Shloka 20
Brahmā’s Prayers to Lord Nārāyaṇa and the Lord’s Empowering Instructions for Creation
योऽविद्ययानुपहतोऽपि दशार्धवृत्त्या निद्रामुवाह जठरीकृतलोकयात्र: । अन्तर्जलेऽहिकशिपुस्पर्शानुकूलां भीमोर्मिमालिनि जनस्य सुखं विवृण्वन् ॥ २० ॥
yo ’vidyayānupahato ’pi daśārdha-vṛttyā nidrām uvāha jaṭharī-kṛta-loka-yātraḥ antar-jale ’hi-kaśipu-sparśānukūlāṁ bhīmormi-mālini janasya sukhaṁ vivṛṇvan
হে প্রভু! আপনি অবিদ্যায় অক্ষত থেকেও যেন যোগনিদ্রায় শয়ন করেন এবং সমগ্র লোকসমূহকে আপনার উদরে ধারণ করেন। প্রলয়ের জলে ভয়ংকর তরঙ্গমালার মধ্যে সাপের শয্যায় শুয়ে আপনি আপনার নিদ্রাসুখ জ্ঞানীদের কাছে প্রকাশ করেন।
Persons who cannot think of anything beyond the limit of their own power are like frogs in a well who cannot imagine the length and breadth of the great Pacific Ocean. Such people take it as legendary when they hear that the Supreme Lord is lying on His bed within the great ocean of the universe. They are surprised that one can lie down within water and sleep very happily. But a little intelligence can mitigate this foolish astonishment. There are many living entities within the bed of the ocean who also enjoy the material bodily activities of eating, sleeping, defending and mating. If such insignificant living entities can enjoy life within the water, why can’t the Supreme Lord, who is all-powerful, sleep on the cool body of a serpent and enjoy in the turmoil of violent ocean waves? The distinction of the Lord is that His activities are all transcendental, and He is able to do anything and everything without being deterred by limitations of time and space. He can enjoy His transcendental happiness regardless of material considerations.
FAQs
This verse explains that the Lord’s “sleep” is not ignorance; He is untouched by avidyā and withdraws the entire cosmic process within Himself while resting on Ananta Śeṣa in the cosmic waters.
Brahmā is offering prayers to the Garbhodakaśāyī form of the Lord, describing His transcendental repose on Śeṣa in the waters as the basis from which creation and the worlds’ maintenance proceed.
It encourages devotees to seek shelter in the Lord’s transcendence—remembering that divine guidance is beyond confusion—especially when life feels like a “fearsome ocean” of waves.