Ninth Skandha · Chapter 3
Sourceश्रीनारायण उवाच अथ डिम्भो जले तिष्ठन्यावद्वै ब्रह्मणो वयः । ततः स काले सहसा द्विधाभूतो बभूव ह ॥१॥ तन्मध्ये शिशुरेकश्च शतकोटिरविप्रभः। क्षणं रोरूयमाणश्च स्तनान्धः पीडितः क्षुधा॥२॥ पित्रा मात्रा परित्यक्तो जलमध्ये निराश्रयः। ब्रह्माण्डासंख्यनाथो यो ददर्शोर्ध्वमनाथवत् ॥३॥ स्थूलास्थूलतमः सोऽपि नाम्ना देवो महाविराट्। परमा्णुर्यथा सूक्ष्मात्परः स्थूलात्तथाप्यसौ ॥४॥ तेजसा षोडशांशोऽयं कृष्णस्य परमात्मनः। आधारः सर्वविश्वानां महाविष्णुश्च प्राकृतः ॥५॥ प्रत्येकं लोमकूपेषु विश्वानि निखिलानि च। अस्यापि तेषां संख्यां च कृष्णो वक्तुं नहि क्षमः ॥६॥ संख्या चेद्रजसामस्ति विश्वानां न कदाचन। ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवादीनां तथा संख्या न विद्यते॥७॥ प्रतिविश्वेषु सन्त्येवं ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवादयः। पातालाद् ब्रह्मलोकान्तं ब्रह्माण्डं परिकीर्तितम्॥८॥ तत ऊर्ध्वं च वैकुण्ठो ब्रह्माण्डाद् बहिरेव सः। तत ऊर्ध्वं च गोलोकः पञ्चाशत्कोटियोजनः॥९॥ नित्यः सत्यस्वरूपश्च यथा कृष्णस्तथाप्ययम्। सप्तद्वीपमिता पृध्वी सप्तसागरसंयुता ॥१०॥ ऊनपञ्चाशदुपद्वीपासंख्यशैलवनान्विता । ऊर्ध्वं सप्त स्वर्गलोका ब्रह्यलोकसमन्विताः ॥११॥ पातालानि च सप्ताधश्चैवं ब्रह्माण्डमेव च। ऊर्ध्वं धराया भूर्लोको भुवर्लोकस्ततः परम्॥१२॥ ततः परश्च स्वर्लोको जनलोकस्तथा परः । ततः परस्तपोलोकः सत्यलोकस्ततः परः ॥१३॥ ततः परं ब्रह्मलोकस्तप्तकाञ्चनसन्निभः । एवं सर्वं कृत्रिमं च बाह्याभ्यन्तरमेव च ॥१४॥ तद्विनाशे विनाशश्च सर्वेषामेव नारद । जलबुद्बुदवत्सर्वं विश्वसंघमनित्यकम् ॥१५॥ नित्यौ गोलोकवैकुण्ठौ प्रोक्तौ शश्वदकृत्रिमौ । प्रत्येकं लोमकूपेषु ब्रह्माण्डं परिनिश्चितम् ॥१६॥ एषां संख्यां न जानाति कृष्णोऽन्यस्यापि का कथा । प्रत्येकं प्रतिब्रह्माण्डं ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवादयः ॥१७॥ तिस्रः कोट्यः सुराणां च संख्या सर्वत्र पुत्रक। दिगीशाश्चैव दिक्पाला नक्षत्राणि ग्रहादयः ॥१८॥ भुवि वर्णाश्च चत्वारोऽप्यधो नागाश्चराचराः । अथ कालेऽत्र स विराडूर्ध्वं दृष्ट्वा पुनः पुनः॥ १९॥ डिम्भान्तरे च शून्यं च न द्वितीयं च किञ्चन । चिन्तामवाप क्षुद्युक्तो रुरोद च पुनः पुनः ॥२०॥ ज्ञानं प्राप्य तदा दध्यौ कृष्णं परमपूरुषम्। ततो ददर्श तत्रैव ब्रह्मज्योतिः सनातनम् ॥२१॥ नवीनजलदश्यामं द्विभुजं पीतवाससम् । सस्मितं मुरलीहस्तं भक्तानुग्रहकातरम् ॥२२॥ जहास बालकस्तुष्टो दृष्ट्वा जनकमीश्वरम् । वरं तदा ददौ तस्मै वरेशः समयोचितम् ॥२३॥ मत्समो ज्ञानयुक्तश्च क्षुत्पिपासादिवर्जितः । ब्रह्माण्डासंख्यनिलयो भव वत्स लयावधि ॥२४॥ निष्कामो निर्भयश्चैव सर्वेषां वरदो भव । जरामृत्युरोगशोकपीडादिवर्जितो भव ॥२५॥ इत्युक्त्वा तस्य कर्णे स महामन्त्रं षडक्षरम् । त्रिःकृत्वश्च प्रजजाप वेदाङ्गप्रवरं परम् ॥२६॥ प्रणवादिचतुर्थ्यन्तं कृष्ण इत्यक्षरद्वयम् । वह्निजायान्तमिष्टं च सर्वविघ्नहरं परम् ॥२७॥ मन्त्रं दत्त्वा तदाहारं कल्पयामास वै विभुः। श्रूयतां तद् ब्रह्मपुत्र निबोध कथयामि ते ॥२८॥ प्रतिविश्वं यन्नैवेद्यं ददाति वैष्णवो जनः । तत्षोडशांशो विषयिणो विष्णोः पज्वदशास्य वै ॥२९॥ निर्गुणस्यात्मनश्चैव परिपूर्णतमस्य च । नैवेद्ये चैव कृष्णस्य न हि किञ्चित्प्रयोजनम्॥ ३०॥ यद्यद्ददाति नैवेद्यं तस्मै देवाय यो जनः । स च खादति तत्सर्वं लक्ष्मीनाथो विराट् तथा॥ ३१॥ तं च मन्त्रवरं दत्त्वा तमुवाच पुनर्विभुः । वरमन्यं किमिष्टं ते तन्मे ब्रूहि ददामि च ॥३२॥ कृष्णस्य वचनं श्रुत्वा तमुवाच विराड् विभुः । कृष्णं तं बालकस्तावद्वचनं समयोचितम् ॥३३॥ बालक उवाच वरो मे त्वत्पदाम्भोजे भक्तिर्भवतु निश्चला। सततं यावदायुर्मे क्षणं वा सुचिरं च वा॥३४॥ त्वद्भक्तियुक्तलोकेऽस्मिञ्जीवन्मुक्तश्च सन्ततम्। त्वद्भक्तिहीनो मूर्खश्च जीवन्नपि मृतो हि सः॥३५॥ किं तज्जपेन तपसा यज्ञेन पूजनेन च। व्रतेन चोपवासेन पुण्येन तीर्थसेवया ॥३६॥ कृष्णभक्तिविहीनस्य मूर्खस्य जीवनं वृथा । येनात्मना जीवितश्च तमेव न हि मन्यते ॥३७॥ यावदात्मा शरीरेऽस्ति तावत्स शक्तिसंयुतः । पश्चाद्यान्ति गते तस्मिन्स्वतन्त्राः सर्वशक्तयः॥३८॥ स च त्वं च महाभाग सर्वात्मा प्रकृतेः परः । स्वेच्छामयश्च सर्वाद्यो ब्रह्मज्योतिः सनातनः॥३९॥ इत्युक्त्वा बालकस्तत्र विरराम च नारद । उवाच कृष्णः प्रत्युक्तिं मधुरां श्रुतिसुन्दरीम्॥४०॥ "श्रीकृष्ण उवाच सुचिरं सुस्थिरं तिष्ठ यथाहं त्वं तथा भव । ब्रह्मणोऽसंख्यपाते च पातस्ते न भविष्यति॥४१॥ अंशेन प्रतिब्रह्माण्डे त्वं च क्षुद्रविराड् भव । त्वन्नाभिपद्माद् ब्रह्मा च विश्वस्रष्टा भविष्यति॥ ४२॥ ललाटे ब्रह्मणश्चैव रुद्राश्चैकादशैव ते । शिवांशेन भविष्यन्ति सृष्टिसंहरणाय वै॥४३॥ कालाग्निरुद्रस्तेष्वेको विश्वसंहारकारकः। पाता विष्णुश्च विषयी रुद्रांशेन(क्षुद्रांशेन) भविष्यति॥४४॥ मद्भक्तियुक्तः सततं भविष्यसि वरेण मे । ध्यानेन कमनीयं मां नित्यं द्रक्ष्यसि निश्चितम्॥ ४५॥ मातरं कमनीयां च मम वक्षःस्थलस्थिताम्। यामि लोकं तिष्ठ वत्सेत्युक्त्वा सोऽन्तरधीयत॥ ४६॥ गत्वा स्वलोकं ब्रह्माणं शङ्करं समुवाच ह। स्रष्टारं स्रष्टुमीशं च संहर्तुं चैव तत्क्षणम् ॥४७॥ "श्रीभगवानुवाच सृष्टिं स्रष्टुं गच्छ वत्स नाभिपद्मोद्भवो भव । महाविराड् लोमकूपे क्षुद्रस्य च विधे शृणु॥४८॥ गच्छ वत्स महादेव ब्रह्मभालोद्भवो भव। अंशेन च महाभाग स्वयं च सुचिरं तप॥४९॥ इत्युक्त्वा जगतां नाथो विरराम विधेः सुत। जगाम ब्रह्मा तं नत्वा शिवश्च शिवदायकः॥५०॥ महाविराड् लोमकूपे ब्रह्माण्डगोलके जले । बभूव च विराट् क्षुद्रो विराडंशेन साम्प्रतम्॥५१॥ श्यामो युवा पीतवासाः शयानो जलतल्पके । ईषद्धास्यः प्रसन्नास्यो विश्वव्यापी जनार्दनः ॥५२॥ तन्नाभिकमले ब्रह्मा बभूव कमलोद्भवः । सम्भूय पद्मदण्डे च बभ्राम युगलक्षकम् ॥५३॥ नान्तं जगाम दण्डस्य पद्मनालस्य पद्मजः । नाभिजस्य च पद्मस्य चिन्तामाप पिता तव॥५४॥ स्वस्थानं पुनरागम्य दध्यौ कृष्णपदाम्बुजम् । ततो ददर्श क्षुद्रं तं ध्यानेन दिव्यचक्षुषा ॥५५॥ शयानं जलतल्पे च ब्रह्माण्डगोलकाप्लुते । यल्लोमकूपे ब्रह्माण्डं तं च तत्परमीश्वरम् ॥५६॥ श्रीकृष्णं चापि गोलोकं गोपगोपीसमन्वितम् । तं संस्तूय वरं प्राप ततः सृष्टिं चकार सः॥५७॥ बभूवुर्ब्रह्मणः पुत्रा मानसाः सनकादयः । ततो रुद्रकलाश्चापि शिवस्यैकादश स्मृताः ॥५८॥ बभूव पाता विष्णुश्च क्षुद्रस्य वामपार्श्वतः। चतुर्भुजश्च भगवान् श्वेतद्वीपे स चावसत् ॥५९॥ क्षुद्रस्य नाभिपद्मे च ब्रह्मा विश्वं ससर्ज ह। स्वर्गं मर्त्यं च पातालं त्रिलोकीं सचराचराम्॥६०॥ एवं सर्वं लोमकूपे विश्वं प्रत्येकमेव च । प्रतिविश्वे क्षुद्रविराड् ब्रह्मविष्णुशिवादयः ॥६१॥ इत्येवं कथितं ब्रह्मन् कृष्णसङ्कीर्तनं शुभम्। सुखदं मोक्षदं ब्रह्मन्किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि॥६२॥
śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca atha ḍimbho jale tiṣṭhanyāvadvai brahmaṇo vayaḥ | tataḥ sa kāle sahasā dvidhābhūto babhūva ha ||1|| tanmadhye śiśurekaśca śatakoṭiraviprabhaḥ| kṣaṇaṃ rorūyamāṇaśca stanāndhaḥ pīḍitaḥ kṣudhā||2|| pitrā mātrā parityakto jalamadhye nirāśrayaḥ| brahmāṇḍāsaṃkhyanātho yo dadarśordhvamanāthavat ||3|| sthūlāsthūlatamaḥ so'pi nāmnā devo mahāvirāṭ| paramāṇuryathā sūkṣmātparaḥ sthūlāttathāpyasau ||4|| tejasā ṣoḍaśāṃśo'yaṃ kṛṣṇasya paramātmanaḥ| ādhāraḥ sarvaviśvānāṃ mahāviṣṇuśca prākṛtaḥ ||5|| pratyekaṃ lomakūpeṣu viśvāni nikhilāni ca| asyāpi teṣāṃ saṃkhyāṃ ca kṛṣṇo vaktuṃ nahi kṣamaḥ ||6|| saṃkhyā cedrajasāmasti viśvānāṃ na kadācana| brahmaviṣṇuśivādīnāṃ tathā saṃkhyā na vidyate||7|| prativiśveṣu santyevaṃ brahmaviṣṇuśivādayaḥ| pātālād brahmalokāntaṃ brahmāṇḍaṃ parikīrtitam||8|| tata ūrdhvaṃ ca vaikuṇṭho brahmāṇḍād bahireva saḥ| tata ūrdhvaṃ ca golokaḥ pañcāśatkoṭiyojanaḥ||9|| nityaḥ satyasvarūpaśca yathā kṛṣṇastathāpyayam| saptadvīpamitā pṛdhvī saptasāgarasaṃyutā ||10|| ūnapañcāśadupadvīpāsaṃkhyaśailavanānvitā | ūrdhvaṃ sapta svargalokā brahyalokasamanvitāḥ ||11|| pātālāni ca saptādhaścaivaṃ brahmāṇḍameva ca| ūrdhvaṃ dharāyā bhūrloko bhuvarlokastataḥ param||12|| tataḥ paraśca svarloko janalokastathā paraḥ | tataḥ parastapolokaḥ satyalokastataḥ paraḥ ||13|| tataḥ paraṃ brahmalokastaptakāñcanasannibhaḥ | evaṃ sarvaṃ kṛtrimaṃ ca bāhyābhyantarameva ca ||14|| tadvināśe vināśaśca sarveṣāmeva nārada | jalabudbudavatsarvaṃ viśvasaṃghamanityakam ||15|| nityau golokavaikuṇṭhau proktau śaśvadakṛtrimau | pratyekaṃ lomakūpeṣu brahmāṇḍaṃ pariniścitam ||16|| eṣāṃ saṃkhyāṃ na jānāti kṛṣṇo'nyasyāpi kā kathā | pratyekaṃ pratibrahmāṇḍaṃ brahmaviṣṇuśivādayaḥ ||17|| tisraḥ koṭyaḥ surāṇāṃ ca saṃkhyā sarvatra putraka| digīśāścaiva dikpālā nakṣatrāṇi grahādayaḥ ||18|| bhuvi varṇāśca catvāro'pyadho nāgāścarācarāḥ | atha kāle'tra sa virāḍūrdhvaṃ dṛṣṭvā punaḥ punaḥ|| 19|| ḍimbhāntare ca śūnyaṃ ca na dvitīyaṃ ca kiñcana | cintāmavāpa kṣudyukto ruroda ca punaḥ punaḥ ||20|| jñānaṃ prāpya tadā dadhyau kṛṣṇaṃ paramapūruṣam| tato dadarśa tatraiva brahmajyotiḥ sanātanam ||21|| navīnajaladaśyāmaṃ dvibhujaṃ pītavāsasam | sasmitaṃ muralīhastaṃ bhaktānugrahakātaram ||22|| jahāsa bālakastuṣṭo dṛṣṭvā janakamīśvaram | varaṃ tadā dadau tasmai vareśaḥ samayocitam ||23|| matsamo jñānayuktaśca kṣutpipāsādivarjitaḥ | brahmāṇḍāsaṃkhyanilayo bhava vatsa layāvadhi ||24|| niṣkāmo nirbhayaścaiva sarveṣāṃ varado bhava | jarāmṛtyurogaśokapīḍādivarjito bhava ||25|| ityuktvā tasya karṇe sa mahāmantraṃ ṣaḍakṣaram | triḥkṛtvaśca prajajāpa vedāṅgapravaraṃ param ||26|| praṇavādicaturthyantaṃ kṛṣṇa ityakṣaradvayam | vahnijāyāntamiṣṭaṃ ca sarvavighnaharaṃ param ||27|| mantraṃ dattvā tadāhāraṃ kalpayāmāsa vai vibhuḥ| śrūyatāṃ tad brahmaputra nibodha kathayāmi te ||28|| prativiśvaṃ yannaivedyaṃ dadāti vaiṣṇavo janaḥ | tatṣoḍaśāṃśo viṣayiṇo viṣṇoḥ pajvadaśāsya vai ||29|| nirguṇasyātmanaścaiva paripūrṇatamasya ca | naivedye caiva kṛṣṇasya na hi kiñcitprayojanam|| 30|| yadyaddadāti naivedyaṃ tasmai devāya yo janaḥ | sa ca khādati tatsarvaṃ lakṣmīnātho virāṭ tathā|| 31|| taṃ ca mantravaraṃ dattvā tamuvāca punarvibhuḥ | varamanyaṃ kimiṣṭaṃ te tanme brūhi dadāmi ca ||32|| kṛṣṇasya vacanaṃ śrutvā tamuvāca virāḍ vibhuḥ | kṛṣṇaṃ taṃ bālakastāvadvacanaṃ samayocitam ||33|| bālaka uvāca varo me tvatpadāmbhoje bhaktirbhavatu niścalā| satataṃ yāvadāyurme kṣaṇaṃ vā suciraṃ ca vā||34|| tvadbhaktiyuktaloke'smiñjīvanmuktaśca santatam| tvadbhaktihīno mūrkhaśca jīvannapi mṛto hi saḥ||35|| kiṃ tajjapena tapasā yajñena pūjanena ca| vratena copavāsena puṇyena tīrthasevayā ||36|| kṛṣṇabhaktivihīnasya mūrkhasya jīvanaṃ vṛthā | yenātmanā jīvitaśca tameva na hi manyate ||37|| yāvadātmā śarīre'sti tāvatsa śaktisaṃyutaḥ | paścādyānti gate tasminsvatantrāḥ sarvaśaktayaḥ||38|| sa ca tvaṃ ca mahābhāga sarvātmā prakṛteḥ paraḥ | svecchāmayaśca sarvādyo brahmajyotiḥ sanātanaḥ||39|| ityuktvā bālakastatra virarāma ca nārada | uvāca kṛṣṇaḥ pratyuktiṃ madhurāṃ śrutisundarīm||40|| "śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca suciraṃ susthiraṃ tiṣṭha yathāhaṃ tvaṃ tathā bhava | brahmaṇo'saṃkhyapāte ca pātaste na bhaviṣyati||41|| aṃśena pratibrahmāṇḍe tvaṃ ca kṣudravirāḍ bhava | tvannābhipadmād brahmā ca viśvasraṣṭā bhaviṣyati|| 42|| lalāṭe brahmaṇaścaiva rudrāścaikādaśaiva te | śivāṃśena bhaviṣyanti sṛṣṭisaṃharaṇāya vai||43|| kālāgnirudrasteṣveko viśvasaṃhārakārakaḥ| pātā viṣṇuśca viṣayī rudrāṃśena(kṣudrāṃśena) bhaviṣyati||44|| madbhaktiyuktaḥ satataṃ bhaviṣyasi vareṇa me | dhyānena kamanīyaṃ māṃ nityaṃ drakṣyasi niścitam|| 45|| mātaraṃ kamanīyāṃ ca mama vakṣaḥsthalasthitām| yāmi lokaṃ tiṣṭha vatsetyuktvā so'ntaradhīyata|| 46|| gatvā svalokaṃ brahmāṇaṃ śaṅkaraṃ samuvāca ha| sraṣṭāraṃ sraṣṭumīśaṃ ca saṃhartuṃ caiva tatkṣaṇam ||47|| "śrībhagavānuvāca sṛṣṭiṃ sraṣṭuṃ gaccha vatsa nābhipadmodbhavo bhava | mahāvirāḍ lomakūpe kṣudrasya ca vidhe śṛṇu||48|| gaccha vatsa mahādeva brahmabhālodbhavo bhava| aṃśena ca mahābhāga svayaṃ ca suciraṃ tapa||49|| ityuktvā jagatāṃ nātho virarāma vidheḥ suta| jagāma brahmā taṃ natvā śivaśca śivadāyakaḥ||50|| mahāvirāḍ lomakūpe brahmāṇḍagolake jale | babhūva ca virāṭ kṣudro virāḍaṃśena sāmpratam||51|| śyāmo yuvā pītavāsāḥ śayāno jalatalpake | īṣaddhāsyaḥ prasannāsyo viśvavyāpī janārdanaḥ ||52|| tannābhikamale brahmā babhūva kamalodbhavaḥ | sambhūya padmadaṇḍe ca babhrāma yugalakṣakam ||53|| nāntaṃ jagāma daṇḍasya padmanālasya padmajaḥ | nābhijasya ca padmasya cintāmāpa pitā tava||54|| svasthānaṃ punarāgamya dadhyau kṛṣṇapadāmbujam | tato dadarśa kṣudraṃ taṃ dhyānena divyacakṣuṣā ||55|| śayānaṃ jalatalpe ca brahmāṇḍagolakāplute | yallomakūpe brahmāṇḍaṃ taṃ ca tatparamīśvaram ||56|| śrīkṛṣṇaṃ cāpi golokaṃ gopagopīsamanvitam | taṃ saṃstūya varaṃ prāpa tataḥ sṛṣṭiṃ cakāra saḥ||57|| babhūvurbrahmaṇaḥ putrā mānasāḥ sanakādayaḥ | tato rudrakalāścāpi śivasyaikādaśa smṛtāḥ ||58|| babhūva pātā viṣṇuśca kṣudrasya vāmapārśvataḥ| caturbhujaśca bhagavān śvetadvīpe sa cāvasat ||59|| kṣudrasya nābhipadme ca brahmā viśvaṃ sasarja ha| svargaṃ martyaṃ ca pātālaṃ trilokīṃ sacarācarām||60|| evaṃ sarvaṃ lomakūpe viśvaṃ pratyekameva ca | prativiśve kṣudravirāḍ brahmaviṣṇuśivādayaḥ ||61|| ityevaṃ kathitaṃ brahman kṛṣṇasaṅkīrtanaṃ śubham| sukhadaṃ mokṣadaṃ brahmankiṃ bhūyaḥ śrotumicchasi||62||
English translation
1-34. Narayana said:- “O Devarsi! The egg (born of Mula Prakriti) that was floating in the waters for a period equal to the life period of Brahma, now in the fullness of time separated into two parts. Within that egg there was a powerful Child, lustrous like one thousand millions of suns. This child could not suck mother’s milk, as it was forsaken by Her. So being tired of hunger, the child for a moment cried repeatedly. The child that will become the Lord of countless Brahmandas (universes), now an orphan having no father nor mother began to look upwards from the waters. This boy came to be denominated afterwards by the name of Maha Virat, when he became gross and grosser. As there is nothing finer than radium so there is nothing grosser than Maha Virat. The power of this Maha Virat is one-sixteenth of that of S’ri Krisna, the Highest Self. But this boy, (born of the Prakriti Radha) is the Sole Stay of all this Universe and he is denominated by the name “Maha-Visnu”. In his every pore countless universes are existing. So much so that even S’ri Krisna could not count them. If it were possible to count the number of dust particles, it is impossible to count the number of universes. So there are endless Brahmas, Visnus, and Mahes’varas. In every Brahmanda, there is Brahma, Visnu, and Mahes’a. Each Brahmanda extends from Patala to the Brahmaloka. The abode of Vaikuntha is higher than that (i. e. it is situated outside of Brahmanda), again the abode of Goloka is fifty koti yojanas (50 x 10 x 4 x 2 million miles) higher than Vaikuntha. This Goloka Dhama is eternal and real as S’ri Krisna is eternal and real. This world composed of the seven islands is surrounded by the seven oceans. Forty-nine Upa Dvipas (smaller islands adjacent to them) are existing here. Besides there are countless mountains and forests. Higher than this earth is the Brahmaloka with seven heavens and below this are the seven Patalas. This is the bounding limit of Brahmanda. Just above this earth there is the Bhurloka; above is Bhuvarloka; then Svarloka, then
Janarloka, then Taparloka, then Satyaloka, and above that is Brahmaloka. The splendour of Brahmaloka is like that of molten gold. But all the substances whether outside or inside this Brahmaloka, are transient. When this Brahmanda (cosmos) dissolves, everything dissolves and is destroyed. All are temporary like bubbles of water. Only Goloka and Vaikuntha are eternal. In every pore of this Maha Virat is existing one Brahmanda (cosmos). What to speak of others when even Krisna cannot count the number of these Brahmandas. In every Brahmanda there is Brahma, Visnu and Mahes’a. O Child Narada! In every Brahmanda, the number of the gods is three kotis or 30 millions. Some of them are the Dikpatis (the Regents of the quarters); some are the Dikpalas (the Rulers of the quarters), some are asterisms, and some planets. In the Bhurloka, there are four Varnas (Brahmins, etc.,) and in the Patalas there are Nagas. Thus the Universe exists composed of moveable and non-moveable things (This is Brahmanda Vivriti). O Narada!
Now the Virat Purusa began to look up to the skies again and again but He could not see anything within that egg except the void. Then distressed with hunger He cried out repeatedly and became merged in anxiety. Next moment getting back His consciousness. He began to think of Krisna, the Highest Person and saw there at once the eternal light of Brahma. He saw there His form as deep blue like new rain-cloud; with two hands, garment of a yellow colour, sweet smile on His face, flute in His hand and He seemed to be very anxious to show His Grace to Devotees. Looking at the Lord, His Father, the boy became glad and smiled. The Lord, the Bestower of boon granted him boons appropriate for that moment “O Child! Let you possess knowledge like Me; let your hunger and thirst vanish; let you be the holder of innumerable Brahmandas till the time of Pralaya (the universal dissolution). Be without any selfishness, be fearless and the bestower of boons to all. Let not old age, death, disease, sorrow nor any other ailings afflict thee. Thus saying He repeated thrice on his ear the six-lettered great Mantra “Om Krisnaya Svaha” worshipped by the Vedas with their Amgas, the Giver of desires and the destroyer of all troubles and calamities. O Brahma’s Son! Thus giving the mantra, S’ri Krisna arranged for his feeding thus:- In
every universe, whatever offerings will be given to S’ri Krisna, one sixteenth of that will go to Narayana, the Lord of Vaikuntha and fifteen-sixteenth is to go to this boy, the Virat. S’ri Krisna did not allot any share for Himself. Himself transcending all the Gunas, and Full, He is always satisfied with Himself. What necessity is there for any further offerings? Whatever the people offer with devotion, the Lord of Laksmi, the Virat eats all these. Bhagavan S’ri Krisna giving thus to the Virat the boon and the Mantra said:-- “O Child! Say what more you desire; I will give you that instantly. The Virat boy, hearing thus the words of S’ri Krisna, spoke:- “O Thou Omnipresent! I have got no desires whatsoever, save this that as long as I live, whether for a short time or for a long time, let me have pure Bhakti towards Thy lotus feet.
35-41. In this world he is Jivanmukta (liberated whilst living) who is your Bhakta; and that bewildered fool is dead while living who is devoid of any Bhakti to Thee. What needs he to perform Japam, asceticism, sacrifice, worship, holding fasts and observances, going to sacred places of pilgrimages and other virtuous acts if he be without any bhakti to S’ri Krisna? Vain is his life who is devoid of any devotion to S’ri Krisna, under Whose Grace he has obtained his life and Whom he does not now pay homage and worship. He is endowed with Sakti as long as Atma (Self) resides in his body; no sooner the Atma departs from his body all the Saktis accompany him. O Great One! And thou art the Universal Atman (soul) who transcends Prakriti, Who is All will, the Primeval Person and of the nature of the Highest Light. O Child! Thus saying, the Virat boy remained silent. S’ri Krisna then, spoke in sweet words:- “O Child! Let you remain as fresh as ever like Me. You will not have any fall even if innumerable Brahmas pass away.
42-57. Let you divide yourself in parts and turn into smaller Virats in every universe. Brahma will spring from your navel and will create
the cosmos. From the forehead of that Brahma will spring eleven Rudras for the destruction of the creation. But they will all be parts of S’iva. The Rudra named Kalagni, of these eleven Rudras, will be the destroyer of all this VisVas (cosmos). Besides, from each of your sub-divisions, the Vis’nu will originate and that Bhagavan Visnu will be the Preserver of this VisVu world. I say that under my favour you will always be full of Bhakti towards Me and no sooner you meditate on Me, you will be able to see My lovely form. There is no doubt in this; and your Mother, Who resides in My breast, will not be difficult for you to see. Let you remain here in ease and comfort. I now go to Goloka. Saying thus S’ri Krisna, the Lord of the world disappeared. Going to His own abode He spoke instantly to Brahma and S’ankara, skilled in the works of creation and destruction:- “O Child Brahma! Go quickly and be born in parts from the navels of each of the smaller Virats that will arise from the pores of the Great Virat. O Child Mahadeva! Go and be born in parts from the forehead of each Brahma in every universe for the destruction of the creation; (but be careful that you not forget) and perform austerities for a long, long time. O son of the Creator Brahma! Thus saying, the Lord of the Universe remained silent. Brahma and S’iva, the auspicious, bowing to the Lord, went to their own duties. On the other hand, the great Virat that lay floating in the waters of the Brahmanda sphere, created from his every pore each smaller Virat. That youth Janardan of the form of the Great Cosmos, wearing yellow garment of the bluish- green colour of the Durba grass, lay sleeping pervading everywhere. Brahma took his birth in His navel. He, then, after his birth, began to travel in that navel-lotus and in the stem of the lotus for one lakh yugas. But he could not find out the place whence the lotus or its stem had sprung up. O Narada! Then your father became very anxious and came back to his former place and began to meditate on the lotus feet of S’ri Krisna. Then, in meditation, with his introspective eye, he first saw the small Virat, then the endless great Virat lying on the watery bed, in whose pores the universes are existing and then he saw the God S’ri Krisna in Goloka with Gopas and Gopis. He then began to praise the Lord of Goloka when He
granted boons to your father, and he began to do the work of creation.
58-62. From the mind of your father, were born first S’anaka and other brothers and then from his forehead eleven Rudras sprang. Then from the left side of that small Virat lying on the bed of waters, the four-handed Visnu Bhagavan, the Preserver of the Universe, came. He went to SVetadvTpa, where he remained. Then your father became engaged in creating this Universe, moveable and non¬ moveable, composed of three worlds, heaven, earth and Patala, in the navel of that small Virat Purusa. O Narada! Thus from the pores of that great Virat each universe has sprung and in every universe there is one small Virat, one Brahma, one Visnu and one S’iva and S’anaka and others. O Best of twice born! Thus I have described the glories of Krisna, that give exceeding pleasure and Moksa. Now say what more you want to hear?
Here ends the Third Chapter of the Ninth Book on the Origin of Brahma, Visnu and Mahes’a and others in the Maha Puranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24488, revision 399926 (2023-12-24T15:45:02Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk09ch03.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.