Srimad Bhagavatam – day 329
Through hymn Hamsa-guhya stotram, Daksha prayed,
“Anything which can be expressed through words; anything which can be determined through mind, intellect and senses, is only the outcome of the three attributes of Nature (trigunas) but it cannot be the original real form of the Lord. The Supreme Lord is the presiding force for the creation, sustenance and dissolution of the universe.
That energy, which is the cause for the creation of this entire universe and for its dissolution, is itself the Supreme Lord. This Supreme Lord makes visible within Himself, this creation of His which emerges from Him through His own efforts for His own pleasure, and while being the ultimate performer of every task, ensures perfect completion of all tasks.
The Supreme Lord himself is the process by which a task is completed. This Lord inherently and eternally exists beyond cause and effect relationships. He is the cause for all causes and for their effects. Such infinite Lord is indivisible and is non-dual.
Views and counter-views are the basis for discussions and arguments. All these are nothing but His illusionary energies (māya shakti). It is His illusionary energy that causes their minds to be deluded time and again. I offer obeisance to that Lord who possesses unlimited qualities and who pervades everything.
Yoga shastra declares that the Lord has name and form. Jnana yoga declares that the Lord is devoid of name and form. It thus appears as if both these theories give divergent and mutually contradictory views. However, the truth is that both these Yoga theories emerge from the same source i.e. the non-dual Lord. With absolute dedication, they explain the same essence. The same essence equally pervades both the theories. This essence is nothing but the essence of the Self.
Name and form are taken on by the Lord only for the benefit of the devotees who serve His lotus feet. They are also for the purposes of blessing them. They are symbolic. The Lord who is beyond the limitations of time and space, incarnates and takes on varied names and forms exhibiting his wonderous transcendental plays. Nevertheless, in reality, He is beyond name and form. May such transcendental Lord be pleased with me!
The Supreme Lord resides as the Self within every living entity. However ordinary people consider Him to be their favorite deity and thus devotedly offer external appropriate worship. Wind carries smell, which is the inherent characteristic of earth element. Yet it makes it appears as if smell is its own inherent characteristic. Likewise, the Supreme transcendental Lord appears as if He has taken on varied names, forms and characteristics of the favorite deity to whom worship is being offered. May such Supreme Lord fulfill my prayer!”
Maharishi Śuka continued, “In this way Daksha Prajāpati who was seated on the banks of Aghamarṣana pond meditated upon the Supreme Lord. Pleased with this prayer the Lord manifested before him. Resting His feet on His vehicle Garuda, the Lord appeared with His 8 long arms in which He held his weapons viz., discus, conch, sword, drum, bow, arrow, noose and mace.
The Lord who was dark complexioned like the clouds, was wearing silken golden clothing around his waist. His face and His eyes were charming and pleasant. The long Vanamala garden covered his entire body. The Srivatsa mark and Kausthuba gem glittered on His chest. With a glittering golden crown, bracelets, crocodile shaped ear-rings, chain, waist-band, rings, armlets and anklets, this Lord was shining resplendently.
This Lord of the three worlds appeared in a form that would delude the three worlds! Narada, Nanda, the guardian-deities and other attendants were serving Him! Hordes of Siddhas, Cāraṇās and Gandharvas were singing His glories.
Seeing this magnificent wonderous form of the Lord, Daksha Prajāpati was anxious. His heart was overflowing with bliss. He instantly fell on the ground and offered respectful obeisance to the Lord. As his senses, which are the gateways to the body, were brimming in joy, he was chocked and unable to speak.
Mentally seeking fulfillment of his desire i.e. increasing population, he bowed before the Lord. At that moment Lord Janārdhana, who knows the innermost feelings contained in every heart, spoke,
“O fortunate one! O son of Pracetās! Due to penance you have acquired great perfection. Due to unflinching faith in Me, you have obtained supreme devotion. In order to increase the population of the world you have undertaken severe austerities. I am supremely pleased with you.
I too seek that the living entities be blessed with opulence, happiness, comforts and prosperity. It is my intent. Lord Brahma, Shiva, you and other Prajāpatis, Manus, Guardian-deities are all my incarnations alone!
Tapo me hṛdayaṁ brahmaṁs tanur vidyā kriyākṛtiḥ
Aṅgāni kratavo jātā dharma ātmāsavaḥ surāḥ
O prajāpati! Penance is My prāṇa (life-force). Worship (upāsana) is My body. Actions are my form. Yagnas are My limbs. Dharma is My mind. Devatas are My life-force.
Prior to creation I alone existed. I was the form of existence. I was non-dual. There was no seer and there was nothing to be seen. There was nothing within and outside. Only Pure Consciousness in which name and form were unmanifest existed. The entire universe was in the state of deep sleep.
I, who possess unlimited qualities, am actually beyond time. Within that universe, which manifested in Me due to the actions of the three-fold illusory energy that exists within Me, the self-created and birthless Lord Brahma appeared.
Even though he was supreme, and even though he was abundantly blessed by Me, Lord Brahma began to doubt his capabilities with regard to expansion of the creation. Dejectedly he decided that it was an impossible task much beyond his capacity. Based on My advice, he then undertook severe austerities. Then with the power acquired from penance he created the universe. At the outset, he created 9 Prajāpatis, including you”.
Madhusudanaya namah