Bhagavatapurana 2.5: atha pañcamo'dhyāyaḥ

2.5.1

/0 nārada uvāca
devadeva namaste 'stu bhūtabhāvana pūrvaja /
tadvijānīhi yaj jñānam ātmatattvanidarśanam //

Nārada said: / O god of gods, homage to you, creator of beings, firstborn! / Please explain that knowledge which reveals the truth of the self.

1. Narada said :—O God of Gods, O creator of all beings, from whom all creatures have sprung, O thou born before all others, I salute thee. Do thou impart to me the means of knowledge leading to the realisation of the true nature of Atman.

2.5.2

yadrūpaṃ yadadhiṣṭhānaṃ yataḥ sṛṣṭam idaṃ prabho /
yat saṃsthaṃ yat paraṃ yac ca tat tattvaṃ vada tattvataḥ //

What its form is, what its foundation is, from what this was created, O master, / in what it rests, what is beyond it, and what it truly is—declare that truth accurately.

2. O lord, be pleased to tell me as it is, of that Truth by which *this* (world) is manifested, on which it rests supported, by which it is created, into which it is withdrawn, in whose power it lies and of which it consists. [Or what is it that manifests itself in this form? What is the support (of all)? Whence is this created? O Lord, into what is it withdrawn? What is the supreme power that rules it? And what is its true nature? Be pleased to tell me all this as it is.]

2.5.3

sarvaṃ hyetadbhavān veda bhūtabhavyabhavatprabhuḥ /
karāmalakavadviśvaṃ vijñānāvasitaṃ tava //

For you know all this, being the lord of past, future, and present; / the universe is grasped by your comprehensive knowledge, like a myrobalan fruit in the palm of the hand.

3. Indeed thou knowest all this; and thou art the Lord of the past, the present and the future. The whole world is like an Amalaka fruit on thy palm, thoroughly and correctly known to thee *by means* (in the light) of thy supreme power of understanding (*by the power of thy great understanding i. e.* by Vignana).

2.5.4

yadvijñāno yadādhāro yatparastvaṃ yadātmakaḥ /
ekaḥ sṛjasi bhūtāni bhūtairevātmamāyayā //

Possessing what knowledge, resting on what, having what as highest, consisting of what, / do you alone create beings through the elements themselves by your creative power?

4. Whence dost thou derive thy special knowledge? What is thy support? In whose power art thou? What is thy essential nature? It appears to me that thou (single handed) createst beings with the Bhutas, by virtue of thine own Maya (power).

2.5.5

ātman bhāvayase tāni na parābhāvayan svayam /
ātmaśaktim avaṣṭabhya ūrṇanābhirivāklamaḥ //

You bring them into being in yourself, yourself untransformed, / relying on your own power without weariness, like a spider.

5. Thou protectest those beings (as if resting) on thyself and dost not thyself destroy them. By virtue of thine own Power thou createst them untiringly like a spider.

2.5.6

nāhaṃ veda paraṃ hyasmin nāparaṃ na samaṃ vibho /
nāmarūpaguṇairbhāvyaṃ sadasat kiñcidanyataḥ //

I know of nothing higher in this [world], O Lord, nothing lower, and nothing equal; / nothing that can be known through names, forms, and qualities, whether existent or nonexistent, coming from anywhere else.

6. O Lord, I know no object, whether it is of the superior, inferior, or of the common order which is produced with names (as man, etc.), with forms (as bipeds, etc.) and with qualities (as white, etc.,) (or whether it is subtle or gross),—nothing, that has its source in any other (than thee).

2.5.7

sa bhavān acaradghoraṃ yat tapaḥ susamāhitaḥ /
tena khedayase nastvaṃ parāśaṅkāṃ ca yacchasi //

Yet your venerable self performed terrible austerity with a deeply concentrated mind; / by that you cause us distress and give rise to doubt about another [superior].

7. But since thou didst austere tapas with perfect concentration, thou afflictest us and makest us suspect that there is a Lord over thee.

2.5.8

etan me pṛcchataḥ sarvaṃ sarvajña sakaleśvara /
vijānīhi yathaivedam ahaṃ budhye 'nuśāsitaḥ //

All this to me who am asking, O omniscient one, Lord of all, / please explain so that, instructed, I may comprehend this clearly.

8. Do thou, perfect in wisdom, O Lord of all, so explain all about this to me who ask thee, that, I may understand it (the truth) as taught by thee.

2.5.9

/0 brahmovāca
samyak kāruṇikasyedaṃ vatsa te vicikitsitam /
yadahaṃ coditaḥ saumya bhagavadvīryadarśane //

Brahmā said: / My child, full of compassion, this inquiry of yours is very proper, / since, gentle one, I have been prompted [by you] to describe the power of the Lord.

9. Brahma said:—My child, thou hast shewn thy love (to me in thus asking me); laudable is this enquiry made by thee that art compassionate (by nature to all beings)—I am pleased with thee that I am, O Gentle child, thus, (by thy questions) led to unfold (proclaim) the nature (glorious power) of the Perfect Being (Bhagavan.)

2.5.10

nānṛtaṃ tava tac cāpi yathā māṃ prabravīṣi bhoḥ /
avijñāya paraṃ matta etāvat tvaṃ yato hi me //

Nor is what you have said to me untrue, my dear; / for you have not known the One beyond me, since I seem to be all this.

10. And O child! that too, is not without truth, which thou hast (thought and) said of me, since thou art ignorant of the One higher than myself, whence I derive my powers, which are of this extent (as thou perceivest)—[since thou art ignorant of the Higher one from whom I derive this extent of my powers.]

2.5.11

yena svarociṣā viśvaṃ rocitaṃ rocayāmyaham /
yathārko 'gniryathā somo yatharkṣagrahatārakāḥ //

By whose own brilliance this universe is illumined, I illuminate [it], / just as the sun, fire, the moon, and the constellations, planets, and stars [do].

11. And (when) the universe has been made to shine (made manifest) by Him, I make it shine (I manifest it), as the sun, the fire, the moon, the stars? and the planets do—(just as they throw light upon things which can be grasped (only) in the light of intelligence.

2.5.12

tasmai namo bhagavate vāsudevāya dhīmahi /
yanmāyayā durjayayā māṃ vadanti jagadgurum //

To that Lord Vāsudeva let us meditate with homage, / through whose invincible creative power people call me the teacher of the world.

12. I bow down to that omnipotent Vasudeva, and contemplate Him; and men deluded by His unconquerable Maya say that I am the cause of the universe.

2.5.13

vilajjamānayā yasya sthātum īkṣāpathe 'muyā /
vimohitā vikatthante mamāham iti durdhiyaḥ //

Ashamed to stand in His line of sight, / she deludes the foolish, who boast: 'It is mine, I am!'

13. Those that are deluded by that Maya who shrinks from standing in the range of His vision, and so have their understanding enveloped in (Maya) Nescience (Avidya), boast of themselves and think thus: "This is mine, I do it" (they think that all things are intimately connected with their self and that they are absolute agents.)

2.5.14

dravyaṃ karma ca kālaśca svabhāvo jīva eva ca /
vāsudevāt paro brahman na cānyo 'rtho 'sti tattvataḥ //

Material substance, action, time, innate nature, and the living entity itself— / there is no reality other than Vāsudeva, O brāhmaṇa, in ultimate truth.

14. And in truth there is nothing other than Vasudeva (that has an existence distinct from that of Vasudeva), whether it is Substance (the great Bhutas forming the material causes), Karma (the cause of birth), Time (that throws them into agitation), Essence or Nature (the cause of modification), or Jiva (the subject of experiences).

2.5.15

nārāyaṇaparā vedā devā nārāyaṇāṅgajāḥ /
nārāyaṇaparā lokā nārāyaṇaparā makhāḥ //

The Vedas are dedicated to Nārāyaṇa; the gods are born from the limbs of Nārāyaṇa; / the worlds are dedicated to Nārāyaṇa; sacrifices are dedicated to Nārāyaṇa.

15. The Vedas have Narayana for their cause; the gods have sprung from the limbs of Narayana; the worlds such as Swarga are Narayana (i.e., are the causes of his Bliss); (all) the sacrificial acts tend towards (are intended to propitiate) Narayana.

2.5.16

nārāyaṇaparo yogo nārāyaṇaparaṃ tapaḥ /
nārāyaṇaparaṃ jñānaṃ nārāyaṇaparā gatiḥ //

Yoga is dedicated to Nārāyaṇa; austerity is dedicated to Nārāyaṇa; / knowledge is dedicated to Nārāyaṇa; the supreme goal is dedicated to Nārāyaṇa.

16. Narayana is the ultimate object of all Yoga (Pranayama, meditation, etc.); Tapas (concentration of mind) is directed towards Narayana; ascetism hinges on Narayana; (all) knowledge refers only to Narayana; and Narayana is the final (highest) goal.

2.5.17

tasyāpi draṣṭurīśasya kūṭasthasyākhilātmanaḥ /
sṛjyaṃ sṛjāmi sṛṣṭo 'ham īkṣayaivābhicoditaḥ //

Of Him, the seer, the sovereign Lord, the immutable self of all, / I, having been created, create what is to be created, impelled merely by His glance.

17. And directed by a glance of that Supreme Ruler who is the Seer, and the changeless one and who is Atman or the essence of all, I, who am (myself) a thing created (by Him) create

this universe which is the object of His creation (Creative activity).

2.5.18

sattvaṃ rajastama iti nirguṇasya guṇāstrayaḥ /
sthitisarganirodheṣu gṛhītā māyayā vibhoḥ //

Purity, passion, and darkness—these three strands of the strandless, all-pervading Lord / are assumed through His creative power for maintenance, creation, and destruction.

18. The three attributes of Satva, Rajas and Tamas are (through Maya) assumed by the Supreme Lord, though He is devoid of attributes, for the purposes of creation, preservation and destruction.

2.5.19

kāryakāraṇakartṛtve dravyajñānakriyāśrayāḥ /
badhnanti nityadā muktaṃ māyinaṃ puruṣaṃ guṇāḥ //

In the capacity of effect, cause, and agent, resting on substance, knowledge, and action, / the strands bind the Person, the master of creative power, who is eternally free.

19. (These) attributes bind (subject to Samsara) the Jiva, who is in the range of Maya, though ever free (in essence), in respect of the effect (known as Adhibhuta), of the cause (Adhyatma), of agentship (Adhideivata), since they are the source of Matter—*viz.*, the Mahabhutas, knowledge, *viz.*, the gods and actions, *viz.*, the senses and organs.

2.5.20

sa eṣa bhagavāṃl liṅgaistribhiretairadhokṣajaḥ /
svalakṣitagatirbrahman sarveṣāṃ mama ceśvaraḥ //

This is that Lord Adhokṣaja, whose course cannot be perceived / through these three marks, O brāhmaṇa, the ruler of all and of me.

20. And, O Brahmana (Narada), this glorious Lord Adhokshaja, whose course cannot at all be comprehended through these three (sets of) perceptible qualities that envelop the Jivas, is the Ruler of myself as well as of all, (whose course can be comprehended only by His devotees).

2.5.21

kālaṃ karma svabhāvaṃ ca māyeśo māyayā svayā /
ātman yadṛcchayā prāptaṃ vibubhūṣurupādade //

Desiring to become manifold, the master of creative power through His own creative power / took up time, action, and innate nature, which were spontaneously available in Himself.

21. The Lord of Maya intent upon assuming diverse forms through His own Maya adopted as cause (as a means) what by a mere wish or thought found a place in Atman, (*viz.*, Time, Karma and Nature (Innate Disposition) necessary for creation.

2.5.22

kālādguṇavyatikaraḥ pariṇāmaḥ svabhāvataḥ /
karmaṇo janma mahataḥ puruṣādhiṣṭhitādabhūt //

From time arose the agitation of the strands; transformation came from innate nature; / and from action arose the birth of the intellect (mahat), presided over by the Person.

22. Presided over by Purusha, Kala becomes the cause of agitation (disturbance of the equilibrium) of the three gunas;

and nature (innate disposition) is the cause of modification, or change of form; and the activity of Mahat-tattva is the cause of Janma (the birth of anything).

2.5.23

mahatastu vikurvāṇādrajaḥsattvopabṛṃhitāt /
tamaḥpradhānastvabhavaddravyajñānakriyātmakaḥ //

From the Mahat, however, as it underwent transformation,
augmented by passion and purity, arose [egoity], in which darkness predominates,
consisting of substance, knowledge, and action.

23. And from Mahat which began to undergo change fully charged with Rajas and Satva, was produced a certain thing in which Tamas is the predominating element, and which consists of (or is constituted of) Substance, Intelligence and Activity.

2.5.24

so 'haṅkāra iti prokto vikurvan samabhūt tridhā /
vaikārikastaijasaśca tāmasaśceti yadbhidā /
dravyaśaktiḥ kriyāśaktirjñānaśaktiriti prabho //

It is called egoity, and undergoing transformation it became threefold:
transformation-born [sāttvika], luminous [rājasa], and dark [tāmasa]—such are its divisions,
being the power of substance, the power of action, and the power of knowledge, O master.

24. That thing is known by the name Ahankara—which, changing, became transformed into three kinds (of matter); (and) the three forms of Ahankara are the Vaikarika, the Taijasa and the Tamasa, which constitute the Power in substance, the Power in the organs (of sense) and the Power in the gods, O Lord.

2.5.25

tāmasādapi bhūtādervikurvāṇādabhūn nabhaḥ /
tasya mātrā guṇaḥ śabdo liṅgaṃ yaddraṣṭṛdṛśyayoḥ //

From the dark [egoity], which is the origin of the elements, as it underwent transformation, arose space.
Its subtle element and quality is sound, which is the mark indicating the seer and the seen.

25. Out of the Tamasa Ahankara called Bhutadi which began to change was evolved Akasa; and of Akasa the subtle form and special characteristic is Sabda (Sound)—(i.e., from the subtle sabda the gross Akasa is produced). Sabda is that which indicates (leads to a knowledge of) the seer and the seen (i.e., the person that knows or understands and the thing that is known).

2.5.26

nabhaso 'tha vikurvāṇādabhūt sparśaguṇo 'nilaḥ /
parānvayāc chabdavāṃśca prāṇa ojaḥ saho balam //

Then, from space undergoing transformation, arose air, whose quality is touch,
and, through association with what preceded it, possessed of sound as well; it is the vital breath, sensory vigor, mental energy, and bodily strength.

26. From Akasa which began to change, sprang Vayu characterised by the quality of Touch. On account of the inherence in it of its cause, viz., Akasa, Vayu has also the attribute of Sound; and the air (Prana) is the support (the mainstay) [as being the source] of the vigour of the organs of sense, the mind and the body.

2.5.27

vāyorapi vikurvāṇāt kālakarmasvabhāvataḥ /
udapadyata tejo vai rūpavat sparśaśabdavat //

From air also, as it underwent transformation through time, action, and nature,
fire was indeed produced, possessed of form, as well as touch and sound.

27. Out of Vayu undergoing change under the force of Time, Karma (Adrishta) and Nature, was produced Tejas (Fire) with the special attribute of Colour, and with the qualities of Touch and Sound (derived from the inherent causes Akasa and Vayu).

2.5.28

tejasastu vikurvāṇādāsīdambho rasātmakam /
rūpavat sparśavac cāmbho ghoṣavac ca parānvayāt //

From fire undergoing transformation arose water, whose essence is taste,
and water possesses form and touch, as well as sound, through association with what preceded it.

28. From Tejas which began to modify came forth water with Taste for its essential and special attribute; and through the inherence in it of the earlier links in the chain of causes, water has also Colour, Touch and Sound.

2.5.29

viśeṣastu vikurvāṇādambhaso gandhavān abhūt /
parānvayādrasasparśa śabdarūpaguṇānvitaḥ //

From water undergoing transformation arose the particular [element, earth], endowed with smell,
and endowed with the qualities of taste, touch, sound, and form, through association with what preceded it.

29. Out of water undergoing modification was produced Prithivi (Earth), which is called Visesha endowed with the special attribute of Smell; and through the inhering causes, it has also the attributes of Taste and Touch, Sound and Colour.

2.5.30

vaikārikān mano jajñe devā vaikārikā daśa /
digvātārkapraceto 'śvi vahnīndropendramitrakāḥ //

From the transformation-born [egoity] arose the mind, and the ten transformation-born deities:
the quarters, the wind, the sun, Pracetas, the Aśvins, fire, Indra, Upendra, and Mitra.

30. Out of Vaikarika, i.e., Satvika, Ahankara, were evolved the mind and Chandra presiding over it, as also the ten gods, five presiding over the five sense organs, called the Digdevatas, Vayu, Surya, Varuna and Aswins—and the (other) five presiding over the five physical organs, viz., Vahni, Indra, Upendra, Mittra and Dakshaprajapati.

2.5.31

taijasāt tu vikurvāṇādindriyāṇi daśābhavan /
jñānaśaktiḥ kriyāśaktirbuddhiḥ prāṇaśca taijasau /
śrotraṃ tvagghrāṇadṛgjihvā vāgdormeḍhrāṅghripāyavaḥ //

From the luminous [egoity], however, as it underwent transformation, the ten senses arose:
the power of knowledge and the power of action, intellect and vital breath—both being luminous—
the ear, skin, nose, eye, tongue, speech, arms, genitals, feet, and anus.

31. Out of the Taijasa Ahankara undergoing modification were evolved the ten organs (the five sense-organs and the five organs of physical action). The power of cognising is Buddhi and that of doing is Prana; hence the organs which are the special arrangements for the exercise of these two powers are evolved out of Taijasa Ahankara; and these are the ear (hearing), the skin (touch), the nose (smell), the eye (seeing), the tongue (taste), speech, the hand, the organ of generation, feet and the anus.

2.5.32

yadaite 'saṅgatā bhāvā bhūtendriyamanoguṇāḥ /
yadāyatananirmāṇe na śekurbrahmavittama //

When these entities—the elements, senses, mind, and qualities—remained uncombined,
and were unable to create the abode [of the cosmos], O best of knowers of Brahman,

32. So long as these things—viz., the Bhutas, (earth, water, etc.,) indriyas (the ear, the eye, etc.,) the mind and the gunas (objects) were not brought together (so as to combine), they had not the power to create the abode, (i.e. the body), O foremost one of those that know Brahman (Veda or God).

2.5.33

tadā saṃhatya cānyonyaṃ bhagavacchakticoditāḥ /
sadasattvam upādāya cobhayaṃ sasṛjurhyadaḥ //

then, uniting with one another impelled by the Lord’s power,
and taking up both existence and non-existence, they created this [cosmic egg].

33. Then urged on by God’s power they all met together and combined with one another as the main and subsidiary constituents and produced this (corporeal frame of both descriptions, collective and distributive aggregates.)

2.5.34

varṣapūgasahasrānte tadaṇḍam udake śayam /
kālakarmasvabhāvastho jīvo ñjīvam ajīvayat //

At the end of a thousand cycles of years, the living [Lord],
situated in time, action, and nature, brought that lifeless egg lying upon the water to life.

34. At the end of a period comprising thousands of years (during Pralaya), taking His stand, (He took His stand) on (making use of) Kala, Karma and Swabhava (Time, action and

Nature, *i.e.*, innate disposition), the Supreme Jiva (who gives life to all else) brought into life that *Anda* (Brahmanda, the great egg) which was placed on the waters.

2.5.35

sa eva puruṣastasmādaṇḍaṃ nirbhidya nirgataḥ /
sahasrorvaṅghribāhvakṣaḥ sahasrānanaśīrṣavān //

That very Puruṣa, having broken through that egg, emerged,
possessing a thousand thighs, feet, arms, and eyes, and a thousand faces and heads.

35. And then bursting open (the mundane egg), issued therefrom the Supreme Himself as Purusha with a thousand thighs, (a thousand) legs, (a thousand) arms, (a thousand) eyes, (a thousand) faces and (a thousand) heads.

2.5.36

yasyehāvayavairlokān kalpayanti manīṣiṇaḥ /
kaṭyādibhiradhaḥ sapta saptordhvaṃ jaghanādibhiḥ //

With his limbs here the wise imagine the worlds:
the seven lower worlds from his waist and below, and the seven upper worlds from his hips and above.

36. The wise think that the worlds were evolved out of this body (of the Supreme Person,) and tell us that the arrangement of the worlds depends upon the parts of this body—seven below, commencing with the loins downwards, and seven above commencing with the hips upwards.

2.5.37

puruṣasya mukhaṃ brahma kṣatram etasya bāhavaḥ /
ūrvorvaiśyo bhagavataḥ padbhyāṃ śūdro vyajāyata //

The brāhmaṇa was the mouth of the Puruṣa, the kṣatriya became his arms,
the vaiśya arose from the thighs of the Lord, and the śūdra from his feet.

37. And the Brahmana race issued from the mouth of Purusha; the Kshatriya race from His arms; the Vaisya race from His thigh, and the Sudra race from His feet.

2.5.38

bhūrlokaḥ kalpitaḥ padbhyāṃ bhuvarloko 'sya nābhitaḥ /
hṛdā svarloka urasā maharloko mahātmanaḥ //

Bhūrloka was fashioned from his feet, Bhuvarloka from his navel,
Svarloka from the heart, and Maharloka from the chest of the Great-souled One.

38. The worlds known as *Bhur*, *Bhuvar*, *Svar* and *Mahar* have been created respectively with (and they depend upon) the feet, the navel, the heart, and the chest of this great Atman.

2.5.39

grīvāyāṃ janaloko 'sya tapolokaḥ stanadvayāt /
mūrdhabhiḥ satyalokastu brahmalokaḥ sanātanaḥ //

Janaloka is upon his neck, Tapoloka from his two breasts,
and Satyaloka, the eternal realm of Brahmā, from his heads.

39. And the *Janaloka* depends upon His neck, and the *Tapoloka* upon his breasts (lips); and the Satya-loka depends upon His heads, (while) Brahmaloka, *viz.*, Vaikuntha is eternal (not included among the created regions).

2.5.40

tatkaṭyāṃ cātalaṃ kḷptam ūrubhyāṃ vitalaṃ vibhoḥ /
jānubhyāṃ sutalaṃ śuddhaṃ jaṅghābhyāṃ tu talātalam //

Atala is situated at his waist, and Vitala at the thighs of the all-pervading Lord;
pure Sutala is at his knees, and Talātala at his calves.

40 & 41. And *Atala* depends upon the loins of the Lord; *Vitala* is upon His thighs, *Sutala* upon His holy knees, (on account of Haribhaktas' dwelling in it); and upon His shanks depends *Talatala*, and upon His ankles *Mahatala*; *Rasatala* is upon the forepart of His feet, and upon His soles is *Patala*. Thus the Supreme Person has a body constituted of all the worlds.

2.5.41

mahātalaṃ tu gulphābhyāṃ prapadābhyāṃ rasātalam /
pātālaṃ pādatalata iti lokamayaḥ pumān //

Mahātala is from his ankles, Rasātala from his forefeet,
and Pātāla from the soles of his feet: thus the Person is composed of the worlds.

2.5.42

bhūrlokaḥ kalpitaḥ padbhyāṃ bhuvarloko 'sya nābhitaḥ /
svarlokaḥ kalpito mūrdhnā iti vā lokakalpanā //

Bhūrloka is fashioned from his feet, Bhuvarloka from his navel,
and Svarloka is fashioned from his head: or such is the arrangement of the worlds.

42. Or, this arrangement of worlds may be conceived thus (is partly otherwise described thus): Bhurloka issued from His feet, Bhuvar-loka from His navel, and Svarloka from His head.