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Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 8, Ch. 6]
aham —I (Lord Brahmā);  giritraḥ —Lord Śiva;  ca —also;  sura-ādayaḥ —all the demigods;  ye —as we are;  dakṣa-ādayaḥ —headed by Mahārāja Dakṣa;  agneḥ —of fire;  iva —like;  ketavaḥ —sparks;  te —of You;  kim —what;  vā —either;  vidāma —can we understand;  īśa —O my Lord;  pṛthak-vibhātāḥ —independently of You;  vidhatsva —kindly bestow upon us;  śam —good fortune;  naḥ —our;  dvija-deva-mantram —the means of deliverance suitable for the  brāhmaṇas  and demigods.
TRANSLATION
I [Lord Brahmā], Lord Śiva and all the demigods, accompanied by the prajāpatis like Dakṣa, are nothing but sparks illuminated by You, who are the original fire. Since we are particles of You, what can we understand about our welfare? O Supreme Lord, please give us the means of deliverance that is suitable for the brāhmaṇas and demigods.
PURPORT
In this verse, the word  dvija-deva-mantram  is very important. The word  mantra  means “that which delivers one from the material world.” Only the  dvijas  (the  brāhmaṇas ) and the  devas  (the demigods) can be delivered from material existence by the instructions of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Whatever is spoken by the Supreme Personality of Godhead is a  mantra  and is suitable for delivering the conditioned souls from mental speculation. The conditioned souls are engaged in a struggle for existence ( manaḥ ṣaṣṭhānīndriyāṇi prakṛti-sthāni karṣati ). Deliverance from this struggle constitutes the highest benefit, but unless one gets a  mantra  from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, deliverance is impossible. The beginning  mantra  is the Gāyatrī  mantra . Therefore, after purification, when one is qualified to become a  brāhmaṇa  ( dvija ), he is offered the Gāyatrī  mantra . Simply by chanting the Gāyatrī  mantra , one can be delivered. This  mantra , however, is suitable only for the  brāhmaṇas  and demigods. In Kali-yuga, we are all in a very difficult position, in which we need a suitable  mantra  that can deliver us from the dangers of this age. Therefore the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in His incarnation as Lord Caitanya, gives us the Hare Kṛṣṇa  mantra .