Text 29: Thus, finding their father so deluded in an act of immorality, the sages headed by Marīci, all sons of Brahmā, spoke as follows with great respect.
Text 30: O father, this performance in which you are endeavoring to complicate yourself was never attempted by any other Brahmā, nor by anyone else, nor by you in previous kalpas, nor will anyone dare to attempt it in the future. You are the supreme being in the universe, so how is it that you want to have sex with your daughter and cannot control your desire?
Text 31: Even though you are the most powerful being, this act does not suit you because your character is followed for spiritual improvement by people in general.
Text 32: Let us offer our respectful obeisances unto the Personality of Godhead, who, by His own effulgence, while situated in Himself, has manifested this cosmos. May He also protect religion for all goodness.
Text 33: The father of all Prajāpatis, Brahmā, thus seeing all his Prajāpati sons speaking in that way, became very much ashamed and at once gave up the body he had accepted. Later that body appeared in all directions as the dangerous fog in darkness.
Text 34: Once upon a time, when Brahmā was thinking of how to create the worlds as in the past millennium, the four Vedas, which contain all varieties of knowledge, became manifested from his four mouths.
Text 35: The four kinds of paraphernalia for conducting the fire sacrifice became manifest: the performer [the chanter], the offerer, the fire, and the action performed in terms of the supplementary Vedas. Also the four principles of religiosity [truth, austerity, mercy and cleanliness] and the duties in the four social orders all became manifest.
Text 36: Vidura said: O great sage whose only wealth is penance, kindly explain to me how and with whose help Brahmā established the Vedic knowledge which emanated from his mouth.
Śrīdhara Svāmi-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Vyākhyā
Those who were before you, like Brahmā and others, did not do this. And those after you will also not do it. Aṅgajaṃ (born from the body) is kāma (desire). || 30 || Even for the most powerful and glorious, this is not praiseworthy or fame-giving. Those whose conduct is powerful. || 31 || 32 || Tanvaṃ means body. || 33 || As the creator Brahmā was contemplating how to create, from his four-fold mouth emerged the well-connected [Vedas]. Just as before in the previous kalpa. || 34 || Cāturhotraṃ means the work of the four - hotṛ and others; karmatantraṃ means the elaboration of ritual; along with the Upavedas and others, there were āśramas and their practices. || 35 || Mukhato means from the mouths. || 36 ||
Śrī Vaṃśīdhara-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Prakāśa Vyākhyā
The meaning is that even following one's wife [in death] like a son etc. is adharma when the mind is set on adharma. Visrambhāt means from the friendship born of the parent-child relationship, not from anger arising from seeing sin. Alternatively, even the misdeeds of great ones are not harmful, trusting that "In play-quarrels, trust, and love" as stated in the Medinī. This indicates that Marīci and others were actually not at fault. || 29 || Pūrvais means by previous Brahmās before you. Apare means those after you. This following of wives in front of sons etc., taking daughters as wives - the literal meaning is for preventing the improper activities of demonic people, otherwise it would contradict the Lord's statement "You are never deluded in creations and dissolutions." Prabhuḥ means able to restrain. || 30 || If one says this action is not infamous for just one but for many, he says - tejīyasām. Just as drinking liquor etc. done by many is still blameworthy, so is this. Even though faults do not apply to the powerful as stated "The faults of the powerful do not stick, like fire consuming everything," there would still be blame. Jagadguro means even a minor guru should not do this, what to speak of the guru of the universe - this is the excellence. As stated "One should not perform even righteous acts disliked by people and not leading to heaven" - if even dharmic acts disliked by people are prohibited, what to speak of adharmic acts - this is another excellence. || 31 || When Brahmā did not awaken even after being thus enlightened, then considering the principle that desire cannot be overcome without the Lord's grace, those sages prayed to the Lord himself, saying - tasmā. Idaṃ viśvam means this universe. || 32 || Sa brahmā means before. To indicate that death alone is the main atonement for great sins, it is said he gave up his body (tanuṃ tatyāja). Moreover, since his giving up the body is not possible within two parārdhas as stated "whose lifespan is two parārdhas," the wise should understand giving up the body to mean giving up the mental state. Vrīḍito means ashamed. That body was ghastly, fearsome due to being like darkness obstructing vision. In response to "What was that?" he says - yannīhāraṃ, the darkness that people know as fog-like and earth-like. || 33 || To show Brahmā's power mentioned in "The faults of the powerful do not stick," he says kadācid. As I created before, so I will create - contemplating thus. Since the method of all creation is fixed in the Vedas, the Lord caused the Vedas to manifest from his mouth so that he would create everything. || 34 || Hotā, udgātā, adhvaryu - these are the four hotṛs. Their fourfold work means the introductory texts with logic, along with the sūtras teaching Sāṅkhya, Yoga etc. The meaning is that after creating, Brahmā taught them briefly to Gautama etc., and they elaborated them, hence they became known by their names. || 35 || Tapodhana means by the power of knowledge born of austerity you are able to speak everything. Yadyad vastu yena yena - even though spoken twice, it should be understood as repeated. || 36 ||
Śrī Rādhā Ramaṇa dāsa Gosvāmi Viracitā Dīpanī Vyākhyā
Viśrambhāt means trusting that "This cultured one who is our father will surely honor words of dharma" - based on the principle "Whatever the best person does, others follow that" etc., they enlightened him to prevent the world from following undesirable practices. || 29 || Pūrve means previous gods like Brahmā in past two parārdhas, or other humans. Etad means going to one's daughter. Prabhuḥ api means even though able. || 30 || Etad vikarma means this misdeed. || 31 || This is a prayer to Śrī Nārāyaṇa, with the intention that desire is hard to restrain without His grace. || 32 || To teach that giving up life alone is the atonement for great sins, it says he gave up his body (tanuṃ tatyāja). Here tanu should be explained as mental state, since giving it up is not possible until the end of two parārdhas. || 33 || Tāṃ tyaktāṃ tanuṃ means that abandoned body which the wise describe as fog-like darkness. Susaṅgatān means properly arranged. As stated by the Lord "This is made of all the Vedas" and "In the beginning, Prajāpati created from the Veda words alone" - hence the manifestation of the Vedas useful for creation is mentioned first. || 34 || Since hotṛ is representative, it is explained as "hotṛ and others." Ādi includes the priests hotṛ, adhvaryu, and brahman. Karma means the act of accepting. Nyāyaiḥ means by logic etc. to be mentioned. || 35 || Yadyad vedādikaṃ yena yena should be repeated. || 36 ||
Śrīmad Vīrarāghava Vyākhyā
Seeing their father Brahmā, whose mind had turned towards the sinful act of desiring his daughter, an act that brings negative consequences, the sons who were sages like Marīci, out of trust and confidence in their father, advised and informed him. || 29 ||
He explains the manner of advising. He says "This is not". The ancients did not do this, nor do others do it now, nor will future people do it. But what is it? You who are self-powerful and capable of upholding dharma, that you would pursue your own daughter, not restraining lust born of your body. || 30 ||
This is not praiseworthy even for the most powerful, so he says: "For the powerful". O teacher of the world! Upholder of world boundaries! This is not praiseworthy even for the most powerful. Why? Because people emulate the conduct of those great ones for their well-being. As it is sung:
"Whatever a great person does, other people do the same. Whatever standard he sets, the world follows." || 31 ||
Having thus advised their father, thinking that only the Lord is capable of turning him away from this adharma and there is no other means, they bowed to Him and made this request, as stated: "To Him". Salutations to that Lord, who by His own light of sankalpa-knowledge manifested this world of sentient and insentient beings that existed in subtle form within Himself with divisions of names and forms. That Supreme Self who is the cause of the world's creation is able to protect dharma in the form of desisting from adharma. || 32 ||
When the sons spoke thus, what did the father do? He says "He". Seeing the sons, the Prajāpatis (lords of creation), speaking thus before him, their lord Brahmā became ashamed and abandoned that body. || 33 ||
The directions seized that terrible abandoned body. How is this known? Because they know that abandoned body as darkness and mist. Here, the abandoning of the body means the abandonment of the lustful state. Its seizure means accepting that state. The word "body" should be understood as qualifying like a body. What did Brahmā do after abandoning the body? He says "Once". As he was meditating on how to create the assembled worlds as before in the previous kalpa, the Vedas like Ṛg etc. emerged from the four faces of the four-faced one. || 34 ||
The cāturhotra (fourfold priesthood), the ritual procedures of the four priests, the elaboration of sacrifice, the Upavedas like Āyurveda etc., and along with them the systems of logic, and the four pādas of dharma as stated in the first book - austerity, truthfulness, compassion, and purity - and the āśramas (stages of life) and their practices emerged, as connected to the previous. || 35 ||
When the creation of the Vedas etc. was thus described in general, Vidura asks out of curiosity about which emerged from which face. He says "He indeed". We know that Brahmā, the lord of the creators of the universe, created the Vedas etc. But this is not known - with which (face) the god Brahmā created what. O austere Maitreya, tell me that truth. || 36 ||
Śrīmad Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha-kṛtā Pada Ratnāvalī Vyākhyā
He describes the method of deluding evil people by the Self-born one whose mind was constantly fixed there through devotion to the Lord and thus not corrupted. He says "Him". || 29 ||
How did they speak? He says "Not". This act of one who would pursue his own daughter without restraining bodily-born lust was not done by ancients other than you, nor will those who come after do it - this is the connection. || 30 ||
But for one like me who is capable of incinerating the fuel of evil deeds like fire, this is not difficult as it is for common people. To this he says "For the powerful". The plural indicates that even if done by many, drinking liquor is improper. By the word "hi" he indicates worldly understanding. He says it is improper for this reason too - "Whose conduct". By this he implies that by doing this as the world's teacher, it would bring calamity to others. || 31 ||
He says "To Him" with the idea that they bow while placating out of fear of anger. He says "Who" with the sense that they are entreating through conversation. The connection is: That Brahmā who manifested this universe situated within the Supreme Self by his own self-illuminating knowledge is able to protect the dharma he created. || 32 ||
With the idea that acceptance and rejection by the great happens through others' requests, he says "He thus". Even now, as she remains with him, this is not his own Sarasvatī but another abandoned one - this weak doubt should be removed by the statement "The speech that the mighty Brahmā abandoned is known as human speech. They know his own wife goddess Sarasvatī as divine speech." || 33 ||
"The directions" - people in the directions are meant. Otherwise the specification "human" would be meaningless. The meaning is: They know the darkness called mist that arose from her. He describes the creation of the Vedas etc. and their presiding deities as if waking from sleep, saying "Once". "From the four faces" means from the fourth etc. faces. || 34 ||
With the idea that the cāturhotra ritual etc. are also acceptable as created while meditating on the Lord, he says "How". From Brahmā who was meditating on how he would see the worlds made suitable through karma, the ritual procedures arose through speech, along with the nine introductory texts characterized by the Upavedas and smṛtis. The specifics should be known from:
"Brahmā created the Vedas along with their presiding deities through sound.
Similarly all the presiding deities created sacrifices etc. through speech.
But having heard from Hari's mouth himself in the historical epics and Purāṇas,
Later Itihāsas like the Mahābhārata were created by Hari and others, except Bhārata."
Āśrama practices means their observances. || 35 ||
He says "Vidura" with the idea that though Vidura himself knew the divisions, he asks in order to have it explained in detail for the benefit of people. || 36 ||
Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravarti-kṛtā Sārārtha darśinī Vyākhyā
The meaning is: out of trust, from friendship born of the parent-child relationship, not from anger arising from seeing sin. Or, out of confidence that even the misdeeds of great souls are not harmful, they advised only due to concern about public opinion, thus indicating the absence of offense in Marīci and others. [29]
By previous people from previous kalpas. Or by those like Brahmā who came before you, kāma (desire) born of the body. [30]
Suślokya means conduct worthy of good fame. [31]
Thus when Brahmā did not awaken even after being advised, remembering the principle that without the Lord's grace, desire cannot be pacified by other means, those sages took refuge in the Lord Himself, saying "Therefore". [32]
By saying "he abandoned his body", it was indicated that the main atonement for a great sin is giving up one's life. Since it was not possible for him to physically abandon his body within two parārdhas, the abandonment of his state of being is described as abandoning the body. [33]
"The directions" means those very directions are still afflicted by darkness today. [34]
To state that impurity should not be suspected even in Brahmā who followed his own daughter, based on statements like "For the powerful, there is no fault, like fire that consumes everything", Brahmā's brilliance is described by the text beginning with "Sometimes", which is not limited by inability. Just as the entire process of creation exists in the Vedas, by seeing that, he created easily by the Lord's command - this is the meaning. [35]
The work of the four priests - hotā, udgātā, adhvaryu and brahmā - is the fourfold priestly work, the ritual procedures, the elaboration of sacrifice, along with the Upavedas and systems of reasoning. The āśramas and their practices came into being. [36]
Śrīmac Chukadeva-kṛta Siddhānta Pradīpaḥ
Out of trust that he would certainly accept the righteous statement, they enlightened and informed him. [29]
Tvat means those like Brahmā who came before you did not do this. And those others who will come in the future will not do it - aṅgaja (born of the body) means manoja (born of the mind). [30]
Suślokya means praiseworthy conduct of those who are powerful. [31]
After thus entreating their father, they reverently pray to the Lord who is the controller of all, saying "To Him". [32]
Then at the time of praying to the Lord, tanvaṃ means body. [33]
Just as in the previous kalpa, while he was contemplating "How shall I create the worlds properly arranged?", from the four-faced one, i.e. from his mouths, the Vedas came forth. [34]
Cāturhotra means the work of the four priests beginning with hotā, karmatantra means the ritual procedures like the ṣoḍaśī. The Upavedas are Āyurveda etc., naya means the sciences like logic. Along with those, the four pillars of dharma beginning with tapas, and the āśramas and their practices came into being - this is connected with the previous. [35] Mukhataḥ means from the principal ones. [36]
Śrīmad Vallabhācārya Viracitā Subodhinī Vyākhyā
"Him the unrighteous" refers to their father Brahmā. "Sons" - of whom Marīci is foremost. By calling them "munis" it is indicated that through contemplation they knew this creation was not directly the cause of unrighteousness. Viśrambhāt means out of trust or confidence. "They advised in return" means just as they were previously advised by Brahmā, they gave that same advice back to Brahmā. Speech should not be engaged in, because it was not done by wise predecessors, it generates infamy, and causes the destruction of the world. [29]
He establishes the first reason: "This was not done by previous ones". "This" means such an act, "by previous ones" means by those who set in motion creation etc., was never done before in this world. Anticipating the objection "But this very custom should be established from now on", they say "Nor will others in the future do it". Therefore this is improper conduct. "That which you" means you alone are doing this by your own will. He uses the optative in gaccheḥ to indicate desire. The meaning is: you go to her by your own desire. If one objects "My mind was stolen by her, desire born of that steals me, what is my fault?", to that he says "Without restraining that born of the body". That born of the body means one's own desire, that alone should be restrained, not indulged, otherwise it would be unrighteous - this is the idea. The vocative "O Lord" indicates such ability. This also indicates it would generate unrighteousness. [30]
He elaborates on the second reason: "Of the powerful". This can only be done independently, not dependently. Independence does not come from mere power - punishment by Yama etc. can still restrain one, and infamy still results. Even with power, fame does not necessarily result. So he says "Not praiseworthy". Moreover, you are the world teacher, instructor of all. Others gain knowledge from your words. If the knowledge that generates your speech were not innate to you, it would be invalid like poetry, being born of imagination. If it generates true knowledge, your conduct should not be like this. Furthermore, just as your words are authoritative, so is your conduct. Therefore those who follow your conduct would be destroyed by unrighteousness. So for their protection also this should not be done, as he says "Whose conduct". Just as in granting boons, in granting protection also all gifts should be fulfilled. Just as they alone become capable in prosperity, so should the means be done. [31]
Having thus advised Brahmā by his own ability and power not to do this, anticipating the objection that it is done by the Lord's inspiration, they pray to the Lord: "Obeisance to Him". If the indwelling Lord were to inspire, only then would he desist. So He must also give inspiration. For this world has been manifested by the Lord within Himself. That too by light, not by darkness like demons. Its existence is only through righteousness; by unrighteousness it would be destroyed. In that case, "That which is destroyed as soon as it arises" - the world would be destroyed as soon as it is born, so non-creation would be better. But if the truthful-willed one created the world for its fulfillment, then that very creator of the world should protect righteousness too. [32]
Having thus praised Brahmā in three ways, actions also stood before him like obstacles. Then, being restrained by speech and action, the mental state was abandoned by him, as stated in "sa ittham" (he thus). "Gṛṇataḥ" means they praised until cessation. To indicate that one should not worry about creation, it says "prajāpatīn". As Prajāpati pati (lord of Prajāpatis), their protection is also necessary. "Tanvam" means the form born from the body. To indicate that cessation in the world is due to shame, it says "vrīḍita" (ashamed). That abandoned body, being in the form of dissolution, became like mist, which the directional deities who preside over hearing took. Those speech-indicating deities will connect it with speech everywhere, hence the śruti (scripture) says "na taṃ vidātha" (you do not know it). Therefore, those who know the meaning of śruti know that very body as mist. || 33 ||
Having thus spoken of dissolution in the context of creation, and having described two types of differentiation in the rājasa (passionate) creation, he now describes three types of differentiation in the sāttvika (virtuous) creation, from "kadācid" (sometimes) until the end of the chapter.
The adhyātmika (relating to the self) are the śrutis (scriptures),
The daivika (divine) is the śabda-brahman (sound-absolute),
All are promoters of dharma (duty),
Again, beings are from remembrance. || 1 ||
There, first he saw through meditation the adhyātmika Vedas for the purpose of creating the world. Then they manifested by the Lord's will for creation. This is stated in "kadācid" of the creator Vidhātṛ (Brahmā). "Dhyāyataḥ" means they first manifested in meditation, then from the mouth. "Kadācid" indicates the Vedas do not arise in every kalpa (cosmic cycle). Brahmā's thought "How shall I create?" is the cause for the Vedas' arising. The meditation itself is stated as "How shall I protect?". "Samavetān" means united. Distinguishing the united ones happens only through their unique characteristics. Just as posts etc. are distinguished from people etc. by their crookedness, hollowness etc., so the united ones are distinguished by the characteristics stated in śruti - thus the Vedas arise. || 34 ||
He produced the meaning of the Vedas along with the subsidiary parts through reflection, as stated in "cāturhotram". Where there are four hotṛs (priests). Brahmā, hotṛ, adhvaryu, and udgātṛ - these four are the means of oblation. The cāturhotra ritual consists of their actions through permission, recitation, oblation and praise. "Tantram" means elaboration. The Upavedas are Āyurveda etc. "Naya" means treatises on politics, or Purāṇas, Nyāya, Mīmāṃsā, and Dharmaśāstras. The four feet of dharma are truth, austerity, compassion and charity. Each of the āśramas (life stages) like brahmacarya has four modes. "From the four-faced one" should be connected everywhere. || 35 ||
If the Vedas emerge by mistake, the desired result is not accomplished by rule, so it must be said that the Vedas were manifested by Brahmā himself in the heart and produced by the mouth. Even then, it must be said that the Vedas were created in the order of east etc. or some other order. Thus the order of the Vedas etc. would be established, otherwise if order is assumed based on rituals, the Yajurveda would be first, or if based on importance, Brahmā's Veda in the form of Atharvāṅgiras would be first. So the order of study would be different. The same applies for Upavedas etc. Therefore Vidura asks about the order - "sa vai viśvasṛjām īśa" (he, the lord of universal creators). Up to "mukhato'sṛjad" (created from the mouth) is a restatement. The reason for that is stated. "Yad yad" is the subject of the question. The purpose of their creation is for their own sake, as they are divine and the śruti establishes them. The absence of fault is also determined. Anticipating the objection that there is no instruction about it for himself, he says "me". The address "tapodhana" (wealthy in austerity) indicates knowledge of birth, actions etc., so being omniscient he will speak even to me. || 36 ||
Śrīmad Gosvāmi Śrī Puruṣottama Caraṇa Viracitaḥ Śrī Subodhinī Prakāśaḥ
In "tejīyasām", "iti" in that sentence is connected with "aprāmāṇyam". || 31 || In "tāṃ diśa", they state the purport of the mist being grasped by the directions - "vāgbodhikā" etc. "Tām" means the conception of adharma. || 33 ||
In "kadācid", "rājasa" etc. Having described two types of differentiation through creation and dissolution in the rājasa creation stated in "athābhidhyāyata" etc., he now describes three types of differentiation - adhyātmika etc. - in the sāttvika creation that will be stated starting with "kadācid". "Bhūtāni smaraṇāt punaḥ" means the ṛṣis who promote dharma again become the ādhībhautika (relating to beings) form of the Veda through remembering its meaning. || 34 ||
In "sa vai", "pradhānapare vā" etc. means in such an order, due to the importance of Brahmā's priest, his Veda would be first. "Tatra hetur uktaḥ" means the reason is stated as the cause in the part to be asked in the question. "Tatpratipādanatvāt śruteḥ svārtham" means for the gods' sake, as śruti establishes the gods. "Doṣābhāva" means there is no fault in speaking to Vidura also, as he too is divine. || 36 ||
Śrī Giridhara-kṛtā Bāla Prabodhinī
Having seen their father engaged in the sinful action of desiring intercourse with his daughter, which produces transgression in adharma, the sons like Marīci, out of trust in his fatherhood, thinking "He will listen to and act on what we say", instructed and informed him - this is the connection. If it is asked how sons are capable of instructing their father, he says "munayaḥ" (sages). || 29 ||
He states the manner of instruction - "naitad". Those who were before you - Brahmā etc. - did not do this, nor will those who come after do this. What is that? He says "yad" - that you, overcome by bodily desire without restraining it, would approach your own daughter. Indicating this is not proper for you who are capable and a protector of dharma's bounds, they address and instruct "prabho" (lord). || 30 ||
Indeed, those who are more powerful say this is not sinful for us - thus they say "For the powerful." Even for you who are very powerful, this act of going to your daughter is not praiseworthy or fame-producing. Rather, it only produces infamy, as they indicate with "Alas." And suggesting this is improper for you as the establisher of dharma, they address you as "O creator of the world." They clarify its impropriety with "That which." By following the conduct and behavior of you great ones, all living beings become capable of attaining welfare and the goals of human life. Here they allude to the authoritative statement: "Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, all the world pursues." The implication is that if such great ones as yourselves engage in such misconduct, then all people who follow you would also engage in misconduct, fall from all human goals, and become fit for hell, etc. || 31 ||
Having thus admonished Brahmā, but not seeing him desist from that unrighteous conduct, they concluded that only the Supreme Lord, the creator of the universe, establisher of dharma, and inner controller, is capable of stopping him. So they worship and pray to Him: "To Him." He who manifested this universe, existing within Himself with undifferentiated names and forms, by His own light, i.e. His own will-based knowledge, making it appear with differentiated names and forms - that Lord of the universe is able to protect dharma by making (Brahmā) desist from improper acts. To that supremely beneficent Lord, full of all divine qualities, we simply offer obeisance. This is the syntactical connection. The idea is that reciprocation is impossible. || 32 ||
Thus prayed to and impelled by the inner controller, what Brahmā did is stated: "He." Seeing his sons speaking thus before him, that lord of the lords of creatures, Brahmā, being ashamed, embarrassed by his inclination to evil action, then abandoned that body. This is the connection. Anticipating the doubt "How could he be ashamed before his sons?", their greatness is stated: "Lords of creatures." The directions took that abandoned body. The reason for abandoning the body out of shame is stated: "Terrible," meaning blameworthy as the cause of the inclination to evil action. As evidence for the taking by the directions, it is stated: "Which," meaning that very abandoned body they know as mist, darkness; that is, they refer to it as mist. || 33 ||
After abandoning that body, the creation made with another body is stated: "Once." From the four-faced creator Brahmā who was pondering "How shall I create the worlds properly arranged as before, in the previous kalpa?", the four Vedas - Ṛg etc. - emerged from his mouth. || 34 ||
The ritual procedure of the four priests - hotṛ, udgātṛ, adhvaryu and brahmā, the elaboration of sacrificial rites, the supplementary Vedas like Āyurveda, the systems of logic, the Purāṇas, Mīmāṃsā, and Dharmaśāstras, along with the four feet of dharma stated as "truth, austerity, compassion, charity," and the four modes of life for each of the four stages of life (āśramas) like brahmacarya - all these also emerged from the four-faced (Brahmā), as connected with the previous verse. || 35 ||
Thus when the creation of the Vedas etc. was stated in general, desiring to know from which mouth which one originated, he asks: "He indeed." It is understood from you that that famous Brahmā, the lord of the creators of the universe, created the Vedas etc. from his mouths. Tell me by which (mouth) that god created what. He addresses him as "O wealth of austerities," suggesting "There is nothing unknown to you." || 36 ||
Hindī Anuvāda
Seeing them make such an unrighteous resolve, their sons Marīci and other sages faithfully explained to them: || 29 ||
"Father! Although you are capable, you are not restraining the force of desire that has arisen in your mind and are resolving to commit the insurmountable sin of incest. No previous Brahmā has done such a thing, nor will anyone do so in the future. || 30 ||
O teacher of the world! Such an act does not befit even illustrious men like you; for it is by following the conduct of people like you that the world's welfare is achieved. || 31 ||
Salutations to that Lord who has manifested this world situated in His own form through His own radiance. At this time, only He can protect dharma." || 32 ||
Seeing his sons Marīci and other Prajāpatis speaking thus before him, Brahmā, the lord of the Prajāpatis, became greatly embarrassed and immediately abandoned that body. Then the directions took that terrible body. It became mist, which is also called darkness. || 33 ||
Once Brahmā was thinking, "How shall I create all the worlds in a well-organized manner as before?" At that moment, the four Vedas manifested from his four faces. || 34 ||
Besides these, the Upavedas, Nyāya-śāstra, the duties of the four priests - Hotā, Udgātā, Adhvaryu and Brahmā, the elaboration of sacrifices, the four stages of dharma and the four āśramas (stages of life) along with their functions - all these also originated from Brahmā's mouths. || 35 ||
Vidura asked: O ascetic! When the lord of the world creators, Śrī Brahmā, created these Vedas etc. from his mouths, from which mouth did he produce which item - please kindly tell me this. || 36 ||
SB 3.12.29-36
