Śrīmad Bhāgavatam |Canto 8 Chapter 17

The Supreme Lord Agrees to Become Aditi’s Son

VERSE 8.17.1

śrī-śuka uvāca

ity uktā sāditī rājan
sva-bhartrā kaśyapena vai
anv atiṣṭhad vratam idaṁ
dvādaśāham atandritā

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; iti — thus; uktā — being advised; — that lady; aditiḥ — Aditi; rājan — O King; sva-bhartrā — by her husband; kaśyapena — Kaśyapa Muni; vai — indeed; anu — similarly; atiṣṭhat — executed; vratam idam — this payo-vrata ritualistic ceremony; dvādaśa-aham — for twelve days; atandritā — without any laziness.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King, after Aditi was thus advised by her husband, Kaśyapa Muni, she strictly followed his instructions without laziness and in this way performed the payo-vrata ritualistic ceremony.

VERSE 8.17.2-3

cintayanty ekayā buddhyā
mahā-puruṣam īśvaram
pragṛhyendriya-duṣṭāśvān
manasā buddhi-sārathiḥ

manaś caikāgrayā buddhyā
bhagavaty akhilātmani
vāsudeve samādhāya
cacāra ha payo-vratam

SYNONYMS

cintayanti — constantly thinking; ekayā — with one attention; buddhyā — and intelligence; mahā-puruṣam — upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead; īśvaram — the supreme controller, Lord Viṣṇu; pragṛhya — completely controlling; indriya — the senses; duṣṭa — formidable, powerful; aśvān — horses; manasā — by the mind; buddhi-sārathiḥ — with the help of intelligence, the chariot driver; manaḥ — the mind; ca — also; eka-agrayā — with full attention; buddhyā — with the intelligence; bhagavati — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; akhila-ātmani — the Supreme Soul, the Supersoul of all living entities; vāsudeve — unto Lord Vāsudeva; samādhāya — keeping full attention; cacāra — executed; ha — thus; payaḥ-vratam — the ritualistic ceremony known as payo-vrata.

TRANSLATION

With full, undiverted attention, Aditi thought of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and in this way brought under full control her mind and senses, which resembled forceful horses. She concentrated her mind upon the Supreme Lord, Vāsudeva. Thus she performed the ritualistic ceremony known as payo-vrata.

VERSE 8.17.4

tasyāḥ prādurabhūt tāta
bhagavān ādi-puruṣaḥ
pīta-vāsāś catur-bāhuḥ
śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-dharaḥ

SYNONYMS

tasyāḥ — before her; prādurabhūt — appeared; tāta — my dear King; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ādi-puruṣaḥ — the original person; pīta-vāsāḥ — dressed in yellow garments; catuḥ-bāhuḥ — with four arms; śaṅkha-cakra-gadā-dharaḥ — bearing the conchshell, disc, club and lotus flower.

TRANSLATION

My dear King, the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, dressed in yellow garments and bearing a conchshell, disc, club and lotus in His four hands, then appeared before Aditi.

VERSE 8.17.5

taṁ netra-gocaraṁ vīkṣya
sahasotthāya sādaram
nanāma bhuvi kāyena
daṇḍavat-prīti-vihvalā

SYNONYMS

tam — Him (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); netra-gocaram — visible by her eyes; vīkṣya — after seeing; sahasā — all of a sudden; utthāya — getting up; sa-ādaram — with great respect; nanāma — offered respectful obeisances; bhuvi — on the ground; kāyena — by the whole body; daṇḍa-vat — falling like a rod; prīti-vihvalā — almost puzzled because of transcendental bliss.

TRANSLATION

When the Supreme Personality of Godhead became visible to Aditi’s eyes, Aditi was so overwhelmed by transcendental bliss that she at once stood up and then fell to the ground like a rod to offer the Lord her respectful obeisances.

VERSE 8.17.6

sotthāya baddhāñjalir īḍituṁ sthitā
notseha ānanda-jalākulekṣaṇā
babhūva tūṣṇīṁ pulakākulākṛtis
tad-darśanātyutsava-gātra-vepathuḥ

SYNONYMS

— she; utthāya — standing up; baddha-añjaliḥ — with folded hands; īḍitum — to worship the Lord; sthitā — situated; na utsehe — could not endeavor; ānanda — from transcendental bliss; jala — with water; ākula-īkṣaṇā — her eyes were filled; babhūva — remained; tūṣṇīm — silent; pulaka — with standing of the hairs of the body; ākula — overwhelmed; ākṛtiḥ — her form; tat-darśana — by seeing the Lord; ati-utsava — with great pleasure; gātra — her body; vepathuḥ — began to tremble.

TRANSLATION

Aditi stood silently with folded hands, unable to offer prayers to the Lord. Because of transcendental bliss, tears filled her eyes, and the hairs on her body stood on end. Because she could see the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face, she felt ecstasy, and her body trembled.

VERSE 8.17.7

prītyā śanair gadgadayā girā hariṁ
tuṣṭāva sā devy aditiḥ kurūdvaha
udvīkṣatī sā pibatīva cakṣuṣā
ramā-patiṁ yajña-patiṁ jagat-patim

SYNONYMS

prītyā — because of love; śanaiḥ — again and again; gadgadayā — faltering; girā — with a voice; harim — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tuṣṭāva — pleased; — she; devī — the demigoddess; aditiḥ — Aditi; kuru-udvaha — O Mahārāja Parīkṣit; udvīkṣatī — while staring; — she; pibatī iva — appeared as if she were drinking; cakṣuṣā — through the eyes; ramā-patim — unto the Lord, the husband of the goddess of fortune; yajña-patim — unto the Lord, the enjoyer of all sacrificial ceremonies; jagat-patim — the master and Lord of the entire universe.

TRANSLATION

O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, the demigoddess Aditi then began offering her prayers to the Supreme Personality of Godhead in a faltering voice and with great love. She appeared as though drinking through her eyes the Supreme Lord, who is the husband of the goddess of fortune, the enjoyer of all sacrificial ceremonies, and the master and Lord of the entire universe.

VERSE 8.17.8

śrī-aditir uvāca

yajñeśa yajña-puruṣācyuta tīrtha-pāda
tīrtha-śravaḥ śravaṇa-maṅgala-nāmadheya
āpanna-loka-vṛjinopaśamodayādya
śaṁ naḥ kṛdhīśa bhagavann asi dīna-nāthaḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-aditiḥ uvāca — the demigoddess Aditi said; yajña-īśa — O controller of all sacrificial ceremonies; yajña-puruṣa — the person who enjoys the benefits of all sacrifices; acyuta — infallible; tīrtha-pāda — at whose lotus feet stand all the holy places of pilgrimage; tīrtha-śravaḥ — celebrated as the ultimate shelter of all saintly persons; śravaṇa — hearing about whom; maṅgala — is auspicious; nāmadheya — to chant His name is also auspicious; āpanna — surrendered; loka — of people; vṛjina — dangerous material position; upaśama — diminishing; udaya — who has appeared; ādya — the original Personality of Godhead; śam — auspiciousness; naḥ — our; kṛdhi — kindly bestow upon us; īśa — O supreme controller; bhagavan — O Lord; asi — You are; dīna-nāthaḥ — the only shelter of the downtrodden.

TRANSLATION

The goddess Aditi said: O master and enjoyer of all sacrificial ceremonies, O infallible and most famous person, whose name, when chanted, spreads all good fortune! O original Supreme Personality of Godhead, supreme controller, shelter of all holy places, You are the shelter of all poor, suffering living entities, and You have appeared to diminish their suffering. Please be kind to us and spread our good fortune.

VERSE 8.17.9

viśvāya viśva-bhavana-sthiti-saṁyamāya
svairaṁ gṛhīta-puru-śakti-guṇāya bhūmne
sva-sthāya śaśvad-upabṛṁhita-pūrṇa-bodha-
vyāpāditātma-tamase haraye namas te

SYNONYMS

viśvāya — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is actually the entire universe; viśva — of the universe; bhavana — creation; sthiti — maintenance; saṁyamāya — and annihilation; svairam — fully independent; gṛhīta — taking in hand; puru — completely; śakti-guṇāya — controlling the three modes of material nature; bhūmne — the supreme great; sva-sthāya — who is always situated in His original form; śaśvat — eternally; upabṛṁhita — achieved; pūrṇa — complete; bodha — knowledge; vyāpādita — completely vanquished; ātma-tamase — the illusory energy of Your Lordship; haraye — unto the Supreme Lord; namaḥ te — I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.

TRANSLATION

My Lord, You are the all-pervading universal form, the fully independent creator, maintainer and destroyer of this universe. Although You engage Your energy in matter, You are always situated in Your original form and never fall from that position, for Your knowledge is infallible and always suitable to any situation. You are never bewildered by illusion. O my Lord, let me offer my respectful obeisances unto You.

VERSE 8.17.10

āyuḥ paraṁ vapur abhīṣṭam atulya-lakṣmīr
dyo-bhū-rasāḥ sakala-yoga-guṇās tri-vargaḥ
jñānaṁ ca kevalam ananta bhavanti tuṣṭāt
tvatto nṛṇāṁ kim u sapatna-jayādir āśīḥ

SYNONYMS

āyuḥ — duration of life; param — as long as that of Lord Brahmā; vapuḥ — a particular type of body; abhīṣṭam — the goal of life; atulya-lakṣmīḥ — unparalleled opulence in material existence; dyo — the upper planetary system; bhū — Bhūloka; rasāḥ — the lower planetary system; sakala — all kinds of; yoga-guṇāḥ — the eight mystic perfections; tri-vargaḥ — the principles of religiosity, economic development and sense gratification; jñānam — transcendental knowledge; ca — and; kevalam — complete; ananta — O unlimited one; bhavanti — all become possible; tuṣṭāt — by Your satisfaction; tvattaḥ — from You; nṛṇām — of all living entities; kim u — what to speak of; sapatna — enemies; jaya — conquering; ādiḥ — and others; āśīḥ — such benedictions.

TRANSLATION

O unlimited one, if Your Lordship is satisfied, one can very easily obtain a lifetime as long as that of Lord Brahmā, a body either in the upper, lower or middle planetary systems, unlimited material opulence, religion, economic development and satisfaction of the senses, full transcendental knowledge, and the eight yogic perfections, what to speak of such petty achievements as conquering one’s rivals.

VERSE 8.17.11

śrī-śuka uvāca

adityaivaṁ stuto rājan
bhagavān puṣkarekṣaṇaḥ
kṣetra-jñaḥ sarva-bhūtānām
iti hovāca bhārata

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; adityā — by Aditi; evam — thus; stutaḥ — being worshiped; rājan — O King (Mahārāja Parīkṣit); bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; puṣkara-īkṣaṇaḥ — whose eyes are like lotus flowers; kṣetra-jñaḥ — the Supersoul; sarva-bhūtānām — of all living entities; iti — thus; ha — indeed; uvāca — replied; bhārata — O best of the Bharata dynasty.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O King Parīkṣit, best of the Bharata dynasty, when the lotus-eyed Lord, the Supersoul of all living entities, was thus worshiped by Aditi, He replied as follows.

VERSE 8.17.12

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

deva-mātar bhavatyā me
vijñātaṁ cira-kāṅkṣitam
yat sapatnair hṛta-śrīṇāṁ
cyāvitānāṁ sva-dhāmataḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-bhagavān uvāca — the Supreme Personality of Godhead said; deva-mātaḥ — O mother of the demigods; bhavatyāḥ — of you; me — by Me; vijñātam — understood; cira-kāṅkṣitam — what You have desired for a long time; yat — because; sapatnaiḥ — by the rivals; hṛta-śrīṇām — of your sons, who are bereft of all opulences; cyāvitānām — vanquished; sva-dhāmataḥ — from their own residential quarters.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: O mother of the demigods, I have already understood your long-cherished desires for the welfare of your sons, who have been deprived of all opulences and driven from their residence by their enemies.

VERSE 8.17.13

tān vinirjitya samare
durmadān asurarṣabhān
pratilabdha-jaya-śrībhiḥ
putrair icchasy upāsitum

SYNONYMS

tān — them; vinirjitya — defeating; samare — in the fight; durmadān — puffed up by strength; asura-ṛṣabhān — the leaders of the demons; pratilabdha — getting back; jaya — victory; śrībhiḥ — as well as the opulence; putraiḥ — with your sons; icchasi — you are desiring; upāsitum — to come together and worship Me.

TRANSLATION

O Devī, O goddess, I can understand that you want to regain your sons and be together with them to worship Me, after defeating the enemies in battle and retrieving your abode and opulences.

VERSE 8.17.14

indra-jyeṣṭhaiḥ sva-tanayair
hatānāṁ yudhi vidviṣām
striyo rudantīr āsādya
draṣṭum icchasi duḥkhitāḥ

SYNONYMS

indra-jyeṣṭhaiḥ — persons of whom King Indra is the eldest; sva-tanayaiḥ — by your own sons; hatānām — who are killed; yudhi — in the fight; vidviṣām — of the enemies; striyaḥ — the wives; rudantīḥ — lamenting; āsādya — coming near the dead bodies of their husbands; draṣṭum icchasi — you want to see; duḥkhitāḥ — very much aggrieved.

TRANSLATION

You want to see the wives of the demons lamenting for the death of their husbands when those demons, the enemies of your sons, are killed in battle by the demigods, of whom Indra is the chief.

VERSE 8.17.15

ātmajān susamṛddhāṁs tvaṁ
pratyāhṛta-yaśaḥ-śriyaḥ
nāka-pṛṣṭham adhiṣṭhāya
krīḍato draṣṭum icchasi

SYNONYMS

ātma-jān — your own sons; su-samṛddhān — completely opulent; tvam — you; pratyāhṛta — having received back; yaśaḥ — reputation; śriyaḥ — opulence; nāka-pṛṣṭham — in the heavenly kingdom; adhiṣṭhāya — situated; krīḍataḥ — enjoying their life; draṣṭum — to see; icchasi — you are desiring.

TRANSLATION

You want your sons to regain their lost reputation and opulence and live again on their heavenly planet as usual.

VERSE 8.17.16

prāyo ’dhunā te ’sura-yūtha-nāthā
apāraṇīyā iti devi me matiḥ
yat te ’nukūleśvara-vipra-guptā
na vikramas tatra sukhaṁ dadāti

SYNONYMS

prāyaḥ — almost; adhunā — at the present moment; te — all of them; asura-yūtha-nāthāḥ — the chiefs of the demons; apāraṇīyāḥ — unconquerable; iti — thus; devi — O mother Aditi; me — My; matiḥ — opinion; yat — because; te — all the demons; anukūla-īśvara-vipra-guptāḥ — protected by brāhmaṇas, by whose favor the supreme controller is always present; na — not; vikramaḥ — the use of power; tatra — there; sukham — happiness; dadāti — can give.

TRANSLATION

O mother of the demigods, in My opinion almost all the chiefs of the demons are now unconquerable, for they are being protected by brāhmaṇas, whom the Supreme Lord always favors. Thus the use of power against them now will not at all be a source of happiness.

VERSE 8.17.17

athāpy upāyo mama devi cintyaḥ
santoṣitasya vrata-caryayā te
mamārcanaṁ nārhati gantum anyathā
śraddhānurūpaṁ phala-hetukatvāt

SYNONYMS

atha — therefore; api — in spite of this situation; upāyaḥ — some means; mama — by Me; devi — O goddess; cintyaḥ — must be considered; santoṣitasya — very pleased; vrata-caryayā — observing the vow; te — by you; mama arcanam — worshiping Me; na — never; arhati — deserves; gantum anyathā — to become otherwise; śraddhā-anurūpam — according to one’s faith and devotion; phala — of the result; hetukatvāt — from being the cause.

TRANSLATION

Yet because I have been satisfied by the activities of your vow, O goddess Aditi, I must find some means to favor you, for worship of Me never goes in vain but certainly gives the desired result according to what one deserves.

VERSE 8.17.18

tvayārcitaś cāham apatya-guptaye
payo-vratenānuguṇaṁ samīḍitaḥ
svāṁśena putratvam upetya te sutān
goptāsmi mārīca-tapasy adhiṣṭhitaḥ

SYNONYMS

tvayā — by you; arcitaḥ — being worshiped; ca — also; aham — I; apatya-guptaye — giving protection to your sons; payaḥ-vratena — by the payo-vrata vow; anuguṇam — as far as possible; samīḍitaḥ — properly worshiped; sva-aṁśena — by My plenary portion; putratvam — becoming your son; upetya — taking this opportunity; te sutān — to your other sons; goptā asmi — I shall give protection; mārīca — of Kaśyapa Muni; tapasi — in the austerity; adhiṣṭhitaḥ — situated.

TRANSLATION

You have prayed to Me and properly worshiped Me by performing the great payo-vrata ceremony for the sake of protecting your sons. Because of Kaśyapa Muni’s austerities, I shall agree to become your son and thus protect your other sons.

VERSE 8.17.19

upadhāva patiṁ bhadre
prajāpatim akalmaṣam
māṁ ca bhāvayatī patyāv
evaṁ rūpam avasthitam

SYNONYMS

upadhāva — just go worship; patim — your husband; bhadre — O gentle woman; prajāpatim — who is a Prajāpati; akalmaṣam — very much purified because of his austerity; mām — Me; ca — as well as; bhāvayatī — thinking of; patyau — within your husband; evam — thus; rūpam — form; avasthitam — situated there.

TRANSLATION

Always thinking of Me as being situated within the body of your husband, Kaśyapa, go worship your husband, who has been purified by his austerity.

VERSE 8.17.20

naitat parasmā ākhyeyaṁ
pṛṣṭayāpi kathañcana
sarvaṁ sampadyate devi
deva-guhyaṁ susaṁvṛtam

SYNONYMS

na — not; etat — this; parasmai — to outsiders; ākhyeyam — is to be disclosed; pṛṣṭayā api — even though questioned; kathañcana — by anyone; sarvam — everything; sampadyate — becomes successful; devi — O lady; deva-guhyam — very confidential even to the demigods; su-saṁvṛtam — very carefully kept confidential.

TRANSLATION

O lady, even if someone inquires, you should not disclose this fact to anyone. That which is very confidential is successful if kept secret.

VERSE 8.17.21

śrī-śuka uvāca

etāvad uktvā bhagavāṁs
tatraivāntaradhīyata
aditir durlabhaṁ labdhvā
harer janmātmani prabhoḥ
upādhāvat patiṁ bhaktyā
parayā kṛta-kṛtyavat

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; etāvat — in this way; uktvā — saying (to her); bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tatra eva — in that very spot; antaḥ-adhīyata — disappeared; aditiḥ — Aditi; durlabham — a very rare achievement; labdhvā — getting; hareḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; janma — birth; ātmani — in herself; prabhoḥ — of the Lord; upādhāvat — immediately went; patim — unto her husband; bhaktyā — with devotion; parayā — great; kṛta-kṛtya-vat — thinking herself very successful.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: After speaking in this way, the Supreme Personality of Godhead disappeared from that very spot. Aditi, having received the extremely valuable benediction that the Lord would appear as her son, considered herself very successful, and with great devotion she approached her husband.

VERSE 8.17.22

sa vai samādhi-yogena
kaśyapas tad abudhyata
praviṣṭam ātmani harer
aṁśaṁ hy avitathekṣaṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ — Kaśyapa Muni; vai — indeed; samādhi-yogena — by mystic meditation; kaśyapaḥ — Kaśyapa Muni; tat — then; abudhyata — could understand; praviṣṭam — entered; ātmani — within himself; hareḥ — of the Supreme Lord; aṁśam — a plenary portion; hi — indeed; avitatha-īkṣaṇaḥ — whose vision is never mistaken.

TRANSLATION

Being situated in a meditational trance, Kaśyapa Muni, whose vision is never mistaken, could see that a plenary portion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead had entered within him.

VERSE 8.17.23

so ’dityāṁ vīryam ādhatta
tapasā cira-sambhṛtam
samāhita-manā rājan
dāruṇy agniṁ yathānilaḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ — Kaśyapa; adityām — unto Aditi; vīryam — semen; ādhatta — placed; tapasā — by austerity; cira-sambhṛtam — restrained for long, long years; samāhita-manāḥ — being fully in trance upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rājan — O King; dāruṇi — as in firewood; agnim — fire; yathā — as; anilaḥ — wind.

TRANSLATION

O King, as the wind promotes friction between two pieces of wood and thus gives rise to fire, Kaśyapa Muni, whose transcendental position was fully absorbed in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, transferred his potency into the womb of Aditi.

VERSE 8.17.24

aditer dhiṣṭhitaṁ garbhaṁ
bhagavantaṁ sanātanam
hiraṇyagarbho vijñāya
samīḍe guhya-nāmabhiḥ

SYNONYMS

aditeḥ — into the womb of Aditi; dhiṣṭhitam — being established; garbham — pregnancy; bhagavantam — unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sanātanam — who is eternal; hiraṇyagarbhaḥ — Lord Brahmā; vijñāya — knowing this; samīḍe — offered prayers; guhya-nāmabhiḥ — with transcendental names.

TRANSLATION

When Lord Brahmā understood that the Supreme Personality of Godhead was now within the womb of Aditi, he began to offer prayers to the Lord by reciting transcendental names.

VERSE 8.17.25

śrī-brahmovāca

jayorugāya bhagavann
urukrama namo ’stu te
namo brahmaṇya-devāya
tri-guṇāya namo namaḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-brahmā uvāca — Lord Brahmā offered prayers; jaya — all glories; urugāya — unto the Lord, who is constantly glorified; bhagavan — O my Lord; urukrama — whose activities are very glorious; namaḥ astu te — I offer my respectful obeisances unto You; namaḥ — my respectful obeisances; brahmaṇya-devāya — unto the Lord of the transcendentalists; tri-guṇāya — the controller of the three modes of nature; namaḥ namaḥ — I offer my respectful obeisances unto You again and again.

TRANSLATION

Lord Brahmā said: O Supreme Personality of Godhead, all glories unto You, who are glorified by all and whose activities are all uncommon. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, O Lord of the transcendentalists, controller of the three modes of nature. I offer my respectful obeisances unto You again and again.

VERSE 8.17.26

namas te pṛśni-garbhāya
veda-garbhāya vedhase
tri-nābhāya tri-pṛṣṭhāya
śipi-viṣṭāya viṣṇave

SYNONYMS

namaḥ te — I offer my respectful obeisances unto You; pṛśni-garbhāya — who formerly lived within the womb of Pṛśni (Aditi in her previous birth); veda-garbhāya — who always remain within Vedic knowledge; vedhase — who are full of knowledge; tri-nābhāya — within the stem growing from whose navel live all the three worlds; tri-pṛṣṭhāya — who are transcendental to the three worlds; śipi-viṣṭāya — who are within the cores of the hearts of all living entities; viṣṇave — unto the all-pervading Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

I offer my respectful obeisances unto You, the all-pervading Lord Viṣṇu, who have entered the cores of the hearts of all living entities. All the three worlds reside within Your navel, yet You are above the three worlds. Formerly You appeared as the son of Pṛśni. To You, the supreme creator, who are understood only through Vedic knowledge, I offer my respectful obeisances.

VERSE 8.17.27

tvam ādir anto bhuvanasya madhyam
ananta-śaktiṁ puruṣaṁ yam āhuḥ
kālo bhavān ākṣipatīśa viśvaṁ
sroto yathāntaḥ patitaṁ gabhīram

SYNONYMS

tvam — Your Lordship; ādiḥ — the original cause; antaḥ — the cause of dissolution; bhuvanasya — of the universe; madhyam — maintenance of the present manifestation; ananta-śaktim — the reservoir of unlimited potencies; puruṣam — the Supreme Person; yam — whom; āhuḥ — they say; kālaḥ — the principle of eternal time; bhavān — Your Lordship; ākṣipati — attracting; īśa — the Supreme Lord; viśvam — the whole universe; srotaḥ — waves; yathā — as; antaḥ patitam — fallen within the water; gabhīram — very deep.

TRANSLATION

O my Lord, You are the beginning, the manifestation and the ultimate dissolution of the three worlds, and You are celebrated in the Vedas as the reservoir of unlimited potencies, the Supreme Person. O my Lord, as waves attract branches and leaves that have fallen into deep water, You, the supreme eternal time factor, attract everything in this universe.

VERSE 8.17.28

tvaṁ vai prajānāṁ sthira-jaṅgamānāṁ
prajāpatīnām asi sambhaviṣṇuḥ
divaukasāṁ deva divaś cyutānāṁ
parāyaṇaṁ naur iva majjato ’psu

SYNONYMS

tvam — Your Lordship; vai — indeed; prajānām — of all living entities; sthira-jaṅgamānām — either stationary or moving; prajāpatīnām — of all the Prajāpatis; asi — You are; sambhaviṣṇuḥ — the generator of everyone; diva-okasām — of the inhabitants of the upper planetary system; deva — O Supreme Lord; divaḥ cyutānām — of the demigods, who have now fallen from their residential quarters; parāyaṇam — the supreme shelter; nauḥ — boat; iva — like; majjataḥ — of one drowning; apsu — in the water.

TRANSLATION

My Lord, You are the original generator of all living entities, stationary or moving, and You are also the generator of the Prajāpatis. O my Lord, as a boat is the only hope for a person drowning in the water, You are the only shelter for the demigods, who are now bereft of their heavenly position.