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tasya—of that Supreme Personality of Godhead; eva—certainly; te—of You; vapuh—the cosmic body; idam—this (universe); nija-kala-saktya—by the potent time factor; sancodita—agitated; prakrti-dharmanah—of Him, by whom the three gunas, or qualities of material nature; atma-gudham—dormant in Yourself; ambhasi—in the water known as the Causal Ocean; ananta-sayanat—from the bed known as Ananta (another feature of Yourself); viramat-samadheh—having awakened from the samadhi (yogic trance); nabheh—from the navel; abhut—appeared; sva-kanika—from the seed; vata-vat—like the great banyan tree; maha-abjam—the great lotus of the worlds (has similarly grown).

This cosmic manifestation, the material world, is also Your body. This total lump of matter is agitated by Your potent energy known as kala-sakti, and thus the three modes of material nature are manifested. You awaken from the bed of Sesa, Ananta, and from Your navel a small transcendental seed is generated. It is from this seed that the lotus flower of the gigantic universe is manifested, exactly as a banyan tree grows from a small seed.

tat-sambhavah kavir ato ’nyad apasyamanas

The three different forms of Maha-Visnu—namely Karanodakasayi Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu and Ksirodakasayi Visnu, who are the origin of creation and maintenance—are gradually being described. From Maha-Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu is generated, and from Garbhodakasayi Visnu, Ksirodakasayi Visnu gradually expands. Thus Maha-Visnu is the original cause of Garbhodakasayi Visnu, and from Garbhodakasayi Visnu comes the lotus flower from which Lord Brahma is manifested. Thus the original cause of everything is Visnu, and consequently the cosmic manifestation is not different from Visnu. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (10.8), wherein Krsna says, aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate: “I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me.” Garbhodakasayi Visnu is an expansion of Karanodakasayi Visnu, who is an expansion of Sankarsana. In this way, Krsna is ultimately the cause of all causes (sarva-karana-karanam [Bs. 5.1]). The conclusion is that both the material world and spiritual world are considered to be the body of the Supreme Lord. We can understand that the material body is caused by the spiritual body and is therefore an expansion of the spiritual body. Thus when one takes up spiritual activities, one’s entire material body is spiritualized. Similarly, in this material world, when the Krsna consciousness movement expands, the entire material world becomes spiritualized. As long as we do not realize this, we live in the material world, but when we are fully Krsna conscious we live not in the material world but in the spiritual world.

SB7.9.34

TEXT 34

tvam bijam atmani tatam sa bahir vicintya

navindad abda-satam apsu nimajjamano

jate ’nkure katham uhopalabheta bijam

tat-sambhavah—who was generated from that lotus flower; kavih—he who can understand the subtle cause of creation (Lord Brahma); atah—from that (lotus); anyat—anything else; apasyamanah—not able to see; tvam—Your Lordship; bijam—the cause of the lotus; atmani—in himself; tatam—expanded; sah—he (Lord Brahma); bahih vicintya—considering to be external; na—not; avindat—understood (You); abda-satam—for a hundred years according to the demigods*; apsu—in the water; nimajjamanah—diving; jate ankure—when the seed fructifies and is manifested as a creeper; katham—how; uha—O my Lord; upalabheta—one can perceive; bijam—the seed that has already fructified.

From that great lotus flower, Brahma was generated, but Brahma certainly could see nothing but the lotus. Therefore, thinking You to be outside, Lord Brahma dove into the water and attempted to find the source of the lotus for one hundred years. He could find no trace of You, however, for when a seed fructifies, the original seed cannot be seen.

This is the description of the cosmic manifestation. The development of the cosmic manifestation is like the fructification of a seed. When cotton is transformed into thread, the cotton is no longer visible, and when the thread is woven into cloth, the thread is no longer visible. Similarly, it is perfectly correct that when the seed that had generated from the navel of Garbhodakasayi Visnu became manifested as the cosmic creation, one could no longer understand where the cause of the cosmic manifestation is. Modern scientists have tried to explain the origin of creation by a chunk theory, but no one can explain how such a chunk might have burst. The Vedic literature, however, explains clearly that the total material energy was agitated by the three modes of material nature because of the glance of the Supreme Lord. In other words, in terms of the chunk theory, the bursting of the chunk was caused by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus one must accept the supreme cause, Lord Visnu, as the cause of all causes.

SB7.9.35

TEXT 35

sa tv atma-yonir ativismita asrito ’bjam

kalena tivra-tapasa parisuddha-bhavah

tvam atmanisa bhuvi gandham ivatisuksmam

bhutendriyasayamaye vitatam dadarsa

sah—he (Lord Brahma); tu—but; atma-yonih—who is born without a mother (directly begotten by the father, Lord Visnu); ati-vismitah—very much surprised (not finding the source of his birth); asritah—situated on; abjam—the lotus; kalena—in due course of time; tivra-tapasa—by severe austerities; parisuddha-bhavah—being completely purified; tvam—You; atmani—in his body and existence; isa—O my Lord; bhuvi—within the earth; gandham—aroma; iva—like; ati-suksmam—very subtle; bhuta-indriya—composed of elements and senses; asaya-maye—and that filled with desires (the mind); vitatam—spread out; dadarsa—found.

Lord Brahma, who is celebrated as atma-yoni, having been born without a mother, was struck with wonder. Thus he took shelter of the lotus flower, and when he had been purified after undergoing severe austerities for many hundreds of years, he could see that the cause of all causes, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was spread throughout his own body and senses, just as aroma, although very subtle, is perceived in the earth.

evam sahasra-vadananghri-sirah-karoru-

Here the statement of self-realization aham brahmasmi, which is interpreted by the Mayavada philosophy to mean “I am the Supreme Lord,” is explained. The Supreme Lord is the original seed of everything (janmady asya yatah [Bhag. 1.1.1]. aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam pravartate [Bg. 10.8]). Thus the Supreme Lord extends everywhere, even throughout our bodies, because our bodies are made of material energy, which is the Lord’s separated energy. One should realize that since the Supreme Lord spreads throughout one’s body and since the individual soul is a part of the Supreme Lord, everything is Brahman (sarvam khalv idam brahma). This realization was achieved by Lord Brahma after he was purified, and it is possible for everyone. When one is completely in knowledge of aham brahmasmi, he thinks, “I am part of the Supreme Lord, my body is made of His material energy, and therefore I have no separate existence. Yet although the Supreme Lord is spread everywhere, He is different from me.” This is the philosophy of acintya-bhedabheda-tattva. An example given in this regard is that of the aroma within the earth. In the earth there are aromas and colors, but one cannot see them. Actually we find that when flowers grow from the earth, they appear with different colors and aromas, which they have certainly gathered from the earth, although in the earth we cannot see them. Similarly, the Supreme Lord, by His different energies, spreads throughout one’s body and soul, although we cannot see Him. An intelligent man, however, can see the Supreme Lord existing everywhere. Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham: the Lord is within the universe and within the atom by His different energies. This is the real vision of the Supreme Lord for the intelligent man. Brahma, the first created being, became the most intelligent person by his tapasya, austerity, and thus he came to this realization. We must therefore take all knowledge from Brahma, who became perfect by his tapasya.

SB7.9.36

TEXT 36

nasadya-karna-nayanabharanayudhadhyam

mayamayam sad-upalaksita-sannivesam

drstva maha-purusam apa mudam virincah

evam—in this way; sahasra—thousands and thousands; vadana—faces; anghri—feet; sirah—heads; kara—hands; uru—thighs; nasa-adya—noses, etc.; karna—ears; nayana—eyes; abharana—varieties of ornaments; ayudha—varieties of weapons; adhyam—endowed with; maya-mayam—all demonstrated by unlimited potency; sat-upalaksita—appearing in different symptoms; sannivesam—combined together; drstva—seeing; maha-purusam—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; apa—achieved; mudam—transcendental bliss; virincah—Lord Brahma.

Lord Brahma could then see You possessing thousands and thousands of faces, feet, heads, hands, thighs, noses, ears and eyes. You were very nicely dressed, being decorated and bedecked with varieties of ornaments and weapons. Seeing You in the form of Lord Visnu, Your symptoms and form being transcendental, Your legs extending from the lower planets, Lord Brahma achieved transcendental bliss.

tasmai bhavan haya-siras tanuvam hi bibhrad

Lord Brahma, being completely pure, could see the original form of the Lord as Visnu, having many thousands of faces and forms. This process is called self-realization. Genuine self-realization consists not of perceiving the impersonal effulgence of the Lord, but seeing face to face the transcendental form of the Lord. As distinctly mentioned here, Lord Brahma saw the Supreme Lord as maha-purusa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Arjuna also saw Krsna in this same way. Therefore he told the Lord, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan purusam sasvatam divyam: [Bg. 10.12] “You are the Supreme Brahman, the ultimate, the supreme abode and purifier, the Absolute Truth and the eternal divine person.” The Lord is parama-purusa, the supreme form. purusam sasvatam: He is everlastingly the supreme enjoyer. It is not that the impersonal Brahman assumes a form; on the contrary, the impersonal Brahman effulgence is an emanation from the supreme form of the Lord. Upon being purified, Brahma could see the supreme form of the Lord. The impersonal Brahman cannot have heads, noses, ears, hands and legs. This is not possible, for these are attributes of the Lord’s form.

The word mayamayam means “spiritual knowledge.” This is explained by Madhvacarya. Mayamayam jnana-svarupam. The word mayamayam, describing the Lord’s form, should not be taken to mean illusion. Rather, the Lord’s form is factual, and seeing this form is the result of perfect knowledge. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita: bahunam janmanam ante jnanavan mam prapadyate [Bg. 7.19]. The word jnanavan refers to one who is perfectly in knowledge. Such a person can see the Personality of Godhead, and therefore he surrenders unto the Lord. The Lord’s being symptomized by a face, nose, ears and so on is eternal. Without such a form, no one can be blissful. The Lord, however, is sac-cid-ananda-vigraha, as stated in the sastra (isvarah paramah krsnah sac-cid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]). When one is in perfect transcendental bliss, he can see the Lord’s supreme form (vigraha). In this regard, Srila Madhvacarya says:

gandhakhya devata yadvat
prthivim vyapya tisthati
evam vyaptam jagad visnum
brahmatma-stham dadarsa ha

Lord Brahma saw that as aromas and colors spread throughout the earth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead pervades the cosmic manifestation in a subtle form.

SB7.9.37

TEXT 37

veda-druhav atibalau madhu-kaitabhakhyau

hatvanayac chruti-ganams ca rajas tamas ca

sattvam tava priyatamam tanum amananti

tasmai—unto Lord Brahma; bhavan—Your Lordship; haya-sirah—having the head and neck of a horse; tanuvam—the incarnation; hi—indeed; bibhrat—accepting; veda-druhau—two demons who were against the Vedic principles; ati-balau—extremely powerful; madhu-kaitabha-akhyau—known as Madhu and Kaitabha; hatva—killing; anayat—delivered; sruti-ganan—all the different Vedas (Sama, Yajur, Rg and Atharva); ca—and; rajah tamah ca—by representing the modes of passion and ignorance; sattvam—pure transcendental goodness; tava—Your; priya-tamam—most dear; tanum—form (as Hayagriva); amananti—they honor.

My dear Lord, when You appeared as Hayagriva, with the head of a horse, You killed two demons known as Madhu and Kaitabha, who were full of the modes of passion and ignorance. Then You delivered the Vedic knowledge to Lord Brahma. For this reason, all the great saints accept Your forms as transcendental, untinged by material qualities.

ittham nr-tiryag-rsi-deva-jhasavatarair

The Supreme Personality of Godhead in His transcendental form is always ready to give protection to His devotees. As mentioned herein, the Lord in the form of Hayagriva killed two demons named Madhu and Kaitabha when they attacked Lord Brahma. Modern demons think that there was no life in the beginning of creation, but from Srimad-Bhagavatam we understand that the first living creature created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead was Lord Brahma, who is full of Vedic understanding. Unfortunately, those entrusted with distributing Vedic knowledge, such as the devotees engaged in spreading Krsna consciousness, may sometimes be attacked by demons, but they must rest assured that demoniac attacks will not be able to harm them, for the Lord is always prepared to give them protection. The Vedas provide the knowledge by which we can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead (vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyah [Bg. 15.15]). The devotees of the Lord are always ready to spread knowledge by which one may understand the Lord through Krsna consciousness, but the demons, being unable to understand the Supreme Lord, are full of ignorance and passion. Thus the Lord, whose form is transcendental, is always ready to kill the demons. By culturing the mode of goodness, one can understand the position of the transcendental Lord and how the Lord is always prepared to remove all obstacles on the path of understanding Him.

In summary, whenever the Lord incarnates, He appears in His original transcendental form. As the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (4.7):

yada yada hi dharmasya
glanir bhavati bharata
abhyutthanam adharmasya
tadatmanam srjamy aham

“Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendent of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion—at that time I descend Myself.” It is simply foolish to think of the Lord as being originally impersonal but accepting a material body when He appears as a personal incarnation. Whenever the Lord appears, He appears in His original transcendental form, which is spiritual and blissful. But unintelligent men, such as the Mayavadis, cannot understand the transcendental form of the Lord, and therefore the Lord chastises them by saying, avajananti mam mudha manusim tanum asritam: [Bg. 9.11] “Fools deride Me when I descend in the human form.” Whenever the Lord appears, whether as a fish, a tortoise, a hog or any other form, one should understand that He maintains His transcendental position and that His only business, as stated here, is hatva—to kill the demons. The Lord appears in order to protect the devotees and kill the demons (paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ca duskrtam [Bg. 4.8]). Since the demons are always ready to oppose Vedic civilization, they are sure to be killed by the transcendental form of the Lord.

SB7.9.38

TEXT 38

lokan vibhavayasi hamsi jagat pratipan

dharmam maha-purusa pasi yuganuvrttam

channah kalau yad abhavas tri-yugo ’tha sa tvam

ittham—in this way; nr—like a human being (such as Lord Krsna and Lord Ramacandra); tiryak—like animals (such as the boar); rsi—as a great saint (Parasurama); deva—as demigods; jhasa—as an aquatic (such as the fish and tortoise); avataraih—by such different incarnations; lokan—all the different planetary systems; vibhavayasi—You protect; hamsi—You (sometimes) kill; jagat pratipan—persons who have simply created trouble in this world; dharmam—the principles of religion; maha-purusa—O great personality; pasi—You protect; yuga-anuvrttam—according to the different millenniums; channah—covered; kalau—in the age of Kali; yat—since; abhavah—have been (and will be in the future); tri-yugah—named Triyuga; atha—therefore; sah—the same personality; tvam—You.

In this way, my Lord, You appear in various incarnations as a human being, an animal, a great saint, a demigod, a fish or a tortoise, thus maintaining the entire creation in different planetary systems and killing the demoniac principles. According to the age, O my Lord, You protect the principles of religion. In the age of Kali, however, You do not assert Yourself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore You are known as Triyuga, or the Lord who appears in three yugas.

As the Lord appeared just to maintain Lord Brahma from the attack of Madhu and Kaitabha, He also appeared to protect the great devotee Prahlada Maharaja. Similarly, Lord Caitanya appeared in order to protect the fallen souls of Kali-yuga. There are four yugas, or millenniums—Satya, Treta, Dvapara and Kali. In all the yugas but Kali-yuga, the Lord appears in various incarnations and asserts Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but although Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who appears in Kali-yuga, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He never asserted Himself as such. On the contrary, whenever Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu was addressed as being as good as Krsna, He blocked His ears with His hands, denying His identity with Krsna, because He was playing the part of a devotee. Lord Caitanya knew that in Kali-yuga there would be many bogus incarnations pretending to be God, and therefore He avoided asserting Himself as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is accepted as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, however, in many Vedic literatures, especially in Srimad-Bhagavatam (11.5.32):

krsna-varnam tvisakrsnam
sangopangastra-parsadam
yajnaih sankirtana-prayair
yajanti hi sumedhasah

In Kali-yuga, intelligent men worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the form of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is always accompanied by His associates such as Nityananda, Advaita, Gadadhara and Srivasa. The entire Krsna consciousness movement is based on the principles of the sankirtana movement inaugurated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Therefore one who tries to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead through the medium of the sankirtana movement knows everything perfectly. He is sumedhas, a person with substantial intelligence.

SB7.9.39

TEXT 39

naitan manas tava kathasu vikuntha-natha

sampriyate durita-dustam asadhu tivram

kamaturam harsa-soka-bhayaisanartam

tasmin katham tava gatim vimrsami dinah

na—certainly not; etat—this; manah—mind; tava—Your; kathasu—in transcendental topics; vikuntha-natha—O Lord of Vaikuntha, where there is no anxiety; sampriyate—is pacified or interested in; durita—by sinful activities; dustam—polluted; asadhu—dishonest; tivram—very difficult to control; kama-aturam—always full of different desires and lusty propensities; harsa-soka—sometimes by jubilation and sometimes by distress; bhaya—and sometimes by fear; esana—and by desiring; artam—distressed; tasmin—in that mental status; katham—how; tava—Your; gatim—transcendental activities; vimrsami—I shall consider and try to understand; dinah—who am most fallen and poor.

My dear Lord of the Vaikuntha planets, where there is no anxiety, my mind is extremely sinful and lusty, being sometimes so-called happy and sometimes so-called distressed. My mind is full of lamentation and fear, and it always seeks more and more money. Thus it has become most polluted and is never satisfied in topics concerning You. I am therefore most fallen and poor. In such a status of life, how shall I be able to discuss Your activities?

Here Prahlada Maharaja represents himself as a common man, although he actually has nothing to do with this material world. Prahlada is always situated in the Vaikuntha planets of the spiritual world, but on behalf of the fallen souls he asks how, when his mind is always disturbed by material things, he can discuss the transcendental position of the Lord. The mind becomes sinful because we are always engaged in sinful activities. Anything not connected with Krsna consciousness should be understood to be sinful. Indeed, Krsna demands in Bhagavad-gita (18.66):

sarva-dharman parityajya
mam ekam saranam vraja
aham tvam sarva-papebhyo
moksayisyami ma sucah

“Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.” As soon as one surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, Krsna immediately relieves one of the reactions of sinful activities. Therefore one who is not surrendered to the lotus feet of the Lord should be understood to be sinful, foolish, degraded among men and bereft of all real knowledge because of atheistic propensities. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (7.15):

na mam duskrtino mudhah
prapadyante naradhamah
mayayapahrta-jnana
asuram bhavam asritah

Therefore, especially in this age of Kali, the mind must be cleansed, and this is possible only by the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Ceto-darpana-marjanam [Cc. Antya 20.12]. In this age, the process of chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is the only method by which to cleanse the sinful mind. When the mind is completely cleansed of all sinful reactions, one can then understand his duty in the human form of life. The Krsna consciousness movement is meant to educate sinful men so that they may become pious simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.

harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasty eva nasty eva
nasty eva gatir anyatha

[Adi 17.21]

To cleanse the heart so that one may become sober and wise in this age of Kali, there is no value to any method other than the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. Prahlada Maharaja has confirmed this process in previous verses. Tvad-virya-gayana-mahamrta-magna-cittah. Prahlada further confirms that if one’s mind is always absorbed in thought of Krsna, that very qualification will purify one and keep one purified always. To understand the Lord and His activities, one must free his mind from all contamination of the material world, and this one can achieve by simply chanting the Lord’s holy name. Thus one becomes free from all material bondage.

SB7.9.40

TEXT 40

jihvaikato ’cyuta vikarsati mavitrpta

sisno ’nyatas tvag-udaram sravanam kutascit

ghrano ’nyatas capala-drk kva ca karma-saktir

bahvyah sapatnya iva geha-patim lunanti

jihva—the tongue; ekatah—to one side; acyuta—O my infallible Lord; vikarsati—attracts; ma—me; avitrpta—not being satisfied; sisnah—the genitals; anyatah—to another side; tvak—the skin (for touching a soft thing); udaram—the belly (for various types of food); sravanam—the ear (for hearing some sweet music); kutascit—to some other side; ghranah—the nose (for smelling); anyatah—to still another side; capala-drk—the restless eyesight; kva ca—somewhere; karma-saktih—the active senses; bahvyah—many; sa-patnyah—co-wives; iva—like; geha-patim—a householder; lunanti—annihilate.

My dear Lord, O infallible one, my position is like that of a person who has many wives, all trying to attract him in their own way. For example, the tongue is attracted to palatable dishes, the genitals to sex with an attractive woman, and the sense of touch to contact with soft things. The belly, although filled, still wants to eat more, and the ear, not attempting to hear about You, is generally attracted to cinema songs. The sense of smell is attracted to yet another side, the restless eyes are attracted to scenes of sense gratification, and the active senses are attracted elsewhere. In this way I am certainly embarrassed.

evam sva-karma-patitam bhava-vaitaranyam

The human form of life is meant for God realization, but this process, which begins with sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23]—hearing and chanting of the holy name of the Lord—is disturbed as long as our senses are materially attracted. Therefore devotional service means purifying the senses. In the conditioned state our senses are covered by material sense gratification, and as long as one is not trained in purifying the senses, one cannot become a devotee. In our Krsna consciousness movement, therefore, we advise from the very beginning that one restrict the activities of the senses, especially the tongue, which is described by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura as most greedy and unconquerable. To stop this attraction of the tongue, one is authoritatively advised not to accept meat or similar uneatable things nor to allow the tongue to hanker to drink or smoke. Even the drinking of tea and coffee is not permitted. Similarly, the genitals must be restricted from illicit sex. Without such restraint of the senses, one cannot make advancement in Krsna consciousness. The only method of controlling the senses is to chant and hear the holy name of the Lord; otherwise, one will always be disturbed, as a householder with more than one wife would be disturbed by them for sense gratification.

SB7.9.41

TEXT 41

anyonya-janma-maranasana-bhita-bhitam

pasyan janam sva-para-vigraha-vaira-maitram

hanteti paracara piprhi mudham adya

evam—in this way; sva-karma-patitam—fallen because of the reactions of one’s own material activities; bhava—compared to the world of nescience (birth, death, old age and disease); vaitaranyam—in the river known as Vaitarani (which lies in front of the doorway of Yamaraja, the superintendent of death); anyah anya—one after another; janma—birth; marana—death; asana—different types of eating; bhita-bhitam—being exceedingly afraid; pasyan—seeing; janam—the living entity; sva—one’s own; para—of others; vigraha—in the body; vaira-maitram—considering friendship and enmity; hanta—alas; iti—in this way; paracara—O You, who are on the other side of the river of death; piprhi—kindly save us all (from this dangerous condition); mudham—we are all foolish, bereft of spiritual knowledge; adya—today (because You are personally present here).

My dear Lord, You are always transcendentally situated on the other side of the river of death, but because of the reactions of our own activities, we are suffering on this side. Indeed, we have fallen into this river and are repeatedly suffering the pains of birth and death and eating horrible things. Now kindly look upon us—not only upon me but also upon all others who are suffering—and by Your causeless mercy and compassion, deliver us and maintain us.