SB 3.8.18 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

क एष योऽसावहमब्जपृष्ठ एतत्कुतो वाब्जमनन्यदप्सु । अस्ति ह्यधस्तादिह किञ्चनैत- दधिष्ठितं यत्र सता नु भाव्यम् ॥ १८ ॥

Verse text

ka eṣa yo ’sāv aham abja-pṛṣṭha etat kuto vābjam ananyad apsu asti hy adhastād iha kiṣcanaitad adhiṣṭhitaṁ yatra satā nu bhāvyam

Synonyms

kaḥ — who ; eṣaḥ — this ; yaḥ asau aham — that I am ; abja — pṛṣṭhe — on top of the lotus ; etat — this ; kutaḥ — wherefrom ; vā — either ; abjam — lotus flower ; ananyat — otherwise ; apsu — in the water ; asti — there is ; hi — certainly ; adhastāt — from below ; iha — in this ; kiṣcana — anything ; etat — this ; adhiṣṭhitam — situated ; yatra — wherein ; satā — automatically ; nu — or not ; bhāvyam — must be .

Translation

Lord Brahmā, in his ignorance, contemplated: Who am I that am situated on the top of this lotus? Wherefrom has it sprouted? There must be something downwards, and that from which this lotus has grown must be within the water.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

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.”

Purport

The subject matter of the speculations of Brahmā in the beginning regarding the creation of the cosmic manifestation is still a subject matter for mental speculators. The most intelligent man is he who tries to find the cause of his personal existence and that of the whole cosmic creation and thus tries to find the ultimate cause. If his attempt is properly executed with penances and perseverance, it is sure to be crowned with success.