Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 12
Kapila’s Conclusion: Limits of Karma and Yoga; Supremacy of Bhakti and Qualification to Receive the Teaching
आद्य: स्थिरचराणां यो वेदगर्भ: सहर्षिभि: । योगेश्वरै: कुमाराद्यै: सिद्धैर्योगप्रवर्तकै: ॥ १२ ॥ भेददृष्टयाभिमानेन नि:सङ्गेनापि कर्मणा । कर्तृत्वात्सगुणं ब्रह्म पुरुषं पुरुषर्षभम् ॥ १३ ॥ स संसृत्य पुन: काले कालेनेश्वरमूर्तिना । जाते गुणव्यतिकरे यथापूर्वं प्रजायते ॥ १४ ॥ ऐश्वर्यं पारमेष्ठ्यं च तेऽपि धर्मविनिर्मितम् । निषेव्य पुनरायान्ति गुणव्यतिकरे सति ॥ १५ ॥
ādyaḥ sthira-carāṇāṁ yo veda-garbhaḥ saharṣibhiḥ yogeśvaraiḥ kumārādyaiḥ siddhair yoga-pravartakaiḥ
母亲啊，作为动静众生之初的“吠陀胎藏”梵天，与诸圣仙、如善达库玛罗等瑜伽自在者、成就者及瑜伽之道的开创者们，由于差别之见与“我为作者”的我慢，礼敬那具三德相的梵——至上主、众普鲁沙之雄（Puruṣa-ṛṣabha）。他们虽以无求之业而离执，但当作为主之形相的时间启动三德交互之际，仍复入轮回，按先前的形态与地位再度出现。即便“帕拉梅什提亚”的尊荣与权势亦由法所成；享受之后，三德再度交杂时，他们仍要归来。
That Brahmā becomes liberated is known to everyone, but he cannot liberate his devotees. Demigods like Brahmā and Lord Śiva cannot give liberation to any living entity. As it is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā, only one who surrenders unto Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, can be liberated from the clutches of māyā. Brahmā is called here ādyaḥ sthira-carāṇām. He is the original, first-created living entity, and after his own birth he creates the entire cosmic manifestation. He was fully instructed in the matter of creation by the Supreme Lord. Here he is called veda-garbha, which means that he knows the complete purpose of the Vedas. He is always accompanied by such great personalities as Marīci, Kaśyapa and the seven sages, as well as by great mystic yogīs, the Kumāras and many other spiritually advanced living entities, but he has his own interest, separate from the Lord’s. Bheda-dṛṣṭyā means that Brahmā sometimes thinks that he is independent of the Supreme Lord, or he thinks of himself as one of the three equally independent incarnations. Brahmā is entrusted with creation, Viṣṇu maintains and Rudra, Lord Śiva, destroys. The three of them are understood to be incarnations of the Supreme Lord in charge of the three different material modes of nature, but none of them is independent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Here the word bheda-dṛṣṭyā occurs because Brahmā has a slight inclination to think that he is as independent as Rudra. Sometimes Brahmā thinks that he is independent of the Supreme Lord, and the worshiper also thinks that Brahmā is independent. For this reason, after the destruction of this material world, when there is again creation by the interaction of the material modes of nature, Brahmā comes back. Although Brahmā reaches the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the first puruṣa incarnation, Mahā-Viṣṇu, who is full with transcendental qualities, he cannot stay in the spiritual world.
FAQs
This verse calls the Lord veda-garbha—He is the very womb and origin of Vedic knowledge, revered by sages and perfected yogīs.
To show that even the foremost renunciates and yoga-propagators honor the same Supreme Person, validating the path Kapila is teaching.
Approach spiritual practice with humility—study sacred teachings, and anchor yoga/meditation in devotion to the Supreme, not mere self-display.