Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 8 Chapter 5:39-50

Book 8: Chapter 5

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 8: Chapter 5: Verses 39-50 The gods resort to Brahma and the latter glorifies the Lord May He be favourably inclined towards us-the Lord possessed of unbounded glory, from whose strength sprang up the mighty Indra (the lord of paradise); from whose grace, the gods; from whose wrath, Lord Siva (the Lord of Mount Kailasa); from whose intellect, Brahma (the creator); from whose appertures in the body, the (various Vedic) metres (Gayatri and so on) as well as the Rsis (seers) and from whose membrum virile, emanated Prajapati (the deity presiding over procreation). May He be propitious to us-the Lord possessed of infinite glory, from whose bosom issued forth Sri (the goddess of fortune and beauty); by whose shadow were brought forth the manes; from whose breast sprang up Dharma (the god of piety), from whose back, Adharma (the spirit presiding over unrighteousness), from whose head, heaven; and from whose recreation, proceeded the Apsaras (celestial nymphs). May He be gracious to us-the Lord possessed of infinite power, from whose mouth sprang up the Brahmana (the sacerdotal class) as well as the Veda treating of subjects falling beyond the scope of the senses; from whose arms, the Ksatriya (the'martial class) as well as the strength (the capacity to rule); from whose thighs, the Vaisya (the trading and agricultural class) and the skill in business; and from whose feet emanated (the vocation of) service (which has been excluded from the range of the study of the Vedas) and the Sudra (the labouring and the artisan class, which has been declared fit for this vocation). May He be favourably inclined to us-the Lord possessed of infinite glory, from whose lower lip emanated greed; from whose upper lip, love; from whose nose, splendour, by whose touch was engendered concupiscence, which is (so) agreeable to animals and those akin to them; from whose eyebrows; sprang up Yama ( the god of retribution); and from whose eyelashes came forth Kala (the Time-Spirit). The learned declare the (five gross) elements, Time, destiny(of the Jivas), the (three) modes of Prakrti (viz., Sattva, Rajas and Tamas) and the material universe-which (being products of Maya) are not only difficult to comprehend but are (totally) disregarded by the wise-as brought about by His Yogamaya (wonderful creative energy). May that Lord possessed of boundless power be favourably disposed towards us. (My) salutation be to Him in whom (all) energies (in the shape of the three Gunas-Sattva, Rajas and Tamas) have become dormant, whose mind (ever) remains sated with the enjoyment of supreme Bliss (which is His very nature), who never gets attached to the (aforesaid three) Gunas, created by Maya, through His faculties (of sight etc.), and whose role is (thus) similar to that of the air (which, though moving everywhere, does not get attached anywhere). Such as You are, be pleased to reveal Yourself- in such a way as to come within the range of our senses (of perception)- to us, that have resorted to You (for protection) and are eager to behold Your smiling lotus-like countenance. For, through diverse forms assumed at His own sweet will from time to time, O Lord, the Almighty Himself (in You) does that work which is beyond our capacity. The actions of embodied souls who are attached to the pleasures of sense involve much hardship and are of little consequence. Nay, (more often than not) they prove (altogether) futile. Action (however) which has been resigned to You is never like that (It involves little exertion, yields very substantial results and is never futile). Even a poor semblance of action resigned to God (Yourself) can never lead to frustration; for, being the (very) Self of the diva, that (celebrated) Lord is beloved of and friendly to the latter. (Anything resigned to a beloved friend should never cause disappointment). Even as watering the roots of a tree is nourishing its trunk and boughs as well), so indeed to propitiate Lord Visnu is to propitiate all as well as oneself. Hail to You, the infinite Lord, whose spontaneous movements are hard to comprehend, who, while transcending the (three) Gunas (modes of Prakrti), are their Ruler (too) and are now established in Sattva (the quality of goodness, essential for the preservation of the world). these, the ether. Thus ends the fifth discourse, forming part of the story relating to the churning of the ocean for the sake of nectar, in Book Eight of the great and glorious Bhagavata-Purana, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Samhita.