ERROR: Your browser does not support scripts.

chayayah—by the shadow; kardamah—Kardama Muni; jajne—became manifested; devahutyah—of Devahuti; patih—husband; prabhuh—the master; manasah—from the mind; dehatah—from the body; ca—also; idam—this; jajne—developed; visva—the universe; krtah—of the creator; jagat—cosmic manifestation.

Sage Kardama, husband of the great Devahuti, was manifested from the shadow of Brahma. Thus all became manifested from either the body or the mind of Brahma.

Although one of the three modes of material nature is always prominent, they are never represented unalloyed by one another. Even in the most prominent existence of the two lower qualities, the modes of passion and ignorance, there is sometimes a tinge of the mode of goodness. Therefore all the sons generated from the body or the mind of Brahma were in the modes of passion and ignorance, but some of them, like Kardama, were born in the mode of goodness. Narada was born in the transcendental state of Brahma.

SB3.12.28

TEXT 28

vacam duhitaram tanvim

svayambhur haratim manah

akamam cakame ksattah

sa-kama iti nah srutam

vacam—Vak; duhitaram—unto the daughter; tanvim—born of his body; svayambhuh—Brahma; haratim—attracting; manah—his mind; akamam—without being sexually inclined; cakame—desired; ksattah—O Vidura; sa-kamah—being sexually inclined; iti—thus; nah—we; srutam—have heard.

O Vidura, we have heard that Brahma had a daughter named Vak who was born from his body and who attracted his mind toward sex, although she was not sexually inclined towards him.

visrambhat pratyabodhayan

Balavan indriya-gramo vidvamsam api karsati (Bhag. 9.19.17). It is said that the senses are so mad and strong that they can bewilder even the most sensible and learned man. Therefore it is advised that one should not indulge in living alone even with one’s mother, sister or daughter. Vidvamsam api karsati means that even the most learned also become victims of the sensuous urge. Maitreya hesitated to state this anomaly on the part of Brahma, who was sexually inclined to his own daughter, but still he mentioned it because sometimes it so happens, and the living example is Brahma himself, although he is the primeval living being and the most learned within the whole universe. If Brahma could be a victim of the sexual urge, then what of others, who are prone to so many mundane frailties? This extraordinary immortality on the part of Brahma was heard to have occurred in some particular kalpa, but it could not have happened in the kalpa in which Brahma heard directly from the Lord the four essential verses of Srimad-Bhagavatam because the Lord blessed Brahma, after giving him lessons on the Bhagavatam, that he would never be bewildered in any kalpa whatsoever. This indicates that before the hearing of Srimad-Bhagavatam he might have fallen a victim to such sensuality, but after hearing Srimad-Bhagavatam directly from the Lord, there was no possibility of such failures.

One should, however, take serious note of this incident. The human being is a social animal, and his unrestricted mixing with the fair sex leads to downfall. Such social freedom of man and woman, especially among the younger section, is certainly a great stumbling block on the path of spiritual progress. Material bondage is due only to sexual bondage, and therefore unrestricted association of man and woman is surely a great impediment. Maitreya cited this example on the part of Brahma just to bring to our notice this great danger.

SB3.12.29

TEXT 29

tam adharme krta-matim

vilokya pitaram sutah

marici-mukhya munayo

tam—unto him; adharme—in the matter of immortality; krta-matim—the mind being so given; vilokya—seeing thus; pitaram—unto the father; sutah—sons; marici-mukhyah—headed by Marici; munayah—sages; visrambhat—with due respect; pratyabodhayan—submitted as follows.

Thus, finding their father so deluded in an act of immorality, the sages headed by Marici, all sons of Brahma, spoke as follows with great respect.

The sages like Marici were not in the wrong in submitting their protests against the acts of their great father. They knew very well that even though their father committed a mistake, there must have been some great purpose behind the show, otherwise such a great personality could not have committed such a mistake. It might be that Brahma wanted to warn his subordinates about human frailties in their dealings with women. This is always very dangerous for persons who are on the path of self-realization. Therefore, great personalities like Brahma, even when in the wrong, should not be neglected, nor could the great sages headed by Marici show any disrespect because of his extraordinary behavior.

SB3.12.30

TEXT 30

naitat purvaih krtam tvad ye

na karisyanti capare

yas tvam duhitaram gaccher

anigrhyangajam prabhuh

na—never; etat—such a thing; purvaih—by any other Brahma, or yourself in any previous ka[la; krtam—performed; tvat—by you; ye—that which; na—nor; karisyanti—will do; ca—also; apare—anyone else; yah—that which; tvam—you; duhitaram—unto the daughter; gaccheh—would do; anigrhya—without controlling; angajam—sex desire; prabhuh—O father.

O father, this performance in which you are endeavoring to complicate yourself was never attempted by any other Brahma, nor by anyone else, nor by you in previous kalpas, nor will anyone dare to attempt it in the future. You are the supreme being in the universe, so how is it that you want to have sex with your daughter and cannot control your desire?

The post of Brahma is the supermost post in the universe, and it appears that there are many Brahmas and many universes besides the one in which we are situated. One who fills this post must be ideal in behavior, for Brahma sets the example for all living entities. Brahma, the living entity who is the most pious and spiritually elevated, is entrusted with a post next to that of the Personality of Godhead.

SB3.12.31

TEXT 31

tejiyasam api hy etan

na suslokyam jagad-guro

yad-vrttam anutisthan vai

lokah ksemaya kalpate

tejiyasam—of the most powerful; api—also; hi—certainly; etat—such an act; na—not suitable; su-slokyam—good behavior; jagat-guro—O spiritual master of the universe; yat—whose; vrttam—character; anutisthan—following; vai—certainly; lokah—the world; ksemaya—for prosperity; kalpate—becomes eligible.

Even though you are the most powerful being, this act does not suit you because your character is followed for spiritual improvement by people in general.

It is said that a supremely powerful living entity can do anything and everything he likes and such acts do not affect him in any way. For example, the sun, the most powerful fiery planet in the universe, can evaporate water from anywhere and still remain as powerful. The sun evaporates water from filthy places and yet is not infected with the quality of the filth. Similarly, Brahma remains unimpeachable in all conditions. But still, since he is the spiritual master of all living entities, his behavior and character should be so ideal that people will follow such sublime behavior and derive the highest spiritual benefit. Therefore, he should not have acted as he did.

SB3.12.32

TEXT 32

tasmai namo bhagavate

ya idam svena rocisa

atma-stham vyanjayam asa

sa dharmam patum arhati

tasmai—unto Him; namah—obeisances; bhagavate—unto the Personality of Godhead; yah—who; idam—this; svena—by His own; rocisa—effulgence; atma-stham—situated in Himself; vyanjayam asa—has manifested; sah—He; dharmam—religion; patum—for protection; arhati—may kindly do so.

Let us offer our respectful obeisances unto the Personality of Godhead, who, by His own effulgence, while situated in Himself, has manifested this cosmos. May He also protect religion for all goodness.

Lust for sexual intercourse is so strong that it appears herein that Brahma could not be dissuaded from his determination in spite of the appeal by his great sons like Marici. Therefore, the great sons began to pray to the Supreme Lord for the good sense of Brahma. It is only by the grace of the Supreme Lord that one can be protected from the allurement of lusty material desires. The Lord gives protection to devotees who are always engaged in His transcendental loving service, and by His causeless mercy He forgives the accidental fall of a devotee. Therefore, sages like Marici prayed for the mercy of the Lord, and their prayer was fruitful.

SB3.12.33

TEXT 33

sa ittham grnatah putran

puro drstva prajapatin

prajapati-patis tanvam

tatyaja vriditas tada

tam diso jagrhur ghoram

niharam yad vidus tamah

sah—he (Brahma); ittham—thus; grnatah—speaking; putran—sons; purah—before; drstva—seeing; praja-patin—all the progenitors of living entities; prajapati-patih—the father of them (Brahma); tanvam—body; tatyaja—quit; vriditah—ashamed; tada—at that time; tam—that body; disah—all directions; jagrhuh—accepted; ghoram—blamable; niharam—fog; yat—which; viduh—they know as; tamah—darkness.

The father of all Prajapatis, Brahma, thus seeing all his Prajapati sons speaking in that way, became very much ashamed and at once gave up the body he had accepted. Later that body appeared in all directions as the dangerous fog in darkness.

The best way to compensate for one’s sinful acts is to give up one’s body at once, and Brahma, the leader of the living entities, showed this by his personal example. Brahma has a fabulous duration of life, but he was obliged to give up his body due to his grievous sin, even though he had merely contemplated it in his mind without having actually done it.

This is a lesson for the living entities, showing how sinful an act it is to indulge in unrestricted sex life. Even to think of abominable sex life is sinful, and to compensate for such acts, one has to give up his body. In other words, one’s duration of life, blessings, opulence, etc., are decreased by sinful acts, and the most dangerous type of sinful act is unrestricted sex.

Ignorance is the cause of sinful life, or sinful life is the cause of gross ignorance. The feature of ignorance is darkness or fog. Darkness or fog still covers the whole universe, and the sun is the only counteracting principle. One who takes shelter of the Lord, the perpetual light, has no fear of being annihilated in the darkness of fog or ignorance.

SB3.12.34

TEXT 34

kadacid dhyayatah srastur

veda asams catur-mukhat

katham sraksyamy aham lokan

samavetan yatha pura

kadacit—once upon a time; dhyayatah—while contemplating; srastuh—of Brahma; vedah—the Vedic literature; asan—became manifested; catuh-mukhat—from the four mouths; katham sraksyami—how shall I create; aham—myself; lokan—all these worlds; samavetan—assembled; yatha—as they were; pura—in the past.

Once upon a time, when Brahma was thinking of how to create the worlds as in the past millennium, the four Vedas, which contain all varieties of knowledge, became manifested from his four mouths.

As a fire can consume anything and everything without being contaminated, so, by the grace of the Lord, the fire of Brahma’s greatness consumed his desire for the sinful act of sex with his daughter. The Vedas are the source of all knowledge, and they were first revealed to Brahma by the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead while Brahma was thinking of re-creating the material world. Brahma is powerful by dint of his devotional service unto the Lord, and the Lord is always ready to forgive His devotee if by chance he falls down from the noble path of devotional service. The Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.42) confirms this as follows:

sva-pada-mulam bhajatah priyasya
tyaktvanya-bhavasya harih paresah
vikarma yac cotpatitam kathan-cid
dhunoti sarvam hrdi sannvistah

“Any person who is engaged one hundred percent in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, at His lotus feet, is very dear to the Personality of Godhead Hari, and the Lord, being situated in the heart of the devotee, excuses all kinds of sins committed by chance.” It was never expected that a great personality like Brahma would ever think of sex indulgence with his daughter. The example shown by Brahma only suggests that the power of material nature is so strong that it can act upon everyone, even Brahma. Brahma was saved by the mercy of the Lord with a little punishment, but by the grace of the Lord he did not lose his prestige as the great Brahma.

SB3.12.35

TEXT 35

catur-hotram karma-tantram

upaveda-nayaih saha

dharmasya padas catvaras

tathaivasrama-vrttayah

catuh—four; hotram—paraphernalia for sacrifice; karma—action; tantram—expansions of such activities; upaveda—supplementary to the Vedas; nayaih—by logical conclusions; saha—along with; dharmasya—of religiosity; padah—principles; catvarah—four; tatha eva—in the same way; asrama—social orders; vrttayah—occupations.

The four kinds of paraphernalia for conducting the fire sacrifice became manifest: the performer [the chanter], the offerer, the fire, and the action performed in terms of the supplementary Vedas. Also the four principles of religiosity [truth, austerity, mercy and cleanliness] and the duties in the four social orders all became manifest.

Eating, sleeping, defending and mating are the four principles of material bodily demands which are common to both the animals and human society. To distinguish human society from the animals there is the performance of religious activities in terms of the social statuses and orders of life. They are all clearly mentioned in the Vedic literatures and were manifested by Brahma when the four Vedas were generated from his four mouths. Thus the duties of humankind in terms of the statuses and social orders were established to be observed by the civilized man. Those who traditionally follow these principles are called Aryans, or progressive human beings.

SB3.12.36

TEXT 36

vidura uvaca

sa vai visva-srjam iso

vedadin mukhato ’srjat

yad yad yenasrjad devas

tan me bruhi tapo-dhana

vidurah uvaca—Vidura said; sah—he (Brahma); vai—certainly; visva—the universe; srjam—of those who created; isah—the controller; veda-adin—the Vedas, etc.; mukhatah—from the mouth; asrjat—established; yat—that; yat—which; yena—by which; asrjat—created; devah—the god; tat—that; me—unto me; bruhi—please explain; tapah-dhana—O sage whose only wealth is penance.

Vidura said: O great sage whose only wealth is penance, kindly explain to me how and with whose help Brahma established the Vedic knowledge which emanated from his mouth.

SB3.12.37

TEXT 37

maitreya uvaca

rg-yajuh-samatharvakhyan

vedan purvadibhir mukhaih

sastram ijyam stuti-stomam

prayascittam vyadhat kramat

SYNONYMS

maitreyah uvaca—Maitreya said; rk-yajuh-sama-atharva—the four Vedas; akhyan—of the name; vedan—Vedic literatures; purva-adibhih—beginning with the front; mukhaih—by the mouths; sastram—Vedic hymns not pronounced before; ijyam—priestly rituals; stuti-stomam—the subject matter of the reciters; prayascittam—transcendental activities; vyadhat—established; kramat—one after another.

TRANSLATION

Maitreya said: Beginning from the front face of Brahma, gradually the four Vedas—Rk, Yajur, Sama and Atharva—became manifest. Thereafter, Vedic hymns which had not been pronounced before, priestly rituals, the subject matters of the recitation, and transcendental activities were all established, one after another.

SB3.12.38

TEXT 38

ayur-vedam dhanur-vedam

gandharvam vedam atmanah

sthapatyam casrjad vedam

kramat purvadibhir mukhaih

SYNONYMS

ayuh-vedam—medical science; dhanuh-vedam—military science; gandharvam—musical art; vedam—they are all Vedic knowledge; atmanah—of his own; sthapatyam—architectural; ca—also; asrjat—created; vedam—knowledge; kramat—respectively; purva-adibhih—beginning from the front face; mukhaih—by the mouths.

TRANSLATION

He also created the medical science, military art, musical art and architectural science, all from the Vedas. They all emanated one after another, beginning from the front face.

PURPORT

The Vedas contain perfect knowledge, which includes all kinds of knowledge for the human society, not only on this particular planet but on other planets as well. It is understood that military art is also necessary knowledge for the upkeep of social order, as is the art of music. All these groups of knowledge are called the Upapurana, or supplements of the Vedas. Spiritual knowledge is the main topic of the Vedas, but to help the human being’s spiritual pursuit of knowledge, the other information, as above mentioned, forms necessary branches of the Vedic knowledge.

SB3.12.39

TEXT 39

itihasa-puranani

pancamam vedam isvarah

sarvebhya eva vaktrebhyah

sasrje sarva-darsanah

itihasa—histories; puranani—the Puranas (supplementary Vedas); pancamam—the fifth; vedam—the Vedic literature; isvarah—the Lord; sarvebhyah—all together; eva—certainly; vaktrebhyah—from his mouths; sasrje—created; sarva—all around; darsanah—one who can see all time.

Then he created the fifth Veda—the Puranas and the histories—from all his mouths, since he could see all the past, present and future.

There are histories of particular countries and nations and of the world, but the Puranas are the histories of the universe, not only in one millennium, but in many kalpas. Brahma has knowledge of those historical facts, and therefore all the puranas are histories. As originally composed by Brahma, they are part of the Vedas and are called the fifth Veda.

SB3.12.40

TEXT 40

sodasy-ukthau purva-vaktrat

purisy-agnistutav atha

aptoryamatiratrau ca

vajapeyam sagosavam

sodasi-ukthau—types of sacrifice; purva-vaktrat—from the eastern mouth; purisi-agnistutau—types of sacrifice; atha—then; aptoryama-atiratrau—types of sacrifice; ca—and; vajapeyam—type of sacrifice; sa-gosavam—type of sacrifice.

All the different varieties of fire sacrifices [sodasi, uktha, purisi, agnistoma, aptoryama, atiratra, vajapeya and gosava] became manifested from the eastern mouth of Brahma.

SB3.12.41

TEXT 41

vidya danam tapah satyam

dharmasyeti padani ca

asramams ca yatha-sankhyam

asrjat saha vrttibhih

SYNONYMS

vidya—education; danam—charity; tapah—penance; satyam—truth; dharmasya—of religion; iti—thus; padani—four legs; ca—also; asraman—orders of life; ca—also; yatha—as they are; sankhyam—in number; asrjat—created; saha—along with; vrttibhih—by vocations.

TRANSLATION

Education, charity, penance and truth are said to be the four legs of religion, and to learn this there are four orders of life with different classifications of castes according to vocation. Brahma created all these in systematic order.

PURPORT

The nucleus of the four social orders—brahmacarya, or student life, grhastha, or householder family life, vanaprastha, or retired life for practicing penance, and sannyasa, or renounced life for preaching the truth—is the four legs of religion. The vocational divisions are the brahmanas, or the intelligent class, the ksatriyas, or administrative class, the vaisyas, or mercantile productive class, and the sudras, or general laborer class who have no specific qualifications. All were systematically planned and created by Brahma for the regular promotion of self-realization. Student life is meant for acquiring the best education; household family life is meant for gratifying the senses, provided it is performed with a charitable disposition of mind, retirement from household life is meant for penance, for advancement in spiritual life, and renounced life is meant for preaching the Absolute Truth to the people in general. The combined actions of all members of society make the whole situation favorable for the upliftment of the mission of human life. The beginning of this social institution is based on education meant for purifying the animal propensities of the human being. The highest purificatory process is knowledge of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the purest of the pure.

SB3.12.42

TEXT 42

savitram prajapatyam ca

brahmam catha brhat tatha

varta sancaya-salina-

siloncha iti vai grhe

savitram—the thread ceremony of the twice-born; prajapatyam—to execute the vow for one year; ca—and; brahmam—acceptance of the Vedas; ca—and; atha—also; brhat—complete abstinence from sex life; tatha—then; varta—vocation in terms of Vedic sanction; sancaya—professional duty; salina—livelihood without asking anyone for cooperation; sila-unchah—picking up rejected grains; iti—thus; vai—even though; grhe—in household life.

Then the thread ceremony for the twice-born was inaugurated, as were the rules to be followed for at least one year after acceptance of the Vedas, rules for observing complete abstinence from sex life, vocations in terms of Vedic injunctions, various professional duties in household life, and the method of maintaining a livelihood without anyone’s cooperation by picking up rejected grains.

During student life the brahmacaris were given full instructions about the importance of the human form of life. Thus the basic education was designed to encourage the student in becoming free from family encumbrances. Only students unable to accept such a vow in life were allowed to go home and marry a suitable wife. Otherwise, the student would remain a permanent brahmacari, observing complete abstinence from sex life for his whole life. It all depended on the quality of the student’s training. We had the opportunity to meet an avowed brahmacari in the personality of our spiritual master, Om Visnupada Sri Srimad Bhaktisiddhanta Gosvami Maharaja. Such a great soul is called a naisthika-brahmacari.

SB3.12.43

TEXT 43

vaikhanasa valakhilyau-

dumbarah phenapa vane

nyase kuticakah purvam

bahvodo hamsa-niskriyau

vaikhanasah—the section of men who retire from active life and live on half-boiled meals; valakhilya—one who quits his former stock of grains on receipt of more; audumbarah—one who lives on what he gets from the direction towards which he starts after rising from bed; phenapah—one who lives on the fruits which automatically fall from the tree; vane—in the forest; nyase—in the order of renunciation; kuticakah—life in the family without attachment; purvam—in the beginning; bahvodah—giving up all material activities and engaging fully in transcendental service; hamsa—fully engaged in transcendental knowledge; niskriyau—stopping all kinds of activities.

The four divisions of retired life are the vaikhanasas, valakhilyas, audumbaras and phenapas. The four divisions of the renounced order of life are the kuticakas, bahvodas, hamsas and niskriyas. All these were manifested from Brahma.

The varnasrama-dharma, or the institution of the four divisions and orders of social and spiritual life, is not a new invention of the modern age, as proposed by the less intelligent. It is an institution established by Brahma from the beginning of the creation. This is also confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita (4.13): catur-varnyam maya srstam.

SB3.12.44

TEXT 44

anviksiki trayi varta

danda-nitis tathaiva ca

evam vyahrtayas casan

pranavo hy asya dahratah

anviksiki—logic; trayi—the three goals, namely religion, economy and salvation; varta—sense gratification; danda—law and order; nitih—moral codes; tatha—as also; eva ca—respectively; evam—thus; vyahrtayah—the celebrated hymns bhuh, bhuvah and svah; ca—also; asan—came into existence; pranavah—the omkara; hi—certainly; asya—of him (Brahma); dahratah—from the heart.

The science of logical argument, the Vedic goals of life, and also law and order, moral codes, and the celebrated hymns bhuh, bhuvah and svah all became manifested from the mouths of Brahma, and the pranava omkara was manifested from his heart.

SB3.12.45

TEXT 45

tasyosnig asil lomabhyo

gayatri ca tvaco vibhoh

tristum mamsat snuto ’nustub

jagaty asthnah prajapateh

SYNONYMS

tasya—his; usnik—one of the Vedic meters; asit—generated; lomabhyah—from the hairs on the body; gayatri—the principal Vedic hymn; ca—also; tvacah—from the skin; vibhoh—of the Lord; tristup—a particular type of poetic meter; mamsat—from the flesh; snutah—from the sinews; anustup—another type of poetic meter; jagati—another type of poetic meter; asthnah—from the bones; prajapateh—of the father of the living entities.

TRANSLATION

Thereafter the art of literary expression, usnik, was generated from the hairs on the body of the almighty Prajapati. The principal Vedic hymn, gayatri, was generated from the skin, tristup from the flesh, anustup from the veins, and jagati from the bones of the lord of the living entities.

SB3.12.46

TEXT 46

majjayah panktir utpanna

brhati pranato ’bhavat

SYNONYMS

majjayah—from the bone marrow; panktih—a particular type of verse; utpanna—became manifested; brhati—another type of verse; pranatah—out of the life-breathing; abhavat—generated.

TRANSLATION

The art of writing verse, pankti, became manifested from the bone marrow, and that of brhati, another type of verse, was generated from the life-breath of the Lord of the living entities.

SB3.12.47

TEXT 47

sparsas tasyabhavaj jivah

svaro deha udahrta

usmanam indriyany ahur

antah-stha balam atmanah

svarah sapta viharena

bhavanti sma prajapateh

SYNONYMS

sparsah—the set of letters from ka to ma; tasya—his; abhavat—became; jivah—the soul; svarah—vowels; dehah—his body; udahrtah—are expressed; usmanam—the letters sa, sa, sa and ha; indriyani—the senses; ahuh—are called; antah-sthah—the set of letters so known (ya, ra, la and va); balam—energy; atmanah—of his self; svarah—music; sapta—seven; viharena—by the sensual activities; bhavanti sma—became manifested; prajapateh—of the lord of the living entities.

TRANSLATION

Brahma’s soul was manifested as the touch alphabets, his body as the vowels, his senses as the sibilant alphabets, his strength as the intermediate alphabets and his sensual activities as the seven notes of music.

PURPORT

In Sanskrit there are thirteen vowels and thirty-five consonants. The vowels are a, a, i, i, u, u, r, r, l, e, ai, o, au, and the consonants are ka, kha, ga, gha, etc. Amongst the consonants, the first twenty-five letters are called the sparsas. There are also four antah-sthas. Of the usmas there are three s’s, called talavya, murdhanya and dantya. The musical notes are sa, r, ga, ma, dha, and ni. All these sound vibrations are originally called sabda-brahma, or spiritual sound. It is said, therefore, that Brahma was created in the Maha-kalpa as the incarnation of spiritual sound. The Vedas are spiritual sound, and therefore there is no need of material interpretation as they are, although they are symbolically represented with letters which are known to us materially. In the ultimate issue there is nothing material because everything has its origin in the spiritual world. The material manifestation is therefore called illusion in the proper sense of the term. For those who are realized souls there is nothing but spirit.

SB3.12.48

TEXT 48

sabda-brahmatmanas tasya

vyaktavyaktatmanah parah

brahmavabhati vitato

nana-sakty-upabrmhitah

sabda-brahma—transcendental sound; atmanah—of the Supreme Lord; tasya—His; vyakta—manifested; avyakta-atmanah—of the unmanifested; parah—transcendental; brahma—the Absolute; avabhati—completely manifested; vitatah—distributing; nana—multifarious; sakti—energies; upabrmhitah—invested with.

Brahma is the personal representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as the source of transcendental sound and is therefore above the conception of manifested and unmanifested. Brahma is the complete form of the Absolute Truth and is invested with multifarious energies.

The post of Brahma is the highest responsible post within the universe, and it is offered to the most perfect personality of the universe. Sometimes the Supreme Personality of Godhead has to become Brahma when there is no suitable living being to occupy the post. In the material world, Brahma is the complete representation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and transcendental sound, pranava, comes from him. He is therefore invested with multifarious energies, from which all the demigods like Indra, Candra and Varuna are manifested. His transcendental value is not to be minimized, even though he exhibited a tendency to enjoy his own daughter. There is a purpose for the exhibition of such a tendency by Brahma, and he is not to be condemned like an ordinary living entity.

SB3.12.49

TEXT 49

tato ’param upadaya

sa sargaya mano dadhe

tatah—thereafter; aparam—another; upadaya—having accepted; sah—he; sargaya—in the matter of creation; manah—mind; dadhe— gave attention.

Thereafter Brahma accepted another body, in which sex life was not forbidden, and thus he engaged himself in the matter of further creation.

In his former body, which was transcendental, affection for sex life was forbidden, and Brahma therefore had to accept another body to allow himself to be connected with sex. He thus engaged himself in the matter of creation. His former body transformed into fog, as previously described.

SB3.12.50

TEXT 50

rsinam bhuri-viryanam

api sargam avistrtam

jnatva tad dhrdaye bhuyas

cintayam asa kaurava

rsinam—of the great sages; bhuri-viryanam—with great potential power; api—in spite of; sargam—the creation; avistrtam—not extended; jnatva—knowing; tat—that; hrdaye—in his heart; bhuyah—again; cintayam asa—he began to consider; kaurava—O son of the Kurus.

O son of the Kurus, when Brahma saw that in spite of the presence of sages of great potency there was no sufficient increase in population, he seriously began to consider how the population could be increased.

SB3.12.51

TEXT 51

aho adbhutam etan me

vyaprtasyapi nityada

na hy edhante praja nunam

daivam atra vighatakam

SYNONYMS

aho—alas; adbhutam—it is wonderful; etat—this; me—for me; vyaprtasya—being busy; api—although; nityada—always; na—does not; hi—certainly; edhante—generate; prajah—living entities; nunam—however; daivam—destiny; atra—herein; vighatakam—against.

TRANSLATION

Brahma thought to himself: Alas, it is wonderful that in spite of my being scattered all over, there is still insufficient population throughout the universe. There is no other cause for this misfortune but destiny.

SB3.12.52

TEXT 52

evam yukta-krtas tasya

daivam caveksatas tada

kasya rupam abhud dvedha

yat kayam abhicaksate

SYNONYMS

evam—thus; yukta—contemplating; krtah—while doing so; tasya—his; daivam—supernatural power; ca—also; aveksatah—observing; tada—at that time; kasya—of Brahma; rupam—form; abhut—became manifested; dvedha—twofold; yat—which is; kayam—his body; abhicaksate—is said to be.

TRANSLATION

While he was thus absorbed in contemplation and was observing the supernatural power, two other forms were generated from his body. They are still celebrated as the body of Brahma.

PURPORT

Two bodies came out from the body of Brahma. One had a mustache, and the other had swollen breasts. No one can explain the source of their manifestation, and therefore until today they are known as the kayam, or the body of Brahma, with no indication of their relationship as his son or daughter.

SB3.12.53

TEXT 53

tabhyam rupa-vibhagabhyam

mithunam samapadyata

tabhyam—of them; rupa—form; vibhagabhyam—thus being divided; mithunam—sex relation; samapadyata—perfectly executed.