Text 5: Mahārāja Parīkṣit said: O learned brāhmaṇa, you know everything because you are without material contamination. Therefore whatever you have spoken to me appears perfectly right. Your speeches are gradually destroying the darkness of my ignorance, for you are narrating the topics of the Lord.
Text 6: I beg to know from you how the Personality of Godhead, by His personal energies, creates these phenomenal universes as they are, which are inconceivable even to the great demigods.
Text 7: Kindly describe how the Supreme Lord, who is all-powerful, engages His different energies and different expansions in maintaining and again winding up the phenomenal world in the sporting spirit of a player.
Text 8: O learned brāhmaṇa, the transcendental activities of the Lord are all wonderful, and they appear inconceivable because even great endeavors by many learned scholars have still proved insufficient for understanding them.
Śrīdhara Svāmi-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā
My ignorance, my darkness, is dispelled, destroyed, by you speaking, O truthful one. Therefore, it is proper. || 5 ||
And again I wish to know: How does the ignorant one create this difficult to comprehend universe? || 6 ||
How does He protect and sustain it? How does He withdraw and destroy it? The one of numerous powers, how does He playfully make Himself take the form of Brahma and others? How does He playfully transform Himself in various ways? || 7 || 8 ||
Śrī Vaṃśīdhara-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā
"O Brahman" - The idea is that you are verily the very embodiment of Brahman. || 5 ||
Here is the king's intention behind "and again": The duties stated for me, one who is about to die, are merely hearing, chanting, and remembering. And the subjects in those are the divine forms, qualities, and pastimes of Krishna. Among them, first I wish to inquire about His creative and other pastimes arising from His māyā-śakti. Then, arising from His cit-śakti, about the lifting of Govardhan. Thus, "and again" indicates my repeated desire to know. || 6 ||
He is the Lord of the universe whose powers are the innumerable jīvas, inner and outer, called the marginal potency. Sporting with His māyā-śakti, He creates Himself in the form of mahat, ahaṅkāra, etc. - this is the question about creation. Then, sporting, He transforms Himself into devas like Brahma and Marici, and creates Himself in the form of devas, animals, humans, etc. - this is the question about secondary creation. || 7 ||
But you probably know all this already. Then why do you ask? To that, he says: Surely, this creation and such deeds of the Supreme Lord are understood to be difficult to comprehend even by poets and authors of scriptural texts on logic, etc., due to ignorance of your intention. It is difficult to understand, difficult to know for me, an ignorant one. What can I say about it? || 8 ||
Śrīmad Vīrarāghava Vyākhyā
To bring down what he himself desired to know, the king praises the sage's words as "proper". O sinless Brahman, as you, the omniscient one, speak the narrations of Hari to me, your words are proper because my ignorance, my darkness, is dispelled and destroyed. || 5 ||
Desiring to know, he asks "and again". "And again" means I wish to know again. How does the ignorant one create this universe, difficult to comprehend even for lords like Brahma? || 6 ||
How does He protect and sustain? How, again, does He withdraw and destroy? The Supreme Person, of infinite powers, whichever form like Brahma, etc. as His power or body He assumes and upholds His Self in that form of Brahma, Rudra, etc., by sportingly engaging in the special, divine act of creation; by sportingly engaged in acts like preservation, etc.; He Himself performs the acts of creation, etc. being the inner Self of each; He transforms, does the opposite, and withdraws. This sportive activity in the form of cosmic deeds has its root in His independence, not rooted in actions like those of children - this is the intention. || 7 ||
O Lord, this wonderful deed, this amazing activity of Hari, is understood to appear as if difficult to comprehend even by highly knowledgeable poets. || 8 ||
Śrīmad Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha-kṛtā Pada Ratnāvalī Vyākhyā
To ask what he desired, he praises Shuka's words as "proper". A statement that provides understanding of what accomplishes one's desired goal and removes obstacles to it - that very statement is seen as proper. How does he express this here with the word "tama" (ignorance)? With "my ignorance is dispelled", it is said that it is uprooted entirely. With "mahā" (to me), it is indicated that the means to accomplish one's desired goal, which is knowledge, is not given. But the very reason for this is stated: "My ignorance is dispelled", by which, therefore, it is "proper". || 5 ||
With His own māyā, His own free will, His own nature, and other means difficult for others to comprehend, in what way does He create this difficult-to-produce universe? || 6 ||
In what way does He protect and sustain? And in what way does He again withdraw and destroy? That process I wish to know again. He is the Supreme Person of infinite powers. || 7 ||
Sporting the jīva (individual soul) in the cycle of rebirth, and sporting through avatāras, whatever power He resorts to, whatever is desired by the universe, all of that in general and in particular He performs - with the words "and that too I wish to know" he affirms the statement "He is ever free from change, ever pure." With the feeling that even among the wise, one who speaks the knowledge of the Supreme Lord's activities is rare, he says "surely". For those who are ignorant, it is difficult to know - with this sense, the word "ca" (and) is used. || 8||
Śrīmaj Jīva Gosvāmi-kṛtā Krama Sandarbha Vyākhyā
Since my ignorance too is dispelled, therefore it should be connected that "your words are indeed proper" as you, the omniscient one, begin to speak the narrations of Hari. || 5 ||
"Bhūya" (again) means "I wish to know this too." Directly upon hearing the narration of Lord Krishna's life, there could arise the notion of the pain of separation from Him, so to instill one's own courage, this is a question to be understood about His specific lordly opulences. || 6 ||
"Yathā" (how) is a compound word. || 7 | 8 || 9 10 11 ||
Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravarti-kṛtā Sārārtha darśinī Vyākhyā
Ignorance is tamaḥ. "Mahyam" means "my". || 5 ||
"Bhūya eva" (again) here expresses the king's intention - "For one who is passing away like me, the prescribed duties are just hearing, chanting and remembering. The five subjects are Krishna's pastimes, His form, qualities etc. Of those, first the pastimes of creation etc. of Him who has the power of māyā should be inquired about, then the lifting of Govardhan hill etc. of Him who has the power of consciousness (cit-śakti)." "Bhūya eva" means "again". "Vivitsāmi" means "I wish to know". This is the humble attitude. "Durvibhāvyam" means "difficult even to contemplate". || 6 ||
"Gopāyati" means "He protects". "Saṁyacchate" means "He withdraws". The Supreme Person possesses many inconceivable potencies - internal, external, and marginal. Sporting with His māyā-śakti, He transforms Himself and creates the material elements like mahat, ahaṅkāra etc. - this is the question of creation (sarva-praśna). Similarly, sporting, He transforms Himself into the forms of demigods like Brahmā, Marīci etc. for secondary creation (visarga-praśna). || 7 ||
Now if you say "But you already know almost all this, so why do you ask?" To that he says: "Surely, the supreme creation and other activities of the Lord are seen as difficult to comprehend even for poets and authors of treatises on logic etc. What value is there in this for an ignorant person like me?" This is the idea. || 8 ||
Śrīmac Chukadeva-kṛta Siddhānta Pradīpaḥ
He praises the words of Shuka as appropriate for bringing about the desired manifestation of the other (divine incarnation). My ignorance, which is darkness, is dispelled and destroyed. (5)
I desire to know that which is difficult to comprehend even for the lords like Brahma. How does He create this world? (6)
The all-pervading, supreme Person, who is the source of all power and equal to none in prowess, by resorting to whichever power He desires – how He protects, how He withdraws into Himself along with the devoted souls while playing, how He acts, how He brings about the contrary processes of creation, preservation, and dissolution, how He liberates – this is the meaning. (7)
The one Person, while being the controller of the mode of goodness, becomes His own incarnation. Brahma, the controller of the mode of passion and the recipient of His grace, is His second incarnation. Rudra, the controller of the mode of ignorance and the recipient of His grace, is the third incarnation. Thus, by successive births, He bears the modes of material nature. These incarnations have been spoken of by Shri Krishna in the Narayaniya Purana: "Tapas, Yajna, Svashta, Purana, Viraat, and Aniruddha are said to be the causes of the creation and destruction of the worlds. At the end of the night of Brahma, by the grace of that immeasurably powerful Lord, a lotus manifested, and from that lotus, the lotus-eyed Brahma was born. Similarly, at the end of the day, Rudra, the cause of destruction, was born from the Lord's forehead when He was angered. These two, the best among the gods, were born from His grace and anger respectively. Instructed by Him, they carry out the functions of creation and destruction. They are merely the efficient causes, while the supreme Lord is the bestower of life upon all living beings." (8)
Śrīmad Vallabhācārya Viracitā Subodhinī Vyākhyā
After stating the means to ask the question, he praises him to ask the question by saying "appropriate". Even though the meaning of your words is not understood because of your omniscience, still your words are appropriate. He addresses him as "Brahman" to indicate the speaker is faultless. "Without pride" means being free from egotism. Still, my ignorance, which is of the nature of darkness, is dispelled by your words. But that was spoken for my sake. I have ascertained the triad. My ignorance is destroyed by your words. And it was spoken by you for my sake. The narrative of the Lord has also been told. (5)
Due to not understanding the meaning, he now asks specific questions indicating his doubts, saying "again". I desire to know. There he raises five doubts concerning creation, sustenance, dissolution, the substrate, and the means. Regarding creation, he raises the doubt with the words "how this". How does He create this world - like a potter? Or merely by speech like an accomplished person? Or by the mind like a yogi? Or does He give birth to it like a wish-fulfilling tree? Or does He manifest it? These are the five doubts about creation. The same doubts apply to sustenance and dissolution as well. Moreover, it is said "difficult to comprehend even for the lords". The five questions I have asked do not pertain to the Lord, because it is impossible even to conceive with the mind how something being created came into being. The same logic applies to the other cases as well. Then should it not be concluded that He does not create at all? That He does not protect? To this, he says "all-pervading" etc. "Again" means the repeated creation of what is destroyed and destruction of what is created. (6)
He raises the fourth question with "whichever power" etc. Here, what is the entity that is created - only the self, or along with its energies? And if with energies, does the self alone get created, or only the energy? With this doubt, and considering the different options established through differences of time or action, for one action He resorts to one energy, and for the second action to another energy - this applies to all five cases. There are also sub-options in each case, because He is the source of all power. There are also many divisions based on time, because He is the controller of time and other factors. He either creates only the self, does the contrary, does not do anything, or does various things. Or, the meaning is that while simply playing, He does something else. Or, the meaning is that while playing, He only creates the self. Other options should be construed from the word "and". (7)
When there are many doubts like this, the teacher should not be asked the question, as it would be contradictory. Therefore, thinking that someone else should be asked instead, he says "surely" etc. He addresses him as "Brahman" so as not to get agitated by the repeated questioning. "Of the Lord Hari" is said to establish the presence of happiness and absence of sorrow. Moreover, in general, by what quality does the Lord perform actions that are difficult to understand? There too, it is "of Hari" - He acts to prevent the sorrow of others. But due to the infinite varieties of sorrows of others, and their infiniteness, it is not understood how by acting in what way the sorrow of all can be removed. For His actions are wonderful. He does one thing, but another results. Therefore, His actions are difficult to comprehend even for skilled poets with imaginative minds. Hence, no one else is worthy of being asked the question. (8)
Śrīmad Gosvāmi Śrī Puruṣottama Caraṇa Viracitaḥ Śrī Subodhinī Prakāśaḥ
On "appropriate" here, it is said "he praises". This was done by the king. When there is ignorance of the meaning, how can the statement be appropriate? Anticipating this doubt, the meaning is stated from "still" onwards - "Still, it should be understood thus by the force of the action." (5)
On "again" here, the word "due to not understanding the meaning" indicates that due to the mutual contradiction of the two statements suggesting the infiniteness of the objects and their knowability, there is failure to understand the intended meaning, hence it is said "the substrate" in the sense of the material cause. "The repeated destruction of what is destroyed" etc. means that what existed and will exist is destroyed again and again, just as it came into being. Or it means that just as wood becomes fire, then ashes, and then those ashes too cease to exist by air, water etc. (6)
On "whichever" here, "in this" means in the process of creation or in the universe. The option "He does not do" is derived from the word "and" among the five doubts. "Something else" means like a magical illusion. On "and other options" - playing with one energy, He transforms the self; or He transforms with other energies; or He creates time etc. in the form of the self - and other such options. (7)
The meaning of "surely" here is "therefore". Since He tolerates contradictory statements as per the statement "He tolerates contradictions", so it is revealed. On "by what quality", it means among the six divine qualities like lordship etc. On "hence", it means because of His amazing actions. On "therefore", it means because He is not of the nature of Brahman. (8)
Śrī Giridhara-kṛtā Bāla Prabodhinī
He illustrates the very question of the king - "Appropriate" etc. O Brahman! O one who has become Brahman through omniscience! O faultless one, devoid of the defects of poets etc.! Your words are appropriate. Why? Because as You, the Lord, narrate those stories, my ignorance, my darkness, is dispelled. (5)
Having thus praised His words, he wishes to ask what he desired to know - "Again" etc. "I wish to know again how the Lord creates this universe, which is incomprehensible even to the great sages, through His own Maya; how He protects it; and how He withdraws it again." The word "again" here indicates the continuous cycle of creation, dissolution, etc. (6)
The Supreme Person, the infinite Energy, the Supreme Purusha - whichever energy He resorts to and plays with, He makes Himself take that form, like Brahma etc. And while playing, He makes Himself take various forms like Rama, Krishna, etc. (7)
Addressing Him as "O Brahman!" again and again, he indicates that You should not get angry even with repeated questioning - "The actions of the Lord appear to be incomprehensible even to the most skilled poets, as if they are magical illusions." Anticipating the question "Why does the Lord perform His divine play?", he says with the intention - "For removing the distress of His devotees through hearing, chanting, etc." - "Of Hari", meaning "Of the one whose nature is to remove the distress of devotees." Then, apprehending that hearing etc. should also remove the distress of the non-devotees like demons, he says - "Of amazing actions" meaning "Whose actions are amazing, causing displeasure to the demons, etc." (8)
Hindī Anuvāda
Parikshit asked - O Lord, O greatest among sages! You are supremely pure and omniscient. Whatever you have said is true and appropriate. As you narrate the stories of the Lord, the veil of my ignorance is getting dispelled. (5)
I wish to know further from you - how does the Lord create this universe through His Maya? The creation of this universe is so mysterious that even the capable rulers like Brahma get confused in understanding it. (6)
How does the Lord protect this universe and then again dissolve it? Which energies does the infinite-energied Supreme Soul resort to, making Himself a plaything and playing? How does He create universes like children's make-believe houses, and then effortlessly destroy them? (7)
The divine plays of Lord Hari are truly amazing and inconceivable. There is no doubt that their mystery appears extremely difficult to comprehend even for great scholars. (8)
SB 2.4.5-8
