—json {

  "name":"SB 4.1.16",
  "h1":"SB 4.1.16",
  "label":"Text 16",
  "title":"Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.1.16",
  "description":"After hearing this, Vidura inquired from Maitreya: My dear master, how is it that the three deities Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva, who are the creator, maintainer and destroyer of the whole creation, became the offspring of the wife of Atri Muni?"

} —

SB 4.1.16

विदुर उवाच
अत्रेर्गृहे सुरश्रेष्ठाः स्थित्युत्पत्त्यन्तहेतवः ।
किञ्चिच्चिकीर्षवो जाता एतदाख्याहि मे गुरो ॥१६॥

Text

vidura uvāca
atrer gṛhe sura-śreṣṭhāḥ
sthity-utpatty-anta-hetavaḥ
kiñcic cikīrṣavo jātā
etad ākhyāhi me guro

Synonyms

viduraḥ uvāca—Śrī Vidura said; atreḥ gṛhe—in the house of Atri; sura-śreṣṭhāḥ—chief demigods; sthiti—maintenance; utpatti—creation; anta—destruction; hetavaḥ—causes; kiñcit—something; cikīrṣavaḥ—desiring to do; jātāḥ—appeared; etat—this; ākhyāhi—tell; me—to me; guro—my dear spiritual master.

Translation

After hearing this, Vidura inquired from Maitreya: My dear master, how is it that the three deities Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva, who are the creator, maintainer and destroyer of the whole creation, became the offspring of the wife of Atri Muni?

Purport

The inquisitiveness of Vidura was quite fitting, for he understood that when the Supersoul, Lord Brahmā and Lord Śiva all appeared through the person of Anasūyā, the wife of Atri Muni, there must have been some great purpose. Otherwise why should they have appeared in such a way?