364
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 3, Ch. 9]
Maheśvara. But the Lord's incarnation as Viṣṇu, in His internal potency, is the supreme energy for the total activities. Brahmā, who is only an assistant in the modes of creation, wanted to remain in his actual position as an instrument of the Lord instead of becoming puffed up by the false prestige of thinking himself the creator. That is the way of becoming dear to the Supreme Lord and receiving His benediction. Foolish men want to take credit for all creations made by them, but intelligent persons know very well that not a blade of grass can move without the will of the Lord; thus all the credit for wonderful creations must go to Him. By spiritual consciousness only can one be free from the contamination of material affection and receive the benedictions offered by the Lord.
TEXT 24
नाभिह्रदादिह सतोऽम्भसि यस्य पुंसो 
  विज्ञानशक्तिरहमासमनन्तशक्तेः । 
  रूपं विचित्रमिदमस्य विवृष्वतो मे 
  मा रीरिषीष्ट निगमस्य गिरां विसर्गः ॥२४॥
nābhi-hradād iha sato 'mbhasi yasya puṁso 
  vijñāna-śaktir aham āsam ananta-śakteḥ 
  rūpam vicitram idam asya vivṛṇvato me 
  mā rīriṣīṣta nigamasya girām visargaḥ
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; vijñāna—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; rīriṣīṣta—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.