### SB 3.10.4

> मैत्रेय उवाच\
> विरिञ्चोऽपि तथा चक्रे दिव्यं वर्षशतं तपः ।\
> आत्मन्यात्मानमावेश्य यथाह भगवानजः ॥४॥

> maitreya uvāca\
> viriñco 'pi tathā cakre\
> divyaṁ varṣa-śataṁ tapaḥ\
> ātmany ātmānam āveśya\
> yathāha bhagavān ajaḥ

*maitreyaḥ uvāca*—the great sage Maitreya said; *viriñcaḥ*—Brahmā; *api*—also; *tathā*—in that manner; *cakre*—performed; *divyam*—celestial; *varṣa-śatam*—one hundred years; *tapaḥ*—penances; *ātmani*—unto the Lord; *ātmānam*—his own self; *āveśya*—engaging; *yathā āha*—as it was spoken; *bhagavān*—the Personality of Godhead; *ajaḥ*—the unborn.

**The greatly learned sage Maitreya said: O Vidura, Brahmā thus engaged himself in penances for one hundred celestial years, as advised by the Personality of Godhead, and applied himself in devotional service to the Lord.**

That Brahmā engaged himself for the Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa, means that he engaged himself in the service of the Lord; that is the highest penance one can perform for any number of years. There is no retirement from such service, which is eternal and ever encouraging.