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Shloka 48

Soma Pacifies the Pracetās; Dakṣa’s Haṁsa-guhya Prayers; Hari Grants Creative Power

मय्यनन्तगुणेऽनन्ते गुणतो गुणविग्रह: । यदासीत्तत एवाद्य: स्वयम्भू: समभूदज: ॥ ४८ ॥

mayy ananta-guṇe ’nante guṇato guṇa-vigrahaḥ yadāsīt tata evādyaḥ svayambhūḥ samabhūd ajaḥ

Aku ialah wadah bagi sifat dan kuasa yang tidak terbatas; sebab itu Aku dikenali sebagai Yang Tidak Terbatas dan Yang Meliputi Segala-galanya. Daripada tenaga material-Ku (māyā), manifestasi kosmos ini muncul di dalam-Ku; dan dalam manifestasi itu tampak makhluk utama, Tuhan Brahmā, Svayambhū dan Aja—sumbermu, yang tidak lahir daripada ibu material.

mayiin me
mayi:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormSarvanāma; Saptamī vibhakti (locative, 7th), Ekavacana (singular)
ananta-guṇein (the one) of endless qualities
ananta-guṇe:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
TypeAdjective
Rootananta (प्रातिपदिक) + guṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga (masculine), Saptamī (locative, 7th), Ekavacana; karmadhāraya: ‘anantāḥ guṇāḥ yasya’ in sense, but form functions as descriptive compound ‘endless-qualities’ qualifying the locus
anantein the infinite
anante:
Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण/location)
TypeAdjective
Rootananta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga (masculine), Saptamī (locative, 7th), Ekavacana; used as epithet ‘in the infinite’
guṇataḥfrom/according to the guṇas
guṇataḥ:
Hetu/Apādāna (हेतु/अपादान/source-basis)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootguṇatas (अव्यय)
FormTasil-anta avyaya (तसिल्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्यय) ‘from/according to qualities’
guṇa-vigrahaḥthe embodiment of the guṇas
guṇa-vigrahaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/subject)
TypeNoun
Rootguṇa (प्रातिपदिक) + vigraha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga (masculine), Prathamā (nominative, 1st), Ekavacana; ṣaṣṭhī-tatpuruṣa: ‘guṇānāṁ vigrahaḥ’ (embodiment of qualities)
yatwhich/when
yat:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyad (प्रातिपदिक)
FormRelative particle (अव्यय) introducing clause
āsītwas
āsīt:
Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
TypeVerb
Root√as (अस्)
FormLaṅ-lakāra (imperfect, लङ्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana (singular); parasmaipada
tataḥfrom that/thereupon
tataḥ:
Apādāna (अपादान/source)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottatas (अव्यय)
FormAblative-adverb (तसिल्/ablatival avyaya) ‘from that/thereupon’
evaindeed
eva:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय)
FormEmphatic particle (निपात)
ādyaḥthe first/primeval
ādyaḥ:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण/modifier)
TypeAdjective
Rootādya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga (masculine), Prathamā (nominative, 1st), Ekavacana (singular)
svayam-bhūḥthe self-born (Brahmā)
svayam-bhūḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/subject)
TypeNoun
Rootsvayam (अव्यय) + bhū (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga (masculine), Prathamā (nominative, 1st), Ekavacana; avyayībhāva: ‘svayam bhavati’ → self-born
samabhūtcame into being/arose
samabhūt:
Kriyā (क्रिया/predicate)
TypeVerb
Root√bhū (भू)
FormLaṅ-lakāra (imperfect, लङ्), Prathama-puruṣa (3rd person), Ekavacana; parasmaipada; with prefix sam-
ajaḥthe unborn
ajaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/subject)
TypeNoun
Rootaja (प्रातिपदिक)
FormPuṁliṅga (masculine), Prathamā (nominative, 1st), Ekavacana; epithet ‘unborn’

This is a description of the history of the universal creation. The first cause is the Lord Himself, the Supreme Person. From Him, Brahmā is created, and Brahmā takes charge of the affairs of the universe. The universal affairs of the material creation depend upon the material energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is therefore the cause of the material creation. The entire cosmic manifestation is described herein as guṇa-vigrahaḥ, the form of the Lord’s qualities. From the cosmic universal form, the first creation is Lord Brahmā, who is the cause of all living entities. In this regard, Śrīla Madhvācārya describes the unlimited attributes of the Lord:

V
Vishnu
B
Brahma (Svayambhu)

FAQs

This verse states that the first created being, Brahmā, manifests from the Supreme Reality; he is called svayambhū because he appears without material parents, yet his source is the Infinite Lord.

‘Aja’ here emphasizes that Brahmā is not born from ordinary biological generation; he manifests directly from the Lord’s pre-existing eternal reality.

It encourages devotion and humility: all abilities and qualities ultimately come from the Supreme, so one should use one’s talents in service rather than ego.