ŚrīmadBhāgavatam | Parāyaṇam
Canto 01 | Chapter 03
Creation, avatāras, and the path of liberating knowledge
(Sūta Maharṣi describes the expansion of creation, the glory of Bhagavān’s avatāras, and the greatness of ŚrīmadBhāgavatam, which guides the living being toward supreme knowledge.)
Chapter introduction
In the Third Chapter, Sūta Mahārṣi reveals the divine mysteries surrounding the manifestation of the universe and explains the Supreme Lord’s purpose behind the expansion of creation. Through the description of the Virāṭ Puruṣa, he shows how the entire cosmos is related to the Supreme Lord, establishing that creation is not merely a material process but an expression of divine will.
He then describes the various incarnations of the Lord, explaining how He descends age after age for the welfare of living beings. Finally, by establishing the glory of ŚrīKṛṣṇa as the original source of all avatāras and proclaiming the advent of ŚrīmadBhāgavatam as a guiding light for the people of Kali Yuga, this chapter lays the foundation for the path of supreme knowledge and devotion.
Ślokapāṭham
atha śrīmadbhāgavatam parāyaṇam ।
prathama skandhe tṛtīyo’dhyāyaḥ ॥
prathama skandhe tṛtīyo’dhyāyaḥ ॥
(sūta uvāca)
jagṛhe pauruṣaṁ rūpaṁ bhagavān mahadādibhiḥ ।
sambhūtaṁ ṣoḍaśa kalaṁ ādau loka sisṛkṣayā ॥
॥ 01.03.01 ॥
jagṛhe pauruṣaṁ rūpaṁ bhagavān mahadādibhiḥ ।
sambhūtaṁ ṣoḍaśa kalaṁ ādau loka sisṛkṣayā ॥
॥ 01.03.01 ॥
yasyāmbhasi śayānasya yoganidrāṁ vitanvataḥ ।
nābhi hradāmbujādāsīt brahmā viśvasṛjāṁ patiḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.02 ॥
nābhi hradāmbujādāsīt brahmā viśvasṛjāṁ patiḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.02 ॥
yasyāvayava saṁsthānaiḥ kalpito loka vistaraḥ ।
tadvai bhagavato rūpaṁ viśuddhaṁ sattvamūrjitam ॥
॥ 01.03.03 ॥
tadvai bhagavato rūpaṁ viśuddhaṁ sattvamūrjitam ॥
॥ 01.03.03 ॥
paśyantyado rūpam adabhracakṣuṣā
sahasrapādoru bhujānanādbhutam ।
sahasramūrdha śravaṇākṣi nāsikaṁ
sahasramaulyambara kuṇḍalollasat ॥
॥ 01.03.04 ॥
sahasrapādoru bhujānanādbhutam ।
sahasramūrdha śravaṇākṣi nāsikaṁ
sahasramaulyambara kuṇḍalollasat ॥
॥ 01.03.04 ॥
etannānāvatārāṇāṁ nidhānaṁ bījamavyayam ।
yasyāṁśāṁśena sṛjyante deva tiryag narādayaḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.05 ॥
yasyāṁśāṁśena sṛjyante deva tiryag narādayaḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.05 ॥
sa eva prathamaṁ devaḥ kaumāraṁ sargamāśritaḥ ।
cacāra duścaraṁ brahmā brahmacaryamakhaṇḍitam ॥
॥ 01.03.06 ॥
cacāra duścaraṁ brahmā brahmacaryamakhaṇḍitam ॥
॥ 01.03.06 ॥
dvitīyaṁ tu bhavāyāsya rasātala gatāṁ mahīm ।
uddhariṣyannupādatta yajñeśaḥ saukaraṁ vapuḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.07 ॥
uddhariṣyannupādatta yajñeśaḥ saukaraṁ vapuḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.07 ॥
tṛtīyaṁ ṛṣisargaṁ vai devarṣitvamupetya saḥ ।
tantraṁ sātvatamācaṣṭa naiṣkarmyaṁ karmaṇāṁ yataḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.08 ॥
tantraṁ sātvatamācaṣṭa naiṣkarmyaṁ karmaṇāṁ yataḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.08 ॥
turye dharmakalāsarge naranārāyaṇāvṛṣī ।
bhūtvātmopaśamopetam akarod duścaraṁ tapaḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.09 ॥
bhūtvātmopaśamopetam akarod duścaraṁ tapaḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.09 ॥
pañcamaḥ kapilo nāma siddheśaḥ kālaviplutam ।
provācāsuraye sāṅkhyam tattvagrāma vinirṇayam ॥
॥ 01.03.10 ॥
provācāsuraye sāṅkhyam tattvagrāma vinirṇayam ॥
॥ 01.03.10 ॥
ṣaṣṭhamaḥ atreḥ apatyatvaṁ vṛtaḥ prāpto’nasūyayā ।
ānvīkṣikīm alarkāya prahlādādibhya ūcivān ॥
॥ 01.03.11 ॥
ānvīkṣikīm alarkāya prahlādādibhya ūcivān ॥
॥ 01.03.11 ॥
tataḥ saptama ākūtyāṁ ruceryajño’bhyajāyata ।
sa yāmādyaiḥ suragaṇaiḥ apāt svāyambhuvāntaram ॥
॥ 01.03.12 ॥
sa yāmādyaiḥ suragaṇaiḥ apāt svāyambhuvāntaram ॥
॥ 01.03.12 ॥
aṣṭame merudevyāṁ tu nābherjāta urukramaḥ ।
darśayan vartma dhīrāṇāṁ sarvāśrama namaskṛtam ॥
॥ 01.03.13 ॥
darśayan vartma dhīrāṇāṁ sarvāśrama namaskṛtam ॥
॥ 01.03.13 ॥
ṛṣibhiryācito bheje navamaṁ pārthivaṁ vapuḥ ।
dugdhemām oṣadhīrviprāḥ tenāyaṁ sa uśattamaḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.14 ॥
dugdhemām oṣadhīrviprāḥ tenāyaṁ sa uśattamaḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.14 ॥
rūpaṁ sa jagṛhe mātsyaṁ cākṣuṣodadhi samplave ।
nāvyāropya mahīmayyāṁ apādvaivasvataṁ manum ॥
॥ 01.03.15 ॥
nāvyāropya mahīmayyāṁ apādvaivasvataṁ manum ॥
॥ 01.03.15 ॥
surāsurāṇām udadhiṁ mathnatāṁ mandarācalam ।
dadhre kamaṭharūpeṇa pṛṣṭha ekādaśe vibhuḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.16 ॥
dadhre kamaṭharūpeṇa pṛṣṭha ekādaśe vibhuḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.16 ॥
dhānvantaram dvādaśamaṁ trayodaśamam eva ca ।
apāyayat surānanyān mohinyā mohayan striyā ॥
॥ 01.03.17 ॥
apāyayat surānanyān mohinyā mohayan striyā ॥
॥ 01.03.17 ॥
caturdaśaṁ nārasiṁhaṁ bibhrad daityendra mūrjitam ।
dadāra karajairūrāu erakāṁ kaṭakṛd yathā ॥
॥ 01.03.18 ॥
dadāra karajairūrāu erakāṁ kaṭakṛd yathā ॥
॥ 01.03.18 ॥
pañcadaśaṁ vāmanakaṁ kṛtvāgād adhvaraṁ baleḥ ।
padatrayaṁ yācamānaḥ pratyāditsuḥ tripiṣṭapam ॥
॥ 01.03.19 ॥
padatrayaṁ yācamānaḥ pratyāditsuḥ tripiṣṭapam ॥
॥ 01.03.19 ॥
avatāre ṣoḍaśame paśyan brahmadruho nṛpān ।
triḥsaptakṛtvaḥ kupito niḥkṣatrām akaron mahīm ॥
॥ 01.03.20 ॥
triḥsaptakṛtvaḥ kupito niḥkṣatrām akaron mahīm ॥
॥ 01.03.20 ॥
tataḥ saptadaśe jātaḥ satyavatyāṁ parāśarāt ।
cakre vedataroḥ śākhāḥ dṛṣṭvā puṁso’lpamedhasaḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.21 ॥
cakre vedataroḥ śākhāḥ dṛṣṭvā puṁso’lpamedhasaḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.21 ॥
naradevatvamāpannaḥ surakārya cikīrṣayā ।
samudranigrahādīni cakre vīryāṇyataḥ param ॥
॥ 01.03.22 ॥
samudranigrahādīni cakre vīryāṇyataḥ param ॥
॥ 01.03.22 ॥
ekonaviṁśe viṁśatime vṛṣṇiṣu prāpya janmanī ।
rāmakṛṣṇāv iti bhuvo bhagavān aharad bharam ॥
॥ 01.03.23 ॥
rāmakṛṣṇāv iti bhuvo bhagavān aharad bharam ॥
॥ 01.03.23 ॥
tataḥ kalau sampravṛtte sammohāya suradviṣām ।
buddho nāmnāñjanasutaḥ kīkaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati ॥
॥ 01.03.24 ॥
buddho nāmnāñjanasutaḥ kīkaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati ॥
॥ 01.03.24 ॥
athāsau yugasandhyāyāṁ dasyuprāyeṣu rājasu ।
janitā viṣṇuyaśaso nāmnā kalkir jagatpatiḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.25 ॥
janitā viṣṇuyaśaso nāmnā kalkir jagatpatiḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.25 ॥
avatārāḥ hyasaṅkhyeyāḥ hareḥ sattvanidher dvijāḥ ।
yathāvidāsinaḥ kulyāḥ sarasaḥ syuḥ sahasraśaḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.26 ॥
yathāvidāsinaḥ kulyāḥ sarasaḥ syuḥ sahasraśaḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.26 ॥
ṛṣayo manavo devā manuputrā mahaujasaḥ ।
kalāḥ sarve harer eva saprajāpatayaḥ smṛtāḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.27 ॥
kalāḥ sarve harer eva saprajāpatayaḥ smṛtāḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.27 ॥
ete cāṁśakalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam ।
indrārivyākulaṁ lokaṁ mṛḍayanti yuge yuge ॥
॥ 01.03.28 ॥
indrārivyākulaṁ lokaṁ mṛḍayanti yuge yuge ॥
॥ 01.03.28 ॥
janma guhyaṁ bhagavato ya etat prayato naraḥ ।
sāyaṁ prātar gṛṇan bhaktyā duḥkhagrāmād vimucyate ॥
॥ 01.03.29 ॥
sāyaṁ prātar gṛṇan bhaktyā duḥkhagrāmād vimucyate ॥
॥ 01.03.29 ॥
etadrūpaṁ bhagavato hyarūpasya cidātmanaḥ ।
māyāguṇair viracitaṁ mahadādibhir ātmani ॥
॥ 01.03.30 ॥
māyāguṇair viracitaṁ mahadādibhir ātmani ॥
॥ 01.03.30 ॥
yathā nabhasi meghaugho reṇur vā pārthivo’nile ।
evaṁ draṣṭari dṛśyatvam āropitam abuddhibhiḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.31 ॥
evaṁ draṣṭari dṛśyatvam āropitam abuddhibhiḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.31 ॥
ataḥ paraṁ yadavyaktam avyūḍhaguṇa bṛṁhitam ।
adṛṣṭāśrutavastutvāt sa jīvo yat punarbhavaḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.32 ॥
adṛṣṭāśrutavastutvāt sa jīvo yat punarbhavaḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.32 ॥
yatreme sadasadrūpe pratiṣiddhe svasaṁvidā ।
avidyayātmani kṛte iti tad brahmadarśanam ॥
॥ 01.03.33 ॥
avidyayātmani kṛte iti tad brahmadarśanam ॥
॥ 01.03.33 ॥
yadyeṣoparatā devī māyā vaiśāradī matiḥ ।
sampanna eveti viduḥ mahimni mahīyate ॥
॥ 01.03.34 ॥
sampanna eveti viduḥ mahimni mahīyate ॥
॥ 01.03.34 ॥
evaṁ janmāni karmāṇi hyakartur ajanasya ca ।
varṇayanti sma kavayo vedaguhyāni hṛtpateḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.35 ॥
varṇayanti sma kavayo vedaguhyāni hṛtpateḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.35 ॥
sa vā idaṁ viśvam amoghalīlaḥ
sṛjaty avaty atti na sajjate’smin ।
bhūteṣu cāntarhita ātmatantraḥ
ṣāḍvargikaṁ jighrati ṣaḍguṇeśaḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.36 ॥
sṛjaty avaty atti na sajjate’smin ।
bhūteṣu cāntarhita ātmatantraḥ
ṣāḍvargikaṁ jighrati ṣaḍguṇeśaḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.36 ॥
na cāsya kaścin nipuṇena dhātuḥ
avaiti jantuḥ kumanīṣa ūtīḥ ।
nāmāni rūpāṇi manovacobhiḥ
santanvato naṭacaryām ivājñaḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.37 ॥
avaiti jantuḥ kumanīṣa ūtīḥ ।
nāmāni rūpāṇi manovacobhiḥ
santanvato naṭacaryām ivājñaḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.37 ॥
sa veda dhātuḥ padavīm parasya
durantavīryasya rathāṅgapāṇeḥ ।
yo’māyayā santatayānuvṛttyā
bhajeta tat pādasarojagandham ॥
॥ 01.03.38 ॥
durantavīryasya rathāṅgapāṇeḥ ।
yo’māyayā santatayānuvṛttyā
bhajeta tat pādasarojagandham ॥
॥ 01.03.38 ॥
atheha dhanyā bhagavanta ittham
yad vāsudeve’khilalokanāthe ।
kurvanti sarvātmakam ātmabhāvam
na yatra bhūyaḥ parivarta ugraḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.39 ॥
yad vāsudeve’khilalokanāthe ।
kurvanti sarvātmakam ātmabhāvam
na yatra bhūyaḥ parivarta ugraḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.39 ॥
idaṁ bhāgavataṁ nāma purāṇaṁ brahmasammitam ।
uttamaśloka caritaṁ cakāra bhagavān ṛṣiḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.40 ॥
uttamaśloka caritaṁ cakāra bhagavān ṛṣiḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.40 ॥
niḥśreyasāya lokasya dhanyaṁ svastyayanaṁ mahat ।
tad idaṁ grāhayāmāsa sutam ātmavatāṁ varam ॥
॥ 01.03.41 ॥
tad idaṁ grāhayāmāsa sutam ātmavatāṁ varam ॥
॥ 01.03.41 ॥
sarvavedetihāsānāṁ sāraṁ sāraṁ samuddhṛtam ।
sa tu saṁśrāvayāmāsa mahārājaṁ parīkṣitam ॥
॥ 01.03.42 ॥
sa tu saṁśrāvayāmāsa mahārājaṁ parīkṣitam ॥
॥ 01.03.42 ॥
prāyopaviṣṭaṁ gaṅgāyāṁ parītaṁ paramarṣibhiḥ ।
kṛṣṇe svadhāmopagate dharmajñānādibhiḥ saha ॥
॥ 01.03.43 ॥
kṛṣṇe svadhāmopagate dharmajñānādibhiḥ saha ॥
॥ 01.03.43 ॥
kalau naṣṭadṛśām eṣa purāṇārko’dhunoditaḥ ।
tatra kīrtayato viprā viprarṣeḥ bhūritejasaḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.44 ॥
tatra kīrtayato viprā viprarṣeḥ bhūritejasaḥ ॥
॥ 01.03.44 ॥
ahaṁ cādhyagamam tatra niviṣṭas tadanugrahāt ।
so’haṁ vaḥ śrāvayiṣyāmi yathādhītaṁ yathāmati ॥
॥ 01.03.45 ॥
so’haṁ vaḥ śrāvayiṣyāmi yathādhītaṁ yathāmati ॥
॥ 01.03.45 ॥
iti śrīmadbhāgavate mahāpurāṇe pāramahaṁsyāṁ saṁhitāyām ।
prathama skandhe tṛtīyo’dhyāyaḥ ॥
prathama skandhe tṛtīyo’dhyāyaḥ ॥
Other Study Paths | Canto 01 | Chapter 03
Adhyayanam | Bhāvārtham | Sāram | Sārāmśam