Chapter Nine

                 Brahma's Prayers for Creative Energy

 

                                TEXT 1

 

                                 TEXT

 

                              brahmovaca

              jnato 'si me 'dya suciran nanu deha-bhajam

                na jnayate bhagavato gatir ity avadyam

            nanyat tvad asti bhagavann api tan na suddham

                maya-guna-vyatikarad yad urur vibhasi

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   brahma uvaca--Lord Brahma said; jnatah--known; asi--You are; me--by me; adya--today; sucirat--after a long time; nanu--but; deha-bhajam--of one who has a material body; na--not; jnayate--is known; bhagavatah--of the Personality of Godhead; gatih--course; iti--so it is; avadyam--great offense; na anyat--none beyond; tvat--You; asti--there is; bhagavan--O my Lord; api--even though there is; tat--anything that may be; na--never; suddham--absolute; maya--material energy; guna-vyatikarat--because of the mixture of the modes of; yat--to which; uruh--transcendental; vibhasi--You are.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Lord Brahma said: O my Lord, today, after many, many years of penance, I have come to know about You. Oh, how unfortunate the embodied living entities are that they are unable to know Your personality! My Lord, You are the only knowable object because there is nothing supreme beyond You. If there is anything supposedly superior to You, it is not the Absolute. You exist as the Supreme by exhibiting the creative energy of matter.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The highest peak of the ignorance of the living entities who are conditioned by material bodies is that they are unaware of the supreme cause of the cosmic manifestation. Different people have different theories regarding the supreme cause, but none of them are genuine. The only supreme cause is Visnu, and the intervening impediment is the illusory energy of the Lord. The Lord has employed His wonderful material energy in manifesting many, many wonderful distractions in the material world, and the conditioned souls, illusioned by the same energy, are thus unable to know the supreme cause. The most stalwart scientists and philosophers, therefore, cannot be accepted as wonderful. They only appear wonderful because they are instruments in the hands of the illusory energy of the Lord. Under illusion, the general mass of people deny the existence of the Supreme Lord and accept the foolish products of illusory energy as supreme.

   One can know the supreme cause, the Personality of Godhead, by the causeless mercy of the Lord, which is bestowed upon the Lord's pure devotees like Brahma and those in his disciplic succession. By acts of penance only was Lord Brahma able to see the Garbhodakasayi Visnu, and by realization only could he understand the Lord as He is. Brahma was extremely satisfied upon observing the magnificent beauty and opulence of the Lord, and he admitted that nothing can be comparable to Him. Only by penance can one appreciate the beauty and opulence of the Lord, and when one is acquainted with that beauty and opulence, he is no longer attracted by any other. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (2.59): param drstva nivartate.

   Foolish human beings who do not endeavor to investigate the supreme beauty and opulence of the Lord are here condemned by Brahma. It is imperative that every human being try for such knowledge, and if anyone does not do so, his life is spoiled. Anything that is beautiful and opulent in the material sense is enjoyed by those living entities who are like crows. Crows always engage in picking at rejected garbage, whereas the white ducks do not mix with the crows. Rather, they take pleasure in transparent lakes with lotus flowers, surrounded by beautiful orchards. Both crows and ducks are undoubtedly birds by birth, but they are not of the same feather.

 

                                TEXT 2

 

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                  rupam yad etad avabodha-rasodayena

                sasvan-nivrtta-tamasah sad-anugrahaya

                  adau grhitam avatara-sataika-bijam

                yan-nabhi-padma-bhavanad aham avirasam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   rupam--form; yat--which; etat--that; avabodha-rasa--of Your internal potency; udayena--with the manifestation; sasvat--forever; nivrtta--freed from; tamasah--material contamination; sat-anugrahaya--for the sake of the devotees; adau--original in the creative energy of matter; grhitam--accepted; avatara--of incarnations; sata-eka-bijam--the root cause of hundreds; yat--that which; nabhi-padma--the navel lotus flower; bhavanat--from the home; aham--myself; avirasam--generated.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The form which I see is eternally freed from material contamination and has advented to show mercy to the devotees as a manifestation of internal potency. This incarnation is the origin of many other incarnations, and I am born from the lotus flower grown from Your navel home.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The three deities Brahma, Visnu and Mahesvara (Siva), the executive heads of the three modes of material nature (passion, goodness and ignorance), are all generated from Garbhodakasayi Visnu, who is described herein by Brahma. From the Ksirodakasayi Visnu, many Visnu incarnations expand at different ages in the duration of the cosmic manifestation. They are expanded only for the transcendental happiness of the pure devotees. The incarnations of Visnu, who appear at different ages and times, are never to be compared to the conditioned souls. The visnu-tattvas are not to be compared to deities like Brahma and Siva, nor are they on the same level. Anyone who compares them is called a pasandi, or infidel. Tamasah, mentioned herein, is the material nature, and the spiritual nature has a completely separate existence from tamah. Therefore, spiritual nature is called avabodha-rasa, or avarodha-rasa. Avarodha means "that which completely nullifies." In the Transcendence there is no chance of material contact by any means. Brahma is the first living being, and therefore he mentions his birth from the lotus flower generated from the abdomen of Garbhodakasayi Visnu.

 

                                TEXT 3

 

                                 TEXT

 

               natah param parama yad bhavatah svarupam

                ananda-matram avikalpam aviddha-varcah

                pasyami visva-srjam ekam avisvam atman

               bhutendriyatmaka-madas ta upasrito 'smi

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   na--do not; atah param--hereafter; parama--O Supreme; yat--that which; bhavatah--of Your Lordship; svarupam--eternal form; ananda-matram--impersonal Brahman effulgence; avikalpam--without changes; aviddha-varcah--without deterioration of potency; pasyami--do I see; visva-srjam--creator of the cosmic manifestation; ekam--one without a second; avisvam--and yet not of matter; atman--O Supreme Cause; bhuta--body; indriya--senses; atmaka--on such identification; madah--pride; te--unto You; upasritah--surrendered; asmi--I am.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O my Lord, I do not see a form superior to Your present form of eternal bliss and knowledge. In Your impersonal Brahman effulgence in the spiritual sky, there is no occasional change and no deterioration of internal potency. I surrender unto You because whereas I am proud of my material body and senses, Your Lordship is the cause of the cosmic manifestation and yet You are untouched by matter.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   As stated in Bhagavad-gita (18.55), bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yas casmi tattvatah: the Supreme Personality of Godhead can only be partially known, and only by the process of devotional service to the Lord. Lord Brahma became aware that the Supreme Lord Krsna has many, many eternal, blissful forms of knowledge. He has described such expansions of the Supreme Lord, Govinda, in his Brahma-samhita (5.33), as follows:

 

                 advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam

                adyam purana-purusam nava-yauvanam ca

               vedesu durlabham adurlabham atma-bhaktau

                govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

 

   "I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is nondual and infallible. He is the original cause of all causes, even though He expands in many, many forms. Although He is the oldest personality, He is ever youthful, unaffected by old age. The Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be known by the academic wisdom of the Vedas; one has to approach the devotee of the Lord to understand Him."

   The only way to understand the Lord as He is, is by devotional service to the Lord, or by approaching the devotee of the Lord who always has the Lord in his heart. By devotional perfection one can understand that the impersonal brahmajyoti is only a partial representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krsna, and that the three purusa expansions in the material creation are His plenary portions. In the spiritual sky of the brahmajyoti there is no change of various kalpas or millenniums, and there are no creative activities in the Vaikuntha worlds. The influence of time is conspicuous by its absence. The rays of the transcendental body of the Lord, the unlimited brahmajyoti, are undeterred by the influence of material energy. In the material world also, the initial creator is the Lord Himself. He brings about the creation of Brahma, who becomes the subsequent creator, empowered by the Lord.

 

                                TEXT 4

 

                                 TEXT

 

                tad va idam bhuvana-mangala mangalaya

                 dhyane sma no darsitam ta upasakanam

               tasmai namo bhagavate 'nuvidhema tubhyam

              yo 'nadrto naraka-bhagbhir asat-prasangaih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tat--the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna; va--or; idam--this present form; bhuvana-mangala--O You who are all-auspicious for all the universes; mangalaya--for the sake of all prosperity; dhyane--in meditation; sma--as it were; nah--unto us; darsitam--manifested; te--Your; upasakanam--of the devotees; tasmai--unto Him; namah--my respectful obeisances; bhagavate--unto the Personality of Godhead; anuvidhema--I perform; tubhyam--unto You; yah--which; anadrtah--is neglected; naraka-bhagbhih--by persons destined for hell; asat-prasangaih--by material topics.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   This present form, or any transcendental form expanded by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, is equally auspicious for all the universes. Since You have manifested this eternal personal form upon whom Your devotees meditate, I therefore offer my respectful obeisances unto You. Those who are destined to be dispatched to the path of hell neglect Your personal form because of speculating on material topics.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Regarding the personal and impersonal features of the Supreme Absolute Truth, the personal forms exhibited by the Lord in His different plenary expansions are all for the benediction of all the universes. The personal form of the Lord is also worshiped in meditation as Supersoul, Paramatma, but the impersonal brahmajyoti is not worshiped. Persons who are addicted to the impersonal feature of the Lord, whether in meditation or otherwise, are all pilgrims to hell because, as stated in Bhagavad-gita (12.5), impersonalists simply waste their time in mundane mental speculation because they are addicted more to false arguments than to reality. Therefore, the association of the impersonalists is condemned herewith by Brahma.

   All the plenary expansions of the Personality of Godhead are equally potent, as confirmed in the Brahma-samhita (5.46):

 

                diparcir eva hi dasantaram abhyupetya

                  dipayate vivrta-hetu-samana-dharma

                yas tadrg eva hi ca visnutaya vibhati

                govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

 

   The Lord expands Himself as the flames of a fire expand one after another. Although the original flame, or Sri Krsna, is accepted as Govinda, the Supreme Person, all other expansions, such as Rama, Nrsimha and Varaha, are as potent as the original Lord. All such expanded forms are transcendental. In the beginning of Srimad-Bhagavatam it is made clear that the Supreme Truth is eternally uncontaminated by material touch. There is no jugglery of words and activities in the transcendental kingdom of the Lord. All the Lord's forms are transcendental, and such manifestations are ever identical. The particular form of the Lord exhibited to a devotee is not mundane, even though the devotee may retain material desire, nor is it manifest under the influence of material energy, as is foolishly considered by the impersonalists. Impersonalists who consider the transcendental forms of the Lord to be products of the material world are surely destined for hell.

 

                                TEXT 5

 

                                 TEXT

 

                ye tu tvadiya-caranambuja-kosa-gandham

              jighranti karna-vivaraih sruti-vata-nitam

                bhaktya grhita-caranah paraya ca tesam

               napaisi natha hrdayamburuhat sva-pumsam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ye--those who; tu--but; tvadiya--Your; carana-ambuja--lotus feet; kosa--inside; gandham--flavor; jighranti--smell; karna-vivaraih--through the channel of the ears; sruti-vata-nitam--carried by the air of Vedic sound; bhaktya--by devotional service; grhita-caranah--accepting the lotus feet; paraya--transcendental; ca--also; tesam--for them; na--never; apaisi--separate; natha--O my Lord; hrdaya--heart; ambu-ruhat--from the lotus of; sva-pumsam--of Your own devotees.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O my Lord, persons who smell the aroma of Your lotus feet, carried by the air of Vedic sound through the holes of the ears, accept Your devotional service. For them You are never separated from the lotus of their hearts.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   For the pure devotee of the Lord there is nothing beyond the lotus feet of the Lord, and the Lord knows that such devotees do not wish anything more than that. The word tu specifically establishes this fact. The Lord also does not wish to be separated from the lotus hearts of those pure devotees. That is the transcendental relationship between the pure devotees and the Personality of Godhead. Because the Lord does not wish to separate Himself from the hearts of such pure devotees, it is understood that they are specifically dearer than the impersonalists. The relationship of the pure devotees with the Lord develops because of devotional service to the Lord on the authentic basis of Vedic authority. Such pure devotees are not mundane sentimentalists, but are factually realists because their activities are supported by the Vedic authorities who have given aural reception to the facts mentioned in the Vedic literatures.

   The word paraya is very significant. para bhakti, or spontaneous love of God, is the basis of an intimate relationship with the Lord. This highest stage of relationship with the Lord can be attained simply by hearing about Him (His name, form, quality, etc.) from authentic sources like Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam, recited by pure, unalloyed devotees of the Lord.

 

                                TEXT 6

 

                                 TEXT

 

               tavad bhayam dravina-deha-suhrn-nimittam

               sokah sprha paribhavo vipulas ca lobhah

                tavan mamety asad-avagraha arti-mulam

             yavan na te 'nghrim abhayam pravrnita lokah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tavat--until then; bhayam--fear; dravina--wealth; deha--body; suhrt--relatives; nimittam--for the matter of; sokah--lamentation; sprha--desire; paribhavah--paraphernalia; vipulah--very great; ca--also; lobhah--avarice; tavat--up to that time; mama--mine; iti--thus; asat--perishable; avagrahah--undertaking; arti-mulam--full of anxieties; yavat--as long as; na--do not; te--Your; anghrim abhayam--safe lotus feet; pravrnita--take shelter; lokah--the people of the world.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O my Lord, the people of the world are embarrassed by all material anxieties--they are always afraid. They always try to protect wealth, body and friends, they are filled with lamentation and unlawful desires and paraphernalia, and they avariciously base their undertakings on the perishable conceptions of "my" and "mine." As long as they do not take shelter of Your safe lotus feet, they are full of such anxieties.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   One may question how one can always think of the Lord in regard to His name, fame, quality, etc., if one is embarrassed by thoughts of family affairs. Everyone in the material world is full of thoughts about how to maintain his family, how to protect his wealth, how to keep pace with friends and relatives, etc. Thus he is always in fear and lamentation, trying to keep up with the status quo. In answer to this question, this verse spoken by Brahma is very appropriate.

   A pure devotee of the Lord never thinks of himself as the proprietor of his home. He surrenders everything unto the supreme control of the Lord, and thus he has no fear for maintaining his family or protecting the interests of his family. Because of this surrender, he no longer has any attraction for wealth. Even if there is attraction for wealth, it is not for sense enjoyment, but for the service of the Lord. A pure devotee may be attracted to accumulating wealth just like an ordinary man, but the difference is that a devotee acquires money for the service of the Lord, whereas the ordinary man acquires money for his sense enjoyment. Thus the acquisition of wealth by a devotee is not a source of anxieties, as is the case for a worldly man. And because a pure devotee accepts everything in the sense of serving the Lord, the poisonous teeth of accumulation of wealth are extracted. If a snake has its poison removed and bites a man, there is no fatal effect. Similarly, wealth accumulated in the cause of the Lord has no poisonous teeth, and the effect is not fatal. A pure devotee is never entangled in material worldly affairs even though he may remain in the world like an ordinary man.

 

                                TEXT 7

 

                                 TEXT

 

               daivena te hata-dhiyo bhavatah prasangat

                 sarvasubhopasamanad vimukhendriya ye

                 kurvanti kama-sukha-lesa-lavaya dina

                lobhabhibhuta-manaso 'kusalani sasvat

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   daivena--by fate of misfortune; te--they; hata-dhiyah--bereft of memory; bhavatah--of You; prasangat--from the topics; sarva--all; asubha--inauspiciousness; upasamanat--curbing down; vimukha--turned against; indriyah--senses; ye--those; kurvanti--act; kama--sense gratification; sukha--happiness; lesa--brief; lavaya--for a moment only; dinah--poor fellows; lobha-abhibhuta--overwhelmed by greed; manasah--of one whose mind; akusalani--inauspicious activities; sasvat--always.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O my Lord, persons who are bereft of the all-auspicious performance of chanting and hearing about Your transcendental activities are certainly unfortunate and are also bereft of good sense. They engage in inauspicious activities, enjoying sense gratification for a very little while.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The next question is why people are against such auspicious activities as chanting and hearing the glories and pastimes of the Lord, which can bring total freedom from the cares and anxieties of material existence. The only answer to this question is that they are unfortunate because of supernatural control due to their offensive activities performed simply for the sake of sense gratification. The Lord's pure devotees, however, take compassion upon such unfortunate persons and, in a missionary spirit, try to persuade them into the line of devotional service. Only by the grace of pure devotees can such unfortunate men be elevated to the position of transcendental service.

 

                                TEXT 8

 

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              ksut-trt-tridhatubhir ima muhur ardyamanah

                 sitosna-vata-varasair itaretarac ca

                 kamagninacyuta-rusa ca sudurbharena

                  sampasyato mana urukrama sidate me

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ksut--hunger; trt--thirst; tri-dhatubhih--three humors, namely mucus, bile and wind; imah--all of them; muhuh--always; ardyamanah--perplexed; sita--winter; usna--summer; vata--wind; varasaih--by rains; itara-itarat--and many other disturbances; ca--also; kama-agnina--by strong sex urges; acyuta-rusa--indefatigable anger; ca--also; sudurbharena--most unbearable; sampasyatah--so observing; manah--mind; urukrama--O great actor; sidate--becomes despondent; me--my.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O great actor, my Lord, all these poor creatures are constantly perplexed by hunger, thirst, severe cold, secretion and bile, attacked by coughing winter, blasting summer, rains and many other disturbing elements, and overwhelmed by strong sex urges and indefatigable anger. I take pity on them, and I am very much aggrieved for them.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   A pure devotee of the Lord like Brahma and persons in his disciplic succession are always unhappy to see the perplexities of the conditioned souls, who are suffering the onslaughts of the threefold miseries which pertain to the body and mind, to the disturbances of material nature, and to many other such material disadvantages. Not knowing adequate measures for relieving such difficulties, suffering persons sometimes pose themselves as leaders of the people, and the unfortunate followers are put into further disadvantages under such so-called leadership. This is like a blind man's leading another blind man to fall into a ditch. Therefore, unless the devotees of the Lord take pity on them and teach them the right path, their lives are hopeless failures. The devotees of the Lord who voluntarily take the responsibility of raising the foolish materialistic sense enjoyers are as confidential to the Lord as Lord Brahma.

 

                                TEXT 9

 

                                 TEXT

 

              yavat prthaktvam idam atmana indriyartha-

                 maya-balam bhagavato jana isa pasyet

                tavan na samsrtir asau pratisankrameta

              vyarthapi duhkha-nivaham vahati kriyartha

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yavat--as long as; prthaktvam--separatism; idam--this; atmanah--of the body; indriya-artha--for sense gratification; maya-balam--influence of external energy; bhagavatah--of the Personality of Godhead; janah--a person; isa--O my Lord; pasyet--sees; tavat--so long; na--not; samsrtih--the influence of material existence; asau--that man; pratisankrameta--can overcome; vyartha api--although without meaning; duhkha-nivaham--multiple miseries; vahati--bringing; kriya-artha--for fruitive activities.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O my Lord, the material miseries are without factual existence for the soul. Yet as long as the conditioned soul sees the body as meant for sense enjoyment, he cannot get out of the entanglement of material miseries, being influenced by Your external energy.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The whole trouble of the living entity in material existence is that he has an independent conception of life. He is always dependent on the rules of the Supreme Lord, in both the conditioned and liberated states, but by the influence of the external energy the conditioned soul thinks himself independent of the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead. His constitutional position is to dovetail himself with the desire of the supreme will, but as long as he does not do so, he is sure to drag on in the shackles of material bondage. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (2.55), prajahati yada kaman sarvan partha mano-gatan: he has to give up all sorts of plans manufactured by mental concoction. The living entity has to dovetail himself with the supreme will. That will help him to get out of the entanglement of material existence.

 

                               TEXT 10

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 ahny aprtarta-karana nisi nihsayana

               nana-manoratha-dhiya ksana-bhagna-nidrah

                 daivahatartha-racana rsayo 'pi deva

                yusmat-prasanga-vimukha iha samsaranti

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   ahni--during the daytime; aprta--engaged; arta--distressing engagement; karanah--senses; nisi--at night; nihsayanah--insomnia; nana--various; manoratha--mental speculations; dhiya--by intelligence; ksana--constantly; bhagna--broken; nidrah--sleep; daiva--superhuman; ahata-artha--frustrated; racanah--plans; rsayah--great sages; api--also; deva--O my Lord; yusmat--Your Lordship's; prasanga--topic; vimukhah--turned against; iha--in this (material world); samsaranti--do rotate.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Such nondevotees engage their senses in very troublesome and extensive work, and they suffer insomnia at night because their intelligence constantly breaks their sleep with various mental speculations. They are frustrated in all their various plans by supernatural power. Even great sages, if they are against Your transcendental topics, must rotate in this material world.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   As described in the previous verse, people who have no taste for the devotional service of the Lord are occupied in material engagements. Most of them engage during the daytime in hard physical labor; their senses are engaged very extensively in troublesome duties in the gigantic plants of heavy industrial enterprise. The owners of such factories are engaged in finding a market for their industrial products, and the laborers are engaged in extensive production involving huge mechanical arrangements. "Factory" is another name for hell. At night, hellishly engaged persons take advantage of wine and women to satisfy their tired senses, but they are not even able to have sound sleep because their various mental speculative plans constantly interrupt their sleep. Because they suffer from insomnia sometimes they feel sleepy in the morning for lack of sufficient rest. By the arrangement of supernatural power, even the great scientists and thinkers of the world suffer frustration of their various plans and thus rot in the material world birth after birth. A great scientist may make discoveries in atomic energy for the quick destruction of the world and may be awarded the best prize in recognition of his service (or disservice), but he also has to undergo the reactions of his work by rotating in the cycle of repeated births and deaths under the superhuman law of material nature. All these people who are against the principle of devotional service are destined to rotate in this material world without fail.

   This verse particularly mentions that even sages who are averse to the principles of devotional service to the Lord are also condemned to undergo the terms of material existence. Not only in this age, but formerly also, there were many sages who tried to invent their own systems of religion without reference to devotional service to the Supreme Lord, but there cannot be any religious principle without devotional service to the Lord. The Supreme Lord is the leader of the entire range of living entities, and no one can be equal to or greater than Him. Even the Lord's impersonal feature and all-pervading localized feature cannot be on an equal level with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, there cannot be any religion or system of genuine philosophy for the advancement of the living entities without the principle of devotional service.

   The impersonalists, who take much trouble in penance and austerity for self-liberation, may approach the impersonal brahmajyoti, but ultimately, because of not being situated in devotional service, they glide down again to the material world to undergo another term of material existence. This is confirmed as follows:

 

                 ye 'nye 'ravindaksa vimukta-maninas

                tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayah

                  aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah

                patanty adho 'nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah

 

   "Persons who are falsely under the impression of being liberated, without devotional service to the Lord, may reach the goal of the brahmajyoti, but because of their impure consciousness and for want of shelter in the Vaikunthalokas, such so-called liberated persons again fall down into material existence." (Bhag. 10.2.32)

   Therefore, no one can manufacture any system of religion without the principle of devotional service to the Lord. As we find in the Sixth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, the initiator of religious principles is the Lord Himself. In Bhagavad-gita also we find that the Lord condemns all forms of religion other than that which entails the process of surrendering unto the Supreme. Any system which leads one to the devotional service of the Lord, and nothing else, is actually religion or philosophy. In the Sixth Canto we find the following statements of Yamaraja, the controller of all unfaithful living entities:

 

                 dharmam tu saksad bhagavat-pranitam

                    na vai vidur rsayo napi devah

                   na siddha-mukhya asura manusyah

                    kuto nu vidyadhara-caranadayah

 

                      svayambhur naradah sambhuh

                         kumarah kapilo manuh

                        prahlado janako bhismo

                        balir vaiyasakir vayam

 

                         dvadasaite vijanimo

                      dharmam bhagavatam bhatah

                      guhyam visuddham durbodham

                        yam jnatvamrtam asnute

 

   "The principles of religion are initiated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and no one else, including the sages and demigods, can manufacture any such principles. Since even great sages and demigods are unauthorized to inaugurate such principles of religion, what to speak of others--the so-called mystics, demons, human beings, Vidyadharas and Caranas living in the lower planets? Twelve personalities--Brahma, Narada, Lord Siva, Kumara, Kapila, Manu, Prahlada Maharaja, Janaka Maharaja, Bhisma, Bali, Sukadeva Gosvami and Yamaraja--are agents of the Lord authorized to speak and propagate the principles of religion." (Bhag. 6.3.19-21)

   The principles of religion are not open to any ordinary living entity. They are just to bring the human being onto the platform of morality. Nonviolence, etc., are necessary for misguided persons because unless one is moral and nonviolent one cannot understand the principles of religion. To understand what is actually religion is very difficult even if one is situated in the principles of morality and nonviolence. It is very confidential because as soon as one is conversant with the real principles of religion, he is at once liberated to the eternal life of bliss and knowledge. Therefore, one who is not situated in the principles of devotional service to the Lord should not pose himself as a religious leader of the innocent public. The Isopanisad emphatically forbids this nonsense in the following mantra:

 

                       andham tamah pravisanti

                        ye 'sambhutim upasate

                        tato bhuya iva te tamo

                        ya u sambhutyam ratah

 

   (Isopanisad 12)

 

   A person in ignorance of the principles of religion who therefore does nothing in the matter of religion is far better than a person who misguides others in the name of religion without reference to the factual religious principles of devotional service. Such so-called leaders of religion are sure to be condemned by Brahma and other great authorities.

 

                               TEXT 11

 

                                 TEXT

 

               tvam bhakti-yoga-paribhavita-hrt-saroja

               asse sruteksita-patho nanu natha pumsam

                yad-yad-dhiya ta urugaya vibhavayanti

                tat-tad-vapuh pranayase sad-anugrahaya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tvam--unto You; bhakti-yoga--in devotional service; paribhavita--being one hundred percent engaged; hrt--of the heart; saroje--on the lotus; asse--You reside; sruta-iksita--seen through the ear; pathah--the path; nanu--now; natha--O my Lord; pumsam--of the devotees; yat-yat--whichever; dhiya--by meditating; te--Your; urugaya--O multiglorious; vibhavayanti--they specifically think of; tat-tat--the very same; vapuh--transcendental form; pranayase--do You manifest; sat-anugrahaya--to show Your causeless mercy.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O my Lord, Your devotees can see You through the ears by the process of bona fide hearing, and thus their hearts become cleansed, and You take Your seat there. You are so merciful to Your devotees that You manifest Yourself in the particular eternal form of transcendence in which they always think of You.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The statement here that the Lord manifests Himself before the devotee in the form in which the devotee likes to worship Him indicates that the Lord becomes subordinate to the desire of the devotee--so much so that He manifests His particular form as the devotee demands. This demand of the devotee is satisfied by the Lord because He is pliable in terms of the transcendental loving service of the devotee. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (4.11): ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham. We should note, however, that the Lord is never the order supplier of the devotee. Here in this verse it is particularly mentioned: tvam bhakti-yoga-paribhavita. This indicates the efficiency achieved through execution of matured devotional service, or prema, love of Godhead. This state of prema is achieved by the gradual process of development from faith to love. On faith one associates with bona fide devotees, and by such association one can become engaged in bona fide devotional service, which includes proper initiation and the execution of the primary devotional duties prescribed in the revealed scriptures. This is clearly indicated herein by the word sruteksita. The sruteksita path is to hear from bona fide devotees who are conversant with Vedic wisdom, free from mundane sentiment. By this bona fide hearing process, the neophyte devotee becomes cleansed of all material rubbish, and thus he becomes attached to one of the many transcendental forms of the Lord, as described in the Vedas.

   This attachment of the devotee to a particular form of the Lord is due to natural inclination. Each and every living entity is originally attached to a particular type of transcendental service because he is eternally the servitor of the Lord. Lord Caitanya says that the living entity is eternally a servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. Therefore, every living entity has a particular type of service relationship with the Lord, eternally. This particular attachment is invoked by practice of regulative devotional service to the Lord, and thus the devotee becomes attached to the eternal form of the Lord, exactly like one who is already eternally attached. This attachment for a particular form of the Lord is called svarupa-siddhi. The Lord sits on the lotus heart of the devotee in the eternal form the pure devotee desires, and thus the Lord does not part from the devotee, as confirmed in the previous verse. The Lord, however, does not disclose Himself to a casual or unauthentic worshiper to be exploited. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (7.25): naham prakasah sarvasya yoga-maya-samavrtah. Rather, by yoga-maya, the Lord remains concealed to the nondevotees or casual devotees who are serving their sense gratification. The Lord is never visible to the pseudodevotees who worship the demigods in charge of universal affairs. The conclusion is that the Lord cannot become the order supplier of a pseudodevotee, but He is always prepared to respond to the desires of a pure, unconditional devotee, who is free from all tinges of material infection.

 

                               TEXT 12

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  natiprasidati tathopacitopacarair

               aradhitah sura-ganair hrdi baddha-kamaih

                yat sarva-bhuta-dayayasad-alabhyayaiko

                nana-janesv avahitah suhrd antar-atma

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   na--never; ati--very much; prasidati--become satisfied; tatha--as much as; upacita--by pompous arrangement; upacaraih--with much worshipable paraphernalia; aradhitah--being worshiped; sura-ganaih--by the celestial demigods; hrdi baddha-kamaih--with hearts full of all sorts of material desires; yat--that which; sarva--all; bhuta--living entities; dayaya--to show them causeless mercy; asat--nondevotee; alabhyaya--not being achieved; ekah--one without a second; nana--various; janesu--in living entities; avahitah--perceived; suhrt--well-wishing friend; antah--within; atma--Supersoul.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   My Lord, You are not very much satisfied by the worship of the demigods, who arrange for Your worship very pompously, with various paraphernalia, but who are full of material hankerings. You are situated in everyone's heart as the Supersoul just to show Your causeless mercy, and You are the eternal well-wisher, but You are unavailable for the nondevotee.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The demigods in the celestial heavenly planets, who are appointed administrators of the material affairs, are also devotees of the Lord. But, at the same time, they have desires for material opulence and sense gratification. The Lord is so kind that He awards them all sorts of material happiness, more than they can desire, but He is not satisfied with them because they are not pure devotees. The Lord does not want any one of His innumerable sons (the living entities) to remain in the material world of threefold miseries to perpetually suffer the material pangs of birth, death, old age and disease. The demigods in the heavenly planets, and many devotees on this planet also, want to remain in the material world as devotees of the Lord and take advantage of material happiness. They do so at a risk of falling down to the lower status of existence, and this makes the Lord dissatisfied with them.

   Pure devotees are not desirous of any material enjoyment, nor are they averse to it. They completely dovetail their desires with the desires of the Lord and perform nothing on their personal account. Arjuna is a good example. On his own sentiment, due to family affection, Arjuna did not want to fight, but finally, after hearing Srimad Bhagavad-gita, he agreed to fight in the interests of the Lord. Therefore, the Lord is very much satisfied with pure devotees because they do not act for sense gratification but only in terms of the Lord's desire. As Paramatma, or Supersoul, He is situated in everyone's heart, always giving everyone the chance of good counsel. Thus everyone should take the opportunity and render transcendental loving service to Him wholly and solely.

   The nondevotees, however, are neither like the demigods nor like the pure devotees, but are averse to the transcendental relationship with the Lord. They have revolted against the Lord and must perpetually undergo the reactions of their own activities.

   Bhagavad-gita (4.11) states: ye yatha mam prapadyante tams tathaiva bhajamy aham. "Although the Lord is equally kind to every living being, the living beings, for their own part, are able to please the Lord to either a greater or lesser extent." The demigods are called sakama devotees, or devotees with material desires in mind, while the pure devotees are called niskama devotees because they have no desires for their personal interests. The sakama devotees are self-interested because they do not think of others, and therefore they are not able to satisfy the Lord perfectly, whereas the pure devotees take the missionary responsibility of turning nondevotees into devotees, and they are therefore able to satisfy the Lord more than the demigods. The Lord is unmindful of the nondevotees, although He is sitting within everyone's heart as well-wisher and Supersoul. However, He also gives them the chance to receive His mercy through His pure devotees who are engaged in missionary activities. Sometimes the Lord Himself descends for missionary activities, as He did in the form of Lord Caitanya, but mostly He sends His bona fide representatives, and thus He shows His causeless mercy towards the nondevotees. The Lord is so satisfied with His pure devotees that He wants to give them the credit for missionary success, although He could do the work personally. This is the sign of His satisfaction with His pure, niskama devotees, compared to the sakama devotees. By such transcendental activities the Lord simultaneously becomes free from the charge of partiality and exhibits His pleasure with the devotees.

   Now a question arises: If the Lord is sitting in the hearts of nondevotees, why are they not moved to become devotees? It may be answered that the stubborn nondevotees are like the barren land or alkaline field, where no agricultural activities can be successful. As part and parcel of the Lord, every individual living entity has a minute quantity of independence, and by misuse of this minute independence, the nondevotees commit offense after offense, to both the Lord and His pure devotees engaged in missionary work. As a result of such acts, they become as barren as an alkaline field, where there is no strength to produce.

 

                               TEXT 13

 

                                 TEXT

 

              pumsam ato vividha-karmabhir adhvaradyair

                  danena cogra-tapasa paricaryaya ca

               aradhanam bhagavatas tava sat-kriyartho

               dharmo 'rpitah karhicid mriyate na yatra

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   pumsam--of the people; atah--therefore; vividha-karmabhih--by various fruitive activities; adhvara-adyaih--by performance of Vedic rituals; danena--by charities; ca--and; ugra--very hard; tapasa--austerity; paricaryaya--by transcendental service; ca--also; aradhanam--worship; bhagavatah--of the Personality of Godhead; tava--Your; sat-kriya-arthah--simply for pleasing Your Lordship; dharmah--religion; arpitah--so offered; karhicit--at any time; mriyate--vanquishes; na--never; yatra--there.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   But the pious activities of the people, such as performance of Vedic rituals, charity, austere penances, and transcendental service, performed with a view to worship You and satisfy You by offering You the fruitive results, are also beneficial. Such acts of religion never go in vain.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Absolute devotional service, conducted in nine different spiritual activities--hearing, chanting, remembering, worshiping, praying, etc.--does not always appeal to people with a pompous nature; they are more attracted by the Vedic superficial rituals and other costly performances of social religious shows. But the process according to the Vedic injunctions is that the fruits of all pious activities should be offered to the Supreme Lord. In Bhagavad-gita (9.27), the Lord demands that whatever one may do in one's daily activities, such as worship, sacrifice, and offering charity, all the results should be offered to Him only. This offering of the results of pious acts unto the Supreme Lord is a sign of devotional service to the Lord and is of permanent value, whereas enjoying the same results for oneself is only temporary. Anything done on account of the Lord is a permanent asset and accumulates in the form of unseen piety for gradual promotion to the unalloyed devotional service of the Lord. These undetected pious activities will one day result in full-fledged devotional service by the grace of the Supreme Lord. Therefore, any pious act done on account of the Supreme Lord is also recommended here for those who are not pure devotees.

 

                               TEXT 14

 

                                 TEXT

 

                sasvat svarupa-mahasaiva nipita-bheda-

                mohaya bodha-dhisanaya namah parasmai

               visvodbhava-sthiti-layesu nimitta-lila-

                  rasaya te nama idam cakrmesvaraya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sasvat--eternally; svarupa--transcendental form; mahasa--by the glories; eva--certainly; nipita--distinguished; bheda--differentiation; mohaya--unto the illusory conception; bodha--self-knowledge; dhisanaya--intelligence; namah--obeisances; parasmai--unto the Transcendence; visva-udbhava--creation of the cosmic manifestation; sthiti--maintenance; layesu--also destruction; nimitta--for the matter of; lila--by such pastimes; rasaya--for enjoyment; te--unto You; namah--obeisances; idam--this; cakrma--do I perform; isvaraya--unto the Supreme.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Let me offer my obeisances unto the Supreme Transcendence, who is eternally distinguished by His internal potency. His indistinguishable impersonal feature is realized by intelligence for self-realization. I offer my obeisances unto Him who by His pastimes enjoys the creation, maintenance and dissolution of the cosmic manifestation.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Supreme Lord is eternally distinguished from the living entities by His internal potency, although He is also understood in His impersonal feature by self-realized intelligence. Devotees of the Lord, therefore, offer all respectful obeisances unto the impersonal feature of the Lord. The word rasa is significant herein. The rasa dance is performed by Lord Krsna in the company of the cowherd damsels at Vrndavana, and the Personality of Godhead Garbhodakasayi Visnu is also engaged in rasa enjoyment with His external potency, by which He creates, maintains and dissolves the entire material manifestation. Indirectly, Lord Brahma offers his respectful obeisances unto Lord Sri Krsna, who is factually ever engaged in rasa enjoyment with the gopis, as confirmed in the Gopala-tapani Upanisad in the following words: parardhante so 'budhyata gopa-veso me purusah purastad avirbabhuva. The distinction between the Lord and the living entity is definitely experienced when there is sufficient intelligence to understand His internal potency, as distinguished from the external potency by which He makes possible the material manifestation.

 

                               TEXT 15

 

                                 TEXT

 

                  yasyavatara-guna-karma-vidambanani

                 namani ye 'su-vigame vivasa grnanti

               te 'naika-janma-samalam sahasaiva hitva

               samyanty apavrtamrtam tam ajam prapadye

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yasya--whose; avatara--incarnations; guna--transcendental qualities; karma--activities; vidambanani--all mysterious; namani--transcendental names; ye--those; asu-vigame--while quitting this life; vivasah--automatically; grnanti--invoke; te--they; anaika--many; janma--births; samalam--accumulated sins; sahasa--immediately; eva--certainly; hitva--giving up; samyanti--obtain; apavrta--open; amrtam--immortality; tam--Him; ajam--the unborn; prapadye--I take shelter.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Let me take shelter of the lotus feet of Him whose incarnations, qualities and activities are mysterious imitations of worldly affairs. One who invokes His transcendental names, even unconsciously, at the time he quits this life, is certainly washed immediately of the sins of many, many births and attains Him without fail.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The activities of the incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are a kind of imitation of the activities going on in the material world. He is just like an actor on a stage. An actor imitates the activities of a king on stage, although actually he is not the king. Similarly, when the Lord incarnates, He imitates parts with which He has nothing to do. In Bhagavad-gita (4.14), it is said that the Lord has nothing to do with the activities in which He is supposedly engaged: na mam karmani limpanti na me karma-phale sprha. The Lord is omnipotent; simply by His will He can perform anything and everything. When the Lord appeared as Lord Krsna, He played the part of the son of Yasoda and Nanda, and He lifted the Govardhana Hill, although lifting a hill is not His concern. He can lift millions of Govardhana Hills by His simple desire; He does not need to lift it with His hand. But He imitates the ordinary living entity by this lifting, and at the same time He exhibits His supernatural power. Thus His name is chanted as the lifter of Govardhana Hill, or Sri Govardhana-dhari. Therefore, His acts in His incarnations and His partiality to the devotees are all imitations only, just like the stage makeup of an expert dramatical player. His acts in that capacity, however, are all omnipotent, and the remembrance of such activities of the incarnations of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is as powerful as the Lord Himself. Ajamila remembered the holy name of the Lord, Narayana, by merely calling the name of his son Narayana, and that gave him a complete opportunity to achieve the highest perfection of life.

 

                               TEXT 16

 

                                 TEXT

 

              yo va aham ca girisas ca vibhuh svayam ca

               sthity-udbhava-pralaya-hetava atma-mulam

               bhittva tri-pad vavrdha eka uru-prarohas

                tasmai namo bhagavate bhuvana-drumaya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yah--one who; vai--certainly; aham ca--also I; girisah ca--also Siva; vibhuh--the Almighty; svayam--personality (as Visnu); ca--and; sthiti--maintenance; udbhava--creation; pralaya--dissolution; hetavah--the causes; atma-mulam--self-rooted; bhittva--having penetrated; tri-pat--three trunks; vavrdhe--grew; ekah--one without a second; uru--many; prarohah--branches; tasmai--unto Him; namah--obeisances; bhagavate--unto the Personality of Godhead; bhuvana-drumaya--unto the tree of the planetary system.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Your Lordship is the prime root of the tree of the planetary systems. This tree has grown by first penetrating the material nature in three trunks--as me, Siva and You, the Almighty--for creation, maintenance and dissolution, and we three have grown with many branches. Therefore I offer my obeisances unto You, the tree of the cosmic manifestation.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The cosmic manifestation is grossly divided into three worlds, the upper, lower and middle planetary systems, and then it broadens into the cosmos of fourteen planetary systems, with the manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the supreme root. Material nature, which appears to be the cause of the cosmic manifestation, is only the agency or energy of the Lord. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (9.10): mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram. "Only under the superintendence of the Supreme Lord does material nature appear to be the cause of all creation, maintenance and dissolution." The Lord expands Himself into three--Visnu, Brahma and Siva--for maintenance, creation and destruction respectively. Of the three principal agents controlling the three modes of material nature, Visnu is the Almighty; even though He is within material nature for the purpose of maintenance, He is not controlled by the laws of material nature. The other two, Brahma and Siva, although almost as greatly powerful as Visnu, are within the control of the material energy of the Supreme Lord. The conception of many gods controlling the many departments of material nature is ill conceived of by the foolish pantheist. God is one without a second, and He is the primal cause of all causes. As there are many departmental heads of governmental affairs, so there are many heads of management of the universal affairs.

   Due to a poor fund of knowledge, the impersonalist does not believe in the personal management of things as they are. But in this verse it is clearly explained that everything is personal and nothing is impersonal. We have already discussed this point in the Introduction, and it is confirmed here in this verse. The tree of the material manifestation is described in the Fifteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita as an asvattha tree whose root is upward. We have actual experience of such a tree when we see the shadow of a tree on the bank of a reservoir of water. The reflection of the tree on the water appears to hang down from its upward roots. The tree of creation described here is only a shadow of the reality which is Parabrahman, Visnu. In the internal potential manifestation of the Vaikunthalokas, the actual tree exists, and the tree reflected in the material nature is only the shadow of this actual tree. The impersonalists, theory that Brahman is void of all variegatedness is false because the shadow-tree described in Bhagavad-gita cannot exist without being the reflection of a real tree. The real tree is situated in the eternal existence of spiritual nature, full of transcendental varieties, and Lord Visnu is the root of that tree also. The root is the same--the Lord--both for the real tree and the false, but the false tree is only the perverted reflection of the real tree. The Lord, being the real tree, is here offered obeisances by Brahma on his own behalf and also on behalf of Lord Siva.

 

                               TEXT 17

 

                                 TEXT

 

                loko vikarma-niratah kusale pramattah

              karmany ayam tvad-udite bhavad-arcane sve

                 yas tavad asya balavan iha jivitasam

              sadyas chinatty animisaya namo 'stu tasmai

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   lokah--people in general; vikarma--work without sense; niratah--engaged in; kusale--in beneficial activity; pramattah--negligent; karmani--in activity; ayam--this; tvat--by You; udite--enunciated; bhavat--of You; arcane--in worship; sve--their own; yah--who; tavat--as long as; asya--of the people in general; balavan--very strong; iha--this; jivita-asam--struggle for existence; sadyah--directly; chinatti--is cut to pieces; animisaya--by the eternal time; namah--my obeisances; astu--let there be; tasmai--unto Him.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   People in general all engage in foolish acts, not in the really beneficial activities enunciated directly by You for their guidance. As long as their tendency for foolish work remains powerful, all their plans in the struggle for existence will be cut to pieces. I therefore offer my obeisances unto Him who acts as eternal time.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   People in general are all engaged in senseless work. They are systematically unmindful of the real beneficial work, which is the devotional service of the Lord, technically called the arcana regulations. The arcana regulations are directly instructed by the Lord in the Narada-pancaratra and are strictly followed by the intelligent men, who know well that the highest perfectional goal of life is to reach Lord Visnu, who is the root of the tree called the cosmic manifestation. Also, in the Bhagavatam and in Bhagavad-gita such regulative activities are clearly mentioned. Foolish people do not know that their self-interest is in realization of Visnu. The Bhagavatam (7.5.30-32) says:

 

                   matir na krsne paratah svato va

                   mitho 'bhipadyeta grha-vratanam

                    adanta-gobhir visatam tamisram

                    punah punas carvita-carvananam

 

                 na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum

                   durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah

                    andha yathandhair upaniyamanas

                 te 'pisa-tantryam uru-damni baddhah

 

                  naisam matis tavad urukramanghrim

                   sprsaty anarthapagamo yad-arthah

                    mahiyasam pada-rajo-'bhisekam

                    niskincananam na vrnita yavat

 

   "Persons who are determined to totally rot in false, material happiness cannot become Krsna-minded either by instructions from teachers, by self-realization or by parliamentary discussions. They are dragged by the unbridled senses into the darkest region of ignorance, and thus they madly engage in what is called 'chewing the chewed.'

   "Because of their foolish activities, they are unaware that the ultimate goal of human life is to achieve Visnu, the Lord of the cosmic manifestation, and so their struggle for existence is in the wrong direction of material civilization, which is under the external energy. They are led by similar foolish persons, just as one blind man is led by another blind man and both fall in the ditch.

   "Such foolish men cannot be attracted towards the activities of the Supreme Powerful, who is actually the neutralizing measure for their foolish activities, unless and until they have the good sense to be guided by the great souls who are completely freed from material attachment."

   In Bhagavad-gita the Lord asks everyone to give up all other occupational duties and absolutely engage in arcana activities, or in pleasing the Lord. But almost no one is attracted to such arcana activity. Everyone is more or less attracted by activities which are conditions of rebellion against the Supreme Lord. The systems of jnana and yoga are also indirectly rebellious acts against the Lord. There is no auspicious activity except arcana of the Lord. Jnana and yoga are sometimes accepted within the purview of arcana when the ultimate aim is Visnu, and not otherwise. The conclusion is that only the devotees of the Lord are bona fide human beings eligible for salvation. Others are vainly struggling for existence without any actual benefit.

 

                               TEXT 18

 

                                 TEXT

 

             yasmad bibhemy aham api dviparardha-dhisnyam

                adhyasitah sakala-loka-namaskrtam yat

                 tepe tapo bahu-savo 'varurutsamanas

              tasmai namo bhagavate 'dhimakhaya tubhyam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yasmat--from whom; bibhemi--fear; aham--I; api--also; dvi-para-ardha--up to the limit of 4,300,000,000 x 2 x 30 x 12 x 100 solar years; dhisnyam--place; adhyasitah--situated in; sakala-loka--all other planets; namaskrtam--honored by; yat--that; tepe--underwent; tapah--penances; bahu-savah--many, many years; avarurutsamanah--desiring to obtain You; tasmai--unto Him; namah--I do offer my obeisances; bhagavate--unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; adhimakhaya--unto Him who is the enjoyer of all sacrifices; tubhyam--unto Your Lordship.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Your Lordship, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You who are indefatigable time and the enjoyer of all sacrifices. Although I am situated in an abode which will continue to exist for a time duration of two parardhas, although I am the leader of all other planets in the universe, and although I have undergone many, many years of penance for self-realization, still I offer my respects unto You.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Brahma is the greatest personality in the universe because he has the longest duration of life. He is the most respectable personality because of his penance, influence, prestige, etc., and still he has to offer his respectful obeisances unto the Lord. Therefore, it is incumbent upon all others, who are far, far below the standard of Brahma, to do as he did and offer respects as a matter of duty.

 

                               TEXT 19

 

                                 TEXT

 

                tiryan-manusya-vibudhadisu jiva-yonisv

                atmecchayatma-krta-setu-paripsaya yah

               reme nirasta-visayo 'py avaruddha-dehas

                 tasmai namo bhagavate purusottamaya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tiryak--animals lower than human beings; manusya--human beings, etc.; vibudha-adisu--amongst the demigods; jiva-yonisu--in different species of life; atma--self; icchaya--by the will; atma-krta--self-created; setu--obligations; paripsaya--desiring to preserve; yah--who; reme--performing transcendental pastimes; nirasta--not being affected; visayah--material contamination; api--certainly; avaruddha--manifested; dehah--transcendental body; tasmai--unto Him; namah--my obeisances; bhagavate--unto the Personality of Godhead; purusottamaya--the primeval Lord.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O my Lord, by Your own will You appear in the various species of living entities, among animals lower than human beings as well as among the demigods, to perform Your transcendental pastimes. You are not affected by material contamination. You come just to fulfill the obligations of Your own principles of religion, and therefore, O Supreme Personality, I offer my obeisances unto You for manifesting such different forms.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Lord's incarnations in different species of life are all transcendental. He appears as a human being in His incarnations of Krsna, Rama, etc., but He is not a human being. Anyone who mistakes Him for an ordinary human being is certainly not very intelligent, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (9.11): avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam. The same principle is applicable when He appears as the hog or fish incarnations. They are transcendental forms of the Lord and are manifested under certain necessities of His own pleasure and pastimes. Such manifestations of the transcendental forms of the Lord are accepted by Him mostly to enliven His devotees. All His incarnations are manifested whenever there is a need to deliver His devotees and maintain His own principles.

 

                               TEXT 20

 

                                 TEXT

 

               yo 'vidyayanupahato 'pi dasardha-vrttya

                nidram uvaha jathari-krta-loka-yatrah

                 antar-jale 'hi-kasipu-sparsanukulam

               bhimormi-malini janasya sukham vivrnvan

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yah--one; avidyaya--influenced by nescience; anupahatah--without being affected; api--in spite of; dasa-ardha--five; vrttya--interaction; nidram--sleep; uvaha--accepted; jathari--within the abdomen; krta--doing so; loka-yatrah--maintenance of the different entities; antah-jale--within the water of devastation; ahi-kasipu--on the snake bed; sparsa-anukulam--happy for the touch; bhima-urmi--violent waves; malini--chain of; janasya--of the intelligent person; sukham--happiness; vivrnvan--showing.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   My Lord, You accept the pleasure of sleeping in the water of devastation, where there are violent waves, and You enjoy pleasure on the bed of snakes, showing the happiness of Your sleep to intelligent persons. At that time, all the universal planets are stationed within Your abdomen.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Persons who cannot think of anything beyond the limit of their own power are like frogs in a well who cannot imagine the length and breadth of the great Pacific Ocean. Such people take it as legendary when they hear that the Supreme Lord is lying on His bed within the great ocean of the universe. They are surprised that one can lie down within water and sleep very happily. But a little intelligence can mitigate this foolish astonishment. There are many living entities within the bed of the ocean who also enjoy the material bodily activities of eating, sleeping, defending and mating. If such insignificant living entities can enjoy life within the water, why can't the Supreme Lord, who is all-powerful, sleep on the cool body of a serpent and enjoy in the turmoil of violent ocean waves? The distinction of the Lord is that His activities are all transcendental, and He is able to do anything and everything without being deterred by limitations of time and space. He can enjoy His transcendental happiness regardless of material considerations.

 

                               TEXT 21

 

                                 TEXT

 

               yan-nabhi-padma-bhavanad aham asam idya

                  loka-trayopakarano yad-anugrahena

               tasmai namas ta udara-stha-bhavaya yoga-

                  nidravasana-vikasan-nalineksanaya

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yat--whose; nabhi--navel; padma--lotus; bhavanat--from the house of; aham--I; asam--became manifested; idya--O worshipable one; loka-traya--the three worlds; upakaranah--helping in the creation of; yat--whose; anugrahena--by the mercy; tasmai--unto Him; namah--my obeisances; te--unto You; udara-stha--situated within the abdomen; bhavaya--having the universe; yoga-nidra-avasana--after the end of that transcendental sleep; vikasat--blossoming; nalina-iksanaya--unto Him whose opening eyes are like lotuses.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O object of my worship, I am born from the house of Your lotus navel for the purpose of creating the universe by Your mercy. All these planets of the universe were stationed within Your transcendental abdomen while You were enjoying sleep. Now, Your sleep having ended, Your eyes are open like blossoming lotuses in the morning.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Brahma is teaching us the beginning of arcana regulations from morning (four o'clock) to night (ten o'clock). Early in the morning, the devotee has to rise from his bed and pray to the Lord, and there are other regulative principles for offering mangala-arati early in the morning. Foolish nondevotees, not understanding the importance of arcana, criticize the regulative principles, but they have no eyes to see that the Lord also sleeps, by His own will. The impersonal conception of the Supreme is so detrimental to the path of devotional service that it is very difficult to associate with the stubborn nondevotees, who always think in terms of material conceptions.

   Impersonalists always think backwards. They think that because there is form in matter, spirit should be formless; because in matter there is sleep, in spirit there cannot be sleep; and because the sleeping of the Deity is accepted in arcana worship, the arcana is maya. All these thoughts are basically material. To think either positively or negatively is still thinking materially. Knowledge accepted from the superior source of the Vedas is standard. Here in these verses of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, we find that arcana is recommended. Before Brahma took up the task of creation, he found the Lord sleeping on the serpent bed in the waves of the water of devastation. Therefore, sleeping exists in the internal potency of the Lord, and this is not denied by pure devotees of the Lord like Brahma and his disciplic succession. It is clearly said here that the Lord slept very happily within the violent waves of the water, manifesting thereby that He is able to do anything and everything by His transcendental will and not be hampered by any circumstances. The Mayavadi cannot think beyond this material experience, and thus he denies the Lord's ability to sleep within the water. His mistake is that he compares the Lord to himself--and that comparison is also a material thought. The whole philosophy of the Mayavada school, based on "not this, not that" (neti, neti), is basically material. Such thought cannot give one the chance to know the Supreme Personality of Godhead as He is.

 

                               TEXT 22

 

                                 TEXT

 

                so 'yam samasta-jagatam suhrd eka atma

                sattvena yan mrdayate bhagavan bhagena

                tenaiva me drsam anusprsatad yathaham

              sraksyami purvavad idam pranata-priyo 'sau

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sah--He; ayam--the Lord; samasta-jagatam--of all the universes; suhrt ekah--the one friend and philosopher; atma--the Supersoul; sattvena--by the mode of goodness; yat--one who; mrdayate--causes happiness; bhagavan--the Personality of Godhead; bhagena--with six opulences; tena--by Him; eva--certainly; me--to me; drsam--power of introspection; anusprsatat--let Him give; yatha--as; aham--I; sraksyami--will be able to create; purva-vat--as before; idam--this universe; pranata--surrendered; priyah--dear; asau--He (the Lord).

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Let the Supreme Lord be merciful towards me. He is the one friend and soul of all living entities in the world, and He maintains all, for their ultimate happiness, by His six transcendental opulences. May He be merciful towards me so that I, as before, may be empowered with the introspection to create, for I am also one of the surrendered souls who are dear to the Lord.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Supreme Lord, Purusottama, or Sri Krsna, is the maintainer of all, in both the transcendental and material worlds. He is the life and friend of all because there is eternally natural affection and love between the living entities and the Lord. He is the one friend and well-wisher for all, and He is one without a second. The Lord maintains all the living entities everywhere by His six transcendental opulences, for which He is known as bhagavan, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord Brahma prayed for His mercy so that he might be able to create the universal affairs as he did before; only by the Lord's causeless mercy could he create both material and spiritual personalities like Marici and Narada respectively. Brahma prayed to the Lord because He is very much dear to the surrendered soul. The surrendered soul knows nothing but the Lord, and therefore the Lord is very affectionate towards him.

 

                               TEXT 23

 

                                 TEXT

 

                 esa prapanna-varado ramayatma-saktya

                 yad yat karisyati grhita-gunavatarah

               tasmin sva-vikramam idam srjato 'pi ceto

               yunjita karma-samalam ca yatha vijahyam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   esah--this; prapanna--one who is surrendered; vara-dah--benefactor; ramaya--enjoying always with the goddess of fortune (Laksmi); atma-saktya--with His internal potency; yat yat--whatever; karisyati--He may act; grhita--accepting; guna-avatarah--incarnation of the mode of goodness; tasmin--unto Him; sva-vikramam--with omnipotency; idam--this cosmic manifestation; srjatah--creating; api--in spite of; cetah--heart; yunjita--be engaged; karma--work; samalam--material affection; ca--also; yatha--as much as; vijahyam--I can give up.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, is always the benefactor of the surrendered souls. His activities are always enacted through His internal potency, Rama, or the goddess of fortune. I pray only to engage in His service in the creation of the material world, and I pray that I not be materially affected by my works, for thus I may be able to give up the false prestige of being the creator.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In the matter of material creation, maintenance and destruction, there are three incarnations of the material modes of nature--Brahma, Visnu and Mahesvara. But the Lord's incarnation as Visnu, in His internal potency, is the supreme energy for the total activities. Brahma, who is only an assistant in the modes of creation, wanted to remain in his actual position as an instrument of the Lord instead of becoming puffed up by the false prestige of thinking himself the creator. That is the way of becoming dear to the Supreme Lord and receiving His benediction. Foolish men want to take credit for all creations made by them, but intelligent persons know very well that not a blade of grass can move without the will of the Lord; thus all the credit for wonderful creations must go to Him. By spiritual consciousness only can one be free from the contamination of material affection and receive the benedictions offered by the Lord.

 

                               TEXT 24

 

                                 TEXT

 

              nabhi-hradad iha sato 'mbhasi yasya pumso

                vijnana-saktir aham asam ananta-sakteh

                rupam vicitram idam asya vivrnvato me

                ma ririsista nigamasya giram visargah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   nabhi-hradat--from the navel lake; iha--in this millennium; satah--lying; ambhasi--in the water; yasya--one whose; pumsah--of the Personality of Godhead; vijnana--of the total universe; saktih--energy; aham--I; asam--was born; ananta--unlimited; sakteh--of the powerful; rupam--form; vicitram--variegated; idam--this; asya--His; vivrnvatah--manifesting; me--unto me; ma--may not; ririsista--vanish; nigamasya--of the Vedas; giram--of the sounds; visargah--vibration.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Lord's potencies are innumerable. As He lies down in the water of devastation, I am born as the total universal energy from the navel lake in which the lotus sprouts. I am now engaged in manifesting His diverse energies in the form of the cosmic manifestation. I therefore pray that in the course of my material activities I may not be deviated from the vibration of the Vedic hymns.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Every person engaged in the transcendental loving service of the Lord in this material world is prone to so many material activities, and if one is not strong enough to protect himself against the onslaught of material affection, he may be diverted from the spiritual energy. In the material creation Brahma has to create all kinds of living entities with bodies suitable to their material conditions. Brahma wants to be protected by the Lord because he has to contact many, many vicious living entities. An ordinary brahmana may fall from the brahma-tejas, or the power of brahminical excellence, due to his association with many fallen, conditioned souls. Brahma, as the supermost brahmana, is afraid of such a falldown, and therefore he prays to the Lord for protection. This is a warning for one and all in the spiritual advancement of life. Unless one is sufficiently protected by the Lord, he may fall down from his spiritual position; therefore one has to pray constantly to the Lord for protection and the blessing to carry out one's duty. Lord Caitanya also entrusted His missionary work to His devotees and assured them of His protection against the onslaught of material affection. The path of spiritual life is stated in the Vedas to be like the edge of a sharpened razor. A little inattentiveness may at once create havoc and bloodshed, but one who is a completely surrendered soul, always seeking protection from the Lord in the discharge of his entrusted duties, has no fear of falling into material contamination.

 

                               TEXT 25

 

                                 TEXT

 

              so 'sav adabhra-karuno bhagavan vivrddha-

                prema-smitena nayanamburuham vijrmbhan

                 utthaya visva-vijayaya ca no visadam

                madhvya girapanayatat purusah puranah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sah--He (the Lord); asau--that; adabhra--unlimited; karunah--merciful; bhagavan--the Personality of Godhead; vivrddha--excessive; prema--love; smitena--by smiling; nayana-amburuham--the lotus eyes; vijrmbhan--by opening; utthaya--for flourishing; visva-vijayaya--for glorifying the cosmic creation; ca--as also; nah--our; visadam--dejection; madhvya--by sweet; gira--words; apanayatat--let Him kindly remove; purusah--the Supreme; puranah--oldest.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Lord, who is supreme and is the oldest of all, is unlimitedly merciful. I wish that He may smilingly bestow His benediction upon me by opening His lotus eyes. He can uplift the entire cosmic creation and remove our dejection by kindly speaking His directions.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Lord is ever increasingly merciful upon the fallen souls of this material world. The whole cosmic manifestation is a chance for all to improve themselves in devotional service to the Lord, and everyone is meant for that purpose. The Lord expands Himself into many personalities who are either self-expansions or separated expansions. The personalities of the individual souls are His separated expansions, whereas the self-expansions are the Lord Himself. The self-expansions are predominators, and the separated expansions are predominated for reciprocation of transcendental bliss with the supreme form of bliss and knowledge. The liberated souls can join in this blissful reciprocation of predominator and predominated without materially concocted ideas. The typical example of such a transcendental exchange between the predominator and the predominated is the Lord's rasa-lila with the gopis. The gopis are predominated expansions of the internal potency, and therefore the Lord's participation in the rasa-lila dance is never to be considered like the mundane relationship of man and woman. It is, rather, the highest perfectional stage of the exchange of feelings between the Lord and the living entities. The Lord gives the fallen souls the chance for this highest perfection of life. Lord Brahma is entrusted with the management of the complete cosmic show, and therefore he prays that the Lord bestow His blessings upon him so that he may execute its purpose.

 

                               TEXT 26

 

                                 TEXT

 

                            maitreya uvaca

                      sva-sambhavam nisamyaivam

                        tapo-vidya-samadhibhih

                       yavan mano-vacah stutva

                        virarama sa khinnavat

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   maitreyah uvaca--the great sage Maitreya said; sva-sambhavam--the source of his appearance; nisamya--by seeing; evam--thus; tapah--penance; vidya--knowledge; samadhibhih--as also by concentration of the mind; yavat--as far as possible; manah--mind; vacah--words; stutva--having prayed; virarama--became silent; sah--he (Brahma); khinna-vat--as if tired.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The sage Maitreya said: O Vidura, after observing the source of his appearance, namely the Personality of Godhead, Brahma prayed for His mercy as far as his mind and words would permit him. Thus having prayed, he became silent, as if tired from his activities of penance, knowledge and mental concentration.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Brahma's enlightenment in knowledge was due to the Lord sitting within his heart. After being created, Brahma could not ascertain the source of his appearance, but after penance and mental concentration he could see the source of his birth, and thus he became enlightened through his heart. The spiritual master outside and the spiritual master within are both representations of the Lord. Unless one has contact with such bona fide representations, one cannot claim to be a spiritual master. Lord Brahma had no opportunity to take the help of a spiritual master from outside because at that time Brahma himself was the only creature in the universe. Therefore, on becoming satisfied by the prayers of Brahma, the Lord enlightened him about everything from within.

 

                             TEXTS 27-28

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        athabhipretam anviksya

                        brahmano madhusudanah

                         visanna-cetasam tena

                        kalpa-vyatikarambhasa

 

                        loka-samsthana-vijnana

                        atmanah parikhidyatah

                         tam ahagadhaya vaca

                        kasmalam samayann iva

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   atha--thereupon; abhipretam--intention; anviksya--observing; brahmanah--of Brahma; madhusudanah--the killer of the Madhu demon; visanna--depressed; cetasam--of the heart; tena--by him; kalpa--millennium; vyatikara-ambhasa--devastating water; loka-samsthana--situation of the planetary system; vijnane--in the science; atmanah--of himself; parikhidyatah--sufficiently anxious; tam--unto him; aha--said; agadhaya--deeply thoughtful; vaca--by words; kasmalam--impurities; samayan--removing; iva--like that.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Lord saw that Brahma was very anxious about the planning and construction of the different planetary systems and was depressed upon seeing the devastating water. He could understand the intention of Brahma, and thus He spoke in deep, thoughtful words, removing all the illusion that had arisen.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The devastating water was so fearful that even Brahma was perturbed at its appearance and became very anxious about how to situate the different planetary systems in outer space to accommodate the different kinds of living entities, such as the human beings, those lower than the human beings, and the superhuman beings. All the planets in the universe are situated according to the different grades of living entities under the influence of the modes of material nature. There are three modes of material nature, and when they are mixed with one another they become nine. When the nine are mixed they become eighty-one, and the eighty-one also become mixed, and thus we ultimately do not know how the delusion increases and increases. Lord Brahma had to accommodate different places and situations for the requisite bodies of the conditioned souls. The task was meant only for Brahma, and no one in the universe can even understand how difficult it was. But by the grace of the Lord, Brahma was able to execute the tremendous task so perfectly that everyone is amazed to see the workmanship of the vidhata, or the regulator.

 

                               TEXT 29

 

                                 TEXT

 

                          sri-bhagavan uvaca

                      ma veda-garbha gas tandrim

                         sarga udyamam avaha

                       tan mayapaditam hy agre

                      yan mam prarthayate bhavan

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sri-bhagavan uvaca--the Lord, the Personality of Godhead, said; ma--do not; veda-garbha--O You who have the depth of all Vedic wisdom; gah tandrim--become dejected; sarge--for creation; udyamam--enterprises; avaha--you just undertake; tat--that (which you want); maya--by Me; apaditam--executed; hi--certainly; agre--previously; yat--which; mam--from Me; prarthayate--begging; bhavan--you.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The Supreme Personality of Godhead then said: O Brahma, O depth of Vedic wisdom, be neither depressed nor anxious about the execution of creation. What you are begging from Me has already been granted before.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Any person authorized by either the Lord or by His bona fide representative is already blessed, as is the work entrusted to him. Of course, the person entrusted with such a responsibility should always be aware of his incapability and must always look for the mercy of the Lord for the successful execution of his duty. One should not be puffed up because he is entrusted with certain executive work. Fortunate is he who is so entrusted, and if he is always fixed in the sense of being subordinate to the will of the Supreme, he is sure to come out successful in the discharge of his work. Arjuna was entrusted with the work of fighting on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, and before he was so entrusted, the Lord had already arranged for his victory. But Arjuna was always conscious of his position as subordinate to the Lord, and thus he accepted Him as the supreme guide in his responsibility. Anyone who takes pride in doing responsible work but does not give credit to the Supreme Lord is certainly falsely proud and cannot execute anything nicely. Brahma and persons in the line of his disciplic succession who follow in his footsteps are always successful in the discharge of loving transcendental service to the Supreme Lord.

 

                               TEXT 30

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       bhuyas tvam tapa atistha

                       vidyam caiva mad-asrayam

                      tabhyam antar-hrdi brahman

                       lokan draksyasy apavrtan

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   bhuyah--again; tvam--yourself; tapah--penance; atistha--be situated; vidyam--in the knowledge; ca--also; eva--certainly; mat--My; asrayam--under the protection; tabhyam--by those qualifications; antah--within; hrdi--in the heart; brahman--O brahmana; lokan--all the worlds; draksyasi--you will see; apavrtan--all disclosed.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O Brahma, situate yourself in penance and meditation and follow the principles of knowledge to receive My favor. By these actions you will be able to understand everything from within your heart.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The mercy the Lord bestows upon a particular person engaged in executing the responsible work entrusted unto him is beyond imagination. But His mercy is received due to our penance and perseverance in executing devotional service. Brahma was entrusted with the work of creating the planetary systems. The Lord instructed him that when he meditated he would very easily know where and how the planetary systems must be arranged. The directions were to come from within, and there was no necessity for anxiety in that task. Such instructions of buddhi-yoga are directly imparted by the Lord from within, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (10.10).

 

                               TEXT 31

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         tata atmani loke ca

                       bhakti-yuktah samahitah

                      drastasi mam tatam brahman

                       mayi lokams tvam atmanah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tatah--thereafter; atmani--in yourself; loke--in the universe; ca--also; bhakti-yuktah--being situated in devotional service; samahitah--being completely absorbed; drasta asi--you shall see; mam--Me; tatam--spread throughout; brahman--O Brahma; mayi--in Me; lokan--all the universe; tvam--you; atmanah--the living entities.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O Brahma, when you are absorbed in devotional service, in the course of your creative activities, you will see Me in you and throughout the universe, and you will see that you yourself, the universe and the living entities are all in Me.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   It is cited herein by the Lord that during his daytime Brahma would see Him as Lord Sri Krsna. He would appreciate how the Lord expanded Himself into all the calves during His childhood at Vrndavana, he would know how Yasodamayi saw all the universes and planetary systems within the mouth of Krsna during His playful childhood pastimes, and he would also see that there are many millions of Brahmas during the appearance of Lord Krsna in Brahma's daytime. But all these manifestations of the Lord, appearing everywhere in His eternal, transcendental forms, cannot be understood by anyone but the pure devotees, who are always engaged in devotional service to the Lord and are fully absorbed in the Lord. The high qualifications of Brahma are also indicated herein.

 

                               TEXT 32

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        yada tu sarva-bhutesu

                       darusv agnim iva sthitam

                        praticaksita mam loko

                      jahyat tarhy eva kasmalam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yada--when; tu--but; sarva--all; bhutesu--in the living entities; darusu--in wood; agnim--fire; iva--like; sthitam--situated; praticaksita--you shall see; mam--Me; lokah--and the universe; jahyat--can give up; tarhi--then at once; eva--certainly; kasmalam--illusion.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   You will see Me in all living entities as well as all over the universe, just as fire is situated in wood. Only in that state of transcendental vision will you be able to be free from all kinds of illusion.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Brahma prayed that he might not forget his eternal relationship with the Lord during the course of his material activities. In answer to that prayer, the Lord said that he should not think of existing without a relationship with His omnipotency. The example is given of the fire in wood. The fire kindled in wood is always the same, although the wood may be of different types. Similarly, the bodies within the material creation may be specifically different according to shape and quality, but the spirit souls within them are not different from one another. The quality of fire, warmth, is the same everywhere, and the spiritual spark, or part and parcel of the Supreme Spirit, is the same in every living being; thus the potency of the Lord is distributed all over His creation. This transcendental knowledge alone can save one from the contamination of material illusion. Since the Lord's potency is distributed everywhere, a pure soul, or devotee of the Lord, can see everything in relationship with the Lord, and therefore he has no affection for the outer coverings. That pure spiritual conception makes him immune to all contamination of material association. The pure devotee never forgets the touch of the Lord in all circumstances.

 

                               TEXT 33

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         yada rahitam atmanam

                        bhutendriya-gunasayaih

                         svarupena mayopetam

                       pasyan svarajyam rcchati

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yada--when; rahitam--freed from; atmanam--self; bhuta--material elements; indriya--material senses; guna-asayaih--under the influence of the material modes of nature; svarupena--in pure existence; maya--by Me; upetam--approaching; pasyan--by seeing; svarajyam--spiritual kingdom; rcchati--enjoy.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When you are free from the conception of gross and subtle bodies and when your senses are free from all influences of the modes of material nature, you will realize your pure form in My association. At that time you will be situated in pure consciousness.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   In the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu it is said that a person whose only desire is to render transcendental loving service to the Lord is a free person in any condition of material existence. That service attitude is the svarupa, or real form, of the living entity. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, in the Caitanya-caritamrta, also confirms this statement by declaring that the real, spiritual form of the living entity is eternal servitorship to the Supreme Lord. The Mayavada school shudders at the thought of a service attitude in the living entity, not knowing that in the transcendental world the service of the Lord is based on transcendental love. Transcendental loving service is never to be compared to the forced service of the material world. In the material world, even if one is under the conception that he is no one's servant, he is still the servant of his senses, under the dictation of the material modes. Factually no one is master here in the material world, and therefore the servants of the senses have a very bad experience of servitude. They shudder at the thought of service because they have no knowledge of the transcendental position. In transcendental loving service, the servitor is as free as the Lord. The Lord is svarat, or fully independent, and the servant is also fully independent, or svarat, in the spiritual atmosphere because there is no forced service. There the transcendental loving service is due to spontaneous love. A reflected glimpse of such service is experienced in the service of the mother unto the son, the friend's service unto the friend, or the wife's service unto the husband. These reflections of service by friends, parents or wives are not forced, but are due only to love. Here in this material world, however, the loving service is only a reflection. The real service, or service in svarupa, is present in the transcendental world, in association with the Lord. The very same service in transcendental love can be practiced in devotion here.

   This verse is also applicable to the jnani school. The enlightened jnani, when free from all material contaminations, namely the gross and subtle bodies together with the senses of the material modes of nature, is placed in the Supreme and is thus liberated from material bondage. The jnanis and the devotees are actually in agreement up to the point of liberation from material contamination. But whereas the jnanis remain pacified on the platform of simple understanding, the devotees develop further spiritual advancement in loving service. The devotees develop a spiritual individuality in their spontaneous service attitude, which is enhanced on and on, up to the point of madhurya-rasa, or transcendental loving service reciprocated between the lover and the beloved.

 

                               TEXT 34

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         nana-karma-vitanena

                       praja bahvih sisrksatah

                       natmavasidaty asmims te

                        varsiyan mad-anugrahah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   nana-karma--varieties of service; vitanena--by expansion of; prajah--population; bahvih--innumerable; sisrksatah--desiring to increase; na--never; atma--self; avasidati--will be bereaved; asmin--in the matter; te--of you; varsiyan--always increasing; mat--My; anugrahah--causeless mercy.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Since you have desired to increase the population innumerably and expand your varieties of service, you shall never be deprived in this matter because My causeless mercy upon you will always increase for all time.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   A pure devotee of the Lord, being cognizant of the facts of the particular time, object and circumstances, always desires to expand the number of devotees of the Lord in various ways. Such expansions of transcendental service may appear to be material to the materialist, but factually they are expansions of the causeless mercy of the Lord towards the devotee. Plans for such activities may appear to be material activities, but they are different in potency, being engaged in the satisfaction of the transcendental senses of the Supreme.

 

                               TEXT 35

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        rsim adyam na badhnati

                       papiyams tvam rajo-gunah

                       yan mano mayi nirbaddham

                       prajah samsrjato 'pi te

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   rsim--unto the great sage; adyam--the first of the kind; na--never; badhnati--encroaches; papiyan--vicious; tvam--you; rajah-gunah--the material mode of passion; yat--because; manah--mind; mayi--in Me; nirbaddham--compact in; prajah--progeny; samsrjatah--generating; api--in spite of; te--your.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   You are the original rsi, and because your mind is always fixed on Me, even though you will be engaged in generating various progeny, the vicious mode of passion will never encroach upon you.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The same assurance is given to Brahma in the Second Canto, Chapter Nine, verse 36. Being so favored by the Lord, Brahma's schemes and plans are all infallible. If sometimes Brahma is seen to be bewildered, as, in the Tenth Canto, he is bewildered by seeing the action of the internal potency, that is also for his further advancement in transcendental service. Arjuna is found to be similarly bewildered. All such bewilderment of the pure devotees of the Lord is specifically meant for their further advancement in knowledge of the Lord.

 

                               TEXT 36

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      jnato 'ham bhavata tv adya

                        durvijneyo 'pi dehinam

                     yan mam tvam manyase 'yuktam

                       bhutendriya-gunatmabhih

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   jnatah--known; aham--Myself; bhavata--by you; tu--but; adya--today; duh--difficult; vijneyah--to be known; api--in spite of; dehinam--for the conditioned soul; yat--because; mam--Me; tvam--you; manyase--understand; ayuktam--without being made of; bhuta--material elements; indriya--material senses; guna--material modes; atmabhih--and false ego like the conditioned soul.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Although I am not easily knowable by the conditioned soul, you have known Me today because you know that My personality is not constituted of anything material, and specifically not of the five gross and three subtle elements.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Knowledge of the Supreme Absolute Truth does not necessitate negation of the material manifestation but understanding of spiritual existence as it is. To think that because material existence is realized in forms therefore spiritual existence must be formless is only a negative material conception of spirit. The real spiritual conception is that spiritual form is not material form. Brahma appreciated the eternal form of the Lord in that way, and the Personality of Godhead approved of Brahma's spiritual conception. In Bhagavad-gita the Lord condemned the material conception of Krsna's body which arises because He is apparently present like a man. The Lord may appear in any of His many, many spiritual forms, but He is not materially composed, nor has He any difference between body and self. That is the way of conceiving the spiritual form of the Lord.

 

                               TEXT 37

 

                                 TEXT

 

                       tubhyam mad-vicikitsayam

                        atma me darsito 'bahih

                         nalena salile mulam

                        puskarasya vicinvatah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   tubhyam--unto you; mat--Me; vicikitsayam--on your trying to know; atma--self; me--of Myself; darsitah--exhibited; abahih--from within; nalena--through the stem; salile--in the water; mulam--root; puskarasya--of the lotus, the primeval source; vicinvatah--contemplating.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   When you were contemplating whether there was a source to the stem of the lotus of your birth and you even entered into that stem, you could not trace out anything. But at that time I manifested My form from within.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Personality of Godhead can be experienced only by His causeless mercy, not by mental speculation or with the help of the material senses. Material senses cannot approach the transcendental understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He can be appreciated only by submissive devotional service when He reveals Himself before the devotee. Only by love of Godhead can one know God, and not otherwise. The Personality of Godhead cannot be seen with the material eyes, but He can be seen from within by spiritual eyes opened by the ointment of love of Godhead. As long as one's spiritual eyes are closed due to the dirty covering of matter, one cannot see the Lord. But when the dirt is removed by the process of devotional service, one can see the Lord, without a doubt. Brahma's personal endeavor to see the root of the lotus pipe failed, but when the Lord was satisfied by his penance and devotion, He revealed Himself from within with no external endeavor.

 

                               TEXT 38

 

                                 TEXT

 

                     yac cakarthanga mat-stotram

                       mat-kathabhyudayankitam

                       yad va tapasi te nistha

                         sa esa mad-anugrahah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yat--that which; cakartha--performed; anga--O Brahma; mat-stotram--prayers for Me; mat-katha--words regarding My activities; abhyudaya-ankitam--enumerating My transcendental glories; yat--or that; va--either; tapasi--in penance; te--your; nistha--faith; sah--that; esah--all these; mat--My; anugrahah--causeless mercy.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   O Brahma, the prayers that you have chanted praising the glories of My transcendental activities, the penances you have undertaken to understand Me, and your firm faith in Me--all these are to be considered My causeless mercy.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   When a living entity desires to serve the Lord in transcendental loving service, the Lord helps the devotee in so many ways as the caitya-guru, or the spiritual master within, and thus the devotee can perform many wonderful activities beyond material estimation. By the mercy of the Lord even a layman can compose prayers of the highest spiritual perfection. Such spiritual perfection is not limited by material qualifications but is developed by dint of one's sincere endeavor to render transcendental service. Voluntary endeavor is the only qualification for spiritual perfection. Material acquisitions of wealth or education are not considered.

 

                               TEXT 39

 

                                 TEXT

 

                      prito 'ham astu bhadram te

                         lokanam vijayecchaya

                        yad astausir gunamayam

                        nirgunam manuvarnayan

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   pritah--pleased; aham--Myself; astu--let it be so; bhadram--all benediction; te--unto you; lokanam--of the planets; vijaya--for glorification; icchaya--by your desire; yat--that which; astausih--you prayed for; guna-mayam--describing all transcendental qualities; nirgunam--although I am free from all material qualities; ma--Me; anuvarnayan--nicely describing.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   I am very much pleased by your description of Me in terms of My transcendental qualities, which appear mundane to the mundaners. I grant you all benedictions in your desire to glorify all the planets by your activities.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   A pure devotee of the Lord like Brahma and those in his line of disciplic succession always desire that the Lord be known all over the universe by each and every one of the living entities. That desire of the devotee is always blessed by the Lord. The impersonalist sometimes prays for the mercy of the Personality of Godhead Narayana as the embodiment of material goodness, but such prayers do not satisfy the Lord because He is not thereby glorified in terms of His actual transcendental qualities. The pure devotees of the Lord are always most dear to Him, although He is always kind and merciful to all living entities. Here the word gunamayam is significant because it indicates the Lord's possessing transcendental qualities.

 

                               TEXT 40

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        ya etena puman nityam

                      stutva stotrena mam bhajet

                        tasyasu samprasideyam

                        sarva-kama-varesvarah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   yah--anyone who; etena--by this; puman--human being; nityam--regularly; stutva--praying; stotrena--by the verses; mam--Me; bhajet--may worship; tasya--his; asu--very soon; samprasideyam--I shall fulfill; sarva--all; kama--desires; vara-isvarah--the Lord of all benediction.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   Any human being who prays like Brahma, and who thus worships Me, shall very soon be blessed with the fulfillment of all his desires, for I am the Lord of all benediction.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The prayers offered by Brahma cannot be chanted by anyone who desires to fulfill his own sense gratification. Such prayers can be selected only by a person who wants to satisfy the Lord in His service. The Lord certainly fulfills all desires in regard to transcendental loving service, but He cannot fulfill the whims of nondevotees, even when such casual devotees offer Him the best of prayers.

 

                               TEXT 41

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        purtena tapasa yajnair

                        danair yoga-samadhina

                      raddham nihsreyasam pumsam

                      mat-pritis tattvavin-matam

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   purtena--by traditional good work; tapasa--by penances; yajnaih--by sacrifices; danaih--by charities; yoga--by mysticism; samadhina--by trance; raddham--success; nihsreyasam--ultimately beneficial; pumsam--of the human being; mat--of Me; pritih--satisfaction; tattva-vit--expert transcendentalist; matam--opinion.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   It is the opinion of expert transcendentalists that the ultimate goal of performing all traditional good works, penances, sacrifices, charities, mystic activities, trances, etc., is to invoke My satisfaction.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   There are many traditionally pious activities in human society, such as altruism, philanthropy, nationalism, internationalism, charity, sacrifice, penance, and even meditation in trance, and all of them can be fully beneficial only when they lead to the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The perfection of any activity--social, political, religious or philanthropic--is to satisfy the Supreme Lord. This secret of success is known to the devotee of the Lord, as exemplified by Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra. As a good, nonviolent man, Arjuna did not want to fight with his kinsmen, but when he understood that Krsna wanted the fight and had arranged it at Kuruksetra, he gave up his own satisfaction and fought for the satisfaction of the Lord. That is the right decision for all intelligent men. One's only concern should be to satisfy the Lord by one's activities. If the Lord is satisfied by an action, whatever it may be, then it is successful. Otherwise, it is simply a waste of time. That is the standard of all sacrifice, penance, austerity, mystic trance and other good and pious work.

 

                               TEXT 42

 

                                 TEXT

 

                        aham atmatmanam dhatah

                      presthah san preyasam api

                        ato mayi ratim kuryad

                       dehadir yat-krte priyah

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   aham--I am; atma--the Supersoul; atmanam--of all other souls; dhatah--director; presthah--the dearest; san--being; preyasam--of all dear things; api--certainly; atah--therefore; mayi--unto Me; ratim--attachment; kuryat--one should do; deha-adih--the body and mind; yat-krte--on whose account; priyah--very dear.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   I am the Supersoul of every individual. I am the supreme director and the dearest. People are wrongly attached to the gross and subtle bodies, but they should be attached to Me only.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   The Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, is the dearest in both the conditioned and liberated states. When a person does not know that the Lord is the only dearmost object, then he is in the conditioned state of life, and when one knows perfectly well that the Lord is the only dearmost object, he is considered to be liberated. There are degrees of knowing one's relationship with the Lord, depending on the degree of realization as to why the Supreme Lord is the dearmost object of every living being. The real reason is clearly stated in Bhagavad-gita (15.7). Mamaivamso jiva-loke jiva-bhutah sanatanah: the living entities are eternally parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord. The living entity is called the atma, and the Lord is called the Paramatma. The living entity is called Brahman, and the Lord is called the Parabrahman, or the Paramesvara. Isvarah paramah krsnah. The conditioned souls, who do not have self-realization, accept the material body as the dearmost. The idea of the dearmost is then spread all over the body, both concentrated and extended. The attachment for one's own body and its extensions like children and relatives is actually developed on the basis of the real living entity. As soon as the real living entity is out of the body, even the body of the most dear son is no longer attractive. Therefore the living spark, or eternal part of the Supreme, is the real basis of affection, and not the body. Because the living entities are also parts of the whole living entity, that supreme living entity is the factual basis of affection for all. One who has forgotten the basic principle of his love for everything has only flickering love because he is in maya. The more one is affected by the principle of maya, the more he is detached from the basic principle of love. One cannot factually love anything unless he is fully developed in the loving service of the Lord.

   In the present verse, stress is given to focusing love upon the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The word kuryat is significant here. This means "one must have it." It is just to stress that we must have more and more attachment to the principle of love. The influence of maya is experienced by the part and parcel spiritual entity, but it cannot influence the Supersoul, the Paramatma. The Mayavadi philosophers, accepting the influence of maya on the living entity, want to become one with the Paramatma. But because they have no actual love for Paramatma, they remain ever entrapped by the influence of maya and are unable to approach the vicinity of Paramatma. This inability is due to their lack of affection for the Paramatma. A rich miser does not know how to utilize his wealth, and therefore, in spite of his being very rich, his miserly behavior keeps him everlastingly a poor man. On the other hand, a person who knows how to utilize wealth can quickly become a rich man, even with a small credit balance.

   The eyes and the sun are very intimately related because without sunlight the eyes are unable to see. But the other parts of the body, being attached to the sun as a source of warmth, take more advantage of the sun than do the eyes. Without possessing affection for the sun, the eyes cannot bear the rays of the sun; or, in other words, such eyes have no capacity to understand the utility of the sun's rays. Similarly, the empiric philosophers, despite their theoretical knowledge of Brahman, cannot utilize the mercy of the Supreme Brahman because they lack affection. So many impersonal philosophers remain everlastingly under the influence of maya Because, although they indulge in theoretical knowledge of Brahman, they do not develop affection for Brahman nor do they have any scope for development of affection because of their defective method. A devotee of the sun-god, even though devoid of eyesight, can see the sun-god as he is even from this planet, whereas one who is not a devotee of the sun cannot even bear the glaring sunlight. Similarly, by devotional service, even though one is not on the level of a jnani, one can see the Personality of Godhead within himself due to his development of pure love. In all circumstances one should try to develop love of Godhead, and that will solve all contending problems.

 

                               TEXT 43

 

                                 TEXT

 

                         sarva-veda-mayenedam

                         atmanatmatma-yonina

                       prajah srja yatha-purvam

                        yas ca mayy anuserate

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   sarva--all; veda-mayena--under complete Vedic wisdom; idam--this; atmana--by the body; atma--you; atma-yonina--directly born of the Lord; prajah--living entities; srja--generate; yatha-purvam--as it was hereinbefore; yah--which; ca--also; mayi--in Me; anuserate--lie.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   By following My instructions you can now generate the living entities as before, by dint of your complete Vedic wisdom and the body you have directly received from Me, the supreme cause of everything.

 

                               TEXT 44

 

                                 TEXT

 

                            maitreya uvaca

                       tasma evam jagat-srastre

                        pradhana-purusesvarah

                        vyajyedam svena rupena

                        kanja-nabhas tirodadhe

 

                               SYNONYMS

 

   maitreyah uvaca--the sage Maitreya said; tasmai--unto him; evam--thus; jagat-srastre--unto the creator of the universe; pradhana-purusa-isvarah--the primeval Lord, the Personality of Godhead; vyajya idam--after instructing this; svena--in His person; rupena--by the form; kanja-nabhah--the Personality of Godhead Narayana; tirodadhe--disappeared.

 

                             TRANSLATION

 

   The sage Maitreya said: After instructing Brahma, the creator of the universe, to expand, the primeval Lord, the Personality of Godhead in His personal form as Narayana, disappeared.

 

                               PURPORT

 

   Before his activity in creating the universe, Brahma saw the Lord. That is the explanation of the catuh-sloki Bhagavatam. When the creation awaited Brahma's activity, Brahma saw the Lord, and therefore the Lord existed in His personal form before the creation. His eternal form is not created by the attempt of Brahma, as imagined by less intelligent men. The Personality of Godhead appeared as He is before Brahma, and He disappeared from him in the same form, which is not materially tinged.

 

Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Third Canto, Ninth Chapter, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled "Brahma's prayers for Creative Energy."