निर्गतेन मुनेर्मूर्ध्नः समीक्ष्य प्रभवस्त्रयः ॥२१॥
tapyamÄnaá¹ tri-bhuvanaá¹
prÄṇÄyÄmaidhasÄgninÄ
nirgatena muner mūrdhnaḥ
samīkṣya prabhavas trayaḥ
tapyamÄnam - while practicing austerities; tri-bhuvanam - the three worlds; prÄṇÄyÄma - practice by breathing exercise; edhasÄ - fuel; agninÄ - by the fire; nirgatena - issuing out; muneḥ - of the great sage; mÅ«rdhnaḥ - the top of the head; samÄ«ká¹£ya - looking over; prabhavaḥ trayaḥ - the three great gods (BrahmÄ, Viṣṇu and MaheÅ›vara).
While Atri Muni was engaged in these severe austerities, a blazing fire came out of his head by virtue of his breathing exercise, and that fire was seen by the three principal deities of the three worlds.
According to ÅšrÄ«la JÄ«va GosvÄmÄ«, the fire of prÄṇÄyÄma is mental satisfaction. That fire was perceived by the Supersoul, Viṣṇu, and thereby Lord BrahmÄ and Åšiva also perceived it. Atri Muni, by his breathing exercise, concentrated on the Supersoul, or the Lord of the universe. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gÄ«tÄ, the Lord of the universe is VÄsudeva (vÄsudevaḥ sarvam iti), and, by the direction of VÄsudeva, Lord BrahmÄ and Lord Åšiva work. Therefore, on the direction of VÄsudeva, both Lord BrahmÄ and Lord Åšiva perceived the severe penance adopted by Atri Muni, and thus they were pleased to come down, as stated in the next verse.
