Text 5: Thereafter Brahmā saw that both the lotus on which he was situated and the water on which the lotus was growing were trembling due to a strong, violent wind.
Text 6: Long penance and transcendental knowledge of self-realization had matured Brahmā in practical knowledge, and thus he drank the wind completely, along with the water.
Text 7: Thereafter he saw that the lotus on which he was situated was spread throughout the universe, and he contemplated how to create all the planets, which were previously merged in that very same lotus.
Text 8: Thus engaged in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Brahmā entered into the whorl of the lotus, and as it spread all over the universe he divided it into three divisions of worlds and later into fourteen divisions.
Śrīdhara Svāmi-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Vyākhyā
Brahmā, born from the lotus, established himself on that lotus and observed it. How was the lotus and water? It was shaken by the wind empowered by that time of dissolution. The connection continues with the next verse. || 5 ||
His knowledge and strength increased. He drank everything. || 6 ||
I will create all the worlds that were previously absorbed in the lotus flower. || 7 ||
When instructed by the Lord to perform the task of creation, he entered the lotus bud and divided that one into three in the form of the three worlds. To remove the doubt of how the three worlds could be created from one lotus bud, he describes its vastness. Divided fourteen-fold in the form of fourteen worlds, and even more extensively in many ways. Thus, it was capable of manifesting in many forms, so creating the three worlds from it is not surprising. || 8 ||
Śrī Vaṃśīdhara-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Prakāśa Vyākhyā
That lotus || 5 ||
The meaning is that as much as the wind increased during dissolution through self-established, mind-based knowledge and worship, that much he drank. || 6 ||
It should be connected as: Having seen that lotus which he occupied, which was as vast as the sky. If asked how Brahmā, instructed by Hari to create beings, engaged in destruction by drinking wind etc., the answer is that due to being all-contradictory, the drinking was done. The all-contradictoriness is to be understood from obstructing the place for creating beings by pervading all spaces. || 7 ||
In the task of creating beings, even more than the fourteen worlds, in many ways like creating the sun, moon and other worlds, since by the Lord's will it was capable of becoming many, for this reason - this is the meaning. Just as it is not impossible to create many streams from an ocean containing endless rivers, similarly it is not surprising to create three worlds from that lotus capable of becoming many forms. || 8 ||
Śrī Rādhā Ramaṇa dāsa Gosvāmi Viracitā Dīpanī Vyākhyā
These two verses go together. Having established that lotus, through self-established knowledge and worship focused on Śrī Nārāyaṇa, through austerities like prāṇāyāma etc., knowledge related to creation and also strength, which is the power of action related to that, all increased during dissolution. || 5 || 6 ||
As vast as the sky, by this lotus || 7 ||
In the task of creating worlds, then at the time of creation, that lotus, because that lotus was capable of becoming even more than the fourteen worlds, therefore extensively, by that lotus || 8 ||
Śrīmad Vīrarāghava Vyākhyā
These two verses beginning with "tad" have one connection. Brahmā born from the lotus, established on that lotus, having seen that lotus and water - how was the lotus and water? Shaken by the wind empowered by that time of dissolution, that lotus and water increasing through ever-increasing austerities and karma yoga. Having seen through self-established knowledge and worship focused on the Supreme Self, his knowledge, which is knowledge of various creations, itself being strength, thus characterised, he drank the wind along with the water - this is the meaning. || 5 || 6 ||
After drinking the wind and water, it describes the action. That: Established on that lotus, pervading the sky, extremely tall is the implication. Having seen the lotus flower, by this lotus flower, "I will create the worlds that were previously absorbed at the end of the previous kalpa" - he thought thus. || 7 ||
The lotus bud: Instructed by the Lord in the task to be done by himself, being appointed, having entered that lotus bud, he divided that one lotus bud extensively. Explaining the division itself, to remove the doubt of how the three worlds could be created from one lotus bud, he describes its vastness, saying it was capable of becoming the fourteen worlds, therefore creating the three worlds from it is not surprising - this is the meaning. He divided it threefold in the form of enjoyers like gods etc., objects of enjoyment like sound etc., and instruments in the form of organs of knowledge and action - divided threefold in this way is the meaning. || 8 ||
Śrīmad Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha-kṛtā Pada Ratnāvalī Vyākhyā
That lotus established by himself, shaken by the wind empowered by that time of dissolution, meaning intense, and having seen the water also shaken || 5 ||
The connection is: He drank the wind along with the water, by the principle of uprooting the root. Halāyudha says: "Nipāna is a well, āpāna is a drinking party." || 6 ||
Thinking "What is this? Brahmā instructed by Hari to create begins to destroy?", saying that their drinking is appropriate due to being all-contradictory, with this idea he says: Having seen that, meaning as vast in size as the sky || 7 ||
How can worlds of three etc. numbers be created from one lotus? To answer that, he says: The lotus bud. When he thought that, then instructed by the seen karma which was the cause of creating the fourteen worlds, impelled by Hari who was the object of that karma, the glorious Lord endowed with qualities like knowledge, detachment etc., entering the lotus bud, divided the one into many. Did he make it of infinite number? No, he says: Threefold. Having made it threefold in the form of earth, atmosphere and heaven, he further divided that triad fourteen-fold in the form of the fourteen worlds - this is to be supplied. || 8 ||
Śrīmaj Jīva Gosvāmi-kṛtā Krama Sandarbha Vyākhyā
These two verses up to "nyapāt". The meaning is: It increased during dissolution up to that point. || 5-8 ||
Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravarti-kṛtā Sārārtha darśinī Vyākhyā
Brahmā born from the lotus, on which he was seated - this is the agent in kt suffix. The connection with the next part is: seeing that very lotus and the water shaken by the wind, he drank. By what kind of wind? By that which had its strength produced at that time of dissolution. ||5||
Nyapāt means he destroyed. It should be understood that the water and wind increased to the same extent during the time of dissolution. ||6||
Then I will create the worlds with this lotus flower that extends through space up to Satyaloka. ||7||
Then, entering into it, he was engaged by the Lord in the act of creating the world. He divided that one (lotus) threefold in the form of the three worlds. To remove the doubt of how the three worlds could be created from one lotus calyx, he states its vastness. It can be conceived of as fourteen-fold and in many more ways beyond that, so the creation of the three worlds from it is not surprising, according to Svāmī Caraṇa. First he divided it threefold by the lotus stem and calyx, then fourteen-fold, then in many ways by the divisions of the worlds of sun, moon etc. What is to be meditated on by the worshippers of Virāj, according to others. ||8||
Śrīmac Chukadeva-kṛta Siddhānta Pradīpaḥ
The connection with the next part is: seeing that lotus on which he was situated (agent in kt suffix) and the water, along with the water he drank the wind. ||5||
He whose knowledge and strength increased through self-abiding meditation on the Supreme Self. He drank everything. ||6||
I will establish the worlds. ||7||
Engaged by the Lord himself in the action to be done, entering the lotus calyx, he divided that one threefold in the form of the three worlds, as it will be stated in the 11th Canto: "Engaged in austerity, by my grace, through rajas, the Soul of the Universe created the worlds with their guardians threefold as bhūḥ, bhuvaḥ, svaḥ." And because it will be stated here itself: "This is the daily creation of Brahmā comprising the three worlds." To remove the impossibility of creating three worlds from one lotus bud, he says it can be conceived of as fourteen-fold and in many more ways beyond that. Therefore, there is no impossibility in dividing it threefold - this is the meaning. ||8||
Śrīmad Vallabhācārya Viracitā Subodhinī Vyākhyā
He states what happened then - tad vilokya. Knowledge arose in him through austerity. He states the object of that knowledge - Brahmā born from the lotus, on which he was seated, he saw that lotus in a special way, thus he knew everything related to it. The lotus-born was shaken by the wind whose strength was produced at that time. Knowledge of it being shaken by the wind, and the wind being of the time of dissolution. Knowledge of the wind having a demonic portion, without withdrawing which the effect and cause would not be stable. Strength is also given to the demons by Time. ||5||
Tapasā - He whose knowledge and strength increased through growing austerity and knowledge, such a one drank the wind along with the water. If it is asked how this can produce knowledge and strength when meditation had already ceased earlier, to that he says - ātmasaṃsthayā. It always remains in the inner organ. It is said that Brahmā always serves the Lord with his mind. ||6||
Having thus described the absence of faults, and the wind and water which were the cause of fear and trembling having ceased, he then states what he did in three verses. There he first states that he awoke - tad vilokya. Seeing that lotus extending through space which was occupied by himself, he thought "I will create the worlds by this very method and with this very lotus as before." Kalpitāsmi is in the luṭ tense. Here the thinking is deliberation. It is calculated that in Brahmā's hundred years there are a hundred kalpas. From the similarity to a tree in "The kalpas are like trees each year", its difference in other years is clear. Thus each kalpa is measured by the number of days and nights in a year. But the extremely subtle differences in between cannot be calculated, so they do not result in different names. In that case, even in the Padma Kalpa there are 306 kalpas. Then the deliberation "by this (lotus) the worlds previously absorbed" fits, since in the previous kalpa also the world was created by the lotus. ||7||
He states that he did just as before - padmakośam. Then after the knowledge. Entering that very lotus calyx, he divided the one lotus calyx in many ways. If it is asked how the lotus from the Lord's navel can be divided thus, to that he says - bhagavatkarmacotida. In the Lord's creation, one action of the Lord has entered here, impelled by that. Then being impelled by the Lord's action, having become the form of the Lord's action, there is no fault of his anywhere. He states the divisions of that - ekaṃ vyabhāṅkṣīd urudheti. He divided the one itself in many ways, he made thousands of divisions by the distinctions of the intermediate worlds. When division is made by distinctions of types, it should be threefold by sattva etc. When division is made according to common worldly usage, it was fourteen-fold, he made divisions by the fourteen worlds. ||8||
Śrīmad Gosvāmi Śrī Puruṣottama Caraṇa Viracitaḥ Śrī Subodhinī Prakāśaḥ
In this section, there is no Subodhini Prakasha commentary.
Śrī Giridhara-kṛtā Bāla Prabodhinī
Brahmā born from the lotus, on which he was seated - agent in kt suffix. Seeing that lotus and the water shaken by the wind whose strength was produced at that time of dissolution, he drank the wind along with the water - this is the connection of both. He states the reason for that ability - tapasā. Hi - because, by ever-increasing austerity like fasting etc. and by self-abiding knowledge pertaining to the Supreme Self, i.e. meditation, he whose knowledge had increased, that was his strength. ||5-6||
Seeing the lotus on which he was seated, extending through space and very tall, he thought "I will create with this lotus the worlds that were absorbed at the end of the previous kalpa" - this is the connection. ||7||
Then entering the lotus calyx, he divided that one itself threefold in the form of the three worlds. He states the reason for making the division - bhagavad iti, impelled by the Lord himself in the action to be done, that is the meaning. To remove the doubt of how the three worlds could be created from one lotus bud, he states its vastness - it can be conceived of as fourteen-fold in the form of the fourteen worlds and in many more ways beyond that. Therefore the creation of the three worlds from it is not impossible - this is the meaning. ||8||
Hindī Anuvāda
Brahmājī saw that due to the strong winds of the time of dissolution, the lotus and water from which he was born and on which he was seated were trembling || 5 ||
Through intense penance and self-knowledge residing in his heart, his power of wisdom increased and he drank the wind along with the water || 6 ||
Then, looking at the sky-pervading lotus on which he himself was seated, he thought, 'I will create the people who were dissolved in the previous kalpa from this' || 7 ||
Then Brahmājī, appointed by the Lord for the task of creation, entered that lotus bud and divided it into three parts - bhūḥ (and in parentheses: earth), bhuvaḥ (and in parentheses: atmosphere), svaḥ (and in parentheses: heaven) - although the lotus was so large that it could have been divided into fourteen worlds or even more || 8 ||
SB 3.10.5-8
