ततस् तादृग्गुणगणं मनो भावयति क्षणात् । स्वरूपं गन्धवत् स्थूलं येनोदेष्यति मेदिनी
Then, the mind, possessing such qualities, instantly conceives the substantial form with scent, by which the earth will be manifested.
अथेदं भूततन्मात्रवेष्टितं तनुतां जहत् । वपुर् वह्निकणाकारं स्फुरितं व्योम्नि पश्यति
Thereafter, this, enveloped by the subtle elements, sheds its subtlety; one perceives in space a form like a spark of fire, shining forth.
अहङ्कारकलायुक्तं बुद्धिजीवसमन्वितम् । तत् पुर्यष्टकम् इत्य् उक्तं भूतहृत्पद्मषट्पदः
Endowed with the faculty of ego, along with intellect and the individual soul, this is called the 'eightfold subtle body,' the bee at the lotus-heart of the elements.
तस्मिंस् तत् तीव्रसंवेगाद् भावयद् भासुरं वपुः । स्थूलतां एति पाकेन मनो भव्यफलं यथा
Within that, by intense force, the mind brings forth a radiant body; by maturation, it attains grossness, just as a destined fruit ripens.
मूषास्थद्रुतहेमाभं स्फुरितं विमलाम्बरे । सन्निवेशम् अथादत्ते तत् तेजस् स्वं स्वभावतः
Shining in the pure sky, like molten gold flowing from a crucible, that radiance assumes its own form by its inherent nature.
तस्मिन् स्वसन्निवेशे ऽथ तेजःपुञ्जमये मनः । भजते भावनां स्फारे निश्चिताम् आततां स्वतः
Then, in that very own abode, the mind—composed of a mass of radiance—assumes a firm and expansive imagination, arising naturally.
ऊर्ध्वं शिरःपीठमयीम् अधः पादमयीं तथा । पार्श्वयोर् हस्तसंस्थानां मध्ये चोदरधर्मिणीं
Above, it forms a head-like seat; below, a base like feet; on both sides, the arrangement of hands; and in the middle, the nature of a belly.
प्रकटावयवो बालो ज्वालाजालामलाकृतिः । मनोरथवशोपात्तवपुस् तिष्ठत्य् असाव् अथ
There appears a child with manifest limbs, resembling a cluster of pure flames, who stands there, taking a body according to the will of the mind.
एवं स्ववासनावेशात् कल्पिताङ्गं मनो मुनेः । नयत्य् उपचयं देहं स्वं स्वभावम् ऋतुर् यथा
Thus, through the force of its own tendencies, the mind of the sage, having imagined limbs, brings about the growth of its own body, just as a season brings forth its natural effects.
कालेन स्फुटताम् एत्य भवत्य् अमलविग्रहः । बुद्धिसत्त्वबलोत्साहविज्ञानैश्वर्यसंस्थितः
In time, becoming distinct, it attains a spotless form, endowed with intelligence, purity, strength, enthusiasm, discernment, and mastery.
स एष भगवान् ब्रह्मा सर्वलोकाधिनायकः । द्रवत्कनकसङ्काशः परमाकाशसम्भवः
He is that blessed Lord Brahma, ruler of all worlds, shining like molten gold, arisen from the supreme expanse.
अथासौ परमाकाशे तिष्ठन् परमरूपवान् । कल्पयत्य् आत्मनो गेहम् आत्मस्थश् चित्तलीलया
Then, abiding in the supreme expanse, possessing the highest form, he creates his own dwelling by the play of his own mind, remaining established in himself.
कदाचित् केवलं व्योम परमं पारवर्जितम् । अनादिमध्यपर्यन्तं कदाचिद् अमलं पयः
At times, it is pure space alone, supreme and free from any distinction; at times, it is pure water, without beginning, middle, or end.
कदाचित् कल्पकालाग्निज्वालाभासुरमण्डितम् । कदाचित् काननं कान्तं नाभीकमलकुट्मलम्
At times, it is adorned with the radiance of the flames of the fire at the end of an age; at times, it is a lovely forest, or the closed bud of a lotus at the navel.
अन्यान्य् अन्यान्य् अनेकानि प्रतिजन्मावधि प्रभुः । कल्पयत्य् आसनान्य् एष नानारूपाणि हेलया
This sovereign, by his own will, effortlessly creates countless different seats, of various forms, for each and every birth.
तत्रेदम्प्रथमत्वेन यदैष ब्रह्मणः पदात् । अवतीर्णस् तदा ज्ञानात् तस्यैव सुसमस् स्मृतः
Among these, when he first descends from the state of Brahman, then, due to knowledge, his own body is considered to be well-formed.
गर्भनिद्राव्यपगमे वपुः पश्यति भासुरम् । प्राणापानप्रवाहाढ्यं द्रव्यैर् एव विनिर्मितम्
When the sleep of the womb departs, he sees a radiant body, endowed with the flow of prāṇa and apāna, constructed solely from substances.
रोमकोटिभिर् आकीर्णं द्वात्रिंशद्दशनान्वितम् । त्रिस्थूणं पञ्चदैवत्यम् अधश्चरणलाञ्छितम्
It is covered with the tips of hairs, furnished with thirty-two teeth, supported by three pillars, possessed of fifteen deities, and marked below by the soles of the feet.
पञ्चभागं नवद्वारं त्वग्लेपमसृणाङ्गकम् । युक्तम् अङ्गुलिविंशत्या नखविंशतिलाञ्छितम्
It is divided into five parts, has nine gates, limbs smooth and smeared with unguents, equipped with twenty fingers, and marked by twenty nails.
द्विबाहुं द्विस्तनं द्व्यक्षं बह्वक्षभुजम् एव वा । नीडं चित्तविहङ्गस्य बिलं मन्मथभोगिनः
It has two arms, two breasts, two eyes—or sometimes many shoulders and arms; it is the nest of the bird of mind, the cave for the serpent of desire.
तृष्णापिशाच्या निलयं जीवकेसरिकन्दरम् । अभिमानगजालानम् आननाम्भोजशोभितम्
It is the dwelling of the demoness of thirst, the cave of the lion called the soul, the stable of the elephant of pride, and adorned by the lotus-face.
अवलोक्य वपुर् ब्रह्मा कान्तम् आत्मीयम् उत्तमम् । चिन्तयाम् आस भगवांस् त्रिकालामलदर्शनः
Beholding his own radiant and supreme form, Brahma, the blessed one whose vision is pure across the three times, began to reflect.
अस्मिन्न् आकाशकुहरे तते मदुपलाञ्छिते । अदृष्टापारपर्यन्ते प्रथमं किम् अभूद् इति
In this cave of space, on this shore adorned with honey, endless and without visible boundary, what was there first—he wondered.
इति चिन्तितवान् ब्रह्मा सद्योजातो ऽमलात्मदृक् । अपश्यत् सर्गवृन्दानि समतीतान्य् अनेकशः
Thus pondering, Brahma, newly arisen and with a stainless vision of the Self, saw countless past creations that had already passed away.
अथ सस्मार सकलान् स सधर्मगुणक्रमान् । वसन्तः कुसुमानीव वेदान् वाङ्मयसंयुतान्
Then he recalled all the Vedas, complete with their sequences of duties and qualities, as one remembers blossoms in spring—joined with speech and meaning.
लीलया कल्पयाम् आस चित्रास् सङ्कल्पजाः प्रजाः । नानाचारसमारम्भा गन्धर्वो नगरं यथा
Effortlessly, he created various beings born of thought, with diverse customs and undertakings, as a Gandharva might fashion a city.
तासां स्वर्गापवर्गार्थं धर्मकामार्थसिद्धये । अनन्तानि विचित्राणि शास्त्राणि समकल्पयत्
For their sake—so they might attain heaven, liberation, and the fulfillment of duty, desire, and wealth—he composed countless and wondrous scriptures.
सृष्टिर् एवम् इयं राम सर्गे ऽस्मिन् स्थितिम् आगता । विरिञ्चरूपान् मनसः पुष्पलक्ष्मीर् मधोर् इव
Thus, O Rama, this creation came to abide in this cycle, as the splendor of flowers rests on spring, taking form through the mind of Brahma.
विविधविरचनैः क्रियाविलासैः कमलजरूपधरेण चेतसैव । रघुसुत परिकल्पनेन नीता स्थितिम् अतुलां जगतीह सर्गलक्ष्मीः
By manifold arrangements and playful acts, by the mind taking the form of the lotus-born, O son of Raghu, the glory of creation here has been established in this world in an incomparable way.
एवंसम्पन्नम् एवैतन् नकिञ्चिद् अपि संस्थितम् । शून्यम् एव नभोमात्रं मनोविलसितं परम्
Thus, when all this is accomplished, nothing remains established; only the vast emptiness of space, the supreme play of the mind.