Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 37
The Prayers of the Personified Vedas (Śruti-stuti) and the Indescribable Absolute
न यदिदमग्र आस न भविष्यदतो निधना- दनुमितमन्तरा त्वयि विभाति मृषैकरसे । अत उपमीयते द्रविणजातिविकल्पपथै- र्वितथमनोविलासमृतमित्यवयन्त्यबुधा: ॥ ३७ ॥
na yad idam agra āsa na bhaviṣyad ato nidhanād anu mitam antarā tvayi vibhāti mṛṣaika-rase ata upamīyate draviṇa-jāti-vikalpa-pathair vitatha-mano-vilāsam ṛtam ity avayanty abudhāḥ
既然此宇宙在创造之前并不存在，在毁灭之后也不复存在，那么在其间它不过是被想象为在你之内显现的幻相；你那灵性之乐恒为一味不变。它可比作种种物质因类而变现多样形态；把这心识幻影当作坚实真实者，实为智浅。
Having thus defeated all attempts of the ritualists to prove the substantial reality of material creation, the personified Vedas now present positive evidence to the contrary — that this world is unreal in that it is temporary. Before the creation of the universe and after its dissolution, only the spiritual reality of the Supreme Lord, along with His abode and entourage, continue to exist. The śrutis confirm this: Ātmā va idam eka evāgra āsīt. “Prior to the creation of this universe, only the Self existed.” ( Aitareya Upaniṣad 1.1) Nāsad āsīn no sad āsīt tadānīm: “At that time neither the subtle nor the gross aspects of matter were present.” ( Ṛg Veda 10.129.1)
FAQs
This verse says that what does not exist before creation and does not remain after destruction is only a temporary appearance in between; apart from the Lord’s one Reality, it is a false display.
They highlight how ignorance makes people define reality through material categories (possessions, social identity, species), mistaking the mind’s constructions as ultimate truth instead of seeing the Lord as the underlying Reality.
Use it to reduce over-identification with status, money, and labels, and redirect attention to lasting spiritual practice—remembering and serving the Lord as the stable foundation behind changing circumstances.