Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 6.4.48

mayy ananta-guṇe 'nante

guṇato guṇa-vigrahaḥ

yadāsīt tata evādyaḥ

svayambhūḥ samabhūd ajaḥ

SYNONYMS

mayi — in Me; ananta-guṇe — possessing unlimited potency; anante — unlimited; guṇataḥ — from My potency known as māyā; guṇa-vigrahaḥ — the universe, which is a result of the modes of nature; yadā — when; āsīt — it came into existence; tataḥ — therein; eva — indeed; ādyaḥ — the first living being; svayambhūḥ — Lord Brahmā; samabhūt — was born; ajaḥ — although not from a material mother.

TRANSLATION

I am the reservoir of unlimited potency, and therefore I am known as unlimited or all-pervading. From My material energy the cosmic manifestation appeared within Me, and in this universal manifestation appeared the chief being, Lord Brahmā, who is your source and is not born of a material mother.

PURPORT

This is a description of the history of the universal creation. The first cause is the Lord Himself, the Supreme Person. From Him, Brahmā is created, and Brahmā takes charge of the affairs of the universe. The universal affairs of the material creation depend upon the material energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is therefore the cause of the material creation. The entire cosmic manifestation is described herein as guṇa-vigrahaḥ, the form of the Lord's qualities. From the cosmic universal form, the first creation is Lord Brahmā, who is the cause of all living entities. In this regard, Śrīla Madhvācārya describes the unlimited attributes of the Lord:

praty-ekaśo guṇānāḿ tu

niḥsīmatvam udīryate

tadānantyaḿ tu guṇatas

te cānantā hi sańkhyayā

ato 'nanta-guṇo viṣṇur

guṇato 'nanta eva ca

Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate: the Lord has innumerable potencies, all of which are unlimited. Therefore the Lord Himself and all His qualities, forms, pastimes and paraphernalia are also unlimited. Because Lord Viṣṇu has unlimited attributes, He is known as Ananta.

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