Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 3.9.26

maitreya uvaca

sva-sambhavam nisamyaivam

tapo-vidya-samadhibhih

yavan mano-vacah stutva

virarama sa khinnavat

SYNONYMS

maitreyah uvaca -- the great sage Maitreya said; sva-sambhavam -- the source of his appearance; nisamya -- by seeing; evam -- thus; tapah -- penance; vidya -- knowledge; samadhibhih -- as also by concentration of the mind; yavat -- as far as possible; manah -- mind; vacah -- words; stutva -- having prayed; virarama -- became silent; sah -- he (Brahma); khinna-vat -- as if tired.

TRANSLATION

The sage Maitreya said: O Vidura, after observing the source of his appearance, namely the Personality of Godhead, Brahma prayed for His mercy as far as his mind and words would permit him. Thus having prayed, he became silent, as if tired from his activities of penance, knowledge and mental concentration.

PURPORT

Brahma's enlightenment in knowledge was due to the Lord sitting within his heart. After being created, Brahma could not ascertain the source of his appearance, but after penance and mental concentration he could see the source of his birth, and thus he became enlightened through his heart. The spiritual master outside and the spiritual master within are both representations of the Lord. Unless one has contact with such bona fide representations, one cannot claim to be a spiritual master. Lord Brahma had no opportunity to take the help of a spiritual master from outside because at that time Brahma himself was the only creature in the universe. Therefore, on becoming satisfied by the prayers of Brahma, the Lord enlightened him about everything from within.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness