Devanagari
नाभिहृदादिह सतोऽम्भसि यस्य पुंसो
विज्ञानशक्तिरहमासमनन्तशक्ते: ।
रूपं विचित्रमिदमस्य विवृण्वतो मे
मा रीरिषीष्ट निगमस्य गिरां विसर्ग: ॥ २४ ॥
Verse text
nābhi-hradād iha sato ’mbhasi yasya puṁso
vijṣāna-śaktir aham āsam ananta-śakteḥ
rūpaṁ vicitram idam asya vivṛṇvato me
mā rīriṣīṣṭa nigamasya girāṁ visargaḥ
Synonyms
nābhi
—
hradāt — from the navel lake
;
iha
—
in this millennium
;
sataḥ
—
lying
;
ambhasi
—
in the water
;
yasya
—
one whose
;
puṁsaḥ
—
of the Personality of Godhead
;
vijṣāna
—
of the total universe
;
śaktiḥ
—
energy
;
aham
—
I
;
āsam
—
was born
;
ananta
—
unlimited
;
śakteḥ
—
of the powerful
;
rūpam
—
form
;
vicitram
—
variegated
;
idam
—
this
;
asya
—
His
;
vivṛṇvataḥ
—
manifesting
;
me
—
unto me
;
mā
—
may not
;
rīriṣīṣṭa
—
vanish
;
nigamasya
—
of the Vedas
;
girām
—
of the sounds
;
visargaḥ
—
vibration .
Translation
The Lord’s potencies are innumerable. As He lies down in the water of devastation, I am born as the total universal energy from the navel lake in which the lotus sprouts. I am now engaged in manifesting His diverse energies in the form of the cosmic manifestation. I therefore pray that in the course of my material activities I may not be deviated from the vibration of the Vedic hymns.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
When, having appeared from the navel lake of Viṣṇu of unlimited power in the water, I, the presiding deity of buddhi, extend this variegated universe, a form of the Lord, may I not forget the manifestation of Vedic words!
The extent that I can enter into the ocean of your qualities is because of the mercy arising from studying the Vedas. Vedaś cakṣus taveśvara: O Lord, the Vedas are your eyes. (SB 11.20.4) Now however, because of lack of concentration due to creating the universe, I may forget the Vedas. May that not happen! In this way Brahmā prays. I, the vijṣānamaya-puruṣa (vijṣāna-śaktiḥ), arose from the lake in the navel of the Lord who lay in the water. Because Brahmā is the form of the aggregate of jīvas, or the presiding deity of buddhi-tattva, he is called vijṣāna-śakti. May my manifestation of the words of the Vedas, coming from my limbs, not be lost as I create the universe, a form of the Supreme Lord! May I not forget because of māyā! The verb riṣ means “to injure.” It is expressed as the intensive form with imperative meaning, in reflexive form because of meter.
Purport
Every person engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord in this material world is prone to so many material activities, and if one is not strong enough to protect himself against the onslaught of material affection, he may be diverted from the spiritual energy. In the material creation Brahmā has to create all kinds of living entities with bodies suitable to their material conditions. Brahmā wants to be protected by the Lord because he has to contact many, many vicious living entities. An ordinary
brāhmaṇa
may fall from the
brahma-tejas,
or the power of brahminical excellence, due to his association with many fallen, conditioned souls. Brahmā, as the supermost
brāhmaṇa,
is afraid of such a falldown, and therefore he prays to the Lord for protection. This is a warning for one and all in the spiritual advancement of life. Unless one is sufficiently protected by the Lord, he may fall down from his spiritual position; therefore one has to pray constantly to the Lord for protection and the blessing to carry out one’s duty. Lord Caitanya also entrusted His missionary work to His devotees and assured them of His protection against the onslaught of material affection. The path of spiritual life is stated in the
Vedas
to be like the edge of a sharpened razor. A little inattentiveness may at once create havoc and bloodshed, but one who is a completely surrendered soul, always seeking protection from the Lord in the discharge of his entrusted duties, has no fear of falling into material contamination.