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Shloka 3

Brahmā’s Prayers to Lord Nārāyaṇa and the Lord’s Empowering Instructions for Creation

नात: परं परम यद्भवत: स्वरूप- मानन्दमात्रमविकल्पमविद्धवर्च: । पश्यामि विश्वसृजमेकमविश्वमात्मन् भूतेन्द्रियात्मकमदस्त उपाश्रितोऽस्मि ॥ ३ ॥

nātaḥ paraṁ parama yad bhavataḥ svarūpam ānanda-mātram avikalpam aviddha-varcaḥ paśyāmi viśva-sṛjam ekam aviśvam ātman bhūtendriyātmaka-madas ta upāśrito ’smi

Ô Seigneur suprême, je ne vois aucune forme supérieure à Ta forme présente, faite uniquement de béatitude et de connaissance, sans variation et d’un éclat impérissable. Toi, tout en étant Un, Tu es le créateur de l’univers et pourtant Tu demeures intact par la matière. Moi, orgueilleux de ce corps et de ces sens faits d’éléments, je me réfugie en Toi, au-delà de la māyā.

nanot
na:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-निपात
ataḥthan this / beyond this
ataḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Comparative marker)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootataḥ (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (from this/therefore/than this)
paramhigher
param:
Karma (कर्म/Predicate complement)
TypeAdjective
Rootpara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण
paramaO Supreme
parama:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootparama (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन
yatthat which
yat:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Relative)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक
bhavataḥof you
bhavataḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootbhavat (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive), एकवचन
svarūpamessential nature
svarūpam:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootsva (प्रातिपदिक) + rūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘own form/essential nature’
ānanda-mātramonly bliss
ānanda-mātram:
Karma (कर्म/Apposition)
TypeAdjective
Rootānanda (प्रातिपदिक) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष/कर्मधारयार्थ; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘consisting only of bliss’
avikalpamundifferentiated
avikalpam:
Karma (कर्म/Apposition)
TypeAdjective
Rootavikalpa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण ‘without alternatives’
aviddha-varcaḥO untainted radiance
aviddha-varcaḥ:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeAdjective
Roota-viddha (कृदन्त; √vyadh/vidh धातु) + varcas (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन; ‘O unpierced/untainted splendor’
paśyāmiI see
paśyāmi:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootdṛś (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद
viśva-sṛjamthe creator of the universe
viśva-sṛjam:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootviśva (प्रातिपदिक) + sṛj (कृदन्त; √sṛj धातु)
Formतत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (Accusative), एकवचन; ‘creator of the universe’
ekamone
ekam:
Karma (कर्म/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rooteka (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण
aviśvambeyond the universe
aviśvam:
Karma (कर्म/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Roota-viśva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण ‘not (limited to) the universe’
ātmanO Self
ātman:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootātman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन
bhūta-indriya-ātmakamwhose nature is elements and senses
bhūta-indriya-ātmakam:
Karma (कर्म/Qualifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootbhūta (प्रातिपदिक) + indriya (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaka (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘having as its nature the elements and senses’
matthan me
mat:
Apadana (अपादान/Standard of comparison)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपञ्चमी (Ablative) एकवचन; ‘than me’ (comparison)
taḥthan you / from you
taḥ:
Apadana (अपादान/Standard of comparison)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formपञ्चमी (Ablative) एकवचन; enclitic ‘from you/than you’
upāśritaḥhaving taken refuge
upāśritaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject complement)
TypeAdjective
Rootupāśrita (कृदन्त; upa-√śri धातु)
Formभूतकृदन्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having taken refuge’
asmiI am
asmi:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootas (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), उत्तमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद

As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (18.55) , bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ: the Supreme Personality of Godhead can only be partially known, and only by the process of devotional service to the Lord. Lord Brahmā became aware that the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa has many, many eternal, blissful forms of knowledge. He has described such expansions of the Supreme Lord, Govinda, in his Brahma-saṁhitā (5.33) , as follows:

B
Brahmā
S
Supreme Lord (Viṣṇu/Nārāyaṇa)

FAQs

This verse states that the Lord is viśva-sṛj (creator of the cosmos) yet aviśvam (not confined within the cosmos), indicating transcendence beyond material creation.

After witnessing the Lord’s transcendental position and seeking empowerment for creation, Brahmā offers praise and declares exclusive shelter in the Lord, recognizing Him as the ultimate reality and source of all.

Cultivate regular remembrance and devotion—such as sincere prayer, chanting, and aligning decisions with dharma—while trusting the Lord as the ultimate support beyond changing circumstances.