SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 2

(1) The Creator said: 'The mouth [of the Universal Form] is found in the fire which is the center for the voice of the seven [meters of] hymns [sung in honor] of the essential ingredients [the elements, the layers of His body. Dhâtava, literally: skin, flesh, sinew, marrow, bone, blood and fat]. With respect for the forefathers and the gods offering all kinds of foodstuff and delicacies that by humans beings then are appreciated as the nectar [of the remnants] is the field of action [for the sake of] His tongue. (2) For His nose there is the life air and the air outside in order to bring about the transcendental experience of longevity [the As'vinî demigods] in combination with all the medicinal herbs and fragrances one may enjoy. (3) The eyes [of the gigantic body] that see all kinds of forms as also everything illuminated that glitters to the eyeball of the sun, accompany the hearing by the ears of all the sounds of veneration that from all directions resound in the ether. (4) His outer appearance [the presence of the Universal Form] constitutes the foundation of all things and favorable opportunities and is also the field where one harvests, while His skin of moving airs forms the touch that leads to all kinds of offerings. (5) His bodily hair is the vegetation of the kingdoms with the help of which in particular the sacrifices are performed. The clouds with their electricity, the stones and the iron ore make thereto for the hair on His head, His facial hair and His nails. (6) His arms, the governing men of God, predominantly provide what is needed and protect the general mass. (7) In the Lord His lotus feet that offer shelter His progress is recognized of the lower, middle and heavenly worlds, because they, in providing all that was needed, liberate from fear and contain all the benedictions. (8) Water, semen and the generative capacity of rain refer to the genitals of the Creator, the Lord, or to the spot where the happiness originates that is brought about by the [need of] begetting [offspring or cultural products]. (9) Oh Nârada, the orifice where the evacuation of the Universal Form takes place is the birthplace of Yama the controlling deity of everything running to its end and of Mitra. It forms the rectum where envy, misfortune, death and hell are remembered. (10) Frustration, immorality and ignorance are found at His backside, while the rivers and streams [as said] make for His veins and the mountains for the stack of His bones. (11) The unseen mover [viz. Time] of the seas and oceans of the living beings that are involved with evolution and extinction is, as seen from His belly [the middle worlds, S'iva], by the intelligent ones known as the [beating] heart that is located in the subtle body.

(12) Your, mine, my sons [the Kumâras] and Lord S'iva's heartening of dharma depends on the life and soul of the Supreme Being [who constitutes the save harbor] of truth and wisdom. (13-16) Me, you, Lord S'iva, and the great sages before you, the godly ones, the demoniac ones, the human beings and the excellent ones [the Nâgas], the birds, the beasts, the reptiles and all the heavenly beings and also the plants and many other living entities found on land, in water and in the sky, together with the asteroids, stars, comets, planets and moons and lightening and thunder; all that was, that is and will be created, this entire universe together is [pervaded] and covered by the Original Person in a form measuring not more than nine inches [see also 2.2: 8]. (17) The same way the sun spreads its rays outside and illumines and gives strength [inside with prânâ], the expansion of the Universal Form, the Supreme Person also vitalizes from both the inside and the outside. (18) He is the controller of immortality and fearlessness, transcendental to death and the fruitive action of anyone and therefore, oh Nârada, the glories of the Original Personality are considered immeasurable.

(19) You should know that all the living entities exist in [but] one fourth of the secure reservoir of all opulence where there is no death or fear. That reservoir is the Supreme Person who resides in the beyond of the material coverings of the three worlds. (20) The [remaining] three fourths of Him in the beyond is the place where they reside who will never be reborn. Within [the material world] there are even though the three worlds [heaven, purgatory and hell] that are reserved for the status positions of those who, attached to family life, do not strictly follow the vow of celibacy. (21) Thus neatly arranging the destination of the living beings, the Maintainer rules over the devotion of the nescient ones and the ones who factually know, and is thus, as the Original Personality of God, the master of both. (22) He from whom all the planets and the gigantic Universal Form originated, together with the elements and the senses according to the material qualities of the universe, in the superlative of that Universal Form compares to the sun [that] relating to its distributed rays and heat [remains aloof from it].

(23) When I took birth from the lotus flower sprouting from the navel of this great person, I had next to the personal limbs of the Original Person nothing to perform sacrifices with. (24) For the performance of sacrifices, the sacrificed such as flowers and leaves and burning material [such as straw] is needed together with an altar as also a framework of time [a calendar e.g.] in order to follow the modes of nature. (25) Utensils, grains, fuel [clarified butter], sweetener ['honey'], capital ['gold'] and a fire place ['earth'], water, the scriptures ['Rig, Yajur and Sâma Veda'] and [at least] four [officiating] persons are comprised in this, oh pious one. (26) It also involves the invocation of holy names and mantras and the settling of contributions and taking of oaths concerning the specific godhead at hand. And for the purpose of each of them there is a particular scripture. (27) In order to be able to progress towards the ultimate goal by means of worship and to be able to compensate [to safeguard, correct or excuse] with the offerings ultimately made for the diverse parts of the [governing] body of the Original Person [the representing demigods], I arranged for the ingredients. (28) Thus well-equipped I worshiped, engaging with all the ingredients, the expansions of the Original Person, the Supreme Personality, the original enjoyer of all sacrifices. (29) According to that example your [God-]brothers, the nine masters of the living creatures [schools; demigods next to Brahmâ; compare 5: 30], with proper ritual were of sacrifice for the manifest and non-manifest personalities. (30) In following those [schools or demigods] also the Manus, the fathers of mankind, in due course of time were of worship to please Him, and so did the other great sages, forefathers, scholars, opponents [Daityas] and mankind at large.

(31) For the sake of Nârâyana, the Personality of Godhead, all these greatly powerful manifestations, who had accepted the material illusion of form in the spheres of the universe, found their existence in the reality of creation, maintenance and destruction, even though He Himself is self-sufficient above it. (32) According to His will, I create while under His subordination S'iva destroys. He Himself acts thereto as the Original Person and controller of the three energies who maintains the entire universe.

The Creator said: 'The mouth [of the Universal Form] is found in the fire which is the center for the voice of the seven [meters of] hymns [sung in honor] of the essential ingredients [the elements, the layers of His body. Dhâtava, literally: skin, flesh, sinew, marrow, bone, blood and fat]. With respect for the forefathers and the gods offering all kinds of foodstuff and delicacies that by humans beings then are appreciated as the nectar [of the remnants] is the field of action [for the sake of] His tongue.

The Creator said: 'Voicing the fire the mouth is the center generating the hymns to which there are seven coverings [worlds ...] of offering the nectar and all sorts of food to the tongue in respect of all the delicate. (Vedabase)

Text 2

For His nose there is the life air and the air outside in order to bring about the transcendental experience of longevity [the As'vinî demigods] in combination with all the medicinal herbs and fragrances one may enjoy.

To the nose there is the life-air and the air outside for the generation of the transcendental experience of longevity [the As'vini demigods] with all the medicinal herbs and the taking of pleasure in fragrances. (Vedabase)

Text 3

The eyes [of the gigantic body] that see all kinds of forms as also everything illuminated that glitters to the eyeball of the sun, accompany the hearing by the ears of all the sounds of veneration that from all directions resound in the ether.

The eyes that see all kinds of forms as also all illumined that glitters to the eyeball of the sun accompany the hearing of the ears from all directions of all the sounds of veneration resounding in the sky. (Vedabase)

Text 4

His outer appearance [the presence of the Universal Form] constitutes the foundation of all things and favorable opportunities and is also the field where one harvests, while His skin of moving airs forms the touch that leads to all kinds of offerings.

His surface [of the Universal Form] is the ground for all articles and auspicious opportunities as well as the field for production, while His skin of the moving airs makes the touch surely generating all kinds of sacrifices also. (Vedabase)

Text 5

His bodily hair is the vegetation of the kingdoms with the help of which in particular the sacrifices are performed. The clouds with their electricity, the stones and the iron ore make thereto for the hair on His head, His facial hair and His nails.

His bodily hair is the vegetation in the kingdoms, from which in particular the sacrifices are done to which the hair on His head, His facial hear and His nails make for the stones, iron-ore and clouds with their electricity. (Vedabase)

Text 6

His arms, the governing men of God, predominantly provide what is needed and protect the general mass.

His arms, the governing men of god, do mostly provide and protect the general mass. (Vedabase)

Text 7

In the Lord His lotus feet that offer shelter His progress is recognized of the lower, middle and heavenly worlds, because they, in providing all that was needed, liberate from fear and contain all the benedictions.

His progressing with the lower and middle worlds as well as in heaven, providing for all that is needed of fearlessness and all the benedictions, is exactly known by the Lord His lotusfeet giving shelter. (Vedabase)

Text 8

Water, semen and the generative capacity of rain refer to the genitals of the Creator, the Lord, or to the spot where the happiness originates that is brought about by the [need of] begetting [offspring or cultural products].

Of water, of semen and of the generative of rains one realizes oneself the genitals of the Creator, the Lord and also the spot wherefrom the happiness originates engendered by the [need of the] begetting [of offspring or cultural products]. (Vedabase)

Text 9

Oh Nârada, the orifice where the evacuation of the Universal Form takes place is the birthplace of Yama the controlling deity of everything running to its end and of Mitra. It forms the rectum where envy, misfortune, death and hell are remembered.

O Nârada, the hole where the evacuation of the Universal Form takes place is of Mitra, the controlling deity of everything running to its end and is the rectum where envy, misfortune, death and hell is remembered. (Vedabase)

Text 10

Frustration, immorality and ignorance are found at His backside, while the rivers and streams [as said] make for His veins and the mountains for the stack of His bones.

Of frustration, immorality and ignorance His backside is found, while the rivers and streams [as said] make for His veins and the mountains for the stack of His bones. (Vedabase)

Text 11

The unseen mover [viz. Time] of the seas and oceans of the living beings that are involved with evolution and extinction is, as seen from His belly [the middle worlds, S'iva], by the intelligent known as the [beating] heart that is located in the subtle body.

The unseen mover [the time] of the seas and oceans of the becoming and annihilated beings seen from His belly [the middle worlds, S'iva], is known by the intelligent as the [beating] heart with the subtle body for its location. (Vedabase)

Text 12

Your, mine, my sons [the Kumâras] and Lord S'iva's heartening of dharma depends on the life and soul of the Supreme Being [who constitutes the save harbor] of truth and wisdom.

Your, mine and also my sons [the Kumâras] heartening of the [religious] duties in the continuity [S'iva, the continuing soul facing the destruction] and the transcendental knowledge is also the dependent consciousness [soul] of truth to the great personality. (Vedabase)

Text 13-16

Me, you, Lord S'iva, and the great sages before you, the godly ones, the demoniac ones, the human beings and the excellent ones [the Nâgas], the birds, the beasts, the reptiles and all the heavenly beings and also the plants and many other living entities found on land, in water and in the sky, together with the asteroids, stars, comets, planets and moons and lightening and thunder; all that was, that is and will be created, this entire universe together is [pervaded] and covered by the Original Person in a form measuring not more than nine inches [see also 2.2: 8].

Me, you, the Lord continuing [S'iva], as also certainly the great sages before you, the godly, the demoniac, the human beings and the excellent [the Nâgas], the birds, the beasts, the reptiles and all the heavenly beings as well as the plants and many other living entities on the land, in the waters and in the sky, together with the asteroids, the radiant leading stars, the comets, the lightening and thunder - certainly as whatever was, is and will be created, are all together of the Original Person who covers all in the idea of measuring only half a foot [see also 2.2: 8]. (Vedabase)

Text 17

The same way the sun spreads its rays outside and illumines and gives strength [inside with prânâ], the expansion of the Universal Form, the Supreme Person also vitalizes all that lives from both the inside and the outside.

The same way the sun illumines to the expansion [from the inside] of the living energy working as well from the outside, so also brings, by the expansion of the Universal Form, the Supreme Personality life to the internal as well as to the external. (Vedabase)

Text 18

He is the controller of immortality and fearlessness, transcendental to death and the fruitive action of anyone and therefore, oh Nârada, the glories of the Original Personality are considered immeasurable.

He is the controller of the immortal and fearless in the transcendence over death and the fruit of anyone and therefore, o Nârada, are the glories of the Original Personality seen as being immeasurable. (Vedabase)

Text 19

You should know that all the living entities exist in [but] one fourth of the secure reservoir of all opulence where there is no death or fear. That reservoir is the Supreme Person who resides in the beyond of the material coverings of the three worlds.

Beyond the material covering of the three worlds you should know the Supreme refuge of all the living beings as the one fourth that gives the immortality, fulfillment and fearlessness. (Vedabase)

Text 20

The [remaining] three fourths of Him in the beyond is the place where they reside who will never be reborn. Within [the material world] there are even though the three worlds [heaven, purgatory and hell] that are reserved for the status positions of those who, attached to family life, do not strictly follow the vow of celibacy.

Situated beyond the three fourths are the ones of the status of not returning [the detached ones], while the others who cling to their family life without strictly following the celibate, are of the three worlds. (Vedabase)

Text 21

Thus neatly arranging the destination of the living beings, the Maintainer rules over the devotion of the nescient ones and the ones who factually know, and is thus, as the Original Personality of God, the master of both.

Thus neatly ordering the destination of the living beings, the Maintainer rules the devotion of both the nescient as the factually knowing and is thus as the Original Personality of God the master of both of them. (Vedabase)

Text 22

He from whom all the planets and the gigantic Universal Form originated, together with the elements and the senses according to the material qualities of the universe, in the superlative of that Universal Form compares to the sun [that] relating to its distributed rays and heat [remains aloof from it].

From whom all the planets and the gigantic Universal Form came, appeared the elements and the senses to the material qualities of the universes, to which the surpassing of that Universal Form is alike the way the sun relates to its distributed rays and heat. (Vedabase)

Text 23

When I took birth from the lotus flower sprouting from the navel of this great person, I had next to the personal limbs of the Original Person nothing to perform sacrifices with.

When I took birth from the lotus flower from the navel of this great person, I did, except for the personal limbs of the Original Person not know of the ingredients for performing sacrifices. (Vedabase)

Text 24

For the performance of sacrifices, the sacrificed such as flowers and leaves and burning material [such as straw] is needed together with an altar as also a framework of time [a calendar e.g.] in order to follow the modes of nature.

For the performance of sacrifices, the sacrificed such as flowers and leaves with the burning material [such as straw] is needed together with an altar as also the great of time [a calendar e.g.] in following the modes of nature. (Vedabase)

Text 25

Utensils, grains, fuel [clarified butter], sweetener ['honey'], capital ['gold'] and a fire place ['earth'], water, the scriptures ['Rig, Yajur and Sâma Veda'] and [at least] four [officiating] persons are comprised in this, oh pious one.

Utensils, grains, fuel [clarified butter], sweetener ['honey'], capital ['gold'] and a fire place ['earth'], water, the scriptures ['Rig, Yajur and Sâma Veda'] and [at least] four [leading] persons are comprised in this, o pious one. (Vedabase)

Text 26

It also involves the invocation of holy names and mantras and the settling of contributions and taking of oaths, concerning the specific godhead at hand. And for the purpose of each of them there is a particular scripture.

It also involves the invocation of holy names and mantras as also contributions and vows concerning the specific godhead at hand for which there is a particular scripture for each specific purpose. (Vedabase)

Text 27

In order to be able to progress towards the ultimate goal by means of worship and to be able to compensate [to safeguard, correct or excuse] with the offerings ultimately made for the diverse parts of the [governing] body of the Original Person [the representing demigods], I arranged for the ingredients.

For progressing to the ultimate goal by means of the worship and surely also the compensation with the ultimate offerings to the diverse parts of the body of the Original Person [the representing demigods], I arranged for the ingredients. (Vedabase)

Text 28

Thus well-equipped I worshiped, engaging with all the ingredients, the expansions of the Original Person, the Supreme Personality, the original enjoyer of all sacrifices.

Thus well-equipped executed by all those expansions of the Original Person, I worshiped the Supreme Personality, the original enjoyer of all sacrifices. (Vedabase)

Text 29

According to that example your [God-]brothers, the nine masters of the living creatures [schools; demigods next to Brahmâ; compare 5: 30], with proper ritual were of sacrifice for the manifest and non-manifest personalities.

Thereafter your [god-]brothers, the nine masters of the living creatures [schools; demigods next to Brahmâ; compare 5:30], performed for the personalities seen and unseen with proper ritual. (Vedabase)

Text 30

In following those [schools or demigods] also the Manus, the fathers of mankind, in due course of time were of worship to please Him, and so did the other great sages, forefathers, scholars, opponents [Daityas] and mankind at large.

In following those [schools or demigods] also the Manu's, the fathers of mankind, worshiped in due course of time, pleasing Him, as well as did other great sages, forefathers, scholars, devotees, and mankind as a whole. (Vedabase)

Text 31

For the sake of Nârâyana, the Personality of Godhead, all these greatly powerful manifestations, who had accepted the material illusion of form in the spheres of the universe, found their existence in the reality of creation, maintenance and destruction, even though He Himself is self-sufficient above it.

Unto Nârâyana, the Personality of Godhead, all these greatly powerful manifestations having accepted the material illusion of form in the universal came into the existence of creation, maintenance and destruction although He on Himself is self-sufficient above it. (Vedabase)

Text 32

According to His will, I create while under His subordination S'iva destroys. He Himself acts thereto as the Original Person and controller of the three energies who maintains the entire universe.

To His will, I create while under His subordination S'iva destroys, with Himself thereto as the controller of the three energies maintaining the whole Universe as the Original Person. (Vedabase)

Text 33

Thus I explained upon your request my dear, all this to you. Whatever you think of, whether it is a cause or an effect, there is nothing to be found that has its existence beyond the Supreme Lord.

Thus I explained all this to you, my dear, as you asked for, concerning the matter of never having anything else beyond the Supreme Lord in thinking of cause and effect. (Vedabase)

Text 34

Oh Nârada, this state of mind always proved itself to be correct because my heart with great zeal managed to hold on to the Lord. My mind never wandered off in untruth with it nor was I by my senses degraded in the temporal reality.

O Nârada, for sure never did this state of mind prove to be false at any time, nor was my train of thought ever in untruth nor were my senses degraded in the temporal, because my heart with great zeal had caught hold of the Lord. (Vedabase)

Text 35

I am the personification of Vedic wisdom, full of austerity, the worshipable master of all the forefathers and a self-realized expert in the practice of yoga, yet I could not fathom Him from whom I myself generated.

Being successful in the austerities of vedic wisdom according disciplic succession, worshipable as the master of all the forefathers and expert and self-realized in the practice of yoga, I could not completely understand Him from whom the self generated. (Vedabase)

Text 36

I am [therefore] devoted to the all-auspicious feet of the Lord of the surrendered souls, which stop the repetition of births and deaths and grant the vision of happiness. One surely cannot estimate the potency of His personal energies - just like the sky that canot see its own limit. Therefore, how can others know?

I am [therefore] devoted to the all-auspicious feet of the Lord of the surrendered souls, who stop the repetition of birth's and death and who give the vision of happiness; one surely cannot estimate the potency of His personal energies - as the way the sky can't see its own limit, therefore how can others know? (Vedabase)

Text 37

Since neither I, nor you o sons, nor the Destroyer have an idea of the true nature of His movements, one cannot expect that the other God-conscious ones would do any better. With one's intelligence bewildered by the illusory energy of what is created one is only able to see as far as one's abilty reaches.

Since neither I, nor all you sons, nor the Destroyer can factually know [of all] His movements, what else then would the other god-conscious? The intelligence bewildered by the illusory energy of what is created can only see as far as one's ability reaches. (Vedabase)

Text 38

We offer Him, the Supreme Lord, our respectful obeisances, whose incarnation and activities we glorify, even though persons like us do not fully know Him.

Unto Him, the Supreme Lord, our respectful obeisances, whose incarnation and activities we glorify, although we do not know Him fully. (Vedabase)

Text 39

He, the very Primordial Original Personality in each millennium creates within Himself, by Himself, His own transcendental presence, maintaining Himself [for some time] and absorbing [Himself again].

He, the very Primordial Original Personality in each millennium creates from the unborn soul to the [material] self by His own Self His own transcendental presence maintaining Himself [for some time] as well as absorbing [Himself again]. (Vedabase)

Text 40-41

Without a material tinge, pure and perfect in knowledge and all-pervading in His fullness He is situated in truth as the absolute without a beginning and an end, in freedom from the modes of nature and in a position in which He is eternally unrivaled. Oh wise one, the great thinkers can only understand this with a pacified self and their senses under cover, otherwise it will certainly be beyond their scope and be distorted by untenable arguments.

Without a material tinge, pure and perfect in knowledge and all-pervading in His fullness He is situated in truth as the absolute without a beginning and an end, free from the modes of nature and eternally unrivaled. O wise one, the great thinkers can only understand this with a pacified self and their senses under cover, otherwise it will certainly be out of view and distorted by untenable arguments. (Vedabase)

Text 42

The first avatâra of the Lord is the Original Person: [Mahâvishnu or Kâranodakas'âyî Vishnu. He forms the basis of] spacetime [kâla svabhavah, the original nature of time], cause, effect, the elements, the modes, as also the ego, the senses and the mind. These together constitute the diversity of the complete whole of all that moves and does not move of the universal being [also called Garbhodakas'âyî Vishnu].

The first descend of Him [the avatâra called Kâranârnavas'âyî Vishnu] is the Original Person [the purusha], who in space-time is the cause of the mind to the elements of the material ego with its modes of nature and its senses making for the Universal Form [virât rûpa] of the movable and immovable of the Lord [also called Garbhodakas'âyî Vishnu ]. (Vedabase)

Text 43-45

I myself [Brahmâ], the Destroyer and the Maintainer; all the fathers of the living beings like Daksha [and Manu], you yourself and the other sons [the Kumâras]; the leaders of the higher worlds, the space travelers, the earth and the lower worlds; the leaders of the denizens of heaven [of the Ghandarva, Vidyâdhara and Cârana worlds] as also the leaders of the demons [the Yakshas, Râkshasas and Uragas] and the underworld; the first among the sages, the forefathers, the atheists, the specially gifted ones, the uncivilized ones and the dead; the evil spirits, the Jinn and the Kûshmândas [other evil spirits], including all the great aquatics, beasts and birds - in other words each and everyone in the world who is of power to a special degree or of a specific mental or perceptual dexterity or exceptional strength, forgiveness, beauty, modesty, opulence, intelligence or breeding, exists as if he himself would offer the [ultimate] form of [representing] His transcendental reality, but in fact they are only a part of it.

I myself [Brahmâ], the Destroyer and the Maintainer, all the fathers of the living beings like Daksha [and Manu], you yourself and the other sons [the Kumâras], the leaders of the higher worlds, the travelers, the earth and the lower worlds, the leaders of the denizens of heaven [of the Gandharva,Vidyâdhara and Cârana worlds] as well as the leaders of the demoniac [the Yakshas, Raksasa's and Uraga's] and the underworld as well as the leaders of the sages, the forefathers, the atheists, the miraculous, the uncivilized and also the dead, the evil spirits, the Jinn and Kûsmândas [other evil spirits] and the great aquatics, beasts and birds - in other words anything and everything in the world that is of power to a special degree or of a specific mental or perceptual dexterity or exceptional strength, forgiveness, beauty, modesty, opulence, intelligence or breeding are as if they are the form of His transcendental Principle Reality themselves, but in fact they are only a fragment of it. (Vedabase)

Text 46

Oh Nârada, now relish the devotion for the pastimes of the most important incarnations of the Original Supreme Personality. That devotion will evaporate the foul matter that accumulated in your ears. I will relate these stories, that are all a pleasure to hear, one after the other the way they are present in my heart.'

O Nârada, now relish the devotion for the pastimes of all those incarnations of the Original Supreme Personality that will evaporate the foul matter accumulated in your ears. I will tell you of them one after the other as they are in my heart and pleasant to hear about. (Vedabase)