Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvitiya Skandha, Shloka 9
Parīkṣit’s Comprehensive Inquiries and the Bhāgavata as Śabda-avatāra
अज: सृजति भूतानि भूतात्मा यदनुग्रहात् । ददृशे येन तद्रूपं नाभिपद्मसमुद्भव: ॥ ९ ॥
ajaḥ sṛjati bhūtāni bhūtātmā yad-anugrahāt dadṛśe yena tad-rūpaṁ nābhi-padma-samudbhavaḥ
നാഭിതാമരയിൽ നിന്നുദ്ഭവിച്ച അജ ബ്രഹ്മാവ്, ഭഗവാന്റെ അനുഗ്രഹത്താൽ ഭൂതങ്ങളെ സൃഷ്ടിക്കുന്നു. അതേ കൃപയാൽ അവൻ ഭഗവാന്റെ രൂപം ദർശിച്ചു—ഇതും പറയുക.
The first living creature, Brahmā, is called ajaḥ because he did not take his birth from the womb of a mother materially born. He was directly born from the bodily expansion of the lotus flower of the Lord. Thus it is not readily understandable whether the body of the Lord and that of Brahmā are of the same quality or different. This must also be clearly understood. One thing is, however, certain: Brahmā was completely dependent on the mercy of the Lord because after his birth he could create living beings by the Lord’s grace only, and he could see the form of the Lord. Whether the form seen by Brahmā is of the same quality as that of Brahmā is a bewildering question, and Mahārāja Parīkṣit wanted to get clear answers from Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī.
FAQs
This verse explains that Brahmā’s power to create beings and elements functions only by the mercy of the Supersoul (bhūta-ātmā); creation is dependent on divine sanction, not independent ability.
Brahmā, born from the navel-lotus, beheld the Lord’s transcendental form by the Lord’s grace—revelation arises from anugraha (mercy), not merely effort.
Spiritual understanding deepens through humility, sincere practice, and devotion—seeking the Lord’s grace—rather than relying only on intellect or personal power.