Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvitiya Skandha, Shloka 40
Brahmā’s Tapasya, the Vision of Vaikuṇṭha, and the Lord’s Seed Instructions
Catuḥ-śloki
प्रजापतिर्धर्मपतिरेकदा नियमान् यमान् । भद्रं प्रजानामन्विच्छन्नातिष्ठत् स्वार्थकाम्यया ॥ ४० ॥
prajāpatir dharma-patir ekadā niyamān yamān bhadraṁ prajānām anvicchann ātiṣṭhat svārtha-kāmyayā
Ainsi, un jour, Brahmā, progéniteur des êtres et père du dharma, cherchant le bien de toutes les créatures, s’établit dans les règles de niyama et de yama pour accomplir son devoir.
One cannot be situated in an exalted position without having undertaken a regulative life of rules and regulations. An unrestricted life of sense gratification is animal life, and Lord Brahmā, in order to teach all concerned within the jurisdiction of his generations, taught the same principles of sense control for executing higher duties. He desired the welfare of all as servants of God, and anyone desiring the welfare of the members of his family and generations must conduct a moral, religious life. The highest life of moral principles is to become a devotee of the Lord because a pure devotee of the Lord has all the good qualities of the Lord. On the other hand, one who is not a devotee of the Lord, however qualified he may be in the mundane sense of the term, cannot be qualified with any good quality worthy of the name. The pure devotees of the Lord, like Brahmā and persons in the chain of disciplic succession, do not do anything to instruct their subordinates without acting accordingly themselves.
FAQs
This verse states that a Prajāpati (a progenitor and upholder of dharma) deliberately adopted yama (restraints) and niyama (observances) as a spiritual-ethical discipline aimed at the welfare of those under his care.
The verse implies that even exalted leaders model discipline for the benefit of their dependents; it also acknowledges that duty can be mixed with personal motives, and regulated practice helps keep one aligned with dharma.
By adopting consistent ethical restraints and positive daily observances—truthfulness, self-control, cleanliness, and steady practice—one supports both personal integrity and the well-being of family and society.