यदासीत्तत एवाद्यः स्वयम्भूः समभूदजः ॥४८॥
mayy ananta-guṇe 'nante
guṇato guṇa-vigrahaḥ
yadÄsÄ«t tata evÄdyaḥ
svayambhūḥ samabhūd ajaḥ
mayi - in Me; ananta-guṇe - possessing unlimited potency; anante - unlimited; guṇataḥ - from My potency known as mÄyÄ; guṇa-vigrahaḥ - the universe, which is a result of the modes of nature; yadÄ - when; ÄsÄ«t - it came into existence; tataḥ - therein; eva - indeed; Ädyaḥ - the first living being; svayambhūḥ - Lord BrahmÄ; samabhÅ«t - was born; ajaḥ - although not from a material mother.
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 BrahmÄ, who is your source and is not born of a material mother.
This is a description of the history of the universal creation. The first cause is the Lord Himself, the Supreme Person. From Him, BrahmÄ is created, and BrahmÄ 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 BrahmÄ, who is the cause of all living entities. In this regard, ÅšrÄ«la MadhvÄcÄrya describes the unlimited attributes of the Lord:
praty-ekaÅ›o guṇÄnÄá¹ tu
niḥsīmatvam udīryate
tadÄnantyaá¹ tu guṇatas
te cÄnantÄ hi saá¹…khyayÄ
ato ’nanta-guṇo viṣṇur
guṇato ’nanta eva ca
ParÄsya Å›aktir vividhaiva Å›rÅ«yate: 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.
