FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.12.47

स्पर्शस्तस्याभवज्जीव: स्वरो देह उदाहृत । ऊष्माणमिन्द्रियाण्याहुरन्त:स्था बलमात्मन: । स्वरा: सप्त विहारेण भवन्ति स्म प्रजापते: ॥ ४७ ॥
sparśas tasyābhavaj jīvaḥ
[sparshas tasyaabhavaj jeevah]
svaro deha udāhṛta
[svaro deha udaahrita]
ūṣmāṇam indriyāṇy āhur
[ooshmaanam indriyaany aahur]
antaḥ-sthā balam ātmanaḥ
[antah-sthaa balam aatmanah]
svarāḥ sapta vihāreṇa
[svaraah sapta vihaarena]
bhavanti sma prajāpateḥ
[bhavanti sma prajaapateh]
sparśaḥ — the set of letters from ka to ma tasya — his abhavat — became jīvaḥ — the soul svaraḥ — vowels dehaḥ — his body udāhṛtaḥ — are expressed ūṣmāṇam — the letters śa, ṣa, sa and ha indriyāṇi — the senses āhuḥ — are called antaḥ-sthāḥ — the set of letters so known (ya, ra, la and va) balam — energy ātmanaḥ — of his self svarāḥ — music sapta — seven vihāreṇa — by the sensual activities bhavanti sma — became manifested prajāpateḥ — of the lord of the living entities.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sparśas tasyābhavaj jīvaḥ
sparśaḥ
the set of letters from ka to ma
tasya
his
abhavat
became
jīvaḥ
the soul
svaro deha udāhṛta
svaraḥ
vowels
dehaḥ
his body
udāhṛtaḥ
are expressed
ūṣmāṇam indriyāṇy āhur
ūṣmāṇam
the letters śa, ṣa, sa and ha
indriyāṇi
the senses
āhuḥ
are called
antaḥ-sthā balam ātmanaḥ
antaḥ-sthāḥ
the set of letters so known (ya, ra, la and va)
balam
energy
ātmanaḥ
of his self
svarāḥ sapta vihāreṇa
svarāḥ
music
sapta
seven
vihāreṇa
by the sensual activities
bhavanti sma prajāpateḥ
bhavanti sma
became manifested
prajāpateḥ
of the lord of the living entities.
Brahmā’s soul was manifested as the touch alphabets, his body as the vowels, his senses as the sibilant alphabets, his strength as the intermediate alphabets and his sensual activities as the seven notes of music.

In Sanskrit there are thirteen vowels and thirty-five consonants. The vowels are a, ā, i, ī, u, ū, ṛ, ṝ, ḷ, e, ai, o, au, and the consonants are ka, kha, ga, gha, etc. Amongst the consonants, the first twenty-five letters are called the sparśas. There are also four antaḥ-sthas. Of the ūṣmas there are three s ’s, called tālavya, mūrdhanya and dantya. The musical notes are ṣa, ṛ, gā, ma, dha, and ni. All these sound vibrations are originally called śabda-brahma, or spiritual sound. It is said, therefore, that Brahmā was created in the Mahā-kalpa as the incarnation of spiritual sound. The Vedas are spiritual sound, and therefore there is no need of material interpretation for the sound vibration of the Vedic literature. The Vedas should be vibrated as they are, although they are symbolically represented with letters which are known to us materially. In the ultimate issue there is nothing material because everything has its origin in the spiritual world. The material manifestation is therefore called illusion in the proper sense of the term. For those who are realized souls there is nothing but spirit.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
From Brahmā’s life arose the consonants. From his body arose the vowels. From his senses arose the ūṣmānas. The semi-vowels arose from his strength. The seven musical notes arose from his playing. This verse describes the origin of the various sounds in speaking. Sparśa refers to the five classes of consonants with their nasals. Svara refers to the vowels starting with a. Ūṣmāna refers to śa, ṣa, sa and ha as well. Antastha refers to semivowels ya, ra, la and va. Sapta-svara refers to the musical notes beginning with ṣaḍja. These arose as play (vihāreṇa).
The cosmology here is not abstract scenery — it locates the reader inside a vast, intelligent order. Seeing your tiny role in this design quietly cools the urge to make yourself the centre.
Reflection Questions
  • How does it change your day to remember the universe was not built around your preferences?
  • How could awe of the creation become a daily practice and not just a Sunday feeling?
📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 12