The Prajāpatis Offer Majestic Prayers to Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva and Lord Śiva

This article presents a thematic survey of the profound gratitude and majestic prayers offered by the universal progenitors, the Prajāpatis. It organizes the beautiful and deeply reverential verses found in the Vaniquotes category Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Verses Spoken by the Prajāpatis.

The recorded words of the Prajāpatis (the universal progenitors responsible for populating the creation) capture their prayers across two intense cosmic crises in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The first instance, found in the Seventh Canto, occurs in the direct aftermath of Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva's terrifying battle with Hiraṇyakaśipu. Because the demon had strictly forbidden them from generating good, pious progeny, the Prajāpatis express immense relief and gratitude that they can finally resume their universal duties. The vast majority of their prayers, however, are found in the Eighth Canto during the famous churning of the milk ocean. When the incredibly deadly and fiery kālakūṭa poison emerges, threatening to incinerate the three worlds, the terrified Prajāpatis rush to Mount Kailāsa. Taking full shelter of Lord Śiva, they offer majestic prayers glorifying his universal form, acknowledging him as the greatest of the demigods, and begging him to save the universe from the deadly poison.

Relief from the Tyrant

The great demon Hiraṇyakaśipu had terrorized the entire universe, subjugating all the demigods and halting all pious activities. One of his most damaging edicts was forbidding the Prajāpatis from generating good population, thereby increasing the demonic influence in the world.

Resuming the Creation of Progeny

When Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva tears open the chest of the great demon, the Prajāpatis immediately step forward to offer their respectful obeisances. They express deep gratitude that the Lord has cleared the path for them to resume their assigned duties for the welfare of the universe.

  • "The prajāpatis offered their prayers as follows: O Supreme Lord, Lord of even Brahmā and Śiva, we, the prajāpatis, were created by You to execute Your orders, but we were forbidden by Hiraṇyakaśipu to create any more good progeny. Now the demon is lying dead before us, his chest pierced by You. Let us therefore offer our respectful obeisances unto You, whose incarnation in this form of pure goodness is meant for the welfare of the entire universe."

Seeking Shelter from the Fiery Poison

During the churning of the milk ocean, before the nectar of immortality could be produced, a devastating, fiery poison known as kālakūṭa emerged. As it began to spread rapidly, scorching the three worlds, the Prajāpatis approached Lord Śiva for deliverance.

The Greatest of the Demigods

Acknowledging Mahādeva as the controller of bondage and liberation, the Prajāpatis surrender at his lotus feet. They glorify his self-effulgent nature and his ultimate oneness with the Supreme Lord in the matters of cosmic creation, maintenance, and annihilation.

  • "The prajāpatis said: O greatest of all demigods, Mahādeva, Supersoul of all living entities and cause of their happiness and prosperity, we have come to the shelter of your lotus feet. Now please save us from this fiery poison, which is spreading all over the three worlds."
  • "O lord, you are the cause of bondage and liberation of the entire universe because you are its ruler. Those who are advanced in spiritual consciousness surrender unto you, and therefore you are the cause of mitigating their distresses, and you are also the cause of their liberation. We therefore worship Your Lordship."
  • "O lord, you are self-effulgent and supreme. You create this material world by your personal energy, and you assume the names Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara when you act in creation, maintenance and annihilation."
  • "You are the cause of all causes, the self-effulgent, inconceivable, impersonal Brahman, which is originally Parabrahman. You manifest various potencies in this cosmic manifestation."

The Universal Form of Mahādeva

To properly pacify and glorify Lord Śiva, the Prajāpatis offer a breathtaking description of his universal form. They demonstrate that his physical features are non-different from the fundamental elements, religious principles, and massive structures of the cosmos.

The Cosmos Personified

In a deeply poetic sequence, the progenitors map the entire creation onto Lord Śiva's body. They describe the sky as his navel, the sun as his eyes, the mountains as his bones, and the Vedas themselves as the core of his heart and the layers of his body.

  • "O lord, you are the original source of Vedic literature. You are the original cause of material creation, the life force, the senses, the five elements, the three modes and the mahat-tattva. You are eternal time, determination and the two religious systems called truth (satya) and truthfulness (ṛta). You are the shelter of the syllable oṁ, which consists of three letters a-u-m."
  • "O father of all planets, learned scholars know that fire is your mouth, the surface of the globe is your lotus feet, eternal time is your movement, all the directions are your ears, and Varuṇa, master of the waters, is your tongue."
  • "O lord, the sky is your navel, the air is your breathing, the sun is your eyes, and the water is your semen. You are the shelter of all kinds of living entities, high and low. The god of the moon is your mind, and the upper planetary system is your head."
  • "O lord, you are the three Vedas personified. The seven seas are your abdomen, and the mountains are your bones. All drugs, creepers and vegetables are the hairs on your body, the Vedic mantras like Gāyatrī are the seven layers of your body, and the Vedic religious system is the core of your heart."
  • "O lord, the five important Vedic mantras are represented by your five faces, from which the thirty-eight most celebrated Vedic mantras have been generated. Your Lordship, being celebrated as Lord Śiva, is self-illuminated. You are directly situated as the supreme truth, known as Paramātmā."
  • "O lord, your shadow is seen in irreligion, which brings about varieties of irreligious creations. The three modes of nature—goodness, passion and ignorance—are your three eyes. All the Vedic literatures, which are full of verses, are emanations from you because their compilers wrote the various scriptures after receiving your glance."

The Inconceivable Nature of Lord Śiva

Because Lord Śiva is in a unique position—almost on the level of Lord Viṣṇu but in touch with the material modes—his actions often bewilder ordinary men. The Prajāpatis forcefully defend Mahādeva against the baseless criticisms of foolish materialists.

Beyond Human Understanding

The Prajāpatis explain that shameless people misunderstand Lord Śiva as lusty for associating with Umā, or ferocious for wandering in the crematorium. In reality, his position is so exalted that even Lord Brahmā and the King of heaven cannot fully comprehend his actual identity.

  • "O Lord Girīśa, since the impersonal Brahman effulgence is transcendental to the material modes of goodness, passion and ignorance, the various directors of this material world certainly cannot appreciate it or even know where it is. It is not understandable even to Lord Brahmā, Lord Viṣṇu or the King of heaven, Mahendra."
  • "When annihilation is performed by the flames and sparks emanating from your eyes, the entire creation is burned to ashes. Nonetheless, you do not know how this happens. What then is to be said of your destroying the Dakṣa-yajña, Tripurāsura and the kālakūṭa poison? Such activities cannot be subject matters for prayers offered to you."
  • "Exalted, self-satisfied persons who preach to the entire world think of your lotus feet constantly within their hearts. However, when persons who do not know your austerity see you moving with Umā, they misunderstand you to be lusty, or when they see you wandering in the crematorium they mistakenly think that you are ferocious and envious. Certainly they are shameless. They cannot understand your activities."
  • "Even personalities like Lord Brahmā and other demigods cannot understand your position, for you are beyond the moving and nonmoving creation. Since no one can understand you in truth, how can one offer you prayers? It is impossible. As far as we are concerned, we are creatures of Lord Brahmā's creation. Under the circumstances, therefore, we cannot offer you adequate prayers, but as far as our ability allows, we have expressed our feelings."
  • "O greatest of all rulers, your actual identity is impossible for us to understand. As far as we can see, your presence brings flourishing happiness to everyone. Beyond this, no one can appreciate your activities. We can see this much, and nothing more."

Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani

This article is a thematic compilation of the teachings presented in the Vaniquotes category Bhagavatam Verses Spoken by the Prajapatis. We invite you to visit the link to read the complete collection of verses presented in alphabetical order.

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