Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvitiya Skandha, Shloka 5
Nārada’s Questions and Brahmā’s Reply: Vāsudeva as the Source; Sarga–Visarga; Virāṭ-rūpa Mapping
आत्मन् भावयसे तानी न पराभावयन् स्वयम् । आत्मशक्तिमवष्टभ्य ऊर्णनाभिरिवाक्लम: ॥ ५ ॥
ātman bhāvayase tāni na parābhāvayan svayam ātma-śaktim avaṣṭabhya ūrṇanābhir ivāklamaḥ
ഹേ ആത്മൻ, നിങ്ങൾ തന്നേ അവയെ പ്രകടിപ്പിക്കുന്നു; മറ്റാരാലും പരാജയപ്പെടുന്നില്ല. ചിലന്തി ക്ഷീണമില്ലാതെ സ്വന്തം ശക്തിയിൽ വല നെയ്യുന്നതുപോലെ, നിങ്ങൾ ആത്മശക്തിയെ ആശ്രയിച്ച് സൃഷ്ടി ചെയ്യുന്നു।
The best example of self-sufficiency is the sun. The sun does not require to be illuminated by any other body. Rather, it is the sun which helps all other illuminating agents, for in the presence of the sun no other illuminating agent becomes prominent. Nārada compared the position of Brahmā to the self-sufficiency of the spider, who creates its own field of activities without any other’s help by employment of its own energetic creation of saliva.
FAQs
This verse says the Lord manifests the cosmos by His own potency without any loss or exhaustion, like a spider producing a web from itself.
To show that creation comes from the Lord’s own energy and is effortless for Him—He remains complete even while manifesting the worlds.
It builds faith that the Supreme is self-sufficient and fully capable; a seeker can rely on devotion and surrender rather than anxiety about material support.