Text 25: After the dissolution of each and every Manu, the next Manu comes in order, along with his descendants, who rule over the different planets; but the seven famous sages, and demigods like Indra and their followers, such as the Gandharvas, all appear simultaneously with Manu.
Text 26: In the creation, during Brahmā’s day, the three planetary systems — Svarga, Martya and Pātāla — revolve, and the inhabitants, including the lower animals, human beings, demigods and Pitās, appear and disappear in terms of their fruitive activities.
Text 27: In each and every change of Manu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead appears by manifesting His internal potency in different incarnations, as Manu and others. Thus He maintains the universe by discovered power.
Text 28: At the end of the day, under the insignificant portion of the mode of darkness, the powerful manifestation of the universe merges in the darkness of night. By the influence of eternal time, the innumerable living entities remain merged in that dissolution, and everything is silent.
Śrīdhara Svāmi-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Vyākhyā
Thus he sustains the three worlds. || 25 || With his own forms, through the Manvantara avatāras (incarnations of Manu), with Manu and others as instruments, he manifests his divine power and protects the universe. || 26 || He describes the state during night with five verses. A small portion of darkness. By whom prowess is withdrawn and restrained. In whom everything has entered and merged. || 27 || He clarifies that very thing. That very one, etc. The usage is in the passive voice with an active meaning. The sense is they become concealed. How? Just as the moon and sun become devoid and absent. || 28 ||
Śrī Vaṃśīdhara-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Prakāśa Vyākhyā
Brāhma means created by Brahma. Sustains means accomplishes. Where in the daily creation that happens day by day. With aṇi, mum of the prior part. || 25, 26 || For the purpose of dissolving just the three worlds, it is appropriate to take up only a small portion of darkness. Taking up in the form of Kālāgnirudra, Saṃkarṣaṇa, etc. By whom prowess in the form of the earth, atmosphere and heaven. As stated in the second canto: "Prowess is earth, atmosphere and heaven." Everything means the multitude of beings in the three worlds, etc. He remains silent, having given up playful activities - this is the meaning. At the end of the day, in the dissolution at day's end. || 27 || That very nature of dissolution characterized by the day's end. This is the meaning. As stated by Amara: "Covering, concealment, veiling and hiding." The sense is they dissolve by themselves. He asks how the concealment occurs. When it has occurred, when it has been obtained. || 28 ||
Śrī Rādhā Ramaṇa dāsa Gosvāmi Viracitā Dīpanī Vyākhyā
Because of being born from the Manu dynasties. Since simultaneous existence is not possible due to fixed posteriority, "in sequence" is supplied in explanation. He makes it an object where in the daily creation. || 25 || Through the Manvantara incarnations, nourishing even material goodness by the proximity of pure goodness. || 26 || Taking up a small portion of darkness, the cause of dissolution, in the form of Kālāgnirudra, the entire multitude of beings in the three worlds. || 27 || That very state of having everything merged, following that very one sleeping in the womb of cosmic waters, when it has occurred, has commenced, devoid means destroyed, where in that concealment it happens thus - this is the meaning. || 28 ||
Śrīmad Vīrarāghava Vyākhyā
He describes the duration of the groups of Manvantaras. In the Manvantaras, etc. The Manvantaras are the periods between Manus, the intermediate times from one Manu to the next. In those, the Manus, the kings who protect the earth in Manu's dynasty, the sages, and the chiefs of the gods like Indra, those who follow them, they all arise simultaneously and protect the three worlds - this is the meaning. Then stating thus the external measure of the three worlds, the duration of a day of that, the daily nature of his creation, he says that through Manu and others as instruments, the Lord himself protects the universe, not that Manu and others are protectors themselves. This, etc. Brāhma means created by the four-faced one. This daily creation done day by day, how is it? Sustaining the three worlds. There is another reading "increasing" - there it increases the three worlds. Thus where in that daily creation, the arising, the birth of animals, humans, ancestors and gods occurs through their karmas in the form of virtue and vice. || 25 || In the Manvantaras, the Lord with his own forms, bearing a form made of pure goodness, that is the meaning. With manifest power, having revealed his divine power, through Manu and others as instruments he protects this universe. Therefore there is no contradiction in the Lord being the protector - this is the intention. || 26 || Having thus described the state during the day, now he begins to relate the state during night. A portion of darkness, etc. Taking up a portion of darkness, having an excess of assumed darkness - this is the meaning. Whose prowess is withdrawn, whose activity has ceased. In whom everything has entered, even time follows him - this is the meaning. At the end of Brahma's day, at day's end, he sits silently. || 27 || He clarifies that very state of having everything merged. That very one, etc. Following that very one, time, afterwards the three worlds - earth etc. - are covered, become concealed - this is the meaning. How are they covered? To this he says: When night has occurred, is happening, just as the moon and sun become devoid, thus without those two they are covered, destroyed - this is the meaning. || 28 ||
Śrīmad Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha-kṛtā Pada Ratnāvalī Vyākhyā
Brāhma means created by Brahma. Daily means done in Brahma's day. Sustaining the three worlds means causing the three worlds to function. Where in that daily creation, the arising, birth of animals etc. || 25 || That Manu and others perform the protection of the world etc. is indeed blessed by the Lord - he says this. In the Manvantaras, etc. Sattva means the quality of goodness. With manifest power means with eternally manifest prowess. || 26 || To remove the weak doubt that only world protection is fixed for the Lord, not dissolution, he says: A portion of darkness, etc. At the end of the day, at the departure of Brahma's day, at night time, the Lord, taking up a portion of darkness, the form of Kālāgni, Saṃkarṣaṇa, Rudra etc. which cause the quality of darkness fixed by himself to function, with prowess withdrawn, followed by time named Kāla, on the couch of Śeṣa's body in the waters of dissolution at the end of the kalpa, he remains silent, ceased from worldly activity, he sleeps - this is the meaning. As it is said: "Hari sleeps at night with Brahma named Kāla." By "time" here the time of dissolution is not meant, as that is already conveyed by "end of day." || 27 || With the intention that the Lord's sleep is different from Devadatta's sleep, because of the complete destruction of the movable and immovable in this, he describes the manner of dissolution. That very one, etc. In the world, when the moon and sun have become devoid, and when Hari has entered Brahma as if sleeping, when his night has occurred, the worlds - earth etc. - dissolve following that Brahma. In the alternate reading "follow after", they follow after Hari who is sleeping, they are made to sleep along with Brahma - this is the meaning. || 28 ||
Śrīmaj Jīva Gosvāmi-kṛtā Krama Sandarbha Vyākhyā
Simultaneously means in their own Manvantara - this is the meaning. || 25-29 ||
Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravarti-kṛtā Sārārtha darśinī Vyākhyā
The Manu dynasty becomes the ruler of the earth in succession, while the seven sages and others exist simultaneously. The divine Indras follow them, and the gandharvas and others also exist in the three worlds. Thus, this refers to the creation of the three worlds. || 25 || * With his own forms, the avatars, he manifests his prowess and reveals his heroic deeds. || 26 || * * This describes the state during the night. Taking a small portion of darkness for the purpose of dissolving the three worlds, assuming the form of Kālāgnirudra, he restrains his power, enclosed by fire and other elements, by which he conquers the three worlds of Bhūr, Bhuvaḥ, and Svar as mentioned before. Then, all the hosts of beings in the three worlds follow and enter into him, meaning he silently abandons his illusory play and amusement. || 27 || * Then, focusing on that, they are concealed, meaning they disappear on their own in the passive voice. The moon and sun become free from light, as it were. || 28 ||
Śrīmac Chukadeva-kṛta Siddhānta Pradīpaḥ
Daily, performed each day, the Brahma creation made by the four-faced one sustains the three worlds, thus it is so. || 25 || * * With his own forms, the Manvantara avatars, bearing sattva (virtue) and independence as stated, the Lord himself protects the universe through the instrumental Manus and others. || 26 || * * Taking a small portion of darkness, he withdraws his power, by which all enters into him, at the end of the day he remains silent, the rest refers to Brahma. || 27 || * * As the moon and sun become free and devoid of light, so the worlds are concealed and disappear. || 28 ||
Śrīmad Vallabhācārya Viracitā Subodhinī Vyākhyā
He concludes the purpose of the mentioned Manvantaras - This daily. Occurring day by day is daily. The year-long kalpa is different, but this is daily. He states its particularity - sustaining the three worlds. It sustains and rotates the three worlds. Because of the repeated births of gods, animals and humans, it sustains the three worlds. He states that very thing - of animals, humans, ancestors and gods. Ancestors are one category, distinguished as living and dead. In the daily repeated creation, karma is the controller. || 25 || * * Thus, having concluded the day, when asking who initiates the controlling dharma there, he states that the Lord himself initiates dharma - In the Manvantaras. In all the Manvantaras, the Lord bearing his own pure sattva, with his own forms, the avatars like Manu who initiate knowledge, action, yoga, etc., along with this universe. Whose prowess is manifested. Although he himself maintains dharma and protects the world, still these Manus and avatars are portions of his own prowess. || 26 || * * Thus, having explained the daily creation, he explains the dissolution there - Taking a portion of darkness. A portion of darkness means devoid of connection with sattva and rajas, pure tamas is meant. Taking that, whose power is restrained. When the power is withdrawn by darkness, the universe which is the effect of power also enters into the Lord in time. He states that - By time. Everything indeed enters. By the word "all", it is indicated that the world apart from Śeṣa is meant. Then the Lord, abandoning his inclination towards effects, remains silent. At the end of the day, at twilight. In the Lord's silence, due to the absence of the sustainer of the flow, impelled by time, the worlds of Bhūr, etc. are concealed, they enter the unmanifest. Then, when they have merged in the unmanifest, as it becomes free of moon and sun, so when night properly continues. || 27 || 28 ||
Śrīmad Gosvāmi Śrī Puruṣottama Caraṇa Viracitaḥ Śrī Subodhinī Prakāśaḥ
From verse 25 to verse 38, the Subodhinī Prakāśa commentary is not available.
Śrī Giridhara-kṛtā Bāla Prabodhinī
This daily creation made by the four-faced Brahma, performed day by day, is the sustainer of the three worlds, in which occurs the sustenance or production of the three worlds. He clarifies this - Of animals, etc. In which daily creation, the birth appropriate to their karma, their accumulated merit and sin, occurs for animals, humans, ancestors and gods. || 25 || The purpose of the Lord's avatars indicated by "and" is stated - In the Manvantaras. In each Manvantara, the Lord bearing sattva, wearing a form of pure sattva, with manifested prowess, revealed heroic deeds, he protects this universe along with Manu and others - this is the construction. || 26 || * * Thus having described the state during the day, now he begins to describe the state during the night - Taking a portion of darkness. Taking a small portion of darkness, becoming predominantly dark, and thus with restrained, ceased power or activity. Then even time follows that, with this intention he states - By time, followed and entered, all the three worlds in which, that Brahma at the end of the day remains silent, sleeps. || 27 || He clarifies this further - That very. As the moon and sun become free, ceased, so when night properly continues, immediately after that time, the three worlds consisting of Bhūr, Bhuvaḥ and Svar are concealed, merge - this is the construction. || 28 ||
Hindī Anuvāda
This is Brahma's daily creation, in which the three worlds are formed. In it, animals, birds, humans, ancestors, and deities are born according to their respective karmas. [25]
In these manvantaras, the Lord, taking refuge in the sattva guna, manifests his prowess through his forms such as Manu and sustains this universe. [26]
When Brahma's day ends with the passage of time, he accepts contact with the tamo guna, suspends his creative activity, and remains inactive. [27]
At that time, the entire universe merges into him. That night of dissolution, devoid of sun and moon, comes, and then the three worlds - Bhuh, Bhuvah, Svah - hide in Brahma's body. [28]
SB 3.11.25-28
