Shloka 38
Secondary Creation Begins: Brahmā’s Productions, the Guṇas, and the Emergence of Orders of Beings
प्रहस्य भावगम्भीरं जिघ्रन्त्यात्मानमात्मना । कान्त्या ससर्ज भगवान् गन्धर्वाप्सरसां गणान् ॥ ३८ ॥
prahasya bhāva-gambhīraṁ jighrantyātmānam ātmanā kāntyā sasarja bhagavān gandharvāpsarasāṁ gaṇān
भावगम्भीर हँसी के साथ, अपनी ही कान्ति से मानो स्वयं को ही आस्वादित करते हुए, भगवान् ब्रह्मा ने गन्धर्वों और अप्सराओं के गणों की सृष्टि की।
The musicians in the upper planetary systems are called Gandharvas, and the dancing girls are called Apsarās. After being attacked by the demons and evolving a form of a beautiful woman in the twilight, Brahmā next created Gandharvas and Apsarās. Music and dancing employed in sense gratification are to be accepted as demoniac, but the same music and dancing, when employed in glorifying the Supreme Lord as kīrtana, are transcendental, and they bring about a life completely fit for spiritual enjoyment.
FAQs
In Bhagavatam 3.20.38, Śukadeva explains that the Supreme Lord manifests the hosts of Gandharvas and Apsarās through His own radiant potency—indicating their divine origin within the process of universal creation.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī speaks this verse to King Parīkṣit while describing stages of creation in the Third Canto.
The verse highlights that all abilities, beauty, and artistry ultimately arise from the Supreme source; recognizing this cultivates humility and encourages offering one’s talents in service rather than ego.