Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 5: “The Creative Impetus”
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Chapter Seventeen
SB5.17.12
TEXT 12
esu purusanam ayuta-purusayur-varsanam deva-kalpanam nagayuta-prananam vajra-samhanana-bala-vayo-moda-pramudita-maha-saurata-mithuna-vyavayapavarga-varsa-dhrtaika-garbha-kalatranam tatra tu treta-yuga-samah kalo vartate.
SYNONYMS
esu—in these (eight) varsas, or tracts of land; purusanam—of all the men; ayuta—ten thousand; purusa—by the measure of men; ayuh-varsanam—of those whose years of life; deva-kalpanam—who are like the demigods; naga-ayuta-prananam—having the strength of ten thousand elephants; vajra-samhanana—by bodies as solid as thunderbolts; bala—by bodily strength; vayah—by youth; moda—by abundant sense enjoyment; pramudita—being excited; maha-saurata—a great deal of sexual; mithuna—combinations of man and woman; vyavaya-apavarga—at the end of their period of sexual enjoyment; varsa—in the last year; dhrta-eka-garbha—who conceive one child; kalatranam—of those who have wives; tatra—there; tu—but; treta-yuga-samah—exactly like the Treta-yuga (when there is no tribulation); kalah—time; vartate—exists.
TRANSLATION
In these eight varsas, or tracts of land, human beings live ten thousand years according to earthly calculations. All the inhabitants are almost like demigods. They have the bodily strength of ten thousand elephants. Indeed, their bodies are as sturdy as thunderbolts. The youthful duration of their lives is very pleasing, and both men and women enjoy sexual union with great pleasure for a long time. After years of sensual pleasure—when a balance of one year of life remains—the wife conceives a child. Thus the standard of pleasure for the residents of these heavenly regions is exactly like that of the human beings who lived during Treta-yuga.
PURPORT
There are four yugas: Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga, Dvapara-yuga and Kali-yuga. During the first yuga, Satya-yuga, people were very pious. Everyone practiced the mystic yoga system for spiritual understanding and realization of God. Because everyone was always absorbed in samadhi, no one was interested in material sense enjoyment. During Treta-yuga, people enjoyed sense pleasure without tribulations. Material miseries began in Dvapara-yuga, but they were not very stringent. Stringent material miseries really began from the advent of Kali-yuga.
Another point in this verse is that in all eight of these heavenly varsas, although men and women enjoy sex pleasure, there is no pregnancy. Pregnancy takes place only in lower-grade life. For example, animals like dogs and hogs become pregnant twice a year, and each time they beget at least half a dozen offspring. Even lower species of life such as snakes give birth to hundreds of young at one time. This verse informs us that in grades of life higher than ours, pregnancy occurs once in a lifetime. People still have sex life, but there is no pregnancy. In the spiritual world, people are not very attracted to sex life, due to their exalted devotional attitude. Practically speaking, there is no sex life in the spiritual world, but even if sometimes it does occur, there is no pregnancy at all. On the planet earth, however, human beings do become pregnant, although the tendency is to avoid having children. In this sinful age of Kali, people have even taken to the process of killing the child in the womb. This is the most degraded practice; it can only perpetuate the miserable material conditions of those who perform it. SB5.17.13 TEXT 13 yatra ha deva-patayah svaih svair gana-nayakair vihita-maharhanah sarvartu-kusuma-stabaka-phala-kisalaya-sriyanamyamana-vitapa-lata-vitapibhir upasumbhamana-rucira-kananasramayatana-varsa-giri-dronisu tatha camala-jalasayesu vikaca-vividha-nava-vanaruhamoda-mudita-raja-hamsa-jala-kukkuta-karandava-sarasa-cakravakadibhir madhukara-nikarakrtibhir upakujitesu jala-kridadibhir vicitra-vinodaih sulalita-sura-sundarinam kama-kalila-vilasa-hasa-lilavalokakrsta-mano-drstayah svairam viharanti. SYNONYMS yatra ha—in those eight tracts of land; deva-patayah—the lords of the demigods, such as Lord Indra; svaih svaih—by their own respective; gana-nayakaih—leaders of the servants; vihita—furnished with; maha-arhanah—valuable gifts, such as sandalwood pulp and garlands; sarva-rtu—in all seasons; kusuma-stabaka—of bunches of flowers; phala—of fruits; kisalaya-sriya—by the opulences of shoots; anamyamana—being bent down; vitapa—whose branches; lata—and creepers; vitapibhih—by many trees; upasumbhamana—being fully decorated; rucira—beautiful; kanana—gardens; asrama-ayatana—and many hermitages; varsa-giri-dronisu—the valleys between the mountains designating the borders of the tracts of land; tatha—as well as; ca—also; amala-jala-asayesu—in lakes with clear water; vikaca—just fructified; vividha—varieties; nava-vanaruha-amoda—by the fragrance of lotus flowers; mudita—enthused; raja-hamsa—great swans; jala-kukkuta—water fowl; karandava—aquatic birds called karandavas; sarasa—cranes; cakravaka-adibhih—by birds known as cakravakas and so on; madhukara-nikara-akrtibhih—by the bumblebees; upakujitesu—which were made to resound; jala-krida-adibhih—such as water sports; vicitra—various; vinodaih—by pastimes; su-lalita—attractive; sura-sundarinam—of the women of the demigods; kama—from lust; kalila—born; vilasa—pastimes; hasa—smiling; lila-avaloka—by playful glances; akrsta-manah—whose minds are attracted; drstayah—and whose vision is attracted; svairam—very freely; viharanti—engage in sportive enjoyment. TRANSLATION In each of those tracts of land, there are many gardens filled with flowers and fruits according to the season, and there are beautifully decorated hermitages as well. Between the great mountains demarcating the borders of those lands lie enormous lakes of clear water filled with newly grown lotus flowers. Aquatic birds such as swans, ducks, water chickens, and cranes become greatly excited by the fragrance of lotus flowers, and the charming sound of bumblebees fills the air. The inhabitants of those lands are important leaders among the demigods. Always attended by their respective servants, they enjoy life in gardens alongside the lakes. In this pleasing situation, the wives of the demigods smile playfully at their husbands and look upon them with lusty desires. All the demigods and their wives are constantly supplied with sandalwood pulp and flower garlands by their servants. In this way, all the residents of the eight heavenly varsas enjoy, attracted by the activities of the opposite sex. PURPORT Here is a description of the lower heavenly planets. The inhabitants of those planets enjoy life in a pleasing atmosphere of clear lakes filled with newly grown lotus flowers and gardens filled with fruits, flowers, various kinds of birds and humming bees. In that atmosphere they enjoy life with their very beautiful wives, who are always sexually stimulated. Nonetheless, they are all devotees of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as will be explained in subsequent verses. The inhabitants of this earth also desire such heavenly enjoyment, but when they somehow or other achieve imitation pleasures like sex and intoxication, they completely forget the service of the Supreme Lord. In the heavenly planets, however, although the residents enjoy superior sense gratification, they never forget their positions as eternal servants of the Supreme Being. SB5.17.14 TEXT 14 navasv api varsesu bhagavan narayano maha-purusah purusanam tad-anugrahayatma-tattva-vyuhenatmanadyapi sannidhiyate. SYNONYMS navasu—in the nine; api—certainly; varsesu—tracts of land known as varsas; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; narayanah—Lord Visnu; maha-purusah—the Supreme Person; purusanam—unto His various devotees; tat-anugrahaya—to show His mercy; atma-tattva-vyuhena—by expansions of Himself in the quadruple forms Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha; atmana—personally; adya api—until now; sannidhiyate—is near the devotees for accepting their services. TRANSLATION To show mercy to His devotees in each of these nine tracts of land, the Supreme Personality of Godhead known as Narayana expands Himself in His quadruple principles of Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. In this way He remains near His devotees to accept their service. PURPORT In this connection, Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura informs us that the demigods worship the Supreme Lord in His various Deity forms (arca-vigraha) because except in the spiritual world, the Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be directly worshiped in person. In the material world, the Lord is always worshiped as the arca-vigraha, or Deity in the temple. There is no difference between the arca-vigraha and the original person, and therefore those who are engaged in worshiping the Deity in the temple in full opulence, even on this planet, should be understood to be directly in touch with the Supreme Personality of Godhead without a doubt. As enjoined in the sastras, arcye visnau sila-dhir gurusu nara-matih: “No one should treat the Deity in the temple as stone or metal. nor should one think that the spiritual master is an ordinary human being.” One should strictly follow this sastric injunction and worship the Deity, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, without offenses. The spiritual master is the direct representative of the Lord, and no one should consider him an ordinary human being. By avoiding offenses against the Deity and the spiritual master, one can advance in spiritual life, or Krsna consciousness. In this regard, the following quotation appears in the Laghu-bhagavatamrta: padme tu parama-vyomnah tatha pada-vibhutau ca satyordhve vaisnave loke ksirambudhi-sthitante hayagrivo maha-krodo “In the Padma Purana it is said that in the spiritual world the Lord personally expands in all directions and is worshiped as Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha. The same God is represented by the Deity in this material world, which is only one quarter of His creation. Vasudeva, Sankarsana, Pradyumna and Aniruddha are also present in the four directions of this material world. There is a Vaikunthaloka covered with water in this material world, and on that planet is a place called Vedavati, where Vasudeva is located. Another planet known as Visnuloka is situated above Satyaloka, and there Sankarsana is present. Similarly, in Dvaraka-puri, Pradyumna is the predominator. On the island known as Svetadvipa, there is an ocean of milk, and in the midst of that ocean is a place called Airavati-pura, where Aniruddha lies on Ananta. In some of the satvata-tantras, there is a description of the nine varsas and the predominating Deity worshiped in each: (1) Vasudeva, (2) Sankarsana, (3) Pradyumna, (4) Aniruddha, (5) Narayana, (6) Nrsimha, (7) Hayagriva, (8) Mahavaraha, and (9) Brahma. “The Lord Brahma mentioned in this connection is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When there is no fit human being to empower as Lord Brahma, the Lord Himself takes the position of Lord Brahma. Tatra brahma tu vijneyah purvokta-vidhaya harih. That Brahma mentioned here is Hari Himself. SB5.17.15 TEXT 15 ilavrte tu bhagavan bhava eka eva puman na hy anyas tatraparo nirvisati bhavanyah sapa-nimitta-jno yat-praveksyatah stri-bhavas tat pascad vaksyami. SYNONYMS ilavrte—in the tract of land known as Ilavrta-varsa; tu—but; bhagavan—the most powerful; bhavah—Lord Siva; eka—only; eva—certainly; puman—male person; na—not; hi—certainly; anyah—any other; tatra—there; aparah—besides; nirvisati—enters; bhavanyah sapa-nimitta-jnah—who knows the cause of the curse by Bhavani, the wife of Lord Siva; yat-praveksyatah—of one who forcibly enters that tract of land; stri-bhavah—transformation into a female; tat—that; pascat—later; vaksyami—I shall explain. TRANSLATION Sukadeva Gosvami said: In the tract of land known as Ilavrta-varsa, the only male person is Lord Siva, the most powerful demigod. Goddess Durga, the wife of Lord Siva, does not like any man to enter that land. If any foolish man dares to do so, she immediately turns him into a woman. I shall explain this later [in the Ninth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam]. SB5.17.16 TEXT 16 bhavani-nathaih stri-ganarbuda-sahasrair avarudhyamano bhagavatas catur-murter maha-purusasya turiyam tamasim murtim prakrtim atmanah sankarsana-samjnam atma-samadhi-rupena sannidhapyaitad abhigrnan bhava upadhavati. SYNONYMS bhavani-nathaih—by the company of Bhavani; stri-gana—of females; arbuda-sahasraih—by ten billion; avarudhyamanah—always being served; bhagavatah catuh-murteh—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is expanded in four; maha-purusasya—of the Supreme Person; turiyam—the fourth expansion; tamasim—related to the mode of ignorance; murtim—the form; prakrtim—as the source; atmanah—of himself (Lord Siva); sankarsana-samjnam—known as Sankarsana; atma-samadhi-rupena—by meditating upon Him in trance; sannidhapya—bringing Him near; etat—this; abhigrnan—clearly chanting; bhavah—Lord Siva; upadhavati—worships. TRANSLATION In Ilavrta-varsa, Lord Siva is always encircled by ten billion maidservants of goddess Durga, who minister to him. The quadruple expansion of the Supreme Lord is composed of Vasudeva, Pradyumna, Aniruddha and Sankarsana. Sankarsana, the fourth expansion, is certainly transcendental, but because his activities of destruction in the material world are in the mode of ignorance, He is known as tamasi, the Lord’s form in the mode of ignorance. Lord Siva knows that Sankarsana is the original cause of his own existence, and thus he always meditates upon Him in trance by chanting the following mantra. PURPORT Sometimes we see a picture of Lord Siva engaged in meditation. This verse explains that Lord Siva is always meditating upon Lord Sankarsana in trance. Lord Siva is in charge of the destruction of the material world. Lord Brahma creates the material world, Lord Visnu maintains it, and Lord Siva destroys it. Because destruction is in the mode of ignorance, Lord Siva and his worshipable Deity, Sankarsana, are technically called tamasi. Lord Siva is the incarnation of tamo-guna. Since both Lord Siva and Sankarsana are always enlightened and situated in the transcendental position, they have nothing to do with the modes of material nature—goodness, passion and ignorance—but because their activities involve them with the mode of ignorance, they are sometimes called tamasi. SB5.17.17 TEXT 17 sri-bhagavan uvaca om namo bhagavate maha-purusaya sarva-guna-sankhyanayanantayavyaktaya nama iti. SYNONYMS sri-bhagavan uvaca—the most powerful Lord Siva says; om namo bhagavate—O Supreme Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You; maha-purusaya—who are the Supreme person; sarva-guna-sankhyanaya—the reservoir of all transcendental qualities; anantaya—the unlimited; avyaktaya—not manifested within the material world; namah—my respectful obeisances; iti—thus. TRANSLATION The most powerful Lord Siva says: O Supreme Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You in Your expansion as Lord Sankarsana. You are the reservoir of all transcendental qualities. Although You are unlimited, You remain unmanifest to the nondevotees. SB5.17.18 TEXT 18 bhaje bhajanyarana-pada-pankajam bhagasya krtsnasya param parayanam bhaktesv alam bhavita-bhuta-bhavanam bhavapaham tva bhava-bhavam isvaram SYNONYMS bhaje—I worship; bhajanya—O worshipable Lord; arana-pada-pankajam—whose lotus feet protect His devotees from all fearful situations; bhagasya—of opulences; krtsnasya—of all different varieties (wealth, fame, strength, knowledge, beauty and renunciation); param—the best; parayanam—the ultimate shelter; bhaktesu—to the devotees; alam—beyond value; bhavita-bhuta-bhavanam—who manifests His different forms for the satisfaction of His devotees; bhava-apaham—who stops the devotees’ repetition of birth and death; tva—unto You; bhava-bhavam—who is the origin of the material creation; isvaram—the Supreme Personality of Godhead. TRANSLATION O my Lord, You are the only worshipable person, for You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the reservoir of all opulences. Your secure lotus feet are the only source of protection for all Your devotees, whom You satisfy by manifesting Yourself in various forms. O my Lord, You deliver Your devotees from the clutches of material existence. Nondevotees, however, remain entangled in material existence by Your will. Kindly accept me as Your eternal servant. SB5.17.19 TEXT 19 na yasya maya-guna-citta-vrttibhir niriksato hy anv api drstir ajyate ise yatha no ’jita-manyu-ramhasam kas tam na manyeta jigisur atmanah SYNONYMS na—never; yasya—whose; maya—of the illusory energy; guna—in the qualities; citta—of the heart; vrttibhih—by the activities (thinking. feeling and willing); niriksatah—of Him who is glancing; hi—certainly; anu—slightly; api—even; drstih—vision; ajyate—is affected; ise—for the purpose of regulating; yatha—as; nah—of us; ajita—who have not conquered; manyu—of anger; ramhasam—the force; kah—who; tam—unto Him (the Supreme Lord); na—not; manyeta—would worship; jigisuh—aspiring to conquer; atmanah—the senses. TRANSLATION We cannot control the force of our anger. Therefore when we look at material things, we cannot avoid feeling attraction or repulsion for them. But the Supreme Lord is never affected in this way. Although He glances over the material world for the purpose of creating, maintaining and destroying it, He is not affected, even to the slightest degree. Therefore, one who desires to conquer the force of the senses must take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord. Then he will be victorious. PURPORT The Supreme Personality of Godhead is always equipped with inconceivable potencies. Although creation takes place by His glancing over the material energy, He is not affected by the modes of material nature. Because of His eternally transcendental position, when the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears in this material world, the modes of material nature cannot affect Him. Therefore the Supreme Lord is called Transcendence, and anyone who wants to be secure from the influence of the modes of material nature must take shelter of Him. SB5.17.20 TEXT 20 asad-drso yah pratibhati mayaya ksibeva madhv-asava-tamra-locanah na naga-vadhvo ’rhana isire hriya yat-padayoh sparsana-dharsitendriyah SYNONYMS asat-drsah—for a person with polluted vision; yah—who; pratibhati—appears; mayaya—the influence of maya; ksibah—one who is inebriated or angry; iva—like; madhu—by honey; asava—and liquor; tamra-locanah—having eyes reddish like copper; na—not; naga-vadhvah—the wives of the serpent demon; arhane—in worshiping; isire—were unable to proceed; hriya—because of bashfulness; yat-padayoh—of whose lotus feet; sparsana—by the touching; dharsita—agitated; indriyah—whose senses. TRANSLATION For persons with impure vision, the Supreme Lord’s eyes appear like those of someone who indiscriminately drinks intoxicating beverages. Thus bewildered, such unintelligent persons become angry at the Supreme Lord, and due to their angry mood the Lord Himself appears angry and very fearful. However, this is an illusion. When the wives of the serpent demon were agitated by the touch of the Lord’s lotus feet, due to shyness they could proceed no further in their worship of Him. Yet the Lord remained unagitated by their touch, for He is equipoised in all circumstances. Therefore who will not worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead ? PURPORT Anyone who remains unagitated, even in the presence of cause for agitation, is called dhira, or equipoised. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, being always in a transcendental position, is never agitated by anything. Therefore someone who wants to become dhira must take shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord. In Bhagavad-gita (2.13) Krsna says, dhiras tatra na muhyati: a person who is equipoised in all circumstances is never bewildered. Prahlada Maharaja is a perfect example of a dhira. When the fierce form of Nrsimhadeva appeared in order to kill Hiranyakasipu, Prahlada was unagitated. He remained calm and quiet, whereas others, including even Lord Brahma, were frightened by the features of the Lord. SB5.17.21 TEXT 21 yam ahur asya sthiti-janma-samyamam tribhir vihinam yam anantam rsayah na veda siddhartham iva kvacit sthitam bhu-mandalam murdha-sahasra-dhamasu SYNONYMS yam—whom; ahuh—they said; asya—of the material world; sthiti—the maintenance; janma—creation; samyamam—annihilation; tribhih—these three; vihinam—without; yam—which; anantam—unlimited; rsayah—all the great sages; na—not; veda—feels; siddha-artham—a mustard seed; iva—like; kvacit—where; sthitam—situated; bhu-mandalam—the universe; murdha-sahasra-dhamasu—on the hundreds and thousands of hoods of the Lord. TRANSLATION Lord Siva continued: All the great sages accept the Lord as the source of creation, maintenance and destruction, although He actually has nothing to do with these activities. Therefore the Lord is called unlimited. Although the Lord in His incarnation as Sesa holds all the universes on His hoods, each universe feels no heavier than a mustard seed to Him. Therefore, what person desiring perfection will not worship the Lord? PURPORT The incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead known as Sesa or Ananta has unlimited strength, fame, wealth, knowledge, beauty and renunciation. As described in this verse, Ananta’s strength is so great that the innumerable universes rest on His hoods. He has the bodily features of a snake with thousands of hoods, and since His strength is unlimited, all the universes resting on His hoods feel no heavier than mustard seeds. We can just imagine how insignificant a mustard seed is on the hood of a serpent. In this connection, the reader is referred to Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, Chapter Five, verses 117–125. There it is stated that Lord Visnu’s incarnation as the serpentine Ananta Sesa Naga supports all the universes on His hoods. By our calculation, a universe may be very, very heavy, but because the Lord is ananta (unlimited), He feels the weight to be no heavier than a mustard seed. SB5.17.22-23 TEXTS 22–23 yasyadya asid guna-vigraho mahan vijnana-dhisnyo bhagavan ajah kila yat-sambhavo ’ham tri-vrta sva-tejasa vaikarikam tamasam aindriyam srje ete vayam yasya vase mahatmanah sthitah sakunta iva sutra-yantritah mahan aham vaikrta-tamasendriyah srjama sarve yad-anugrahad idam SYNONYMS yasya—from whom; adyah—the beginning; asit—there was; guna-vigrahah—the incarnation of the material qualities; mahan—the total material energy; vijnana—of full knowledge; dhisnyah—the reservoir; bhagavan—the most powerful; ajah—Lord Brahma; kila—certainly; yat—from whom; sambhavah—born; aham—I; tri-vrta—having three varieties according to the three modes of nature; sva-tejasa—by my material strength; vaikarikam—all the demigods; tamasam—material elements; aindriyam—the senses; srje—I create; ete—all of these; vayam—we; yasya—of whom; vase—under the control; maha-atmanah—great personalities; sthitah—situated; sakuntah—vultures; iva—like; sutra-yantritah—bound by rope; mahan—the mahat-tattva; aham—I; vaikrta—the demigods; tamasa—the five material elements; indriyah—senses; srjamah—we create; sarve—all of us; yat—of whom; anugrahat—by the mercy; idam—this material world. TRANSLATION From that Supreme Personality of Godhead appears Lord Brahma, whose body is made from the total material energy, the reservoir of intelligence predominated by the passionate mode of material nature. From Lord Brahma, I myself am born as a representation of false ego known as Rudra. By my own power I create all the other demigods, the five elements and the senses. Therefore, I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is greater than any of us and under whose control are situated all the demigods, material elements and senses, and even Lord Brahma and I myself, like birds bound by a rope. Only by the Lord’s grace can we create, maintain and annihilate the material world. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Being. PURPORT A summary of creation is given in this verse. From Sankarsana, Maha-Visnu expands, and from Maha-Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu expands. Lord Brahma, who was born of Garbhodakasayi Visnu, fathers Lord Siva, from whom all the other demigods gradually evolve. Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and Lord Visnu are incarnations of the different material qualities. Lord Visnu is actually above all material qualities, but He accepts control of sattva-guna (the mode of goodness) to maintain the universe. Lord Brahma is born from the mahat-tattva. Brahma creates the entire universe, Lord Visnu maintains it, and Lord Siva annihilates it. The Supreme Personality of Godhead controls all the most important demigods—especially Lord Brahma and Lord Siva—exactly as the owner of a bird controls it by binding it with a rope. Sometimes vultures are controlled in this way. SB5.17.24 TEXT 24 yan-nirmitam karhy api karma-parvanim mayam jano ’yam guna-sarga-mohitah na veda nistarana-yogam anjasa tasmai namas te vilayodayatmane SYNONYMS yat—by whom; nirmitam—created; karhi api—at any time; karma-parvanim—which ties the knots of fruitive activity; mayam—the illusory energy; janah—a person; ayam—this; guna-sarga-mohitah—bewildered by the three modes of material nature; na—not; veda—knows; nistarana-yogam—the process of getting out of material entanglement; anjasa—soon; tasmai—unto Him (the Supreme); namah—respectful obeisances; te—unto You; vilaya-udaya-atmane—in whom everything is annihilated and from whom everything is again manifested. TRANSLATION The illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead binds all of us conditioned souls to this material world. Therefore, without being favored by Him, persons like us cannot understand how to get out of that illusory energy. Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the Lord, who is the cause of creation and annihilation. PURPORT Krsna clearly states in Bhagavad-gita (7.14): daivi hy esa guna-mayi “This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.” All conditioned souls working within the illusory energy of the Lord consider the body to be the self, and thus they continuously wander throughout the universe, taking birth in different species of life and creating more and more problems. Sometimes they become disgusted with the problems and seek out a process by which they can get out of this entanglement. Unfortunately, such so-called research workers are unaware of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His illusory energy, and thus all of them work only in darkness. never finding a way out. So-called scientists and advanced research scholars are ludicrously trying to find the cause of life. They take no notice of the fact that life is already being produced. What will be their credit if they find out the chemical composition of life? All their chemicals are nothing but different transformations of the five elements—earth, water, fire, air and ether. As stated in Bhagavad-gita (2.20), the living entity is never created (na jayate mriyate va kadacin). There are five gross material elements and three minor material elements (mind, intelligence and ego), and there are eternal living entities. The living entity desires a certain type of body, and by the order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that body is created from material nature, which is nothing but a kind of machine handled by the Supreme Lord. The Lord gives the living entity a particular type of mechanical body, and the living entity must work with it according to the law of fruitive activities. Fruitive activities are described in this verse: karma-pamanim mayam. The living entity is seated on a machine (the body), and according to the order of the Supreme Lord, he operates the machine. This is the secret of transmigration of the soul from one body to another. The living entity thus becomes entangled in fruitive activities in this material world. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (15.7), manah sasthanindriyani prakrti-sthani karsati: the living entity is struggling very hard against the six senses, which include the mind. In all the activities of creation and annihilation, the living entity is entangled in fruitive activities, which are executed by the illusory energy, maya. He is exactly like a computer handled by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The so-called scientists say that nature acts independently, but they cannot explain what nature is. Nature is nothing but a machine operated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When one understands the operator, his problems of life are solved. As Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (7.19): bahunam janmanam ante “After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare.” A sane man, therefore, surrenders to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and thus gets out of the clutches of the illusory energy, maya. Thus end the Bhaktivedanta purports of the Fifth Canto, Seventeenth Chapter of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, entitled “The Descent of the River Ganges.”
purvadye dik-catustaye
vasudevadayo vyuhas
catvarah kathitah kramat
nivasanti kramadi me
jalavrti-stha-vaikuntha-
sthita vedavati-pure
nityakhye dvaraka-pure
suddhodad uttare sveta-
dvipe cairavati-pure
kroda-paryanka-dhamani
satvatiye kvacit tantre
nava vyuhah prakirtitah
catvaro vasudevadya
narayana-nrsimhakau
brahma ceti navoditah
tatra brahma tu vijneyah
purvokta-vidhaya harih
mama maya duratyaya
mam eva ye prapadyante
mayam etam taranti te
jnanavan mam prapadyate
vasudevah sarvam iti
sa mahatma sudurlabhah