The Fate of Brahma and the Other Gods

Verse 1 (devibhagavatam.3.2.1)

व्यास उवाच । यत्त्वया च महाबाहो पृष्टोऽहं कुरुसत्तम । तान्प्रश्नान्नारदः प्राह मया पृष्टो मुनीश्वरः

vyāsa uvāca yattvayā ca mahābāho pṛṣṭo'haṁ kurusattama tānpraśnānnāradaḥ prāha mayā pṛṣṭo munīśvaraḥ

Vyasa said: "Whatever you have asked me, O mighty-armed one, best of the Kurus — those very questions, when I once asked the lord of sages Narada, he answered them for me."

Verse 2 (devibhagavatam.3.2.2)

नारद उवाच । व्यास किं ते ब्रवीम्यद्य पुराऽयं संशयो मम । उत्पन्नो हृदयेऽत्यर्थं सन्देहासारपीडितः

nārada uvāca vyāsa kiṁ te bravīmyadya purā'yaṁ saṁśayo mama utpanno hṛdaye'tyarthaṁ sandehāsārapīḍitaḥ

Narada said: "O Vyasa, what shall I tell you today? Long ago this same doubt arose intensely in my own heart, and I was afflicted by the futile pain of uncertainty."

Verse 3 (devibhagavatam.3.2.3)

गत्वाऽहं पितरं स्थाने ब्रह्माणममितौजसम् । अपृच्छं यत्त्वया पृष्टं व्यासाद्य प्रश्नमुत्तमम्

gatvā'haṁ pitaraṁ sthāne brahmāṇamamitaujasam apṛcchaṁ yattvayā pṛṣṭaṁ vyāsādya praśnamuttamam

Having gone to my father Brahma, of measureless splendour, in his abode, I asked him, O Vyasa, this very excellent question that you have asked today.

Verse 4 (devibhagavatam.3.2.4)

पितः कुतः समुत्पन्नं ब्रह्माण्डमखिलं विभो । भवत्कृतेन वा सम्यक् किं वा विष्णुकृतं त्विदम्

pitaḥ kutaḥ samutpannaṁ brahmāṇḍamakhilaṁ vibho bhavatkṛtena vā samyak kiṁ vā viṣṇukṛtaṁ tvidam

"O father, from where did this entire cosmic egg arise, O mighty one? Was it truly made by you, or was it made by Vishnu?

Verse 5 (devibhagavatam.3.2.5)

रुद्रकृतं वा विश्वात्मन् ब्रूहि सत्यं जगत्पते । आराधनीयः कः कामं सर्वोत्कृष्टश्च कः प्रभुः

rudrakṛtaṁ vā viśvātman brūhi satyaṁ jagatpate ārādhanīyaḥ kaḥ kāmaṁ sarvotkṛṣṭaśca kaḥ prabhuḥ

Or was it made by Rudra, O soul of the universe? Tell me the truth, O lord of the world — who is truly worthy of worship, and who is the supreme lord above all?

Verse 6 (devibhagavatam.3.2.6)

तत्सर्वं वद मे ब्रह्मन्सन्देहांश्छिन्धि चानघ । निमग्नो ह्यस्मि संसारे दुःखरूपेऽनृतोपमे

tatsarvaṁ vada me brahmansandehāṁśchindhi cānagha nimagno hyasmi saṁsāre duḥkharūpe'nṛtopame

Tell me all this, O Brahma, and cut away my doubts, O sinless one — for I am sunk in this worldly existence, which is of the nature of sorrow, deceptive as falsehood.

Verse 7 (devibhagavatam.3.2.7)

सन्देहान्दोलितं चेतो न प्रशाम्यति कुत्रचित् । न तीर्थेषु न देवेषु साधनेष्वितरेषु च

sandehāndolitaṁ ceto na praśāmyati kutracit na tīrtheṣu na deveṣu sādhaneṣvitareṣu ca

My mind, tossed by doubt, finds peace nowhere — neither at sacred fords, nor among the gods, nor in any other spiritual practice.

Verse 8 (devibhagavatam.3.2.8)

अविज्ञाय परं तत्त्वं कुतः शान्तिः परन्तप । विकीर्णं बहुधा चित्तं नैकत्र स्थिरतां व्रजेत्

avijñāya paraṁ tattvaṁ kutaḥ śāntiḥ parantapa vikīrṇaṁ bahudhā cittaṁ naikatra sthiratāṁ vrajet

Without knowing the supreme truth, where can there be peace, O scorcher of foes? The mind, scattered in many directions, cannot attain steadiness in any one place.

Verse 9 (devibhagavatam.3.2.9)

कं स्मरामि यजे कं वा कं व्रजाम्यर्चयामि कम् । स्तौमि कं नाभिजानामि देव सर्वेश्वरेश्वरम्

kaṁ smarāmi yaje kaṁ vā kaṁ vrajāmyarcayāmi kam staumi kaṁ nābhijānāmi deva sarveśvareśvaram

Whom shall I remember, whom shall I worship, to whom shall I go, whom shall I adore, whom shall I praise? O god, I do not know who is the lord of the lords of all.

Verse 10 (devibhagavatam.3.2.10)

ततो मां प्रत्युवाचेदं ब्रह्मा लोकपितामहः । मया सत्यवतीसूनो कृते प्रश्ने सुदुस्तरे

tato māṁ pratyuvācedaṁ brahmā lokapitāmahaḥ mayā satyavatīsūno kṛte praśne sudustare

Then, O son of Satyavati, when this most difficult question was posed by me, Brahma, the grandfather of the worlds, answered me as follows.

Verse 11 (devibhagavatam.3.2.11)

ब्रह्मोवाच । किं ब्रवीमि सुताद्याहं दुर्बोधं प्रश्नमुत्तमम् । त्वयाशक्यं महाभाग विष्णोरपि सुनिश्चयात्

brahmovāca kiṁ bravīmi sutādyāhaṁ durbodhaṁ praśnamuttamam tvayāśakyaṁ mahābhāga viṣṇorapi suniścayāt

Brahma said: "What shall I tell you today, my son? This excellent question is hard to fathom — beyond your grasp, O greatly fortunate one, and beyond even Vishnu's sure and certain knowledge."

Verse 12 (devibhagavatam.3.2.12)

रागी कोऽपि न जानाति संसारेऽस्मिन्महामते । विरक्तश्च विजानाति निरीहो यो विमत्सरः

rāgī ko'pi na jānāti saṁsāre'sminmahāmate viraktaśca vijānāti nirīho yo vimatsaraḥ

No one who is attached knows it in this world, O great-minded one; only one who is dispassionate, free of desire, and free of envy truly understands it.

Verse 13 (devibhagavatam.3.2.13)

एकार्णवे पुरा जाते नष्टे स्थावरजङ्गमे भूतमात्रे समुत्पन्ने सञ्जज्ञे कमलादहम्

ekārṇave purā jāte naṣṭe sthāvarajaṅgame bhūtamātre samutpanne sañjajñe kamalādaham

Long ago, when there was but a single ocean, when all that is moving and unmoving had been destroyed, and only the subtle elements remained, I was born from a lotus.

Verse 14 (devibhagavatam.3.2.14)

नापश्यं तरणिं सोमं न वृक्षान्न च पर्वतान् । कर्णिकायां समाविष्टश्चिन्तामकरवं तदा

nāpaśyaṁ taraṇiṁ somaṁ na vṛkṣānna ca parvatān karṇikāyāṁ samāviṣṭaścintāmakaravaṁ tadā

I saw no sun, no moon, no trees, and no mountains; seated in the pericarp of the lotus, I then fell into anxious thought.

Verse 15 (devibhagavatam.3.2.15)

कस्मादहं समुद्भूतः सलिलेऽस्मिन्महार्णवे । को मे त्राता प्रभुः कर्ता संहर्ता वा युगात्यये

kasmādahaṁ samudbhūtaḥ salile'sminmahārṇave ko me trātā prabhuḥ kartā saṁhartā vā yugātyaye

"From what have I arisen in these waters of this great ocean? Who is my protector, my lord, my maker, or my destroyer at the end of the age?"

Verse 16 (devibhagavatam.3.2.16)

न च भूर्विद्यते स्पष्टा यदाधारं जलं त्विदम् । पङ्कजं कथमुत्पन्नं प्रसिद्धं रूढियोगयोः

na ca bhūrvidyate spaṣṭā yadādhāraṁ jalaṁ tvidam paṅkajaṁ kathamutpannaṁ prasiddhaṁ rūḍhiyogayoḥ

No earth is clearly to be found on which this water rests; how then has this lotus arisen — a thing well known both by common usage and by its very derivation as 'mud-born'?

Verse 17 (devibhagavatam.3.2.17)

पश्याम्यद्यास्य पङ्कं तं मूलं वै पङ्कजस्य च । भविष्यति धरा तत्र मूलं नास्त्यत्र संशयः

paśyāmyadyāsya paṅkaṁ taṁ mūlaṁ vai paṅkajasya ca bhaviṣyati dharā tatra mūlaṁ nāstyatra saṁśayaḥ

"Today let me find its mud, the very root of this lotus; there the earth must lie — of this there is no doubt."

Verse 18 (devibhagavatam.3.2.18)

उत्तरन्सलिले तत्र यावद्वर्षसहस्रकम् । अन्वेषमाणो धरणीं नावाप तां यदा तदा

uttaransalile tatra yāvadvarṣasahasrakam anveṣamāṇo dharaṇīṁ nāvāpa tāṁ yadā tadā

Diving down into that water for a full thousand years, searching for the earth, when I could not find it —

Verse 19 (devibhagavatam.3.2.19)

तपस्तपेति चाकाशे वागभूदशरीरिणी । ततो मया तपस्तप्तं पद्मे वर्षसहस्रकम्

tapastapeti cākāśe vāgabhūdaśarīriṇī tato mayā tapastaptaṁ padme varṣasahasrakam

— a bodiless voice arose in the sky, saying, "Perform austerity, perform austerity." Then I practised austerity upon the lotus for a thousand years.

Verse 20 (devibhagavatam.3.2.20)

सृजेति पुनरुद्भूता वाणी तत्र श्रुता मया । विमूढोऽहं तदाकर्ण्य कं सृजामि करोमि किम्

sṛjeti punarudbhūtā vāṇī tatra śrutā mayā vimūḍho'haṁ tadākarṇya kaṁ sṛjāmi karomi kim

Again a voice arose there and was heard by me, saying, "Create!" Hearing that, I became utterly bewildered: "Whom shall I create? What shall I do?"

Verse 21 (devibhagavatam.3.2.21)

तदा दैत्यावपि प्राप्तौ दारुणौ मधुकैटभौ । ताभ्यां विभीषितश्चाहं युद्धाय मकरालये

tadā daityāvapi prāptau dāruṇau madhukaiṭabhau tābhyāṁ vibhīṣitaścāhaṁ yuddhāya makarālaye

Then, too, two fearsome demons, Madhu and Kaitabha, appeared there; terrified by them, I fled for battle into that ocean, the abode of sea-monsters.

Verse 22 (devibhagavatam.3.2.22)

ततोऽहं नालमालम्ब्य वारिमध्यमवातरम् । तदा तत्र मया दृष्टः पुरुषः परमाद्भुतः

tato'haṁ nālamālambya vārimadhyamavātaram tadā tatra mayā dṛṣṭaḥ puruṣaḥ paramādbhutaḥ

Then, holding onto the lotus-stalk, I descended into the midst of the water; there I beheld a most wondrous being.

Verse 23 (devibhagavatam.3.2.23)

मेघश्यामशरीरस्तु पीतवासाश्चतुर्भुजः । शेषशायी जगन्नाथो वनमालाविभूषितः

meghaśyāmaśarīrastu pītavāsāścaturbhujaḥ śeṣaśāyī jagannātho vanamālāvibhūṣitaḥ

His body was dark as a rain-cloud, he was clad in yellow garments, four-armed, reclining upon Shesha — the lord of the universe, adorned with a garland of forest flowers.

Verse 24 (devibhagavatam.3.2.24)

शङ्खचक्रगदापद्माद्यायुधैः सुविराजितः । तमद्राक्षं महाविष्णुं शेषपर्यङ्कशायिनम्

śaṅkhacakragadāpadmādyāyudhaiḥ suvirājitaḥ tamadrākṣaṁ mahāviṣṇuṁ śeṣaparyaṅkaśāyinam

He was resplendent with the weapons of conch, discus, mace, lotus, and the rest. I beheld that great Vishnu reclining upon the couch of Shesha,

Verse 25 (devibhagavatam.3.2.25)

योगनिद्रासमाक्रान्तमविस्पन्दिनमच्युतम् । शयानं तं समालोक्य भोगिभोगोपरि स्थितम्

yoganidrāsamākrāntamavispandinamacyutam śayānaṁ taṁ samālokya bhogibhogopari sthitam

overcome by yogic slumber, motionless, and imperishable — beholding him thus asleep, resting upon the coils of the serpent-king.

Verse 26 (devibhagavatam.3.2.26)

चिन्ता ममाद्भुता जाता किं करोमीति नारद । मया स्मृता तदा देवी स्तुता निद्रास्वरूपिणी

cintā mamādbhutā jātā kiṁ karomīti nārada mayā smṛtā tadā devī stutā nidrāsvarūpiṇī

A strange anxiety arose in me — "What shall I do?" O Narada; then I remembered and praised the Goddess who is of the very form of Yoganidra, Vishnu's sleep.

Verse 27 (devibhagavatam.3.2.27)

देहान्निर्गत्य सा देवी गगने संस्थिता शिवा । अवितर्क्यशरीरा सा दिव्याभरणमण्डिता

dehānnirgatya sā devī gagane saṁsthitā śivā avitarkyaśarīrā sā divyābharaṇamaṇḍitā

That auspicious Goddess emerged from his body and stood in the sky, her form beyond conception, adorned with divine ornaments.

Verse 28 (devibhagavatam.3.2.28)

विष्णोर्देहं विहायाशु विरराज नभःस्थिता । उदतिष्ठदमेयात्मा तया मुक्तो जनार्दनः

viṣṇordehaṁ vihāyāśu virarāja nabhaḥsthitā udatiṣṭhadameyātmā tayā mukto janārdanaḥ

Leaving Vishnu's body swiftly, she shone forth, standing in the sky; released by her, Janardana, of immeasurable being, rose up.

Verse 29 (devibhagavatam.3.2.29)

पञ्चवर्षसहस्राणि कृतवान् युद्धमुत्तमम् । तदा विलोकितौ दैत्यौ हरिणा विनिपातितौ

pañcavarṣasahasrāṇi kṛtavān yuddhamuttamam tadā vilokitau daityau hariṇā vinipātitau

He waged a supreme battle for five thousand years; then, beholding the two demons, Hari struck them down.

Verse 30 (devibhagavatam.3.2.30)

उत्सङ्गं विमलं कृत्वा तत्रैव निहतौ च तौ । रुद्रस्तत्रैव सम्प्राप्तो यत्रावां संस्थितावुभौ

utsaṅgaṁ vimalaṁ kṛtvā tatraiva nihatau ca tau rudrastatraiva samprāpto yatrāvāṁ saṁsthitāvubhau

Making his lap clear of impurity, he slew them right there; and there, where the two of us stood, Rudra also arrived.

Verse 31 (devibhagavatam.3.2.31)

त्रिभिः संवीक्षितास्मामिः स्वस्था देवी मनोहरा । संस्तुता परमा शक्तिरुवाचास्मानवस्थितान्

tribhiḥ saṁvīkṣitāsmāmiḥ svasthā devī manoharā saṁstutā paramā śaktiruvācāsmānavasthitān

Then, beheld by the three of us, that self-composed and enchanting Goddess, the supreme Shakti, having been praised, spoke to us as we stood there.

Verse 32 (devibhagavatam.3.2.32)

कृपावलोकनैः कृत्वा पावनैर्मुदितानथ । देव्युवाच । काजेशाः स्वानि कार्याणि कुरुध्वं समतन्द्रिताः

kṛpāvalokanaiḥ kṛtvā pāvanairmuditānatha devyuvāca kājeśāḥ svāni kāryāṇi kurudhvaṁ samatandritāḥ

Having gladdened us with her purifying glances of compassion, the Goddess said: "O lords, perform your own respective tasks readily and without weariness.

Verse 33 (devibhagavatam.3.2.33)

सृष्टिस्थितिविशिष्टानि हतावेतौ महासुरौ । कृत्वा स्वानि निकेतानि वसध्वं विगतज्वराः

sṛṣṭisthitiviśiṣṭāni hatāvetau mahāsurau kṛtvā svāni niketāni vasadhvaṁ vigatajvarāḥ

— the tasks proper to creation and preservation. These two great demons are slain; having made your own abodes, dwell there free from anguish.

Verse 34 (devibhagavatam.3.2.34)

प्रजाश्चतुर्विधाः सर्वाः सृजध्वं स्वविभूतिभिः । ब्रह्मोवाच । तच्छ्रुत्वा वचनं तस्याः पेशलं सुखदं मृदु

prajāścaturvidhāḥ sarvāḥ sṛjadhvaṁ svavibhūtibhiḥ brahmovāca tacchrutvā vacanaṁ tasyāḥ peśalaṁ sukhadaṁ mṛdu

"Create all the fourfold classes of creatures by your own powers." Brahma said: Having heard her sweet, pleasing, and gentle words,

Verse 35 (devibhagavatam.3.2.35)

अब्रूम तामशक्तिः स्मः कथं कुर्मस्त्विमाः प्रजाः । न मही वितता मातः सर्वत्र विततं जलम्

abrūma tāmaśaktiḥ smaḥ kathaṁ kurmastvimāḥ prajāḥ na mahī vitatā mātaḥ sarvatra vitataṁ jalam

— we said to her: "We are unable; how shall we create these creatures? The earth is nowhere spread out, O mother; water alone lies spread everywhere.

Verse 36 (devibhagavatam.3.2.36)

न भूतानि गुणाश्चापि तन्मात्राणीन्द्रियाणि च । तदाकर्ण्य वचोऽस्माकं शिवा जाता स्मितानना

na bhūtāni guṇāścāpi tanmātrāṇīndriyāṇi ca tadākarṇya vaco'smākaṁ śivā jātā smitānanā

"There are no gross elements, no gunas, no subtle essences, and no senses." Hearing our words, the auspicious Goddess smiled,

Verse 37 (devibhagavatam.3.2.37)

झटित्येवागतं तत्र विमानं गगनाच्छुभम् । सोवाचास्मिन्सुराः कामं विशध्वं गतसाध्वसाः

jhaṭityevāgataṁ tatra vimānaṁ gaganācchubham sovācāsminsurāḥ kāmaṁ viśadhvaṁ gatasādhvasāḥ

and at that very instant a splendid celestial chariot descended from the sky. She said: "O gods, cast away your fear and enter this at will.

Verse 38 (devibhagavatam.3.2.38)

विमाने ब्रह्मविष्ण्वीशा दर्शयाम्यद्य चाद्भुतम् । तन्निशम्य वचस्तस्या ओमित्युक्त्वा पुनर्वयम्

vimāne brahmaviṣṇvīśā darśayāmyadya cādbhutam tanniśamya vacastasyā omityuktvā punarvayam

"In this chariot, O Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, I shall today show you a wonder." Hearing her words, having said "Om," we again —

Verse 39 (devibhagavatam.3.2.39)

समारुह्योपविष्टाः स्मो विमाने रत्नमण्डिते । मुक्तादामसुसंवीते किङ्किणीजालशब्दिते

samāruhyopaviṣṭāḥ smo vimāne ratnamaṇḍite muktādāmasusaṁvīte kiṅkiṇījālaśabdite

— mounted and sat down in that chariot, adorned with jewels, hung with strings of pearls, resounding with a network of tinkling bells,

Verse 40 (devibhagavatam.3.2.40)

सुरसद्मनिभे रम्ये त्रयस्तत्राविशङ्किताः । सोपविष्टांस्ततो दृष्ट्वा देव्यस्मान्विजितेन्द्रियान्

surasadmanibhe ramye trayastatrāviśaṅkitāḥ sopaviṣṭāṁstato dṛṣṭvā devyasmānvijitendriyān

beautiful, resembling the very abode of the gods. The three of us sat there without fear. Then, seeing us seated there, our senses mastered, the Goddess —

Verse 41 (devibhagavatam.3.2.41)

स्वशक्त्या तद्विमानं वै नोदयामास चाम्बरे

svaśaktyā tadvimānaṁ vai nodayāmāsa cāmbare

— by her own power caused that chariot to rise up into the sky.