FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.3.6

स एव प्रथमं देव: कौमारं सर्गमाश्रित: । चचार दुश्चरं ब्रह्मा ब्रह्मचर्यमखण्डितम् ॥ ६ ॥
sa eva prathamaṁ devaḥ
[sa eva prathamam devah]
kaumāraṁ sargam āśritaḥ
[kaumaaram sargam aashritah]
cacāra duścaraṁ brahmā
[chachaara dushcharam brahmaa]
brahmacaryam akhaṇḍitam
[brahmacharyam akhanditam]
saḥ — that eva — certainly prathamam — first devaḥ — Supreme Lord kaumāram — named the Kumāras (unmarried) sargam — creation āśritaḥ — under cacāra — performed duścaram — very difficult to do brahmā — in the order of Brahman brahmacaryam — under discipline to realize the Absolute (Brahman) akhaṇḍitam — unbroken.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa eva prathamaṁ devaḥ
saḥ
that
eva
certainly
prathamam
first
devaḥ
Supreme Lord
kaumāraṁ sargam āśritaḥ
kaumāram
named the Kumāras (unmarried)
sargam
creation
āśritaḥ
under
cacāra duścaraṁ brahmā
cacāra
performed
duścaram
very difficult to do
brahmā
in the order of Brahman
brahmacaryam akhaṇḍitam
brahmacaryam
under discipline to realize the Absolute (Brahman)
akhaṇḍitam
unbroken.
First of all, in the beginning of creation, there were the four unmarried sons of Brahmā [the Kumāras], who, being situated in a vow of celibacy, underwent severe austerities for realization of the Absolute Truth.

The creation of the material world is effected, maintained and then again annihilated at certain intervals. So there are different names of the creations in terms of the particular types of Brahmā, the father of the living beings in the creation. The Kumāras, as above mentioned, appeared in the Kaumāra creation of the material world, and to teach us the process of Brahman realization, they underwent a severe type of disciplinary action as bachelors. These Kumāras are empowered incarnations. And before executing the severe type of disciplinary actions, all of them became qualified brāhmaṇas. This example suggests that one must first acquire the qualifications of a brāhmaṇa, not simply by birth but also by quality, and then one can undergo the process of Brahman realization.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Garbhodakaśāyī first made his appearance in the Kumāras. Becoming brāhmaṇas, they undertook continuous, severe vows of brahmacarya.
Commentary

Now the avatāras starting with the Kumāras are described. Padmanābha, Garbhodakaśāyī, who carries out creation of the devatās and others through portions of his portion, Brahmā, made his appearance in the Kumāras (kaumāram sargam āśritaḥ). Becoming brāhmaṇas (brahmā) they undertook vows of abstinence (brahmacaryam cacāra). This means that they preached this by their conduct to the world. The words first, second, etc. are only enumerating the avatāras and not indicating the exact chronology of the avatāras’ appearances.

Before any visible drama, the four Kumāras chose celibacy and austerity to know the Absolute. Some serious paths start with subtraction — fewer commitments, more depth — and that's still valid today.
Reflection Questions
  • What in my life could I subtract, even temporarily, in order to deepen?
  • Where am I drawn to addition (new courses, new practices) when subtraction is the actual need?
📝 My note

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