Srimad Bhagavatam – day 80
Thereafter, your nine brothers Marichi and the other Prajapatis through the process of Yagna worshipped the Supreme Lord who had manifested in the form of a Devata. Although the Lord manifested in a gross form, in reality, He is eternally pure and eternally unmanifest.
Thereafter in different periods of time, various Manus, Devatas, fore-fathers, maharishis, human beings and demons worshipped the Universal Lord Srihari, through the process of Yagna (kratu).
Nārāyaṇe bhagavati tad idaṁ viśvam āhitam
Although Lord Narayana is devoid of any attribute/ trait (nirguna, traitless), for the purposes of creation, He accepted the illusory power (māya) and appears as if He has innumerable traits existing in Him.
This world, which has manifested completely from Him, is dependent upon Him for support. Based on His orders I create this universe. Rudra, who is under His control, annihilates the world based on His will.
Viśvaṁ puruṣa-rūpeṇa paripāti tri-śakti-dhṛk
The Supreme Lord, who has retained the illusory power (māya) and its three attributes (tri-gunās) as His instrument, protects this entire universe by manifesting as Vishnu.
My dear son! I have answered all your questions. Everything that is created in this world is nothing but the Supreme Lord. There is nothing apart from Him. Please understand this. My son! Remember that my words can never be untrue. My intent can never be wrong in any aspect. My senses can never ever tread the wrong path. In my heart which is overflowing with love towards the Supreme Lord, I meditate upon Him eternally. This is the reason behind my meditation.
Veda is my form. I remain eternally steadfast in my austerities (tapas). I am the Lord of all Prajapatis. Everyone pays obeisance to me. Yet, even after practicing intense Yoga with single focused concentration, I could not know the whereabouts of my creator from whom I had emerged.
Nato ‘smy ahaṁ tac-caraṇaṁ samīyuṣāṁ
bhavac-chidaṁ svasty-ayanaṁ sumaṅgalam
I offer my obeisance to those feet of Lord Srihari, which chop down the tree called samsara (worldly bondages) in those who have sought refuge in Him and thereafter cause auspiciousness and merit to them.
The sky does not know its end-points. In the similar manner, Srihari does not know His end-points in the expansion of his illusory powers. When He himself does not know the end-points of His illusory power (māya), how can others ever know its end-points?
Nāhaṁ na yūyaṁ yad-ṛtāṁ gatiṁ vidur
Na vāmadevaḥ kim utāpare surāḥ
Tan-māyayā mohita-buddhayas tv idaṁ
Vinirmitaṁ cātma-samaṁ vicakṣmahe
Neither me, you, Sanaka and other great sages, nor Rudra understand the real form of that Supreme Lord. When we can’t understand, how can other Devatas know it? We, whose inner-mind is deluded by the Lord’s illusory power, perceive this entire world, based on our individual ability, as separate from Him.
Yasyāvatāra-karmāṇi gāyanti hy asmad-ādayaḥ
Na yaṁ vidanti tattvena tasmai bhagavate namaḥ
Beings like us praise the stories and deeds of that Supreme Lord, but none of us have any idea about His original form. I offer my obeisance to such a Lord.
Sa eṣa ādyaḥ puruṣaḥ kalpe kalpe sṛjaty ajaḥ
Ātmātmany ātmanātmānaṁ sa saṁyacchati pāti ca
That Supreme Lord, who is unborn, who is the cause for all causes (sarva kārana kāranam) and who is the form of the Self, takes on the Universal form in each and every kalpa (period of creation).
O Narada! Great sages with undisturbed minds, bodies and senses are able to understand Him. But, if one seeks to know about Him through debates and useless arguments that are against the dictates of the Vedas, then it will not yield any result. He will not be visible.
Hiranyagarbha is the first incarnation of that Supreme Lord. Eternal time (kāla), illusory power (māya), cause-effects, Mahat tattva (principle of material creation), egoism (ahamkāra), the three components of nature (trigunas), the five basic elements (pancha bhuta), senses, Universal body, universal Lord, the hordes of living beings, the 3 Primary Gods, all Prajapatis beginning from Daksha, you, Sanaka and other sages, all the Lords of heaven beginning from Indra, Garuda and all other protectors of the bird species, kings and also the rulers of hell are nothing but manifestations of that Supreme Parabrahma”.
Narayana! Narayana!