Manifestation of Brahmā from Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu
VERSE 3.8.1
maitreya uvāca
sat-sevanīyo bata pūru-vaṁśo
yal loka-pālo bhagavat-pradhānaḥ
babhūvithehājita-kīrti-mālāṁ
pade pade nūtanayasy abhīkṣṇam
SYNONYMS
maitreyaḥ uvāca — Śrī Maitreya Muni said; sat-sevanīyaḥ — worthy to serve the pure devotees; bata — oh, certainly; pūru-vaṁśaḥ — the descendants of King Pūru; yat — because; loka-pālaḥ — the kings are; bhagavat-pradhānaḥ — chiefly devoted to the Personality of Godhead; babhūvitha — you are also born; iha — in this; ajita — the Lord, who is unconquerable; kīrti-mālām — chain of transcendental activities; pade pade — step by step; nūtanayasi — becoming newer and newer; abhīkṣṇam — always.
TRANSLATION
The great sage Maitreya Muni said to Vidura: The royal dynasty of King Pūru is worthy to serve the pure devotees because all the descendants of that family are devoted to the Personality of Godhead. You are also born in that family, and it is wonderful that because of your attempt the transcendental pastimes of the Lord are becoming newer and newer at every moment.
VERSE 3.8.2
so ’haṁ nṛṇāṁ kṣulla-sukhāya duḥkhaṁ
mahad gatānāṁ viramāya tasya
pravartaye bhāgavataṁ purāṇaṁ
yad āha sākṣād bhagavān ṛṣibhyaḥ
SYNONYMS
saḥ — that; aham — I; nṛṇām — of the human being; kṣulla — very little; sukhāya — for happiness; duḥkham — distress; mahat — great; gatānām — entered into; viramāya — for mitigation; tasya — his; pravartaye — in beginning; bhāgavatam — Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam; purāṇam — Vedic supplement; yat — which; āha — said; sākṣāt — directly; bhagavān — the Personality of Godhead; ṛṣibhyaḥ — unto the sages.
TRANSLATION
Let me now begin speaking on the Bhāgavata Purāṇa, which was directly spoken to the great sages by the Personality of Godhead for the benefit of those who are entangled in extreme miseries for the sake of very little pleasure.
VERSE 3.8.3
āsīnam urvyāṁ bhagavantam ādyaṁ
saṅkarṣaṇaṁ devam akuṇṭha-sattvam
vivitsavas tattvam ataḥ parasya
kumāra-mukhyā munayo ’nvapṛcchan
SYNONYMS
āsīnam — seated; urvyām — in the bottom of the universe; bhagavantam — unto the Lord; ādyam — the original; saṅkarṣaṇam — Saṅkarṣaṇa; devam — the Personality of Godhead; akuṇṭha-sattvam — undeterred knowledge; vivitsavaḥ — being inquisitive to know; tattvam ataḥ — truth like this; parasya — regarding the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kumāra — the boy-saint; mukhyāḥ — headed by; munayaḥ — great sages; anvapṛcchan — inquired like this.
TRANSLATION
Some time ago, being inquisitive to know, Sanat-kumāra, the chief of the boy-saints, accompanied by other great sages, inquired exactly like you about the truths regarding Vāsudeva, the Supreme, from Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa, who is seated at the bottom of the universe.
VERSE 3.8.4
svam eva dhiṣṇyaṁ bahu mānayantaṁ
yad vāsudevābhidham āmananti
pratyag-dhṛtākṣāmbuja-kośam īṣad
unmīlayantaṁ vibudhodayāya
SYNONYMS
svam — Himself; eva — thus; dhiṣṇyam — situated; bahu — greatly; mānayantam — esteemed; yat — that which; vāsudeva — Lord Vāsudeva; abhidham — by the name; āmananti — acknowledge; pratyak-dhṛta-akṣa — eyes settled for introspection; ambuja-kośam — lotuslike eye; īṣat — slightly; unmīlayantam — opened; vibudha — of the greatly learned sages; udayāya — for the sake of advancement.
TRANSLATION
At that time Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa was meditating upon His Supreme Lord, whom the learned esteem as Lord Vāsudeva, but for the sake of the advancement of the great learned sages He slightly opened His lotus like eyes and began to speak.
VERSE 3.8.5
svardhuny-udārdraiḥ sva-jaṭā-kalāpair
upaspṛśantaś caraṇopadhānam
padmaṁ yad arcanty ahi-rāja-kanyāḥ
sa-prema nānā-balibhir varārthāḥ
SYNONYMS
svardhunī-uda — by the water of the Ganges; ārdraiḥ — being moistened; sva-jaṭā — bunch of hairs; kalāpaiḥ — situated on the head; upaspṛśantaḥ — by so touching; caraṇa-upadhānam — the shelter of His feet; padmam — the lotus shelter; yat — that which; arcanti — worships; ahi-rāja — the serpent-king; kanyāḥ — daughters; sa-prema — with great devotion; nānā — various; balibhiḥ — paraphernalia; vara-arthāḥ — being desirous of husbands.
TRANSLATION
The sages came from the highest planets down to the lower region through the water of the Ganges, and therefore the hair on their heads was wet. They touched the lotus feet of the Lord, which are worshiped with various paraphernalia by the daughters of the serpent-king when they desire good husbands.
VERSE 3.8.6
muhur gṛṇanto vacasānurāga-
skhalat-padenāsya kṛtāni taj-jñāḥ
kirīṭa-sāhasra-maṇi-praveka-
pradyotitoddāma-phaṇā-sahasram
SYNONYMS
muhuḥ — again and again; gṛṇantaḥ — glorifying; vacasā — by words; anurāga — with great affection; skhalat-padena — with symmetrical rhythm; asya — of the Lord; kṛtāni — activities; tat-jñāḥ — those who know the pastimes; kirīṭa — helmets; sāhasra — thousands; maṇi-praveka — glowing effulgence of the valuable stones; pradyotita — emanating from; uddāma — raised; phaṇā — hoods; sahasram — thousands.
TRANSLATION
The four Kumāras, headed by Sanat-kumāra, who all knew the transcendental pastimes of the Lord, glorified the Lord in rhythmic accents with selected words full of affection and love. At that time Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa, with His thousands of raised hoods, began to radiate an effulgence from the glowing stones on His head.
VERSE 3.8.7
proktaṁ kilaitad bhagavattamena
nivṛtti-dharmābhiratāya tena
sanat-kumārāya sa cāha pṛṣṭaḥ
sāṅkhyāyanāyāṅga dhṛta-vratāya
SYNONYMS
proktam — was said; kila — certainly; etat — this; bhagavattamena — by Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa; nivṛtti — renunciation; dharma-abhiratāya — unto one who has taken this religious vow; tena — by Him; sanat-kumārāya — unto Sanat-kumāra; saḥ — he; ca — also; āha — said; pṛṣṭaḥ — when inquired of; sāṅkhyāyanāya — unto the great sage Sāṅkhyāyana; aṅga — my dear Vidura; dhṛta-vratāya — unto one who has taken such a vow.
TRANSLATION
Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa thus spoke the purport of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam to the great sage Sanat-kumāra, who had already taken the vow of renunciation. Sanat-kumāra also, in his turn, when inquired of by Sāṅkhyāyana Muni, explained Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam as he had heard it from Saṅkarṣaṇa.
VERSE 3.8.8
sāṅkhyāyanaḥ pāramahaṁsya-mukhyo
vivakṣamāṇo bhagavad-vibhūtīḥ
jagāda so ’smad-gurave ’nvitāya
parāśarāyātha bṛhaspateś ca
SYNONYMS
sāṅkhyāyanaḥ — the great sage Sāṅkhyāyana; pāramahaṁsya-mukhyaḥ — the chief of all transcendentalists; vivakṣamāṇaḥ — while reciting; bhagavat-vibhūtīḥ — the glories of the Lord; jagāda — explained; saḥ — he; asmat — of me; gurave — unto the spiritual master; anvitāya — followed; parāśarāya — unto the sage Parāśara; atha bṛhaspateḥ ca — also to Bṛhaspati.
TRANSLATION
The great sage Sāṅkhyāyana was the chief amongst the transcendentalists, and when he was describing the glories of the Lord in terms of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, it so happened that my spiritual master, Parāśara, and Bṛhaspati both heard him.
VERSE 3.8.9
provāca mahyaṁ sa dayālur ukto
muniḥ pulastyena purāṇam ādyam
so ’haṁ tavaitat kathayāmi vatsa
śraddhālave nityam anuvratāya
SYNONYMS
provāca — said; mahyam — unto me; saḥ — he; dayāluḥ — kindhearted; uktaḥ — aforementioned; muniḥ — sage; pulastyena — by the sage Pulastya; purāṇam ādyam — the foremost of all the Purāṇas; saḥ aham — that also I; tava — unto you; etat — this; kathayāmi — shall speak; vatsa — my dear son; śraddhālave — unto one who is faithful; nityam — always; anuvratāya — unto one who is a follower.
TRANSLATION
The great sage Parāśara, as aforementioned, being so advised by the great sage Pulastya, spoke unto me the foremost of the Purāṇas [Bhāgavatam]. I shall also describe this before you, my dear son, in terms of my hearing, because you are always my faithful follower.
VERSE 3.8.10
udāplutaṁ viśvam idaṁ tadāsīd
yan nidrayāmīlita-dṛṅ nyamīlayat
ahīndra-talpe ’dhiśayāna ekaḥ
kṛta-kṣaṇaḥ svātma-ratau nirīhaḥ
SYNONYMS
uda — water; āplutam — submerged in; viśvam — the three worlds; idam — this; tadā — at that time; āsīt — it so remained; yat — in which; nidrayā — in slumber; amīlita — closed; dṛk — eyes; nyamīlayat — not completely closed; ahi-indra — the great snake Ananta; talpe — on the bed of; adhiśayānaḥ — lying on; ekaḥ — alone; kṛta-kṣaṇaḥ — being engaged; sva-ātma-ratau — enjoying in His internal potency; nirīhaḥ — without any part of external energy.
TRANSLATION
At that time when the three worlds were submerged in water, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu was alone, lying on His bedstead, the great snake Ananta, and although He appeared to be in slumber in His own internal potency, free from the action of the external energy, His eyes were not completely closed.
VERSE 3.8.11
so ’ntaḥ śarīre ’rpita-bhūta-sūkṣmaḥ
kālātmikāṁ śaktim udīrayāṇaḥ
uvāsa tasmin salile pade sve
yathānalo dāruṇi ruddha-vīryaḥ
SYNONYMS
saḥ — the Supreme Lord; antaḥ — within; śarīre — in the transcendental body; arpita — kept; bhūta — material elements; sūkṣmaḥ — subtle; kāla-ātmikām — the form of time; śaktim — energy; udīrayāṇaḥ — invigorating; uvāsa — resided; tasmin — therein; salile — in the water; pade — in the place; sve — His own; yathā — as much as; analaḥ — fire; dāruṇi — in the fuel wood; ruddha-vīryaḥ — submerged strength.
TRANSLATION
Just like the strength of fire within fuel wood, the Lord remained within the water of dissolution, submerging all the living entities in their subtle bodies. He lay in the self-invigorated energy called kāla.
VERSE 3.8.12
catur-yugānāṁ ca sahasram apsu
svapan svayodīritayā sva-śaktyā
kālākhyayāsādita-karma-tantro
lokān apītān dadṛśe sva-dehe
SYNONYMS
catuḥ — four; yugānām — of the millenniums; ca — also; sahasram — one thousand; apsu — in the water; svapan — dreaming in sleep; svayā — with His internal potency; udīritayā — for further development; sva-śaktyā — by His own energy; kāla-ākhyayā — by the name kāla; āsādita — being so engaged; karma-tantraḥ — in the matter of fruitive activities; lokān — the total living entities; apītān — bluish; dadṛśe — saw it so; sva-dehe — in His own body.
TRANSLATION
The Lord lay down for a thousand cycles of four yugas in His internal potency, and by His external energy He appeared to be sleeping within the water. When the living entities were coming out for further development of their fruitive activities, actuated by the energy called kāla-śakti, He saw His transcendental body as bluish.
VERSE 3.8.13
tasyārtha-sūkṣmābhiniviṣṭa-dṛṣṭer
antar-gato ’rtho rajasā tanīyān
guṇena kālānugatena viddhaḥ
sūṣyaṁs tadābhidyata nābhi-deśāt
SYNONYMS
tasya — His; artha — subject; sūkṣma — subtle; abhiniviṣṭa-dṛṣṭeḥ — of one whose attention was fixed; antaḥ-gataḥ — internal; arthaḥ — purpose; rajasā — by the mode of passion of material nature; tanīyān — very subtle; guṇena — by the qualities; kāla-anugatena — in due course of time; viddhaḥ — agitated; sūṣyan — generating; tadā — then; abhidyata — pierced through; nābhi-deśāt — from the abdomen.
TRANSLATION
The subtle subject matter of creation, on which the Lord’s attention was fixed, was agitated by the material mode of passion, and thus the subtle form of creation pierced through His abdomen.
VERSE 3.8.14
sa padma-kośaḥ sahasodatiṣṭhat
kālena karma-pratibodhanena
sva-rociṣā tat salilaṁ viśālaṁ
vidyotayann arka ivātma-yoniḥ
SYNONYMS
saḥ — that; padma-kośaḥ — bud of a lotus flower; sahasā — suddenly; udatiṣṭhat — appeared; kālena — by time; karma — fruitive activities; pratibodhanena — awakening; sva-rociṣā — by its own effulgence; tat — that; salilam — water of devastation; viśālam — vast; vidyotayan — illuminating; arkaḥ — the sun; iva — like; ātma-yoniḥ — generating from the Personality of Viṣṇu.
TRANSLATION
Piercing through, this sum total form of the fruitive activity of the living entities took the shape of the bud of a lotus flower generated from the Personality of Viṣṇu, and by His supreme will it illuminated everything, like the sun, and dried up the vast waters of devastation.
VERSE 3.8.15
tal loka-padmaṁ sa u eva viṣṇuḥ
prāvīviśat sarva-guṇāvabhāsam
tasmin svayaṁ vedamayo vidhātā
svayambhuvaṁ yaṁ sma vadanti so ’bhūt
SYNONYMS
tat — that; loka — universal; padmam — lotus flower; saḥ — He; u — certainly; eva — factually; viṣṇuḥ — the Lord; prāvīviśat — entered into; sarva — all; guṇa-avabhāsam — reservoir of all modes of nature; tasmin — in which; svayam — in person; veda-mayaḥ — the personality of Vedic wisdom; vidhātā — controller of the universe; svayam-bhuvam — self-born; yam — whom; sma — in the past; vadanti — do say; saḥ — he; abhūt — generated.
TRANSLATION
Into that universal lotus flower Lord Viṣṇu personally entered as the Supersoul, and when it was thus impregnated with all the modes of material nature, the personality of Vedic wisdom, whom we call the self-born, was generated.
VERSE 3.8.16
tasyāṁ sa cāmbho-ruha-karṇikāyām
avasthito lokam apaśyamānaḥ
parikraman vyomni vivṛtta-netraś
catvāri lebhe ’nudiśaṁ mukhāni
SYNONYMS
tasyām — in that; saḥ — Brahmā; ca — and; ambhaḥ — water; ruha-karṇikāyām — whorl of the lotus; avasthitaḥ — being situated; lokam — the world; apaśyamānaḥ — without being able to see; parikraman — circumambulating; vyomni — in space; vivṛtta-netraḥ — while moving the eyes; catvāri — four; lebhe — achieved; anudiśam — in terms of direction; mukhāni — heads.
TRANSLATION
Brahmā, born out of the lotus flower, could not see the world, although he was situated in the whorl. He therefore circumambulated all of space, and while moving his eyes in all directions he achieved four heads in terms of the four directions.
VERSE 3.8.17
tasmād yugānta-śvasanāvaghūrṇa-
jalormi-cakrāt salilād virūḍham
upāśritaḥ kañjam u loka-tattvaṁ
nātmānam addhāvidad ādi-devaḥ
SYNONYMS
tasmāt — from there; yuga-anta — at the end of the millennium; śvasana — the air of devastation; avaghūrṇa — because of movement; jala — water; ūrmi-cakrāt — out of the circle of waves; salilāt — from the water; virūḍham — situated on them; upāśritaḥ — having the shelter of; kañjam — lotus flower; u — in astonishment; loka-tattvam — the mystery of creation; na — not; ātmānam — himself; addhā — perfectly; avidat — could understand; ādi-devaḥ — the first demigod.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahmā, situated in that lotus, could not perfectly understand the creation, the lotus or himself. At the end of the millennium the air of devastation began to move the water and the lotus in great circular waves.
VERSE 3.8.18
ka eṣa yo ’sāv aham abja-pṛṣṭha
etat kuto vābjam ananyad apsu
asti hy adhastād iha kiñcanaitad
adhiṣṭhitaṁ yatra satā nu bhāvyam
SYNONYMS
kaḥ — who; eṣaḥ — this; yaḥ asau aham — that I am; abja-pṛṣṭhe — on top of the lotus; etat — this; kutaḥ — wherefrom; vā — either; abjam — lotus flower; ananyat — otherwise; apsu — in the water; asti — there is; hi — certainly; adhastāt — from below; iha — in this; kiñcana — anything; etat — this; adhiṣṭhitam — situated; yatra — wherein; satā — automatically; nu — or not; bhāvyam — must be.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahmā, in his ignorance, contemplated: Who am I that am situated on the top of this lotus? Wherefrom has it sprouted? There must be something downwards, and that from which this lotus has grown must be within the water.
VERSE 3.8.19
sa ittham udvīkṣya tad-abja-nāla-
nāḍībhir antar-jalam āviveśa
nārvāg-gatas tat-khara-nāla-nāla-
nābhiṁ vicinvaṁs tad avindatājaḥ
SYNONYMS
saḥ — he (Brahmā); ittham — in this way; udvīkṣya — contemplating; tat — that; abja — lotus; nāla — stem; nāḍībhiḥ — by the pipe; antaḥ-jalam — within the water; āviveśa — entered into; na — not; arvāk-gataḥ — in spite of going inside; tat-khara-nāla — the stem of the lotus; nāla — pipe; nābhim — of the navel; vicinvan — thinking much of it; tat — that; avindata — understood; ajaḥ — the self-born.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahmā, thus contemplating, entered the water through the channel of the stem of the lotus. But in spite of entering the stem and going nearer to the navel of Viṣṇu, he could not trace out the root.
VERSE 3.8.20
tamasy apāre vidurātma-sargaṁ
vicinvato ’bhūt sumahāṁs tri-ṇemiḥ
yo deha-bhājāṁ bhayam īrayāṇaḥ
parikṣiṇoty āyur ajasya hetiḥ
SYNONYMS
tamasi apāre — because of an ignorant way of searching; vidura — O Vidura; ātma-sargam — the cause of his creation; vicinvataḥ — while contemplating; abhūt — it so became; su-mahān — very great; tri-nemiḥ — time of three dimensions; yaḥ — which; deha-bhājām — of the embodied; bhayam — fearfulness; īrayāṇaḥ — generating; parikṣiṇoti — diminishing the one hundred years; āyuḥ — duration of life; ajasya — of the self-born; hetiḥ — the wheel of eternal time.
TRANSLATION
O Vidura, while searching in that way about his existence, Brahmā reached his ultimate time, which is the eternal wheel in the hand of Viṣṇu and which generates fear in the mind of the living entity like the fear of death.
VERSE 3.8.21
tato nivṛtto ’pratilabdha-kāmaḥ
sva-dhiṣṇyam āsādya punaḥ sa devaḥ
śanair jita-śvāsa-nivṛtta-citto
nyaṣīdad ārūḍha-samādhi-yogaḥ
SYNONYMS
tataḥ — thereafter; nivṛttaḥ — retired from that endeavor; apratilabdha-kāmaḥ — without achievement of the desired destination; sva-dhiṣṇyam — own seat; āsādya — reaching; punaḥ — again; saḥ — he; devaḥ — the demigod; śanaiḥ — without delay; jita-śvāsa — controlling the breathing; nivṛtta — retired; cittaḥ — intelligence; nyaṣīdat — sat down; ārūḍha — in confidence; samādhi-yogaḥ — in meditation on the Lord.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, being unable to achieve the desired destination, he retired from such searching and came back again to the top of the lotus. Thus, controlling all objectives, he concentrated his mind on the Supreme Lord.
VERSE 3.8.22
kālena so ’jaḥ puruṣāyuṣābhi-
pravṛtta-yogena virūḍha-bodhaḥ
svayaṁ tad antar-hṛdaye ’vabhātam
apaśyatāpaśyata yan na pūrvam
SYNONYMS
kālena — in due course of time; saḥ — he; ajaḥ — the self-born Brahmā; puruṣa-āyuṣā — by the duration of his age; abhipravṛtta — being engaged; yogena — in meditation; virūḍha — developed; bodhaḥ — intelligence; svayam — automatically; tat antaḥ-hṛdaye — in the heart; avabhātam — manifested; apaśyata — saw; apaśyata — did see; yat — which; na — not; pūrvam — before.
TRANSLATION
At the end of Brahmā’s one hundred years, when his meditation was complete, he developed the required knowledge, and as a result he could see in his heart the Supreme within himself, whom he could not see before with the greatest endeavor.
VERSE 3.8.23
mṛṇāla-gaurāyata-śeṣa-bhoga-
paryaṅka ekaṁ puruṣaṁ śayānam
phaṇātapatrāyuta-mūrdha-ratna-
dyubhir hata-dhvānta-yugānta-toye
SYNONYMS
mṛṇāla — lotus flower; gaura — white all over; āyata — gigantic; śeṣa-bhoga — body of Śeṣa-nāga; paryaṅke — on the bed; ekam — alone; puruṣam — the Supreme Person; śayānam — was lying; phaṇa-ātapatra — umbrella of a serpent hood; āyuta — bedecked with; mūrdha — head; ratna — jewels; dyubhiḥ — by the rays; hata-dhvānta — darkness dissipated; yuga-anta — devastation; toye — in the water.
TRANSLATION
Brahmā could see that on the water there was a gigantic lotuslike white bedstead, the body of Śeṣa-nāga, on which the Personality of Godhead was lying alone. The whole atmosphere was illuminated by the rays of the jewels bedecking the hood of Śeṣa-nāga, and that illumination dissipated all the darkness of those regions.
VERSE 3.8.24
prekṣāṁ kṣipantaṁ haritopalādreḥ
sandhyābhra-nīver uru-rukma-mūrdhnaḥ
ratnodadhārauṣadhi-saumanasya
vana-srajo veṇu-bhujāṅghripāṅghreḥ
SYNONYMS
prekṣām — the panorama; kṣipantam — deriding; harita — green; upala — coral; adreḥ — of the hill; sandhyā-abhra-nīveḥ — of the dress of the evening sky; uru — great; rukma — gold; mūrdhnaḥ — on the summit; ratna — jewels; udadhāra — waterfalls; auṣadhi — herbs; saumanasya — of the scenery; vana-srajaḥ — flower garland; veṇu — dress; bhuja — hands; aṅghripa — trees; aṅghreḥ — legs.
TRANSLATION
The luster of the transcendental body of the Lord mocked the beauty of the coral mountain. The coral mountain is very beautifully dressed by the evening sky, but the yellow dress of the Lord mocked its beauty. There is gold on the summit of the mountain, but the Lord’s helmet, bedecked with jewels, mocked it. The mountain’s waterfalls, herbs, etc., with a panorama of flowers, seem like garlands, but the Lord’s gigantic body, and His hands and legs, decorated with jewels, pearls, tulasī leaves and flower garlands, mocked the scene on the mountain.
VERSE 3.8.25
āyāmato vistarataḥ sva-māna-
dehena loka-traya-saṅgraheṇa
vicitra-divyābharaṇāṁśukānāṁ
kṛta-śriyāpāśrita-veṣa-deham
SYNONYMS
āyāmataḥ — by length; vistarataḥ — by breadth; sva-māna — by His own measurement; dehena — by the transcendental body; loka-traya — the three (upper, middle and lower) planetary systems; saṅgraheṇa — by total absorption; vicitra — variegated; divya — transcendental; ābharaṇa-aṁśukānām — rays of the ornaments; kṛta-śriyā apāśrita — beauty created by those dresses and ornaments; veṣa — dressed; deham — transcendental body.
TRANSLATION
His transcendental body, unlimited in length and breadth, occupied the three planetary systems, upper, middle and lower. His body was self-illuminated by unparalleled dress and variegatedness and was properly ornamented.
VERSE 3.8.26
puṁsāṁ sva-kāmāya vivikta-mārgair
abhyarcatāṁ kāma-dughāṅghri-padmam
pradarśayantaṁ kṛpayā nakhendu-
mayūkha-bhinnāṅguli-cāru-patram
SYNONYMS
puṁsām — of the human being; sva-kāmāya — according to the desire; vivikta-mārgaiḥ — by the path of devotional service; abhyarcatām — worshiped; kāma-dugha-aṅghri-padmam — the lotus feet of the Lord, which can award all desired fruits; pradarśayantam — while showing them; kṛpayā — by causeless mercy; nakha — nails; indu — moonlike; mayūkha — rays; bhinna — divided; aṅguli — figures; cāru-patram — very beautiful.
TRANSLATION
The Lord showed His lotus feet by raising them. His lotus feet are the source of all awards achieved by devotional service free from material contamination. Such awards are for those who worship Him in pure devotion. The splendor of the transcendental rays from His moonlike toenails and fingernails appeared like the petals of a flower.
VERSE 3.8.27
mukhena lokārti-hara-smitena
parisphurat-kuṇḍala-maṇḍitena
śoṇāyitenādhara-bimba-bhāsā
pratyarhayantaṁ sunasena subhrvā
SYNONYMS
mukhena — by a gesture of the face; loka-ārti-hara — vanquisher of the distress of the devotees; smitena — by smiling; parisphurat — dazzling; kuṇḍala — earrings; maṇḍitena — decorated with; śoṇāyitena — acknowledging; adhara — of His lips; bimba — reflection; bhāsā — rays; pratyarhayantam — reciprocating; su-nasena — by His pleasing nose; su-bhrvā — and pleasing eyebrows.
TRANSLATION
He also acknowledged the service of the devotees and vanquished their distress by His beautiful smile. The reflection of His face, decorated with earrings, was so pleasing because it dazzled with the rays from His lips and the beauty of His nose and eyebrows.
VERSE 3.8.28
kadamba-kiñjalka-piśaṅga-vāsasā
svalaṅkṛtaṁ mekhalayā nitambe
hāreṇa cānanta-dhanena vatsa
śrīvatsa-vakṣaḥ-sthala-vallabhena
SYNONYMS
kadamba-kiñjalka — saffron dust of the kadamba flower; piśaṅga — dress of the color; vāsasā — by clothing; su-alaṅkṛtam — well decorated; mekhalayā — by the belt; nitambe — on the waist; hāreṇa — by the garland; ca — also; ananta — highly; dhanena — valuable; vatsa — my dear Vidura; śrīvatsa — of the transcendental marking; vakṣaḥ-sthala — on the chest; vallabhena — very pleasing.
TRANSLATION
O my dear Vidura, the Lord’s waist was covered with yellow cloth resembling the saffron dust of the kadamba flower, and it was encircled by a well-decorated belt. His chest was decorated with the śrīvatsa marking and a necklace of unlimited value.
VERSE 3.8.29
parārdhya-keyūra-maṇi-praveka-
paryasta-dordaṇḍa-sahasra-śākham
avyakta-mūlaṁ bhuvanāṅghripendram
ahīndra-bhogair adhivīta-valśam
SYNONYMS
parārdhya — very valuable; keyūra — ornaments; maṇi-praveka — highly valuable jewels; paryasta — disseminating; dordaṇḍa — arms; sahasra-śākham — with thousands of branches; avyakta-mūlam — self-situated; bhuvana — universal; aṅghripa — trees; indram — the Lord; ahi-indra — Anantadeva; bhogaiḥ — by hoods; adhivīta — surrounded; valśam — shoulders.
TRANSLATION
As a sandalwood tree is decorated with fragrant flowers and branches, the Lord’s body was decorated with valuable jewels and pearls. He was the self-situated tree, the Lord of all others in the universe. And as a sandalwood tree is covered with many snakes, so the Lord’s body was also covered by the hoods of Ananta.
VERSE 3.8.30
carācarauko bhagavan-mahīdhram
ahīndra-bandhuṁ salilopagūḍham
kirīṭa-sāhasra-hiraṇya-śṛṅgam
āvirbhavat kaustubha-ratna-garbham
SYNONYMS
cara — moving animals; acara — nonmoving trees; okaḥ — the place or situation; bhagavat — the Personality of Godhead; mahīdhram — the mountain; ahi-indra — Śrī Anantadeva; bandhum — friend; salila — water; upagūḍham — submerged; kirīṭa — helmets; sāhasra — thousands; hiraṇya — gold; śṛṅgam — peaks; āvirbhavat — manifested; kaustubha — the Kaustubha jewel; ratna-garbham — ocean.
TRANSLATION
Like a great mountain, the Lord stands as the abode for all moving and nonmoving living entities. He is the friend of the snakes because Lord Ananta is His friend. As a mountain has thousands of golden peaks, so the Lord was seen with the thousands of golden-helmeted hoods of Ananta-nāga; and as a mountain is sometimes filled with jewels, so also His transcendental body was fully decorated with valuable jewels. As a mountains is sometimes submerged in the ocean water, so the Lord is sometimes submerged in the water of devastation.
VERSE 3.8.31
nivītam āmnāya-madhu-vrata-śriyā
sva-kīrti-mayyā vana-mālayā harim
sūryendu-vāyv-agny-agamaṁ tri-dhāmabhiḥ
parikramat-prādhanikair durāsadam
SYNONYMS
nivītam — so being enclosed; āmnāya — Vedic wisdom; madhu-vrata-śriyā — sweet sound in beauty; sva-kīrti-mayyā — by His own glories; vana-mālayā — flower garland; harim — unto the Lord; sūrya — the sun; indu — the moon; vāyu — the air; agni — the fire; agamam — unapproachable; tri-dhāmabhiḥ — by the three planetary systems; parikramat — circumambulating; prādhanikaiḥ — for fighting; durāsadam — very difficult to reach.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahmā, thus looking upon the Lord in the shape of a mountain, concluded that He was Hari, the Personality of Godhead. He saw that the garland of flowers on His chest glorified Him with Vedic wisdom in sweet songs and looked very beautiful. He was protected by the Sudarśana wheel for fighting, and even the sun, moon, air, fire, etc., could not have access to Him.
VERSE 3.8.32
tarhy eva tan-nābhi-saraḥ-sarojam
ātmānam ambhaḥ śvasanaṁ viyac ca
dadarśa devo jagato vidhātā
nātaḥ paraṁ loka-visarga-dṛṣṭiḥ
SYNONYMS
tarhi — therefore; eva — certainly; tat — His; nābhi — navel; saraḥ — lake; sarojam — lotus flower; ātmānam — Brahmā; ambhaḥ — the devastating water; śvasanam — the drying air; viyat — the sky; ca — also; dadarśa — looked upon; devaḥ — demigod; jagataḥ — of the universe; vidhātā — maker of the destination; na — not; ataḥ param — beyond; loka-visarga — creation of the cosmic manifestation; dṛṣṭiḥ — glance.
TRANSLATION
When Lord Brahmā, the maker of the universal destination, thus saw the Lord, he simultaneously glanced over creation. Lord Brahmā saw the lake in Lord Viṣṇu’s navel, and the lotus flower, as well as the devastating water, the drying air and the sky. All became visible to him.
VERSE 3.8.33
sa karma-bījaṁ rajasoparaktaḥ
prajāḥ sisṛkṣann iyad eva dṛṣṭvā
astaud visargābhimukhas tam īḍyam
avyakta-vartmany abhiveśitātmā
SYNONYMS
saḥ — he (Brahmā); karma-bījam — seed of worldly activities; rajasā uparaktaḥ — initiated by the mode of passion; prajāḥ — living entities; sisṛkṣan — willing to create progeny; iyat — all the five causes of creation; eva — thus; dṛṣṭvā — looking on; astaut — prayed for; visarga — creation after the creation by the Lord; abhimukhaḥ — towards; tam — that; īḍyam — worshipable; avyakta — transcendental; vartmani — on the path of; abhiveśita — fixed; ātmā — mind.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahmā, thus being surcharged with the mode of passion, became inclined to create, and after seeing the five causes of creation indicated by the Personality of Godhead, he began to offer his respectful prayers on the path of the creative mentality.