SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 3

(1) Maitreya said: 'Thus far I described to you, o Vidura, the glories of the Supersoul under the name of kâla, now just try to understand from me how the repository of the Vedas [Brahmâ] created the things as they are.

(2) First came about [as the five types of ignorance:] the idea that one would die [andhatâmisra], then indignation [tâmisra], next all the craving of infatuation [mahâmoha] and then there was the delusional of error [like identifying oneself with the body, etc., moha] as well as the darkness of the nescience about one's own engagements [tamas]. (3) Seeing such a troublesome creation he [Brahmâ] didn't feel much for himself; he then, purified by meditating the Supreme Lord, found the mind for another one. (4) To that the great self-born sages Sanaka, Sananda, Sanâtana and Sanat-kumâra found their existence who are free from all fruitive action and who are of the celibate ['whose seed goes upwards']. (5) He commissioned them, his sons, from within: 'O my sons, do procreate', but they didn't desire that, pledged as they were to the principles of liberation in devotion for the Personality of Godhead. (6) He, thus disrespected by the sons who refused to follow the order, developed an anger which he could not show and to his best tried to put to an end. (7) In spite of controlling it by meditation, from between the eyebrows of the original father his anger, instantly a child was born of a color mixed of red [for passion] and blue [for ignorance]. (8) That child loudly cried out to the father of all the gods: 'O Powerful one, o ruler of destiny, assign me my names and places of commitment, o teacher of the universe.'

(9) Being requested as the all-powerful one born from the lotus, he accepted the plea and gently pacified it with the words: 'Do not cry, I shall do as you desire. (10) O boy, chief of the demigods, because you were so anxiously crying out aloud, the people will address you by the name of Rudra. (11) The heart, the senses, the life air, the ether, the air, fire and water, earth and the sun, the moon and also austerity for sure are all the places that are reserved for you. (12) All your names are: Manyu, Manu, Mahinasa, Mahân, S'iva, Ritadhvaja, Ugraretâ, Bhava, Kâla, Vâmadeva and Dhritavrata. (13) Dhî, Dhriti, Rasalâ, Umâ, Niyut, Sarpi, Ilâ, Ambikâ, Irâvatî, Svadhâ and Dîkshâ are, o Rudra, your eleven wives. (14) Accept these different names and places and the wives belonging to them; generate progeny with them on a large scale, for you are the master of the living beings.' (15) Thus being ordered by his own spiritual master, the most powerful one of the mix of blue and red brought forth the generations who like himself were of the same strength, features and furious nature. (16) Seeing from the activities of the sons that were generated by Rudra that the unlimited number of them all together devoured the entire universe, the father of the living beings became afraid: (17) 'O best of the demigods, [he said,] enough of your generating this kind of living beings; they, by the fiery flames of their eyes, scorch every direction and me as well. (18) Be situated in penance, that is auspicious for you. By penance only will the living entities find happiness and will you create a world to your liking as it was before. (19) Only by penance can a person fully know the supreme light of respect for the Supreme Lord beyond the senses who resides in the heart of everyone.'

(20) Maitreya said: 'Thus on the request of the self-born one, he [Rudra] circumambulated the master of the Vedas, that way confirming Him with mantras, and entered for the sake of penance the forest. (21) Thinking of creation were, empowered with the potency of the Venerable One, then [by Brahmâ] ten sons begotten to give rise to the world population: (22) Thus Marîci, Atri, Angirâ, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Bhrigu, Vasishthha, Daksha and the tenth son, Nârada, were born. (23) Deliberating on transcendence Nârada came into being, Daksha came from the thumb, from the life-air Vasishthha saw the light, while Bhrigu came from his touch and the sage Kratu from his hand. (24) Pulaha generated from the navel, Pulastya from his ears, the great sage Angirâ from the mouth, from the eyes the sage Atri came forth and the sage Marîci appeared from the mind. (25) From the right side of the breast, where Nârâyana resides, religion manifested while irreligion, from which the world fears the horrors of death, appeared from his back. (26) From the heart lust manifested, from the eyebrows anger, from between his lips greed, from the mouth originated the drive to speak while from his penis the flood came and from the anus, the reservoir of all vices, the lowest activities. (27) From his shadow Kardama Muni, the husband of Devahûti, manifested. Thus was from as well the master his body as his mind this living universe of the creator evolved.

(28) O Vidura, we have heard that the daughter Vak that was born from his body distracted the mind of Brahmâ and brought him desire and although he wasn't sexually inclined, he thus developed a sexual preference. (29) The sons, the sages headed by Marîci, who thus saw that the mind to him had lost its sense of duty, with due respect submitted themselves as follows: (30) 'Never before was such a thing done by you, nor by anyone else, what you entertain towards your daughter without controlling the sexual urge, o master. (31) Certainly such an attitude does not befit the most powerful one whose good behavior and character, o master of the universe, the world surely is following in its choice of prosperity. (32) Let us offer our obeisances to the Supreme Lord who, situated in Himself, from His own effulgence has the goodness to manifest the proper sense of duty for our protection.' (33) Thus seeing all the sons before him addressing him, the father of all fathers of mankind, at that moment ashamed quitted the body accepting the blame about the fog that in all directions is [still] known as the darkness. (34) When there was once the contemplation on how he would create himself all these worlds as they were composed in the past, from the four mouths of Brahmâ the vedic literature manifested. (35) Thus the four functions of action [the offer, the performer, the fire and the offering itself] and the supplements of the Veda with their logical conclusions along with the four principles of religion [truth, purity, austerity and compassion] came about and following that also the social orders and the divisions of vocation became manifest.'

(36) Vidura said: 'Please explain to me, o wealth of renunciation, how and with the help of what divinity were the Vedas, which originated from the mouth, established by him who is the controller of the universe that was created.'

(37) Maitreya said: 'Beginning from the front were by the [four] mouths one after the other established the Vedas named Rig, Yajur, Sâma and Atharva; the scriptural discussions, the rituals, the recitation material the prayers of transcendental activity [with for each of the four a type of priest or ritvik]. (38) Also were as before from the front of the mouths created the vedic science of medicine, military science, the art of music and the know-how of building [called the upavedas]. (39) Also were the itihâsas, the separeate histories, and the collections of classical stories, the purânas, all together as the fifth Veda brought forth from the mouths of him who sees the time all around. (40) The various types of fire-sacrifice called sodas'î, uktha, purîshi, agnishthoma, âptoryamâ, atirâtra, vâjapeya and gosava manifested from the eastern mouth[s]. (41) Education (through purity), charity (through compassion), penance and truth as the four legs of religion as also the orders of life [students, married people, withdrawn people and the renuciates] and the vocations [the laborers, the traders, the rulers and the intellectuals] were created in the same order. (42) Then there was the initiation [the ceremony of the sacred thread] for the twice-born, the rule of loyalty for one year, the culture of sexual abstinence and the subsistence according the rules and duties of maintaining a livelihood by taking what is left over without asking further even though one is of a householders life. (43) Those who retired and cook modestly, those who gave up keeping stock, those who accept what they find on their way, and those who live in retreat on what falls in their lap, are the ones who live withdrawn, while the renounced order consists of those who from the beginning lived unattached within a family, those who gave up all material interest always being engaged in transcendental activities, those who are complete in their absorption in transcendental knowledge and those who gave up acting all together. (44) From his heart came thus also the logic of spiritual knowledge, the triple sacred science [hymns, offers and mantra-meditation], political science and the moral codes, into existence along with the hymns of earth, mind and heaven as surely also the Pranava [aum-mantra]. (45) From the hair of his body ushnik [a meter of poetry] was generated, from the skin of the mighty one came the gâyatrî [the three-foot and purification mantra], trishthup [another metre] came from his flesh, from the veins came anushthup and from the bones of the father of the living beings was jagatî generated [two other meters]. (46) From the marrow of his bones was manifested pankti itself while brihatî, generated from the life breath [two types of verse]. (47) The individual soul of the father of beings manifested itself as the touch alphabets [ka to ma], his body expressed the vowels [a, â, i, î, u, û, ri, rî, l, e, ai, o, au], the sibilant alphabets [sa-types and ha] are called his senses, his strength was manifested as the intermediate alphabets [ya , ra, la and va] and the activities of his senses as the seven notes of music [*]. (48) The transcendental sound of His Soul, that is beyond the conception of manifestation or the unmanifest, is the source from which the Absolute [of Brahmâ] completely manifested that is invested with multifarious energies.

(49) Having accepted another body he thereafter paid attention to the matter of procreation. (50) O son of the Kurus, knowing that in spite of the earthly potential of the great sages the population did not extend, he again in his heart came to consider this: (51) 'Alas, how surpising it is for me to be so busy all the time but nevertheless have the progeny not procreating; there must be some kind of divine ordinance working against me in this.' (52) While contemplating and observing his divinity thus, at that time after his image two others manifested of which one says that they are his body. (53) His form with them being divided then perfectly engaged in a sexual relationship. (54) The one of them who was the male became the fully independent father of manhood [the Manu] called Svâyambhuva and the one who was the woman was known as S'atarûpâ; she was the queen to the great soul that he was. (55) From that time, from the sexual life according the rules of religion, for sure the increase of the generations took place. (56) In due course of time he begot from S'atarûpâ five children: Priyavrata and Uttânapâda and three daughters, o son of Bharata, Âkûti, Devahûti and Prasûti, o best of all. (57) The one named Âkûti he handed over to the sage Ruci, the sage Kardama he gave the middle one [Devahûti] and Daksha was handed over Prasûti. From this the whole world became populated.

Maitreya said: 'Thus far I described to you, o Vidura, the glories of the Supersoul under the name of kâla, now just try to understand from me how the repository of the Vedas [Brahmâ] created the things as they are.

S'rî Maitreya said: O learned Vidura, so far I have explained to you the glories of the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His feature of kâla. Now you can hear from me about the creation of Brahmâ, the reservoir of all Vedic knowledge. (Vedabase)

Text 2

First came about [as the five types of ignorance:] the idea that one would die [andhatâmisra], then indignation [tâmisra], next all the craving of infatuation [mahâmoha] and then there was the delusional of error [like identifying oneself with the body, etc., moha] as well as the darkness of the nescience about one's own engagements [tamas].

Brahmâ first created the nescient engagements like self-deception, the sense of death, anger after frustration, the sense of false ownership, and the illusory bodily conception, or forgetfulness of one's real identity. (Vedabase)

Text 3

Seeing such a troublesome creation he [Brahmâ] didn't feel much for himself; he then, purified by meditating the Supreme Lord, found the mind for another one.

Seeing such a misleading creation as a sinful task, Brahmâ didn't did not feel much pleasure in his activity, and therefore he purified himself by meditation on the Personality of Godhead. Then he began another term of creation. (Vedabase)

Text 4

To that the great self-born sages Sanaka, Sananda, Sanâtana and Sanat-kumâra found their existence who are free from all fruitive action and who are of the celibate ['whose seed goes upwards'].

In the beginning, Brahmâ created four great sages named Sanaka, Sananda, Sanâtana and Sanat-kumâra. All of them were unwilling to adopt materialistic activities because they were highly elevated due to their semen's flowing upwards. (Vedabase)

Text 5

He commissioned them, his sons, from within: 'O my sons, do procreate', but they didn't desire that, pledged as they were to the principles of liberation in devotion for the Personality of Godhead.

Brahmâ spoke to his sons after generating them. "My dear sons," he said, "now generate progeny." But due to their being attached to Vâsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they aimed at liberation, and therefore they expressed their unwillingness. (Vedabase)

Text 6

He, thus disrespected by the sons who refused to follow the order, developed an anger which he could not show and to his best tried to put to an end.

On the refusal of the sons to obey the order of their father, there was much anger generated in the mind of Brahmâ, which he tried to control and not express. (Vedabase)

Text 7

In spite of controlling it by meditation, from between the eyebrows of the original father his anger, instantly a child was born of a color mixed of red [for passion] and blue [for ignorance].

Although he tried to curb his anger, it came out from between his eyebrows, and a child mixed blue and red was immediately generated. (Vedabase)

Text 8

That child loudly cried out to the father of all the gods: 'O Powerful one, o ruler of destiny, assign me my names and places of commitment, o teacher of the universe.

After his birth he began to cry: O destiny maker, teacher of the universe, kindly designate my name and place. (Vedabase)

Text 9

Being requested as the all-powerful one born from the lotus, he accepted the plea and gently pacified it with the words: 'Do not cry, I shall do as you desire'

The all-powerful Brahmâ, who was born from the lotus flower, pacified the boy with gentle words, accepting his request, and said: Do not cry. I shall certainly do as you desire. (Vedabase)

Text 10

O boy, chief of the demigods, because you were so anxiously crying out aloud, the people will address you by the name of Rudra.

Thereafter Brahmâ said: O chief of the demigods, you shall be called by the name Rudra by all people because you have so anxiously cried. (Vedabase)

Text 11

The heart, the senses, the life air, the ether, the air, fire and water, earth and the sun, the moon and also austerity for sure are all the places that are reserved for you.

My dear boy, I have already selected the following places for your residence: the heart, the senses, the air of life, the sky, the air, the fire, the water, the earth, the sun, the moon and austerity. (Vedabase)

Text 12

All your names are: Manyu, Manu, Mahinasa, Mahân, S'iva, Ritadhvaja, Ugraretâ, Bhava, Kâla, Vâmadeva and Dhritavrata.

Lord Brahmâ said: My dear boy Rudra, you have eleven other names: Manyu, Manu, Mahinasa, Mahân, S'iva, Ritadhvaja, Ugraretâ, Bhava, Kâla, Vâmadeva and Dhritavrata. (Vedabase)

Text 13

Dhî, Dhriti, Rasalâ, Umâ, Niyut, Sarpi, Ilâ, Ambikâ, Irâvatî, Svadhâ and Dîkshâ are, o Rudra, your eleven wives.

O Rudra, you also have eleven wives, called the Rudrânîs, and they are as follows: Dhî, Dhriti, Rasalâ, Umâ, Niyut, Sarpi, Ilâ, Ambikâ, Irâvatî, Svadhâ and Dîkshâ. (Vedabase)

Text 14

Accept these different names and places and the wives belonging to them; generate progeny with them on a large scale, for you are the master of the living beings.

My dear boy, you may now accept all the names and places designated for you and your different wives, and since you are now one of the masters of the living entities, you may increase the population on a large scale. (Vedabase)

Text 15

Thus being ordered by his own spiritual master, the most powerful one of the mix of blue and red brought forth the generations who like himself were of the same strength, features and furious nature.'

The most powerful Rudra, whose bodily color was blue mixed with red, created many offspring exactly resembling him in features, strength and furious nature. (Vedabase)

Text 16

Seeing from the activities of the sons that were generated by Rudra that the unlimited number of them all together devoured the entire universe, the father of the living beings became afraid:

The sons and grandsons generated by Rudra were unlimited in number, and when they assembled together they attempted to devour the entire universe. When Brahmâ, the father of the living entities, saw this, he became afraid of the situation. (Vedabase)

Text 17

'O best of the demigods, [he said,] enough of your generating this kind of living beings; they, by the fiery flames of their eyes, scorch every direction and me as well.

Brahmâ told Rudra: O best among the demigods, there is no need for you to generate living entities of this nature. They have begun to devastate everything on all sides with the fiery flames from their eyes, and they have even attacked me. (Vedabase)

Text 18:

Be situated in penance, that is auspicious for you. By penance only will the living entities find happiness and will you create a world to your liking as it was before.

My dear son, you had better situate yourself in penance, which is auspicious for all living entities and which will bring all benediction upon you. By penance only shall you be able to create the universe as it was before. (Vedabase)

Text 19:

Only by penance can a person fully know the supreme light of respect for the Supreme Lord beyond the senses who resides in the heart of everyone.'

By penance only can one even approach the Personality of Godhead, who is within the heart of every living entity and at the same time beyond the reach of all senses. (Vedabase)

Text 20:

Maitreya said: 'Thus on the request of the self-born one, he [Rudra] circumambulated the master of the Vedas, that way confirming Him with mantras, and entered for the sake of penance the forest.

S'rî Maitreya said: Thus Rudra, having been ordered by Brahmâ, circumambulated his father, the master of the Vedas. Addressing him with words of assent, he entered the forest to perform austere penances. (Vedabase)

Text 21:

Thinking of creation were, empowered with the potency of the Venerable One, then [by Brahmâ] ten sons begotten to give rise to the world population:

Brahmâ, who was empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, thought of generating living entities and begot ten sons for the extension of the generations. (Vedabase)

Text 22:

Thus Marîci, Atri, Angirâ, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Bhrigu, Vasishthha, Daksha and the tenth son, Nârada, were born.

Marîci, Atri, Angirâ, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Bhrigu, Vasishthha, Daksha, and the tenth son, Nârada, were thus born. (Veda b ase)

Text 23:

Deliberating on transcendence Nârada came into being, Daksha came from the thumb, from the life-air Vasishthha saw the light, while Bhrigu came from his touch and the sage Kratu from his hand.

Nârada was born from the deliberation of Brahmâ, which is the best part of the body. Vasishthha was born from his breathing, Daksha from a thumb, Bhrigu from his touch, and Kratu from his hand. (Vedabase)

Text 24:

Pulaha generated from the navel, Pulastya from his ears, the great sage Angirâ from the mouth, from the eyes the sage Atri came forth and the sage Marîci appeared from the mind.

Pulastya was generated from the ears, Angirâ from the mouth, Atri from the eyes, Marîci from the mind and Pulaha from the navel of Brahmâ. (Vedabase)