Madhya20.249

TEXT 249

avatara hy asankhyeya

hareh sattva-nidher dvijah

yatha ’vidasinah kulyah

sarasah syuh sahasrasah

SYNONYMS

avatarah—all the incarnations; hi—certainly; asankhyeyah—beyond counting; hareh—from the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sattva-nidheh—who is the reservoir of spiritual energy; dvijah—O brahmanas; yatha—as; avidasinah—containing a great reservoir of water; kulyah—small ponds; sarasah—from a lake; syuh—must be; sahasrasah—by hundreds and thousands of times.

TRANSLATION

" ’O learned brahmanas, just as hundreds and thousands of small ponds issue from great reservoirs of water, innumerable incarnations flow from Sri Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the reservoir of all power.’

PURPORT

Madhya20.250

TEXT 250

prathamei kare krsna ’purusavatara’

seita purusa haya trividha prakara

SYNONYMS

prathamei—in the beginning; kare—does; krsna—Lord Krsna; purusa-avatara—the incarnation of the three Visnus (Maha-Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu and Ksirodakasayi Visnu); seita—that; purusa—Visnu; haya—becomes; tri-vidha pra-kara—three different manifestations.

TRANSLATION

"In the beginning, Krsna incarnates Himself as purusa-avataras, or Visnu incarnations. These are of three types.

PURPORT

Up to this verse, the many types of expansions have been described. Now the manifestations of the Lord’s different potencies will be described.

Madhya20.251

TEXT 251

visnos tu trini rupani

purusakhyany atho viduh

ekam tu mahatah srastr

dvitiyam tv anda-samsthitam

trtiyam sarva-bhuta-stham

tani jnatva vimucyate

SYNONYMS

visnoh—of Lord Visnu; tu—certainly; trini—three; rupani—forms; purusa-akhyani—celebrated as the purusa; atho—how; viduh—they know; ekam—one of them; tu—but; mahatah srastr—the creator of the total material energy; dvitiyam—the second; tu—but; anda-samsthitam—situated within the universe; trtiyam—the third; sarva-bhuta-stham—within the hearts of all living entities; tani—these three; jnatva—knowing; vimucyate—one becomes liberated.

TRANSLATION

" ’Visnu has three forms called purusas. The first, Maha-Visnu, is the creator of the total material energy [mahat], the second is Garbhodakasayi, who is situated within each universe, and the third is Ksirodakasayi, who lives in the heart of every living being. He who knows these three becomes liberated from the clutches of maya.’

PURPORT

This verse appears in the Laghu-bhagavatamrta (Purva-khanda 33), where it has been quoted from the Satvata-tantra.

Madhya20.252

TEXT 252

ananta-sakti-madhye krsnera tina sakti pradhana

’iccha-sakti’ ’jnana-sakti’ ’kriya-sakti’ nama

SYNONYMS

ananta-sakti—of unlimited potencies; madhye—in the midst; krsnera—of Lord Krsna; tina—three; sakti—potencies; pradhana—are chief; iccha-sakti—willpower; jnana-sakti—the power of knowledge; kriya-sakti—the creative energy; nama—named.

TRANSLATION

"Krsna has unlimited potencies, out of which three are chief-willpower, the power of knowledge and the creative energy.

Madhya20.253

TEXT 253

iccha-sakti-pradhana krsna--icchaya sarva-karta

jnana-sakti-pradhana vasudeva adhisthata

SYNONYMS

iccha-sakti—of willpower; pradhana—predominator; krsna—Lord Krsna; icchaya—simply by willing; sarva-karta—the creator of everything; jnana-sakti-pradhana—the predominator of the power of knowledge; vasudeva—Lord Vasudeva; adhisthata—reservoir.

TRANSLATION

"The predominator of the willing potency is Lord Krsna, for by His supreme will everything comes into existence. In willing, there is a need for knowledge, and that knowledge is expressed through Vasudeva.

Madhya20.254

TEXT 254

iccha-jnana-kriya vina na haya srjana

tinera tina-sakti meli’ prapanca-racana

SYNONYMS

iccha-jnana-kriya—thinking, feeling, willing, knowledge and activity; vina—without; na—not; haya—there is; srjana—creation; tinera—of the three; tina-sakti—three potencies; meli’-being amalgamated; prapanca-racana—there is the cosmic manifestation.

TRANSLATION

"There is no possibility of creation without thinking, feeling, willing, knowledge and activity. The combination of the supreme will, knowledge and action brings about the cosmic manifestation.

Madhya20.255

TEXT 255

kriya-sakti-pradhana sankarsana balarama

prakrtaprakrta-srsti karena nirmana

SYNONYMS

kriya-sakti-pradhana—the predominator of the creative energy; sankarsana—Lord Sankarsana; balarama—Lord Balarama; prakrta—material; aprakrta—spiritual; srsti—worlds; karena—does; nirmana—creation.

TRANSLATION

"Lord Sankarsana is Lord Balarama. Being the predominator of the creative energy, He creates both the material and spiritual worlds.

Madhya20.256

TEXT 256

ahankarera adhisthata krsnera icchaya

goloka, vaikuntha srje cic-chakti-dvaraya

SYNONYMS

ahankarera—of egotism; adhisthata—the source or predominating Deity; krsnera—of Lord Krsna; icchaya—by the will; goloka—the supreme spiritual planet, known as Goloka; vaikuntha—other, lower planets, known as Vaikunthas; srje—creates; cit-sakti-dvaraya—by the spiritual energy.

TRANSLATION

"That original Sankarsana [Lord Balarama] is the cause of both the material and spiritual creation. He is the predominating deity of egotism, and by the will of Krsna and the power of the spiritual energy, He creates the spiritual world, which consists of the planet Goloka Vrndavana and the Vaikuntha planets.

Madhya20.257

TEXT 257

yadyapi asrjya nitya cic-chakti-vilasa

tathapi sankarsana-icchaya tahara prakasa

SYNONYMS

yadyapi—although; asrjya—there is no question of creation; nitya—eternal; cit-sakti-vilasa—pastimes of the eternal spiritual energy; tathapi—still; sankarsana-icchaya—by the will of Sankarsana; tahara—of the spiritual world; prakasa—manifestation.

TRANSLATION

"Although there is no question of creation as far as the spiritual world is concerned, the spiritual world is nonetheless manifest by the supreme will of Sankarsana. The spiritual world is the abode of the pastimes of the eternal spiritual energy.

Madhya20.258

TEXT 258

sahasra-patram kamalam

gokulakhyam mahat-padam

tat-karnikaram tad-dhama

tad anantamsa-sambhavam

SYNONYMS

sahasra-patram—with thousands of petals; kamalam—resembling a lotus flower; gokula-akhyam—named Gokula; mahat-padam—the supreme abode; tat-karnikaram—the whorl of that lotus flower; tat-dhama—the abode of the Lord; tat—that; ananta-amsa—from the expansion of energy of Ananta; sambhavam—creation.

TRANSLATION

" ’Gokula, the supreme abode and planet, appears like a lotus flower that has a thousand petals. The whorl of that lotus is the abode of the Supreme Lord, Krsna. This lotus-shaped supreme abode is created by the will of Lord Ananta.’

PURPORT

Madhya20.259

TEXT 259

maya-dvare srje tenho brahmandera gana

jada-rupa prakrti nahe brahmanda-karana

SYNONYMS

maya-dvare—by the agency of the external energy; srje—creates; tenho—Lord Sankarsana; brahmandera gana—all the groups of universes; jada-rupa—appearing dull; prakrti—the material energy; nahe—is not; brahmanda-karana—the cause of the cosmic manifestation.

TRANSLATION

"By the agency of the material energy, this same Lord Sankarsana creates all the universes. The dull material energy-known in modern language as nature-is not the cause of the material universe.

Madhya20.260

TEXT 260

jada haite srsti nahe isvara-sakti vine

tahatei sankarsana kare saktira adhane

SYNONYMS

jada haite—from the dull material energy; srsti nahe—the cosmic manifestation is not possible; isvara-sakti vine—without the help of the energy of the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead; tahatei—in the material energy; sankarsana—Lord Sankarsana; kare—does; saktira—of the spiritual energy; adhane—empowering.

TRANSLATION

"Without the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s energy, dull matter cannot create the cosmic manifestation. Its power does not arise from the material energy itself but is endowed by Sankarsana.

Madhya20.261

TEXT 261

isvarera saktye srsti karaye prakrti

lauha yena agni-saktye paya daha-sakti

SYNONYMS

isvarera saktye—by the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; srsti—creation; kara ye—does; prakrti—material energy; lauha—iron; yena—as; agni-saktye—by the power of fire; paya—gets; daha-sakti—the power to burn.

TRANSLATION

"Dull matter alone cannot create anything. The material energy produces the creation by the power of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Iron itself has no power to burn, but when iron is placed in fire, it is empowered to burn.

Madhya20.262

TEXT 262

etau hi visvasya ca bija-yoni

ramo mukundah purusah pradhanam

anviya bhutesu vilaksanasya

jnanasya cesata imau puranau

SYNONYMS

etau—these two, namely Rama and Krsna; hi—certainly; visvasya—of the universe; ca—and; bija-yoni—both the cause and ingredient; ramah—Balarama; mukundah—Krsna; purusah—the original Maha-Visnu; pradhanam—material energy; anviya—after entering; bhutesu—into the material elements; vilaksanasya—of varieties of manifestation; jnanasya—of knowledge; ca—also; isate—are the controlling power; imau—both of Them; puranau—are the original cause.

TRANSLATION

" ’Balarama and Krsna are the original efficient and material causes of the material world. As Maha-Visnu and the material energy, They enter into the material elements and create the diversities by multi-energies. Thus They are the cause of all causes.’

PURPORT

This verse is quoted from Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.46.31).

Madhya20.263

TEXT 263

srsti-hetu yei murti prapance avatare

sei isvara-murti ’avatara’ nama dhare

SYNONYMS

srsti-hetu—for the purpose of creation; yei murti—which form of the Lord; prapance—in the material world; avatare—descends; sei—that; isvara-murti—form of the Lord; avatara—incarnation; nama dhare—takes the name.

TRANSLATION

"The form of the Lord that descends into the material world to create is called an avatara, or incarnation.

Madhya20.264

TEXT 264

mayatita paravyome sabara avasthana

visve avatari’ dhare ’avatara’ nama

SYNONYMS

maya-atita—beyond the material nature; para-vyome—in the spiritual sky; sabara—all of them; avasthana—residence; visve—within the material universe; avatari’-coming down; dhare—take; avatara nama—the name avatara.

TRANSLATION

"All the expansions of Lord Krsna are actually residents of the spiritual world. However, when they descend into the material world, they are called incarnations [avataras].

Madhya20.265

TEXT 265

sei maya avalokite sri-sankarsana

purusa-rupe avatirna ha-ila prathama

SYNONYMS

sei maya—that material energy; avalokite—just to glance over; sri-sankarsana—Sankarsana; purusa-rupe—in the original form of Maha-Visnu; avatirna—incarnated; ha-ila—became; prathama—at first.

TRANSLATION

"To glance over that material energy and empower her, Lord Sankarsana first incarnates as Lord Maha-Visnu.

Madhya20.266

TEXT 266

jagrhe paurusam rupam

bhagavan mahad-adibhih

sambhutam sodasa-kalam

adau loka-sisrksaya

SYNONYMS

jagrhe—accepted; paurusam rupam—the form of the purusa incarnation; bhagavan—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mahat-adibhih—with the material energy, etc.; sambhutam—created; sodasa—sixteen; kalam—elements; adau—in the beginning; loka—of the material worlds; sisrksaya—with a desire for the creation.

TRANSLATION

" ’In the beginning of the creation, the Lord expanded Himself in the form of the purusa incarnation, accompanied by all the ingredients of material creation. First He created the sixteen principal energies suitable for creation. This was for the purpose of manifesting the material universes.’

PURPORT

Madhya20.267

TEXT 267

adyo ’vatarah purusah parasya

kalah svabhavah sad-asan-manas ca

dravyam vikaro guna indriyani

virat svarat sthasnu carisnu bhumnah

SYNONYMS

adyah avatarah—the original incarnation; purusah—the Lord; parasya—of the Supreme; kalah—time; svabhavah—nature; sat-asat—cause and effect; manah ca—as well as the mind; dravyam—the five elements; vikarah—transformation or the false ego; gunah—modes of nature; indriyani—senses; virat—the universal form; svarat—complete independence; sthasnu—immovable; carisnu—movable; bhumnah—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

TRANSLATION

" ’Karanabdhisayi Visnu [Maha-Visnu] is the first incarnation of the Supreme Lord, and He is the master of eternal time, space, cause and effects, mind, elements, material ego, modes of nature, senses, the universal form of the Lord, Garbhodakasayi Visnu, and the sum total of all living beings, both moving and nonmoving.’

PURPORT

Madhya20.268

TEXT 268

sei purusa virajate karena sayana

’karanabdhisayi’ nama jagat-karana

SYNONYMS

sei purusa—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; virajate—on the border known as Viraja; karena sayana—lies down; karana-abdhi-sayi—Karanabdhisayi; nama—named; jagat-karana—is the original cause of material creation.

TRANSLATION

"That original Personality of Godhead, named Sankarsana, first lies down in the river Viraja, which serves as a border between the material and spiritual worlds. As Karanabdhisayi Visnu, He is the original cause of the material creation.

Madhya20.269

TEXT 269

karanabdhi-pare mayara nitya avasthiti

virajara pare paravyome nahi gati

SYNONYMS

karana-abdhi-pare—on one bank of the Causal Ocean; mayara—of the material energy; nitya—eternal; avasthiti—position; virajara pare—on the other bank of the Viraja, or the Causal Ocean; para-vyome—in the spiritual world or sky; nahi—there is not; gati—admission.

TRANSLATION

"The Viraja, or Causal Ocean, is the border between the spiritual and material worlds. The material energy is situated on one shore of that ocean, and it cannot enter onto the other shore, which is the spiritual sky.

Madhya20.270

TEXT 270

pravartate yatra rajas tamas tayoh

sattvam ca misram na ca kala-vikramah

na yatra maya kim utapare harer

anuvrata yatra surasurarcitah

SYNONYMS

pravartate—exists; yatra—where; rajah—the mode of passion; tamah—the mode of ignorance; tayoh—of both of them; sattvam ca—and the mode of goodness; misram—mixture; na—not; ca—also; kala-vikramah—the influence of time or annihilation; na—not; yatra—where; maya—external energy; kim—what; uta—to speak; apare—others; hareh—of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; anuvratah—strict followers; yatra—where; sura—by demigods; asura—and by demons; arcitah—being worshiped.

TRANSLATION

" ’In the spiritual world, there is neither the mode of passion, the mode of ignorance nor a mixture of both, nor is there adulterated goodness, nor the influence of time or maya itself. Only the pure devotees of the Lord, who are worshiped both by demigods and by demons, reside in the spiritual world as the Lord’s associates.’

PURPORT

Madhya20.271

TEXT 271

mayara ye dui vrtti--’maya’ ara ’pradhana’

’maya’ nimitta-hetu, visvera upadana ’pradhana’

SYNONYMS

mayara—of the material nature; ye—which; dui—two; vrtti—functions; maya—called maya; ara—and; pradhana—ingredients; maya—the word ma-ya; nimitta-hetu—the efficient cause; visvera—of the material universe; upadana—ingredients; pradhana—is called pradhana.

TRANSLATION

"Maya has two functions. One is called maya, and the other is called pradhana. Maya refers to the efficient cause, and pradhana refers to the ingredients that create the cosmic manifestation.

PURPORT

For a further explanation, see Adi-lila, Chapter Five, verse 58.

Madhya20.272

TEXT 272

sei purusa maya-pane kare avadhana

prakrti ksobhita kari’ kare viryera adhana

SYNONYMS

sei purusa—that Supreme Personality of Godhead; maya-pane—toward maya; kare avadhana—glances; prakrti—the material nature; ksobhita kari’-making agitated; kare—impregnates; viryera—of the semina; adhana—injection.

TRANSLATION

"When the Supreme Personality of Godhead glances over the material energy, she becomes agitated. At that time, the Lord injects the original semina of the living entities.

PURPORT

Madhya20.273

TEXT 273

svanga-visesabhasa-rupe prakrti-sparsana

jiva-rupa ’bija’ tate kaila samarpana

SYNONYMS

sva-anga-visesa-abhasa-rupe—in the form of a specific shadow from His personal body; prakrti-sparsana—the Lord glances over the material nature; jiva-rupa—having the form of the sparklike living entities, who are parts and parcels; bija—semina; tate—in that material nature; kaila samarpana—impregnated.

TRANSLATION

"To impregnate with the seeds of living entities, the Lord Himself does not directly touch the material energy, but by His specific functional expansion, He touches the material energy, and thus the living entities, who are His parts and parcels, are impregnated into material nature.

PURPORT

According to Bhagavad-gita:

mamaivamso jiva-loke
jiva-bhutah sanatanah
manah sasthanindriyani
prakrti-sthani karsati

Madhya20.274

TEXT 274

daivat ksubhita-dharminyam

svasyam yonau parah puman

adhatta viryam sa ’suta

mahat-tattvam hiranmayam

SYNONYMS

daivat—from time immemorial; ksubhita-dharminyam—the material nature, which is subjected to agitation; svasyam—which belongs to the Supreme as one of His energies; yonau—in the womb from which the living entity takes his birth; parah puman—the Supreme Brahman, the Personality of Godhead; adhatta—impregnated; viryam—semina; sa—that material nature; asuta—produced; mahat-tattvam—the total material energy; hiranmayam—the original source for the emanation of varieties of material things.

TRANSLATION

" ’From time immemorial, after agitating the material nature into three qualities, the Supreme Personality of Godhead places the semina of innumerable living entities within the womb of that material nature. Thus material nature gives birth to the total material energy known as the hiranmaya-mahat-tattva, the original symbolic representation of the cosmic manifestation.’

PURPORT

Madhya20.275

TEXT 275

kala-vrttya tu mayayam

gunamayyam adhoksajah

purusenatma-bhutena

viryam adhatta viryavan

SYNONYMS

kala-vrttya—in due course of time, as the immediate cause of creation; tu—but; mayayam—within the material nature; guna-mayyam—full of the three material modes of nature (sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna); adhoksajah—the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is beyond material conceptions; purusena—by the enjoyer of material nature; atma-bhutena—who is an expansion of His personal self; viryam—semina; adhatta—placed; viryavan—the omnipotent.

TRANSLATION

" ’In due course of time, the Supreme Personality of Godhead [Maha-Visnu or Maha-Vaikunthanatha], by the agency of a further expansion of His personal self, places the seed of the living entities within the womb of material nature.’

PURPORT

Madhya20.276

TEXT 276

tabe mahat-tattva haite trividha ahankara

yaha haite devatendriya-bhutera pracara

SYNONYMS

tabe—thereafter; mahat-tattva haite—from the total material energy; tri-vidha—three kinds of; ahankara—egotism; yaha haite—from which; devata—of predominating deities; indriya—of the senses; bhutera—and of material elements; pracara—expansion.

TRANSLATION

"First the total material energy is manifest, and from this arise the three types of egotism, which are the original sources from which all demigods [controlling deities], senses and material elements expand.

PURPORT