Shloka 9
The Glories of Lord Ananta (Śeṣa/Saṅkarṣaṇa) and the Cosmic Foundation Beneath Pātāla
उत्पत्तिस्थितिलयहेतवोऽस्य कल्पा: सत्त्वाद्या: प्रकृतिगुणा यदीक्षयाऽऽसन्॒ । यद्रूपं ध्रुवमकृतं यदेकमात्मन् नानाधात्कथमु ह वेद तस्य वर्त्म ॥ ९ ॥
utpatti-sthiti-laya-hetavo ’sya kalpāḥ sattvādyāḥ prakṛti-guṇā yad-īkṣayāsan yad-rūpaṁ dhruvam akṛtaṁ yad ekam ātman nānādhāt katham u ha veda tasya vartma
അവന്റെ ദൃഷ്ടിയാൽ പ്രകൃതിയിലെ സത്ത്വാദി ഗുണങ്ങൾ സൃഷ്ടി, സ്ഥിതി, ലയം എന്നിവയുടെ കാരണങ്ങളായി പ്രവർത്തിക്കുന്നു. പരമാത്മാവ് അനന്തനും അനാദിയുമാണ്; ഒരുവനായിട്ടും അനേകരൂപങ്ങളിൽ പ്രത്യക്ഷപ്പെടുന്നു. ആ പരമന്റെ മാർഗ്ഗം മനുഷ്യർ എങ്ങനെ അറിയും?
From Vedic literature we learn that when the Supreme Lord glances ( sa aikṣata ) over the material energy, the three modes of material nature become manifest and create material variety. Before He glances over the material energy, there is no possibility of the creation, maintenance and annihilation of the material world. The Lord existed before the creation, and consequently He is eternal and unchanging. Therefore how can any human being, however great a scientist or philosopher he may be, understand the ways of the Supreme Personality of Godhead?
FAQs
This verse states that creation, maintenance, and dissolution occur through the modes of material nature, which become active by the Supreme Lord’s glance, while He Himself remains eternally unborn and unchanged.
The verse affirms the Lord’s oneness and uncreated, eternal nature, yet acknowledges His power to manifest diverse forms and arrangements—making His ways ultimately difficult to measure by ordinary perception.
Recognize that external change operates through nature’s modes, but the Divine is steady and beyond them; this supports steadiness in devotion and humility about fully “figuring out” God through intellect alone.