Text 11: Did they evolve the creation in conjunction with their respective wives, did they remain independent in their action, or did they all jointly produce it?
Text 12: Maitreya said: When the equilibrium of the combination of the three modes of nature was agitated by the unseen activity of the living entity, by Mahā-Viṣṇu and by the force of time, the total material elements were produced.
Text 13: As impelled by the destiny of the jīva, the false ego, which is of three kinds, evolved from the mahat-tattva, in which the element of rajas predominates. From the ego, in turn, evolved many groups of five principles.
Text 14: Separately unable to produce the material universe, they combined with the help of the energy of the Supreme Lord and were able to produce a shining egg.
Text 15: For over one thousand years the shiny egg lay on the waters of the Causal Ocean in the lifeless state. Then the Lord entered it as Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu.
Text 16: From the navel of the Personality of Godhead Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu sprouted a lotus flower effulgent like a thousand blazing suns. This lotus flower is the reservoir of all conditioned souls, and the first living entity who came out of the lotus flower was the omnipotent Brahmā
Text 17: When that Supreme Personality of Godhead who is lying on the Garbhodaka Ocean entered the heart of Brahmā, Brahmā brought his intelligence to bear, and with the intelligence invoked he began to create the universe as it was before.
Text 18: First of all, Brahmā created from his shadow the coverings of ignorance of the conditioned souls. They are five in number and are called tāmisra, andha-tāmisra, tamas, moha and mahā-moha.
Text 19: Out of disgust, Brahmā threw off the body of ignorance, and taking this opportunity, Yakṣas and Rākṣasas sprang for possession of the body, which continued to exist in the form of night. Night is the source of hunger and thirst.
Text 20: Overpowered by hunger and thirst, they ran to devour Brahmā from all sides and cried, “Spare him not! Eat him up!”
Śrīdhara Svāmi-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Vyākhyā
Those with companions and wives are independent, those without wives are dependent on actions for procreation etc., united and mutually dependent. This is the world. (11)
To answer the question "What did Brahmā begin?", he recalls the previously mentioned creation to say that he created yakshas etc. With seven verses starting with "By fate". The answers to the questions about Manu etc. will come in the next chapter. By inscrutable fate, the jīva's unseen karma, and the supreme puruṣa (person) who presides over prakṛti (nature), and by time as the unblinking cause, from the changeless Bhagavān arose agitation in the three guṇas (qualities) which are primary, from which mahat (the great principle) arose. As stated in the Tantra: "They know three forms of Viṣṇu called Puruṣa. The first creates mahat, the second is situated in the egg, the third dwells in all beings. Knowing these, one is liberated." (12)
From mahat arose ahaṃkāra (ego) with three guṇas, with rajas predominant. The meaning is that even though mahat is naturally sattva-predominant, at the time of ahaṃkāra's production it becomes rajas-predominant in accordance with the effect. It created in groups of five: the tanmātras (subtle elements), mahābhūtas (gross elements), jñānendriyas (sense organs), karmendriyas (organs of action), and their presiding deities. (13)
Unable to create the golden egg of elements individually, they created it together. (14)
He presided over it. (15)
Whose radiance is like a thousand suns. The lotus is the abode of all groups of living beings. Svarāṭ means Brahmā. (16)
He who lies in the waters within the womb-waters, pervaded by that Bhagavān, that self-shining one, through the process of names and forms. (17)
Chāyā means reflection. The meaning is "unaware", as stated "Who is unaware of the Lord". Mahātama means great delusion. The use of the nominative case for moha is simply to indicate its nature. (18)
Thus, after recounting the ordinary creation mentioned first, he now describes an extraordinary creation with some distinction, up to the end starting with "He emitted". That emitted effect took the form of night. The yakshas and rakshasas that were born from it seized that night which was the source of hunger and thirst. Here the śruti should be recalled: "That was his body, he cast it off, it became darkness." (19)
Overcome, they tried to devour him. Some say: Since we are afflicted by hunger and thirst, please protect us out of compassion, father. Others say: Hearing "Eat!", from the root "jakṣa" meaning "to eat, laugh". (20)
Śrī Vaṃśīdhara-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Prakāśa Vyākhyā
To discuss the obtained creation, he recalls the previous Brahmic creation for continuity, starting with "By fate". Inscrutable means with an unknowable root, meaning from Bhagavān or impelled by him. (12)
This is the meaning: It is due to Bhagavān's desire to create. This is the purport. The suffix śas in "pañcaśaḥ" expresses distributive sense as per the rule "After a numeral in the singular, śas expresses distribution". It is indeclinable as included in the enumerated list in "taddhitas are indeclinable except for all case endings". (13)
By divine providence, due to the connection with the divine power, and because of its primacy in the production of beings, it is physical (bhautika), and due to its connection with divine splendor, it shines like gold. Or, the universe is composed of only the five elements, not of the nine substances assumed by logicians, nor of the seven categories. This is stated by Śrī Bādarāyaṇa in the Mokṣadharma section of the Śāntiparva in the Mahābhārata. It is explained similarly by Nīlakaṇṭhācārya, thus:
"Ākāśa (space), māruta (wind), jyotis (fire), āpas (water), and pṛthvī (earth) as the fifth; existence, non-existence, and time are in all five elements."
The meaning of this is: In the five types of beings (born from wombs, etc.), which are made of five elements, this indicates that existence, non-existence, and time are also physical (bhautika).
Now, the followers of Kaṇāda believe that in addition to the five elements, there are four more substances: time, space, soul, and mind; twenty-four qualities; and seven categories of existence including action, generality, particularity, and inherence, with non-existence as the seventh category. So how can everything be claimed to be made of five elements?
To this, it is said: Time is not a separate category, as past and future dealings can be explained by the states of newness and oldness in substances themselves. Space is not separate either, as it's accepted to be a conception of directions like east in the sky itself, based on the sun's position. Mind is not separate, as being a sense organ like the ear, it must necessarily be considered a substrate of perceptible qualities of its own kind, thus being composed of five elements. The mind conceived by others, not being a substrate of perceptible qualities of its own kind, can be considered a sense organ like time and space. Qualities are not separate from their substrates. Action is just a particular state of substance characterized by displacement and motion, so it's not a separate category.
The conception of generality as something distinct from substance, quality, and action, pervading them all, is invalid due to infinite regress and other faults, even if it's assumed to exist in generalities. It's improper to imagine such a non-pervading generality when the usage of "existent" can be explained by the existence of the substratum alone.
The acceptance of "infinite particulars residing in eternal substances" is baseless due to the non-existence of eternal substances in non-dualism and is not established by any other means of knowledge. Color and other qualities will reside in substance even without inherence, so the conception of inherence is also pointless.
Just as there is mutual absence of cloth in a pot, there will be absence of pot-connection on the ground. As stated: "Non-existence is indeed another existence from a certain perspective." Prior non-existence and destruction non-existence are not established due to the non-existence of their counter-positives, as there is no determiner of them according to the maxim "absence is determined in relation to its locus."
Therefore, it is correct to say that existence, non-existence, and time are also made of five elements, as there is no category beyond the physical. This is the gist. (14)
Without a self, as souls were not yet awakened then. That egg shell. Īśvara, the creator of mahat, through his second form as the womb-water dweller, a little more. (15)
That same Brahmā who created in the previous kalpa, having entered, in this kalpa a lotus arose from his navel, where Viṣṇu himself became self-shining. (16)
The arrangement of the worlds as before, as per the śruti "The Creator arranged as before". (17)
Ego cannot arise in the yakshas, rakshasas, devas and humans created by Brahmā without ignorance, so first the modes of ignorance manifest on their own, Brahmā created them through himself - this is the meaning. Since it has a concealing nature, with a body in the form of darkness characterized by ignorance - this is the idea. He recalls what was stated earlier as the reason: "Who is unaware". Since "create" takes an object, and since the agent suffix is prescribed for the agent, how can "delusion" be in the nominative instead of accusative? He answers: It is to simply indicate its nature. Or it may be due to Vedic usage. (18)
He did not welcome it, meaning at the beginning of creation he was covered by darkness, so he rejected it with disgust. Born from that very darkness at that time. Here the śruti is authoritative regarding the rejection of the body of darkness and its becoming night: "That was his dark body, he cast it off, it became darkness, it became night" - this is the meaning of the śruti. Here, the rejection of the body by Brahmā who lives for two parārdhas should be understood as rejection of a state. Then a dark mood like anger arose in the mind, from which yakshas and rakshasas were born. That dark mood became night, which the yakshas and rakshasas seized - this much is the meaning. If he took and rejected separate bodies for creation, his lifespan of two parārdhas would not be contradicted. Some also say that gods like Indra are seen to take and reject various forms for sense enjoyment. (19-20)
Śrī Rādhā Ramaṇa dāsa Gosvāmi Viracitā Dīpanī Vyākhyā
Three questions: with the cooperation of the wife, without dependence on her, and with the cooperation of other Prajāpatis. (11) From the previously mentioned supreme cause of the Lord in the kalpa, through the great person as the medium, there was a disturbance that abandoned the equilibrium of qualities, from which pradhāna arose; from that arose mahat, the great principle. There, fate, the unseen of living beings, was one cause. From that, the highest time was the cause, and by that cause, it became the creator of mahat in the form of puruṣa. Then, wholly as the creator of mahat, known as Saṅkarṣaṇa situated in the egg, in the form of Garbhodaśāyī known as Pradyumna, present in all beings known as Aniruddha - knowing and worshipping these. (12) The predominance of rajas should be understood as belonging to the part known as sūtra. (13) By divine connection, by relation to the Lord's power, then combining with each other, impelled by the Lord's power, as stated in the second, golden and full of light. (14) In the ocean water, in the causal ocean water, the egg itself is the egg sheath, residing within it for slightly more than a thousand years, Virāṭ lay - this is the connection. And its soullessness is now due to the non-awakening of the collective souls in it; the Lord, lying in the causal ocean, inhabited it in the form of Garbhodaśāyī. (15) Of that Garbhodaśāyī Padmanābha Aniruddha, he himself is indeed one. (16) By his own intelligence, considered in himself in many ways. (17) Darkness opposing light, its being a synonym for ignorance, thus not explained by implication of meaning, as the second case ending is absent everywhere in creation activities, "delusion" is used in the nominative case, merely for stating the essential nature by name. (18) Common, similar to what was described before, by some special distinction like the narration of the story of Yakṣas and Rākṣasas, the abandonment of the body by Brahmā who has a lifespan of two parārdhas is indeed the abandonment of mental modifications like anger. As even for other gods like Indra, the abandonment of various forms assumed for sense enjoyment is seen in the ninth book, from that very night-like body, and here the body being in the form of night, that well-known body of Brahmā which was in the form of anger etc., he abandoned that. Tamisrā means night, to be remembered as authoritative. (19) (20)
Śrīmad Vīrarāghava Vyākhyā
How - thus asking himself, desiring to ascertain this manner from the sage's mouth, he considers alternatives. Did they create with their wives? Is the word "kim" in question, or were the wives independent in creation and other activities without reliance [on their husbands]? Or did all the sages like Marīci etc. create this universe together, dependent on each other? (11) Thus asked, Maitreya, desiring to explain the different types of creation, recalls the previously mentioned creation from mahat to the five-fold ignorance in seven verses. By divine - by the inconceivable, unthinkable power of the divine Lord as the agent, superior to prakṛti and puruṣa, the supreme self, and by time as the unwinking cause, there arose an agitation which is the activity oriented towards effects, from that belonging to the Lord, meaning that which is the Lord's body. From the pradhāna consisting of the three guṇas arose the principle of mahat. Here, by saying "from the Lord's three guṇas," the statement of Brahman as the material cause in the form of pradhāna, and by "divine" the statement of Brahman alone as the efficient cause, and by "by supreme time" the statement of time also as having the nature of the supreme self, [indicates] Brahman's independence from other instruments in creation etc. By "from the three guṇas," the existence of time and pradhāna even before creation is understood, and by "inconceivable" the possession of inconceivable omniscience, omnipotence, true desires etc. suitable for being the efficient and material cause is understood, and by their being indicative, the existence of differences of the same class like individual souls is also stated. (12) Rajas - From mahat which is predominantly sattva by nature, but in its state of being oriented towards effects has rajas predominant as both tamas and sattva are assistants to it, hence it is said to be "predominantly rajas," arose threefold ahaṅkāra consisting of the five great elements and the faculties of knowledge and action. It created the ether etc. - space etc., by "etc." the tanmātras, knowledge senses and action senses are meant - in fives, meaning each is five in number. (13) And those ether etc., being unable to create the material egg when separate from each other one by one, then by divine connection, by the Lord's entrance, coming together - by this the process of pañcīkaraṇa is meant - they created the golden, very luminous egg, the cosmic egg. (14) The egg sheath, soulless, without a conscious ruler, above the water - by this the creation of water before the creation of the egg is implied by context - lay, the Lord Aniruddha dwelt in that egg sheath completely for a full thousand years - the Lord inhabited the water-covered, water-filled egg, this is the meaning. (15) Who is that Lord who dwelt? To this he says - from whose navel, while lying in the egg, arose a lotus brilliant like a thousand suns, that Lord dwelt, this is the meaning. What kind of lotus arose from the navel? To this he says - the abode of the multitude, the assembly of all souls, gods etc., where Brahmā self-born arose, that lotus arose, this is the meaning. (16) That Brahmā, entered by the Lord, entered by knowledge in the form of will, this is the meaning. Who is that Lord by whom he was entered? To this he says - by him who lies at the end of the waters of the womb, this is the meaning. Brahmā, entered by the Lord, conceived the arrangement of the worlds according to the previous kalpa, by his own unique arrangement consisting of the names and forms of gods etc. (17) By shadow, by the quality of tamas, he created five-fold ignorance; he states the five parts: By tāmisra etc. the nature of tāmisra etc. has already been explained in detail. (18) Thus having recalled the common creation, he states the uncommon types of creation from "He abandoned" until the end of the chapter. Not delighting in, he abandoned the body full of tamas, the form made of shadow. Everywhere, abandonment of the body means abandonment of the state pertaining to that particular condition, and assumption means attainment of that state. Yakṣas and Rākṣasas arose from the abandoned body; those Yakṣas and Rākṣasas seized that very body, their own self, transforming into the nature of night, in which hunger and thirst arise. (19) Those Yakṣas etc., afflicted by hunger and thirst, ran to devour that body, saying "Since we are afflicted by hunger and thirst, therefore protect this body out of compassion, father" said some; others said "Eat even the father". (20)
Śrīmad Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha-kṛtā Pada Ratnāvalī Vyākhyā
The second wife is independent, free from dependence on others, and motivated by her own actions - this is the remainder. Saṃhatāḥ means united, and by this it reminds that collective creation is primary. (11) To answer the question "What did he undertake?", he first recalls the previously mentioned creation to avoid forgetting it. By daivena: Due to the great number of unseen karmas of living beings, which are difficult to comprehend and impossible to infer, or due to the inner controller Hari who is "not to be reached by reasoning" according to scripture, or in the reading "durvikalpena" meaning "subject to doubt whether it is this or that", or due to the unblinking creation time which is extraordinary in all respects, or its inner controller Hari - by the inspiration of the Lord lying on Lakṣmī as his couch in the ocean of dissolution, who is the root cause of all, from the disturbance produced in the three guṇas which had attained an unequal state due to the change arising oriented towards effects, Mahān (the great principle) identified with mahat-tattva arose, as did the mahat-tattva with which he identified. Moreover, due to the special desire to create arising from the disturbance produced by the Lord's implantation of potency, in his own individual soul-power which is the womb of the guṇas and karma, from Aja who is the personification of the three guṇas, Vāyu who is identified with mahat-tattva was born, as were Sarasvatī and Bhāratī. This meaning is understood from the statement "From Mahat arose Brahmā, Vāyu and their wives who are the personifications." (12) He states the origination of ahaṃkāra from mahat-tattva. Rajaḥpradhānāt: Due to being associated with rajas which is threefold - the rajas mixed with tamas at the root, the rajas mixed with sattva at the root, and pure rajas - mahat-tattva has the predominance of rajas. From that mahat impelled by fate and undergoing modification, arose threefold ahaṃkāra - vaikārika, taijasa and bhūtādi (tāmasa) - which created the ten sense organs beginning with the ear, the deities presiding over mind, directions etc. From the root ahaṃkāra were born Ananta, Garuḍa, Rudra etc. along with their wives. Aniruddha and Candra who preside over mind, and the specific deities presiding over vaikārika were born. As it is said: "From ahaṃkāra arose Śeṣa, Garuḍa, Rudra, Indra, Kāma and his wife. From mind arose Aniruddha, Candra and others as stated. This is the order, with variations due to differences of subtle, gross etc. This order applies in creation, qualities, knowledge etc. and even for the liberated. Statements of a different order regarding the birth of gods are due to delusion." (13) Having briefly mentioned the subtle creation, he begins to describe the gross creation. Tāni: Or this answers the question beginning with "along with the second". Tāni: Those twenty-three principles created the golden cosmic egg made of elements, by the yoga or connection characterized by the entry of the Lord endowed with the qualities of sport etc. (14) Reflecting that the objects to be created should not be created hastily, in accordance with the maxim, and with the intention that after the production of the egg, the creation within it should happen gradually, and that there should be submergence in water etc., he states the egg's situation in water. So 'śayiṣṭa: Nirātmakaḥ means with the supreme Self's nature unmanifest. Lest one think the supreme Self is absent there, he says anvavātsīt - he remained in an unmanifest state. (15) From the navel of Hari who was lying with Brahmā named Kāla on the couch of Śrī in the primordial waters within the cosmic egg, a lotus arose - this is the connection. He distinguishes this lotus from other lotuses. Sahasra: Whose radiance was equal to a thousand suns. This refutes the objection "How could there be activity in space enveloped by darkness before the production of the all-illuminating sun etc.?" Since it was the abode of all groups of souls, from it arose the self-luminous Brahmā who is chief among all souls - this is the connection. (16) He states the purpose for which Brahmā was produced. So 'nuviṣṭa: That Hari who reclines on the serpent couch attended by Śrī in the ocean characterized as the primordial waters - Brahmā impelled by him, by his own power situated in the supreme Self, created the arrangement of the fourteen worlds by means of the lotus, as before. (17) Since ignorance can be removed only by knowledge, to indicate that he first states its creation. Sasarja: By his shadow body which is synonymous with night. He states its aspects with tāmisram etc. This answers what was presided over by the gates mentioned earlier and later. (18) Lest one think the body was destroyed without presiding deities, he says jagṛhuḥ. Śruttr̥ṣoḥ samudbhavo yasyāḥ sā tathoktā tām - that which is the source of hunger and thirst. (19) Since hunger and thirst are opposed to knowledge, with the idea that not recognizing Brahmā's status as their creator and guru, the yakṣas etc. attacked him to eat him, he says śruttr̥ḍbhyām. Upasr̥ṣṭā means attacked. This is explained by śruttr̥ḍarditā. Saying loudly "Do not protect him, but eat him", they rushed at him. (20)
Śrīmaj Jīva Gosvāmi-kṛtā Krama Sandarbha Vyākhyā
To narrate the Padma creation, he recalls the previous Brahmā creation for continuity. With daivena etc. From the supreme cause which is the Lord, Mahat arose. And that too not directly from him, but from his power called pradhāna which is the equilibrium of the guṇas. From what kind? From that which was disturbed by divine etc. causes, by the unblinking time which is also supreme among divine factors. (12-14) The egg-shell itself is the egg-shell, or the Virāṭ within it. Its being devoid of soul is because even the souls were not awakened then. The Lord, creator of mahat, in the form of the second puruṣa. (15) In this Brahmā kalpa, from the navel of the same one who had created thus and entered, a lotus arose. (16) By his own arrangement means by the sequence of manifesting the respective names, forms etc. in himself. (17) He shows that accordingly. With sasarja etc. (18-21)
Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravarti-kṛtā Sārārtha darśinī Vyākhyā
Those with wives are independent in their actions of creation etc., not dependent on others, united, requiring much collaboration. [11]
Answering the question "What did he undertake?", about to explain the expansion of creation, they briefly recount the first part of creation already mentioned for the sake of narrative coherence. By fate, the individual soul's unseen karma, which is difficult to comprehend, and by the Supreme Lord with His desire to create - this is the meaning. From the agitation produced in the primordial nature consisting of the three guṇas by time which never blinks, mahat (the great principle) arose from the Lord, that is, impelled by the Lord's glance. [12]
From the predominantly rajas mahat - the idea is that although mahat is predominantly sattva, at the time of producing ahaṃkāra it becomes predominantly rajas and is called sūtra. Ahaṃkāra has the three guṇas and produces the elements etc. It created the five mahābhūtas (gross elements) beginning with ether, the five tanmātras (subtle elements) beginning with sound, the five knowledge senses, the five action senses, and their respective deities - this is the meaning. [13]
By divine union, by the union of the Lord's energy, coming together, combining. [14]
In the waters of the ocean, in the causal waters, without a soul due to the non-awakening of the collective soul there. He slept for slightly over a thousand years. Then afterwards the Lord, the creator of mahat, resided in the form of Garbhodakaśāyī. [15]
From His navel arose the lotus, from that Brahmā. [16]
That Brahmā was entered into, presided over by the Lord. Who is that Lord? He says "Ya" (who). And then that Brahmā, impelled by the Lord, (created) the structure of the world, the arrangement of the world, by his own system, procedure, the sequence of names and forms etc. [17]
In the bodies of yakshas, rakshasas, devas, humans etc. to be created by Brahmā, the ego of the souls is not possible without avidyā (ignorance), therefore first the functions of avidyā manifest by themselves through Brahmā, and Brahmā created those in the form of darkness etc., he says. He created - with shadow, having the nature of shadow, endowed with the tamasic nature, by that, by tamas - this is the meaning. Here tamas, moha, mahāmoha, tāmisra, andhatāmisra should be understood as ignorance, false ego, attachment, aversion and absorption respectively in that order. [18]
Not pleased with the effect in the form of shadow, lamenting "Alas! Alas! At the beginning of creation I was covered by darkness", he condemned and abandoned it. And that abandoned body became night, and the yakshas and rakshasas who were born then and there took possession of it - this indicates that the qualities of avidyā, concealment and distortion, are very prominent in yakshas and rakshasas. Of what kind? In which hunger and thirst arise - he abandoned that body which was his. "It became tamas" etc. - this śruti should be recalled. Here the abandoning of the body by Brahmā who lives for two parārdhas is meant to indicate only the abandoning of that state. Then in Brahmā's mind the tamasic qualities like anger etc. manifested. From that the yakshas and rakshasas were born. And that tamasic quality became night, and the yakshas and rakshasas took possession of it - this much is the meaning. Although for the purpose of creation, the taking of separate bodies by the power of yoga does not contradict his lifespan of two parārdhas, as we see devas taking and abandoning various forms even for sense enjoyment - some also say this. [19]
Attacked, assaulted, to devour him, Brahmā. There some said with compassion "He is the father, do not harm him". But others said "Devour him" from the root yakṣ meaning "to eat" and "to laugh". [20]
Śrīmac Chukadeva-kṛta Siddhānta Pradīpaḥ
This is about Brahmā etc. Those with wives, or independent, not dependent on wives, or united in actions, in various tasks - conceiving this suitable work, he created. [11]
To answer the question "What did Prajāpati undertake after creating the Prajāpatis for creating progeny?", in order to describe the remaining creation done by the four-faced one, he recounts the production of mahat etc. By fate etc. - with seven verses. By the inscrutable fate, the unseen karma of souls, the Supreme Person, the incarnation of the Lord that will be described in the 11th canto as "By which that person, having obtained You, bears the great" - by Him and by time which never blinks as the instrumental cause, from the Lord who possesses the energies of consciousness and unconsciousness, who is the material and efficient cause of the universe, the agitated three guṇas which are of the nature of Brahman, the pradhāna - from that mahat arose - this is the connection. [12]
Although mahat is predominantly sattva by nature, at the time of producing the elements etc. it becomes predominantly rajas due to the effect. From that ahaṃkāra having the three guṇas and producing the elements etc. was born, and it created in fives - the five tanmātras beginning with ether, the five mahābhūtas, the five knowledge senses, the five action senses, the five deities of the knowledge senses, the five deities of the action senses. [13-14]
Previously without a soul due to not being presided over by the Lord, then it became ensouled, he says "The Lord". Entered into - having entered inside, he reclined. [15]
Whose effulgence and splendor is superior even to a thousand suns. [16]
Entered into, presided over. [17]
By shadow, by a body made of darkness, ignorance in the form of non-knowledge, its expansion is tāmisra etc. [18]
Having thus briefly recounted the creation of mahat etc. done by the Lord and the creation done by the four-faced one, he now briefly describes the remaining creation up to the end of the chapter. The body made of darkness, predominantly tamas. He abandoned - the night in which hunger and thirst arise, that very body abandoned by him remained in the form of such a night, and the yakshas and rakshasas born from that itself took possession of it. This elaborates on the śruti "That body of his which was abandoned became tamas". [19]
Since among them some became called rakshasas and others yakshas, he shows the reason for this. By hunger and thirst - all of them in general afflicted by hunger and thirst ran towards him to devour and eat him. Among them some, recognizing him as the father, said "Protect". But others, especially overcome by hunger and thirst, said "Do not protect at all, rather devour him". [20]
Śrīmad Vallabhācārya Viracitā Subodhinī Vyākhyā
To describe the different types of creation, it describes the common creation in six verses, for the sake of the Lord's qualities. Mahat-tattva, ahaṃkāra with its effects, the egg, as well as Nārāyaṇa, the lotus, and Brahmā - these are the six in order. (1)
These six are created as prākṛta (natural), while eleven are vaikṛta (modified). Among these, the puruṣa (person) created by the Lord is endowed with qualities. (2)
The ṛṣi (sage) who is the self of śabda-brahman (the Vedas) is described as nirguṇa (without qualities) by wise men. Thus these seventeen are declared to be the ātmans (selves) of yajña (sacrifice). (3)
By this alone the Lord is first satisfied through the play of creation. Therefore this creation is for His sake, not otherwise - this has been determined. This creation alone is spoken of in the Veda, hence it is great in both ways. (4)
First it describes the creation of mahat: "By the divine". This mahat is not from prakṛti, but is born from Brahmā alone due to imbalance of qualities. Here there are three qualities - divine, supreme, and time. The divine is the Lord's will, that is, desire. Its nature cannot be described as such, hence it is called difficult to comprehend. That desire is related to the gods, as per the śruti "He desired". And that desire is not described, according to those who describe it. The supreme here is the puruṣa or the imperishable, that is rajas. The unblinking time is tamas. And by the word "ca", causes like karma and nature also become included as divisions of time, etc. The agitation that arises from these three qualities, from that supreme Lord Puruṣottama, mahat came into being. These are the Lord's forms alone, hence the word "tattva" is not used. "From the three qualities" means from sat-cit-ānanda, or from their portions. (12)
It describes the creation of ahaṃkāra with its effects from mahat: "From the rajas-predominant". Though mahat has three qualities, it became rajas-predominant for the creation of ahaṃkāra. That threefold ahaṃkāra is created only by the division of rajas. Even there, the Lord's will is the motivator, hence it says "impelled by the divine". That, as soon as born, though threefold, created fivefold - this is the connection. There bhūtādi is tāmasa. It created the five elements like ākāśa, and the five tanmātras. Similarly indriyādi also; the five jñānendriyas, five karmendriyas, prāṇa etc., and nāga etc. It also created the devas etc. who are the presiding deities of these, and antaḥkaraṇa, buddhi etc.; mind, and by them the creation of the cosmic egg is stated - and the four deities. Thus though threefold, it produced fivefold - this is the meaning. (13)
"And those" - The neuter gender is used due to inability. By the word "ca", it is said that even the devas etc. are unable to agitate for the purpose of each effect individually. They are unable to create the cosmic egg individually, since the cosmic egg contains all beings. Therefore, combining together by the Lord's will, they created the golden cosmic egg full of light. The prefix "ava" though having many meanings, here means protection - they created a firm, imperishable, golden egg without growth. (14)
It says that Lord Nārāyaṇa entered there and was born: "He". "In the ocean water" means in the waters of dissolution. Or the ocean was created first, as per the statement "He created the waters alone". That egg itself became like a lotus bud, just as a bird is born from an egg, it became like a bud. It is called an egg-bud. Since that was created for the Lord alone, no one else deserves to enter there, hence it lay complete for a full thousand years without a soul. Then the Lord, after the creation, dwelt there, or entered there. One should not inquire about the purpose etc. there, hence it says "the Lord". (15)
Having thus described His state as Nārāyaṇa, it describes the origin of the lotus from Him: "From His navel". To indicate the need for sun etc. for blooming like an ordinary lotus, it says "A thousand suns, whose rays are even greater than those". Not only does it illuminate the world, but it also supports the world, hence it says "the abode of the collection of all living beings". And that alone is the producer, hence it says "There in the lotus, the Lord Himself became the self-luminous Brahmā". From that everything will come into being - this is the idea. (16)
It describes how creation comes from Brahmā: "He entered". Entered along with the Lord. To the question "Who is the Lord?", it says "He who lies". The water itself is the abode or home. It means Nārāyaṇa. What was produced from that? To this it says "the structure of the worlds". The proper arrangement of the worlds, by divisions of species, qualities and places, as it was in the previous kalpa. If so, what is the speciality of this creation? Anticipating this, it says "by his own arrangement". Here the Lord Himself is situated thus, but there is similarity only in external form with the previous one. Thus the sixfold primary creation has been described. (17)
In describing the creation of effects, it first describes the tāmasa creation in three verses, by the distinction of effects, instruments and their effects - There first it describes the fivefold tāmasa effect existing in itself: "By the shadow, ignorance". The self, the body, and the shadow are born from the divisions of sattva etc. The tāmasa among those is indeed the shadow, in that too the Lord Himself is present. (1) That shadow is indeed the instrument for ignorance, not otherwise. This has five parts, each superior to the previous. (2) This is called saṃdhi, tāmisra etc. in the previous calculation. Otherwise this is described as producing great delusion. (3)
Here first among the parts of ignorance, tāmisra is the great desire for enjoyment which is the supreme obstacle to facing the Lord, then the desire for enjoyment, then even less ignorance, then even less in sons etc. who are incomplete, thus in all who are incomplete. This is superior to ignorance due to producing detachment. Even superior to that is the ego of the body, due to being auxiliary to the Lord's service. But in the present context, this is the order. "In front" - this indicates the shadow that is to come, otherwise what is described first naturally comes in front. (18)
It describes the form by which this shadow comes into being: "He cast off". Its tāmasa nature is understood from its effect. In reality, this is useful for creation, hence it would be appropriate to welcome it, but he did not do even that. The reason for that: "full of darkness". When this remains, there will be aversion to the Lord, hence he abandoned that body. Since aversion to the Lord is pleasant for those without light, others like yakṣas and rākṣasas took it. It became the presiding deity of night. It states the effect of that which was abandoned: "producing hunger and thirst". The yakṣas and rākṣasas were produced in the previous kalpa itself, being counted among the eight divine creations. Or, these are the deities of the previously mentioned five parts, hence the five parts were produced along with the deities. Their origin is here itself. Hence they took that which was the cause of their own existence. (19)
He says that just by the touch of that form, hunger and thirst were born in the yakṣas and rākṣasas - "From hunger and thirst". Before that, in this kalpa, hunger and thirst had not arisen. Even if they existed, they did not exist with bodily support, like desire etc. existed before, like trees exist together. Therefore, afflicted by great hunger and thirst, as no other food had been created, they ran towards Brahmā to devour him. Though previously referred to in neuter gender, they are referred to in masculine gender here due to being stronger even than Brahmā. Here some say - "Do not protect him". Do not protect this Brahmā. At that time, he could have pacified hunger and thirst through māyā (illusion) or avidyā (ignorance), but even then do not protect him, as he will create another disturbance again. Others say - "Eat". The root "jakṣa" means "to eat or laugh", or the root "yakṣa" means "to eat". If asked how they could speak thus to their father, he says - "Afflicted by hunger and thirst". One who is afflicted does not know anything about dharma or adharma. (20)
Śrīmad Gosvāmi Śrī Puruṣottama Caraṇa Viracitaḥ Śrī Subodhinī Prakāśaḥ
In "daivena" (by fate). "Common" means uniform in all kalpas. "Natural creations" means created by God as the cause of all creation. "Modifications" means causes of those respective creations. If asked how there can be only eleven creations when many are counted from avidyā (ignorance) to ṛṣi (sage), they say considering the differentiating factors - "With qualities" etc. Among these eleven, the creation of Manu is the creation of the Puruṣa (Supreme Person), praised by the previously created males, so it is called nirguṇa (without qualities). The ṛṣi born from the word-Brahman is the eleventh ṛṣi creation. They state the purpose of the total number - "Thus" etc. As the śruti (scripture) says "This seventeenfold Prajāpati", since this creation has the same number as the sacrificial animals, these are considered to be of the nature of sacrifice. God first becomes satisfied by that sacrifice through his creation play. So this creation play is for God's purpose, not otherwise for the jīvas' (souls') purpose - this is indicated by the number. Thus this is the purpose of the total number. Anticipating that mere numbers are inconclusive, they state another reason - "In the Veda" etc. "Both ways" means by number and by words, or by authority and by subject matter. Having stated the significance of the number, to show the distinction they explain - "First" etc. "Method" etc. Thus these correspond to sattva, rajas and tamas. "Not described" means though mentioned in general terms in the śruti "Let me be many, let me procreate", the specific manner of multiplicity and gradation of higher and lower etc. is not described. "That is rājasa" means corresponding to rajas. "No use of the word tattva" because tattva means its nature or essential quality. Here only the manifestation of the possessor of qualities is described, so the word tattva is not used. Thus three indicators of its distinction from the previous are stated - difference in qualities, God being the direct cause, and non-use of the word tattva. As the word guṇa is not used for existence-consciousness-bliss, they state an alternative view - "Or from his aspects". From sattva etc. mentioned in the second canto. (12)
In "rajodhanāt" (from the predominance of rajas). Here also they state the distinction - "That" etc. "Threefold". The ahaṅkāra (ego). "Only from the differentiation of rajas" because the word tattva is not used here, and in the second canto it is said "From mahat evolving, with sattva increasing rajas, with tamas predominant" qualifying mahat, but here only "from rajas predominant" is said without mentioning increase of other qualities. "Four deities" means the Moon, Rudra, Brahmā and Caitya. (13)
In "so'nuviṣṭa" (he entered). Here also they show the distinction - "Ava" etc. (17)
In "sasarja" (created). In "kāryakaraṇa" (effect and instrument). By the word karaṇa, shadow is to be understood. Thus the distinction is shown here also. Previously in the tenth it was said "created without intelligence", and in the eleventh the instrument was not mentioned, but by saying "functions of ignorance", ignorance itself is the instrument there. They clarify another distinction through verses - "Self" etc. "Is distinguished" means the form of ignorance becomes different and superior. "Result of great delusion" means the superior parva of great delusion. "Supreme obstacle" etc. Though these are of the nature of obstacles, their usefulness to God should be understood thus: Just as Indra's anger-producing ignorance called tāmisra in the form of desire for great enjoyment, though an obstacle to devotion, was useful for lifting Govardhana, hence it is said "He blessed me by breaking the sacrifice". Similarly andhatāmisra in the form of desire for union with Babhru and Prasena was useful for God's play, as seen from the statement "O God, he made him understand, please consider". The desire for enjoyment of Ugrasena etc. in royal duties is clear in God's words to Nārada - "I make those who know me servants through the promise of lordship. I partake of enjoyments and forgive harsh words" and Nārada's words "Babhru and Ugrasena cannot obtain the kingdom by any means" (1). Similarly, the ignorance in the form of the tamas parva of mothers etc. is clear in "Memory was immediately lost" etc. Its usefulness for nourishment is explained here itself in "Even from that" etc. So all is well established. "In the current" is in locative case. "In front" means fit to be seen. As the sun is behind, so is the meaning. They state an objection to not explaining it thus - "Otherwise" etc. Thus the word "in front" would become meaningless. (18)
"Will be" means it will happen as in the inserted chapter's calf-tying incident. Here by narrating the abandonment of such a form, it is also clear that this is not about the Brahmā of this kalpa. (19)
In "kṣuttṛḍbhyām" (from hunger and thirst). "With divine support" means the entities denoted by hunger and thirst. (20)
Śrī Giridhara-kṛtā Bāla Prabodhinī
How did they create this world? Did they create it with their wives, or independently in their tasks of procreation etc., without relying on their wives? Or did they all come together to create this? Indicating that it is surprising in any case, he says "sma" [in the original verse]. (11)
Thus asked by Vidura, Maitreya, to answer the question "What did Brahmā begin with?", saying that he created Yakṣas (yakṣa) etc., recalls the previously mentioned creation from the beginning with seven verses starting with "daivena". The answers to questions like how Marīci and others created will come in the next chapter. By the inconceivable divine power, by the unseen karma of living beings, by the supreme person who presides over prakṛti (prakṛti), by the ever-vigilant time, there arose an agitation, characterized by abandoning the state of equilibrium, in the three guṇas (guṇa) of the Lord, which are the primordial matter. From that arose the mahat. (12)
From the rajas-predominant - even though mahat is naturally sattva-predominant, at the time of producing effects it became rajas-predominant to suit the effects - from that impelled by the Lord, arose the threefold, triguna ahaṃkāra (ahaṃkāra), the origin of the elements etc. It created five sets of five: the subtle elements of sound etc., the great elements like ether etc., the knowledge senses like eyes etc., the action senses like speech etc., and their presiding deities. (13)
Those elements etc., each being unable to create the product of the combined five great elements, by divine conjunction, by the Lord's entering, coming together created a golden egg, full of light like a gold product. (14)
That eggshell, devoid of consciousness, indeed lay in the ocean waters, the dissolution waters, for slightly more than a thousand years. After that, the Lord dwelt in that eggshell, meaning he stood in the form of Śrī Nārāyaṇa (śrī nārāyaṇa). (15)
From the navel of that Nārāyaṇa (nārāyaṇa) arose a lotus, with greater splendor than a thousand suns, which was the abode for all groups of living beings. In that lotus, the self-luminous Brahmā arose. (16)
He who sleeps in the water-abode, meaning Nārāyaṇa (nārāyaṇa) whose home is the womb-water, entered and impelled that Brahmā, who then created the world structure as it was before in the previous kalpa, with his own system of names, qualities, etc. (17)
There he first created ignorance, as stated: "He created". That Brahmā first created five-jointed ignorance with shadow, the opposite of light, or with the shadow of the body. He shows that: tāmisra etc. Mahātama means great delusion. The explanation should be understood as before. The use of nominative in "moha" is to indicate just the intrinsic nature. (18)
Thus, having followed the common creation mentioned first, he states an uncommon creation with some specificity, from "visasarja" until the end. He abandoned his own body with which he created ignorance through shadow. He states the reason for that: "not delighting". The reason for that too: "full of darkness". For him with a lifespan of two parārdhas, abandoning the body means abandoning the identification with it. Or, it should be understood that there's no inconsistency even in abandoning and taking bodies for various creations like a yogi, as enjoyment exists for that long. The night-form body he abandoned, from which arose hunger and thirst, was taken by Yakṣas (yakṣa) and Rākṣasas (rākṣasa) born then and there. Here the śruti "That which was his body, he abandoned it, it became darkness" should be recalled. (19)
Then those Yakṣas (yakṣa) and Rākṣasas (rākṣasa), overcome by hunger and thirst, ran to devour that very Brahmā. Since we are afflicted by hunger and thirst, some said "Don't protect him as father". Others said "Eat him" thus they spoke to each other. (20)
Hindī Anuvāda
Did they create this world with the cooperation of their wives, or independently in their respective tasks, or did they all create this world together? (11)
Śrī Maitreya said: Viduraji! When agitation occurred in the triguna-maya prakṛti (nature consisting of three qualities) due to the three causes - the prārabdha (destined karma) of jīvas (living entities) whose movements are extremely difficult to know, the puruṣa (consciousness) who controls prakṛti, and kāla (time) - as well as the proximity of the Lord, mahat-tattva (the great principle) was produced from it. (12)
By divine inspiration, from the rajas-predominant mahat-tattva arose three types of ahaṅkāra (false ego) - vaikārika (in goodness), rājasa (in passion), and tāmasa (in ignorance). It manifested many groups of five elements each, starting with ākāśa (ether). (13)
Remaining separate, they could not create the universe, which is the effect of the elements. Therefore, united by the Lord's potency, they created a golden egg. (14)
That egg remained in the causal waters for over a thousand years in an unconscious state. Then the Supreme Lord entered it. (15)
When He was situated there, from His navel appeared a lotus as effulgent as a thousand suns, which was the shelter of all living entities. From that very lotus, Brahmā himself manifested. (16)
When Lord Nārāyaṇa, who was reclining in the waters within the universe, entered Brahmā's heart, Brahmā began to create the worlds according to the plan of names and forms he had determined in previous kalpas (days of Brahmā). (17)
First, he produced from his shadow five types of avidyā (ignorance) - tāmisra, andha-tāmisra, tamas, moha, and mahāmoha. (18)
Brahmā did not like that body made of tamas (ignorance), so he abandoned it. Then the Yakṣas and Rākṣasas, who were born from it, seized that body in the form of night, which gives rise to hunger and thirst. (19)
Overwhelmed by hunger and thirst, they rushed to devour Brahmā, saying, "Eat this one, don't protect him," because they were tormented by hunger and thirst. (20)
SB 3.20.11-20
