Creation of the Universal Form

Maitreya said: Seeing the sleeping state in creating the universe because the elements were unmixed, the Lord, first by his energy of cohesion, appearing through time, and then as antaryāmī, entered the twenty-three elements simultaneously.

The Sixth Chapter describes how, when the Paramātmā enters, the universal form appears along with the elements. The adhibhūta, adhyātma and adhidaiva aspects in his body are described.

The elements such as mahat-tattva are called the Lord’s śakti (sva-śaktīnām) because they are the effect of his māyā-śakti. Seeing (niśāmya) the condition of activities for creation in a sleeping state, with a state of unmixed elements, the Lord, supporting this energy, prakṛti, whose identity becomes know by time (kāla-saṁjñām)—along with this prakṛti-- entered into it. “Entering while holding prakṛti” means that first he entered the elements by his energy causing cohesion, and then, after a thousand years, he entered the elements as Paramātmā. The twenty-three elements are mahat-tattva, ahaḍkāra, five tan-mātras, five gross elements, and eleven senses.

mūla-prakṛtir avikṛtir mahadādyāḥ prakṛti-vikṛtayaḥ sapta

ṣoòaśakas tu vikāro na prakṛtir na vikṛtiḥ pūruṣaḥ

Mūla-prakṛti is unchanged. Transformations of prakrṭi are seven (mahat-tattva, ahaḍkāra and five tan-mātras), which further transform into sixteen (five gross elements and eleven senses). Prakrṭi remains separate and puruṣa do not transform. Sāḍkhya-kārikā by Īśvara-kṛṣṇa

Tat sṛṣṭvā tad evānuprāviśat

Having created the universe, the Lord entered it. Taittiīrya Upaniṣad 2.6

Ceṣṭā-rūpena means by the kriyā-śakti, his energy of action. Karma refers to the actions of the jīvas or their fate.

Prabuddha-karmā means the elements were endowed with the kriyā-śakti. Mātrābhiḥ means “by parts.” Adhipuruṣam is the universal form.

This verse shows how the universal form was generated. The elements which comprise creation, combining together by the Supreme Lord who had entered into them by his portion (mātrayā) --assuming a condition where their main qualities manifested-- became transformed into a fetus.

This golden form was the totality of the universe (samaṣṭi-virāṭ). He remained in the waters of the Garbodaka which were within the shell of the universe made of fourteen planetary systems. Or he remained in the universe which was in the Kāraṇa water. He was filled with the jīvas who were resting.

In order to produce the organs such as mouth on this form, first the three śaktis are described. This fetus, the result of the combined elements (viśva-sṛjām), was endowed with jīva, prāṇa and adhyātma śaktis (deva-karmātma-śaktimān). He divided himself up by himself. There is one jīva-śakti, ten prāṇa-śaktis and three ātma-śaktis.

For purifying the heart of the worshippers of Paramātmā, this form should first be worshipped. This form is the ātmā of unlimited beings, since the individual ātmās are parts of this form. This form is a jīva (aṁśa) belonging to Paramātmā (since paramātmā enters into it.) This form is the original avatāra, because the yogīs meditate on this form being one with its antaryāmī, Paramātmā. All creatures such as devatās and men (bhūta-gramaḥ) manifest within this form.

The one, ten and three mentioned in verse 7 are described in reverse order in this verse. Sādhyātmaḥ means “along with the senses.” Sādhidaiva means “with the sense devatās.” Sādhibhūtaḥ means “with the foundations (gross sense organs) and the sense objects.” The ten prāṇas are prāṇa, apāna, samāna, udāna, vyāna, nāga, kūrma, kṛkara, devadatta and dhanañjaya. Prāna moves forward and is located in the nostrils. Apāna moves down and is located in the anus. Samāna causes assimilation of food and drink which are eaten and is located in the middle of the body. Udāna rises upwards and is located in the throat. Vyana moves everywhere and is located in the whole body. Naga causes expulsion. Kūrma causes eyes to open. Kṛkara causes hunger. Devadatta causes yawning. Dhanañjaya causes nourishment. The one refers to the jīva with unbroken consciousness (hṛdayena).

What was the purpose of the Lord in entering as the antaryāmi to manifest the three, ten and one śaktis? He remembered the prayers such as yāvad baliṁ te ’ja harāme (SB 3.5.49). By his cit-śakti (svena tejasā) he manifested (atapat) this universal form so that the elements could perform their functions. Śruti says cakṣuṣaś cakṣur uta śrotrasya śrotram: I am the power in the eye and the power in the ear. (Kena Upaniṣad) This means that the karaṇa-śakti (power of producing results) manifests in the effect.

Various abodes for the devatās became differentiated in this form manifested (abhitaptasya) by the Lord. Hear from me (me).

Agni entered the mouth, its abode (padam), which became differentiated in that fetus along with its portion, the voice, by which the universal form could utter words. In this and the following verses the object differentiated in the accusative case (in this verse mouth) refers to adhiṣṭhāna, the adhibhūta aspect, the gross location in which the subtle sense resides. Agni and others in the nominative case are the presiding deities, the adhidaiva aspect of the universal form. The voice in the instrumental case, in this case voice (vacā), adhyātma aspect, the sense organ. The sense object or action of the organ, also adhibhūta, is in the accusative or genitive case.1 (In this verse it is speech).

The universal form is called the Lord (hareḥ) because the universal form is meditated on as the Lord.

Yataḥ means from the nose.

Tvasṭā is the sun.

Prāṇena refers to the skin sense organ, which spread over the body like the prāṇa.

Siddham means knowledge.

Oṣadhīh stands for oṣadhyaḥ. On the adhiṣṭhāna of skin, two subtle sense organs—skin, previously mentioned, and body hairs—appeared. The presiding deity of the skin sense organ is Vāyu, and the sense object is touch. The presiding deities of the hair sense organ are plants, and their function is relief from itching.

Kaḥ means Prajāpati.2 Retasā (by semen) means the sense organ which gives semen.

Visargam means elimination of stool and urine.

Vārtayā means the śakti of buying and selling, of receiving and giving. Vārttā means ability to make things. (This refers to the hands.) Vṛttim means livelihood.

Buddhi in the verse means the place where intelligence resides, one part of the heart. Vāg-īśaḥ is Brahmā. Bodhena means “by intelligence.” This verse is not accepted by all.

Vikriyām means actions of the mind such as determination.

Abhimānah means he by whom one develops a sense of “I”. This is the deity Rudra. Karmanā means “by the ahaḍkāra.” Kartavyam means “what one identifies with.”

Sattvam means the location of citta in one part of the heart.3 Mahān means Viṣṇu. Vijñānam means consciousness.

This verse describes the creation of the three worlds. Vṛttayaḥ means transformations.

By excellent (ātyantikena) sattva the devatās attain Svarga. Men (paṇayaḥ), those who carry out transactions, attain the earth, along with those beings who are useful for supporting their lives such as cows.

Tārtiyena means “by the third guṇa, tamas.” Those who are persons among the followers of Rudra take shelter of the navel of the universal form (bhagavān-nābhim). What is that? It is the space (vyoma) between the earth and the heavens. This means Bhuvar-loka.

This describes the manifestation of the varṇas. The Vedas (brahma) appeared from the mouth of the universal form, called the puruṣa because of identity with the Lord by the worshipper. The brāhmaṇas, who, because of being favorable to the Vedas, became the chief of the castes, the gurus of the castes, also appeared from the mouth.

Kṣatram means the ability to protect. Those who are inclined to this principle also appeared from the arms. They protect the varṇas from violence of thieves and others (kaṇṭaka-kṣatāt), because of having this protective nature (pauruṣaḥ).

From the thighs appeared businesses such as farming (viśaḥ), which provide maintenance for all people. The vaiśyas also appeared from the thighs, who supplied sustenance for humans by their behavior.

Service (śuśrūsā) for perfecting varṇāśrama (dharma-siddhaye) appeared from his feet. Without that service the system cannot function properly. Though service is the nature of śūdras, it applies to all varṇas. Thus it is stated here that this attitude is for the perfection of all varṇas and āśramas. The śūdra appeared from the feet with this attitude (tasyām). This nature pleases the Lord. That indicates that the service attitude is praised in the Vedas.

The varṇas appeared along with their occupations. Thus, in worshipping the Lord, one should not be worried about obtaining ones livelihood.

This universal form has the nature of time (daiva) and karma. Actually these are subtle factors of māyā belonging to the Lord, but because they are energies of the Lord, they are identified with this form of the Lord. This form appears by the power yoga-māyā. Who could even desire (śradddhyāt) to describe completely (upākartum) this universe (etat)? Desiring to describe it is impossible, what to speak of actually describing it.

I describe what I have heard from guru (yathā-śrutam), and according to how much I have understood (yathā-matiḥ) according to my intelligence. That means that he did not describe everything he heard. I do this to purify (sat-kartum) my words which have been contaminated (asatīm) by topics other than the Lord.

Because the ocean of topics of the Lord cannot be crossed, no one can have complete knowledge of this. People can become successful by chanting and hearing about the Lord, with some amount of knowledge and thus attain the Lord. Describing anything else is a waste of words. And it is the highest attainment to closely offer (upasamprayogam) the ears (śruteh) to nectar topics of the Lord described (upākrtāyām) by the learned.

Not even by intense knowledge can one gain complete knowledge of the Lord, since it is difficult even for Brahmā to understand the Lord. Can the powers of the Lord (ātmanaḥ) be known (avasitaḥ) by Lord Brahmā (kavinā adinā) after a thousand years? This is a statement of lamentation. Even after so long he cannot realize! Or avasita can be a negative of vasita (penetrated). The glories were not penetrated by Brahmā. Or there is another meaning. After a thousand years the Lord’s glories were understood (avasitaḥ) as impossible to understand since they were inconceivable and infinite. He attained this realization of the Lord’s glories. This was the knowledge he attained. Śruti says yasyāmataṁ tasya mataṁ mataṁ yasya na veda sa: the Lord is known to he who does not think the Lord is limited; he who thinks the Lord is limited does not know him. (Kena Upaniṣad 2.3)

“But one can see many persons who have seen the Lord, who can reveal it others.” For this reason (ataḥ), the Lord’s māyā bewilders those who have offered themselves completely to māyā (māyinām), becoming her students, and supposedly being able to give knowledge about her. Māyā certainly throws them constantly into the material realm. Because the Supreme Lord (svayam ātmā) does not know his own form (ātma-vartma), how can others then know him?

Establishing that the Lord cannot be completely understood Maitreya offers respects. The end of the Lord’s glories cannot be reached (aprāpya). The power of speech of the universal form and all the individual jīva (vācaḥ) along with their minds retreated from the Lord. Or the words emanating from Brahmā’s mouth, along with his mind, retreated. Rudra the presiding deity of ahaḍkāra (aham) and the devatās such as Bṛhaspati retreated from him. Why? They retreated because they could not completely comprehend the sweetness of his name, form and pastimes, and could find no end to them. Thus the Lord is aprapya. Śruti says yato vāco nivarttante aprāpya manasā saha: words, along with the mind, turn back from the Lord, who cannot be fully understood. (Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.4.1), The intention of this verse is to show that it impossible to measure the Lord because of his infinity, and thus words and mind are both mentioned. Words and other senses cannot at all realize the Lord. But the same should not be said about knowing the Lord through the vision of ātmā. (Thus the Lord can be known to some extent when ātmā is employed.) Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedā: I am to be known by the Vedas. (BG 15.15) There is no incongruity with śruti:

manasaivānudraṣṭavyam …..etad ameyaṁ dhruvam

That immeasurable, unchanging Lord should be understood by the mind. Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 4.4.19-20

tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ

The devotees always see that supreme form of Viṣṇu. Ṛg Veda 1.22.20

Thus ends the commentary on Sixth Chapter of the Third Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas.