FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.9.33

तस्यैव ते वपुरिदं निजकालशक्त्या सञ्चोदितप्रकृतिधर्मण आत्मगूढम् । अम्भस्यनन्तशयनाद्विरमत्समाधे- र्नाभेरभूत् स्वकणिकावटवन्महाब्जम् ॥ ३३ ॥
tasyaiva te vapur idaṁ nija-kāla-śaktyā
[tasyaiva te vapur idam nija-kaala-shaktyaa]
sañcodita-prakṛti-dharmaṇa ātma-gūḍham
[sanchodita-prakriti-dharmana aatma-goodham]
ambhasy ananta-śayanād viramat-samādher
[ambhasy ananta-shayanaad viramat-samaadher]
nābher abhūt sva-kaṇikā-vaṭavan-mahābjam
[naabher abhoot sva-kanikaa-vatavan-mahaabjam]
tasya — of that Supreme Personality of Godhead eva — certainly te — of You vapuḥ — the cosmic body idam — this (universe) nija-kāla-śaktyā — by the potent time factor sañcodita — agitated prakṛti-dharmaṇaḥ — of Him, by whom the three guṇas, or qualities of material nature ātma-gūḍham — dormant in Yourself ambhasi — in the water known as the Causal Ocean ananta-śayanāt — from the bed known as Ananta (another feature of Yourself) viramat-samādheḥ — having awakened from the samādhi (yogic trance) nābheḥ — from the navel abhūt — appeared sva-kaṇikā — from the seed vaṭa-vat — like the great banyan tree mahā-abjam — the great lotus of the worlds (has similarly grown).
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
tasyaiva te vapur idaṁ nija-kāla-śaktyā
tasya
of that Supreme Personality of Godhead
eva
certainly
te
of You
sañcodita-prakṛti-dharmaṇa ātma-gūḍham
ambhasy ananta-śayanād viramat-samādher
nābher abhūt sva-kaṇikā-vaṭavan-mahābjam
vapuḥ
the cosmic body
idam
this (universe)
nija-kāla-śaktyā
by the potent time factor
sañcodita
agitated
prakṛti-dharmaṇaḥ
of Him, by whom the three guṇas, or qualities of material nature
ātma-gūḍham
dormant in Yourself
ambhasi
in the water known as the Causal Ocean
ananta-śayanāt
from the bed known as Ananta (another feature of Yourself)
viramat-samādheḥ
having awakened from the samādhi (yogic trance)
nābheḥ
from the navel
abhūt
appeared
sva-kaṇikā
from the seed
vaṭa-vat
like the great banyan tree
mahā-abjam
the great lotus of the worlds (has similarly grown).
This cosmic manifestation, the material world, is also Your body. This total lump of matter is agitated by Your potent energy known as kāla-śakti, and thus the three modes of material nature are manifested. You awaken from the bed of Śeṣa, Ananta, and from Your navel a small transcendental seed is generated. It is from this seed that the lotus flower of the gigantic universe is manifested, exactly as a banyan tree grows from a small seed.

The three different forms of Mahā-Viṣṇu — namely Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, who are the origin of creation and maintenance — are gradually being described. From Mahā-Viṣṇu, Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is generated, and from Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu gradually expands. Thus Mahā-Viṣṇu is the original cause of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and from Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu comes the lotus flower from which Lord Brahmā is manifested. Thus the original cause of everything is Viṣṇu, and consequently the cosmic manifestation is not different from Viṣṇu. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (10.8) , wherein Kṛṣṇa says, ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate: “I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me.” Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is an expansion of Kāraṇodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, who is an expansion of Saṅkarṣaṇa. In this way, Kṛṣṇa is ultimately the cause of all causes ( sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam ). The conclusion is that both the material world and spiritual world are considered to be the body of the Supreme Lord. We can understand that the material body is caused by the spiritual body and is therefore an expansion of the spiritual body. Thus when one takes up spiritual activities, one’s entire material body is spiritualized. Similarly, in this material world, when the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement expands, the entire material world becomes spiritualized. As long as we do not realize this, we live in the material world, but when we are fully Kṛṣṇa conscious we live not in the material world but in the spiritual world.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
This universe, your body, composed of the guṇas of prakṛti, which was merged in your body, and which was agitated by your time energy, then made its appearance. From the navel of the Lord lying on Ananta in the Garbhodaka Ocean, after he awoke from sleep, arose a giant lotus, like a banyan arising from a small seed. At the beginning of creation, stimulated by your time energy, this universe, your body, possessing the guṇas of prakṛti, which was merged in you, becomes manifest from prakṛti. Then, from the navel of the Lord lying on Ananta in the Garbhodaka Ocean, who had given up his sleep, arose a huge lotus, like a huge banyan tree arising from a small seed.
The material world is also Your body; agitated by Your kāla-śakti, the three modes manifest. From Your navel a seed grows into the cosmic lotus, as a banyan from a tiny seed. Vast effects sit inside small causes when the Lord is at work.
Reflection Questions
  • Which 'small seed' in your life is quietly preparing a banyan-sized effect?
  • Where do you underestimate causes because their initial form is tiny?
📝 My note

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