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Shloka 2

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

रूपं यदेतदवबोधरसोदयेन शश्वन्निवृत्ततमस: सदनुग्रहाय । आदौ गृहीतमवतारशतैकबीजं यन्नाभिपद्मभवनादहमाविरासम् ॥ २ ॥

rūpaṁ yad etad avabodha-rasodayena śaśvan-nivṛtta-tamasaḥ sad-anugrahāya ādau gṛhītam avatāra-śataika-bījaṁ yan-nābhi-padma-bhavanād aham āvirāsam

រូបដែលខ្ញុំកំពុងឃើញនេះ ដោយការកើតឡើងនៃរសជាតិចំណេះដឹង គឺស្ថិតនៅក្រៅភាពមងឹតនៃវត្ថុជានិច្ច ហើយបានមកដើម្បីប្រទានព្រះគុណដល់អ្នកភក្តិ ជាការបង្ហាញនៃសក្តិខាងក្នុង។ អវតារនេះជាគ្រាប់ពូជនៃអវតារជាច្រើន; ហើយខ្ញុំបានកើតពីលំនៅដ្ឋានផ្កាឈូកដែលលូតពីព្រះនាភីរបស់ព្រះអង្គ។

rūpamform
rūpam:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootrūpa (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
yatwhich
yat:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Relative)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक
etatthis
etat:
Karma (कर्म/Apposition)
TypeNoun
Rootetad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन
avabodha-rasa-udayenaby the arising of realization-bliss/essence
avabodha-rasa-udayena:
Karana (करण/Instrument)
TypeNoun
Rootavabodha (प्रातिपदिक) + rasa (प्रातिपदिक) + udaya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष; तृतीया (Instrumental) एकवचन; ‘by the rise of the taste/essence of realization’
śaśvatalways
śaśvat:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootśaśvat (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक-अव्यय (always/continually)
nivṛtta-tamasaḥof (him) whose darkness is dispelled
nivṛtta-tamasaḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeAdjective
Rootnivṛtta (कृदन्त; √vṛt धातु) + tamas (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष; पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (Genitive) एकवचन; ‘of one whose darkness has ceased’
sat-anugrahāyafor the grace of the good
sat-anugrahāya:
Sampradana (सम्प्रदान/Dative purpose)
TypeNoun
Rootsat (प्रातिपदिक) + anugraha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष; चतुर्थी (Dative) एकवचन; ‘for the true/saintly favor’
ādauin the beginning
ādau:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Time)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootādi (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसप्तमी (Locative) एकवचन; अव्ययीभावार्थे ‘in the beginning’
gṛhītamassumed/taken
gṛhītam:
Karma (कर्म/Object complement)
TypeAdjective
Rootgṛhīta (कृदन्त; √grah धातु)
Formभूतकृदन्त (PPP), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘taken/assumed’
avatāra-śata-eka-bījamthe one seed of a hundred incarnations
avatāra-śata-eka-bījam:
Karma (कर्म/Apposition to rūpam)
TypeNoun
Rootavatāra (प्रातिपदिक) + śata (प्रातिपदिक) + eka (प्रातिपदिक) + bīja (प्रातिपदिक)
Formबहुपद-तत्पुरुष; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; ‘the single seed of hundreds of incarnations’
yatwhich
yat:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Relative)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; सम्बन्धक
nābhi-padma-bhavanātfrom the navel-lotus abode
nābhi-padma-bhavanāt:
Apadana (अपादान/Source)
TypeNoun
Rootnābhi (प्रातिपदिक) + padma (प्रातिपदिक) + bhavana (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष; पञ्चमी (Ablative) एकवचन; ‘from the abode (lotus) of the navel’
ahamI
aham:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formप्रथमा (Nominative) एकवचन
āvirāsamappeared
āvirāsam:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootā-√as (धातु)
Formलुङ् (Aorist), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन, परस्मैपद; उपसर्ग ‘ā’

The three deities Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara (Śiva), the executive heads of the three modes of material nature (passion, goodness and ignorance), are all generated from Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, who is described herein by Brahmā. From the Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, many Viṣṇu incarnations expand at different ages in the duration of the cosmic manifestation. They are expanded only for the transcendental happiness of the pure devotees. The incarnations of Viṣṇu, who appear at different ages and times, are never to be compared to the conditioned souls. The viṣṇu-tattvas are not to be compared to deities like Brahmā and Śiva, nor are they on the same level. Anyone who compares them is called a pāṣaṇḍī, or infidel. Tamasaḥ, mentioned herein, is the material nature, and the spiritual nature has a completely separate existence from tamaḥ. Therefore, spiritual nature is called avabodha-rasa, or avarodha-rasa. Avarodha means “that which completely nullifies.” In the Transcendence there is no chance of material contact by any means. Brahmā is the first living being, and therefore he mentions his birth from the lotus flower generated from the abdomen of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu.

B
Brahmā
G
Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu

FAQs

This verse states that Brahmā manifests from the lotus that emerges from the navel of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, highlighting Viṣṇu as the source of cosmic creation.

Because the Lord’s form awakens avabodha—realized spiritual understanding—by which ignorance (tamas) is permanently dispelled for those who take shelter.

Cultivate realized knowledge through devotion and study so that confusion and despair diminish, and align your actions with compassion and service to the saintly and the divine.