FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.4.49-50

స వై యదా మహాదేవో మమ వీర్యోపబృంహిత: । మేనే ఖిలమివాత్మానముద్యత: స్వర్గకర్మణి ॥ ౪౯ ॥ అథ మేఽభిహితో దేవస్తపోఽతప్యత దారుణమ్ । నవ విశ్వసృజో యుష్మాన్ యేనాదావసృజద్విభు: ॥ ౫౦ ॥
sa vai yadā mahādevo
[sa vai yadaa mahaadevo]
mama vīryopabṛṁhitaḥ
[mama veeryopabrimhitah]
mene khilam ivātmānam
[mene khilam ivaatmaanam]
udyataḥ svarga-karmaṇi
[udyatah svarga-karmani]
atha me ’bhihito devas
[atha me ’bhihito devas]
tapo ’tapyata dāruṇam
[tapo ’tapyata daarunam]
nava viśva-sṛjo yuṣmān
[nava vishva-srijo yushmaan]
yenādāv asṛjad vibhuḥ
[yenaadaav asrijad vibhuh]
Word-for-word
saḥ — that Lord Brahmā vai — indeed yadā — when mahā-devaḥ — the chief of all the demigods mama — My vīrya-upabṛṁhitaḥ — being increased by the potency mene — thought khilam — incapable iva — as if ātmānam — himself udyataḥ — attempting svarga-karmaṇi — in the creation of the universal affairs atha — at that time me — by Me abhihitaḥ — advised devaḥ — that Lord Brahmā tapaḥ — austerity atapyata — performed dāruṇam — extremely difficult nava — nine viśva-sṛjaḥ — important personalities to create the universe yuṣmān — all of you yena — by whom ādau — in the beginning asṛjat — created vibhuḥ — the great.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
sa vai yadā mahādevo
saḥ
that Lord Brahmā
vai
indeed
yadā
when
mahā-devaḥ
the chief of all the demigods
mama vīryopabṛṁhitaḥ
mama
My
vīrya-upabṛṁhitaḥ
being increased by the potency
mene khilam ivātmānam
mene
thought
khilam
incapable
iva
as if
ātmānam
himself
udyataḥ svarga-karmaṇi
udyataḥ
attempting
svarga-karmaṇi
in the creation of the universal affairs
atha me ’bhihito devas
atha
at that time
me
by Me
abhihitaḥ
advised
devaḥ
that Lord Brahmā
tapo ’tapyata dāruṇam
tapaḥ
austerity
atapyata
performed
dāruṇam
extremely difficult
nava viśva-sṛjo yuṣmān
nava
nine
viśva-sṛjaḥ
important personalities to create the universe
yuṣmān
all of you
yenādāv asṛjad vibhuḥ
yena
by whom
ādau
in the beginning
asṛjat
created
vibhuḥ
the great.
When the chief lord of the universe, Lord Brahmā [Svayambhū], having been inspired by My energy, was attempting to create, he thought himself incapable. Therefore I gave him advice, and in accordance with My instructions he underwent extremely difficult austerities. Because of these austerities, the great Lord Brahmā was able to create nine personalities, including you, to help him in the functions of creation.
Purport

Nothing is possible without tapasya. Lord Brahmā, however, was empowered to create this entire universe because of his austerities. The more we engage in austerities, the more we become powerful by the grace of the Lord. Therefore Ṛṣabhadeva advised His sons, tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena sattvaṁ śuddhyed: “One should engage in penance and austerity to attain the divine position of devotional service. By such activity, one’s heart is purified.” ( Bhāg. 5.5.1 ) In our material existence we are impure, and therefore we cannot do anything wonderful, but if we purify our existence by tapasya, we can do wonderful things by the grace of the Lord. Therefore tapasya is very important, as stressed in this verse.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
When the chief lord of the universe, Lord Brahmā, endowed with my energy, was attempting to create, and thought himself incapable, he underwent extreme austerities as advised by me. Because of these austerities, Brahmā created nine persons, including you, to help him in the functions of creation. Khilam means incapable. I told him to perform austerities. By that austerity (yena) he created nine persons.
Related values & verses
Related verses
SB 5.5.1
Related lectures
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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