SB 2.5.4 · Srimad Bhagavatam

Devanagari

यद्विज्ञानो यदाधारो यत्परस्त्वं यदात्मक: । एक: सृजसि भूतानि भूतैरेवात्ममायया ॥ ४ ॥

Verse text

yad-vijṣāno yad-ādhāro yat-paras tvaṁ yad-ātmakaḥ ekaḥ sṛjasi bhūtāni bhūtair evātma-māyayā

Synonyms

yat — vijṣānaḥ — the source of knowledge ; yat — ādhāraḥ — under whose protection ; yat — paraḥ — under whose subordination ; tvam — you ; yat — ātmakaḥ — in what capacity ; ekaḥ — alone ; sṛjasi — you are creating ; bhūtāni — the living entities ; bhūtaiḥ — with the help of the material elements ; eva — certainly ; ātma — self ; māyayā — by potency .

Translation

My dear father, what is the source of your knowledge? Under whose protection are you standing? And under whom are you working? What is your real position? Do you alone create all entities with material elements by your personal energy?

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

You, the source of your own knowledge, your own shelter, dependent on yourself, with your self as your soul, without help create the living beings with the elements coming from your own energy.

Purport

It was known to Śrī Nārada Muni that Lord Brahmā attained creative energy by undergoing severe austerities. As such, he could understand that there was someone else superior to Brahmājī who invested Brahmā with the power of creation. Therefore he asked all the above questions. Discoveries of progressive scientific achievements are therefore not independent. The scientist has to attain the knowledge of a thing already existing by means of the wonderful brain made by someone else. A scientist can work with the help of such an awarded brain, but it is not possible for the scientist to create his own or a similar brain. Therefore no one is independent in the matter of any creation, nor is such creation automatic.

Commentary (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Let the universe be! Please explain something about yourself. You are your source of knowledge (yad-vijṣānaḥ), your own shelter (yad-ādhāraḥ), dependent on yourself alone (yat-paraḥ) and you are your own ātmā. I think that you are the independent Supreme Lord. Ekaḥ means “without help from anyone.”