Sri Brahma-samhitä -5

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Sri Brahma Samhita

FIFTH CHAPTER

In some scriptures it is mentioned that Çivajé’s potency is the

cause of the creation. Such statements should be reconciled as

follows. Just as the universe has been considered the svarüpa of

Bhagavän in descriptions of the universal form, similarly Çivajé’s

potency has been referred to as the cause of the universe in the

context of considering her to be a limb of Bhagavän.

According to the Viñëu Puräëa, the entire universe is a

semblance of the transcendental radiance of Bhagavän’s plenary

ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ

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portion, i.e. it is the symbol (liìga) of the unmanifest puruña.

The plenary portion that is indicated by this symbol is the

plenary portion that creates the total material energy, and He is

called Çambhu. The word liìga should be interpreted to mean

symbol or form.

Bhagavän’s first incarnation for creating this world, in whom

the material universe is situated, who takes a rounded form, and

who is the shelter and benefactor of unlimited living entities, is

called çiva-liìga, or Çambhu.

The phrase anyas tu tad-ävirbhäva-viçeña means, “The other

form of Çiva is called Sadäçiva. He is a manifestation of Bhagavän

for a specific purpose, and thus He is viñëu-tattva. He is

supremely benevolent.”

However, the form of Çiva described as çivaù çakti-yuktaù

çaçvat tri-liìgo guëa-saàvåtaù is not viñëu-tattva. The Çiva who

is united with the illusory potency remains covered by three

types of false ego, namely goodness, passion and ignorance. This

Çiva will be described ahead in verse 45, kñéraà yathä dadhivikära-

viçeña-yogät. It should be understood that the portion

functioning as the womb of creation is the inferior potency. In

other words, it is that unmanifested area of mäyä that acts as the

receptacle for Bhagavän’s impregnation of potency in the form of

innumerable living entities. This is also called pradhäna.

The purport of this analysis is that Bhagavän glanced toward

mäyä to create the cosmic existence. As a result of this glance,

Ramä-devé as material nature (that is, her shadow) gave birth to

progeny in the form of the twenty-four elements of creation,

beginning with the total material energy (mahat-tattva).

In this verse 8, the unmanifested material energy has been

called the desire-seed of Çré Hari, whose desire to glance in the

direction of mäyä for the purpose of creation is called käma.

Then Bhagavän impregnated the material nature with His seed in

verse 8

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the form of the instrumental causes of creation, namely the jévaçakti

and the mahat-tattva. This is the sense in which the word

mahat has been used.

A description found in çruti states: “so ’kämayata – at the

beginning of creation, Bhagavän manifested the desire to beget

the entire population.” According to Çrémad-Bhägavatam

(3.5.26), the statement beginning with käla-våttyä confirms that

Bhagavän impregnated the conscious spiritual jéva-çakti into the

actively manifesting area of material nature consisting of the

three modes of material nature, which was in a state of being

agitated by the time potency. As a result, that manifestation of the

predominated material nature gave birth to the vast mahattattva.

TÄTPARYA

Saìkarñaëa is a personal expansion (aàça) of Çré Kåñëa. Being

imbued with a desire to create, He is inclined to manifest the universe

of five elements. As He reclines in the Causal Ocean in the

form of the first puruña-avatära, He casts toward mäyä a glance

that is the instrumental cause of the creation. The semblance of

its reflected light is çambhu-liìga, the generative capacity, which

unites with the shadow of ramä-çakti in the form of the universal

womb of Mäyä-devé. At that time, the semblance of the desireseed

in the form of the aggregate unmanifest elements (mahattattva)

emerges and becomes absorbed in the task of creation.

The first awakening of the desire-seed created by Mahä-Viñëu is

called hiraëyamaya-mahat-tattva (the golden form of the aggregate

elements), which is the mental principle of readiness for

cosmic creation. There is an extremely confidential consideration

here: the desire of the puruña engages in the act of creation after

accepting the aspects of the instrumental cause and the ingredient

cause. Here mäyä, the female receptive potency, acts as the

ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ

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instrumental cause, while Çambhu, the male generative capacity,

acts as the ingredient cause (upädäna). The puruña, who acts

according to His own sweet will, is Mahä-Viñëu. The ingredient

principle (pradhäna) is the ingredient cause (upädäna). The

receptive principle (prakåti) is mäyä. The creator of the material

universe and the cause of the union of the other two principles

is Çré Kåñëa’s partial expansion, the puruña, or the principle of

desire. These three (pradhäna, prakåti and puruña) constitute

the agents of creation.

The desire-seed of Goloka is a purely transcendental reality,

whereas the desire-seed of the material world is a manifestation

of potencies such as time, which are included within the shadow

of the spiritual potency. Although the transcendental desire-seed

mentioned previously is the original principle of which mäyä is

the reflection, the purely transcendental reality is far removed

from mäyä. The second desire-seed is the illusory reflection of

that original transcendental desire-seed. Çambhu-tattva is

elaborately described ahead in verses 10 and 15.

verse 8

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Verse 9

fyÂ;ksU;kfRedk tkrk bek ekgs'ojh iztk% û‹û

liìga-yony-ätmikä jätä

imä mäheçvaré-prajäù

Anvaya

liìga-yoni-ätmikä – through the combination of liìga, who is

puruña-çakti as well as upädäna-käraëa, with yoni, who is stré-çakti

as well as nimitta-käraëa; imäù mäheçvaré-prajäù – all the universal

progeny including gods, mankind, animals, etc. through the great

powers of mäyä; jätäù – have been born.

TRANSLATION

All progeny such as humans and demigods, along with

their respective worlds, have issued forth from this

combination of the generative capacity in the form of

liìga, and the universal womb of material nature, called

yoni.

ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION

Whatever details have been narrated in çästras such as çaiva and

tantra about Çiva’s creation of progeny are not authentic; rather

they have been spoken independently out of ignorance.

Actually, Mahä-maheçvara refers exclusively to Çré Kåñëa. Thus

the fundamental purport of mäheçvaré-prajäù is that all progeny

have originally emerged from the mäyä of the Supreme

Controller, Çré Kåñëa. It is in this context that the expression has

been used in the current verse.

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TÄTPARYA

Bhagavän’s divine opulence consists of the entirety of His majestic

influence. Out of that entirety, the opulence of Vaikuëöha and

Goloka constitutes three-fourths of His majestic influence,

wherein there is no lamentation, death or fear. The remaining

one-fourth is the opulence of mäyä, and consists of the entire

population of living entities, such as human beings and

demigods, along with all their planets in the mundane universes.

All these substances have issued forth from the union of the

ingredient cause and the instrumental cause, that is liìga and

yoni. Whatever facts have been accumulated to date through

material science are all characterized by this type of union. All

inert material objects such as trees, creepers, worms and insects

have been produced from the combination of puruña and

prakåti, the generative masculine principle and the receptive

feminine principle.

There is a particularly profound point worthy of consideration

in this regard. Although the Sanskrit words liìga and yoni, generally

indicating the male and female generative organs, seem

somewhat crude, these terms are extremely useful for defining

elementary principles in scientific literature, and also for illuminating

matters of confidential significance. Indecency is an external

conception related to social formality. However, science and

transcendental science cannot destroy the true substance by

depending on social formality. Thus, in order to understand the

desire-seed related to the material potency, which is the original

principle of the inanimate universe, the use of these words is

unavoidable. However, one should simply interpret liìga and

yoni as referring to the active potency of the predominating

agent (puruña-çakti), and the active potency of the predominated

function (stré-çakti ).

verse 9

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Verse 10

'kfäeku~ iq#"k% lks·;a fyÂ:ih egs'oj% A

rfLeUukfojHkwfYyÂs egkfo".kqtZxRifr% ûƒOEû

çaktimän puruñaù so ’yaà

liìga-rüpé maheçvaraù

tasminn ävirabhül liìge

mahä-viñëur jagat-patiù

Anvaya

mahä-viñëuù – the first of the puruña-avatäras, who is known as Mahä-

Viñëu or Käraëodakaçäyé, which means one who lies within the Causal

Ocean (käraëa-udaka); jagat-patiù – the supreme master and

Supersoul of all the universes; ävirabhüt – appeared (by means of His

glance); tasmin liìge – within that form; liìga-rüpé maheçvaraù –

Bhagavän Çambhu, whose personal form is represented by the localized

symbol of liìga (His generative capacity); çaktimän – connected with

His illusory potency, who furnishes the universal ingredients; saù ayam

puruñaù – is factually non-different from that same Mahä-Viñëu (who

performs the function of ingredient cause through that Çambhu).

TRANSLATION

The controller of all, the original agent, who has been

indicated by the word maheçvara, is the potent male

(puruña). For the purpose of creation, He is manifest in

the form of the original male generative capacity (liìga).

He who is called Mahä-Viñëu, the Lord of the cosmos, also

appears in that combination of the active and receptive

principles of creation by His expansion in the form of His

glance.

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ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION

This verse has been spoken to clarify the previous verse. The

unmanifest form mentioned previously now emerges in its manifest

form for the purpose of creation. How does it emerge? The

partial expansion of a partial expansion of Bhagavän, called the

original potent male principle, Maheçvara, creates the material

universe. Everything in the world of mäyä – such as false ego,

intelligence, mind, the five gross elements, the five sense objects

and the unmanifest aggregate of the material energy – is the manifest

representation of the unmanifest form of Bhagavän. The selfsufficient

Mahä-Viñëu, who is the Lord of all living entities and all

spiritual and material worlds, is the origin (aàçé ) of Maheçvara,

who appears in a manifest form as the liìga or original male

generative capacity.

It is also stated in the commentary on Laghu-bhägavatämåta:

so ’yaà çaktimän puruñaù

liìga-rüpé maheçvaro bhavati

tasmin liìge jagat-patir

mahä-viñëur ävirabhüt

That Supreme Personality, the possessor of all potencies, Mahä-

Viñëu, takes the form of Maheçvara as the liìga or original

generative capacity, and then enters within it as the Lord of the

mundane universes.

TÄTPARYA

Çré Näräyaëa, Çré Kåñëa’s personal expansion, who is non-different

from Him, reigns gracefully in the Vaikuëöha realm of the spiritual

sky, wherein transcendental opulence predominates. The Mahä-

Saìkarñaëa of His quadruple expansion is also a partial expansion

of Çré Baladeva, Çré Kåñëa’s first pastime expansion. By the

influence of the inconceivable potency, that Mahä-Saìkarñaëa in

verse 10

9 9

the form of His partial expansion Käraëodakaçäyé Mahä-Viñëu

eternally reposes in Virajä, which is the borderline between the

conscious and unconscious realms. From there He glances

toward mäyä, which is the remotely situated shadow of the spiritual

potency. The semblance of that transcendental glance is

Çambhu, the lord of pradhäna, which is replete with the potential

material ingredients. Çambhu, in the form of Rudra, unites

with mäyä, the instrumental cause. However, he cannot do

anything without the influence of the direct spiritual might of Çré

Kåñëa in the form of Mahä-Viñëu. Therefore the unmanifest

material energy (mahat-tattva) emerges only when the active

endeavors of mäyä (i.e. çiva-çakti) and the primordial material

ingredients (pradhäna) are sanctioned by Saìkarñaëa, who is

Çré Kåñëa’s personal expansion, and Mahä-Viñëu, who is

Saìkarñaëa’s personal expansion and the first puruña-avatära.

Only when Mahä-Viñëu is favorable does çiva-çakti gradually

create the element of false ego, the five gross elements beginning

with space, the five sense objects and the material senses of the

jévas, who are particles of the rays of Mahä-Viñëu’s effulgence.

An elaborate analysis of this aspect will be presented in the

coming verses.

ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ

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Verse 11

lgò'kh"kkZ iq#"k% lgòk{k% lgòikr~ A

lgòckgq£o'okRek lgòka'k% lgòlw% ûƒƒû

sahasra-çérñä puruñaù

sahasräkñaù sahasra-pät

sahasra-bähur viçvätmä

sahasräàçaù sahasra-süù

Anvaya

puruñaù – Mahä-Viñëu, the master of the universe; sahasra-çérñä – has

thousands of heads; sahasra-akñaù – thousands of eyes; sahasra-pät –

thousands of feet; sahasra-bähuù – thousands of arms; viçva-ätmä – He

pervades the whole universe as the Supersoul; sahasra-aàçaù –

thousands of avatära expansions; sahasra-süù – and generates many

thousands of living beings.

TRANSLATION

That master of the universe, Mahä-Viñëu, possesses

thousands upon thousands of heads, thousands upon

thousands of eyes, thousands upon thousands of arms,

and thousands upon thousands of incarnations and

plenary expansions. He is the Self of the cosmos, and He

alone creates thousands upon thousands of living entities.

ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION

The form of Mahä-Viñëu is being described thus in the current

verse beginning with the words sahasra-çirñä. He whose innumerable

incarnations appear in thousands upon thousands of

plenary portions is called sahasräàça. Similarly, He who creates

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thousands upon thousands of living entities is called sahasrasüù.

Here the word sahasra (one thousand) has been used to

indicate an uncountable number. It is evident that the word

sahasra is used throughout the scriptures to convey the sense of

“innumerable.”

Furthermore, in describing the intrinsic form and nature of

Mahä-Viñëu, it is stated in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (2.6.42): “The

first avatära of Bhagavän, the Lord of the spiritual realm, is the

puruña who lies down in the Causal Ocean and casts His glance

upon material nature. The following are all substances related to

Parameçvara: His activities, such as the creation of time and

acquired nature; material nature, which is composed of cause

and effect; the unmanifest stage of material nature (mahattattva);

the gross elements; false ego; the aggregate of the modes

of material nature beginning with the mode of goodness manifested

as various forms of life; hellish planets such as Pätälaloka;

the aggregate of living entities; Garbhodakaçäyé Viñëu; moving

and non-moving entities; and individual bodies.”

In the commentary to this verse, it is stated that the gigantic

puruña, who instigates the activities of material nature and who

has thousands of heads and so on, has been called the original

avatära who assumes a pastime form. His activities include

creation of the time factor, acquired nature and other elements of

the material creation. Thus, the original puruña-avatära creates,

maintains and destroys within Himself and by Himself, at the

beginning of every lifetime of Brahmä. Although He is one, He is

manifest in many forms through His illusory energy. This

universe, consisting of factual existence and the non-factual or

temporary existence of cause and effect, is situated within Him

alone. Therefore, all these phenomena have been called substances

related to Him.

ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ

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TÄTPARYA

Mahä-Viñëu, who is praised throughout the Vedas, is replete with

unlimited transcendental senses, and is characterized by endless

power. That puruña is the origin of all incarnations.19

verse 11

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All the incarnations within the material world come from Mahä-Viñëu. Çré

Kåñëa is Himself the source of all other expansions and incarnations, including

Mahä-Viñëu.

Verse 12

ukjk;.k% l HkxokukiLrLekr~ lukrukr~ A

vkfojklhr~ dkj.k.kksZ fufèk% lad"kZ.kkRed% û

;ksxfuæka xrLrfLeu~ lgòka'k% Lo;a egku~ ûƒ„û

näräyaëaù sa bhagavän

äpas tasmät sanätanät

äviräsét käraëärëo

nidhiù saìkarñaëätmakaù

yoga-nidräà gatas tasmin

sahasräàçaù svayaà mahän

Anvaya

saù bhagavän – that very Mahä-Viñëu Bhagavän, the first of the puruñaavatäras;

näräyaëaù – is renowned in the illusory universe by the

name Näräyaëa; saìkarñaëa-ätmakaù – and is originally manifested

from Müla-Saìkarñaëa in Goloka, via His expansion named Mahä-

Saëkarñaëa in the Vaikuëöha planets, which are situated within the

spiritual sky; tasmät sanätanät – from that eternal Lord; käraëärëaù

nidhiù äpaù – the vast waters of the Causal Ocean; äviù äsét – become

manifest; gataù – (then) entering; yoga-nidräm – into samädhi upon

the bliss of His own intrinsic form and nature; tasmin – upon those

waters; svayam mahän – and that Supreme Personality of Godhead;

sahasra-aàçaù – accepts many thousands of expansions as His

avatäras.

TRANSLATION

This Mahä-Viñëu is celebrated within the world of mäyä

by the name “Näräyaëa.” The water of the Causal Ocean

has emanated from this eternal puruña. He is Bhagavän,

the supreme predominator, possessed of thousands of

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plenary portions, although He is Himself a plenary portion

of the Saìkarñaëa of Paravyoma. The eternal puruña takes

shelter of mystic slumber and lies down in the vast waters

of Virajä.

ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION

This Mahä-Viñëu reclines in the causal waters. He is called the

first puruña-avatära, and this particular verse is about Him, from

whom the water of the Causal Ocean has emanated. He is called

Näräyaëa because He lies down in this water (nära means

“water,” and ayana means “shelter” or “resting place”). He is a

partial avatära of Mahä-Saìkarñaëa in Vaikuëöha. The Saìkarñaëa

in the chamber of Goloka, who was described earlier, is Müla-

Saìkarñaëa, His plenary portion in the second quadruple expansion

in Vaikuëöha is called Mahä-Saìkarñaëa, and Käraëodakaçäyé

Mahä-Viñëu is an expansion of this Mahä-Saìkarñaëa. It is His

pastime to create the Causal Ocean and lie down in it in mystic

slumber, which is a state of trance induced by His own intrinsic,

ecstatic nature (svarüpänanda-samädhi). It is stated in the Viñëu

Puräëa (1.4.6):

äpo närä iti proktä

äpo vai nara-sünavaù

tasya tä ayanaà pürvaà

tena näräyaëaù småtaù

Äpa means nära, which in turn is understood to mean both water

and the living entity (jéva). Because Bhagavän is the supreme

shelter of both, He is called Näräyaëa.

TÄTPARYA

Bhagavän’s samädhi in the form of absorption in His own

pleasure potency is called yoga-nidrä. Ramä-devé, who was

verse 12

1 0 5

mentioned previously, is herself Yogamäyä in the form of yoganidrä.

ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ

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Verse 13

rn~jksefcy & tkys"kq chta lad"kZ.kL; p A

gSekU;.Mkfu tkrkfu egkHkwrko`rkfu rq ûƒ…û

tad-roma-bila-jäleñu

béjaà saìkarñaëasya ca

haimäny aëòäni jätäni

mahä-bhütävåtäni tu

Anvaya

béjam saìkarñaëasya – the seeds made of mahä-tattva (from which the

five gross material elements manifest) along with the jévas, which are

generated from Mahä-Viñëu (the expansion of Saìkarñaëa) and

implanted within the illusory potency, and which have not yet developed

into the subtle primordial forms of the material creation; tat-romabila-

jäleñu – they remain within His skin-pores; haimäni aëòäni – in

the form of (countless) golden eggs; mahä-bhüta-ävåtäni ca – and covered

by the five gross elements; tu jätäni – are indeed born.

TRANSLATION

The transcendental seeds of Saìkarñaëa emerge in the

form of countless golden eggs from the pores of the skin

of Mahä-Viñëu as He reclines in the Causal Ocean. All

those eggs remain covered by the great material elements.

ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION

Innumerable universes are born from Mahä-Viñëu as He lies in the

Causal Ocean. This point is analyzed in the present verse. That

puruña is a manifestation of Saìkarñaëa. All the seeds, in the form

of the unmanifest material energy, along with the aforementioned

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ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ

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living entities who were contained in the material nature, first

attain the state of the subtle primordial forms of the elements.

After transforming into the twenty-four elements of creation,20

they manifest in the form of golden eggs within the skin-pores of

the puruña. All these golden eggs remain covered by the gross

elements in their unmixed state.

In Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.14.11), Çré Brahmä has also stated:

kvedåg-vidhävigaëitäëòa-paräëu-caryä

vätädhva-roma-vivarasya ca te mahitvam:

O Bhagavän, within the sphere of the universe composed of material

energy, the unmanifest material energy, false ego, space, air,

fire, water and earth, where am I, Brahmä, carrying this body,

which measures seven spans of my own hand? And where are

You, that personality within whose skin-pores innumerable

universes are drifting like infinitesimal dust particles seen in the

sun-rays entering through a window?

Furthermore, it is stated in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (3.11.40–41),

vikäraiù sahito yuktaiù koöiço hy aëòa-räçayaù:

This universe is assembled by the combination of the eightfold

material nature, in the form of prakåti, the unmanifest aggregate of

material elements, false ego and the five sense objects, as well as

sixteen transformations in the form of the eleven senses and the

five great elements. Its inner portion extends over 5,000,000,000

yojanas (40,000,000,000 miles), and its outer portion consists of

the seven coverings beginning with earth, each extending ten

The twenty-four elements of creation are as follows: five gross elements

(earth, water, fire, air and space); five sense objects (form, taste, fragrance,

sound and touch); the five knowledge-acquiring senses (eyes, ears, nose,

tongue and skin); the five working senses (speech, hands, legs, rectum and genitals);

and the three subtle senses (mind, intelligence and false ego). Along with

the unmanifest material energy and the living entities, all these elements were

contained within the illusory material nature in the form of the seeds of Mahä-

Saìkarñaëa, the presiding deity of the twenty-four elements of creation.

times further than the previous one. There are millions upon

billions of universes that extend even further than this universe.

Nevertheless, millions and billions of such universes are situated

like tiny atomic particles within each of the skin-pores of Mahä-

Viñëu. Learned persons describe the nature of Mahä-Viñëu in this

way. That Käraëodakaçäyé Viñëu is the cause of all the universes.

TÄTPARYA

The first puruña-avatära, who lies in the Causal Ocean, is so

colossal that the seeds of endless billions of universes are born in

the pores of His skin. Those universes are only an imitation of the

unlimited abodes of the spiritual world. As long as they remain

within the body of the puruña-avatära, they exist like golden

eggs in the form of a semblance of transcendence. However,

by the will of Mahä-Viñëu, they remain covered by the subtle

aspects of the gross elements that have arisen from the instrumental

cause and ingredient cause of the illusory energy. These

golden eggs manifest along with the breathing of the puruña, and

when they enter the unlimited chamber of the illusory energy,

they are expanded by the unmixed five gross material elements.

verse 13

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Verse 14

izR;.Mesoesdka'kknsdka'kkn~ fo'kfr Lo;e~ A

lgòew/kkZ fo'okRek egkfo".kq% lukru% ûƒ†û

praty-aëòam evam ekäàçäd

ekäàçäd viçati svayam

sahasra-mürdhä viçvätmä

mahä-viñëuù sanätanaù

Anvaya

evam – thereafter; sanätanaù – the eternal; viçvätmä – all-pervasive;

mahä-viñëuù – Mahä-Viñëu; sahasra-mürdhä – who has thousands of

heads; svayam – personally; viçati – enters; praty-aëòam – each egg;

eka-aàçät eka-aàçät – by means of His respective expansions.

TRANSLATION

This Mahä-Viñëu entered into every individual universe

as His individual plenary portions, each of which is

complete with all His mystic opulences. In other words,

within each universe Mahä-Viñëu assumes the form of the

universal soul with thousands upon thousands of heads.

ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION

Mahä-Viñëu then enters into those billions of universes in separate

individual forms of Viñëu, who are called Garbhodakaçäyé

Viñëu. The meaning of ekäàçäd ekäàçät is that an individual

plenary portion of Mahä-Viñëu enters each womb-like universe.

1 1 0

TÄTPARYA

The Mahä-Viñëu who lies down in the Causal Ocean is a plenary

portion of Mahä-Saìkarñaëa. In the form of His individual

plenary portions, He personally enters into each of the universes

that are manifested from Him. Every one of those plenary

portions is directly Viñëu, and they are similar to Mahä-Viñëu in

every respect. Each Garbhodakaçäyé Viñëu is the aggregate

feature of all forms of the indwelling witness.

verse 14

1 1 1

Verse 15

okekÂknl`tn~fo".kqa nf{k.kkÂkr~ iztkifre~ A

T;ksfr£yÂe;a 'kEHkqa dwpZns'kknokl`tr~ ûƒ‡û

vämäìgäd asåjad viñëuà

dakñiëäìgät prajäpatim

jyotir-liìga-mayaà çambhuà

kürca-deçäd aväsåjat

Anvaya

väma-aìgät – from the left side of Käraëodakaçäyé Mahä-Viñëu;

asåjat – He created; viñëum – Çré Viñëu; dakñiëa-aìgät – from His right

side; prajä-patim – (He created) the primal progenitor known as

Hiraëyagarbha; kürca-deçät – from the center of His eyebrows;

aväsåjat – He created; çambhum - His expansion of Çambhu; jyotiùliìga-

mayam – in the form of an effulgent liìga (male symbol of

generative capacity).

TRANSLATION

That Mahä-Viñëu created Viñëu from His left side,

Prajäpati from His right side, and Çambhu in the form of

an effulgent liìga from between His eyebrows.

ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION

What did Çré Mahä-Viñëu do next? In answer to this question it is

stated, vämäìgät: “He manifested Viñëu from His left side,

Prajäpati from His right side and Çambhu from between His eyebrows.”

Brahmä is the creator, Viñëu is the maintainer and

Maheça is the destroyer of all the universes. The form of Çré Viñëu

in each universe directs His own expansions in the form of

1 1 2

Brahmä and Çiva, and as a result of this impetus, Brahmä is

absorbed in the task of creation, and Maheça is absorbed in the

task of annihilation. In this context one should understand the

term prajäpati (primal progenitor) to mean Hiraëyagarbha-

Garbhodakaçäyé Viñëu. In some places the four-headed Brahmä

has also been referred to as the prajäpati, but in this context

prajäpati does not refer to Brahmä with four faces. This

Hiraëyagarbha-puruña creates the predominating deities within

the shell of each universe. Viñëu and Çambhu are also the maintainer

and destroyer respectively of their universes.

Çambhu has emanated from the area between the eyebrows of

Mahä-Viñëu. The place of Mahä-Viñnu is the water covering,

which is considered to be His residence.

TÄTPARYA

Kñérodakaçäyé Viñëu is the indwelling witness of the individual

living entity, whereas Garbhodakaçäyé Viñëu is the indwelling

witness of the aggregate of living entities. The primal progenitor

is Hiraëyagarbha, the expansion of Bhagavän, and he is different

from the four-headed Brahmä. This Hiraëyagarbha is the seed

principle of each of the Brahmäs in all the unlimited universes.

Jyotir-liìga-mayaà çambhum refers to the Çambhu who is the

immensely qualified manifestation of the fundamental principle

of procreation in the form of the original male generative capacity

(liìga). Çré Viñëu is Mahä-Viñëu’s personal expansion, and is

therefore in the category of the Supreme Éçvara. Prajäpati and

Çambhu are both Mahä-Viñëu’s separated expansions, and are

thus demigods who have been invested with special authority.

Since His potency resides in His left side, it is from the transcendental

potency of pure spiritual existence in Mahä-Viñëu’s left

limb that Viñëu emerges. Thus Viñëu appears from the pure spiritual

existence of Bhagavän.

verse 15

1 1 3

As Éçvara, Viñëu is the Supersoul (Paramätmä) or indwelling

witness of every living entity. In the Vedas He has been called

“the thumb-sized predominator.” He is the maintainer. Those

who perform fruitive activities worship Him as Yajïeçvara

Näräyaëa, the Lord of sacrifice, while the yogés desire to attain

the state of trance by meditating upon Him.

ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ

1 1 4

Verse 16

vgadkjkReda fo'oa rLeknsrn~O;tk;r ûƒˆû

ahaìkärätmakaà viçvaà

tasmäd etad vyajäyata

Anvaya

tasmät – from Çambhu; etad viçvam – this universe; vyajäyata –

became; ahaìkära-ätmakam – imbued with the nature of false ego.

TRANSLATION

The world of false ego has been born from Çambhu. This

is his function in relation to the living entities.

ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION

Another function of Çambhu is being described here. He is called

the original form of false ego because this world of false ego was

born from him. Thus Çambhu is the presiding deity of false ego.

For example, it is stated in Çrémad-Bhägavatam (3.26.24):

The unmanifest aggregate material energy originates from

Bhagavän’s spiritual potency, and it transforms into three types of

false ego, which were imbued with the potency for activity at the

time of creation. The mind, the senses and the life airs are born

from these three modifications of false ego, namely false ego in

goodness, false ego in passion and false ego in the mode of

ignorance.

Therefore Çambhu is called the presiding deity of all false ego.

Learned authorities have also called him Anantadeva. He is also

the cause of matter, the senses and the mind.

1 1 5

TÄTPARYA

The original form of pure existence in its transcendental

constitutional state has no sense of self-conception separate from

the Supreme Person Bhagavän. The symbol of separate selfconception,

or the separate existence that emerges in this

material world, is exemplified by the male generative capacity.

This is a mundane reflection of the original pure spiritual

existence. This liìga, the emblem of the male generative

capacity, is Ädi-Çambhu. He unites with the receptive principle,

which is a transformation of Ramä-devé in the form of the yoni or

womb of material existence. At this time, Çambhu is the material

cause by dint of supplying the raw material substances for

creation. When each universe is manifest from the gradual

evolution of this state of existence, the rudra or destructive

principle emerges from the existence of Çambhu. Although born

from between the eyebrows of the puruña-avatära Mahä-Viñëu,

Çambhu remains as the epitome of false ego in all conditions.

An unlimited number of atomic conscious particles emerge

from the spiritual rays of Paramätmä as the aggregate of the living

entities. When they identify themselves as the servants of

Bhagavän, they are of Vaikuëöha, and have no relationship with

the world of mäyä. When the living entity forgets this pure identity,

he desires to become the enjoyer of mäyä, and the false ego

principle of Çambhu then enters his existence and produces

within him the self-conception of being a separate enjoyer.

Therefore, Çambhu alone is the principle underlying the world of

false ego and the identification of the living entities with their

material bodies.

ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ

1 1 6

Verse 17

vFk rSfL=foèkSosZ'kSyhZykeq}gr% fdy A

;ksxfuæk Hkxorh rL; Jhfjo lÂrk ûƒ‰û

atha tais tri-vidhair veçair

léläm udvahataù kila

yoga-nidrä bhagavaté

tasya çrér iva saìgatä

Anvaya

atha – thus (after mahä-puruña Käraëodakaçäyé entered each universe

in the form of Bhagavän Garbhodakaçäyé Viñëu); kila udvahataù tasya

– He indeed carried out; léläm – His pastime, i.e. the duty of creation,

maintenance and destruction in each universe; taiù – through these; trividhaiù

– three kinds; veçaiù – of dresses, i.e. His expansions of

Prajäpati, Viñëu and Çambhu; çréù iva saìgatä – just as a plenary

portion of the intrinsic, personal potency meets with Käraëodakaçäyé

Viñëu; tasya – similarly Garbhodakaçäyé Viñëu also meets; yoga-nidrä –

mystic slumber, another plenary portion of the same çakti; bhagavaté –

who is replete with all opulence, and who is an expansion of the mystic

slumber aspect of the intrinsic, personal potency. (This is to indicate

that Garbhodakaçäyé Viñëu also reposes in mystic slumber.)

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, mahä-puruña Bhagavän, having entered the

universe in the forms of Prajäpati, Viñëu and Çambhu,

performs His pastime of maintenance, creation and

dissolution, which occurs within the inert material

energy. Since this pastime is so insignificant, He associates

with Bhagavaté Yoganidrä, who is the personification of

1 1 7

mystical absorption in His own intrinsic bliss, and the

partial manifestation of the spiritual potency.

ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION

The current verse describes the lélä of the Brahmä, Viñëu and

Maheça who have entered the material universe. Bhagavän Viñëu

performs the tasks of creating, maintaining and annihilating the

material world by entering the universe in the three forms,

Brahmä, Viñëu and Maheça. Here, yoganidrä bhagavaté tasya

çrér iva saìgatä indicates that, because Brahmä and Çambhu

have a self-conception of being separate from the essential reality

of Bhagavän, they sport with their respective aspects of the

inferior potency, namely Sävitré and Umä, who are the shadow

forms of the transcendental potency. However, Bhagavän Viñëu

associates (sleeps) with Bhagavaté Mahä-Yoganidrä, who, being

the partial manifestation of Ramä-devé or Çré Lakñmé, is the personification

of mystical absorption in His own intrinsic bliss. The

expression çrér iva means that this Ramä-devé is an expansion of

the original Lakñmé-devé who reigns in Vaikuëöha.

TÄTPARYA

Since Brahmä and Çambu are both separated personal expansions,

and since they have a self-conception of being separate

from the essential reality of Bhagavän, they sport with their

respective aspects of the inferior potency, Sävitré and Umä, who

are the shadow forms of the transcendental potency. Only

Bhagavän Viñëu is the husband of the personal transcendental

potency, Ramä or Lakñmé.

ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ

1 1 8

Verse 18

fll`{kk;ka rrks ukHksLrL; iùa fofu;Z;kS A

rUukya gseufyua czã.kks yksdeÚqre~ ûƒŠû

sisåkñäyäà tato näbhes

tasya padmaà viniryayau

tan nälaà hema-nalinaà

brahmaëo lokam adbhutam

Anvaya

tataù – therafter; tasya – when Garbhodakaçäyé Viñëu; sisåkñäyäm –

desired to create; näbheù – from His lotus navel; hema-nalinam

padmam – a lotus flower appearing to be made of gold; viniryayau –

was manifest; tan-nälam – within the stem of that lotus; adbhutam –

was the astonishing; lokam – world of fourteen planetary systems;

brahmaëaù – for the creation of Brahmä.

TRANSLATION

When Garbhodakaçäyé Viñëu desired to create, from His

navel emerged a golden lotus flower, from which the

creator, Brahmä, appeared. Complete with its stem, this

wonderful golden lotus flower is the residence of Brahmä

and is known as Brahmaloka or Satyaloka.

ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION

This golden lotus flower, complete with its stem, is the birthplace

and resting-place of Brahmäjé. It is therefore called Brahmaloka.

1 1 9

TÄTPARYA

In this context, the word svarëa (golden) indicates the semblance

of transcendence.

ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ

1 2 0

Verse 19

rÙokfu iwOoZ:<+kfu dkj.kkfu ijLije~ A

leok;kiz;ksxkPp fofHkUukfu i`Fkd~ i`Fkd~ û

fpPNDR;k lTtekuks·Fk Hkxokukfniw#"k% A

;kst;u~ ek;;k nsoks ;ksxfuækedYi;r~ ûƒ‹û

tattväni pürva-rüòhäni

käraëäni parasparam

samaväyäprayogäc ca

vibhinnäni påthak påthak

cic-chaktyä sajjamäno ’tha

bhagavän ädi-püruñaù

yojayan mäyayä devo

yoganidräm akalpayat

Anvaya

pürva-rüòhäni – the primevally established; tattväni – essential principles

of gross matter (described in verse 16); käraëäni – of universal

causality, i.e. before the interaction of the five gross elements, when

they were in a subtle, unmixed state; samaväya aprayogät – because of

not coming together in the unified form of five elements; ca

parasparam påthak påthak – those elements were mutually distinct

from one another; vibhinnäni – and separate; bhagavän ädi-püruñaù –

Käraëodakaçäyé Mahä-Viñëu, the original Personality of Godhead,

replete with all opulence; devaù – who was engaged in pleasure pastimes;

sajjamänaù – associating; cit-çaktyä – with His spiritual potency;

yojayan – He engaged; mäyayä – with His illusory potency, consisting

of the distinct principles of matter (thus they were transformed into a

combined form and created countless gross material universes); atha –

thereafter; akalpayat yoga-nidräm – He enjoyed with His spiritual

1 2 1

potency by taking shelter of His pastime potency. (In other words, He

reposed upon His bed of Ananta.)

TRANSLATION

Before the creation of the five gross elements, the

fundamental elements existed in their natural condition

in separate, individual forms, because the process of

combining them had not been applied. The primeval

personality, Bhagavän Mahä-Viñëu, acted through the

illusory potency by associating with His own transcendental

potency. Uniting those separate elements by

systematic combination, He created the material world.

After accomplishing the task of creation in this way, He

became absorbed in mystic slumber, the form of union

with His own transcendental potency.

ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION

The method of creation by Käraëodakaçäyé Viñëu has been

described in the Third Canto of Çrémad-Bhägavatam. In order to

describe the act of creation as the awakening of the universal

form, who is the embodiment of the aggregate of countless living

entities, it is being explained more elaborately here. The

primeval personality, Bhagavän Käraëodakaçäyé, accomplished

the creation of the universe by amalgamating the previously

unmixed five gross elements through the influence of His own

spiritual potency reflected in the form of the illusory energy.

Then the Supreme Person, who is inclined to perform pastimes,

not being ambitious to carry out the duty of creation, became

engrossed in mystic slumber with His transcendental potency,

Ramä-devé.

ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ

1 2 2

verse 19

1 2 3

etäny asaàhatya yadä

mahad-ädéni sapta vai

käla-karma-guëopeto

jagad-ädi rüpäviçat

Çrémad-Bhägavatam (3.26.50)

The cause of the universe, Bhagavän, being endowed with time,

activity and the modes of material nature, entered this universe

when the seven essential realities – that is, the whole aggregate

material energy, false ego and the five gross elements – were in

their unmixed state.

Thereby, all the substances became agitated and mixed

together. Then, from this mixture was born an unconscious egg,

from which the universal form was manifested. This egg-like

object is enclosed by pradhäna (the seed principle of creation)

and prakåti (material nature) and covered in layers of the elements

beginning with water,21 each layer being ten times greater than

the previous one.

Thus the Supreme Divinity, who was resting in the water

within the embryonic universe, arose and, giving up His neutrality,

He began to manifest many kinds of variegatedness within

the universal egg. Thus, the mouth, the voice and fire were manifest

from that egg, and the nose, the life air and the sense of smell

emerged in the same way. Then the two eyes emerged, along

with Sürya, the presiding deity of the eyes. The ear also emerged

and from the ear, the sense of hearing was manifest. After that

His skin, pores, tears, genitals, legs, hands, feet and other bodily

parts were manifest.

All the demigods, being the presiding deities of the senses,

entered into that gigantic form, but the universal form did not

According to Çrémad-Bhägavatam, the coverings of the material universes

begin with earth. Here, the Causal Ocean itself, within which Mahä-Viñëu lies in

mystic slumber, is counted as the first covering.

wake up. When, despite the presence of faculties such as mind,

intelligence and ego, the universal form still did not awaken, the

Supersoul, who is the presiding deity of consciousness, finally

entered the heart from the consciousness. At that time the universal

form arose within the water. Therefore, no one is capable

of awakening the universal form as He lies submerged beneath

the waters except for the kñetrajïa-puruña, the personality who

is the knower of all fields, and who is the presiding deity of the

life air, senses, mind, intelligence and consciousness.

In this way, after combining all the essential realities, Bhagavän

woke up the universal form for the purpose of creation.

Thereafter, since He is indifferent and free from ambition, after

engaging in all these activities, He accepted the state of mystic

slumber.

TÄTPARYA

In Bhagavad-gétä (9.10) it is stated mayädhyakñeëa prakåtiù

süyate sa-caräcaram. The purport is that before the creation,

Mäyä-devé, the shadow of the transcendental potency, was

inactive, and the substances of her ingredient aspect also existed

separately in a state of non-amalgamation. By the desire of Kåñëa

– that is, by the influence of Mahä-Viñëu – when the instrumental

and ingredient aspects of mäyä were combined, an effect

emerged in the form of the cosmic manifestation. When this was

accomplished, Bhagavän again became engrossed in His transcendental

potency of mystic slumber. The word yogamäyä (pastime

potency) or yoga-nidrä (mystic slumber) should be understood

to mean the natural or inherent illumination of the transcendental

potency. However, its shadow, the illusory potency, is by nature

inert and full of darkness.

When Kåñëa wants to make some illumination in the object

composed of insentient inertia, He combines (yoga) the

ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ

1 2 4

influence of His own transcendental potency with the inactive

shadow potency (mäyä), thereby accomplishing the aforementioned

task of cosmic creation. This is called yogamäyä, in which

there are two types of experience, namely the Vaikuëöha experience

and the insentient material experience. Çré Kåñëa, His plenary

portions, and the pure living entities who are His separated

expansions realize the Vaikuëöha experience, whereas the bound

living entities realize the insentient material experience. The covering

of spiritual realization in the experience of the conditioned

souls has been called yoga-nidrä. This is also the influence of

Bhagavän’s potency. There will be a more elaborate analysis of

this principle later in the text.

verse 19

1 2 5

Verse 20

;kstf;Rok rq rkU;so izfoos'k Lo;a xqgke~ A

xqgka izfo"Vs rfLeaLrq thokRek izfrcq/;rs û„OEû

yojayitvä tu täny eva

praviveça svayaà guhäm

guhäà praviñöe tasmiàs tu

jévätmä pratibudhyate

Anvaya

täni yojayitvä tu eva – having mixed (the separate gross principles of

material nature in their collective form and creating unlimited billions of

illusory material universes); svayam – He personally; praviveça –

entered; guhäm – those cavities, i.e. entered within the universes as the

universal form and in the form of the aggregate of living entities

(Hiraëyagarbha Prajäpati); praviñöe tu – when He had indeed entered;

tasmin guhäm – within those caves; jévätmä – the universal form and

the aggregate living entities; pratibudhyate – awoke from their sleep

after the period of universal dissolution.

TRANSLATION

When Bhagavän mixed together the individual essential

realities, He manifested unlimited numbers of material

universes. After that He personally entered into His

hidden abode, the innermost region of each universe. At

that time, all the living entities woke up from the sleeping

condition in which they had passed the duration of the

cosmic dissolution.

1 2 6

ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION

Now there is a description of Bhagavän’s third type of procedure.

After combining the individual gross essential realities, Bhagavän

accepted mystic slumber. In between the activity of amalgamating

the essential realities and accepting mystic slumber, He entered

His hidden abode, the body of the universal form. Then, all the

living entities who had been sleeping during the cosmic

dissolution woke up; that is, they immediately became absorbed

in enjoyment and activities in accordance with their past

impressions.

TÄTPARYA

The term “hidden abode” assumes a variety of connotations in

numerous places throughout çästra. In some places the unmanifest

pastimes have been called “hidden abode.” In other places

“hidden abode” refers to the location of the indwelling witness.

In many instances the inner chamber of every jéva’s heart has

been called “hidden abode.” In essence, the term “hidden abode”

is used to indicate any place that is imperceptible to the common

man. In the previous creation, countless living entities were

absorbed into the bodily limbs of Çré Hari at the time of the

cosmic annihilation at the end of Brahmäjé’s lifespan. These living

entities again became manifest within the creation according to

their previous fruitive desires.

verse 20

1 2 7

Verse 21

l fuR;ks fuR;lEcUèk% izÏfr'p ijSo lk û„ƒû

sa nityo nitya-sambandhaù

prakåtiç ca paraiva sä

Anvaya

saù nityaù – He is that same eternal person (who for limitless time pervades

the innumerable aggregate of the potency that manifests the

living entities); ca eva – and indeed; sä parä prakåtiù – Bhagavän’s

superior potency known as the marginal potency (the aggregate of the

living entities); nitya-sambandhaù – (there is) an eternal relationship

between the two.

TRANSLATION

The living entities are eternal, and they have an eternal

relationship with Bhagavän that extends throughout time,

with neither beginning nor end. By constitution they are

intrinsically His superior potency.

ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION

The constitutional position of the living entities is being

described in this half çloka beginning with the words sa nityaù.

The word nitya (eternal) indicates that the living entity exists

throughout beginningless and endless time. The living entity has

an intimate and inseparable eternal relationship with Bhagavän,

called samaväya-sambandha. The living entities have an eternal

relationship with Bhagavän, just as the rays of the sun are always

related to the sun. This has been explained in the Näradapaïcarätra:

1 2 8

yat taöasthantu cid-rüpaà

saàvedät tu vinirgatam

raïjitaà guëa-rägeëa

sa jéva iti kathyate

The entity who is constituted of the marginal potency, who has

been manifested from the knowledge aspect of transcendence,

but who is colored by the influence of mäyä’s qualities of goodness,

passion and ignorance, is called the living entity (jéva).

It has also been stated in Bhagavad-gétä (15.7): “mamaiväàço

jéva-loke, jéva-bhütaù sanätanaù – the living entity is My part

and parcel. He exists eternally as an individual living entity, and

is therefore eternal by nature.” Thus the living entity is called

superior energy. Prakåti means that the living entity is a reflection

of the image of Bhagavän, who is manifest as the indwelling

witness, the Supersoul. In the form of the knower of the body,

the living entity has attained a state like one of the Lord’s predominated

potencies. Therefore it is also stated in Bhagavad-gétä

(7.5): “prakåtià viddhi me paräm, jéva-bhütäm – the living entity

is My superior potency.”

The eternal intrinsic nature of the living entity is also established

by the Çvetäçvatara Upaniñad (4.6): dvä suparëa-sayujä

sakhäyä; there, the individual jévätmä and Paramätmä have been

compared to two birds sitting on a branch of the same pépala

tree.

TÄTPARYA

Just as the relationship beween the sun and its rays is eternal,

similarly the living entities have an eternal relationship with

Bhagavän, the transcendental sun. Since the living entities are

particles of the rays of Bhagavän, they are not temporary like

material substances, and His spiritual qualities are also partially

present in them. Therefore, by his intrinsic nature, the living

verse 21

1 2 9

entity is knowledge, the knower, the possessor of ego, the

enjoyer, the thinker and the doer. Çré Kåñëa is unlimited, omniscient

and omnipotent.

The living entity is Bhagavän’s eternal servant, and Bhagavän

is the jéva’s eternal master. The living entities are also eligible for

exchanging transcendental loving mellows with Bhagavän. From

the Bhagavad-gétä statement apareyam itas tv anyäà prakåtià

viddhi me paräm, it is understood that the living entity is Çré

Kåñëa’s superior potency. All the qualities of the pure jévätmä are

beyond the eight components of the inferior energy, beginning

with false ego. Thus, although the potency that comprises the

living entities is insignificant, being composed of tiny spiritual

particles, it is still superior to mäyä. This potency is also known

as the marginal potency. The word “marginal” (taöasthä) indicates

that it is situated on the marginal line between the material

energy and the eternal reality of spiritual existence. The living

entity is liable to come under the control of mäyä because of his

infinitesimal nature. The living entities who have been conditioned

from time immemorial suffer the distress of material existence,

and repeatedly rotate in the cycle of birth and death.

However, when the living entity submits and remains under the

control of Çré Kåñëa, the master of mäyä, he can never fall under

the control of mäyä.

ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ

1 3 0

Verse 22

,oa lokZRelEcUèka ukH;ka iùa gjsjHkwr~ A

r= czãkHkon~Hkw;'prqosZnh prqeqZ[k% û„„û

evaà sarvätma-sambandhaà

näbhyäà padmaà harer abhüt

tatra brahmäbhavad bhüyaç

catur-vedé catur-mukhaù

Anvaya

evam – thus (when the first puruña-avatära Käraëodakaçäyé Viñëu

entered within the universe through the form of Garbhodakaçäyé Viñëu,

the second puruña-avatära); näbhyäm – within the navel; hareù – of

Garbhodakaçäyé Viñëu; padmam – a lotus flower; abhüt – arose; sarvaätma-

sambandham – which had the form of the abode for the collective

living entities (i.e. it contained the fourteen planetary systems

within it. It was the source of Hiraëyagarbha Brahmä, who had the

bodily self-conception of the personified aggregate jévätmäs); tatra

bhüyaù – then later (within this lotus); brahmä – Brahmä; caturmukhaù

– the four-headed; catur-vedé – knower of the four Vedas;

abhavat – was born.

TRANSLATION

The lotus flower that emerged from the area of Çré Viñëu’s

navel contained the collective bodily conception of all

living entities. The four-headed Brahmä, who is the

knower of the four Vedas, was manifested from that lotus.

1 3 1

ÖÉKÄ TRANSLATION

Then the lotus flower that was the resting place of all living

entities emerged from the puruña who had entered His hidden

abode. Thereafter Hiraëyagarbha Brahmä, the possessor of the

collective bodily identification, manifested. After that, fourheaded

Brahmä, the knower of the four Vedas, emerged as the

embodiment of enjoyment from Hiraëyagarbha. The four-headed

Brahmä appeared from the lotus that came from the area of Çré

Hari’s navel, and whose flower and stem are the resting place of

the fourteen planetary systems. Here, “embodiment of enjoyment”

means that Brahmä’s present four-headed body is a repository

of material enjoyment, made according to the impressions

of desires to enjoy the fruits of his actions from the previous

creation. Because of his previous impressions, he desired to

create the material world as soon as he appeared.

TÄTPARYA

This lotus flower, which is the resting place of the aggregate of

the living entities, was manifested from the puruña who had

entered His hidden abode, namely the egg-shaped universe.

Four-headed Brahmä, who is the embodiment of enjoyment,

took birth from Hiraëyagarbha Brahmä, the personification of

the collective bodily conception. Four-headed Brahmä is known

as a delegated authority. Just as Brahmä is understood to be a

delegated authority, it is similarly understood that he is a part and

parcel of Kåñëa in the category of His separated expansions.

ÇRÉ BRAHMA-SAÀHITÄ

1 3 2

Verse 23

l´tkrks HkxoPNäîk rRdkya fdy pksfnr% A

fll`{kk;ka efra pØs iwoZ laLdkjlaLÏre~ û

nn'kZ dsoya èokUra ukU;r~ fdefi loZr% û„…û

saïjäto bhagavac-chaktyä

tat-kälaà kila coditaù

sisåkñäyäà matià cakre

pürva-saàskära-saàskåtam

dadarça kevalaà dhväntaà

nänyat kim api sarvataù

Anvaya

saïjätaù – when Caturmukha Brahmä was born; coditaù – being

inspired; bhagavat-çaktyä – by the potency of Çré Bhagavän; tat-kälaà

kila – at that very moment; pürva-saàskära-saàskåtam – in accordance

with the impressions he had undergone in his previous birth; matim

cakre – he absorbed his mind; sisåkñäyäm – in matters concerning his

duties of creation; sarvataù – on all sides; dadarça – he perceived;

kevalam dhväntam – only darkness; na anyat – nothing else; kim api

– at all.

TRANSLATION

After manifesting from the lotus flower, Brahmäjé, who

is empowered by Bhagavän’s potency, absorbed his mind

in the subject of creation according to his previous

impressions. However, he saw nothing but darkness in all

four directions.

Om Tat Sat

(Continued...)

_{(My humble salutations to the lotus feet of Swami jis great Devotees , Philosophic Scholars,
Purebhakti dot com for the
collection)}

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Tuesday, October 23, 2012