Markandeya Purana — Adhyaya 81, Shloka 51
Adhyaya 81 — Suratha and Samadhi Seek Sage Medhas; Introduction to Mahamaya and the Madhukaitabha Origin Account
स नाभिकमले विष्णोः स्थितो ब्रह्मा प्रजापतिः । दृष्ट्वा तावसुरौ चोग्रौ प्रसुप्तं च जनार्दनम् ॥
sa nābhi-kamale viṣṇoḥ sthito brahmā prajāpatiḥ | dṛṣṭvā tāv asurau ca ugrau prasuptaṃ ca janārdanam ||
Brahmā, the Lord of creatures, was seated upon the lotus of Viṣṇu’s navel. Seeing those two fierce asuras and also Janārdana asleep,
FAQs
Even Brahmā, the cosmic creator, depends upon the sustaining principle (Viṣṇu) and, when that is dormant, turns to the higher power (Devī/Yogānidrā) through praise and prayer—modeling humility and recourse to the divine in crisis.
Narrative embedded in pratisarga/pralaya context, illustrating how cosmic functions are restored through divine intervention.
The navel-lotus imagery maps to inner yogic anatomy in later traditions (center of manifestation). When ‘Janārdana’ (the inner sustaining awareness) is ‘asleep’, creative faculties face disorder—necessitating awakening via śakti.