अजोऽपि सन्नव्ययात्मा भूतानामीश्वरोऽपि सन् ।प्रकृतिं स्वामधिष्ठाय सम्भवाम्यात्ममायया ॥
ajo 'pi sann avyayātmā bhūtānām īśvaro 'pi san |prakṛtiṃ svām adhiṣṭhāya sambhavāmy ātmamāyayā ||
- अजः · ajaḥ
- unborn
- अपि · api
- though, even
- सन् · san
- being
- अव्ययात्मा · avyayātmā
- of imperishable nature
- भूतानाम् · bhūtānām
- of beings
- ईश्वरः · īśvaraḥ
- the lord
- प्रकृतिम् · prakṛtim
- nature
- स्वाम् · svām
- my own
- अधिष्ठाय · adhiṣṭhāya
- ruling, taking charge of
- सम्भवामि · sambhavāmi
- I come into being, appear
- आत्ममायया · ātmamāyayā
- by my own mysterious power
“Though unborn and of imperishable nature, though lord of beings, I appear by ruling my own nature, through my own mysterious power.”
— Original plain-language translation
The paradox of avatāra: birth without bondage, since the Lord commands prakṛti rather than being driven by karma like others. Ātmamāyā names the free, self-willed power behind the appearance. Divinity enters time without leaving eternity.
— Reader's notes (original)