> > S'rîmad Bhâgavatam - Canto 2
> > Sanskrit, word-for-word and original translation of Swami Prabhupâda
> > (for the purports one will have to consult the books under the copyright of the BBT) Å

> > ******

> > The Cosmic Manifestation

> > *******

> > Chapter Four: The Process of Creation

> > TEXT 1

> > sûta uvâca

> > vaiyâsaker iti vacas

> > tattva-nis'cayam âtmanah

> > upadhârya matim krishne

> > auttareyah satîm vyadhât

> > sûtah uvâca--Sûta Gosvâmî said; vaiyasakeh--of S'ukadeva Gosvâmî; iti--thus; vacah--speeches; tattva-nis'cayam--that which verifies the truth; âtmanah--in the self; upadhârya--just having realized; matim--concentration of the mind; krishne--unto Lord Krishna; auttareyah--the son of Uttarâ; satîm--chaste; vyadhât--applied.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Sûta Gosvâmî said: Mahârâja Parîkshit, the son of Uttarâ, after hearing the speeches of S'ukadeva Gosvâmî, which were all about the truth of the self, applied his concentration faithfully upon Lord Krishna.

> > ******

> > TEXT 2

> > âtma jâyâ-sutâgâra-

> > pas'u-dravina-bandhushu

> > râjye câvikale nityam

> > virûdhâm mamatâm jahau

> > âtma--body; jâyâ--wife; s uta--son; âgâra--palace; pas'u--horses and elephants; dravina--treasury house; bandhushu--unto friends and relatives; râjye--in the kingdom; ca--also; avikale--without being disturbed; nityam--constant; virûdhâm--deep-rooted; mamatâm--affinity; jahau--gave up.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Mahârâja Parîkshit, as a result of his wholehearted attraction for Lord Krishna, was able to give up all deep-rooted affection for his personal body, his wife, his children, his palace, his animals like horses and elephants, his treasury house, his friends and relatives, and his undisputed kingdom.

> > ******

> > TEXT 3-4

> > papraccha cemam evârtham

> > yan mâm pricchatha sattamâh

> > krishnânu bhâva-s'ravane

> > s'raddadhâno mahâ-manâh

> > samsthâm vijn'âya sannyasya

> > karma trai-vargikam ca yat

> > vâsudeve bhagavati

> > âtma-bhâvam dridham gatah

> > papraccha--asked; ca--also; imam--this; eva--exactly like; artham--purpose; yat--that; mâm--unto me; pricchatha--you are asking; sattamâh--O great sages; krishna-anubhâva--rapt in thought of Krishna; s'ravane--in hearing; s'raddadhânah--full of faith; mahâ-manâh--the great soul;

> > samsthâm--death; vijn'âya--being informed; sannyasya--renouncing; karma--fruitive activities; trai-vargikam--the three principles religion, economic development and sense gratification; ca--also; yat--what it may be; vâsudeve--unto Lord Krishna; bhagavati--the Personality of Godhead; âtma-bhâvam--attraction of love; dridham--firmly fixed; gatah--achieved.

> > TRANSLATION

> > O great sages, the great soul Mahârâja Parîkshit, constantly rapt in thought of Lord Krishna, knowing well of his imminent death, renounced all sorts of fruitive activities, namely acts of religion, economic development and sense gratification, and thus fixed himself firmly in his natural love for Krishna and asked all these questions, exactly as you are asking me.

> > ******

> > TEXT 5

> > râjovâca

> > samîcînam vaco brahman

> > sarva jn'asya tavânagha

> > tamo vis'îryate mahyam

> > hareh kathayatah kathâm

> > râjâ uvâca--the King said; samîcînam--perfectly right; vacah--speeches; brahman--O learned brâhmana; sama jn'asya--one who knows all; tava--your; anagha--without any contamination; tamah--the darkness of ignorance; vis'îryate--gradually disappearing; mahyam--unto me; hareh--of the Lord; kathayatah--as you are speaking; kathâm--topics.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Mahârâja Parîkshit said: O learned brâhmana, you know everything because you are without material contamination. Therefore whatever you have spoken to me appears perfectly right. Your speeches are gradually destroying the darkness of my ignorance, for you are narrating the topics of the Lord.

> > ******

> > TEXT 6

> > bhûya eva vivitsâmi

> > bhagavân âtma-mâyayâ

> > yathedam srijate vis'vam

> > durvibhâvyam adhîs'varaih

> > bhûyah--again; eva--also; vivitsâmi--I wish to learn; bhagavân--the Personality of Godhead; âtma--personal; mâyayâ--by the energies; yathâ--as; idam--this phenomenal world; srijate--does create; vis'vam--universe; durvibhâvyam--inconceivable; adhîs'varaih--by the great demigods.

> > TRANSLATION

> > I beg to know from you how the Personality of Godhead, by His personal energies, creates these phenomenal universes as they are, which are inconceivable even to the great demigods.

> > ******

> > TEXT 7

> > yathâ gopâyati vibhur

> > yathâ samyacchate punah

> > yâm yâm s'aktim upâs'ritya

> > puru-s'aktih parah pumân

> > âtmânam krîdayan krîdan

> > karoti vikaroti ca

> > yathâ--as; gopâyati--maintains; vibhuh--the great; yathâ--as; samyacchate--winds up; punah--again; yâm yâm--as; s'aktim--energies; upâs'ritya--by employing; puru-s'aktih--the all-powerful; parah--the Supreme; pumân--Personality of Godhead; âtmânam--plenary expansion; krîdayan--having engaged them; krîdan--as also personally being engaged; karoti--does them; vikaroti--and causes to be done; ca--and.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Kindly describe how the Supreme Lord, who is all-powerful, engages His different energies and different expansions in maintaining and again winding up the phenomenal world in the sporting spirit of a player.

> > ******

> > TEXT 8

> > nûnam bhagavato brahman

> > harer adbhuta-karmanah

> > durvibhâvyam ivâbhâti

> > kavibhis' câpi ceshthitam

> > nûnam--still insufficient; bhagavatah--of the Personality of Godhead; brahman--O learned brâhmana; hareh--of the Lord; adbhuta--wonderful; karmanah--one who acts; durvibhâvyam--inconceivable; iva--like that; âbhâti--appears; kavibhih--even by the highly learned; ca--also; api--in spite of; ceshthitam--being endeavored for.

> > TRANSLATION

> > O learned brâhmana, the transcendental activities of the Lord are all wonderful, and they appear inconceivable because even great endeavors by many learned scholars have still proved insufficient for understanding them.

> > ******

> > TEXT 9

> > yathâ gunâms tu prakriter

> > yugapat kramas'o 'pi vâ-

> > bibharti bhûris'as tv ekah

> > kurvan karmâni janmabhih

> > yathâ--as they are; gunân--the modes of; tu--but; prakriteh--of the material energy; yugapat--simultaneously; kramas'ah--gradually; api--also; vâ--either; bibharti--maintains; bhûris'ah--many forms; tu--but; ekah--the supreme one; kurvan--acting; karmâni--activities; janmabhih--by incarnations.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The Supreme Personality of Godhead is one, whether He alone acts with the modes of material nature, or simultaneously expands in many forms, or expands consecutively to direct the modes of nature.

> > ******

> > TEXT 10

> > vicikitsitam etan me

> > bravîtu bhagavân yathâ

> > s'âbde brahmani nishnâtah

> > parasmims' ca bhavân khalu

> > vicikitsitam--doubtful inquiry; etat--this; me--of me; bravîtu--just clear up; bhagavân--powerful like the Lord; yathâ--as much as; s'âbde--sound transcendental; brahmani--Vedic literature; nishnâtah--fully realised; parasmin--in transcendence; ca--also; bhavân--your good self; khalu--as a matter of fact.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Kindly clear up all these doubtful inquiries, because you are not only vastly learned in the Vedic literatures and self-realized in transcendence, but are also a great devotee of the Lord and are therefore as good as the Personality of Godhead.

> > ******

> > TEXT 11

> > sûta uvâca

> > ity upâmantrito râjn'â

> > gunânukathane hareh

> > hrisîkes'am anusmritya

> > prativaktum pracakrame

> > sûtah uvâca--Sûta Gosvâmî said; iti--thus; upâmantritah--being requested; râjn'â--by the King; guna-anukathane--in describing the transcendental attributes of the Lord; hareh--of the personality of Godhead; hrisîkes'am--the master of the senses; anusmritya--properly remembering; prativaktum--just to reply; pracakrame--executed the preliminaries.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Sûta Gosvâmî said: When S'ukadeva Gosvâmî was thus requested by the King to describe the creative energy of the Personality of Godhead, he then systematically remembered the master of the senses [S'rî Krishna], and to reply properly he spoke thus.

> > ******

> > TEXT 12

> > s'rî-s'uka uvâca

> > namah parasmai purushâya bhûyase

> > sad-udbhava-sthâna-nirodha-lîlayâ

> > grihîta-s'akti-tritayâya dehinâm

> > antarbhavâyânupalakshya-vartmane

> > s'rî-s'ukah uvâca--S'rî S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said; namah--offering obeisances; parasmai--the Supreme; purushâya--personality of Godhead; bhûyase--unto the complete whole; sad-udbhava--the creation of the material world; sthâna--its maintenance; nirodha--and its winding up; lîlayâ--by the pastime of; grihîta--having accepted; s'akti--power; tritayâya--three modes; dehinâm--of all who possess material bodies; antah-bhavâya--unto He who resides within; anupalakshya--inconceivable; vartmane--one who has such ways.

> > TRANSLATION

> > S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead who, for the creation of the material world, accepts the three modes of nature. He is the complete whole residing within the body of everyone, and His ways are inconceivable.

> > ******

> > TEXT 13

> > bhûyo namah sad-vrijina-cchide 'satâm

> > asambhavâyâkhila-sattva-mûrtaye

> > pumsâm punah pâramahamsya âs'rame

> > vyavasthitânâm anumrigya-dâs'ushe

> > bhûyah--again; namah--my obeisances; sat--of the devotees or the pious; vrijina--distresses; chide--the liberator; asatâm--of the atheists, the nondevotee-demons; asambhavâya--cessation of further unhappiness; akhila--complete; sattva--goodness; mûrtaye--unto the Personality; pumsâm--of the transcendentalists; punah--again; pâramahamsye--the highest stage of spiritual perfection; âs'rame--in the status; vyavasthitânâm--particularly situated; anumrigya--the destination; dâs'ushe--one who delivers.

> > TRANSLATION

> > I again offer my respectful obeisances unto the form of complete existence and transcendence, who is the liberator of the pious devotees from all distresses and the destroyer of the further advances in atheistic temperament of the nondevotee-demons. For the transcendentalists who are situated in the topmost spiritual perfection, He grants their specific destinations.

> > ******

> > TEXT 14

> > namo namas te 'stv rishabhâya sâtvatâm

> > vidûra-kâshthhâya muhuh kuyoginâm

> > nirasta-sâmyâtis'ayena râdhasâ

> > sva-dhâmani brahmani ramsyate namah

> > namah namah te--let me offer my obeisances unto You; astu--are; risabhâya--unto the great associate; sâtvatâm--of the members of the Yadu dynasty; vidûra-kâshthhâya--one who is far from mundane wranglers; muhuh--always; ku-yoginâm--of the nondevotees; nirasta--vanquished; sâmya--equal status; atis'ayena--by greatness; râdhasâ--by opulence; sva-dhâmani--in His own abode; brahmani--in the spiritual sky; ramsyate--enjoys; namah--I do bow down.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto He who is the associate of the members of the Yadu dynasty and who is always a problem for the nondevotees. He is the supreme enjoyer of both the material and spiritual worlds, yet He enjoys His own abode in the spiritual sky. There is no one equal to Him because His transcendental opulence is immeasurable.

> > ******

> > TEXT 15

> > yat-kîrtanam yat-smaranam yad-îkshanam

> > yad-vandanam yac-chravanam yad-arhanam

> > lokasya sadyo vidhunoti kalmasham

> > tasmai subhadra-s'ravase namo namah

> > yat--whose; kîrtanam--glorification; yat--whose; smaranam--remembrances; yat--whose; îkshanam--audience; yat--whose; vandanam--prayers; yat--whose; s'ravanam--hearing about; yat--whose; arhanam--worshiping; lokasya--of all people; sadyah--forthwith; vidhunoti--specifically cleanses; kalmas'am--effects of sins; tasmai--unto Him; subhadra--all-auspicious; s'ravase--one who is heard; namah--my due obeisances; namah--again and again.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the all-auspicious Lord S'rî Krishna, about whom glorification, remembrances, audience, prayers, hearing and worship can at once cleanse the effects of all sins of the performer.

> > ******

> > TEXT 16

> > vicakshanâ yac-caranopasâdanât

> > sangam vyudasyobhayato 'ntar-âtmanah

> > vindanti hi brahma-gatim gata-klamâs

> > tasmai subhadra-s'ravase namo namah

> > vicakshanâh--highly intellectual; yat--whose; carana-upasâdanât--simply dedicating oneself unto the lotus feet; sangam--attachment; vyudasya--giving up completely; ubhayatah--for present and future existence; antah-âtmanah--of the heart and soul; vindianti--moves progressively; hi--certainly; brahma-gatim--toward spiritual existence; gata-klamâh--without difficulty; tasmai--unto Him; subhadra--all-auspicious; s'ravase--unto one who is heard; namah--my due obeisances; namah--again and again.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Let me offer my respectful obeisances again and again unto the all-auspicious Lord S'rî Krishna. The highly intellectual, simply by surrendering unto His lotus feet, are relieved of all attachments to present and future existences and without difficulty progress toward spiritual existence.

> > ******

> > TEXT 17

> > tapasvino dâna-parâ yas'asvino

> > manasvino mantra-vidah sumangalâh

> > kshemam na vindanti vinâ yad-arpanam

> > tasmai subhadra-s'ravase namo namah

> > tapasvinah--the great learned sages; dâna-parâh--the great performer of charity; yas'asvinah--the great worker of distinction; manasvinah--the great philosophers or mystics; mantra-vidah--the great chanter of the Vedic hymns; su-mangalâh--strict followers of Vedic principles; kshemam--fruitful result; na--never; vindanti--attain; vinâ--without; yat-arpanam--dedication; tasmai--unto Him; subhadra--auspicious; s'ravase--hearing about Him; namah--my obeisances; namah--again and again.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the all-auspicious Lord S'rî Krishna again and again because the great learned sages, the great performers of charity, the great workers of distinction, the great philosophers and mystics, the great chanters of the Vedic hymns and the great followers of Vedic principles cannot achieve any fruitful result without dedication of such great qualities to the service of the Lord.

> > ******

> > TEXT 18

> > kirâta-hûnândhra-pulinda-pulkas'â

> > âbhîra-s'umbhâ yavanâh khasâdayah

> > ye 'nye ca pâpâ yad-apâs'rayâs'rayâh

> > s'udhyanti tasmai prabhavishnave namah

> > kirâta--a province of old Bhârata; hûna--part of Germany and Russia; ândhra--a province of southern India; pulinda--the Greeks; pulkas'âh--another province; âbhîra--part of old Sind; s'umbhâh--another province; yavanâh--the Turks; khasa-âdayah--the Mongolian province; ye--even those; anye--others; ca--also; pâpâh--addicted to sinful acts; yat--whose; apâs'raya-âs'rayâh--having taken shelter of the devotees of the Lord; s'udhyanti--at once purified; tasmai--unto Him; prabhavishnave--unto the powerful Vishnu; namah--my respectful obeisances.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Kirâta, Hûna, Ândhra, Pulinda, Pulkas'a, Âbhîra, S'umbha, Yavana, members of the Khasa races and even others addicted to sinful acts can be purified by taking shelter of the devotees of the Lord, due to His being the supreme power. I beg to offer my respectful obeisances unto Him.

> > ******

> > TEXT 19

> > sa esha âtmâtmavatâm adhîs'varas

> > trayîmayo dharmamayas tapomayah

> > gata-vyalîkair aja-s'ankarâdibhir

> > vitarkya-lingo bhagavân prasîdatâm

> > sah--He; eshah--it is; âtmâ--the Supersoul; âtmavatâm--of the self-realized souls; adhîs'varah--the Supreme Lord; trayî-mayah--personified Vedas; dharma-mayah--personified religious scripture; tapah-mayah--personified austerity; gata-vyalîkaih--by those who are above all pretensions; aja--Brahmâjî; s'ankara-âdibhih--by Lord S'iva and others; vitarkya-lingah--one who is observed with awe and veneration; bhagavân--the personality of Godhead; prasîdatâm--be kind toward me.

> > TRANSLATION

> > He is the Supersoul and the Supreme Lord of all self-realized souls. He is the personification of the Vedas, religious scriptures and austerities. He is worshiped by Lord Brahmâ and S'iva and all those who are transcendental to all pretensions. Being so revered with awe and veneration, may that Supreme Absolute be pleased with me.

> > ******

> > TEXT 20

> > s'riyah patir yajn'a-patih prajâ-patir

> > dhiyâm patir loka-patir dharâ-patih

> > patir gatis' cândhaka-vrishni-sâtvatâm

> > prasîdatâm me bhagavân satâm patih

> > s'riyah--all opulence; patih--the owner; yajn'a--of sacrifice; patih--the director; prajâ-patih--the leader of all living entities; dhiyâm--of intelligence; patih--the master; loka-patih--the proprietor of all planets; dharâ--earth; patih--the supreme; patih--head; gatih--destination; ca--also; andhaka--one of the kings of the Yadu dynasty; vrishni--the first king of the Yadu dynasty; sâtvatâm--the Yadus; prasîdatâm--be merciful; me--upon me; bhagavân--Lord S'rî Krishna; satâm--of all devotees; patih--the Lord.

> > TRANSLATION

> > May Lord S'rî Krishna, who is the worshipable Lord of all devotees, the protector and glory of all the kings like Andhaka and Vrishni of the Yadu dynasty, the husband of all goddesses of fortune, the director of all sacrifices and therefore the leader of all living entities, the controller of all intelligence, the proprietor of all planets, spiritual and material, and the supreme incarnation on the earth (the supreme all in all), be merciful upon me.

> > ******

> > TEXT 21

> > yad-anghry-abhidhyâna-samâdhi-dhautayâ

> > dhiyânupas'yanti hi tattvam âtmanah

> > vadanti caitat kavayo yathâ-rucam

> > sa me mukundo bhagavân prasîdatâm

> > yat-anghri--whose lotus feet; abhidhyâna--thinking of, at every second; samâdhi--trance; dhautayâ--being washed off; dhiyâ--by such clean intelligence; anupas'yanti--does see by following authorities; hi--certainly; tattvam--the Absolute Truth; âtmanah--of the Supreme Lord and of oneself; vadanti--they say; ca--also; etat--this; kavayah--philosophers or learned scholars; yathâ-rucam--as he thinks; sah--He; me--mine; mukundah--Lord Krishna (who gives liberation); bhagavân--the Personality of Godhead; prasîdatâm--be pleased with me.

> > TRANSLATION

> > It is the Personality of Godhead S'rî Krishna who gives liberation. By thinking of His lotus feet at every second, following in the footsteps of authorities, the devotee in trance can see the Absolute Truth. The learned mental speculators, however, think of Him according to their whims. May the Lord be pleased with me.

> > ******

> > TEXT 22

> > pracoditâ yena purâ sarasvatî

> > vitanvatâjasya satîm smritim hridi

> > sva-lakshanâ prâdurabhût kilâsyatah

> > sa me rishînâm rishabhah prasîdatâm

> > pracoditâ--inspired; yena--by whom; purâ--in the beginning of creation; sarasvatî--the goddess of learning; vitanvatâ--amplified; ajasya--of Brahmâ, the first created living being; satîm smritim--potent memory; hridi--in the heart; sva--in his own; lakshanâ--aiming at; prâdurabhût--was generated; kila--as if; âsyatah--from the mouth; sah--he; me--unto me; rishînâm--of the teachers; rishabhah--the chief; prasîdatâm--be pleased.

> > TRANSLATION

> > May the Lord, who in the beginning of the creation amplified the potent knowledge of Brahmâ from within his heart and inspired him with full knowledge of creation and of His own Self, and who appeared to be generated from the mouth of Brahmâ, be pleased with me.

> > ******

> > TEXT 23

> > bhûtair mahadbhir ya imâh puro vibhur

> > nirmâya s'ete yad amûshu pûrushah

> > bhunkte gunân shodas'a shodas'âtmakah

> > so 'lankrishîshtha bhagavân vacâmsi me

> > bhûtaih--by the elements; mahadbhih--of material creation; yah--He who; imâh--all these; purah--bodies; vibhuh--of the Lord; nirmâya--for being set up; s'ete--lie down; yat amûshu--one who incarnated; pûrushah--Lord Visnu; bhunkte--causes to be subjected; gunân--the three modes of nature; shodas'a--in sixteen divisions; shodas'a-âtmakah--being the generator of these sixteen; sah--He; alankrishîshta--may decorate; bhagavân--the Personality of Godhead; vacâmsi--statements; me--mine.

> > TRANSLATION

> > May the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who enlivens the materially created bodies of the elements by lying down within the universe, and who in His purusha incarnation causes the living being to be subjected to the sixteen divisions of material modes which are his generator, be pleased to decorate my statements.

> > ******

> > TEXT 24

> > namas tasmai bhagavate

> > vâsudevâya vedhase

> > papur jn'ânam ayam saumyâ

> > yan-mukhâmburuhâsavam

> > namah--my obeisances; tasmai--unto Him; bhagavate--unto the Personality of Godhead; vâsudevâya--unto Vâsudeva or His incarnations; vedhase--the compiler of the Vedic literatures; papuh--drunk; jn'ânam--knowledge; ayam--this Vedic knowledge; saumyâh--the devotees, especially the consorts of Lord Krishna; yat--from whose; mukha-amburuha--the lotuslike mouth; âsavam--nectar from His mouth.

> > TRANSLATION

> > I offer my respectful obeisances unto S'rîla Vyâsadeva, the incarnation of Vâsudeva who compiled the Vedic scriptures. The pure devotees drink up the nectarean transcendental knowledge dropping from the lotuslike mouth of the Lord.

> > ******

> > TEXT 25

> > etad evâtma-bhû râjan

> > nâradâya vipricchate

> > veda-garbho 'bhyadhât sâkshâd

> > yad âha harir âtmanah

> > etat--on this matter; eva--exactly; âtma-bhûh--the firstborn (Brahmâjî); râjan--my dear King; nâradâya--unto Nârada Muni; vipricchate--having inquired about it from; veda-garbhah--one who is impregnated with Vedic knowledge from birth; abhyadhât--apprised; sâkshât--directly; yat âha--what he spoke; harih--the Lord; âtmanah--unto His own (Brahmâ).

> > TRANSLATION

> > My dear King, Brahmâ, the firstborn, on being questioned by Nârada, exactly apprised him on this subject, as it was directly spoken by the Lord to His own son, who was impregnated with Vedic knowledge from his very birth.

> > Back to the running text