The Cause of All Causes

Verse 1 (bhagavata.2.5.1)

नारद उवाच देवदेव नमस्तेऽस्तु भूतभावन पूर्वज । तद् विजानीहि यज्ज्ञानमात्मतत्त्वनिदर्शनम् ॥ १ ॥

nārada uvāca deva-deva namas te ’stu bhūta-bhāvana pūrvaja tad vijānīhi yaj jñānam ātma-tattva-nidarśanam

Narada said: Obeisance to you, O god of gods, source of all beings, firstborn one. Explain to me that knowledge which reveals the truth of the self.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.2.5.2)

यद्रूपं यदधिष्ठानं यतः सृष्टमिदं प्रभो । यत्संस्थं यत्परं यच्च तत् तत्त्वं वद तत्त्वतः ॥ २ ॥

yad rūpaṁ yad adhiṣṭhānaṁ yataḥ sṛṣṭam idaṁ prabho yat saṁsthaṁ yat paraṁ yac ca tat tattvaṁ vada tattvataḥ

O lord, tell me truly the truth of this creation — its form, its foundation, the source from which it was created, that in which it rests, and that which stands beyond it.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.2.5.3)

सर्वं ह्येतद् भवान् वेद भूतभव्यभवत्प्रभुः । करामलकवद् विश्वं विज्ञानावसितं तव ॥ ३ ॥

sarvaṁ hy etad bhavān veda bhūta-bhavya-bhavat-prabhuḥ karāmalaka-vad viśvaṁ vijñānāvasitaṁ tava

All of this, indeed, you know, O lord of past, future and present; the universe rests entirely within your understanding, as clear to you as a fruit held in the palm of your hand.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.2.5.4)

यद्विज्ञानो यदाधारो यत्परस्त्वं यदात्मकः । एकः सृजसि भूतानि भूतैरेवात्ममायया ॥ ४ ॥

yad-vijñāno yad-ādhāro yat-paras tvaṁ yad-ātmakaḥ ekaḥ sṛjasi bhūtāni bhūtair evātma-māyayā

From what does your knowledge derive, on what do you rest, to what are you subordinate, and of what nature are you — is it you alone who, through your own creative power, brings forth all beings out of the elements?

Verse 5 (bhagavata.2.5.5)

आत्मन् भावयसे तानी न पराभावयन् स्वयम् । आत्मशक्तिमवष्टभ्य ऊर्णनाभिरिवाक्लमः ॥ ५ ॥

ātman bhāvayase tāni na parābhāvayan svayam ātma-śaktim avaṣṭabhya ūrṇanābhir ivāklamaḥ

You bring them into being from within yourself, needing no other's aid, relying solely on your own inherent power — just as the spider, without exertion, spins its web out of itself.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.2.5.6)

नाहं वेद परं ह्यस्मिन्नापरं न समं विभो । नामरूपगुणैर्भाव्यं सदसत् किञ्चिदन्यतः ॥ ६ ॥

nāhaṁ veda paraṁ hy asmin nāparaṁ na samaṁ vibho nāma-rūpa-guṇair bhāvyaṁ sad-asat kiñcid anyataḥ

O mighty one, I know of nothing in this world — superior, inferior, or equal — that could be brought into being with name, form and quality, whether real or unreal, from any source other than yourself.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.2.5.7)

स भवानचरद् घोरं यत् तपः सुसमाहितः । तेन खेदयसे नस्त्वं पराशङ्कां च यच्छसि ॥ ७ ॥

sa bhavān acarad ghoraṁ yat tapaḥ susamāhitaḥ tena khedayase nas tvaṁ parā-śaṅkāṁ ca yacchasi

Yet you yourself once performed such severe and disciplined austerity — and that very fact troubles us, and stirs a doubt about something beyond you.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.2.5.8)

एतन्मे पृच्छतः सर्वं सर्वज्ञ सकलेश्वर । विजानीहि यथैवेदमहं बुध्येऽनुशासितः ॥ ८ ॥

etan me pṛcchataḥ sarvaṁ sarva-jña sakaleśvara vijānīhi yathaivedam ahaṁ budhye ’nuśāsitaḥ

O all-knowing lord of all, please answer everything I have asked, in such a way that I, taught by you, may fully understand it.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.2.5.9)

ब्रह्मोवाच सम्यक् कारुणिकस्येदं वत्स ते विचिकित्सितम् । यदहं चोदितः सौम्य भगवद्वीर्यदर्शने ॥ ९ ॥

brahmovāca samyak kāruṇikasyedaṁ vatsa te vicikitsitam yad ahaṁ coditaḥ saumya bhagavad-vīrya-darśane

Brahma said: This doubt of yours, dear child, is entirely fitting for one so compassionate, since through it, gentle one, I too am moved to reflect upon the power of Bhagavan.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.2.5.10)

नानृतं तव तच्चापि यथा मां प्रब्रवीषि भोः । अविज्ञाय परं मत्त एतावत्त्वं यतो हि मे ॥ १० ॥

nānṛtaṁ tava tac cāpi yathā māṁ prabravīṣi bhoḥ avijñāya paraṁ matta etāvat tvaṁ yato hi me

Nor is what you have said about me false, my son; for without knowing that Supreme beyond even me, one would naturally speak of me exactly as you have.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.2.5.11)

येन स्वरोचिषा विश्वं रोचितं रोचयाम्यहम् । यथार्कोऽग्निर्यथा सोमो यथर्क्षग्रहतारकाः ॥ ११ ॥

yena sva-rociṣā viśvaṁ rocitaṁ rocayāmy aham yathārko ’gnir yathā somo yatharkṣa-graha-tārakāḥ

By whose own radiance the universe was first made luminous, and by that same light I too shine — just as the sun, fire, the moon, the stars, and the planets all shine by that light.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.2.5.12)

तस्मै नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय धीमहि । यन्मायया दुर्जयया मां वदन्ति जगद्गुरुम् ॥ १२ ॥

tasmai namo bhagavate vāsudevāya dhīmahi yan-māyayā durjayayā māṁ vadanti jagad-gurum

To that Bhagavan Vasudeva we offer our obeisance and meditate upon Him, by whose unconquerable maya people even come to call me the teacher of the universe.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.2.5.13)

विलज्जमानया यस्य स्थातुमीक्षापथेऽमुया । विमोहिता विकत्थन्ते ममाहमिति दुर्धियः ॥ १३ ॥

vilajjamānayā yasya sthātum īkṣā-pathe ’muyā vimohitā vikatthante mamāham iti durdhiyaḥ

That maya of His herself feels too ashamed to stand openly before His gaze; yet those bewildered by her go on boasting foolishly, 'This is mine' and 'I am the doer.'

Verse 14 (bhagavata.2.5.14)

द्रव्यं कर्म च कालश्च स्वभावो जीव एव च । वासुदेवात्परो ब्रह्मन्न च चान्योऽर्थोऽस्ति तत्त्वतः ॥ १४ ॥

dravyaṁ karma ca kālaś ca svabhāvo jīva eva ca vāsudevāt paro brahman na cānyo ’rtho ’sti tattvataḥ

O brahmana, matter, action, time, inherent nature, and the individual soul — none of these have any reality apart from Vasudeva; in truth there exists no other substance beyond Him.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.2.5.15)

नारायणपरा वेदा देवा नारायणाङ्गजाः । नारायणपरा लोका नारायणपरा मखाः ॥ १५ ॥

nārāyaṇa-parā vedā devā nārāyaṇāṅgajāḥ nārāyaṇa-parā lokā nārāyaṇa-parā makhāḥ

The Vedas exist for the sake of Narayana, the gods are born as limbs of Narayana, the worlds exist for Narayana, and sacrifices too are performed for the sake of Narayana.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.2.5.16)

नारायणपरो योगो नारायणपरं तपः । नारायणपरं ज्ञानं नारायणपरा गतिः ॥ १६ ॥

nārāyaṇa-paro yogo nārāyaṇa-paraṁ tapaḥ nārāyaṇa-paraṁ jñānaṁ nārāyaṇa-parā gatiḥ

Yoga is directed toward Narayana, austerity is directed toward Narayana, knowledge is directed toward Narayana, and the final goal itself is Narayana.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.2.5.17)

तस्यापि द्रष्टुरीशस्य कूटस्थस्याखिलात्मनः । सृज्यं सृजामि सृष्टोऽहमीक्षयैवाभिचोदितः ॥ १७ ॥

tasyāpi draṣṭur īśasya kūṭa-sthasyākhilātmanaḥ sṛjyaṁ sṛjāmi sṛṣṭo ’ham īkṣayaivābhicoditaḥ

I, myself created by Him, merely bring forth what He, the witness, the unchanging controller, the Self of all, has already envisioned — impelled by nothing more than His glance.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.2.5.18)

सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति निर्गुणस्य गुणास्त्रयः । स्थितिसर्गनिरोधेषु गृहीता मायया विभोः ॥ १८ ॥

sattvaṁ rajas tama iti nirguṇasya guṇās trayaḥ sthiti-sarga-nirodheṣu gṛhītā māyayā vibhoḥ

Goodness, passion and ignorance are the three qualities taken up, through His maya, by that mighty Lord who is otherwise beyond all qualities — assumed for the sake of creation, maintenance and dissolution.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.2.5.19)

कार्यकारणकर्तृत्वे द्रव्यज्ञानक्रियाश्रयाः । बध्नन्ति नित्यदा मुक्तं मायिनं पुरुषं गुणाः ॥ १९ ॥

kārya-kāraṇa-kartṛtve dravya-jñāna-kriyāśrayāḥ badhnanti nityadā muktaṁ māyinaṁ puruṣaṁ guṇāḥ

Resting upon matter, knowledge and action, these qualities, in the roles of cause, effect and agent, continually bind the person who has come under maya — though he is by nature ever free.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.2.5.20)

स एष भगवाल्लिंङ्गैस्त्रिभिरेतैरधोक्षजः । स्वलक्षितगतिर्ब्रह्मन् सर्वेषां मम चेश्वरः ॥ २० ॥

sa eṣa bhagavāḻ liṅgais tribhir etair adhokṣajaḥ svalakṣita-gatir brahman sarveṣāṁ mama ceśvaraḥ

That same Bhagavan, beyond the reach of the senses, moves through these three signs in a way scarcely perceptible even to Himself, O brahmana — and He is the controller of everyone, myself included.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.2.5.21)

कालं कर्म स्वभावं च मायेशो मायया स्वया । आत्मन् यदृच्छया प्राप्तं विबुभूषुरुपाददे ॥ २१ ॥

kālaṁ karma svabhāvaṁ ca māyeśo māyayā svayā ātman yadṛcchayā prāptaṁ vibubhūṣur upādade

That Lord of maya, desiring to manifest variously, took up of His own accord, through His own power, time, action and inherent nature — all resting within His own Self.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.2.5.22)

कालाद् गुणव्यतिकरः परिणामः स्वभावतः । कर्मणो जन्म महतः पुरुषाधिष्ठितादभूत् ॥ २२ ॥

kālād guṇa-vyatikaraḥ pariṇāmaḥ svabhāvataḥ karmaṇo janma mahataḥ puruṣādhiṣṭhitād abhūt

From time came the intermixture of the qualities; from that inherent nature came transformation; and from action, presided over by the Purusha, the mahat-tattva was born.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.2.5.23)

महतस्तु विकुर्वाणाद्रजःसत्त्वोपबृंहितात् । तमःप्रधानस्त्वभवद् द्रव्यज्ञानक्रियात्मकः ॥ २३ ॥

mahatas tu vikurvāṇād rajaḥ-sattvopabṛṁhitāt tamaḥ-pradhānas tv abhavad dravya-jñāna-kriyātmakaḥ

From the transformation of the mahat-tattva, itself enriched with passion and goodness, there arose that which is dominated by ignorance and composed of matter, knowledge and activity.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.2.5.24)

सोऽहङ्कार इति प्रोक्तो विकुर्वन् समभूत्त्रिधा । वैकारिकस्तैजसश्च तामसश्चेति यद्भिदा । द्रव्यशक्तिः क्रियाशक्तिर्ज्ञानशक्तिरिति प्रभो ॥ २४ ॥

so ’haṅkāra iti prokto vikurvan samabhūt tridhā vaikārikas taijasaś ca tāmasaś ceti yad-bhidā dravya-śaktiḥ kriyā-śaktir jñāna-śaktir iti prabho

That is called ahamkara, the false ego, and through its transformation it became threefold — the sattvic, the rajasic and the tamasic — divided, O lord, into the power that produces matter, the power of action, and the power of knowledge.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.2.5.25)

तामसादपि भूतादेर्विकुर्वाणादभून्नभः । तस्य मात्रा गुणः शब्दो लिङ्गं यद् द्रष्टृदृश्ययोः ॥ २५ ॥

tāmasād api bhūtāder vikurvāṇād abhūn nabhaḥ tasya mātrā guṇaḥ śabdo liṅgaṁ yad draṣṭṛ-dṛśyayoḥ

From the transformation of that tamasic ego, the first of the elements, came ether; its subtle essence is the quality of sound, which serves as the link between the seer and the seen.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.2.5.26)

नभसोऽथ विकुर्वाणादभूत् स्पर्शगुणोऽनिलः । परान्वयाच्छब्दवांश्च प्राण ओजः सहो बलम् ॥ २६ ॥

nabhaso ’tha vikurvāṇād abhūt sparśa-guṇo ’nilaḥ parānvayāc chabdavāṁś ca prāṇa ojaḥ saho balam

From the transformation of ether came air, possessing the quality of touch, and, by inheritance from what came before, also possessing sound; from it too arise the life-breath, vitality, vigor and strength.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.2.5.27)

वायोरपि विकुर्वाणात् कालकर्मस्वभावतः । उदपद्यत तेजो वै रूपवत् स्पर्शशब्दवत् ॥ २७ ॥

vāyor api vikurvāṇāt kāla-karma-svabhāvataḥ udapadyata tejo vai rūpavat sparśa-śabdavat

From the transformation of air too, under the working of time, action and inherent nature, fire arose, possessing form, and, inherited from before, touch and sound as well.

Verse 28 (bhagavata.2.5.28)

तेजसस्तु विकुर्वाणादासीदम्भो रसात्मकम् । रूपवत् स्पर्शवच्चाम्भो घोषवच्च परान्वयात् ॥ २८ ॥

tejasas tu vikurvāṇād āsīd ambho rasātmakam rūpavat sparśavac cāmbho ghoṣavac ca parānvayāt

From the transformation of fire came water, whose essence is taste, and, by inheritance from before, water too possesses form, touch, and sound.

Verse 29 (bhagavata.2.5.29)

विशेषस्तु विकुर्वाणादम्भसो गन्धवानभूत् । परान्वयाद् रसस्पर्शशब्दरूपगुणान्वितः ॥ २९ ॥

viśeṣas tu vikurvāṇād ambhaso gandhavān abhūt parānvayād rasa-sparśa- śabda-rūpa-guṇānvitaḥ

And from the particular transformation of water arose that which possesses smell — the earth — which, inheriting from what came before, is endowed as well with the qualities of taste, touch, sound and form.

Verse 30 (bhagavata.2.5.30)

वैकारिकान्मनो जज्ञे देवा वैकारिका दश । दिग्वातार्कप्रचेतोऽश्विवह्नीन्द्रोपेन्द्रमित्रकाः ॥ ३० ॥

vaikārikān mano jajñe devā vaikārikā daśa dig-vātārka-praceto ’śvi- vahnīndropendra-mitra-kāḥ

From the sattvic ego arose the mind, and from it too the ten sattvic deities — the presiding gods of the directions, wind, sun, waters, the two Ashvins, fire, Indra, Upendra, Mitra, and Brahma.

Verse 31 (bhagavata.2.5.31)

तैजसात् तु विकुर्वाणादिन्द्रियाणि दशाभवन् । ज्ञानशक्तिः क्रियाशक्तिर्बुद्धिः प्राणश्च तैजसौ । श्रोत्रं त्वग्घ्राणदृग्जिह्वा वागदोर्मेढ्राङ्घ्रिपायवः ॥ ३१ ॥

taijasāt tu vikurvāṇād indriyāṇi daśābhavan jñāna-śaktiḥ kriyā-śaktir buddhiḥ prāṇaś ca taijasau śrotraṁ tvag-ghrāṇa-dṛg-jihvā vāg-dor-meḍhrāṅghri-pāyavaḥ

From the transformation of the rajasic ego the ten senses arose — the power of knowledge and the power of action — together with intelligence and the vital breath, both also born of that same rajasic ego: the ear, skin, nose, eye and tongue, and the organs of speech, hands, genitals, feet and evacuation.

Verse 32 (bhagavata.2.5.32)

यदैतेऽसङ्गता भावा भूतेन्द्रियमनोगुणाः । यदायतननिर्माणे न शेकुर्ब्रह्मवित्तम ॥ ३२ ॥

yadaite ’saṅgatā bhāvā bhūtendriya-mano-guṇāḥ yadāyatana-nirmāṇe na śekur brahma-vittama

O foremost knower of Brahman, as long as these — the elements, the senses, the mind and the qualities — remained scattered and unjoined, they were unable to bring the body's structure into being.

Verse 33 (bhagavata.2.5.33)

तदा संहृत्य चान्योन्यं भगवच्छक्तिचोदिताः । सदसत्त्वमुपादाय चोभयं ससृजुर्ह्यदः ॥ ३३ ॥

tadā saṁhatya cānyonyaṁ bhagavac-chakti-coditāḥ sad-asattvam upādāya cobhayaṁ sasṛjur hy adaḥ

Then, impelled by the power of Bhagavan, they came together with one another, and, taking up both the manifest and the unmanifest, together they brought this universe into being.

Verse 34 (bhagavata.2.5.34)

वर्षपूगसहस्रान्ते तदण्डमुदकेशयम् । कालकर्मस्वभावस्थो जीवोऽजीवमजीवयत् ॥ ३४ ॥

varṣa-pūga-sahasrānte tad aṇḍam udake śayam kāla-karma-svabhāva-stho jīvo ’jīvam ajīvayat

After thousands of years had passed, that cosmic egg lay resting in the water; and the living Lord, present within it through time, action and nature, brought that lifeless mass to life.

Verse 35 (bhagavata.2.5.35)

स एव पुरुषस्तस्मादण्डं निर्भिद्य निर्गतः । सहस्रोर्वङ्घ्रिबाह्वक्षः सहस्राननशीर्षवान् ॥ ३५ ॥

sa eva puruṣas tasmād aṇḍaṁ nirbhidya nirgataḥ sahasrorv-aṅghri-bāhv-akṣaḥ sahasrānana-śīrṣavān

That same Purusha, breaking through the egg, emerged from it, possessing a thousand thighs, feet, arms and eyes, and a thousand faces and heads.

Verse 36 (bhagavata.2.5.36)

यस्येहावयवैर्लोकान् कल्पयन्ति मनीषिणः । कट्यादिभिरधः सप्त सप्तोर्ध्वं जघनादिभिः ॥ ३६ ॥

yasyehāvayavair lokān kalpayanti manīṣiṇaḥ kaṭya-ādibhir adhaḥ sapta saptordhvaṁ jaghanādibhiḥ

By whose limbs the wise conceive of all the worlds — the seven lower systems beginning from the waist downward, and the seven upper systems beginning from the hips upward.

Verse 37 (bhagavata.2.5.37)

पुरुषस्य मुखं ब्रह्म क्षत्रमेतस्य बाहवः । ऊर्वोर्वैश्यो भगवतः पद्भ्यां शूद्रो व्यजायत ॥ ३७ ॥

puruṣasya mukhaṁ brahma kṣatram etasya bāhavaḥ ūrvor vaiśyo bhagavataḥ padbhyāṁ śūdro vyajāyata

The brahmana arose from the mouth of that Purusha, the kshatriya from His arms; from the thighs of Bhagavan the vaishya was born, and from His feet the shudra came into being.

Verse 38 (bhagavata.2.5.38)

भूर्लोकः कल्पितः पद्भ्यां भुवर्लोकोऽस्य नाभितः । हृदा स्वर्लोक उरसा महर्लोको महात्मनः ॥ ३८ ॥

bhūrlokaḥ kalpitaḥ padbhyāṁ bhuvarloko ’sya nābhitaḥ hṛdā svarloka urasā maharloko mahātmanaḥ

Bhurloka is conceived as His feet, Bhuvarloka as His navel; Svarloka rests in the heart of that great Self, and Maharloka in His chest.

Verse 39 (bhagavata.2.5.39)

ग्रीवायां जनलोकोऽस्य तपोलोकः स्तनद्वयात् । मूर्धभिः सत्यलोकस्तु ब्रह्मलोकः सनातनः ॥ ३९ ॥

grīvāyāṁ janaloko ’sya tapolokaḥ stana-dvayāt mūrdhabhiḥ satyalokas tu brahmalokaḥ sanātanaḥ

Janaloka rests in His neck, Tapoloka rises from between His two breasts, and Satyaloka, the eternal Brahmaloka, is situated at His head.

Verse 40 (bhagavata.2.5.40)

तत्कट्यां चातलं क्लृप्तमूरुभ्यां वितलं विभोः । जानुभ्यां सुतलं शुद्धं जङ्घाभ्यां तु तलातलम् ॥ ४० ॥

tat-kaṭyāṁ cātalaṁ kḷptam ūrubhyāṁ vitalaṁ vibhoḥ jānubhyāṁ sutalaṁ śuddhaṁ jaṅghābhyāṁ tu talātalam

At His waist Atala is set, at the thighs of that mighty Lord lies Vitala; at the knees, pure Sutala, and at the shins, Talatala.

Verse 41 (bhagavata.2.5.41)

महातलं तु गुल्फाभ्यां प्रपदाभ्यां रसातलम् । पातालं पादतलत इति लोकमयः पुमान् ॥ ४१ ॥

mahātalaṁ tu gulphābhyāṁ prapadābhyāṁ rasātalam pātālaṁ pāda-talata iti lokamayaḥ pumān

At the ankles is Mahatala, at the front of the feet Rasatala, and at the very soles of the feet, Patala — thus that Person is made entirely of these worlds.

Verse 42 (bhagavata.2.5.42)

भूर्लोकः कल्पितः पद्भ्यां भुवर्लोकोऽस्य नाभितः । स्वर्लोकः कल्पितो मूर्ध्ना इति वा लोककल्पना ॥ ४२ ॥

bhūrlokaḥ kalpitaḥ padbhyāṁ bhuvarloko ’sya nābhitaḥ svarlokaḥ kalpito mūrdhnā iti vā loka-kalpanā

Or, in another accounting, Bhurloka is conceived at His feet, Bhuvarloka at His navel, and Svarloka at His head — such is this alternate conception of the worlds.