Brahma Purana — Chapter 180
BrP 180.1
नमस्कृत्वा सुरेशाय विष्णवे प्रभविष्णवे पुरुषाय पुराणाय शाश्वतायाव्ययाय च ॥
namaskṛtvā sureśāya viṣṇave prabhaviṣṇave puruṣāya purāṇāya śāśvatāyāvyayāya ca //
Having bowed to the lord of the gods, to Viṣṇu the mighty, to the Person, the ancient, the everlasting and the imperishable;
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.2
चतुर्व्यूहात्मने तस्मै निर्गुणाय गुणाय च वरिष्ठाय गरिष्ठाय वरेण्यायामिताय च ॥
caturvyūhātmane tasmai nirguṇāya guṇāya ca variṣṭhāya gariṣṭhāya vareṇyāyāmitāya ca //
to him whose being is the fourfold array (caturvyūha), who is without qualities and (yet) is quality itself, to the most excellent, the weightiest, the most choiceworthy, the unmeasured;
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.3
यज्ञाङ्गायाखिलाङ्गाय देवाद्यैर् ईप्सिताय च यस्माद् अणुतरं नास्ति यस्मान् नास्ति बृहत्तरम् ॥
yajñāṅgāyākhilāṅgāya devādyair īpsitāya ca yasmād aṇutaraṃ nāsti yasmān nāsti bṛhattaram //
to him who is the limb of sacrifice and whose limbs are all things, and who is longed for by the gods and the rest; than whom there is nothing smaller, than whom there is nothing greater;
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.4
येन विश्वम् इदं व्याप्तम् अजेन सचराचरम् आविर्भावतिरोभावदृष्टादृष्टविलक्षणम् ॥
yena viśvam idaṃ vyāptam ajena sacarācaram āvirbhāvatirobhāvadṛṣṭādṛṣṭavilakṣaṇam //
by whom, the unborn, this universe with its moving and unmoving (beings) is pervaded, (a universe) marked out by appearing and disappearing, by the seen and the unseen;
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.5
वदन्ति यत् सृष्टम् इति तथैवाप्य् उपसंहृतम् ब्रह्मणे चादिदेवाय नमस्कृत्य समाधिना ॥
vadanti yat sṛṣṭam iti tathaivāpy upasaṃhṛtam brahmaṇe cādidevāya namaskṛtya samādhinā //
which they call 'created' and likewise also 'withdrawn' — and having bowed with concentrated mind to Brahmā, the first of gods:
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.6
अविकाराय शुद्धाय नित्याय परमात्मने सदैकरूपरूपाय जिष्णवे विष्णवे नमः ॥
avikārāya śuddhāya nityāya paramātmane sadaikarūparūpāya jiṣṇave viṣṇave namaḥ //
To the changeless, the pure, the eternal, the supreme Self, whose form is ever one and the same, to the victorious Viṣṇu — homage.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.7
नमो हिरण्यगर्भाय हरये शंकराय च वासुदेवाय ताराय सर्गस्थित्यन्तकारिणे ॥
namo hiraṇyagarbhāya haraye śaṃkarāya ca vāsudevāya tārāya sargasthityantakāriṇe //
Homage to Hiraṇyagarbha, to Hari and to Śaṃkara, to Vāsudeva, the deliverer, who effects creation, maintenance and end.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.8
एकानेकस्वरूपाय स्थूलसूक्ष्मात्मने नमः अव्यक्तव्यक्तभूताय विष्णवे मुक्तिहेतवे ॥
ekānekasvarūpāya sthūlasūkṣmātmane namaḥ avyaktavyaktabhūtāya viṣṇave muktihetave //
Homage to him whose own form is one and many, whose self is the gross and the subtle, who has become both unmanifest and manifest, to Viṣṇu, the cause of liberation.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.9
सर्गस्थितिविनाशानां जगतो यो जगन्मयः मूलभूतो नमस् तस्मै विष्णवे परमात्मने ॥
sargasthitivināśānāṃ jagato yo jaganmayaḥ mūlabhūto namas tasmai viṣṇave paramātmane //
He who, being (himself) the world, is the root of the world's creation, maintenance and destruction — homage to him, to Viṣṇu, the supreme Self.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.10
आधारभूतं विश्वस्याप्य् अणीयांसम् अणीयसाम् प्रणम्य सर्वभूतस्थम् अच्युतं पुरुषोत्तमम् ॥
ādhārabhūtaṃ viśvasyāpy aṇīyāṃsam aṇīyasām praṇamya sarvabhūtastham acyutaṃ puruṣottamam //
Having bowed to him who is the support even of the universe, subtler than the subtle, who dwells in all beings, the unfalling, the highest Person;
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.11
ज्ञानस्वरूपम् अत्यन्तं निर्मलं परमार्थतः तम् एवार्थस्वरूपेण भ्रान्तिदर्शनतः स्थितम् ॥
jñānasvarūpam atyantaṃ nirmalaṃ paramārthataḥ tam evārthasvarūpeṇa bhrāntidarśanataḥ sthitam //
(to) him whose very nature is knowledge, utterly stainless in the highest truth, the same (one) who, through deluded seeing, stands (before us) in the form of objects;
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.12
विष्णुं ग्रसिष्णुं विश्वस्य स्थितिसर्गे तथा प्रभुम् अनादिं जगताम् ईशम् अजम् अक्षयम् अव्ययम् ॥
viṣṇuṃ grasiṣṇuṃ viśvasya sthitisarge tathā prabhum anādiṃ jagatām īśam ajam akṣayam avyayam //
(to) Viṣṇu, the devourer of the universe as also its lord in maintenance and creation, beginningless, the ruler of the worlds, unborn, undecaying, imperishable —
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.13
कथयामि यथा पूर्वं यक्षाद्यैर् मुनिसत्तमैः पृष्टः प्रोवाच भगवान् अब्जयोनिः पितामहः ॥
kathayāmi yathā pūrvaṃ yakṣādyair munisattamaiḥ pṛṣṭaḥ provāca bhagavān abjayoniḥ pitāmahaḥ //
I shall relate (it) as formerly the blessed grandfather, born from the lotus, being questioned by the Yakṣas and others and by the best of sages, declared it.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.14
ऋक्सामान्य् उद्गिरन् वक्त्रैर् यः पुनाति जगत्त्रयम् प्रणिपत्य तथेशानम् एकार्णवविनिर्गतम् ॥
ṛksāmāny udgiran vaktrair yaḥ punāti jagattrayam praṇipatya tatheśānam ekārṇavavinirgatam //
And having bowed to that Lord who, uttering forth the Ṛk and Sāman verses with his mouths, purifies the three worlds, (and who) emerged from the single ocean;
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.15
यस्यासुरगणा यज्ञान् विलुम्पन्ति न याजिनाम् प्रवक्ष्यामि मतं कृत्स्नं ब्रह्मणो ऽव्यक्तजन्मनः ॥
yasyāsuragaṇā yajñān vilumpanti na yājinām pravakṣyāmi mataṃ kṛtsnaṃ brahmaṇo 'vyaktajanmanaḥ //
by whose (grace) the hosts of asuras do not plunder the sacrifices of the sacrificers — I shall declare in full the doctrine of Brahmā, whose birth was from the unmanifest.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 180.16
येन सृष्टिं समुद्दिश्य धर्माद्याः प्रकटीकृताः आपो नारा इति प्रोक्ता मुनिभिस् तत्त्वदर्शिभिः ॥
yena sṛṣṭiṃ samuddiśya dharmādyāḥ prakaṭīkṛtāḥ āpo nārā iti proktā munibhis tattvadarśibhiḥ //
by whom, with creation in view, dharma and the rest were made manifest. The waters are called 'nāra' by the sages who see the truth;
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.17
अयनं तस्य ताः पूर्वं तेन नारायणः स्मृतः स देवो भगवान् सर्वं व्याप्य नारायणो विभुः ॥
ayanaṃ tasya tāḥ pūrvaṃ tena nārāyaṇaḥ smṛtaḥ sa devo bhagavān sarvaṃ vyāpya nārāyaṇo vibhuḥ //
Those (waters) were formerly his abode; therefore he is called Nārāyaṇa. That god, the Blessed One, pervading all, is Nārāyaṇa the all-powerful.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.18
चतुर्धा संस्थितो ब्रह्मा सगुणो निर्गुणस् तथा एका मूर्तिर् अनुद्देश्या शुक्लां पश्यन्ति तां बुधाः ॥
caturdhā saṃsthito brahmā saguṇo nirguṇas tathā ekā mūrtir anuddeśyā śuklāṃ paśyanti tāṃ budhāḥ //
Brahman is established in four ways, both with qualities and without qualities. (Its) one form is beyond pointing out; the wise perceive it as white.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.19
ज्वालामालावनद्धाङ्गी निष्ठा सा योगिनां परा दूरस्था चान्तिकस्था च विज्ञेया सा गुणातिगा ॥
jvālāmālāvanaddhāṅgī niṣṭhā sā yogināṃ parā dūrasthā cāntikasthā ca vijñeyā sā guṇātigā //
Her limbs are bound about with a garland of flames; she is the supreme goal of yogins; she is to be known as standing far off and standing near, transcending the qualities.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 180.20
वासुदेवाभिधानासौ निर्ममत्वेन दृश्यते रूपवर्णादयस् तस्या न भावाः कल्पनामयाः ॥
vāsudevābhidhānāsau nirmamatvena dṛśyate rūpavarṇādayas tasyā na bhāvāḥ kalpanāmayāḥ //
This (form), named Vāsudeva, is seen through freedom from the sense of 'mine'; form, colour and the rest are not her states, (which are) products of imagination.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 180.21
आस्ते च सा सदा शुद्धा सुप्रतिष्ठैकरूपिणी द्वितीया पृथिवीं मूर्ध्ना शेषाख्या धारयत्य् अधः ॥
āste ca sā sadā śuddhā supratiṣṭhaikarūpiṇī dvitīyā pṛthivīṃ mūrdhnā śeṣākhyā dhārayaty adhaḥ //
And she abides ever pure, well established, of a single form. The second (form), called Śeṣa, supports the earth below with (her) head.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.22
तामसी सा समाख्याता तिर्यक्त्वं समुपागता तृतीया कर्म कुरुते प्रजापालनतत्परा ॥
tāmasī sā samākhyātā tiryaktvaṃ samupāgatā tṛtīyā karma kurute prajāpālanatatparā //
She is declared to be of the nature of darkness, having entered upon animal existence. The third performs action, intent upon protecting creatures.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.23
सत्त्वोद्रिक्ता तु सा ज्ञेया धर्मसंस्थानकारिणी चतुर्थी जलमध्यस्था शेते पन्नगतल्पगा ॥
sattvodriktā tu sā jñeyā dharmasaṃsthānakāriṇī caturthī jalamadhyasthā śete pannagatalpagā //
But she is to be known as abounding in sattva, establishing the dharma. The fourth, situated in the midst of the waters, lies upon a couch that is a serpent.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.24
रजस् तस्या गुणः सर्गं सा करोति सदैव हि या तृतीया हरेर् मूर्तिः प्रजापालनतत्परा ॥
rajas tasyā guṇaḥ sargaṃ sā karoti sadaiva hi yā tṛtīyā harer mūrtiḥ prajāpālanatatparā //
Rajas is her quality; she indeed always performs creation — she who is the third form of Hari, intent upon protecting creatures.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.25
सा तु धर्मव्यवस्थानं करोति नियतं भुवि प्रोद्धतान् असुरान् हन्ति धर्मव्युच्छित्तिकारिणः ॥
sā tu dharmavyavasthānaṃ karoti niyataṃ bhuvi proddhatān asurān hanti dharmavyucchittikāriṇaḥ //
But she establishes dharma constantly upon the earth; she slays the arrogant asuras who work the destruction of dharma.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.26
पाति देवान् सगन्धर्वान् धर्मरक्षापरायणान् यदा यदा च धर्मस्य ग्लानिः समुपजायते ॥
pāti devān sagandharvān dharmarakṣāparāyaṇān yadā yadā ca dharmasya glāniḥ samupajāyate //
She protects the gods together with the gandharvas, who are devoted to guarding dharma. And whenever a weakening of dharma arises,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.27
अभ्युत्थानम् अधर्मस्य तदात्मानं सृजत्य् असौ भूत्वा पुरा वराहेण तुण्डेनापो निरस्य च ॥
abhyutthānam adharmasya tadātmānaṃ sṛjaty asau bhūtvā purā varāheṇa tuṇḍenāpo nirasya ca //
(and) a rising up of unrighteousness, then he creates himself (anew). Formerly, having become a boar, and having pushed aside the waters with his snout,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.28
एकया दंष्ट्रयोत्खाता नलिनीव वसुंधरा कृत्वा नृसिंहरूपं च हिरण्यकशिपुर् हतः ॥
ekayā daṃṣṭrayotkhātā nalinīva vasuṃdharā kṛtvā nṛsiṃharūpaṃ ca hiraṇyakaśipur hataḥ //
the earth was lifted up on a single tusk like a lotus-plant; and having taken the form of a man-lion, Hiraṇyakaśipu was slain.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.29
विप्रचित्तिमुखाश् चान्ये दानवा विनिपातिताः वामनं रूपम् आस्थाय बलिं संयम्य मायया ॥
vipracittimukhāś cānye dānavā vinipātitāḥ vāmanaṃ rūpam āsthāya baliṃ saṃyamya māyayā //
And other Dānavas headed by Vipracitti were struck down. Taking the dwarf form, having bound Bali by his magic,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.30
त्रैलोक्यं क्रान्तवान् एव विनिर्जित्य दितेः सुतान् भृगोर् वंशे समुत्पन्नो जामदग्न्यः प्रतापवान् ॥
trailokyaṃ krāntavān eva vinirjitya diteḥ sutān bhṛgor vaṃśe samutpanno jāmadagnyaḥ pratāpavān //
he strode over the three worlds, having conquered the sons of Diti. Born in the lineage of Bhṛgu, the mighty son of Jamadagni,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.31
जघान क्षत्रियान् रामः पितुर् वधम् अनुस्मरन् तथात्रितनयो भूत्वा दत्तात्रेयः प्रतापवान् ॥
jaghāna kṣatriyān rāmaḥ pitur vadham anusmaran tathātritanayo bhūtvā dattātreyaḥ pratāpavān //
Rāma slew the kṣatriyas, remembering the killing of his father. So too, becoming the son of Atri, the mighty Dattātreya,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.32
योगम् अष्टाङ्गम् आचख्याव् अलर्काय महात्मने रामो दाशरथिर् भूत्वा स तु देवः प्रतापवान् ॥
yogam aṣṭāṅgam ācakhyāv alarkāya mahātmane rāmo dāśarathir bhūtvā sa tu devaḥ pratāpavān //
he taught the eightfold yoga to the great-souled Alarka. And that mighty god, becoming Rāma the son of Daśaratha,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.33
जघान रावणं संख्ये त्रैलोक्यस्य भयंकरम् यदा चैकार्णवे सुप्तो देवदेवो जगत्पतिः ॥
jaghāna rāvaṇaṃ saṃkhye trailokyasya bhayaṃkaram yadā caikārṇave supto devadevo jagatpatiḥ //
slew in battle Rāvaṇa, the terror of the three worlds. And when the god of gods, lord of the world, slept upon the single ocean,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.34
सहस्रयुगपर्यन्तं नागपर्यङ्कगो विभुः योगनिद्रां समास्थाय स्वे महिम्नि व्यवस्थितः ॥
sahasrayugaparyantaṃ nāgaparyaṅkago vibhuḥ yoganidrāṃ samāsthāya sve mahimni vyavasthitaḥ //
for the span of a thousand yugas the all-powerful one, resting on a serpent-couch, having entered the yoga-sleep, remained in his own greatness,
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.35
त्रैलोक्यम् उदरे कृत्वा जगत् स्थावरजङ्गमम् जनलोकगतैः सिद्धैः स्तूयमानो महर्षिभिः ॥
trailokyam udare kṛtvā jagat sthāvarajaṅgamam janalokagataiḥ siddhaiḥ stūyamāno maharṣibhiḥ //
having placed within his belly the three worlds, the universe moving and unmoving, being praised by the siddhas and great sages who dwell in the Janaloka.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.36
तस्य नाभौ समुत्पन्नं पद्मं दिक्पत्त्रमण्डितम् मरुत्किञ्जल्कसंयुक्तं गृहं पैतामहं वरम् ॥
tasya nābhau samutpannaṃ padmaṃ dikpattramaṇḍitam marutkiñjalkasaṃyuktaṃ gṛhaṃ paitāmahaṃ varam //
In his navel arose a lotus, adorned with the directions as its petals, joined with the winds as its filaments, the excellent house of the Grandfather (Brahmā),
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.37
यत्र ब्रह्मा समुत्पन्नो देवदेवश् चतुर्मुखः तदा कर्णमलोद्भूतौ दानवौ मधुकैटभौ ॥
yatra brahmā samutpanno devadevaś caturmukhaḥ tadā karṇamalodbhūtau dānavau madhukaiṭabhau //
There Brahmā, the god of gods, the four-faced, came into being; and then, born from the wax of (Viṣṇu's) ear, the two dānavas Madhu and Kaiṭabha.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.38
महाबलौ महावीर्यौ ब्रह्माणं हन्तुम् उद्यतौ जघान तौ दुराधर्षौ उत्थाय शयनोदधेः ॥
mahābalau mahāvīryau brahmāṇaṃ hantum udyatau jaghāna tau durādharṣau utthāya śayanodadheḥ //
Those two of great strength and great valour, set on killing Brahmā — hard to withstand as they were, (Viṣṇu) rose up from the ocean of (his) sleep and slew them.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.39
एवमादींस् तथैवान्यान् असंख्यातुम् इहोत्सहे अवतारो ह्य् अजस्येह माथुरः सांप्रतस् त्व् अयम् ॥
evamādīṃs tathaivānyān asaṃkhyātum ihotsahe avatāro hy ajasyeha māthuraḥ sāṃpratas tv ayam //
Such as these, and others likewise, I cannot undertake to count here; but this present descent of the unborn one here is the one at Mathurā.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition — the model flagged this verse as uncertain
BrP 180.40
इति सा सात्त्विकी मूर्तिर् अवतारं करोति च प्रद्युम्नेति समाख्याता रक्षाकर्मण्य् अवस्थिता ॥
iti sā sāttvikī mūrtir avatāraṃ karoti ca pradyumneti samākhyātā rakṣākarmaṇy avasthitā //
Thus that form made of sattva also makes a descent; it is called Pradyumna, and is established in the work of protection.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.41
देवत्वे ऽथ मनुष्यत्वे तिर्यग्योनौ च संस्थिता गृह्णाति तत्स्वभावश् च वासुदेवेच्छया सदा ॥
devatve 'tha manuṣyatve tiryagyonau ca saṃsthitā gṛhṇāti tatsvabhāvaś ca vāsudevecchayā sadā //
Abiding in godhood, or in human state, or in an animal birth, it takes on the nature of that (state), always by the will of Vāsudeva.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition
BrP 180.42
ददात्य् अभिमतान् कामान् पूजिता सा द्विजोत्तमाः एवं मया समाख्यातः कृतकृत्यो ऽपि यः प्रभुः मानुषत्वं गतो विष्णुः शृणुध्वं चोत्तरं पुनः ॥
dadāty abhimatān kāmān pūjitā sā dvijottamāḥ evaṃ mayā samākhyātaḥ kṛtakṛtyo 'pi yaḥ prabhuḥ mānuṣatvaṃ gato viṣṇuḥ śṛṇudhvaṃ cottaraṃ punaḥ //
When worshipped, she grants the desires one wishes for, O best of the twice-born. Thus has the Lord been described by me, who, though he has accomplished all that is to be done, yet Viṣṇu went to human state; and hear again what comes next.
AI translation rendered from the Sanskrit, not a published edition