Bhagawatam 111: Lord Brahma’s prayers; Lord Srihari blesses him to begin creation

Harayē namah.

Lord Brahma continues, “In order to obtain You, O Lord, I have performed intense austerities for very long periods of time. I have also performed innumerable Yagnas. You are the presiding deity for all Yagnas. You are the embodiment of time. To You, O Lord, I offer my obeisance.

You do not entertain even slightest inclination towards worldly comforts. Even then, out of your own free will, You take birth in various wombs of varied species such as animals, birds, celestials, humans and others, and with a desire to abide by the rules of righteousness that You had created, You playfully engage in divine sports. O Purushottama! To You I offer my obeisance.

O Parameshwara! At the time of dissolution you retain the various living beings in your womb. The five mental afflictions viz., spiritual ignorance (avidya), sense of I-ness (asmita), attachments (rāga), aversion (dweśa) and fear of death (abhiniveśa) do not even touch You. Yet, with the desire that the living beings should rest peacefully within your womb, in these fearful and violent waters of dissolution, You sleep peacefully on the soft snake-bed of Adishesha. You go into yogic sleep at that time.

O worshipful Lord! Through my tasks of creating these three worlds, I will be fulfilling the purpose of my birth. Due to Your will I was born from Your navel-lotus. This entire creation rests in Your womb. Your yogic sleep is about to come to an end. Your beautiful lotus eyes are opening just like blossoming lotuses. You cause welfare to the entire universe. You are the form of the Self.

O Srihari! Please grant me the knowledge by which I can bring happiness to this world. You cause happiness in those who have surrendered completely to you. You shower boons upon them. Together with Goddess Lakshmi, who is your inner energy, You incarnate and show Your transcendental qualities and glories.

My deed of creation is also Your grace. I pray that even while I am engaged in creation my mind should eternally be focused upon You.  The arrogance that ‘I am creating’ should not touch me. O Lord, I offer obeisance to You.

O Purushottama! O Lord of infinite energies! I was born from Your navel-lotus when You were sleeping in the violent waters of the ocean of dissolution. I am nothing but Your intelligence. I am about to create different planes of existence which are filled with varied types of living beings. This world is also another of Your forms. I pray that methodical reciting the Vedas should not stop in me, who am busy creating.

You are the primordial being. You are an epitome of compassion. You possess a charming face which overflows with love. Open your blossoming lotus eyes O Lord! Please wake up! Only then can I begin my task of creation! O Lord! Please wake up! With your melodious words kindly dispel the sorrow that has engulfed me”.

Through intense austerities and with a pure mind filled with devotion Lord Brahma had worshipped the Lord for a very long period of time and was now blessed with divine darshan. He glorified the Lord to the best of his mental and verbal capacities. As if he was tired, he now stopped his prayers.

Lord Brahma was grieving as he did not possess the required knowledge that would enable him to proceed with the task of creation. Seeing the fiery waters of the ocean of dissolution he was sorrowful.  Madhusudana, the Supreme Lord, who understood Brahma’s thoughts, decided to drive away His delusion. In a deep serious voice He said,

“O Brahma! You are the repository of the Vedas. Give up this sorrow and weariness and begin your task of creation. Your desire to create I have already fulfilled before.

Once again begin penance and worship. With this, you will be able to see all the planes of existence (lokas) clearly within your inner mind. Thereafter you will be able to see Me as pervading throughout your creation. You will also see that you and this creation of yours exist in me alone!

Yadā tu sarva-bhūteṣu dāruṣv agnim iva sthitam

Praticakṣīta mā loko jahyāt tarhy eva kaśmalam

 Like fire exists inherently within wood, I exist within all living beings. The moment a person realizes this profound truth, his impurities, which exist in the form of his spiritual ignorance, will be destroyed.

Yadā rahitam ātmānaṁ bhūtendriya-guṇāśayai

Svarūpeṇa mayopetaṁ paśyan svārājyam ṛcchati 

‘I have an existence which is separate from the five basis elements, the senses, the traits of goodness, action and passion and the four fold mind. I am the Pure Consciousness and the form of the Supreme Lord’- the moment the person realizes this profound truth, he will attain the supreme kingdom called liberation.

O Brahma! You desire to create innumerable beings in accordance with their destiny. During this process of creation, your inner mind will not be contaminated with infatuation and illusion. This is because my grace has completely fallen upon you.

You are first mantra-drṣta (seer of the mantra) in this creation. The sinful traits of action/ passion (rajo guna) can never bind you. Even though you are busy in the tasks of creation, your mind will forever be engaged in Me.

A human being cannot know Me unless and until he puts in stringent efforts. In other words, I am not easily known. But you have been able to know me now. You have realized that I am beyond the five basic elements, the senses, the four-fold mind and the three modes of Nature.

Trying to know your origins and the support for your existence, through the medium of the lotus stem you travelled externally searching for me but failed. But then I have shown you my true form only through your inner mind (from within).

My dear son! It was purely due to My grace that you could render My glories. You are truly dedicated towards penance. You have prayed to Me seeking to fulfill your desire of creating these worlds”.

Haraye namah.

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