TEXT 3
TEXT
suta uvaca
evam sancoditas tena
ksattra kausaravir munih
pritah pratyaha tan prasnan
hrdi-sthan atha bhargava
SYNONYMS
sutah uvaca–Sri Suta Gosvami said; evam–thus; sancoditah–being
enlivened; tena–by him; ksattra–by Vidura; kausaravih–the son of
Kusara; munih–great sage; pritah–being pleased; pratyaha–replied; tan-
-those; prasnan–questions; hrdi-sthan–from the core of his heart; atha-
-thus; bhargava–O son of Bhrgu.
TRANSLATION
Suta Gosvami said: O son of Bhrgu, the great sage Maitreya Muni, thus
hearing from Vidura, felt very much enlivened. Everything was in his
TEXT 4
TEXT
maitreya uvaca
virinco ‘pi tatha cakre
divyam varsa-satam tapah
atmany atmanam avesya
yathaha bhagavan ajah
SYNONYMS
maitreyah uvaca–the great sage Maitreya said; virincah–Brahma; api–
also; tatha–in that manner; cakre–performed; divyam–celestial; varsasatam–
one hundred years; tapah–penances; atmani–unto the Lord;
atmanam–his own self; avesya–engaging; yatha aha–as it was spoken;
bhagavan–the Personality of Godhead; ajah–the unborn.
TRANSLATION
The greatly learned sage Maitreya said: O Vidura, Brahma thus engaged
himself in penances for one hundred celestial years, as advised by the
Personality of Godhead, and applied himself in devotional service to the
TEXT 5
TEXT
tad vilokyabja-sambhuto
vayuna yad-adhisthitah
padmam ambhas ca tat-kalakrta-
viryena kampitam
SYNONYMS
tat vilokya–looking into that; abja-sambhutah–whose source of birth
was a lotus; vayuna–by the air; yat–that; adhisthitah–on which he was
situated; padmam–lotus; ambhah–water; ca–also; tat-kala-krta–which
was effected by eternal time; viryena–by its inherent force; kampitam–
trembling.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter Brahma 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,
TEXT 6
TEXT
tapasa hy edhamanena
vidyaya catma-samsthaya
vivrddha-vijnana-balo
nyapad vayum sahambhasa
SYNONYMS
tapasa–by penance; hi–certainly; edhamanena–increasing; vidyaya–by
transcendental knowledge; ca–also; atma–self; samsthaya–situated in
the self; vivrddha–matured; vijnana–practical knowledge; balah–power;
nyapat–drank; vayum–the wind; saha ambhasa–along with the water.
TRANSLATION
Long penance and transcendental knowledge of self-realization had
matured Brahma in practical knowledge, and thus he drank the wind
TEXT 7
TEXT
tad vilokya viyad-vyapi
puskaram yad-adhisthitam
anena lokan prag-linan
kalpitasmity acintayat
SYNONYMS
tat vilokya–looking into that; viyat-vyapi–extensively widespread;
puskaram–the lotus; yat–that which; adhisthitam–he was situated;
anena–by this; lokan–all the planets; prak-linan–previously merged in
dissolution; kalpita asmi–I shall create; iti–thus; acintayat–he
thought.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter he saw that the lotus on which he was situated was spread
throughout the universe, and he contemplated how to create all the
TEXT 8
TEXT
padma-kosam tadavisya
bhagavat-karma-coditah
ekam vyabhanksid urudha
tridha bhavyam dvi-saptadha
SYNONYMS
padma-kosam–the whorl of the lotus; tada–then; avisya–entering
into; bhagavat–by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; karma–in
activities; coditah–being encouraged by; ekam–one; vyabhanksit–divided
into; urudha–great division; tridha–three divisions; bhavyam–capable
of further creation; dvi-saptadha–fourteen divisions.
TRANSLATION
Thus engaged in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Lord Brahma 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.
TEXT 9
TEXT
etavan jiva-lokasya
samstha-bhedah samahrtah
dharmasya hy animittasya
vipakah paramesthy asau
SYNONYMS
etavan–up to this; jiva-lokasya–of the planets inhabited by the
living entities; samstha-bhedah–different situations of habitation;
samahrtah–performed completely; dharmasya–of religion; hi–certainly;
animittasya–of causelessness; vipakah–mature stage; paramesthi–the
highest personality in the universe; asau–that.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahma is the most exalted personality in the universe because of
his causeless devotional service unto the Lord in mature transcendental
knowledge. He therefore created all the fourteen planetary divisions for
TEXT 10
TEXT
vidura uvaca
yathattha bahu-rupasya
harer adbhuta-karmanah
kalakhyam laksanam brahman
yatha varnaya nah prabho
SYNONYMS
vidurah uvaca–Vidura said; yatha–as; attha–you have said; bahurupasya–
having varieties of forms; hareh–of the Lord; adbhuta–
wonderful; karmanah–of the actor; kala–time; akhyam–of the name;
laksanam–symptoms; brahman–O learned brahmana; yatha–as it is;
varnaya–please describe; nah–unto us; prabho–O lord.
TRANSLATION
Vidura inquired from Maitreya: O my lord, O greatly learned sage,
kindly describe eternal time, which is another form of the Supreme Lord,
the wonderful actor. What are the symptoms of that eternal time? Please
TEXT 11
TEXT
maitreya uvaca
guna-vyatikarakaro
nirviseso ‘pratisthitah
purusas tad-upadanam
atmanam lilayasrjat
SYNONYMS
maitreyah uvaca–Maitreya said; guna-vyatikara–of the interactions of
the modes of material nature; akarah–source; nirvisesah–without
diversity; apratisthitah–unlimited; purusah–of the Supreme Person; tat-
-that; upadanam–instrument; atmanam–the material creation; lilaya–by
pastimes; asrjat–created.
TRANSLATION
Maitreya said: Eternal time is the primeval source of the interactions
of the three modes of material nature. It is unchangeable and limitless,
and it works as the instrument of the Supreme Personality of Godhead for
TEXT 12
TEXT
visvam vai brahma-tan-matram
samsthitam visnu-mayaya
isvarena paricchinnam
kalenavyakta-murtina
SYNONYMS
visvam–the material phenomenon; vai–certainly; brahma–the Supreme;
tat-matram–the same as; samsthitam–situated; visnu-mayaya–by the
energy of Visnu; isvarena–by the Personality of Godhead; paricchinnam–
separated; kalena–by the eternal time; avyakta–unmanifested; murtina–
by such a feature.
TRANSLATION
This cosmic manifestation is separated from the Supreme Lord as
material energy by means of kala, which is the unmanifested, impersonal
feature of the Lord. It is situated as the objective manifestation of the
TEXT 13
TEXT
yathedanim tathagre ca
pascad apy etad idrsam
SYNONYMS
yatha–as it is; idanim–at present; tatha–so it was; agre–in the
beginning; ca–and; pascat–at the end; api–also; etat idrsam–it
continues to be the same.
TRANSLATION
This cosmic manifestation is as it is now, it was the same in the
TEXT 14
TEXT
sargo nava-vidhas tasya
prakrto vaikrtas tu yah
kala-dravya-gunair asya
tri-vidhah pratisankramah
SYNONYMS
sargah–creation; nava-vidhah–of nine different kinds; tasya–its;
prakrtah–material; vaikrtah–by the modes of material nature; tu–but;
yah–that which; kala–eternal time; dravya–matter; gunaih–qualities;
asya–its; tri-vidhah–three kinds; pratisankramah–annihilation.
TRANSLATION
There are nine different kinds of creations besides the one which
naturally occurs due to the interactions of the modes. There are three
kinds of annihilations due to eternal time, the material elements and the
TEXT 15
TEXT
adyas tu mahatah sargo
guna-vaisamyam atmanah
dvitiyas tv ahamo yatra
dravya-jnana-kriyodayah
SYNONYMS
adyah–the first; tu–but; mahatah–of the total emanation from the
Lord; sargah–creation; guna-vaisamyam–interaction of the material
modes; atmanah–of the Supreme; dvitiyah–the second; tu–but; ahamah–
false ego; yatra–wherein; dravya–material ingredients; jnana–material
knowledge; kriya-udayah–awakening of activities (work).
TRANSLATION
Of the nine creations, the first one is the creation of the mahattattva,
or the sum total of the material ingredients, wherein the modes
interact due to the presence of the Supreme Lord. In the second, the
false ego is generated in which the material ingredients, material
TEXT 16
TEXT
bhuta-sargas trtiyas tu
tan-matro dravya-saktiman
caturtha aindriyah sargo
yas tu jnana-kriyatmakah
SYNONYMS
bhuta-sargah–creation of matter; trtiyah–is the third; tu–but; tatmatrah–
sense perception; dravya–of the elements; saktiman–generator;
caturthah–the fourth; aindriyah–in the matter of the senses; sargah–
creation; yah–that which; tu–but; jnana–knowledge-acquiring; kriya–
working; atmakah–basically.
TRANSLATION
The sense perceptions are created in the third creation, and from
these the elements are generated. The fourth creation is the creation of
knowledge and of working capacity.
TEXT 17
TEXT
vaikariko deva-sargah
pancamo yan-mayam manah
sasthas tu tamasah sargo
yas tv abuddhi-krtah prabhoh
SYNONYMS
vaikarikah–interaction of the mode of goodness; deva–the demigods,
or controlling deities; sargah–creation; pancamah–fifth; yat–that
which; mayam–sum total; manah–mind; sasthah–sixth; tu–but; tamasah–
of darkness; sargah–creation; yah–that which; tu–expletive; abuddhikrtah–
made foolish; prabhoh–of the master.
TRANSLATION
The fifth creation is that of the controlling deities by the
interaction of the mode of goodness, of which the mind is the sum total.
The sixth creation is the ignorant darkness of the living entity, by
TEXT 18
TEXT
sad ime prakrtah sarga
vaikrtan api me srnu
rajo-bhajo bhagavato
lileyam hari-medhasah
SYNONYMS
sat–six; ime–all these; prakrtah–of the material energy; sargah–
creations; vaikrtan–secondary creations by Brahma; api–also; me–from
me; srnu–just hear; rajah-bhajah–of the incarnation of the mode of
passion (Brahma); bhagavatah–of the greatly powerful; lila–pastime;
iyam–this; hari–the Supreme Personality of Godhead; medhasah–of one
who has such a brain.
TRANSLATION
All the above are natural creations by the external energy of the
Lord. Now hear from me about the creations by Brahma, who is an
incarnation of the mode of passion and who, in the matter of creation,
has a brain like that of the Personality of Godhead.
TEXT 19
TEXT
saptamo mukhya-sargas tu
sad-vidhas tasthusam ca yah
vanaspaty-osadhi-latatvaksara
virudho drumah
SYNONYMS
saptamah–the seventh; mukhya–principle; sargah–creation; tu–
indeed; sat-vidhah–six kinds of; tasthusam–of those who do not move;
ca–also; yah–those; vanaspati–fruit trees without flowers; osadhi–
trees and plants existing until the fruit is ripe; lata–creepers;
tvaksarah–pipe plants; virudhah–creepers without support; drumah–trees
with flowers and fruits.
TRANSLATION
The seventh creation is that of the immovable entities, which are of
six kinds: the fruit trees without flowers, trees and plants which exist
until the fruit is ripe, creepers, pipe plants, creepers which have no
support, and trees with flowers and fruits.
TEXT 20
TEXT
utsrotasas tamah-praya
antah-sparsa visesinah
SYNONYMS
utsrotasah–they seek their subsistence upwards; tamah-prayah–almost
unconscious; antah-sparsah–slightly feeling within; visesinah–with
varieties of manifestation.
TRANSLATION
All the immovable trees and plants seek their subsistence upwards.
They are almost unconscious but have feelings of pain within. They are
manifested in variegatedness.
TEXT 21
TEXT
tirascam astamah sargah
so ‘stavimsad-vidho matah
avido bhuri-tamaso
ghrana-jna hrdy avedinah
SYNONYMS
tirascam–species of lower animals; astamah–the eighth; sargah–
creation; sah–they are; astavimsat–twenty-eight; vidhah–varieties;
matah–considered; avidah–without knowledge of tomorrow; bhuri–
extensively; tamasah–ignorant; ghrana-jnah–can know desirables by
smell; hrdi avedinah–can remember very little in the heart.
TRANSLATION
The eighth creation is that of the lower species of life, and they are
of different varieties, numbering twenty-eight. They are all extensively
foolish and ignorant. They know their desirables by smell, but are unable
TEXT 22
TEXT
gaur ajo mahisah krsnah
sukaro gavayo ruruh
dvi-saphah pasavas ceme
avir ustras ca sattama
SYNONYMS
gauh–the cow; ajah–the goat; mahisah–the buffalo; krsnah–a kind of
stag; sukarah–hog; gavayah–a species of animal; ruruh–deer; dvisaphah–
having two hooves; pasavah–animals; ca–also; ime–all these;
avih–lamb; ustrah–camel; ca–and; sattama–O purest.
TRANSLATION
O purest Vidura, of the lower animals the cow, goat, buffalo, krsna
stag, hog, gavaya animal, deer, lamb and camel all have two hooves.
TEXT 23
TEXT
kharo ‘svo ‘svataro gaurah
sarabhas camari tatha
ete caika-saphah ksattah
srnu panca-nakhan pasun
SYNONYMS
kharah–ass; asvah–horse; asvatarah–mule; gaurah–white deer;
sarabhah–bison; camari–wild cow; tatha–thus; ete–all these; ca–and;
eka–only one; saphah–hoof; ksattah–O Vidura; srnu–just hear now;
panca–five; nakhan–nails; pasun–animals.
TRANSLATION
The horse, mule, ass, gaura, sarabha bison and wild cow all have only
one hoof. Now you may hear from me about the animals who have five nails.
TEXT 24
TEXT
sva srgalo vrko vyaghro
marjarah sasa-sallakau
simhah kapir gajah kurmo
godha ca makaradayah
SYNONYMS
sva–dog; srgalah–jackal; vrkah–fox; vyaghrah–tiger; marjarah–cat;
sasa–rabbit; sallakau–sajaru (with thorns on the body); simhah–lion;
kapih–monkey; gajah–elephant; kurmah–tortoise; godha–gosapa (snake
with four legs); ca–also; makara-adayah–the alligator and others.
TRANSLATION
The dog, jackal, tiger, fox, cat, rabbit, sajaru, lion, monkey,
elephant, tortoise, alligator, gosapa, etc., all have five nails in their
claws. They are known as panca-nakhas, or animals having five nails.
TEXT 25
TEXT
kanka-grdhra-baka-syenabhasa-
bhalluka-barhinah
hamsa-sarasa-cakrahvakakolukadayah
khagah
SYNONYMS
kanka–heron; grdhra–vulture; baka–crane; syena–hawk; bhasa–the
bhasa; bhalluka–the bhalluka; barhinah–the peacock; hamsa–swan;
sarasa–the sarasa; cakrahva–the cakravaka; kaka–crow; uluka–owl;
adayah–and others; khagah–the birds.
TRANSLATION
The heron, vulture, crane, hawk, bhasa, bhalluka, peacock, swan,
sarasa, cakravaka, crow, owl and others are the birds.
TEXT 26
TEXT
arvak-srotas tu navamah
ksattar eka-vidho nrnam
rajo ‘dhikah karma-para
duhkhe ca sukha-maninah
SYNONYMS
arvak–downwards; srotah–passage of food; tu–but; navamah–the
ninth; ksattah–O Vidura; eka-vidhah–one species; nrnam–of human
beings; rajah–the mode of passion; adhikah–very prominent; karma-parah-
-interested in working; duhkhe–in misery; ca–but; sukha–happiness;
maninah–thinking.
TRANSLATION
The creation of the human beings, who are of one species only and who
stock their eatables in the belly, is the ninth in the rotation. In the
human race, the mode of passion is very prominent. Humans are always busy
in the midst of miserable life, but they think themselves happy in all
TEXT 27
TEXT
vaikrtas traya evaite
deva-sargas ca sattama
vaikarikas tu yah proktah
kaumaras tubhayatmakah
SYNONYMS
vaikrtah–creations of Brahma; trayah–three kinds; eva–certainly;
ete–all these; deva-sargah–appearance of the demigods; ca–also;
sattama–O good Vidura; vaikarikah–creation of demigods by nature; tu–
but; yah–which; proktah–described before; kaumarah–the four Kumaras;
tu–but; ubhaya-atmakah–both ways (namely vaikrta and prakrta).
TRANSLATION
O good Vidura, these last three creations and the creation of demigods
(the tenth creation) are vaikrta creations, which are different from the
previously described prakrta (natural) creations. The appearance of the
Kumaras is both.
TEXTS 28-29
TEXT
deva-sargas casta-vidho
vibudhah pitaro ‘surah
gandharvapsarasah siddha
yaksa-raksamsi caranah
bhuta-preta-pisacas ca
vidyadhrah kinnaradayah
dasaite vidurakhyatah
sargas te visva-srk-krtah
SYNONYMS
deva-sargah–creation of the demigods; ca–also; asta-vidhah–eight
kinds; vibudhah–the demigods; pitarah–the forefathers; asurah–the
demons; gandharva–the expert artisans in the higher planets; apsarasah–
the angels; siddhah–persons who are perfect in mystic powers; yaksa–the
superprotectors; raksamsi–giants; caranah–the celestial singers; bhuta-
-jinn; preta–evil spirits; pisacah–attendant spirits; ca–also;
vidyadhrah–the celestial denizens named Vidyadharas; kinnara–superhuman
beings; adayah–and others; dasa ete–all these ten (creations); vidura–
O Vidura; akhyatah–described; sargah–creations; te–unto you; visvasrk–
the creator of the universe (Brahma); krtah–done by him.
TRANSLATION
The creation of the demigods is of eight varieties: (1) the demigods,
(2) the forefathers, (3) the asuras, or demons, (4) the Gandharvas and
Apsaras, or angels, (5) the Yaksas and Raksasas, (6) the Siddhas, Caranas
and Vidyadharas, (7) the Bhutas, Pretas and Pisacas, and (8) the
superhuman beings, celestial singers, etc. All are created by Brahma, the
TEXT 30
TEXT
atah param pravaksyami
vamsan manvantarani ca
evam rajah-plutah srasta
kalpadisv atmabhur harih
srjaty amogha-sankalpa
atmaivatmanam atmana
SYNONYMS
atah–here; param–after; pravaksyami–I shall explain; vamsan–
descendants; manvantarani–different advents of Manus; ca–and; evam–
thus; rajah-plutah–infused with the mode of passion; srasta–the
creator; kalpa-adisu–in different millenniums; atma-bhuh–self-advent;
harih–the Personality of Godhead; srjati–creates; amogha–unfailing;
sankalpah–determination; atma eva–He Himself; atmanam–Himself; atmana-
-by His own energy.
TRANSLATION
Now I shall describe the descendants of the Manus. The creator,
Brahma, as the incarnation of the passion mode of the Personality of
Godhead, creates the universal affairs with unfailing desires in every
millennium by the force of the Lord’s energy.
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