tasyāṁ sa cāmbho-ruha-karṇikāyām
tasyāṁ sa cāmbho-ruha-karṇikāyām
avasthito lokam apaśyamānaḥ
parikraman vyomni vivṛtta-netraś
catvāri lebhe ’nudiśaṁ mukhāni
Brahmā, situated in the center of the lotus, could not see the universe’s planets. Turning his head around and glancing into space, he attained four heads to see in the four directions.
Situated there he turned his head around to look for the planets and at the same time glanced in all directions at the space because there was no one there. He obtained four heads to see the four directions (anudiśam).
|| 3.8.17 ||
tasmād yugānta-śvasanāvaghūrṇa-
jalormi-cakrāt salilād virūḍham
upāśritaḥ kañjam u loka-tattvaṁ
nātmānam addhāvidad ādi-devaḥ
Brahmā, taking shelter of the lotus which spouted from the water filled with whirlpools churned by the wind of devastation, did not at all understand the nature of the planets and the living beings.
Brahmā was bewildered about how to create what had previously been created in order to show the people that his power to create the universe does not belong to him, but is given to him by the Lord. This is shown in this verse. He took shelter of the lotus which arose (virūḍham) from the water. The particle u expresses astonishment. He did not know the nature of the planets or the living beings. The water had whirlpools churned up by the wind of devastation.
|| 3.8.18 ||
ka eṣa yo ’sāv aham abja-pṛṣṭha
etat kuto vābjam ananyad apsu
asti hy adhastād iha kiñcanaitad
adhiṣṭhitaṁ yatra satā nu bhāvyam
Who am I, sitting on the lotus? From where did this lotus arise? There is nothing else except the lotus in the water, but there must be something else below, which supports this lotus. Being intelligent, I can ascertain this much.
In ignorance, Brahmā asks questions. Who is this on the lotus? From where did this lotus arise? There is nothing but this lotus, but certainly (hi) there must be something below it, which serves as a foundation for the lotus. This has been ascertained by me, being intelligent (satā). Amara-koṣa says san sudhīḥ kovido budha: sat means intelligent or wise person.
The sentence continues in the next verse. The śruti says so ’paśyat puṣkara-parṇe tiṣṭhan so ’manyata asti vaitad yasminn idam adhitiṣṭhati: not seeing anything he remained on the lotus; he thought to himself, “There must be something upon which this is based.”
|| 3.8.19 ||
sa ittham udvīkṣya tad-abja-nāla-
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