Shloka 21
Yoga-Sleep, Cosmic Dissolution, and the Lotus of Creation
with Mārkaṇḍeya’s Vision
स एव भगवान्सर्वं करोति न करोति च । सोस्मिन्कारयते सर्वं स्थानिनां च कृतिः कृता
sa eva bhagavānsarvaṃ karoti na karoti ca | sosminkārayate sarvaṃ sthānināṃ ca kṛtiḥ kṛtā
وہی بھگوان سب کچھ کرتا ہے، اور پھر بھی (اکرتا کی طرح) کچھ نہیں کرتا۔ اسی جگت میں وہی سب کچھ کراتا ہے؛ جسم دھاری جیووں کے اعمال اسی سے پورے ہوتے ہیں۔
Uncertain (context not provided; likely a narrator/teacher voice within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa exposition)
Concept: The Lord does everything yet is untouched by doing; He causes all actions, and embodied beings’ deeds are accomplished through His enabling power.
Application: Act responsibly while releasing ego: begin tasks with sankalpa to serve the Lord, end with gratitude; when success/failure arises, keep equanimity by remembering the deeper doer.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A grand yet quiet scene shows the world in motion—craftsmen working, kings judging, students studying, rivers flowing—while a serene Vishnu presence stands behind as an unseen puppeteer of grace, not manipulating but sustaining. In the foreground, an embodied being offers folded hands, realizing: ‘My actions complete through Him,’ as the Lord remains untouched, like the sky holding all clouds.","primary_figures":["Vishnu (Antaryami, subtle)","an embodied devotee (jiva)","symbolic figures of worldly roles (artisan, student, ruler)"],"setting":"A panoramic earthly tableau blending into a translucent cosmic backdrop; Vishnu’s form is semi-transparent, pervading the scene like an aura.","lighting_mood":"moonlit","color_palette":["silver blue","smoky gray","soft gold","deep teal","white lotus"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central Vishnu with expansive gold leaf aura, semi-transcendent; below, multiple vignettes of human action arranged symmetrically; devotee in namaskara at the base; rich maroon-green borders, gem-studded ornaments, gold filigree lines subtly connecting Vishnu to each action-scene to show ‘karayate’.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: moonlit panoramic village-and-forest scene with delicate figures engaged in tasks; a faint luminous Vishnu silhouette overlays the landscape like a protective presence; the devotee kneels near a quiet stream; cool palette, refined faces, gentle atmospheric perspective conveying akarta serenity.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: Vishnu as large central figure with bold outlines, surrounded by smaller action-panels; strong symbolic gestures showing ‘does and does not do’; flat pigments, rhythmic ornamentation, temple-wall narrative clarity.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: central aura motif with surrounding circular scenes of daily duties; lotus borders and repeating floral patterns; deep blue ground with gold highlights; devotee figure at bottom center, hands folded, emphasizing surrender and instrumentality."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Desh","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"serene","sound_elements":["soft conch shell (opening)","temple bells (gentle)","night insects","flowing water (faint)"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: भगवान्सर्वम् = भगवान् + सर्वम्; सोस्मिन् = सः + अस्मिन्
FAQs
The verse expresses divine transcendence: the Lord is the ultimate cause behind all activity, yet remains unattached and unchanged, so He is also described as a non-agent in the worldly sense.
It emphasizes that beings act within roles and conditions ultimately sustained by the Lord; their efforts still occur, but the deeper enabling power and orchestration are attributed to the divine.
Act without egoism: since outcomes and capacities are ultimately dependent on the Lord, one should perform one’s duties humbly, without pride of doership, and with responsibility.