FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.20.16

तस्य नाभेरभूत्पद्मं सहस्रार्कोरुदीधिति । सर्वजीवनिकायौको यत्र स्वयमभूत्स्वराट् ॥ १६ ॥
tasya nābher abhūt padmaṁ
[tasya naabher abhoot padmam]
sahasrārkoru-dīdhiti
[sahasraarkoru-deedhiti]
sarva-jīvanikāyauko
[sarva-jeevanikaayauko]
yatra svayam abhūt svarāṭ
[yatra svayam abhoot svaraat]
tasya — of the Lord nābheḥ — from the navel abhūt — sprouted up padmam — a lotus sahasra-arka — a thousand suns uru — more dīdhiti — with dazzling splendor sarva — all jīva-nikāya — resting place of conditioned souls okaḥ — place yatra — where svayam — himself abhūt — emanated sva-rāṭ — the omnipotent (Lord Brahmā).
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tasya nābher abhūt padmaṁ
tasya
of the Lord
nābheḥ
from the navel
abhūt
sprouted up
padmam
a lotus
sahasrārkoru-dīdhiti
sahasra-arka
a thousand suns
uru
more
dīdhiti
with dazzling splendor
sarva-jīvanikāyauko
sarva
all
jīva-nikāya
resting place of conditioned souls
okaḥ
place
yatra
where
yatra svayam abhūt svarāṭ
svayam
himself
abhūt
emanated
sva-rāṭ
the omnipotent (Lord Brahmā).
From the navel of the Personality of Godhead Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu sprouted a lotus flower effulgent like a thousand blazing suns. This lotus flower is the reservoir of all conditioned souls, and the first living entity who came out of the lotus flower was the omnipotent Brahmā

It appears from this verse that the conditioned souls who rested within the body of the Personality of Godhead after the dissolution of the last creation came out in the sum total form of the lotus. This is called hiraṇyagarbha. The first living entity to come out was Lord Brahmā, who is independently able to create the rest of the manifested universe. The lotus is described here as effulgent as the glare of a thousand suns. This indicates that the living entities, as parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord, are also of the same quality, since the Lord also diffuses His bodily glare, known as brahmajyoti. The description of Vaikuṇṭhaloka, as stated in Bhagavad-gītā and other Vedic literatures, is confirmed herewith. In Vaikuṇṭha, the spiritual sky, there is no need of sunshine, moonshine, electricity or fire. Every planet there is self-effulgent like the sun.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
From the navel of Viṣṇu arose a lotus, shining like a thousand suns, which was the abode of all the jīvas. In this lotus appeared Brahmā. From the navel (nabheḥ) arose the lotus. In the lotus (yatra) arose Brahmā (svarāṭ).
The verse describes layered cosmic machinery — modes, elements, governing demigods — to remind us that even our 'private' lives are arranged by larger hands.
Reflection Questions
  • Where have you been demanding outcomes from a system you did not design?
  • What would humility actually look like for you in your work this week?
📝 My note

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