Supplementary notes on I-1-1 of Bhagavatam

The shloka janmAdyasya ... is a keynote shloka for the whole of Bhagavatam.

The very second sutra of Brahmasutra says ‘janmAdyasa yataH’ and has been interpreted as Brahman is the cause of the universe.

‘AnvayAditaratH’ brings in anvaya and vyatireka and thus is brought the tool of logic known as inference.

‘abijnaH’ shows that the Cause has to be sentient and fully knowledgeable and so the Cause cannot be PrakRRiti.

‘svarAT’ shows that the Cause has self-mastery and so it cannot be the jIva which is subject to the influence of mAyA and the senses.

‘tene brahma hRRidA ya Adi kavaye’ shows that the Cause cannot be BrahmA the Creator, because even he had to be prompted and taught by the Absolute Brahman.

‘satyaM paraM dhImahi’ indicates that it is the Gayatri that is referred to here. Also because it is the Brahman that is being meditated on.