Shloka 48
Brahmā’s Creation: The Kumāras, Rudra, the Prajāpatis, and the Manifestation of Vedic Sound
शब्दब्रह्मात्मनस्तस्य व्यक्ताव्यक्तात्मन: पर: । ब्रह्मावभाति विततो नानाशक्त्युपबृंहित: ॥ ४८ ॥
śabda-brahmātmanas tasya vyaktāvyaktātmanaḥ paraḥ brahmāvabhāti vitato nānā-śakty-upabṛṁhitaḥ
ଶବ୍ଦ-ବ୍ରହ୍ମ ସ୍ୱରୂପ ଥିବା ସେହି ବ୍ରହ୍ମା ବ୍ୟକ୍ତ-ଅବ୍ୟକ୍ତ ଧାରଣାରୁ ପରେ। ନାନା ଶକ୍ତିରେ ସମୃଦ୍ଧ ହୋଇ ସେ ପରମ ସତ୍ୟର ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ବିସ୍ତାର ରୂପେ ଦୀପ୍ତିମାନ।
The post of Brahmā is the highest responsible post within the universe, and it is offered to the most perfect personality of the universe. Sometimes the Supreme Personality of Godhead has to become Brahmā when there is no suitable living being to occupy the post. In the material world, Brahmā is the complete representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and transcendental sound, praṇava, comes from him. He is therefore invested with multifarious energies, from which all the demigods like Indra, Candra and Varuṇa are manifested. His transcendental value is not to be minimized, even though he exhibited a tendency to enjoy his own daughter. There is a purpose for the exhibition of such a tendency by Brahmā, and he is not to be condemned like an ordinary living entity.
FAQs
This verse says the Supreme Lord is the very essence of śabda-brahman—He is revealed through Vedic sound, and yet He remains beyond both the manifest and unmanifest states.
In the creation narrative of Canto 3, Śukadeva clarifies that the Absolute is not limited to the created (manifest) world or the subtle (unmanifest) pradhāna—He transcends both while pervading them through His energies.
It encourages seeing unity behind diversity: different abilities, forces, and outcomes can be understood as energies of one Supreme, fostering humility, reverence, and steadiness in success or change.