Origin of Brahma, Vishnu, Maheshvara and the Other Gods

Verse 1 (devibhagavatam.9.3.1)

श्रीनारायण उवाच । अथ डिम्भो जले तिष्ठन्यावद्वै ब्रह्मणो वयः । ततः स काले सहसा द्विधाभूतो बभूव ह

śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca | atha ḍimbho jale tiṣṭhanyāvadvai brahmaṇo vayaḥ | tataḥ sa kāle sahasā dvidhābhūto babhūva ha

Sri Narayana said: That child remained in the water for a span equal to the lifetime of Brahma; then, in the course of time, he suddenly became divided into two.

Verse 2 (devibhagavatam.9.3.2)

तन्मध्ये शिशुरेकश्च शतकोटिरविप्रभः । क्षणं रोरूयमाणश्च स्तनान्धः पीडितः क्षुधा

tanmadhye śiśurekaśca śatakoṭiraviprabhaḥ | kṣaṇaṁ rorūyamāṇaśca stanāndhaḥ pīḍitaḥ kṣudhā

One of the two was a child radiant as a hundred million suns; tormented by hunger and desperate for the breast, he wept for a moment.

Verse 3 (devibhagavatam.9.3.3)

पित्रा मात्रा परित्यक्तो जलमध्ये निराश्रयः । ब्रह्माण्डासङ्ख्यनाथो यो ददर्शोर्ध्वमनाथवत्

pitrā mātrā parityakto jalamadhye nirāśrayaḥ | brahmāṇḍāsaṅkhyanātho yo dadarśordhvamanāthavat

Abandoned by both father and mother, without refuge amid the waters, he who was the lord of countless universes gazed upward like one utterly orphaned.

Verse 4 (devibhagavatam.9.3.4)

स्थूलास्थूलतमः सोऽपि नाम्ना देवो महाविराट् । परमाणुर्यथा सूक्ष्मात्परः स्थूलात्तथाप्यसौ

sthūlāsthūlatamaḥ so'pi nāmnā devo mahāvirāṭ | paramāṇuryathā sūkṣmātparaḥ sthūlāttathāpyasau

That god, gross beyond the grossest, was named Mahavirat; as the atom is subtler than the subtlest, so was he grosser than the grossest.

Verse 5 (devibhagavatam.9.3.5)

तेजसा षोडशांशोऽयं कृष्णस्य परमात्मनः । आधारः सर्वविश्वानां महाविष्णुश्च प्राकृतः

tejasā ṣoḍaśāṁśo'yaṁ kṛṣṇasya paramātmanaḥ | ādhāraḥ sarvaviśvānāṁ mahāviṣṇuśca prākṛtaḥ

In splendor he was but a sixteenth portion of Krishna, the Supreme Self; he became the support of all the worlds, the Maha-Vishnu of material nature.

Verse 6 (devibhagavatam.9.3.6)

प्रत्येकं लोमकूपेषु विश्वानि निखिलानि च । अस्यापि तेषां सङ्ख्यां च कृष्णो वक्तुं न हि क्षमः

pratyekaṁ lomakūpeṣu viśvāni nikhilāni ca | asyāpi teṣāṁ saṅkhyāṁ ca kṛṣṇo vaktuṁ na hi kṣamaḥ

Within each and every one of his pores dwell entire universes; even Krishna himself is unable to declare their number.

Verse 7 (devibhagavatam.9.3.7)

सङ्ख्या चेद्रजसामस्ति विश्वानां न कदाचन । ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवादीनां तथा सङ्ख्या न विद्यते

saṅkhyā cedrajasāmasti viśvānāṁ na kadācana | brahmaviṣṇuśivādīnāṁ tathā saṅkhyā na vidyate

The specks of dust might perhaps be counted, but the worlds can never be counted; in the same way there is no reckoning the number of Brahmas, Vishnus, Shivas, and the rest.

Verse 8 (devibhagavatam.9.3.8)

प्रतिविश्वेषु सन्त्येवं ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवादयः । पातालाद् ब्रह्मलोकान्तं ब्रह्माण्डं परिकीर्तितम्

prativiśveṣu santyevaṁ brahmaviṣṇuśivādayaḥ | pātālād brahmalokāntaṁ brahmāṇḍaṁ parikīrtitam

In every single universe there thus exist a Brahma, a Vishnu, a Shiva, and the rest; that which extends from the netherworld up to Brahmaloka is proclaimed as one brahmanda, one cosmic egg.

Verse 9 (devibhagavatam.9.3.9)

तत ऊर्ध्वं च वैकुण्ठो ब्रह्माण्डाद् बहिरेव सः । तत ऊर्ध्वं च गोलोकः पञ्चाशत्कोटियोजनः

tata ūrdhvaṁ ca vaikuṇṭho brahmāṇḍād bahireva saḥ | tata ūrdhvaṁ ca golokaḥ pañcāśatkoṭiyojanaḥ

Above that is Vaikuntha, situated entirely outside the cosmic egg; and above that again is Goloka, extending five hundred million yojanas.

Verse 10 (devibhagavatam.9.3.10)

नित्यः सत्यस्वरूपश्च यथा कृष्णस्तथाप्ययम् । सप्तद्वीपमिता पृध्वी सप्तसागरसंयुता

nityaḥ satyasvarūpaśca yathā kṛṣṇastathāpyayam | saptadvīpamitā pṛdhvī saptasāgarasaṁyutā

As Krishna is eternal and of the very nature of truth, so too is this Goloka; the earth is divided into seven continents and encircled by seven oceans.

Verse 11 (devibhagavatam.9.3.11)

ऊनपञ्चाशदुपद्वीपासङ्ख्यशैलवनान्विता । ऊर्ध्वं सप्त स्वर्गलोका ब्रह्यलोकसमन्विताः

ūnapañcāśadupadvīpāsaṅkhyaśailavanānvitā | ūrdhvaṁ sapta svargalokā brahyalokasamanvitāḥ

It is furnished with forty-nine sub-continents and countless mountains and forests; above are seven heavenly worlds, culminating in Brahmaloka.

Verse 12 (devibhagavatam.9.3.12)

पातालानि च सप्ताधश्चैवं ब्रह्माण्डमेव च । ऊर्ध्वं धराया भूर्लोको भुवर्लोकस्ततः परम्

pātālāni ca saptādhaścaivaṁ brahmāṇḍameva ca | ūrdhvaṁ dharāyā bhūrloko bhuvarlokastataḥ param

Below are the seven netherworlds — thus is the whole cosmic egg constituted; above the earth is Bhurloka, and beyond that, Bhuvarloka.

Verse 13 (devibhagavatam.9.3.13)

ततः परश्च स्वर्लोको जनलोकस्तथा परः । ततः परस्तपोलोकः सत्यलोकस्ततः परः

tataḥ paraśca svarloko janalokastathā paraḥ | tataḥ parastapolokaḥ satyalokastataḥ paraḥ

Beyond that is Svarloka, and beyond that again Janaloka; beyond that is Tapoloka, and beyond that, Satyaloka.

Verse 14 (devibhagavatam.9.3.14)

ततः परं ब्रह्मलोकस्तप्तकाञ्चनसन्निभः । एवं सर्वं कृत्रिमं च बाह्याभ्यन्तरमेव च

tataḥ paraṁ brahmalokastaptakāñcanasannibhaḥ | evaṁ sarvaṁ kṛtrimaṁ ca bāhyābhyantarameva ca

Beyond even that is Brahmaloka, resembling molten gold; thus all of this, both outer and inner, is fashioned, and hence impermanent.

Verse 15 (devibhagavatam.9.3.15)

तद्विनाशे विनाशश्च सर्वेषामेव नारद । जलबुद्बुदवत्सर्वं विश्वसङ्घमनित्यकम्

tadvināśe vināśaśca sarveṣāmeva nārada | jalabudbudavatsarvaṁ viśvasaṅghamanityakam

O Narada, when that is destroyed, all things are destroyed with it; this entire mass of universes is as transient as a bubble upon water.

Verse 16 (devibhagavatam.9.3.16)

नित्यौ गोलोकवैकुण्ठौ प्रोक्तौ शश्वदकृत्रिमौ । प्रत्येकं लोमकूपेषु ब्रह्माण्डं परिनिश्चितम्

nityau golokavaikuṇṭhau proktau śaśvadakṛtrimau | pratyekaṁ lomakūpeṣu brahmāṇḍaṁ pariniścitam

Goloka and Vaikuntha alone are declared eternal, ever unfashioned; and within each and every pore of theirs a cosmic egg is fixed and certain.

Verse 17 (devibhagavatam.9.3.17)

एषां सङ्ख्यां न जानाति कृष्णोऽन्यस्यापि का कथा । प्रत्येकं प्रतिब्रह्माण्डं ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवादयः

eṣāṁ saṅkhyāṁ na jānāti kṛṣṇo'nyasyāpi kā kathā | pratyekaṁ pratibrahmāṇḍaṁ brahmaviṣṇuśivādayaḥ

Even Krishna himself does not know their number, let alone anyone else; in every single cosmic egg there is a separate Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and the rest.

Verse 18 (devibhagavatam.9.3.18)

तिस्रः कोट्यः सुराणां च सङ्ख्या सर्वत्र पुत्रक । दिगीशाश्चैव दिक्पाला नक्षत्राणि ग्रहादयः

tisraḥ koṭyaḥ surāṇāṁ ca saṅkhyā sarvatra putraka | digīśāścaiva dikpālā nakṣatrāṇi grahādayaḥ

O my son, everywhere the number of the gods is thirty-three crore; there are likewise, in every world, the lords of the directions, the guardians, the constellations, and the planets.

Verse 19 (devibhagavatam.9.3.19)

भुवि वर्णाश्च चत्वारोऽप्यधो नागाश्चराचराः । अथ कालेऽत्र स विराडूर्ध्वं दृष्ट्वा पुनः पुनः

bhuvi varṇāśca catvāro'pyadho nāgāścarācarāḥ | atha kāle'tra sa virāḍūrdhvaṁ dṛṣṭvā punaḥ punaḥ

On earth are the four social orders, and below are the serpents, moving and unmoving; meanwhile, in that time, that Virat kept gazing upward again and again.

Verse 20 (devibhagavatam.9.3.20)

डिम्भान्तरे च शून्यं च न द्वितीयं च किञ्चन । चिन्तामवाप क्षुद्युक्तो रुरोद च पुनः पुनः

ḍimbhāntare ca śūnyaṁ ca na dvitīyaṁ ca kiñcana | cintāmavāpa kṣudyukto ruroda ca punaḥ punaḥ

All around the child there was only emptiness, nothing else anywhere at all; overcome with hunger, he fell into anxious thought and wept again and again.

Verse 21 (devibhagavatam.9.3.21)

ज्ञानं प्राप्य तदा दध्यौ कृष्णं परमपूरुषम् । ततो ददर्श तत्रैव ब्रह्मज्योतिः सनातनम्

jñānaṁ prāpya tadā dadhyau kṛṣṇaṁ paramapūruṣam | tato dadarśa tatraiva brahmajyotiḥ sanātanam

Then knowledge came to him, and he meditated upon Krishna, the Supreme Person; and at once, right there, he beheld the eternal light of Brahman.

Verse 22 (devibhagavatam.9.3.22)

नवीनजलदश्यामं द्विभुजं पीतवाससम् । सस्मितं मुरलीहस्तं भक्तानुग्रहकातरम्

navīnajaladaśyāmaṁ dvibhujaṁ pītavāsasam | sasmitaṁ muralīhastaṁ bhaktānugrahakātaram

Dark as a fresh rain-cloud, two-armed, clad in yellow, smiling, holding a flute, eager to bestow grace upon his devotees.

Verse 23 (devibhagavatam.9.3.23)

जहास बालकस्तुष्टो दृष्ट्वा जनकमीश्वरम् । वरं तदा ददौ तस्मै वरेशः समयोचितम्

jahāsa bālakastuṣṭo dṛṣṭvā janakamīśvaram | varaṁ tadā dadau tasmai vareśaḥ samayocitam

Seeing that Lord, his own father, the child was delighted and laughed; then the giver of boons bestowed upon him a boon fitting for that occasion.

Verse 24 (devibhagavatam.9.3.24)

मत्समो ज्ञानयुक्तश्च क्षुत्पिपासादिवर्जितः । ब्रह्माण्डासङ्ख्यनिलयो भव वत्स लयावधि

matsamo jñānayuktaśca kṣutpipāsādivarjitaḥ | brahmāṇḍāsaṅkhyanilayo bhava vatsa layāvadhi

My child, become, like me, endowed with knowledge and free from hunger, thirst, and the like; become, until the dissolution, the dwelling place of countless universes.

Verse 25 (devibhagavatam.9.3.25)

निष्कामो निर्भयश्चैव सर्वेषां वरदो भव । जरामृत्युरोगशोकपीडादिवर्जितो भव

niṣkāmo nirbhayaścaiva sarveṣāṁ varado bhava | jarāmṛtyurogaśokapīḍādivarjito bhava

Free from desire and free from fear, become the granter of boons to all; become free from old age, death, disease, grief, and every affliction.

Verse 26 (devibhagavatam.9.3.26)

इत्युक्त्वा तस्य कर्णे स महामन्त्रं षडक्षरम् । त्रिःकृत्वश्च प्रजजाप वेदाङ्गप्रवरं परम्

ityuktvā tasya karṇe sa mahāmantraṁ ṣaḍakṣaram | triḥkṛtvaśca prajajāpa vedāṅgapravaraṁ param

Having said this, he recited three times into the child's ear the six-syllabled great mantra, foremost among all the auxiliary Vedic sciences.

Verse 27 (devibhagavatam.9.3.27)

प्रणवादिचतुर्थ्यन्तं कृष्ण इत्यक्षरद्वयम् । वह्निजायान्तमिष्टं च सर्वविघ्नहरं परम्

praṇavādicaturthyantaṁ kṛṣṇa ityakṣaradvayam | vahnijāyāntamiṣṭaṁ ca sarvavighnaharaṁ param

Beginning with the sacred syllable Om, ending in the dative case, containing the two syllables "Kṛṣṇa," and closing with the name of Fire's consort — that cherished mantra removes every obstacle.

Verse 28 (devibhagavatam.9.3.28)

मन्त्रं दत्त्वा तदाहारं कल्पयामास वै विभुः । श्रूयतां तद् ब्रह्मपुत्र निबोध कथयामि ते

mantraṁ dattvā tadāhāraṁ kalpayāmāsa vai vibhuḥ | śrūyatāṁ tad brahmaputra nibodha kathayāmi te

Having bestowed the mantra, that all-pervading Lord also arranged for the child's nourishment; O son of Brahma, listen, I shall tell you what that was.

Verse 29 (devibhagavatam.9.3.29)

प्रतिविश्वं यन्नैवेद्यं ददाति वैष्णवो जनः । तत्षोडशांशो विषयिणो विष्णोः पज्वदशास्य वै

prativiśvaṁ yannaivedyaṁ dadāti vaiṣṇavo janaḥ | tatṣoḍaśāṁśo viṣayiṇo viṣṇoḥ pajvadaśāsya vai

In every universe, of the food-offerings that Vaishnava devotees present, a sixteenth portion goes to that enjoyer, Vishnu, and the remaining fifteen parts —

Verse 30 (devibhagavatam.9.3.30)

निर्गुणस्यात्मनश्चैव परिपूर्णतमस्य च । नैवेद्ये चैव कृष्णस्य न हि किञ्चित्प्रयोजनम्

nirguṇasyātmanaścaiva paripūrṇatamasya ca | naivedye caiva kṛṣṇasya na hi kiñcitprayojanam

— for Krishna himself, the qualityless Self, most complete of all, there is in truth no need whatsoever of any food-offering.

Verse 31 (devibhagavatam.9.3.31)

यद्यद्ददाति नैवेद्यं तस्मै देवाय यो जनः । स च खादति तत्सर्वं लक्ष्मीनाथो विराट् तथा

yadyaddadāti naivedyaṁ tasmai devāya yo janaḥ | sa ca khādati tatsarvaṁ lakṣmīnātho virāṭ tathā

Whatever offering any devotee presents to that god, all of it is in fact consumed by Lakshmi's Lord and by the Virat.

Verse 32 (devibhagavatam.9.3.32)

तं च मन्त्रवरं दत्त्वा तमुवाच पुनर्विभुः । वरमन्यं किमिष्टं ते तन्मे ब्रूहि ददामि च

taṁ ca mantravaraṁ dattvā tamuvāca punarvibhuḥ | varamanyaṁ kimiṣṭaṁ te tanme brūhi dadāmi ca

Having given him that excellent mantra, the all-pervading Lord spoke to him again: What other boon do you desire? Tell me, and I shall grant it.

Verse 33 (devibhagavatam.9.3.33)

कृष्णस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा तमुवाच विराड् विभुः । कृष्णं तं बालकस्तावद्वचनं समयोचितम्

kṛṣṇasya vacanaṁ śrutvā tamuvāca virāḍ vibhuḥ | kṛṣṇaṁ taṁ bālakastāvadvacanaṁ samayocitam

Hearing Krishna's words, the mighty Virat, though still a child, spoke these fitting words to Krishna.

Verse 34 (devibhagavatam.9.3.34)

बालक उवाच । वरो मे त्वत्पदाम्भोजे भक्तिर्भवतु निश्चला । सततं यावदायुर्मे क्षणं वा सुचिरं च वा

bālaka uvāca | varo me tvatpadāmbhoje bhaktirbhavatu niścalā | satataṁ yāvadāyurme kṣaṇaṁ vā suciraṁ ca vā

The child said: My boon be this — that my devotion to your lotus feet remain forever unwavering, whether my life should last a mere instant or a very long time.

Verse 35 (devibhagavatam.9.3.35)

त्वद्भक्तियुक्तलोकेऽस्मिञ्जीवन्मुक्तश्च सन्ततम् । त्वद्भक्तिहीनो मूर्खश्च जीवन्नपि मृतो हि सः

tvadbhaktiyuktaloke'smiñjīvanmuktaśca santatam | tvadbhaktihīno mūrkhaśca jīvannapi mṛto hi saḥ

In this world, whoever is joined to devotion to you is ever liberated while yet alive; but the fool devoid of devotion to you, though living, is truly dead.

Verse 36 (devibhagavatam.9.3.36)

किं तज्जपेन तपसा यज्ञेन पूजनेन च । व्रतेन चोपवासेन पुण्येन तीर्थसेवया

kiṁ tajjapena tapasā yajñena pūjanena ca | vratena copavāsena puṇyena tīrthasevayā

What use, then, is recitation, austerity, sacrifice, worship, vow, fasting, merit, or pilgrimage to sacred fords —

Verse 37 (devibhagavatam.9.3.37)

कृष्णभक्तिविहीनस्य मूर्खस्य जीवनं वृथा । येनात्मना जीवितश्च तमेव न हि मन्यते

kṛṣṇabhaktivihīnasya mūrkhasya jīvanaṁ vṛthā | yenātmanā jīvitaśca tameva na hi manyate

— the life of a fool devoid of devotion to Krishna is utterly in vain, for he fails to acknowledge the very Self by whom he lives.

Verse 38 (devibhagavatam.9.3.38)

यावदात्मा शरीरेऽस्ति तावत्स शक्तिसंयुतः । पश्चाद्यान्ति गते तस्मिन्स्वतन्त्राः सर्वशक्तयः

yāvadātmā śarīre'sti tāvatsa śaktisaṁyutaḥ | paścādyānti gate tasminsvatantrāḥ sarvaśaktayaḥ

As long as the Self remains within the body, so long is it endowed with power; once it departs, all the powers, now unbound, depart as well.

Verse 39 (devibhagavatam.9.3.39)

स च त्वं च महाभाग सर्वात्मा प्रकृतेः परः । स्वेच्छामयश्च सर्वाद्यो ब्रह्मज्योतिः सनातनः

sa ca tvaṁ ca mahābhāga sarvātmā prakṛteḥ paraḥ | svecchāmayaśca sarvādyo brahmajyotiḥ sanātanaḥ

O most fortunate one, both he and you are the Self of all, beyond Prakriti, acting by your own free will, the primal source of all, the eternal light of Brahman.

Verse 40 (devibhagavatam.9.3.40)

इत्युक्त्वा बालकस्तत्र विरराम च नारद । उवाच कृष्णः प्रत्युक्तिं मधुरां श्रुतिसुन्दरीम्

ityuktvā bālakastatra virarāma ca nārada | uvāca kṛṣṇaḥ pratyuktiṁ madhurāṁ śrutisundarīm

O Narada, having said this, the child fell silent; then Krishna gave him a sweet reply, lovely to hear.

Verse 41 (devibhagavatam.9.3.41)

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच । सुचिरं सुस्थिरं तिष्ठ यथाहं त्वं तथा भव । ब्रह्मणोऽसङ्ख्यपाते च पातस्ते न भविष्यति

śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca | suciraṁ susthiraṁ tiṣṭha yathāhaṁ tvaṁ tathā bhava | brahmaṇo'saṅkhyapāte ca pātaste na bhaviṣyati

Sri Krishna said: Remain steadfast for a long, long time; become as I myself am; even when countless Brahmas shall fall, no fall shall come upon you.

Verse 42 (devibhagavatam.9.3.42)

अंशेन प्रतिब्रह्माण्डे त्वं च क्षुद्रविराड् भव । त्वन्नाभिपद्माद् ब्रह्मा च विश्वस्रष्टा भविष्यति

aṁśena pratibrahmāṇḍe tvaṁ ca kṣudravirāḍ bhava | tvannābhipadmād brahmā ca viśvasraṣṭā bhaviṣyati

By your own portion, become the lesser Virat within each and every universe; from the lotus of your navel shall arise Brahma, the creator of the world.

Verse 43 (devibhagavatam.9.3.43)

ललाटे ब्रह्मणश्चैव रुद्राश्चैकादशैव ते । शिवांशेन भविष्यन्ति सृष्टिसंहरणाय वै

lalāṭe brahmaṇaścaiva rudrāścaikādaśaiva te | śivāṁśena bhaviṣyanti sṛṣṭisaṁharaṇāya vai

From the forehead of that Brahma, eleven Rudras, portions of Shiva, shall arise for the sake of destroying creation.

Verse 44 (devibhagavatam.9.3.44)

कालाग्निरुद्रस्तेष्वेको विश्वसंहारकारकः । पाता विष्णुश्च विषयी रुद्रांशेन भविष्यति

kālāgnirudrasteṣveko viśvasaṁhārakārakaḥ | pātā viṣṇuśca viṣayī rudrāṁśena bhaviṣyati

Among them, Kalagni Rudra alone shall be the destroyer of the universe; and from a portion of Rudra shall also arise Vishnu, the enjoyer and preserver.

Verse 45 (devibhagavatam.9.3.45)

मद्भक्तियुक्तः सततं भविष्यसि वरेण मे । ध्यानेन कमनीयं मां नित्यं द्रक्ष्यसि निश्चितम्

madbhaktiyuktaḥ satataṁ bhaviṣyasi vareṇa me | dhyānena kamanīyaṁ māṁ nityaṁ drakṣyasi niścitam

By my boon you shall remain forever joined to devotion to me; through meditation you shall certainly and constantly behold me, the enchanting one.

Verse 46 (devibhagavatam.9.3.46)

मातरं कमनीयां च मम वक्षःस्थलस्थिताम् । यामि लोकं तिष्ठ वत्सेत्युक्त्वा सोऽन्तरधीयत

mātaraṁ kamanīyāṁ ca mama vakṣaḥsthalasthitām | yāmi lokaṁ tiṣṭha vatsetyuktvā so'ntaradhīyata

and the enchanting Mother, who dwells upon my breast, as well; I now go to my own realm — remain here, my child — so saying, he vanished from sight.

Verse 47 (devibhagavatam.9.3.47)

गत्वा स्वलोकं ब्रह्माणं शङ्करं समुवाच ह । स्रष्टारं स्रष्टुमीशं च संहर्तुं चैव तत्क्षणम्

gatvā svalokaṁ brahmāṇaṁ śaṅkaraṁ samuvāca ha | sraṣṭāraṁ sraṣṭumīśaṁ ca saṁhartuṁ caiva tatkṣaṇam

Having reached his own realm, he spoke, at that very instant, to Brahma and to Shankara — appointing the one the lord of creation, and the other the lord of destruction.

Verse 48 (devibhagavatam.9.3.48)

श्रीभगवानुवाच । सृष्टिं स्रष्टुं गच्छ वत्स नाभिपद्मोद्भवो भव । महाविराड् लोमकूपे क्षुद्रस्य च विधे शृणु

śrībhagavānuvāca | sṛṣṭiṁ sraṣṭuṁ gaccha vatsa nābhipadmodbhavo bhava | mahāvirāḍ lomakūpe kṣudrasya ca vidhe śṛṇu

The Blessed Lord said: My child, go forth to create; become the one born of the lotus navel; hear, O Creator — within a pore of Mahavirat dwells the lesser Virat.

Verse 49 (devibhagavatam.9.3.49)

गच्छ वत्स महादेव ब्रह्मभालोद्भवो भव । अंशेन च महाभाग स्वयं च सुचिरं तप

gaccha vatsa mahādeva brahmabhālodbhavo bhava | aṁśena ca mahābhāga svayaṁ ca suciraṁ tapa

Go, my child, O Mahadeva; become the one born from Brahma's forehead; O most fortunate one, both through your portion and in your own person, perform austerity for a long time.

Verse 50 (devibhagavatam.9.3.50)

इत्युक्त्वा जगतां नाथो विरराम विधेः सुत । जगाम ब्रह्मा तं नत्वा शिवश्च शिवदायकः

ityuktvā jagatāṁ nātho virarāma vidheḥ suta | jagāma brahmā taṁ natvā śivaśca śivadāyakaḥ

O son of the Creator, having said this, the Lord of the worlds fell silent; bowing to him, Brahma and Shiva, the giver of blessings, went forth to their tasks.

Verse 51 (devibhagavatam.9.3.51)

महाविराड् लोमकूपे ब्रह्माण्डगोलके जले । बभूव च विराट् क्षुद्रो विराडंशेन साम्प्रतम्

mahāvirāḍ lomakūpe brahmāṇḍagolake jale | babhūva ca virāṭ kṣudro virāḍaṁśena sāmpratam

Within a pore of Mahavirat, in the waters of that sphere of the universe, there now arose, as a portion of the Virat, the lesser Virat.

Verse 52 (devibhagavatam.9.3.52)

श्यामो युवा पीतवासाः शयानो जलतल्पके । ईषद्धास्यः प्रसन्नास्यो विश्वव्यापी जनार्दनः

śyāmo yuvā pītavāsāḥ śayāno jalatalpake | īṣaddhāsyaḥ prasannāsyo viśvavyāpī janārdanaḥ

Dark-hued, youthful, clad in yellow, reclining upon a bed of water, gently smiling, serene of face, that all-pervading Janardana lay there.

Verse 53 (devibhagavatam.9.3.53)

तन्नाभिकमले ब्रह्मा बभूव कमलोद्भवः । सम्भूय पद्मदण्डे च बभ्राम युगलक्षकम्

tannābhikamale brahmā babhūva kamalodbhavaḥ | sambhūya padmadaṇḍe ca babhrāma yugalakṣakam

From the lotus of his navel arose Brahma, born of that lotus; and once arisen, he wandered within the lotus stalk for two hundred thousand years.

Verse 54 (devibhagavatam.9.3.54)

नान्तं जगाम दण्डस्य पद्मनालस्य पद्मजः । नाभिजस्य च पद्मस्य चिन्तामाप पिता तव

nāntaṁ jagāma daṇḍasya padmanālasya padmajaḥ | nābhijasya ca padmasya cintāmāpa pitā tava

That lotus-born one could not find the end of the stalk of that navel-born lotus, and your father fell into deep anxiety.

Verse 55 (devibhagavatam.9.3.55)

स्वस्थानं पुनरागम्य दध्यौ कृष्णपदाम्बुजम् । ततो ददर्श क्षुद्रं तं ध्यानेन दिव्यचक्षुषा

svasthānaṁ punarāgamya dadhyau kṛṣṇapadāmbujam | tato dadarśa kṣudraṁ taṁ dhyānena divyacakṣuṣā

Returning to his own place, he meditated upon the lotus feet of Krishna; then, through that meditation, with divine sight he beheld the lesser Virat.

Verse 56 (devibhagavatam.9.3.56)

शयानं जलतल्पे च ब्रह्माण्डगोलकाप्लुते । यल्लोमकूपे ब्रह्माण्डं तं च तत्परमीश्वरम्

śayānaṁ jalatalpe ca brahmāṇḍagolakāplute | yallomakūpe brahmāṇḍaṁ taṁ ca tatparamīśvaram

He beheld him reclining on that bed of water, immersed within the sphere of the universe; and he beheld too that Supreme Lord within whose very pore this universe exists.

Verse 57 (devibhagavatam.9.3.57)

श्रीकृष्णं चापि गोलोकं गोपगोपीसमन्वितम् । तं संस्तूय वरं प्राप ततः सृष्टिं चकार सः

śrīkṛṣṇaṁ cāpi golokaṁ gopagopīsamanvitam | taṁ saṁstūya varaṁ prāpa tataḥ sṛṣṭiṁ cakāra saḥ

And he beheld Sri Krishna himself, in Goloka, together with the cowherds and cowherd maidens; praising him, he obtained a boon, and thereafter set about the work of creation.

Verse 58 (devibhagavatam.9.3.58)

बभूवुर्ब्रह्मणः पुत्रा मानसाः सनकादयः । ततो रुद्रकलाश्चापि शिवस्यैकादश स्मृताः

babhūvurbrahmaṇaḥ putrā mānasāḥ sanakādayaḥ | tato rudrakalāścāpi śivasyaikādaśa smṛtāḥ

The mind-born sons of Brahma, Sanaka and the others, came into being; and thereafter the eleven Rudra-portions of Shiva, as already told.

Verse 59 (devibhagavatam.9.3.59)

बभूव पाता विष्णुश्च क्षुद्रस्य वामपार्श्वतः । चतुर्भुजश्च भगवान् श्वेतद्वीपे स चावसत्

babhūva pātā viṣṇuśca kṣudrasya vāmapārśvataḥ | caturbhujaśca bhagavān śvetadvīpe sa cāvasat

From the left side of the lesser Virat there also arose Vishnu, the preserver; that four-armed Lord took up his dwelling in Shvetadvipa.

Verse 60 (devibhagavatam.9.3.60)

क्षुद्रस्य नाभिपद्मे च ब्रह्मा विश्वं ससर्ज ह । स्वर्गं मर्त्यं च पातालं त्रिलोकीं सचराचराम्

kṣudrasya nābhipadme ca brahmā viśvaṁ sasarja ha | svargaṁ martyaṁ ca pātālaṁ trilokīṁ sacarācarām

Brahma, seated upon the lotus of the lesser Virat's navel, then created the whole universe — heaven, the mortal world, and the netherworld, the three worlds together with all that moves and does not move.

Verse 61 (devibhagavatam.9.3.61)

एवं सर्वं लोमकूपे विश्वं प्रत्येकमेव च । प्रतिविश्वे क्षुद्रविराड् ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवादयः

evaṁ sarvaṁ lomakūpe viśvaṁ pratyekameva ca | prativiśve kṣudravirāḍ brahmaviṣṇuśivādayaḥ

Thus within every single pore exists an entire universe of its own; and within every universe there is its own lesser Virat, its own Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and the rest.

Verse 62 (devibhagavatam.9.3.62)

इत्येवं कथितं ब्रह्मन् कृष्णसङ्कीर्तनं शुभम् । सुखदं मोक्षदं ब्रह्मन्किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि

ityevaṁ kathitaṁ brahman kṛṣṇasaṅkīrtanaṁ śubham | sukhadaṁ mokṣadaṁ brahmankiṁ bhūyaḥ śrotumicchasi

O brahmin, thus has this auspicious glorification of Krishna been told, giver of happiness and of liberation; what more do you now wish to hear?