ब्रह्मोवाच
ब्रह्मोवाच ।
ज्ञातोऽसि मेऽद्य सुचिरान्ननु देहभाजां
न ज्ञायते भगवतो गतिरित्यवद्यम् ।
नान्यत्त्वदस्ति भगवन्नपि तन्न शुद्धं
मायागुणव्यतिकराद्यदुरुर्विभासि ॥ १॥
रूपं यदेतदवबोधरसोदयेन
शश्वन्निवृत्ततमसः सदनुग्रहाय ।
आदौ गृहीतमवतारशतैकबीजं
यन्नाभिपद्मभवनादहमाविरासम् ॥ २॥
नातःपरं परम यद्भवतः स्वरूप-
मानन्दमात्रमविकल्पमविद्धवर्चः ।
पश्यामि विश्वसृजमेकमविश्वमात्मन्
भूतेन्द्रियात्मकमदस्त उपाश्रितोऽस्मि ॥ ३॥
तद्वा इदं भुवनमङ्गल मङ्गलाय
ध्याने स्म नो दर्शितं त उपासकानाम् ।
तस्मै नमो भगवतेऽनुविधेम तुभ्यं
योऽनादृतो नरकभाग्भिरसत्प्रसङ्गैः ॥ ४॥
ये तु त्वदीयचरणाम्बुजकोशगन्धं
जिघ्रन्ति कर्णविवरैः श्रुतिवातनीतम् ।
भक्त्या गृहीतचरणः परया च तेषां
नापैषि नाथ हृदयाम्बुरुहात्स्वपुंसाम् ॥ ५॥
तावद्भयं द्रविणदेहसुहृन्निमित्तं
शोकः स्पृहा परिभवो विपुलश्च लोभः ।
तावन्ममेत्यसदवग्रह आर्तिमूलं
यावन्न तेऽङ्घ्रिमभयं प्रवृणीत लोकः ॥ ६॥
दैवेन ते हतधियो भवतः प्रसङ्गात्
सर्वाशुभोपशमनाद्विमुखेन्द्रिया ये ।
कुर्वन्ति कामसुखलेशलवाय दीनाः
लोभाभिभूतमनसोऽकुशलानि शश्वत् ॥ ७॥
क्षुत्तृट् त्रिधातुभिरिमा मुहुरर्द्यमानाः
शीतोष्णवातवरषैरितरेतराच्च ।
कामाग्निनाच्युत रुषा च सुदुर्भरेण
सम्पश्यतो मन उरुक्रम सीदते मे ॥ ८॥
यावत्पृथक्त्वमिदमात्मन इन्द्रियार्थ-
मायाबलं भगवतो जन ईश पश्येत् ।
तावन्न संसृतिरसौ प्रतिसङ्क्रमेत
व्यर्थापि दुःखनिवहं वहती क्रियार्था ॥ ९॥
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Brahma said : It is after a very long time that I have come to know You today. It is really shameful that living beings should fail to realize the true nature of the Lord (Yourself). (In fact) there is nothing other than You; and even that which appears to exist is not real. For, when the equilibrium of the Gunas of Māyā is disturbed, it is You alone who appear as many. (1)
The light of wisdom, which is synonymous with joy, being ever manifest in You, the darkness of ignorance can never approach You. This form, which is the seed of hundreds of forthcoming Avatāras, and from the lotus sprung from whose navel I have emanated, has been assumed by You for the first time just in order to show Your grace to the worshippers. (2)
I do not regard Your essence, which is purely blissful and undifferentiated and of the nature of unobscured effulgence, as something other than this form of Yours, O Supreme Spirit. That is why I have taken refuge in this very form, which, though creating the universe, is yet beyond the universe and is the source of all the five elements and the ten Indriyas. (3)
It is for the good of Your worshipper in me, O source of blessings to the world, that You have revealed this form of Yours to me. I make obeisance again and again to You, who are disregarded only by people that are addicted to the pleasures of sense and thus deserve a place in hell. (4)
O Lord, You never leave the lotus heart of Your devotees, who take in through the opening of their ears the fragrance (delightful glory) of Your lotus-feet, wafted by the breeze of the Vedas, Your feet being held fast by the cords of supreme devotion. (5)
A man is subject to fear, grief, covetousness, ignominy and inordinate greed proceeding from wealth, house and kinsmen; nay, he is obsessed with the false sense of mineness in respect of the same, which is the root of all sorrow, only so long as he does not take refuge in Your feet, which secure immunity from all fear. (6)
Programmes connected with You (such as the hearing and chanting of Your praises etc.) destroy all evil. They have, therefore, been robbed of their wits by (an unpropitious) fate, who, having withdrawn their senses from such a programme, remain constantly engaged in sinful pursuits, their mind possessed with covetousness for the most trivial pleasures of sense, and feeling miserable on that account. (7)
It pains my soul, O immortal Lord of infinite power, to see these* creatures being repeatedly tormented by hunger and thirst, by the three humours (flatulence, bile and phlegm), by cold, heat, storm and rain, as well as by one another, and by the unbearable fire of passion as also by anger. (8)
So long as a man, O Lord, continues to regard himself as apart from (other than) the Lord (Yourself) on account of Your Māyā (which stands between You and him) in the shape of the senses and their objects, the cycle of birth and death will not cease for him. Though this cycle has no reality, it is a perennial source of sorrows; for through this a man reaps the fruit of his actions. (9) (1-9)
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अह्न्यापृतार्तकरणा निशि निःशयाना
नानामनोरथधिया क्षणभग्ननिद्राः ।
दैवाहतार्थरचना ऋषयोऽपि देव
युष्मत्प्रसङ्गविमुखा इह संसरन्ति ॥ १०॥
त्वं भावयोगपरिभावितहृत्सरोज
आस्से श्रुतेक्षितपथो ननु नाथ पुंसाम् ।
यद्यद्धिया त उरुगाय विभावयन्ति
तत्तद्वपुः प्रणयसे सदनुग्रहाय ॥ ११॥
नातिप्रसीदति तथोपचितोपचारै-
राराधितः सुरगणैर्हृदि बद्धकामैः ।
यत्सर्वभूतदययासदलभ्ययैको
नानाजनेष्ववहितः सुहृदन्तरात्मा ॥ १२॥
पुंसामतो विविधकर्मभिरध्वराद्यैः
दानेन चोग्रतपसा व्रतचर्यया च ।
आराधनं भगवतस्तव सत्क्रियार्थो
धर्मोऽर्पितः कर्हिचिद्ध्रियते न यत्र ॥ १३॥
शश्वत्स्वरूपमहसैव निपीतभेद-
मोहाय बोधधिषणाय नमः परस्मै ।
विश्वोद्भवस्थितिलयेषु निमित्तलीला-
रासाय ते नम इदं चकृमेश्वराय ॥ १४॥
यस्यावतारगुणकर्मविडम्बनानि
नामानि येऽसुविगमे विवशा गृणन्ति ।
ते नैकजन्मशमलं सहसैव हित्वा
संयान्त्यपावृतमृतं तमजं प्रपद्ये ॥ १५॥
यो वा अहं च गिरिशश्च विभुः स्वयं च
स्थित्युद्भवप्रलयहेतव आत्ममूलम् ।
भित्त्वा त्रिपाद्ववृध एक उरुप्ररोह-
स्तस्मै नमो भगवते भुवनद्रुमाय ॥ १६॥
लोको विकर्मनिरतः कुशले प्रमत्तः
कर्मण्ययं त्वदुदिते भवदर्चने स्वे ।
यस्तावदस्य बलवानिह जीविताशां
सद्यश्छिनत्त्यनिमिषाय नमोऽस्तु तस्मै ॥ १७॥
यस्माद्बिभेम्यहमपि द्विपरार्धधिष्ण्य-
मध्यासितः सकललोकनमस्कृतं यत् ।
तेपे तपो बहुसवोऽवरुरुत्समान-
स्तस्मै नमो भगवतेऽधिमखाय तुभ्यम् ॥ १८॥
तिर्यङ्मनुष्यविबुधादिषु जीवयोनि-
ष्वात्मेच्छयाऽऽत्मकृतसेतुपरीप्सया यः ।
रेमे निरस्तरतिरप्यवरुद्धदेह-
स्तस्मै नमो भगवते पुरुषोत्तमाय ॥ १९॥
योऽविद्ययानुपहतोऽपि दशार्धवृत्त्या
निद्रामुवाह जठरीकृतलोकयात्रः ।
अन्तर्जलेऽहिकशिपुस्पर्शानुकूलां
भीमोर्मिमालिनि जनस्य सुखं विवृण्वन् ॥ २०॥
यन्नाभिपद्मभवनादहमासमीड्य
लोकत्रयोपकरणो यदनुग्रहेण ।
तस्मै नमस्त उदरस्थभवाय योग-
निद्रावसानविकसन्नलिनेक्षणाय ॥ २१॥
सोऽयं समस्तजगतां सुहृदेक आत्मा
सत्त्वेन यन्मृडयते भगवान् भगेन ।
तेनैव मे दृशमनुस्पृशताद्यथाहं
स्रक्ष्यामि पूर्ववदिदं प्रणतप्रियोऽसौ ॥ २२॥
एष प्रपन्नवरदो रमयाऽऽत्मशक्त्या
यद्यत्करिष्यति गृहीतगुणावतारः ।
तस्मिन् स्वविक्रममिदं सृजतोऽपि चेतो
युञ्जीत कर्मशमलं च यथा विजह्याम् ॥ २३॥
नाभिह्रदादिह सतोऽम्भसि यस्य पुंसो
विज्ञानशक्तिरहमासमनन्तशक्तेः ।
रूपं विचित्रमिदमस्य विवृण्वतो मे
मा रीरिषीष्ट निगमस्य गिरां विसर्गः ॥ २४॥
सोऽसावदभ्रकरुणो भगवान् विवृद्ध-
प्रेमस्मितेन नयनाम्बुरुहं विजृम्भन् ।
उत्थाय विश्वविजयाय च नो विषादं
माध्व्या गिरापनयतात्पुरुषः पुराणः ॥ २५॥
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Those who have an aversion for programmes connected with You have to pass through a series of births and deaths in this world, no matter if they are born in a family of seers. For the mind and senses of such men are occupied with mundane pursuits and distracted with worldly thoughts by day, and they remain buried in slumber at night, although their sleep is disturbed moment after moment, their mind being tossed about by ambitions of various kinds, and their endeavours for the realization of their object are frustrated by Providence. (10)
The path leading to You can be discovered only by hearing Your praises etc., and You surely dwell in the lotus-like heart of Your devotees, purified through the practice of Devotion. In order to oblige Your devotees You assume that very form in which they think of You, O Lord, who are profusely praised ! (11)
One (without a second), You are the disinterested friend, nay, the very inner Self of all beings seated in their very heart. That is why You are not pleased so much when worshipped by the gods with some deep-rooted desire in their heart, though through abundant materials, as through compassion towards all beings, a virtue which cannot be acquired by the wicked. (12)
Therefore, the highest reward of a man's act is to win Your pleasure, O Lord, through various religious pursuits such as sacrificial performances, charitable gifts, austere penance and observing sacred vows; for a religious act that has been dedicated to You never dies (brings inexhaustible merit). (13)
The illusion of diversity stands eternally swallowed by the very effulgence of Your Being, the abode of wisdom. My obeisance to You, the Supreme Person, You take delight in the sportful activities of Māyā, who is responsible for the creation, preservation and dissolution of the universe. I have, therefore, made obeisance to You, the Ruler of the universe. (14)
They who utter Your names, signifying Your descent, virtues and exploits, even in an unconscious state at the moment of death, are immediately rid of their sins of many lives and attain (oneness with) Brahma, who shines beyond the veil of Māyā. I, therefore, take refuge in You, who are unborn. (15)
Obeisance to the Lord manifesting Himself (at the time of creation) as the tree of this universe, which evolves from Prakṛti—that has its root, again, in the Lord Himself—splitting it up into the three Guṇas (Rajas, Sattva and Tamas), and appearing first of all as its three trunks, viz., myself (Brahmā), Lord Viṣṇu Himself and Lord Śiva (who dwells on Mount Kailāsa)—who are severally responsible for the creation, preservation and dissolution of the universe—and thereafter grows into numerous boughs and branches (viz., the various lords of created beings, Manus and so on). (16)
Your worship has been declared by Yourself as a man's duty yielding happy results. But neglecting this duty, man remains (mostly) engaged in prohibited acts. Time, however, which is most powerful and vigilant too, cuts off in a moment his hope of survival. As a matter of fact, it is You who appear in the form of Time; my obeisance is, therefore, due to You. (17)
Even I, who preside over the Satyaloka (the highest heaven), that endures for two Parārdhas (the allotted span of Brahmā's life) and is adored by all the other spheres, am afraid of Time. It was with the object of attaining You (and thus securing immunity from the ravages of Time) that I practised austere penance for many years. My obeisance to You, who preside over all sacrifices. (18)
(Being ever satisfied by Your own blissful nature) You have no craving for sense-delights. Yet, with a view to maintaining the standards of morality and virtue established by Yourself, You have voluntarily assumed forms in different species of life, such as birds, beasts, human beings, gods and others! My salutation to You, the divine Puruṣottama (the Supreme Person). (19)
Though untainted by Avidyā (nescience) which appears in five forms (viz., Avidyā or fundamental ignorance, Asmitā or egotism, Rāga or attraction, Dweṣa or aversion and Abhiniveśa or the fear of death), You have enjoyed sleep in the midst of water tossed by fearful waves—a sleep which has proved delightful to You on account of the (soft) touch of the serpent (Lord Śeṣa), who serves as a bed for You—having deposited all the worlds in Your belly, thereby illustrating the relief which a man enjoys during sleep (or allowing a respite to the Jivas from ceaseless exertion during successive births for a whole Kalpa consisting of 4,32,00,00,000 human years). (20)
It is from the lotus sprung from Your navel, O praiseworthy Lord, that I have emerged and it is by Your grace that I have secured this opportunity of serving the three worlds by creating them. You kept the universe (as a safe deposit) in Your belly for such a long time (a whole Kalpa) and Your lotus eyes have just opened, indicating thereby that Your sleep in the form of abstract meditation has come to an end. I, therefore, make obeisance to You. (21)
You are the sole well-wisher and friend, nay, the very Self (Inner Controller) of all animate and inanimate beings and the lover of the suppliant. Therefore, pray, endow my vision (understanding) with the same wisdom and supernatural power by which You delight the universe, so that I may be able to create this universe as it existed in the preceding Kalpa. (22)
You grant the wishes of those who take refuge in You. Therefore, when I proceed to create the universe, which will be nothing but an exhibition of Your own creative power, be pleased to fill my mind with (the thought of) each and every exploit You may perform in course of the descents You take along with Your own divine Energy, Goddess Ramā, manifesting many a divine virtue, so that I may remain untainted by the impurities (in the shape of egotism etc.) attaching to the work of creation. (23)
I am the deity presiding over the Mahat-tattva, which represents Your power of understanding, one of the innumerable powers possessed by You, and sprang from the pool of Your navel even while You, the Supreme Person, slept on these waters. Therefore, as I proceed to bring to light the wonderful creation, which will be Your own manifestation, let not my utterance of the Vedic words fail. (24)
You are the most ancient Person possessing infinite grace. Be pleased, O Lord, to open Your lotus eyes with a smile expressive of abundant love; and, rising (from Your bed in the shape of the serpent-god) for the creation of the universe, dispel my despondency by Your mellifluous speech. (25)
- Although no living being was present before Brahmā at that time, since the work of creation had not been started till then, he could see their subtle bodies in the person of the Lord, and evidently was able to read their future life as if he actually saw it.
(10-25)
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श्रीभगवानुवाच ।
मा वेदगर्भ गास्तन्द्रीं सर्ग उद्यममावह ।
तन्मयाऽऽपादितं ह्यग्रे यन्मां प्रार्थयते भवान् ॥ २९॥
भूयस्त्वं तप आतिष्ठ विद्यां चैव मदाश्रयाम् ।
ताभ्यामन्तर्हृदि ब्रह्मन् लोकान् द्रक्ष्यस्यपावृतान् ॥ ३०॥
तत आत्मनि लोके च भक्तियुक्तः समाहितः ।
द्रष्टासि मां ततं ब्रह्मन् मयि लोकांस्त्वमात्मनः ॥ ३१॥
यदा तु सर्वभूतेषु दारुष्वग्निमिव स्थितम् ।
प्रतिचक्षीत मां लोको जह्यात्तर्ह्येव कश्मलम् ॥ ३२॥
यदा रहितमात्मानं भूतेन्द्रियगुणाशयैः ।
स्वरूपेण मयोपेतं पश्यन् स्वाराज्यमृच्छति ॥ ३३॥
नानाकर्मवितानेन प्रजा बह्वीः सिसृक्षतः ।
नात्मावसीदत्यस्मिंस्ते वर्षीयान्मदनुग्रहः ॥ ३४॥
ऋषिमाद्यं न बध्नाति पापीयांस्त्वां रजो गुणः ।
यन्मनो मयि निर्बद्धं प्रजाः संसृजतोऽपि ते ॥ ३५॥
ज्ञातोऽहं भवता त्वद्य दुर्विज्ञेयोऽपि देहिनाम् ।
यन्मां त्वं मन्यसेऽयुक्तं भूतेन्द्रियगुणात्मभिः ॥ ३६॥
तुभ्यं मद्विचिकित्सायामात्मा मे दर्शितोऽबहिः ।
नालेन सलिले मूलं पुष्करस्य विचिन्वतः ॥ ३७॥
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The Lord said : Do not fall a prey to lassitude (born of despair), O Brahmā (repository of the Vedas); exert yourself for creation. I have already arranged what you ask of Me. (29)
Practise penance once more and offer worship through Mantras sacred to Me; thereby, O Brahmā, you shall find the worlds revealed in your heart. (30)
Then, full of devotion and concentrated in mind, O Brahmā, you will find Me pervading yourself as well as the whole universe, and will see the worlds as well as the Jivas (embodied souls) resting in Me. (31)
The very moment a man finds Me present in all beings as fire in every piece of wood, he is rid of all infatuation. (32)
And, when he realizes himself as devoid of the five elements, the Indriyas (the five senses of perception and the five organs of action), the Guṇas (the modes of Prakṛti) and the inner sense, and identical with Me, his very Self, he attains liberation. (33)
Even though you desire to evolve innumerable creatures according to the stock of their past Karma, your mind does not feel perplexed in regard to this matter; that is because you have My grace in abundance. (34)
The wicked Rajoguṇa (the principle of activity) will not bind you, the first seer, since your mind will remain attached to Me even while you are occupied with the work of evolving the creation. (35)
Today you have come to know Me, even though living beings find it difficult to know Me; for you regard Me as free from the five elements, the Indriyas, the Guṇas and the inner sense. (36)
Doubting My existence, when you proceeded to look out for the base of the lotus under water along its stalk, I revealed to you My being in your very heart. (37) (29-37)
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यच्चकर्थाङ्ग मत्स्तोत्रं मत्कथाभ्युदयाङ्कितम् ।
यद्वा तपसि ते निष्ठा स एष मदनुग्रहः ॥ ३८॥
प्रीतोऽहमस्तु भद्रं ते लोकानां विजयेच्छया ।
यदस्तौषीर्गुणमयं निर्गुणं मानुवर्णयन् ॥ ३९॥
य एतेन पुमान्नित्यं स्तुत्वा स्तोत्रेण मां भजेत् ।
तस्याशु सम्प्रसीदेयं सर्वकामवरेश्वरः ॥ ४०॥
पूर्तेन तपसा यज्ञैर्दानैर्योगसमाधिना ।
राद्धं निःश्रेयसं पुंसां मत्प्रीतिस्तत्त्वविन्मतम् ॥ ४१॥
अहमात्माऽऽत्मनां धातः प्रेष्ठः सन् प्रेयसामपि ।
अतो मयि रतिं कुर्याद्देहादिर्यत्कृते प्रियः ॥ ४२॥
सर्ववेदमयेनेदमात्मनाऽऽत्माऽऽत्मयोनिना ।
प्रजाः सृज यथा पूर्वं याश्च मय्यनुशेरते ॥ ४३॥
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That you have offered Me praises interspersed with the glory of My stories or that you have developed faith in austere penance, dear Brahmā, all this is due to My grace. (38)
May success attend you ! I am pleased with you since you have extolled Me in your eagerness to create the worlds, describing Me as destitute of the Guṇas (modes of Prakṛti), even though I appear as endowed with such Guṇas. (39)
I, the Bestower of all desired objects and blessings, shall be quickly and immensely pleased with the man who offers worship to Me everyday, extolling Me through this hymn of praise. (40)
The knowers of Truth are of the opinion that My pleasure alone is the highest good to be attained by men through works of public utility (such as the digging of wells etc.), austere penance, sacrificial performances, charitable gifts, practice of Yoga (control of mind) and abstract meditation. (41)
I am the Self of all embodied souls, O Brahmā (the Creator), and the dearest of all dear ones. Therefore, a man should bestow his love on Me alone; for the body and other things are dear only on My account. (42)
Now evolve the three worlds as well as the beings who are lying hidden in Me even as in the Kalpa preceding the period of universal dissolution by means of your own personality, that has emanated from Me, and which is an embodiment of all the Vedas. (43) (38-43)
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