Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 2 Chapter 6:1-17

Book 2: Chapter 6

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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 2: Chapter 6: Verses 1-17
Glories of the Cosmic Being

Brahma continued : The mouth of the Cosmic Being is the birth-place of the organ of speech as well as of the god of fire (the deity presiding over it;) the seven Dhatus or essential ingredients of His Body (viz., skin, flesh, blood, fat, marrow, sinew and bone) are the source of the seven Vedic metres (viz., Gayatri, Jagati, Usnik, Tristubh, Anustubh, Pankti and Brhati); and even so His tongue is the source of all kinds of food-the food of the gods, the food of the manes and the remains of both (which is like ambrosia for human beings)-of the six varieties of taste, as well as of the sense of taste, and the birth-place of Varuna (the deity presiding over the same). His nostrils are the excellent source of all the five kinds of vital airs (viz., Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana and Samana) as well as of the element of air; similarly His olfactory sense is the birth-place of the twin-gods, Aswins (the celestial physicians) and the source of all kinds of foodgrains, as well as of all ordinary and special odours. His sense of sight is the source of all colours as well as of the lights that reveal them; while His eyes are the source of heaven and the birth-place of the sun. Even so His ears are the source of the four cardinal points as well as of all sacred places; His sense of hearing, of ether and its special characteristic, sound, while His limbs are the source of the essence of all things, and the receptacle of all loveliness. His sense of touch is the source of touch as well as of the element of air and even so of all kinds of sacrificial performances. Similarly the hair on His body are the source of all kinds of trees and plants or (according to another view) of such of them as contribute to the performance of sacrifices. His hair are the source of clouds and His beard and moustaches, of lightning; while the nails of His fingers and toes are the source of rocks and iron. Similarly His arms are the birth-place of the guardians of spheres, who are mostly engaged in the work of protecting the universe. His stride is the support of the three worlds-the earth, the region of the air and heaven; while Sri Hari's feet are the source of security and protection as also the place where all one's desired objects can be had. The penis of the Cosmic Being is the source of water, the seminal fluid and creation, and the birth-place of the god of rain as well as of Prajapati (the god presiding over creation); white His faculty of generation is the source of delight resulting from copulation for the sake of offspring. Even so His organ of excretion, 0 Narada, is the birth-place of Yama (the god of retribution) as well as of the god Mitra, and the origin of the function of evacuating the bowels; while His anus has been spoken of as the source of all destruction of life, the origin of hell and the birth-place of Mrtyu (the god of death) as well as of Nirrti (the goddess of poverty). His back is the source of defeat and unrighteousness, as well as of Tamas (the principle of darkness or opacity). His arteries and veins are the source of big and small rivers, while the system of His bones is the source of mountains. The abdomen of the Cosmic Being is known to be the source of the Unmanifest (Primordial Matter), the chyle and the oceans and the origin of all beings as well as of their dissolution; while His heart is reputed to be the source of the mind. Even so the Citta (Reason) of the Supreme is the excellent source of Dharma (righteousness and the god presiding over it), myself (Brahma), yourself (Narada), Sanaka and his three brothers (Sanatana, Sanandana and Sanatkumara) and Lord Siva, as also of Vijnana (understanding) and the faculty of reason. Myself and yourself, Lord Sankara, those elder brothers of yours ( Sanaka and others), the gods, demons and men, the Nagas, birds, deer and reptiles, the Gandharvas and celestial nymphs, the Yaksas, Raksasas and Bhutas (ghosts), serpents and beasts, the manes, the Siddhas, Vidyadharas and Caranas (the celestial bards), trees and other species of living beings residing either in water, on land or in the air, the planets and lunar mansions, comets and other stars, lightnings and thundering clouds-nay, all this universe, past, present and future, is no other than the Supreme Person. It is by Him that all this stands pervaded and it covers only a span of the Cosmic Being. Even as the sun shines outside while illumining its own orb, so does the Supreme Person cast His effulgence inside as well as outside the universe, while illumining His own Cosmic Body. He transcends all that is subject to death as well as the fruit of action, and is the lord of that immortal and fearless state (of Moksa). That is why, O divine sage, no one can fathom the glory of the Supreme Person.

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