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drstva—by seeing; papiyasim—sinful; srstim—creation; na—did not; atmanam—unto Himself; bahu—much pleasure; amanyata—felt; bhagavat—on the Personality of Godhead; dhyana—meditation; putena—purified by that; manasa—by such a mentality; anyam—another; tatah—thereafter; asrjat—created.

Seeing such a misleading creation as a sinful task, Brahma did not feel much pleasure in his activity, and therefore he purified himself by meditation on the Personality of Godhead. Then he began another term of creation.

Although he created the different influences of nescience, Lord Brahma was not satisfied in performing such a thankless task, but he had to do it because most of the conditioned souls wanted it to be so. Lord Krsna says in Bhagavad-gita (15.15) that He is present in everyone’s heart and is helping everyone to either remember of forget. The question may be raised why the Lord, who is all-merciful, helps one to remember and another to forget. Actually, His mercy is not exhibited in partiality towards one and enmity towards another. The living entity, as part and parcel of the Lord, is partially independent because he partially possesses all the qualities of the Lord. Anyone who has some independence may sometimes misuse it due to ignorance. When the living entity prefers to misuse his independence and glide down towards nescience, the all-merciful Lord first of all tries to protect him from the trap, but when the living entity persists in gliding down to hell, the Lord helps him to forget his real position. The Lord helps the falling living entity glide down to the lowest point, just to give him the chance to see if he is happy by misusing his independence.

Almost all the conditioned souls who are rotting in the material world are misusing their independence, and therefore five kinds of nescience are imposed upon them. As an obedient servitor of the Lord, Brahma creates all these as a matter of necessity, but he is not happy in doing so because a devotee of the Lord naturally does not like to see anyone falling down from his real position. Persons who do not care for the path of realization get full facilities from the Lord for executing their proclivities to the fullest extent, and Brahma helps in that procedure without fail.

SB3.12.4

TEXT 4

sanakam ca sanandam ca

sanatanam athatmabhuh

sanat-kumaram ca munin

niskriyan urdhva-retasah

sanakam—Sanaka; ca—also; sanandam—Sananda; ca—and; sanatanam—Sanatana; atha—thereafter; atma-bhuh—Brahma, who is self-born; sanat-kumaram—Sanat-kumara; ca—also; munin—the great sages; niskriyan—free from all fruitive action; urdhva-retasah—those whose semen flows upwards.

In the beginning, Brahma created four great sages named Sanaka, Sananda, Sanatana and Sanat-kumara. All of them were unwilling to adopt materialistic activities because they were highly elevated due to their semen’s flowing upwards.

Although Brahma created the principles of nescience as a matter of necessity for those living entities who were destined to ignorance by the will of the Lord, he was not satisfied in performing such a thankless task. He therefore created four principles of knowledge: sankhya, or empirical philosophy for the analytical study of material conditions; yoga, or mysticism for liberation of the pure soul from material bondage; vairagya, the acceptance of complete detachment from material enjoyment in life to elevate oneself to the highest spiritual understanding; and tapas, or the various kinds of voluntary austerities performed for spiritual perfection. Brahma created the four great sages Sanaka, Sananda, Sanatana and Sanat to entrust them with these four principles of spiritual advancement, and they inaugurated their own spiritual party, or sampradaya, known as the Kumara-sampradaya, or later on as the Nimbarka-sampradaya, for the advancement of bhakti. All of these great sages became great devotees, for without devotional service to the Personality of Godhead one cannot achieve success in any activity of spiritual value.

SB3.12.5

TEXT 5

tan babhase svabhuh putran

prajah srjata putrakah

tan naicchan moksa-dharmano

vasudeva-parayanah

tan—unto the Kumaras, as above mentioned; babhase—addressed; svabhuh—Brahma; putran—unto the sons; prajah—generations; srjata—to create; putrakah—O my sons; tat—that; na—not; aicchan—desired; moksa-dharmanah—pledged to the principles of liberation; vasudeva—the Personality of Godhead; parayanah—who are so devoted.

Brahma spoke to his sons after generating them. “My dear sons,” he said, “now generate progeny.” But due to their being attached to Vasudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they aimed at liberation, and therefore they expressed their unwillingness.

The four sons of Brahma, the Kumaras, declined to become family men even on the request of their great father, Brahma. Those who are serious about gaining release from material bondage should not be entangled in the false relationship of family bondage. People may ask how the Kumaras could refuse the orders of Brahma, who was their father and above all the creator of the universe. The reply is that one who is vasudeva-parayana, or seriously engaged in the devotional service of the Personality of Godhead, Vasudeva, need not care for any other obligation. It is enjoined in the Bhagavatam (11.5.41):

devarsi-bhutapta-nrnam pitrnam
na kinkaro nayam rni ca rajan
sarvatmana yah saranam saranyam
gato mukundam parihrtya kartam

“Anyone who has completely given up all worldly relationships and has taken absolute shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord, who gives us salvation and who alone is fit to be taken shelter of, is no longer a debtor or servant of anyone, including the demigods, forefathers, sages, other living entities, relatives, and members of human society.” Thus there was nothing wrong in the acts of the Kumaras when they refused their great father’s request that they become family men.

SB3.12.6

TEXT 6

so ’vadhyatah sutair evam

pratyakhyatanusasanaih

krodham durvisaham jatam

niyantum upacakrame

sah—he (Brahma); avadhyatah—thus being disrespected; sutaih—by the sons; evam—thus; pratyakhyata—refusing to obey; anusasanaih—the order of their father; krodham—anger; durvisaham—too much to be tolerated; jatam—thus generated; niyantum—to control; upacakrame—tried his best.

On the refusal of the sons to obey the order of their father, there was much anger generated in the mind of Brahma, which he tried to control and not express.

Brahma is the director in charge of the mode of passion of material nature. Therefore it was natural for him to become angry on the refusal of his sons to obey his order. Although the Kumaras were right in such acts of refusal, Brahma, being absorbed in the mode of passion, could not check his passionate anger. He did not express it, however, because he knew that his sons were far enlightened in spiritual advancement and thus he should not express his anger before them.

SB3.12.7

TEXT 7

dhiya nigrhyamano ’pi

bhruvor madhyat prajapateh

sadyo ’jayata tan-manyuh

kumaro nila-lohitah

dhiya—by intelligence; nigrhyamanah—being controlled; api—in spite of; bhruvoh—of the eyebrows; madhyat—from between; prajapateh—of Brahma; sadyah—at once; ajayata—generated; tat—his; manyuh—anger; kumarah—a child; nila-lohitah—mixture of blue and red.

Although he tried to curb his anger, it came out from between his eyebrows, and a child mixed blue and red was immediately generated.

The face of anger is the same whether exhibited due to ignorance or knowledge. Although Brahma tried to curb his anger, he could not do so, even though he is the supreme being. Such anger in its true color came from between the eyebrows of Brahma as Rudra, in a mixed color of blue (ignorance) and red (passion), because anger is the product of passion and ignorance.

SB3.12.8

TEXT 8

sa vai ruroda devanam

purvajo bhagavan bhavah

namani kuru me dhatah

sthanani ca jagad-guro

sah—he; vai—certainly; ruroda—cried loudly; devanam purvajah—the eldest of all demigods; bhagavan—the most powerful; bhavah—Lord Siva; namani—different names; kuru—designate; me—my; dhatah—O destiny maker; sthanani—places; ca—also; jagat-guro—O teacher of the universe.

After his birth he began to cry: O destiny maker, teacher of the universe, kindly designate my name and place.

SB3.12.9

TEXT 9

iti tasya vacah padmo

bhagavan paripalayan

abhyadhad bhadraya vaca

ma rodis tat karomi te

SYNONYMS

iti—thus; tasya—his; vacah—request; padmah—one who is born from the lotus flower; bhagavan—the powerful; paripalayan—accepting the request; abhyadhat—pacified; bhadraya—by gentle; vaca—words; ma—do not; rodih—cry; tat—that; karomi—I shall do it; te—as desired by you.

TRANSLATION

The all-powerful Brahma, who was born from the lotus flower, pacified the boy with gentle words, accepting his request, and said: Do not cry. I shall certainly do as you desire.

SB3.12.10

TEXT 10

yad arodih sura-srestha

sodvega iva balakah

tatas tvam abhidhasyanti

namna rudra iti prajah

SYNONYMS

yat—as much as; arodih—cried loudly; sura-srestha—O chief of the demigods; sa-udvegah—with great anxiety; iva—like; balakah—a boy; tatah—therefore; tvam—you; abhidhasyanti—will call; namna—by the name; rudrah—Rudra; iti—thus; prajah—people.

TRANSLATION

Thereafter Brahma said: O chief of the demigods, you shall be called by the name Rudra by all people because you have so anxiously cried.

SB3.12.11

TEXT 11

hrd indriyany asur vyoma

vayur agnir jalam mahi

suryas candras tapas caiva

sthanany agre krtani te

SYNONYMS

hrt—the heart; indriyani—the senses; asuh—life air; vyoma—the sky; vayuh—the air; agnih—fire; jalam—water; mahi—the earth; suryah—the sun; candrah—the moon; tapah—austerity; ca—as well as; eva—certainly; sthanani—all these places; agre—hereinbefore; krtani—already made; te—for you.

TRANSLATION

My dear boy, I have already selected the following places for your residence: the heart, the senses, the air of life, the sky, the air, the fire, the water, the earth, the sun, the moon and austerity.

PURPORT

The creation of Rudra from between the eyebrows of Brahma as the result of his anger, generated from the mode of passion partly touched by ignorance, is very significant. In Bhagavad-gita (3.37) the principle of Rudra is described. Krodha (anger) is the product of kama (lust), which is the result of the mode of passion. When lust and hankering are unsatisfied, the element of krodha appears, which is the formidable enemy of the conditioned soul. This most sinful and inimical passion is represented as ahankara, or the false egocentric attitude of thinking oneself to be all in all. Such an egocentric attitude on the part of the conditioned soul, who is completely under the control of material nature, is described in Bhagavad-gita as foolish. The egocentric attitude is a manifestation of the Rudra principle in the heart, wherein krodha (anger) is generated. This anger develops in the heart and is further manifested through various senses, like the eyes, hands and legs. When a man is angry he expresses such anger with red-hot eyes and sometimes makes a display of clenching his fists or kicking his legs. This exhibition of the Rudra principle is the proof of Rudra’s presence in such places. When a man is angry he breathes very rapidly, and thus Rudra is represented in the air of life, or in the activities of breathing. When the sky is overcast with dense clouds and roars in anger, and when the wind blows very fiercely, the Rudra principle is manifested, and so also when the sea water is infuriated by the wind it appears in a gloomy feature of Rudra, which is very fearful to the common man. When fire is ablaze we can also experience the presence of Rudra, and when there is an inundation over the earth we can understand that this is also the representation of Rudra.

There are many earthly creatures who constantly represent the Rudra element. The snake, tiger and lion are always representations of Rudra. Sometimes, because of the extreme heat of the sun, there are cases of heatstroke, and due to the extreme coldness created by the moon there are cases of collapse. There are many sages empowered with the influence of austerity and many yogis, philosophers and renouncers who sometimes exhibit their acquired power under the influence of the Rudra principle of anger and passion. The great yogi Durvasa, under the influence of this Rudra principle, picked a quarrel with Maharaja Ambarisa, and a brahmana boy exhibited the Rudra principle by cursing the great King Pariksit. When the Rudra principle is exhibited by persons who are not engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the angry person falls down from the peak of his improved position. This is confirmed as follows:

ye ’nye ’ravindaksa vimukta-maninas
tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayah
aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah
patanty adho ’nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah

(Bhag. 10.2.32)

The most lamentable falldown of the impersonalist is due to his false and unreasonable claim of being one with the Supreme.

SB3.12.12

TEXT 12

manyur manur mahinaso

mahan chiva rtadhvajah

ugrareta bhavah kalo

vamadevo dhrtavratah

manyuh, manuh, mahinasah, mahan, sivah, rtadhvajah, ugaretah, bhavah, kalah, vamadevah, dhrtavratah—all names of Rudra.

Lord Brahma said: My dear boy Rudra, you have eleven other names: Manyu, Manu, Mahinasa, Mahan, Siva, Rtadhvaja, Ugrareta, Bhava, Kala, Vamadeva and Dhrtavrata.

SB3.12.13

TEXT 13

dhir dhrti-rasaloma ca

niyut sarpir ilambika

iravati svadha diksa

rudranyo rudra te striyah

SYNONYMS

dhih, dhrti, rasala, uma, niyut, sarpih, ila, ambika, iravati, svadha, diksa rudranyah—the eleven Rudranis; rudra—O Rudra; te—unto you; striyah—wives.

TRANSLATION

O Rudra, you also have eleven wives, called the Rudranis, and they are as follows: Dhi, Dhrti, Rasala, Uma, Niyut, Sarpi, Ila, Ambika, Iravati, Svadha and Diksa.

SB3.12.14

TEXT 14

grhanaitani namani

sthanani ca sa-yosanah

ebhih srja praja bahvih

prajanam asi yat patih

SYNONYMS

grhana—just accept; etani—all these; namani—different names; sthanani—as well as places; ca—also; sa-yosanah—along with wives; ebhih—with them; srja—just generate; prajah—progeny; bahvih—on a large scale; prajanam—of the living entities; asi—you are; yat—since; patih—the master.

TRANSLATION

My dear boy, you may now accept all the names and places designated for you and your different wives, and since you are now one of the masters of the living entities, you may increase the population on a large scale.

PURPORT

Brahma, as the father of Rudra, selected the wives of his son, his living places, and his names as well. It is natural that one should accept the wife selected by one’s father, just as a son accepts the name given by the father or as he accepts the property offered by the father. That is the general course in increasing the population of the world. On the other hand, the Kumaras did not accept the offering of their father because they were elevated far beyond the business of generating a great number of sons. As the son can refuse the order of the father for higher purposes, so the father can refuse to maintain his sons in increasing population because of higher purposes.

SB3.12.15

TEXT 15

ity adistah sva-guruna

bhagavan nila-lohitah

sattvakrti-svabhavena

sasarjatma-samah prajah

iti—thus; adistah—being ordered; sva-guruna—by his own spiritual master; bhagavan—the most powerful; nila-lohitah—Rudra, whose color is mixed blue and red; sattva—power; akrti—bodily features; svabhavena—and with a very furious mode of nature; sasarja—created; atma-samah—like his own prototype; prajah—generations.

The most powerful Rudra, whose bodily color was blue mixed with red, created many offspring exactly resembling him in features, strength and furious nature.

SB3.12.16

TEXT 16

rudranam rudra-srstanam

samantad grasatam jagat

nisamyasankhyaso yuthan

prajapatir asankata

SYNONYMS

rudranam—of the sons of Rudra; rudra-srstanam—who were generated by Rudra; samantat—being assembled together; grasatam—while devouring; jagat—the universe; nisamya—by observing their activities; asankhyasah—unlimited; yuthan—assembly; praja-patih—the father of the living entities; asankata—became afraid of.

TRANSLATION

The sons and grandsons generated by Rudra were unlimited in number, and when they assembled together they attempted to devour the entire universe. When Brahma, the father of the living entities, saw this, he became afraid of the situation.

PURPORT

The generations of Rudra, the incarnation of anger, were so dangerous to the maintenance of universal affairs that even Brahma, the father of the living entities, became afraid of them. The so-called devotees or followers of Rudra are also a menace. They are sometimes dangerous even to Rudra himself. Descendants of Rudra sometimes make plans to kill Rudra—by the grace of Rudra. That is the nature of his devotees.

SB3.12.17

TEXT 17

alam prajabhih srstabhir

idrsibhih surottama

maya saha dahantibhir

disas caksurbhir ulbanaih

alam—unnecessary; prajabhih—by such living entities; srstabhih—generated; idrsibhih—of this type; sura-uttama—O best among the demigods; maya—me; saha—along with; dahantibhih—who are burning; disah—all sides; caksurbhih—by the eyes; ulbanaih—fiery flames.

Brahma told Rudra: O best among the demigods, there is no need for you to generate living entities of this nature. They have begun to devastate everything on all sides with the fiery flames from their eyes, and they have even attacked me.

SB3.12.18

TEXT 18

tapa atistha bhadram te

sarva-bhuta-sukhavaham

tapasaiva yatha purvam

srasta visvam idam bhavan

SYNONYMS

tapah—penance; atistha—be situated; bhadram—auspicious; te—unto you; sarva—all; bhuta—living entities; sukha-avaham—bringing happiness; tapasa—by penance; eva—only; yatha—as much as; purvam—before; srasta—will create; visvam—the universe; idam—this; bhavan—yourself.

TRANSLATION

My dear son, you had better situate yourself in penance, which is auspicious for all living entities and which will bring all benediction upon you. By penance only shall you be able to create the universe as it was before.

PURPORT

In the creation, maintenance and dissolution of the cosmic manifestation, the three deities Brahma, Visnu and Mahesvara, or Siva, are respectively in charge. Rudra was advised not to destroy while the period of creation and maintenance was going on, but to situate himself in penance and wait for the time of dissolution, when his services would be called for.

SB3.12.19

TEXT 19

tapasaiva param jyotir

bhagavantam adhoksajam

sarva-bhuta-guhavasam

anjasa vindate puman

tapasa—by penance; eva—only; param—the supreme; jyotih—light; bhagavantam—unto the Personality of Godhead; adhoksajam—He who is beyond the approach of the senses; sarva-bhuta-guha-avasam—residing in the heart of all living entities; anjasa—completely; vindate—can know; puman—a person.

By penance only can one even approach the Personality of Godhead, who is within the heart of every living entity and at the same time beyond the reach of all senses.

Rudra was advised by Brahma to perform penance as an example to his sons and followers that penance is necessary for attaining the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Bhagavad-gita it is said that the common mass of people follow the path shown by an authority. Thus Brahma, disgusted with the Rudra generations and afraid of being devoured by the increase of population, asked Rudra to stop producing such an unwanted generation and take to penance for attaining the favor of the Supreme Lord. We find, therefore, in pictures, that Rudra is always sitting in meditation for the attainment of the favor of the Lord. Indirectly, the sons and followers of Rudra are advised to stop the business of annihilation, following the Rudra principle while the peaceful creation of Brahma is going on.

parikramya giram patim

badham ity amum amantrya

vivesa tapase vanam

maitreyah uvaca—Sri Maitreya said; evam—thus; atma-bhuva—by Brahma; adistah—being so requested; parikramya—by circumambulating; giram—of the Vedas; patim—unto the master; badham—that is right; iti—thus; amum—unto Brahma; amantrya—thus addressing; vivesa—entered into; tapase—for the matter of penance; vanam—into the forest.

Sri Maitreya said: Thus Rudra, having been ordered by Brahma, circumambulated his father, the master of the Vedas. Addressing him with words of assent, he entered the forest to perform austere penances.

SB3.12.21

TEXT 21

athabhidhyayatah sargam

dasa putrah prajajnire

bhagavac-chakti-yuktasya

loka-santana-hetavah

SYNONYMS

atha—thus; abhidhyayatah—while thinking of; sargam—creation; dasa—ten; putrah—sons; prajajnire—were begotten; bhagavat—regarding the Personality of Godhead; sakti—potency; yuktasya—empowered with; loka—the world; santana—generation; hetavah—the causes.

TRANSLATION

Brahma, who was empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, thought of generating living entities and begot ten sons for the extension of the generations.

SB3.12.22

TEXT 22

maricir atry-angirasau

pulastyah pulahah kratuh

bhrgur vasistho daksas ca

dasamas tatra naradah

SYNONYMS

maricih, atri, angirasau, pulastyah, pulahah, kratuh, bhrguh, vasisthah, daksah—names of sons of Brahma; ca—and; dasamah—the tenth; tatra—there; naradah—Narada.

TRANSLATION

Marici, Atri, Angira, Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Bhrgu, Vasistha, Daksa, and the tenth son, Narada, were thus born.

PURPORT

The whole process of the creation, maintenance and dissolution of the cosmic manifestation is meant to give the conditioned souls a chance to go back home, back to Godhead. Brahma created Rudra to help him in his creative endeavor, but from the very beginning Rudra began to devour the whole creation, and thus he had to be stopped from such devastating activities. Brahma therefore created another set of good children, who were mostly in favor of worldly fruitive activities. He knew very well, however, that without devotional service to the Lord there is hardly any benefit for the conditioned souls, and therefore he at last created his worthy son Narada, who is the supreme spiritual master of all transcendentalists. Without devotional service to the Lord one cannot make progress in any department of activity, although the path of devotional service is always independent of anything material. Only the transcendental loving service of the Lord can deliver the real goal of life, and thus the service rendered by Sriman Narada Muni is the highest among all the sons of Brahma.

SB3.12.23

TEXT 23

utsangan narado jajne

dakso ’ngusthat svayambhuvah

pranad vasisthah sanjato

bhrgus tvaci karat kratuh

utsangat—by transcendental deliberation; naradah—Mahamuni Narada; jajne—was generated; daksah—Daksa; angusthat—from the thumb; svayambhuvah—of Brahma; pranat—from the life air, or breathing; vasisthah—Vasistha; sanjatah—was born; bhrguh—the sage Bhrgu; tvaci—from the touch; karat—from the hand; kratuh—the sage Kratu.

Narada was born from the deliberation of Brahma, which is the best part of the body. Vasistha was born from his breathing, Daksa from a thumb, Bhrgu from his touch, and Kratu from his hand.

Narada was born from the best deliberation of Brahma because Narada was able to deliver the Supreme Lord to anyone he liked. The Supreme Personality of Godhead cannot be realized by any amount of Vedic knowledge or by any number of penances. But a pure devotee of the Lord like Narada can deliver the Supreme Lord by his good will. The very name Narada suggests that he can deliver the Supreme Lord. Nara means the “Supreme Lord,” and da means “one who can deliver.” That he can deliver the Supreme Lord does not mean that the Lord is like a commodity that can be delivered to any person. But Narada can deliver to anyone the transcendental loving service of the Lord as a servitor, friend, parent or lover, as one may desire out of one’s own transcendental love for the Lord. In other words, it is Narada only who can deliver the path of bhakti-yoga, the highest mystic means for attainment of the Supreme Lord.

SB3.12.24

TEXT 24

pulaho nabhito jajne

pulastyah karnayor rsih

angira mukhato ’ksno ’trir

maricir manaso ’bhavat

pulahah—the sage Pulaha; nabhitah—from the navel; jajne—generated; pulastyah—the sage Pulastya; karnayoh—from the ears; rsih—the great sage; angirah—the sage Angira; mukhatah—from the mouth; aksnah—from the eyes; atrih—the sage Atri; maricih—the sage Marici; manasah—from the mind; abhavat—appeared.