods; ca — as also; eva — certainly; prāyaścittam — compensation; samarpaṇam — ultimate offering; puruṣa — the Personality of Godhead; avayavaiḥ — from the parts of the body of the Personality of Godhead; ete — these; sambhārāḥ — the ingredients; sambhṛtāḥ — were arranged; mayā — by me.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thus I had to arrange all these necessary ingredients and paraphernalia of sacrifice from the personal bodily parts of the Personality of Godhead. By invocation of the demigods' names, the ultimate goal, Viṣṇu, was gradually attained, and thus compensation and ultimate offering were complete.

 

2.6.28

iti sambhṛta-sambhāraḥ

puruṣāvayavair aham

tam eva puruṣaḿ yajñaḿ

tenaivāyajam īśvaram

 

iti — thus; sambhṛta — executed; sambhāraḥ — equipped myself well; puruṣa — the Personality of Godhead; avayavaiḥ — by the parts and parcels; aham — I; tam eva — unto Him; puruṣam — the Personality of Godhead; yajñam — the enjoyer of all sacrifices; tena eva — by all those; ayajam — worshiped; īśvaram — the supreme controller.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thus I created the ingredients and paraphernalia for offering sacrifice out of the parts of the body of the Supreme Lord, the enjoyer of the sacrifice, and I performed the sacrifice to satisfy the Lord.

 

2.6.29

tatas te bhrātara ime

prajānāḿ patayo nava

ayajan vyaktam avyaktaḿ

puruṣaḿ su-samāhitāḥ

 

tataḥ — thereafter; te — your; bhrātaraḥ — brothers; ime — these; prajānām — of the living creatures; patayaḥ — masters; nava — nine; ayajan — performed; vyaktam — manifested; avyaktam — nonmanifested; puruṣam — personalities; su-samāhitāḥ — with proper rituals.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear son, thereafter your nine brothers, who are the masters of living creatures, performed the sacrifice with proper rituals to satisfy both the manifested and nonmanifested personalities.

 

2.6.30

tataś ca manavaḥ kāle

ījire ṛṣayo 'pare

pitaro vibudhā daityā

manuṣyāḥ kratubhir vibhum

 

tataḥ — thereafter; ca — also; manavaḥ — the Manus, the fathers of mankind; kāle — in due course of time; ījire — worshiped; ṛṣayaḥ — great sages; apare — others; pitaraḥ — the forefathers; vibudhāḥ — the learned scholars; daityāḥ — great devotees of the demigods; manuṣyāḥ — mankind; kratubhiḥ vibhum — by performance of sacrifices to please the Supreme Lord.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thereafter, the Manus, the fathers of mankind, the great sages, the forefathers, the learned scholars, the Daityas and mankind performed sacrifices meant to please the Supreme Lord.

 

2.6.31

nārāyaṇe bhagavati

tad idaḿ viśvam āhitam

gṛhīta-māyoru-guṇaḥ

sargādāv aguṇaḥ svataḥ

 

nārāyaṇe — unto Nārāyaṇa; bhagavati — the Personality of Godhead; tat idam — all these material manifestations; viśvam — all the universes; āhitam — situated; gṛhīta — having accepted; māyā — material energies; uru-guṇaḥ — greatly powerful; sarga-ādau — in creation, maintenance and destruction; aguṇaḥ — without affinity for the material modes; svataḥ — self-sufficiently.

 

TRANSLATION

 

All the material manifestations of the universes are therefore situated in His powerful material energies, which He accepts self-sufficiently, although He is eternally without affinity for the material modes.

 

2.6.32

sṛjāmi tan-niyukto 'haḿ

haro harati tad-vaśaḥ

viśvaḿ puruṣa-rūpeṇa

paripāti tri-śakti-dhṛk

 

sṛjāmi — do create; tat — by His; niyuktaḥ — appointment; aham — I; haraḥ — Lord Śiva; harati — destroys; tat-vaśaḥ — under His subordination; viśvam — the whole universe; puruṣa — the Personality of Godhead; rūpeṇa — by His eternal form; paripāti — maintains; tri-śakti-dhṛk — the controller of three energies.

 

TRANSLATION

 

By His will, I create, Lord Śiva destroys, and He Himself, in His eternal form as the Personality of Godhead, maintains everything. He is the powerful controller of these three energies.

 

2.6.33

iti te 'bhihitaḿ tāta

yathedam anupṛcchasi

nānyad bhagavataḥ kiñcid

bhāvyaḿ sad-asad-ātmakam

 

iti — thus; te — unto you; abhihitam — explained; tāta — my dear son; yathā — as; idam — all these; anupṛcchasi — as you have inquired; na — never; anyat — anything else; bhagavataḥ — beyond the Personality of Godhead; kiñcit — nothing; bhāvyam — to be thought ever; sat — cause; asat — effect; ātmakam — in the matter of.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear son, whatever you inquired from me I have thus explained unto you, and you must know for certain that whatever there is (either as cause or as effect, both in the material and spiritual worlds) is dependent on the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

2.6.34

na bhāratī me 'ńga mṛṣopalakṣyate

na vai kvacin me manaso mṛṣā gatiḥ

na me hṛṣīkāṇi patanty asat-pathe

yan me hṛdautkaṇṭhyavatā dhṛto hariḥ

 

na — never; bhāratī — statements; me — mind; ańga — O Nārada; mṛṣā — untruth; upalakṣyate — prove to be; na — never; vai — certainly; kvacit — at any time; me — mine; manasaḥ — of the mind; mṛṣā — untruth; gatiḥ — progress; na — nor; me — mine; hṛṣīkāṇi — senses; patanti — degrades; asat-pathe — in temporary matter; yat — because; me — mine; hṛdā — heart; autkaṇṭhyavatā — by great earnestness; dhṛtaḥ — caught hold of; hariḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O Nārada, because I have caught hold of the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, with great zeal, whatever I say has never proved to have been false. Nor is the progress of my mind ever deterred. Nor are my senses ever degraded by temporary attachment to matter.

 

2.6.35

so 'haḿ samāmnāyamayas tapomayaḥ

prajāpatīnām abhivanditaḥ patiḥ

āsthāya yogaḿ nipuṇaḿ samāhitas

taḿ nādhyagacchaḿ yata ātma-sambhavaḥ

 

saḥ aham — myself (the great Brahmā); samāmnāya-mayaḥ — in the chain of disciplic succession of Vedic wisdom; tapaḥ-mayaḥ — successfully having undergone all austerities; prajāpatīnām — of all the forefathers of living entities; abhivanditaḥ — worshipable; patiḥ — master; āsthāya — successfully practiced; yogam — mystic powers; nipuṇam — very expert; samāhitaḥ — self-realized; tam — the Supreme Lord; na — did not; adhyagaccham — properly understood; yataḥ — from whom; ātma — self; sambhavaḥ — generated.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Although I am known as the great Brahmā, perfect in the disciplic succession of Vedic wisdom, and although I have undergone all austerities and am an expert in mystic powers and self-realization, and although I am recognized as such by the great forefathers of the living entities, who offer me respectful obeisances, still I cannot understand Him, the Lord, the very source of my birth.

 

2.6.36

nato 'smy ahaḿ tac-caraṇaḿ samīyuṣāḿ

bhavac-chidaḿ svasty-ayanaḿ sumańgalam

yo hy ātma-māyā-vibhavaḿ sma paryagād

yathā nabhaḥ svāntam athāpare kutaḥ

 

nataḥ — let me offer my obeisances; asmi — am; aham — I; tat — the Lord's; caraṇam — feet; samīyuṣām — of the surrendered soul; bhavat-chidam — that which stops repetition of birth and death; svasti-ayanam — perception of all happiness; su-mańgalam — all-auspicious; yaḥ — one who; hi — exactly; ātma-māyā — personal energies; vibhavam — potency; sma — certainly; paryagāt — cannot estimate; yathā — as much as; nabhaḥ — the sky; sva-antam — its own limit; atha — therefore; apare — others; kutaḥ — how.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Therefore it is best for me to surrender unto His feet, which alone can deliver one from the miseries of repeated birth and death. Such surrender is all-auspicious and allows one to perceive all happiness. Even the sky cannot estimate the limits of its own expansion. So what can others do when the Lord Himself is unable to estimate His own limits?

 

2.6.37

nāhaḿ na yūyaḿ yad-ṛtāḿ gatiḿ vidur

na vāmadevaḥ kim utāpare surāḥ

tan-māyayā mohita-buddhayas tv idaḿ

vinirmitaḿ cātma-samaḿ vicakṣmahe

 

na — neither; aham — I; na — nor; yūyam — all you sons; yat — whose; ṛtām — factual; gatim — movements; viduḥ — do know; na — nor; vāmadevaḥ — Lord Śiva; kim — what; uta — else; apare — others; surāḥ — demigods; tat — by His; māyayā — by the illusory energy; mohita — bewildered; buddhayaḥ — with such intelligence; tu — but; idam — this; vinirmitam — what is created; ca — also; ātma-samam — by dint of one's personal ability; vicakṣmahe — observe.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Since neither Lord Śiva nor you nor I could ascertain the limits of spiritual happiness, how can other demigods know it? And because all of us are bewildered by the illusory external energy of the Supreme Lord, we can see only this manifested cosmos according to our individual ability.

 

2.6.38

yasyāvatāra-karmāṇi

gāyanti hy asmad-ādayaḥ

na yaḿ vidanti tattvena

tasmai bhagavate namaḥ

 

yasya — whose; avatāra — incarnation; karmāṇi — activities; gāyanti — chant in glorification; hi — indeed; asmat-ādayaḥ — persons like us; na — do not; yam — whom; vidanti — know; tattvena — cent percent as He is; tasmai — unto Him; bhagavate — unto the personality of Godhead Śrī Kṛṣṇa; namaḥ — respectful obeisances.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Let us offer our respectful obeisances unto that Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose incarnations and activities are chanted by us for glorification, though He can hardly be fully known as He is.

 

2.6.39

sa eṣa ādyaḥ puruṣaḥ

kalpe kalpe sṛjaty ajaḥ

ātmātmany ātmanātmānaḿ

sa saḿyacchati pāti ca

 

saḥ — He; eṣaḥ — the very; ādyaḥ — the original Personality of Godhead; puruṣaḥ — the Mahā-Viṣṇu incarnation, a plenary portion of Govinda, Lord Kṛṣṇa; kalpe kalpe — in each and every millennium; sṛjati — creates; ajaḥ — the unborn; ātmā — self; ātmani — upon the self; ātmanā — by His own self; ātmānam — own self; saḥ — He; saḿyacchati — absorbs; pāti — maintains; ca — also.

 

TRANSLATION

 

That supreme original Personality of Godhead, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, expanding His plenary portion as Mahā-Viṣṇu, the first incarnation, creates this manifested cosmos, but He is unborn. The creation, however, takes place in Him, and the material substance and manifestations are all Himself. He maintains them for some time and absorbs them into Himself again.

 

2.6.40-41

viśuddhaḿ kevalaḿ jñānaḿ

pratyak samyag avasthitam

satyaḿ pūrṇam anādy-antaḿ

nirguṇaḿ nityam advayam

 

ṛṣe vidanti munayaḥ

praśāntātmendriyāśayāḥ

yadā tad evāsat-tarkais

tirodhīyeta viplutam

 

viśuddham — without any material tinge; kevalam — pure and perfect; jñānam — knowledge; pratyak — all-pervading; samyak — in fullness; avasthitam — situated; satyam — truth; pūrṇam — absolute; anādi — without any beginning; antam — and so also without any end; nirguṇam — devoid of material modes; nityam — eternal; advayam — without any rival;

 

ṛṣe — O Nārada, O great sage; vidanti — they can only understand; munayaḥ — the great thinkers; praśānta — pacified; ātma — self; indriya — senses; āśayāḥ — sheltered; yadā — while; tat — that; eva — certainly; asat — untenable; tarkaiḥ — arguments; tiraḥ-dhīyeta — disappears; viplutam — distorted.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Personality of Godhead is pure, being free from all contaminations of material tinges. He is the Absolute Truth and the embodiment of full and perfect knowledge. He is all-pervading, without beginning or end, and without rival. O Nārada, O great sage, the great thinkers can know Him when completely freed from all material hankerings and when sheltered under undisturbed conditions of the senses. Otherwise, by untenable arguments, all is distorted, and the Lord disappears from our sight.

 

2.6.42

ādyo 'vatāraḥ puruṣaḥ parasya

kālaḥ svabhāvaḥ sad-asan-manaś ca

dravyaḿ vikāro guṇa indriyāṇi

virāṭ svarāṭ sthāsnu cariṣṇu bhūmnaḥ

 

ādyaḥ — first; avatāraḥ — incarnation; puruṣaḥ — Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu; parasya — of the Lord; kālaḥ — time; svabhāvaḥ — space; sat — result; asat — cause; manaḥ — mind; ca — also; dravyam — elements; vikāraḥ — material ego; guṇaḥ — modes of nature; indriyāṇi — senses; virāṭ — the complete whole body; svarāṭ — Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu; sthāsnu — immovable; cariṣṇu — movable; bhūmnaḥ — of the Supreme Lord.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Kāraṇārṇavaśāyī Viṣṇu is the first incarnation of the Supreme Lord, and He is the master of eternal time, space, cause and effects, mind, the elements, the material ego, the modes of nature, the senses, the universal form of the Lord, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and the sum total of all living beings, both moving and nonmoving.

 

2.6.43-45

ahaḿ bhavo yajña ime prajeśā

dakṣādayo ye bhavad-ādayaś ca

svarloka-pālāḥ khagaloka-pālā

nṛloka-pālās talaloka-pālāḥ

 

gandharva-vidyādhara-cāraṇeśā

ye yakṣa-rakṣoraga-nāga-nāthāḥ

ye vā ṛṣīṇām ṛṣabhāḥ pitṝṇāḿ

daityendra-siddheśvara-dānavendrāḥ

anye ca ye preta-piśāca-bhūta-

 

kūṣmāṇḍa-yādo-mṛga-pakṣy-adhīśāḥ

yat kiñca loke bhagavan mahasvad

ojaḥ-sahasvad balavat kṣamāvat

śrī-hrī-vibhūty-ātmavad adbhutārṇaḿ

tattvaḿ paraḿ rūpavad asva-rūpam

 

aham — myself (Brahmājī); bhavaḥ — Lord Śiva; yajñaḥ — Lord Viṣṇu; ime — all these; prajā-īśāḥ — the father of the living beings; dakṣa-ādayaḥ — Dakṣa, Marīci, Manu, etc.; ye — those; bhavat — yourself; ādayaḥ ca — and the bachelors (Sanat-kumāra and his brothers); svarloka-pālāḥ — the leaders of the heavenly planets; khagaloka-pālāḥ — the leaders of space travelers; nṛloka-pālāḥ — the leaders of mankind; talaloka-pālāḥ — the leaders of the lower planets;

 

gandharva — the residents of Gandharvaloka; vidyādhara — the residents of the Vidyādhara planet; cāraṇa-īśāḥ — the leaders of the Cāraṇas; ye — as also others; yakṣa — the leaders of the Yakṣas; rakṣa — demons; uraga — snakes; nāga-nāthāḥ — the leaders of Nāgaloka (below the earth); ye — others; vā — also; ṛṣīṇām — of the sages; ṛṣabhāḥ — the chief; pitṝṇām — of the forefathers; daitya-indra — leaders of the atheists; siddha-īśvara — leaders of the Siddhaloka planets (spacemen); dānava-indrāḥ — leaders of the non-Āryans; anye — besides them; ca — also; ye — those; preta — dead bodies; piśāca — evil spirits; bhūta — jinn;

 

kūṣmāṇḍa — a special type of evil spirit; yādaḥ — aquatics; mṛga — animals; pakṣi-adhīśāḥ — giant eagles; yat — anything; kim ca — and everything; loke — in the world; bhagavat — possessed of bhaga, or extraordinary power; mahasvat — of a special degree; ojaḥ-sahasvat — specific mental and sensual dexterity; balavat — possessed of strength; kṣamāvat — possessed of forgiveness; śrī — beauty; hrī — ashamed of impious acts; vibhūti — riches; ātmavat — possessed of intelligence; adbhuta — wonderful; arṇam — race; tattvam — specific truth; param — transcendental; rūpavat — as if the form of; asva-rūpam — not the form of the Lord.

 

TRANSLATION

 

I myself [Brahmā], Lord Śiva, Lord Viṣṇu, great generators of living beings like Dakṣa and Prajāpati, yourselves [Nārada and the Kumāras], heavenly demigods like Indra and Candra, the leaders of the Bhūrloka planets, the leaders of the earthly planets, the leaders of the lower planets, the leaders of the Gandharva planets, the leaders of the Vidyādhara planets, the leaders of the Cāraṇaloka planets, the leaders of the Yakṣas, Rakṣas and Uragas, the great sages, the great demons, the great atheists and the great spacemen, as well as the dead bodies, evil spirits, satans, jinn, kūṣmāṇḍas, great aquatics, great beasts and great birds, etc. — in other words, anything and everything which is exceptionally possessed of power, opulence, mental and perceptual dexterity, strength, forgiveness, beauty, modesty, opulence, and breeding, whether in form or formless — may appear to be the specific truth and the form of the Lord, but actually they are not so. They are only a fragment of the transcendental potency of the Lord.

 

2.6.46

prādhānyato yān ṛṣa āmananti

līlāvatārān puruṣasya bhūmnaḥ

āpīyatāḿ karṇa-kaṣāya-śoṣān

anukramiṣye ta imān supeśān

 

prādhānyataḥ — chiefly; yān — all those; ṛṣe — O Nārada; āmananti — worship; līlā — pastimes; avatārān — incarnations; puruṣasya — of the personality of Godhead; bhūmnaḥ — the Supreme; āpīyatām — in order to be relished by you; karṇa — ears; kaṣāya — foul matter; śoṣān — that which evaporates; anukramiṣye — shall state one after another; te — they; imān — as they are in my heart; su-peśān — all pleasing to hear.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O Nārada, now I shall state, one after another, the transcendental incarnations of the Lord known as līlā-avatāras. Hearing of their activities counteracts all foul matters accumulated in the ear. These pastimes are pleasing to hear and are to be relished. Therefore they are in my heart.