Srimad Bhagavata Skanda 2 – Brahma’s Wisdom Finds Its Song

In the earlier discourse, God Brahma revealed the Supreme as the Triguṇatita Viraṭ Puruṣa—cosmic yet transcendent, pervading all existence while remaining untouched. Now, the focus shifts inward. Having described the Lord’s sovereignty in creation, Brahma turns to his own heart, confessing that even with mastery over the Vedas, tapas, and cosmic governance, he cannot fully comprehend the Infinite.

With humility, he declares that the Lord alone is the source of truth in speech, steadiness in mind, and purity in action. Beyond the reach of intellect and austerity, the Lord is accessible only through bhakti—through surrender at His lotus feet. These verses unfold Brahma’s inner realization: the grandeur of creation is surpassed by the grandeur of devotion.

न भारती मेऽङ्ग मृषोपलक्ष्यते
न वै क्वचिन्मे मनसो मृषा गतिः ।
न मे हृषीकाणि पतन्त्यसत्पथे
यन्मे हृदौत्कण्ठ्यवता धृतो हरिः ॥ ३३॥

“O Narada, never has my speech been tainted by falsehood, nor has my mind wandered into deception. My senses do not stray from the path of truth, for my heart is steadfastly devoted to Hari. With longing and love, I hold Him firmly within, and because of this unwavering connection, my thoughts, words, and actions remain aligned with righteousness,” Brahma affirmed.

सोऽहं समाम्नायमयस्तपोमयः
प्रजापतीनामभिवन्दितः पतिः ।
आस्थाय योगं निपुणं समाहितः
तं नाध्यगच्छं यत आत्मसम्भवः ॥ ३४॥

Continuing, God Brahma says, “I have assimilated the Vedas completely—in word and in essence. I have upheld austerity, perfected sacrifice, and stand as a universal monarch and foremost among all beings. Even the greatest Prajāpatis honor me as their elder. And yet, I declare this truth humbly: the Lord is the origin and cause of my very existence. Because of Him, I practice Yoga with utmost dedication. Still, I cannot comprehend Him in full.

नतोऽस्म्यहं तच्चरणं समीयुषां
भवच्छिदं स्वस्त्ययनं सुमङ्गलम् ।
यो ह्यात्ममायाविभवं स्म पर्यगात्
यथा नभः स्वान्तमथापरे कुतः ॥ ३५॥

“For He is accessible only through Bhakti. That is why I have surrendered fully to the lotus feet of the Lord—the refuge of all who seek Him, the remover of sorrow, the embodiment of auspiciousness. His glory surpasses even the vast expanse of the sky. So too does His grandeur—and His Māyā, which bewilders even the wise.

Truly, I wonder: does even the omniscient Lord, Sarvajña, know the limit of His own magnificence? If that remains uncertain, what can be said of anyone else?” mused Brahmā.

नाहं न यूयं यदृतां गतिं विदु-
तन्मायया मोहितबुद्धयस्त्विदं
विनिर्मितं चात्मसमं विचक्ष्महे ॥ ३६॥
र्न वामदेवः किमुतापरे सुराः ।

“Neither I, nor you—my dear children—nor even Vamadeva, the god of gods, Shiva himself, can fully comprehend the Supreme Lord, Purusha, in His entirety. His nature and His creation remain beyond the grasp of our understanding. What then can be said of the other deities, who stand even lower in the cosmic order?

यस्यावतारकर्माणि गायन्ति ह्यस्मदादयः ।

न यं विदन्ति तत्त्वेन तस्मै भगवते नमः ॥ ३७॥

Whatever we speak of Him or of His creation is limited by our own capacity to know. His essence transcends intellect, and His truths lie beyond the reach of words. At best, we can sing of His divine incarnations—of His manifestations among us—but we cannot fathom the totality of His being, nor the ultimate principles behind His creation.

I offer my humble salutations to the auspicious Sripada of Bhagavan, that are eternally served by my divine mother, Sridevi,” prayed Brahma.

स एष आद्यः पुरुषः कल्पे कल्पे सृजत्यजः ।
आत्माऽऽत्मन्यात्मनाऽऽत्मानं संयच्छति च पाति च ॥ ३८॥
विशुद्धं केवलं ज्ञानं प्रत्यक् सम्यगवस्थितम् ।
सत्यं पूर्णमनाद्यन्तं निर्गुणं नित्यमद्वयम् ॥ ३९॥
ऋषे विदन्ति मुनयः प्रशान्तात्मेन्द्रियाशयाः ।
यदा तदेवासत्तर्कैस्तिरोधीयेत विप्लुतम् ॥४०॥

Brahma, continuing his discourse to Nārada Rishi, said: “The immortal Lord, Ādipuruṣa, exists eternally. In every Kalpa—each day of my life—He assumes form to initiate creation, sustains the universe by His own power, and concludes the cycle by withdrawing it back into Himself, returning to His original, formless state. Sacchidānanda is pure consciousness—truth, awareness, and bliss embodied. Free from the blemishes of Prakṛti, He is complete, beginningless, endless, and beyond the three guṇas. He alone, shining as the Ātma in all beings, is the absolute and eternal truth—peerless and supreme. Great sages, through purity of mind, discipline of the senses and actions, and inward stillness, realize the Lord in the lotus of their hearts with divine sight. But to those clouded by false logic, impure intentions, and crooked thinking, He remains hidden—beyond perception.”

आद्योऽवतारः पुरुषः परस्य
कालः स्वभावः सदसन्मनश्च ।
द्रव्यं विकारो गुण इन्द्रियाणि
विराट् स्वराट् स्थास्नु चरिष्णु भूम्नः ॥ ४१॥

The first incarnation of the Supreme Lord is the Virāt Puruṣa. Prakṛti, the three guṇas—sattva, rajas, and tamas—the five fundamental elements, ahankara (ego), the mind, the ten organs of perception and action, time and nature, all activities and actions, the cosmic form of the universe, their presiding deities, and all living beings—moving and unmoving—are governed by Lord Ananta.

Yet, He remains one—singular and supreme. His fame knows no end, and its glories cannot be counted. For this reason, He is called Ananta—the Infinite—Omnipresent and Supreme,” said Brahma. 

अहं भवो यज्ञ इमे प्रजेशा
दक्षादयो ये भवदादयश्च ।
स्वर्लोकपालाः खगलोकपाला
नृलोकपालास्तललोकपालाः ॥ ४२॥
गन्धर्वविद्याधरचारणेशा
ये यक्षरक्षोरगनागनाथाः ।
ये वा ऋषीणामृषभाः पितॄणां
दैत्येन्द्रसिद्धेश्वरदानवेन्द्राः ।
अन्ये च ये प्रेतपिशाचभूत
-कूष्माण्डयादोमृगपक्ष्यधीशाः ॥ ४३॥
यत्किञ्च लोके भगवन् महस्वभगवन्
-दोजःसहस्वद्बलवत्क्षमावत् ।
दोजःसहस्वद्बलवत्क्षमावत्
श्रीह्रीविभूत्यात्मवदद्भुतार्णं
तत्त्वं परं रूपवदस्वरूपम् ॥ ४४॥

“Myself, Shiva, Yajna Puruṣha (Vishu), Dakṣha and the other Prajapatis, you Narada, and all the divine Maharishis; the rulers of the heavenly realms; chiefs among birds and humans; guardians of the netherworlds; leaders of Gandharvas, Vidyadharas, Charaṇas, Yakṣas, Rākṣasas, and serpents; lords of the Pitrus and Siddhas; the great asuras, atheists, and celestial voyagers—along with ghosts, spirits, jinn, Kushmandas, massive aquatic beings, beasts, birds, and all that possess extraordinary power, beauty, strength, modesty, intelligence, or nobility—though seemingly radiant with truth and divine form, are not the Supreme Lord Himself. They are but reflections of His limitless, transcendental potency,” said Brahma.

प्राधान्यतो यान् ऋष यान् आमनन्ति
लीलावतारान् पुरुषस्य भूम्नः ।
आपीयतां कर्णकषायशोषा
-ननुक्रमिष्ये त इमान् सुपेशान्इमान् ॥ ४५॥

“O Narada, beyond all this, there are countless stories of the Lord’s incarnations—His lila-avataras—each one pure, divine, and supremely meaningful. These sacred narratives delight the heart and possess the power to cleanse the impurities of the ears and mind. I shall recount a few of them to you in proper sequence. Listen carefully and with full attention,” instructed Brahma.

इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां
संहितायां द्वितीयस्कन्धे षष्ठोऽध्यायः ॥

“With this, we conclude the sixth Adhyaya of Srimad Bhagavatam Skanda 2.
This has been possible only by the grace of Guru Sri Raghavendra and his esteemed philosophical associates, including Sri Saunaka and his fellow Rishis, Sri Sutacharya, Sri Shukacharya, God Vayu, and Sri Hari, whose divine wisdom (Jnana Prasada) has guided us.

Here, in this Srimad Bhagavata Skanda 2, we see how Brahma’s wisdom finds its song in Sri Purandara Dāsaru’s “Dāsana māḍiko ennā” — a soul’s plea to be bound in servitude at the Lord’s feet, where all pride dissolves into grace.

It reminds us that even the highest knowledge ultimately bows before the Lord’s infinite mystery. What remains is the devotee’s cry — not for mastery, but for mercy.

🎶 To echo this spirit, we conclude with a heartfelt prayer: “Dāsana māḍiko ennā” as rendered MS Subbulakshmi