Previous Verse
Next Verse

Shloka 4

Brahmā’s Secondary Creation, Kāla (Eternal Time), and the Taxonomy of Species

मैत्रेय उवाच विरिञ्चोऽपि तथा चक्रे दिव्यं वर्षशतं तप: । आत्मन्यात्मानमावेश्य यथाह भगवानज: ॥ ४ ॥

maitreya uvāca viriñco ’pi tathā cakre divyaṁ varṣa-śataṁ tapaḥ ātmany ātmānam āveśya yathāha bhagavān ajaḥ

មៃត្រេយៈបាននិយាយថា៖ ឱ វិទូរៈ! វិរិញ្ច (ព្រះព្រហ្មា) ក៏បានធ្វើតាមព្រះបន្ទូលរបស់ព្រះភគវាន អជ (អជន្ម) ដោយដាក់ចិត្តនៅក្នុងអាត្មា ហើយធ្វើតបៈរយឆ្នាំទេវតា បន្ទាប់មកបានលះបង់ខ្លួនក្នុងសេវាភក្តិចំពោះព្រះអម្ចាស់។

maitreyaḥMaitreya
maitreyaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmaitreya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
uvācasaid
uvāca:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootvac (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada
viriñcaḥViriñca (Brahmā)
viriñcaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootviriñca (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular (Brahmā)
apialso/even
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
FormParticle (अपि—also/even)
tathāthus/in that manner
tathā:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottathā (अव्यय)
FormAdverb (क्रियाविशेषण)
cakredid/performed
cakre:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootkṛ (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Ātmanepada (आत्मनेपद)
divyamdivine
divyam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootdivya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular; qualifying varṣa-śatam
varṣa-śatama hundred years
varṣa-śatam:
Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootvarṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular; dvigu compound meaning ‘a hundred years’
tapaḥausterity/penance
tapaḥ:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottapas (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative, Singular
ātmaniin himself
ātmani:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootātman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Locative (सप्तमी/7), Singular
ātmānamhimself (the self)
ātmānam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootātman (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular
āveśyahaving absorbed/entered
āveśya:
Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootā-viś (धातु) + lyap (कृदन्त)
FormAbsolutive/Gerund (ल्यप्/क्त्वान्त), ‘having entered/absorbed (placed)’
yathāas
yathā:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyathā (अव्यय)
FormComparative/quotative indeclinable (यथार्थक/उपमानबोधक)
āhasaid
āha:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootah (धातु)
FormPerfect (लिट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada
bhagavānthe Lord
bhagavān:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootbhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular
ajaḥthe Unborn (Lord)
ajaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootaja (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; epithet ‘unborn’

That Brahmā engaged himself for the Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, means that he engaged himself in the service of the Lord; that is the highest penance one can perform for any number of years. There is no retirement from such service, which is eternal and ever encouraging.

M
Maitreya
V
Viriñci (Brahmā)
B
Bhagavān Aja (the Unborn Lord)

FAQs

It states that Brahmā (Viriñci) performed austerities for one hundred celestial years, fixing his consciousness within the Self, following the unborn Lord’s instruction.

Because Brahmā’s ability to proceed in creation depends on receiving divine guidance; his tapasya is portrayed as obedient alignment with the Lord’s command, not independent endeavor.

Practice disciplined spiritual focus—regular meditation and regulated habits—so that actions are guided by higher principles (dharma and devotion) rather than distraction.