TEXT 5
sa adi-devo jagatam paro guruh
svadhisnyam asthaya sisrksayaiksata
tam nadhyagacchad drsam atra sammatam
prapanca-nirmana-vidhir yaya bhavet
SYNONYMS
sahhe; adi-devahthe first demigod; jagatamof the universe; parahsupreme; guruhspiritual master; svadhisnyamhis lotus seat; asthayato find the source of it; sisrksayafor the matter of creating the universal affairs; aiksatabegan to think; tamin that matter; nacould not; adhyagacchatunderstand; drsamthe direction; atratherein; sammatamjust the proper way; prapancamaterial; nirmanaconstruction; vidhihprocess; yayaas much as; bhavetshould be.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahma, the first spiritual master, supreme in the universe, could not trace out the source of his lotus seat, and while thinking of creating the material world, he could not understand the proper direction for such creative work, nor could he find out the process for such creation.
PURPORT
This verse is the prelude for explaining the transcendental nature of the form and the abode of the Lord. In the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam it has already been said that the Supreme Absolute Truth exists in His own abode without any touch of the deluding energy. Therefore the kingdom of God is not a myth but factually a different and transcendental sphere of planets known as the Vaikunthas. This will also be explained in this chapter.
Such knowledge of the spiritual sky far above this material sky and its paraphernalia can be known only by dint of devotional service, or bhakti-yoga. The power of creation by Lord Brahma was also achieved by bhakti-yoga. Brahmaji was bewildered in the matter of creation, and he could not even trace out the source of his own existence. But all this knowledge was fully achieved by him through the medium of bhakti-yoga. By bhakti-yoga one can know the Lord, and by knowing the Lord as the Supreme, one is able to know everything else. One who knows the Supreme knows everything else. That is the version of all Vedas. Even the first spiritual master of the universe was enlightened by the grace of the Lord, so who else can attain perfect knowledge of everything without the mercy of the Lord? If anyone desires to seek perfect knowledge of everything, he must seek the mercy of the Lord, and there is no other means. To seek knowledge on the strength of one's personal attempt is a sheer waste of time.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/2/9/5

Previous: SB 2.9.4     Next: SB 2.9.6

If you Love Me Distribute My Books -- Srila Prabhupada