Srimad Bhagavatam — Tritiya Skandha, Shloka 16
Brahmā’s Prayers to Lord Nārāyaṇa and the Lord’s Empowering Instructions for Creation
यो वा अहं च गिरिशश्च विभु: स्वयं च स्थित्युद्भवप्रलयहेतव आत्ममूलम् । भित्त्वा त्रिपाद्ववृध एक उरुप्ररोह- स्तस्मै नमो भगवते भुवनद्रुमाय ॥ १६ ॥
yo vā ahaṁ ca giriśaś ca vibhuḥ svayaṁ ca sthity-udbhava-pralaya-hetava ātma-mūlam bhittvā tri-pād vavṛdha eka uru-prarohas tasmai namo bhagavate bhuvana-drumāya
主啊，您是诸行星世界之树的本源之根。您穿透物质自然，显现为三干——梵天、湿婆与您自身这位全能者——作为创造、维持与毁灭之因；我们三者如众多枝条般扩展。因此我顶礼那位化作宇宙之树的薄伽梵。
The cosmic manifestation is grossly divided into three worlds, the upper, lower and middle planetary systems, and then it broadens into the cosmos of fourteen planetary systems, with the manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the supreme root. Material nature, which appears to be the cause of the cosmic manifestation, is only the agency or energy of the Lord. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (9.10) : mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram. “Only under the superintendence of the Supreme Lord does material nature appear to be the cause of all creation, maintenance and dissolution.” The Lord expands Himself into three — Viṣṇu, Brahmā and Śiva — for maintenance, creation and destruction respectively. Of the three principal agents controlling the three modes of material nature, Viṣṇu is the Almighty; even though He is within material nature for the purpose of maintenance, He is not controlled by the laws of material nature. The other two, Brahmā and Śiva, although almost as greatly powerful as Viṣṇu, are within the control of the material energy of the Supreme Lord. The conception of many gods controlling the many departments of material nature is ill conceived of by the foolish pantheist. God is one without a second, and He is the primal cause of all causes. As there are many departmental heads of governmental affairs, so there are many heads of management of the universal affairs.
FAQs
This verse states that even Brahmā and Śiva function as causes of creation and destruction only by depending on the Supreme Lord, who is the original root-cause (ātma-mūla) behind all cosmic processes.
Brahmā includes Śiva to emphasize that the highest cosmic administrators are not independent; their powers operate through the Supreme Lord, establishing Viṣṇu as the ultimate source beyond all secondary causes.
It encourages humility and devotion: recognize that abilities, authority, and success are dependent on a higher source, and cultivate gratitude, service, and surrender rather than ego-based control.