Brahma’s Devotion Towards Vishnu

Yama described the Bhagavata Acharyas to his messengers, saying:

'The mysterious and profound Bhagavata Dharma, which grants immortality when understood, is known only by twelve Acharyas: Lord Brahma, Lord Shankara, Devarshi Narada, the Sanaka sages, Sage Kapila, King Manu, Devotee Prahlada, King Janaka, Bhishma, Daityaraj Bali, Sage Shuka, and me.'

Among these twelve Bhagavata Acharyas, Lord Brahma is mentioned first. At the beginning of creation, from the navel of Lord Vishnu, a divine, radiant lotus manifested. From the core of this lotus, Brahma emerged. Brahma entered the hollow stem of the lotus to find its source and searched for a thousand divine years. When he couldn’t discover the origin, he returned to the lotus.

At that moment, Brahma heard a voice utter the word 'Tapas' twice. He began performing intense penance. Through prolonged tapas, his mind became completely still, and within his own heart, he received the vision of Lord Vishnu. Upon praising the Lord, Brahma received the Bhagavata Tatva in the form of four shlokas.

The Lord said, 'Brahma! I shall impart to you the supreme, secret knowledge of me, along with its mysteries and principles. Understand it well. By my grace, you will attain the true knowledge of my essence, my form, my qualities, and my actions as they truly are.'

1. 'Before creation, only I existed. Nothing else, neither the gross (living and non-living beings)  nor the subtle (thoughts, emotions, energies), was separate from me. Even during creation and dissolution, I alone exist. The entire creation is my form, and all that remains in creation, sustenance, and dissolution is also me.'
2. 'Whatever appears to exist apart from me, the supreme essence, is merely an illusion of the self, like a reflection or shadow that does not have an independent existence.'
3. 'Just as the five great elements (earth, water, fire, air, and space) pervade all objects yet remain distinct from them, so do I, being all-pervasive, remain unaffected by the universe.'
4. 'Those who seek to know the essence of the self should understand that which exists everywhere and at all times during creation and dissolution. That is the supreme sel (Paramatma)f.'

After imparting these four shlokas, the Lord explained their greatness, saying, 'Through meditation and deep focus on these principles, you will never be deluded, even as you undertake the creation of countless cycles.'

By the grace of the Lord, Brahma experienced the immense glory, infinite divine forms, qualities, and pastimes of the Lord within his heart.

When Devarshi Narada inquired about this knowledge, Brahma imparted to him the principles of Bhagavata Dharma and narrated the essence of the 24 primary incarnations of the Lord. Devarshi Narada then shared this knowledge and stories with Sage Vyasa, who composed the 18,000-verse Shrimad Bhagavata Purana. Vyasa later taught it to Shukadeva, and thus the spread of the Bhagavata began in the world.

Whenever the earth is burdened by the unrighteousness of demons, she approaches the creator, Brahma, to convey her suffering. Brahma, along with devas, prays to the Supreme Lord, Vishnu who then directs the necessary actions. Most of the Lord’s incarnations occur due to Brahma’s prayers, and Brahma often witnesses the divine leelas of the Lord.

For instance, during the Vamana avatar, when Lord Vishnu, in His dwarf form, asked for three paces of land from Bali during a yajna, He revealed His cosmic form to measure the universe. When the Lord’s right foot reached Brahmaloka, Brahma worshiped that divine foot and washed it with great reverence. From the nail of the Lord's toe, a small crack opened in the roof of the cosmic shell, and water from beyond entered as a divine stream and washed the Lord’s feet. Brahma collected this sacred water, known as Brahma Drava (water of Brahma), in his kamandalu (water pot).

Later, when King Bhagiratha performed penance, Brahma released a part of this water from his kamandalu. This sacred water descended to earth as the Ganga, while it flowed as Mandakini in heaven and Bhogavati in the netherworlds. Thus, the holy Ganga, the most purifying river, is the water that once washed the Lord's feet.

Brahma described his state of mind and devotion, saying:
'My speech never turns toward falsehood, my mind never strays toward unrighteousness, and my senses never incline toward untruth. This is because I always hold Lord Hari within my heart with great longing. This is the essence of Bhagavata Dharma.'

Through his own example, Brahma taught living beings that falsehood, unrighteous thoughts, and attachment to material pleasures can only be overcome by surrendering one’s heart entirely to the Lord. Devoting the mind and heart to the Lord alone leads to liberation.

Brahma praised the Lord, saying:
'O Lord! As long as a person does not take refuge in your fear-dispelling lotus feet, he continues to suffer from the fear, sorrow, poverty, and greed caused by attachment to wealth, family, and home. He remains bound by the ego of ‘mine,’ which is the root of all misery. He remains trapped by attachment and aversion, ensnared in the prison of the household, and bound by the shackles of delusion. All these vanish only when one surrenders to You and becomes Yours.'

Lessons:

1. Unwavering devotion can lead to divine wisdom and realization. Brahma's penance and focus on Lord Vishnu granted him profound knowledge and guidance for creation.
2. True freedom from fear, sorrow, and attachment comes by surrendering completely to the Lord. Brahma’s devotion to Vishnu exemplifies how surrendering to the divine removes ego and worldly delusions.
3. Following Bhagavata Dharma helps overcome unrighteousness and falsehood. By holding the Lord in one’s heart and practicing truth and righteousness, one can attain spiritual growth and liberation.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi