Conversation Between Maitreya and Vidura
3.20.1
saunaka uvaca
mahim pratistham adhyasya
saute svayambhuvo manuh
kany anvatisthad dvarani
margayavara-janmanam
SYNONYMS
saunakah—Saunaka; uvaca—said; mahim—the earth; pratistham—situated; adhyasya—having secured; saute—O Suta Gosvami; svayambhuvah—Svayambhuva; manuh—Manu; kani—what; anvatisthat—performed; dvarani—ways; margaya—to get out; avara—later; janmanam—of those to be born.
TRANSLATION
Sri Saunaka inquired: O Suta Gosvami, after the earth was again situated in its orbit, what did Svayambhuva Manu do to show the path of liberation to persons who were to take birth later on?
PURPORT
The appearance of the Lord as the first boar incarnation occurred during the time of Svayambhuva Manu, whereas the present age is in the period of Vaivasvata Manu.
Each Manu’s period lasts seventy-two times the cycle of four ages, and one cycle of ages equals 4,320,000 solar years.
Thus 4,320,000 x 72 solar years is the reign of one Manu.
In each Manu’s period there are many changes in many ways, and there are fourteen Manus within one day of Brahma.
It is understood here that Manu creates scriptural regulations for the salvation of the conditioned souls, who come to the material world for material enjoyment.
The Lord is so kind that any soul who wants to enjoy in this material world is given full facility for enjoyment, and at the same time he is shown the path of salvation.
Saunaka Rsi, therefore, inquired from Suta Gosvami: What did Svayambhuva Manu do after the reinstatement of the earth in its orbital situation
3.20.2
ksatta maha-bhagavatah
krsnasyaikantikah suhrt
yas tatyajagrajam krsne
sapatyam aghavan iti
SYNONYMS
ksatta—Vidura; maha-bhagavatah—a great devotee of the Lord; krsnasya—of Lord Krsna; ekantikah—unalloyed devotee; suhrt—intimate friend; yah—he who; tatyaja—abandoned; agra-jam—his elder brother (King Dhrtarastra); krsne—toward Krsna; sa-apatyam—along with his one hundred sons; agha-van—offender; iti—thus.
TRANSLATION
Saunaka Rsi inquired about Vidura, who was a great devotee and friend of Lord Krsna and who gave up the company of his elder brother because the latter, along with his sons, played tricks against the desires of the Lord.
PURPORT
The incident referred to here is that Vidura left the protection of his elder brother Dhrtarastra, went traveling everywhere to sacred places and met Maitreya at Hardwar.
Saunaka Rsi here inquires about the topics of the conversation between Maitreya Rsi and Vidura.
Vidura’s qualification was that he was not only a friend of the Lord but also a great devotee.
When Krsna tried to stop the war and mitigate the misunderstanding between the cousin-brothers, they refused to accept His counsel; therefore Ksatta, or Vidura, was unsatisfied with them, and he left the palace.
As a devotee, Vidura showed by example that anywhere that Krsna is not honored is a place unfit for human habitation.
A devotee may be tolerant regarding his own interests, but he should not be tolerant when there is misbehavior toward the Lord or the Lord’s devotee.
Here the word aghavan is very significant, for it indicates that the Kauravas, Dhrtarastra’s sons, lost the war because of being sinful in disobeying the instructions of Krsna.
3.20.3
dvaipayanad anavaro
mahitve tasya dehajah
sarvatmana sritah krsnam
tat-params capy anuvratah
SYNONYMS
dvaipayanat—from Vyasadeva; anavarah—in no way inferior; mahitve—in greatness; tasya—his (Vyasa’s); deha-jah—born of his body; sarva-atmana—with all his heart; sritah—took shelter; krsnam—Lord Krsna; tat-paran—those devoted to Him; ca—and; api—also; anuvratah—followed.
TRANSLATION
Vidura was born from the body of Veda-vyasa and was not less than he.
Thus he accepted the lotus feet of Krsna wholeheartedly and was attached to His devotees.
PURPORT
The history of Vidura is that he was born of a sudra mother, but his seminal father was Vyasadeva; thus he was not less than Vyasadeva in any respect.
Since he was born of a great father, who was supposed to be an incarnation of Narayana and who composed all the Vedic literatures, Vidura was also a great personality.
He accepted Krsna as his worshipable Lord and followed His instructions wholeheartedly.
3.20.4
kim anvaprcchan maitreyam
virajas tirtha-sevaya
upagamya kusavarta
asinam tattva-vittamam
SYNONYMS
kim—what; anvaprcchat—inquired; maitreyam—from the sage Maitreya; virajah—Vidura, who was without material contamination; tirtha-sevaya—by visiting sacred places; upagamya—having met; kusavarte—at Kusavarta (Haridvara, or Hardwar); asinam—who was abiding; tattva-vit-tamam—the foremost knower of the science of spiritual life.
TRANSLATION
Vidura was purified of all passion by wandering in sacred places, and at last he reached Hardwar, where he met the great sage who knew the science of spiritual life, and he inquired from him.
Saunaka Rsi therefore asked: What more did Vidura inquire from Maitreya?
PURPORT
Here the words virajas tirtha-sevaya refer to Vidura, who was completely cleansed of all contamination by traveling to places of pilgrimage.
In India there are hundreds of sacred places of pilgrimage, of which Prayaga, Hardwar, Vrndavana and Ramesvaram are considered principal.
After leaving his home, which was full of politics and diplomacy, Vidura wanted to purify himself by traveling to all the sacred places, which are so situated that anyone who goes there automatically becomes purified.
This is especially true in Vrndavana; any person may go there, and even if he is sinful he will at once contact an atmosphere of spiritual life and will automatically chant the names of Krsna and Radha.
That we have actually seen and experienced.
It is recommended in the sastras that after retiring from active life and accepting the vanaprastha (retired) order, one should travel everywhere to places of pilgrimage in order to purify himself.
Vidura completely discharged this duty, and at last he reached Kusavarta, or Hardwar, where the sage Maitreya was sitting.
Another significant point is that one must go to sacred places not only to take bath there but to search out great sages like Maitreya and take instructions from them.
If one does not do so, his traveling to places of pilgrimage is simply a waste of time.
Narottama dasa Thakura, a great acarya of the Vaisnava sect, has, for the present, forbidden us to go to such places of pilgrimage because in this age, the times having so changed, a sincere person may have a different impression on seeing the behavior of the present residents of the pilgrimage sites.
He has recommended that instead of taking the trouble to travel to such places, one should concentrate his mind on Govinda, and that will help him.
Of course, to concentrate one’s mind on Govinda in any place is a path meant for those who are the most spiritually advanced; it is not for ordinary persons.
Ordinary persons may still derive benefit from traveling to holy places like Prayaga, Mathura, Vrndavana and Hardwar.
It is recommended in this verse that one find a person who knows the science of God, or a tattva-vit.
Tattva-vit means one who knows the Absolute Truth There are many pseudotranscendentalists, even at places of pilgrimage.
Such men are always present, and one has to be intelligent enough to find the actual person to be consulted; then one’s attempt to progress by traveling to different holy places will be successful.
One has to be freed from all contamination, and at the same time he has to find a person who knows the science of Krsna.
Krsna helps a sincere person; as stated in the Caitanya-caritamrta, guru-krsna-prasade: by the mercy of the spiritual master and Krsna, one attains the path of salvation, devotional service.
If one sincerely searches for spiritual salvation, then Krsna, being situated in everyone’s heart, gives him the intelligence to find a suitable spiritual master.
By the grace of a spiritual master like Maitreya, one gets the proper instruction and advances in his spiritual life.
3.20.5
tayoh samvadatoh suta
pravrtta hy amalah kathah
apo ganga ivagha-ghnir
hareh padambujasrayah
SYNONYMS
tayoh—while the two (Maitreya and Vidura); samvadatoh—were conversing; suta—O Suta; pravrttah—arose; hi—certainly; amalah—spotless; kathah—narrations; apah—waters; gangah—of the River Ganges; iva—like; agha-ghnih—vanquishing all sins; hareh—of the Lord; pada-ambuja—the lotus feet; asrayah—taking shelter.
TRANSLATION
Saunaka inquired about the conversation between Vidura and Maitreya: There must have been many narrations of the spotless pastimes of the Lord.
The hearing of such narrations is exactly like bathing in the water of the Ganges, for it can free one from all sinful reactions.
PURPORT
The water of the Ganges is purified because it pours forth from the lotus feet of the Lord.
Similarly, Bhagavad-gita is as good as the water of the Ganges because it is spoken from the mouth of the Supreme Lord.
So it is with any topic on the pastimes of the Lord or the characteristics of His transcendental activities.
The Lord is absolute; there is no difference between His words, His perspiration or His pastimes.
The water of the Ganges, the narrations of His pastimes and the words spoken by Him are all on the absolute platform, and thus taking shelter of any one of them is equally good.
Srila Rupa Gosvami has enunciated that anything in relationship with Krsna is on the transcendental platform.
If we can dovetail all our activities in relationship with Krsna, then we do not stand on the material platform, but always on the spiritual platform.
3.20.6
ta nah kirtaya bhadram te
kirtanyodara-karmanah
rasajnah ko nu trpyeta
hari-lilamrtam piban
SYNONYMS
tah—those talks; nah—to us; kirtaya—narrate; bhadram te—may all good come unto you; kirtanya—should be chanted; udara—liberal; karmanah—activities; rasa-jnah—a devotee who can appreciate mellow tastes; kah—who; nu—indeed; trpyeta—would feel satisfied; hari-lila-amrtam—the nectar of the pastimes of the Lord; piban—drinking.
TRANSLATION
O Suta Gosvami, all good fortune to you! Please narrate the activities of the Lord, which are all magnanimous and worth glorifying.
What sort of devotee can be satiated by hearing the nectarean pastimes of the Lord?
PURPORT
The narration of the pastimes of the Lord, which are always enacted on the transcendental platform, should be received with all respect by devotees.
Those who are actually on the transcendental platform are never satiated by hearing the continuous narration of the pastimes of the Lord.
For example, if any self-realized soul reads from Bhagavad-gita, he will never feel satiated.
The narrations of Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam may be read thousands and thousands of times, and still, without fail, new aspects of the subject matter will be relished by the devotee.
3.20.7
evam ugrasravah prsta
rsibhir naimisayanaih
bhagavaty arpitadhyatmas
tan aha sruyatam iti
SYNONYMS
evam—thus; ugrasravah—Suta Gosvami; prstah—being asked; rsibhih—by the sages; naimisa-ayanaih—who were assembled in the forest of Naimisa; bhagavati—unto the Lord; arpita—dedicated; adhyatmah—his mind; tan—to them; aha—said; sruyatam—just hear; iti—thus.
TRANSLATION
On being asked to speak by the great sages of Naimisaranya, the son of Romaharsana, Suta Gosvami, whose mind was absorbed in the transcendental pastimes of the Lord, said: Please hear what I shall now speak.
3.20.8
suta uvaca
harer dhrta-kroda-tanoh sva-mayaya
nisamya gor uddharanam rasatalat
lilam hiranyaksam avajnaya hatam
sanjata-harso munim aha bharatah
SYNONYMS
sutah uvaca—Suta said; hareh—of the Lord; dhrta—who had assumed; kroda—of a boar; tanoh—body; sva-mayaya—by His divine potency; nisamya—having heard; goh—of the earth; uddharanam—uplifting; rasatalat—from the bottom of the ocean; lilam—sport; hiranyaksam—the demon Hiranyaksa; avajnaya—neglectfully; hatam—killed; sanjata-harsah—being overjoyed; munim—to the sage (Maitreya); aha—said; bharatah—Vidura.
TRANSLATION
Suta Gosvami continued: Vidura, the descendant of Bharata, was delighted to hear the story of the Lord, who, having assumed by His own divine potency the form of a boar, had enacted the sport of lifting the earth from the bottom of the ocean and indifferently killing the demon Hiranyaksa.
Vidura then spoke to the sage as follows.
PURPORT
It is stated here that the Lord assumed the form of a boar by His own potency.
His form is not actually the form of a conditioned soul.
A conditioned soul is forced to accept a particular type of body by the higher authority of material laws, but here it is clearly said that the Lord was not forced to accept the form of a boar by the external power.
In Bhagavad-gita the same fact is confirmed; when the Lord descends to this earth, He assumes a form by His own internal potency.
The form of the Lord, therefore, can never consist of material energy.
The Mayavada version that when Brahman assumes a form the form is accepted from maya is not acceptable, because although maya is superior to the conditioned soul, she is not superior to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; she is under the control of the Supreme Godhead, as confirmed in Bhagavad-gita.
Maya is under His superintendence; maya cannot overcome the Lord.
The Mayavada idea that the living entity is the Supreme Absolute Truth but has become covered by maya is invalid, because maya cannot be so great that it can cover the Supreme.
The covering capacity can be employed on the part and parcel of Brahman, not on the Supreme Brahman.
3.20.9
vidura uvaca
prajapati-patih srstva
praja-sarge prajapatin
kim arabhata me brahman
prabruhy avyakta-marga-vit
SYNONYMS
vidurah uvaca—Vidura said; prajapati-patih—Lord Brahma; srstva—after creating; praja-sarge—for the purpose of creating living beings; prajapatin—the Prajapatis; kim—what; arabhata—started; me—to me; brahman—O holy sage; prabruhi—tell; avyakta-marga-vit—knower of that which we do not know.
TRANSLATION
Vidura said: Since you know of matters inconceivable to us, tell me, O holy sage, what did Brahma do to create living beings after evolving the Prajapatis, the progenitors of living beings?
PURPORT
Significant here is the word avyakta-marga-vit, one who knows that which is beyond our perception To know matters beyond one’s perception, one has to learn from a superior authority in the line of disciplic succession.
Just to know who is our father is beyond our perception.
For that, the mother is the authority.
Similarly, we have to understand everything beyond our perception from the authority who actually knows.
The first avyakta-marga-vit, or authority, is Brahma, and the next authority in disciplic succession is Narada.
Maitreya Rsi belongs to that disciplic succession, so he also is avyakta-marga-vit.
Anyone in the bona fide line of disciplic succession is avyakta-marga-vit, a personality who knows that which is beyond ordinary perception.
3.20.10
ye maricy-adayo vipra
yas tu svayambhuvo manuh
te vai brahmana adesat
katham etad abhavayan
SYNONYMS
ye—those; marici-adayah—great sages headed by Marici; viprah—brahmanas; yah—who; tu—indeed; svayambhuvah manuh—and Svayambhuva Manu; te—they; vai—indeed; brahmanah—of Lord Brahma; adesat—by the order; katham—how; etat—this universe; abhavayan—evolved.
TRANSLATION
3.20.11
sa-dvitiyah kim asrjan
svatantra uta karmasu
aho svit samhatah sarva
idam sma samakalpayan
SYNONYMS
sa-dvitiyah—with their wives; kim—whether; asrjan—created; sva-tantrah—remaining independent; uta—or; karmasu—in their actions; aho svit—or else; samhatah—jointly; sarve—all the Prajapatis; idam—this; sma samakalpayan—produced.
TRANSLATION
3.20.12
maitreya uvaca
daivena durvitarkyena
parenanimisena ca
jata-ksobhad bhagavato
mahan asid guna-trayat
SYNONYMS
maitreyah uvaca—Maitreya said; daivena—by superior management known as destiny; durvitarkyena—beyond empiric speculation; parena—by Maha-Visnu; animisena—by the potency of eternal time; ca—and; jata-ksobhat—the equilibrium was agitated; bhagavatah—of the Personality of Godhead; mahan—the total material elements (the mahat-tattva); asit—were produced; guna-trayat—from the three modes of nature.
TRANSLATION
Maitreya said: When the equilibrium of the combination of the three modes of nature was agitated by the unseen activity of the living entity, by Maha-Visnu and by the force of time, the total material elements were produced.
PURPORT
The cause of the material creation is described here very lucidly.
The first cause is daiva, or the destiny of the conditioned soul.
The material creation exists for the conditioned soul who wanted to become a false lord for sense enjoyment.
One cannot trace out the history of when the conditioned soul first desired to lord it over material nature, but in Vedic literature we always find that the material creation is meant for the sense enjoyment of the conditioned soul.
There is a nice verse which says that the sum and substance of the conditioned soul’s sense enjoyment is that as soon as he forgets his primary duty, to render service to the Lord, he creates an atmosphere of sense enjoyment, which is called maya; that is the cause of material creation.
Another word used here is durvitarkyena.
No one can argue about when and how the conditioned soul became desirous of sense enjoyment, but the cause is there.
Material nature is an atmosphere meant only for the sense enjoyment of the conditioned soul, and it is created by the Personality of Godhead.
It is mentioned here that in the beginning of the creation the material nature, or prakrti, is agitated by the Personality of Godhead, Visnu.
There are three Visnus mentioned.
One is Maha-Visnu, another is Garbhodakasayi Visnu, and the third is Ksirodakasayi Visnu.
The First Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam discusses all these three Visnus, and here also it is confirmed that Visnu is the cause of creation.
From Bhagavad-gita also we learn that prakrti begins to work and is still working under Krsna’s, or Visnu’s, glance of superintendence, but the Supreme Personality of Godhead is unchangeable.
One should not mistakenly think that because the creation emanates from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He has therefore transformed into this material cosmic manifestation.
He exists in His personal form always, but the cosmic manifestation takes place by His inconceivable potency.
The workings of that energy are difficult to comprehend, but it is understood from Vedic literature that the conditioned soul creates his own destiny and is offered a particular body by the laws of nature under the superintendence of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who always accompanies him as Paramatma.
3.20.13
rajah-pradhanan mahatas
tri-lingo daiva-coditat
jatah sasarja bhutadir
viyad-adini pancasah
SYNONYMS
rajah-pradhanat—in which the element of rajas, or passion, predominates; mahatah—from the mahat-tattva; tri-lingah—of three kinds; daiva-coditat—impelled by superior authority; jatah—was born; sasarja—evolved; bhuta-adih—the false ego (origin of the material elements); viyat—the ether; adini—beginning with; pancasah—in groups of five.
TRANSLATION
As impelled by the destiny of the jiva, the false ego, which is of three kinds, evolved from the mahat-tattva, in which the element of rajas predominates.
From the ego, in turn, evolved many groups of five principles.
PURPORT
The primordial matter, or prakrti, material nature, consisting of three modes, generates four groups of five.
The first group is called elementary and consists of earth, water, fire, air and ether.
The second group of five is called tan-matra, referring to the subtle elements (sense objects): sound, touch, form, taste and smell.
The third group is the five sense organs for acquiring knowledge: eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin.
The fourth group is the five working senses: speech, hands, feet, anus and genitals.
Some say that there are five groups of five.
One group is the sense objects, one is the five elements, one is the five sense organs for acquiring knowledge, another is the senses for working, and the fifth group is the five deities who control these divisions.
3.20.14
tani caikaikasah srastum
asamarthani bhautikam
samhatya daiva-yogena
haimam andam avasrjan
SYNONYMS
tani—those elements; ca—and; eka-ekasah—separately; srastum—to produce; asamarthani—unable; bhautikam—the material universe; samhatya—having combined; daiva-yogena—with the energy of the Supreme Lord; haimam—shining like gold; andam—globe; avasrjan—produced.
TRANSLATION
Separately unable to produce the material universe, they combined with the help of the energy of the Supreme Lord and were able to produce a shining egg.
3.20.15
so ’sayistabdhi-salile
andakoso niratmakah
sagram vai varsa-sahasram
anvavatsit tam isvarah
SYNONYMS
sah—it; asayista—lay; abdhi-salile—on the waters of the Causal Ocean; anda-kosah—egg; niratmakah—in an unconscious state; sagram—a little more than; vai—in fact; varsa-sahasram—a thousand years; anvavatsit—became situated; tam—in the egg; isvarah—the Lord.
TRANSLATION
For over one thousand years the shiny egg lay on the waters of the Causal Ocean in the lifeless state.
Then the Lord entered it as Garbhodakasayi Visnu.
PURPORT
From this verse it appears that all the universes are in the Causal Ocean.
3.20.16
tasya nabher abhut padmam
sahasrarkoru-didhiti
sarva-jivanikayauko
yatra svayam abhut svarat
SYNONYMS
tasya—of the Lord; nabheh—from the navel; abhut—sprouted up; padmam—a lotus; sahasra-arka—a thousand suns; uru—more; didhiti—with dazzling splendor; sarva—all; jiva-nikaya—resting place of conditioned souls; okah—place; yatra—where; svayam—himself; abhut—emanated; sva-rat—the omnipotent (Lord Brahma).
TRANSLATION
From the navel of the Personality of Godhead Garbhodakasayi Visnu sprouted a lotus flower effulgent like a thousand blazing suns.
This lotus flower is the reservoir of all conditioned souls, and the first living entity who came out of the lotus flower was the omnipotent Brahma
PURPORT
It appears from this verse that the conditioned souls who rested within the body of the Personality of Godhead after the dissolution of the last creation came out in the sum total form of the lotus.
This is called hiranyagarbha.
The first living entity to come out was Lord Brahma, who is independently able to create the rest of the manifested universe.
The lotus is described here as effulgent as the glare of a thousand suns.
This indicates that the living entities, as parts and parcels of the Supreme Lord, are also of the same quality, since the Lord also diffuses His bodily glare, known as brahmajyoti.
The description of Vaikunthaloka, as stated in Bhagavad-gita and other Vedic literatures, is confirmed herewith.
In Vaikuntha, the spiritual sky, there is no need of sunshine, moonshine, electricity or fire.
Every plane there is self-effulgent like the sun.
3.20.17
so ’nuvisto bhagavata
yah sete salilasaye
loka-samstham yatha purvam
nirmame samsthaya svaya
SYNONYMS
sah—Lord Brahma; anuvistah—was entered; bhagavata—by the Lord; yah—who; sete—sleeps; salila-asaye—on the Garbhodaka Ocean; loka-samstham—the universe; yatha purvam—as previously; nirmame—created; samsthaya—by intelligence; svaya—his own.
TRANSLATION
When that Supreme Personality of Godhead who is lying on the Garbhodaka Ocean entered the heart of Brahma, Brahma brought his intelligence to bear, and with the intelligence invoked he began to create the universe as it was before.
PURPORT
At a certain time, the Personality of Godhead, Karanodakasayi Visnu, lies in the Karana Ocean and produces many thousands of universes from His breathing; then He enters again into each and every universe as Garbhodakasayi Visnu and fills up half of each universe with His own perspiration.
The other half of the universe remains vacant, and that vacant region is called outer space.
Then the lotus flower sprouts from His abdomen and produces the first living creature, Brahma.
Then again, as Ksirodakasayi Visnu, the Lord enters into the heart of every living entity, including Brahma.
This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita, Fifteenth Chapter.
The Lord says, I am seated in everyone’s heart, and by Me are remembrance and forgetfulness made possible As the witness of the activities of the individual entities, the Lord gives each one remembrance and intelligence to act according to his desire at the time he was annihilated in his last birth in the last millennium.
This intelligence is invoked according to one’s own capacity, or by the law of karma.
Brahma was the first living entity, and he was empowered by the Supreme Lord to act in charge of the mode of passion; therefore, he was given the required intelligence, which is so powerful and extensive that he is almost independent of the control of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Just as a highly posted manager is almost as independent as the owner of a firm, Brahma is described here as independent because, as the Lord’s representative to control the universe, he is almost as powerful and independent as the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The Lord, as the Supersoul within Brahma, gave him the intelligence to create.
The creative power, therefore, of every living entity is not his own; it is by the grace of the Lord that one can create.
There are many scientists and great workers in this material world who have wonderful creative force, but they act and create only according to the direction of the Supreme Lord.
A scientist may create many wonderful inventions by the direction of the Lord, but it is not possible for him to overcome the stringent laws of material nature by his intelligence, nor is it possible to acquire such intelligence from the Lord, for the Lord’s supremacy would then be hampered.
It is stated in this verse that Brahma created the universe as it was before.
This means that he created everything by the same name and form as in the previous cosmic manifestation.
3.20.18
sasarja cchayayavidyam
panca-parvanam agratah
tamisram andha-tamisram
tamo moho maha-tamah
SYNONYMS
sasarja—created; chayaya—with his shadow; avidyam—ignorance; panca-parvanam—five varieties; agratah—first of all; tamisram—tamisra; andha-tamisram—andha-tamisra; tamah—tamas; mohah—moha; maha-tamah—maha-tamas, or maha-moha.
TRANSLATION
First of all, Brahma created from his shadow the coverings of ignorance of the conditioned souls.
They are five in number and are called tamisra, andha-tamisra, tamas, moha and maha-moha.
PURPORT
The conditioned souls, or living entities who come to the material world to enjoy sense gratification, are covered in the beginning by five different conditions.
The first condition is a covering of tamisra, or anger.
Constitutionally, each and every living entity has minute independence; it is misuse of that minute independence for the conditioned soul to think that he can also enjoy like the Supreme Lord or to think, Why shall I not be a free enjoyer like the Supreme Lord This forgetfulness of his constitutional position is due to anger or envy.
The living entity, being eternally a part-and-parcel servitor of the Supreme Lord, can never, by constitution, be an equal enjoyer with the Lord.
When he forgets this, however, and tries to be one with Him, his condition is called tamisra.
Even in the field of spiritual realization, this tamisra mentality of the living entity is hard to overcome.
In trying to get out of the entanglement of material life, there are many who want to be one with the Supreme.
Even in their transcendental activities, this lower-grade mentality of tamisra continues.
Andha-tamisra involves considering death to be the ultimate end.
The atheists generally think that the body is the self and that everything is therefore ended with the end of the body.
Thus they want to enjoy material life as far as possible during the existence of the body.
Their theory is: As long as you live, you should live prosperously.
Never mind whether you commit all kinds of so-called sins.
You must eat sumptuously.
Beg, borrow and steal, and if you think that by stealing and borrowing you are being entangled in sinful activities for which you will have to pay, then just forget that misconception because after death everything is finished.
No one is responsible for anything he does during his life This atheistic conception of life is killing human civilization, for it is without knowledge of the continuation of eternal life.
This andha-tamisra ignorance is due to tamas.
The condition of not knowing anything about the spirit soul is called tamas.
This material world is also generally called tamas because ninety-nine percent of its living entities are ignorant of their identity as soul.
Almost everyone is thinking that he is this body; he has no information of the spirit soul.
Guided by this misconception, one always thinks, This is my body, and anything in relationship with this body is mine For such misguided living entities, sex life is the background of material existence.
Actually, the conditioned souls, in ignorance in this material world, are simply guided by sex life, and as soon as they get the opportunity for sex life, they become attached to so-called home, motherland, children, wealth and opulence.
As these attachments increase, moha, or the illusion of the bodily concept of life, also increases.
Thus the idea that I am this body, and everything belonging to this body is min also increases, and as the whole world is put into moha, sectarian societies, families and nationalities are created, and they fight with one another.
Maha-moha means to be mad after material enjoyment.
Especially in this age of Kali, everyone is overwhelmed by the madness to accumulate paraphernalia for material enjoyment.
These definitions are very nicely given in Visnu Purana, wherein it is said:
tamo ’viveko mohah syad
antah-karana-vibhramah
maha-mohas tu vijneyo
gramya-bhoga-sukhaisana
maranam hy andha-tamisram
tamisram krodha ucyate
avidya panca-parvaisa
pradurbhuta mahatmanah
3.20.19
visasarjatmanah kayam
nabhinandams tamomayam
jagrhur yaksa-raksamsi
ratrim ksut-trt-samudbhavam
SYNONYMS
visasarja—threw off; atmanah—his own; kayam—body; na—not; abhinandan—being pleased; tamah-mayam—made of ignorance; jagrhuh—took possession; yaksa-raksamsi—the Yaksas and Raksasas; ratrim—night; ksut—hunger; trt—thirst; samudbhavam—the source.
TRANSLATION
Out of disgust, Brahma threw off the body of ignorance, and taking this opportunity, Yaksas and Raksasas sprang for possession of the body, which continued to exist in the form of night.
Night is the source of hunger and thirst.
3.20.20
ksut-trdbhyam upasrstas te
tam jagdhum abhidudruvuh
ma raksatainam jaksadhvam
ity ucuh ksut-trd-arditah
SYNONYMS
ksut-trdbhyam—by hunger and thirst; upasrstah—were overcome; te—the demons (Yaksas and Raksasas); tam—Lord Brahma; jagdhum—to eat; abhidudruvuh—ran toward; ma—do not; raksata—spare; enam—him; jaksadhvam—eat; iti—thus; ucuh—said; ksut-trt-arditah—afflicted by hunger and thirst.
TRANSLATION
Overpowered by hunger and thirst, they ran to devour Brahma from all sides and cried, Spare him not! Eat him up
PURPORT
The representatives of the Yaksas and Raksasas still exist in some countries of the world.
It is understood that such uncivilized men take pleasure in killing their own grandfathers and holding a love feas by roasting the bodies.
3.20.21
devas tan aha samvigno
ma mam jaksata raksata
aho me yaksa-raksamsi
praja yuyam babhuvitha
SYNONYMS
devah—Lord Brahma; tan—to them; aha—said; samvignah—being anxious; ma—do not; mam—me; jaksata—eat; raksata—protect; aho—oh; me—my; yaksa-raksamsi—O Yaksas and Raksasas; prajah—sons; yuyam—you; babhuvitha—were born.
TRANSLATION
Brahma, the head of the demigods, full of anxiety, asked them, Do not eat me, but protect me.
You are born from me and have become my sons.
Therefore you are Yaksas and Raksasas
PURPORT
The demons who were born from the body of Brahma were called Yaksas and Raksasas because some of them cried that Brahma should be eaten and the others cried that he should not be protected.
The ones who said that he should be eaten were called Yaksas, and the ones who said that he should not be protected became Raksasas, man-eaters.
The two, Yaksas and Raksasas, are the original creation by Brahma and are represented even until today in the uncivilized men who are scattered all over the universe.
They are born of the mode of ignorance, and therefore, because of their behavior, they are called Raksasas, or man-eaters.
3.20.22
devatah prabhaya ya ya
divyan pramukhato ’srjat
te aharsur devayanto
visrstam tam prabham ahah
SYNONYMS
devatah—the demigods; prabhaya—with the glory of light; yah yah—those who; divyan—shining; pramukhatah—chiefly; asrjat—created; te—they; aharsuh—took possession of; devayantah—being active; visrstam—separated; tam—that; prabham—effulgent form; ahah—daytime.
TRANSLATION
He then created the chief demigods, who were shining with the glory of goodness.
He dropped before them the effulgent form of daytime, and the demigods sportingly took possession of it.
PURPORT
Demons were born from the creation of night, and the demigods were born from the creation of day.
In other words, demons like the Yaksas and Raksasas are born of the quality of ignorance, and demigods are born of the quality of goodness.
3.20.23
devo ’devan jaghanatah
srjati smatilolupan
ta enam lolupataya
maithunayabhipedire
SYNONYMS
devah—Lord Brahma; adevan—demons; jaghanatah—from his buttocks; srjati sma—gave birth; ati-lolupan—excessively fond of sex; te—they; enam—Lord Brahma; lolupataya—with lust; maithunaya—for copulation; abhipedire—approached.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahma then gave birth to the demons from his buttocks, and they were very fond of sex.
Because they were too lustful, they approached him for copulation.
PURPORT
Sex life is the background of material existence.
Here also it is repeated that demons are very fond of sex life.
The more one is free from the desires for sex, the more he is promoted to the level of the demigods; the more one is inclined to enjoy sex, the more he is degraded to the level of demoniac life.
3.20.24
tato hasan sa bhagavan
asurair nirapatrapaih
anviyamanas tarasa
kruddho bhitah parapatat
SYNONYMS
tatah—then; hasan—laughing; sah bhagavan—the worshipful Lord Brahma; asuraih—by the demons; nirapatrapaih—shameless; anviyamanah—being followed; tarasa—in great haste; kruddhah—angry; bhitah—being afraid; parapatat—ran away.
TRANSLATION
The worshipful Brahma first laughed at their stupidity, but finding the shameless asuras close upon him, he grew indignant and ran in great haste out of fear.
PURPORT
Sexually inclined demons have no respect even for their father, and the best policy for a saintly father like Brahma is to leave such demoniac sons.
3.20.25
sa upavrajya varadam
prapannarti-haram harim
anugrahaya bhaktanam
anurupatma-darsanam
SYNONYMS
sah—Lord Brahma; upavrajya—approaching; vara-dam—the bestower of all boons; prapanna—of those taking shelter at His lotus feet; arti—distress; haram—who dispels; harim—Lord Sri Hari; anugrahaya—for showing mercy; bhaktanam—to His devotees; anurupa—in suitable forms; atma-darsanam—who manifests Himself.
TRANSLATION
He approached the Personality of Godhead, who bestows all boons and who dispels the agony of His devotees and of those who take shelter of His lotus feet.
He manifests His innumerable transcendental forms for the satisfaction of His devotees.
PURPORT
Here the words bhaktanam anurupatma-darsanam mean that the Personality of Godhead manifests His multiforms according to the desires of the devotees.
For example, Hanumanji (Vajrangaji) wanted to see the form of the Lord as the Personality of Godhead Ramacandra, whereas other Vaisnavas want to see the form of Radha-Krsna, and still other devotees want to see the Lord in the form of Laksmi-Narayana.
The Mayavadi philosophers think that although all these forms are assumed by the Lord just as the devotees desire to see Him, actually He is impersonal.
From Brahma-samhita, however, we can understand that this is not so, for the Lord has multiforms.
It is said in the Brahma-samhita, advaitam acyutam.
The Lord does not appear before the devotee because of the devotee’s imagination.
Brahma-samhita further explains that the Lord has innumerable forms: ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan (Bs.5.39).
He exists in millions and millions of forms.
There are 8,400,000 spieces of living entities, but the incarnations of the Supreme Lord are innumerable.
In the Bhagavatam it is stated that as the waves in the sea cannot be counted but appear and disappear continually, the incarnations and forms of the Lord are innumerable.
A devotee is attached to a particular form, and it is that form which he worships.
We have just described the first appearance of the boar within this universe.
There are innumerable universes, and somewhere or other the boar form is now existing.
All the forms of the Lord are eternal.
It is the devotee’s inclination to worship a particular form, and he engages in devotional service to that form.
In a verse in the Ramayana, Hanuman, the great devotee of Rama, said, I know that there is no difference between the Sita-Rama and Laksmi-Narayana forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but nevertheless, the form of Rama and Sita has absorbed my affection and love.
Therefore I want to see the Lord in the forms of Rama and Sita Similarly, the Gaudiya Vaisnava loves the forms of Radha and Krsna, and Krsna and Rukmini at Dvaraka.
The words bhaktanam anurupatma-darsanam mean that the Lord is always pleased to favor the devotee in the particular form in which the devotee wants to worship and render service unto Him.
In this verse it is stated that Brahma approached Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
This form of the Lord is Ksirodakasayi Visnu.
Whenever there is some trouble and Brahma has to approach the Lord, he can approach Ksirodakasayi Visnu, and it is the grace of the Lord that whenever Brahma approaches about disturbances in the universe, the Lord gives him relief in so many ways.
3.20.26
pahi mam paramatmams te
presanenasrjam prajah
ta ima yabhitum papa
upakramanti mam prabho
SYNONYMS
pahi—protect; mam—me; parama-atman—O Supreme Lord; te—Your; presanena—by order; asrjam—I created; prajah—living beings; tah imah—those very persons; yabhitum—to have sex; papah—sinful beings; upakramanti—are approaching; mam—me; prabho—O Lord.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahma, approaching the Lord, addressed Him thus: My Lord, please protect me from these sinful demons, who were created by me under Your order.
They are infuriated by an appetite for sex and have come to attack me.
PURPORT
It appears here that the homosexual appetite of males for each other is created in this episode of the creation of the demons by Brahma.
In other words, the homosexual appetite of a man for another man is demoniac and is not for any sane male in the ordinary course of life.
3.20.27
tvam ekah kila lokanam
klistanam klesa-nasanah
tvam ekah klesadas tesam
anasanna-padam tava
SYNONYMS
tvam—You; ekah—alone; kila—indeed; lokanam—of the people; klistanam—afflicted with miseries; klesa—the distresses; nasanah—relieving; tvam ekah—You alone; klesa-dah—inflicting distress; tesam—on those; anasanna—not taken shelter; padam—feet; tava—Your.
TRANSLATION
My Lord, You are the only one capable of ending the affliction of the distressed and inflicting agony on those who never resort to Your feet.
PURPORT
The words klesadas tesam anasanna-padam tava indicate that the Lord has two concerns.
The first is to give protection to persons who take shelter of His lotus feet, and the second is to give trouble to those who are always demoniac and who are inimical toward the Lord.
Maya’s function is to give afflictions to the nondevotees.
Here Brahma said, You are the protector of the surrendered souls; therefore I surrender unto Your lotus feet.
Please give me protection from these demons
3.20.28
so ’vadharyasya karpanyam
viviktadhyatma-darsanah
vimuncatma-tanum ghoram
ity ukto vimumoca ha
SYNONYMS
sah—the Supreme Lord, Hari; avadharya—perceiving; asya—of Lord Brahma; karpanyam—the distress; vivikta—without a doubt; adhyatma—minds of others; darsanah—one who can see; vimunca—cast off; atma-tanum—your body; ghoram—impure; iti uktah—thus commanded; vimumoca ha—Lord Brahma threw it off.
TRANSLATION
The Lord, who can distinctly see the minds of others, perceived Brahma’s distress and said to him: Cast off this impure body of yours Thus commanded by the Lord, Brahma cast off his body.
PURPORT
The Lord is described here by the word viviktadhyatma-darsanah.
If anyone can completely perceive another’s distress without doubt, it is the Lord Himself.
If someone is in distress and wants to get relief from his friend, sometimes it so happens that his friend does not appreciate the volume of distress he is suffering.
But for the Supreme Lord it is not difficult.
The Supreme Lord, as Paramatma, is sitting within the heart of every living entity, and He directly perceives the exact causes of distress.
In Bhagavad-gita the Lord says, sarvasya caham hrdi sannivistah: I am sitting in everyone’s heart, and because of Me one’s remembrance and forgetfulness occur Thus whenever one fully surrenders unto the Supreme Lord, one finds that He is sitting within one’s heart.
He can give us direction how to get out of dangers or how to approach Him in devotional service.
The Lord, however, asked Brahma to give up his present body because it had created the demoniac principle.
According to Sridhara Svami, Brahma’s constant dropping of his body does not refer to his actually giving up his body.
Rather, he suggests that Brahma gave up a particular mentality.
Mind is the subtle body of the living entity.
We may sometimes be absorbed in some thought which is sinful, but if we give up the sinful thought, it may be said that we give up the body.
Brahma’s mind was not in correct order when he created the demons.
It must have been full of passion because the entire creation was passionate; therefore such passionate sons were born.
It follows that any father and mother should also be careful while begetting children.
The mental condition of a child depends upon the mental status of his parents at the time he is conceived.
According to the Vedic system, therefore, the garbhadhana-samskara, or the ceremony for giving birth to a child, is observed.
Before begetting a child, one has to sanctify his perplexed mind.
When the parents engage their minds in the lotus feet of the Lord and in such a state the child is born, naturally good devotee children come; when the society is full of such good population, there is no trouble from demoniac mentalities.
3.20.29
tam kvanac-caranambhojam
mada-vihvala-locanam
kanci-kalapa-vilasad-
dukula-cchanna-rodhasam
SYNONYMS
tam—that body; kvanat—tinkling with ankle bells; carana-ambhojam—with lotus feet; mada—intoxication; vihvala—overwhelmed; locanam—with eyes; kanci-kalapa—with a girdle made of golden ornaments; vilasat—shining; dukula—by fine cloth; channa—covered; rodhasam—having hips.
TRANSLATION
The body given up by Brahma took the form of the evening twilight, when the day and night meet, a time which kindles passion.
The asuras, who are passionate by nature, dominated as they are by the element of rajas, took it for a damsel, whose lotus feet resounded with the tinkling of anklets, whose eyes were wide with intoxication and whose hips were covered by fine cloth, over which shone a girdle.
PURPORT
As early morning is the period for spiritual cultivation, the beginning of evening is the period for passion.
Demoniac men are generally very fond of sex enjoyment; therefore they very much appreciate the approach of evening.
The demons took the approach of the evening twilight to be a beautiful woman, and they began to adore her in various ways.
They imagined the twilight to be a very beautiful woman with tinkling bangles on her feet, a girdle on her hips, and beautiful breasts, and for their sexual satisfaction they imagined the appearance of this beautiful girl before them.
3.20.30
anyonya-slesayottunga-
nirantara-payodharam
sunasam sudvijam snigdha-
hasa-lilavalokanam
SYNONYMS
anyonya—to each other; slesaya—because of clinging; uttunga—raised; nirantara—without intervening space; payah-dharam—breasts; su-nasam—shapely nose; su-dvijam—beautiful teeth; snigdha—lovely; hasa—smile; lila-avalokanam—sportful glance.
TRANSLATION
Her breasts projected upward because of their clinging to each other, and they were too contiguous to admit any intervening space.
She had a shapely nose and beautiful teeth; a lovely smile played on her lips, and she cast a sportful glance at the asuras.
3.20.31
guhantim vridayatmanam
nilalaka-varuthinim
upalabhyasura dharma
sarve sammumuhuh striyam
SYNONYMS
guhantim—hiding; vridaya—out of shyness; atmanam—herself; nila—dark; alaka—hair; varuthinim—a bunch; upalabhya—upon imagining; asurah—the demons; dharma—O Vidura; sarve—all; sammumuhuh—were captivated; striyam—woman.
TRANSLATION
Adorned with dark tresses, she hid herself, as it were, out of shyness.
Upon seeing that girl, the asuras were all infatuated with an appetite for sex.
PURPORT
The difference between demons and demigods is that a beautiful woman very easily attracts the minds of demons, but she cannot attract the mind of a godly person.
A godly person is full of knowledge, and a demoniac person is full of ignorance.
Just as a child is attracted by a beautiful doll, similarly a demon, who is less intelligent and full of ignorance, is attracted by material beauty and an appetite for sex.
The godly person knows that this nicely dressed and ornamented attraction of high breasts, high hips, beautiful nose and fair complexion is maya.
All the beauty a woman can display is only a combination of flesh and blood.
Sri Sankaracarya has advised all persons not to be attracted by the interaction of flesh and blood; they should be attracted by the real beauty In spiritual life.
The real beauty is Krsna and Radha.
One who is attracted by the beauty of Radha and Krsna cannot be attracted by the false beauty of this material world.
That is the difference between a demon and a godly person or devotee.
3.20.32
aho rupam aho dhairyam
aho asya navam vayah
madhye kamayamananam
akameva visarpati
SYNONYMS
aho—oh; rupam—what beauty; aho—oh; dhairyam—what self-control; aho—oh; asyah—her; navam—budding; vayah—youth; madhye—in the midst; kamayamananam—of those passionately longing for; akama—free from passion; iva—like; visarpati—walking with us.
TRANSLATION
The demons praised her: Oh, what a beauty! What rare self-control! What a budding youth! In the midst of us all, who are passionately longing for her, she is moving about like one absolutely free from passion.
3.20.33
vitarkayanto bahudha
tam sandhyam pramadakrtim
abhisambhavya visrambhat
paryaprcchan kumedhasah
SYNONYMS
vitarkayantah—indulging in speculations; bahudha—various kinds; tam—her; sandhyam—the evening twilight; pramada—a young woman; akrtim—in the form of; abhisambhavya—treating with great respect; visrambhat—fondly; paryaprcchan—questioned; ku-medhasah—wicked-minded.
TRANSLATION
Indulging in various speculations about the evening twilight, which appeared to them endowed with the form of a young woman, the wicked-minded asuras treated her with respect and fondly spoke to her as follows.
3.20.34
kasi kasyasi rambhoru
ko varthas te ’tra bhamini
rupa-dravina-panyena
durbhagan no vibadhase
SYNONYMS
ka—who; asi—are you; kasya—belonging to whom; asi—are you; rambhoru—O pretty one; kah—what; va—or; arthah—object; te—your; atra—here; bhamini—O passionate lady; rupa—beauty; dravina—priceless; panyena—with the commodity; durbhagan—unfortunate; nah—us; vibadhase—you tantalize.
TRANSLATION
Who are you, O pretty girl? Whose wife or daughter are you, and what can be the object of your appearing before us? Why do you tantalize us, unfortunate as we are, with the priceless commodity of your beauty?
PURPORT
The mentality of the demons in being enamored by the false beauty of this material world is expressed herein.
The demoniac can pay any price for the skin beauty of this material world.
They work very hard all day and night, but the purpose of their hard work is to enjoy sex life.
Sometimes they misrepresent themselves as karma-yogis, not knowing the meaning of the word yoga.
Yoga means to link up with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, or to act in Krsna consciousness.
A person who works very hard, no matter in what occupation, and who offers the result of the work to the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is called a karma-yogi.
3.20.35
ya va kacit tvam abale
distya sandarsanam tava
utsunosiksamananam
kanduka-kridaya manah
SYNONYMS
ya—whosoever; va—or; kacit—anyone; tvam—you; abale—O beautiful girl; distya—by fortune; sandarsanam—seeing; tava—of you; utsunosi—you agitate; iksamananam—of the onlookers; kanduka—with a ball; kridaya—by play; manah—the mind.
TRANSLATION
Whosoever you may be, O beautiful girl, we are fortunate in being able to see you.
While playing with a ball, you have agitated the minds of all onlookers.
PURPORT
Demons arrange many kinds of performances to see the glaring beauty of a beautiful woman.
Here it is stated that they saw the girl playing with a ball.
Sometimes the demoniac arrange for so-called sports, like tennis, with the opposite sex.
The purpose of such sporting is to see the bodily construction of the beautiful girl and enjoy a subtle sex mentality.
This demoniac sex mentality of material enjoyment is sometimes encouraged by so-called yogis who encourage the public to enjoy sex life in different varieties and at the same time advertise that if one meditates on a certain manufactured mantra one can become God within six months.
The public wants to be cheated, and Krsna therefore creates such cheaters to misrepresent and delude.
These so-called yogis are actually enjoyers of the world garbed as yogis.Bhagavad-gita, however, recommends that if one wants to enjoy life, then it cannot be with these gross senses.
A patient is advised by the experienced physician to refrain from ordinary enjoyment while in the diseased condition.
A diseased person cannot enjoy anything; he has to restrain his enjoyment in order to get rid of the disease.
Similarly, our material condition is a diseased condition.
If one wants to enjoy real sense enjoyment, then one must get free of the entanglement of material existence.
In spiritual life we can enjoy sense enjoyment which has no end.
The difference between material and spiritual enjoyment is that material enjoyment is limited.
Even if a man engages in material sex enjoyment, he cannot enjoy it for long.
But when the sex enjoyment is given up, then one can enter spiritual life, which is unending.
In the Bhagavatam (5.5.1) it is stated that brahma-saukhya, spiritual happiness, is ananta, unending.
Foolish creatures are enamored by the beauty of matter and think that the enjoyment it offers is real, but actually that is not real enjoyment.
3.20.36
naikatra te jayati salini pada-padmam
ghnantya muhuh kara-talena patat-patangam
madhyam visidati brhat-stana-bhara-bhitam
santeva drstir amala susikha-samuhah
SYNONYMS
na—not; ekatra—in one place; te—your; jayati—stay; salini—O beautiful woman; pada-padmam—lotus feet; ghnantyah—striking; muhuh—again and again; kara-talena—by the palm of the hand; patat—bouncing; patangam—the ball; madhyam—waist; visidati—gets fatigued; brhat—full grown; stana—of your breasts; bhara—by the weight; bhitam—oppressed; santa iva—as if fatigued; drstih—vision; amala—clear; su—beautiful; sikha—your hair; samuhah—bunch.
TRANSLATION
O beautiful woman, when you strike the bouncing ball against the ground with your hand again and again, your lotus feet do not stay in one place.
Oppressed by the weight of your full-grown breasts, your waist becomes fatigued, and your clear vision grows dull, as it were.
Pray braid your comely hair.
PURPORT
The demons observed beautiful gestures in the woman’s every step.
Here they praise her full-grown breasts, her scattered hair and her movements in stepping forward and backward while playing with the ball.
In every step they enjoy her womanly beauty, and while they enjoy her beauty their minds become agitated by sex desire.
As moths at night surround a fire and are killed, so the demons become victims of the movements of the ball-like breasts of a beautiful woman.
The scattered hair of a beautiful woman also afflicts the heart of a lusty demon.
3.20.37
iti sayantanim sandhyam
asurah pramadayatim
pralobhayantim jagrhur
matva mudha-dhiyah striyam
SYNONYMS
iti—in this way; sayantanim—the evening; sandhyam—twilight; asurah—the demons; pramadayatim—behaving like a wanton woman; pralobhayantim—alluring; jagrhuh—seized; matva—thinking to be; mudha-dhiyah—unintelligent; striyam—a woman.
TRANSLATION
The asuras, clouded in their understanding, took the evening twilight to be a beautiful woman showing herself in her alluring form, and they seized her.
PURPORT
The asuras are described here as mudha-dhiyah, meaning that they are captivated by ignorance, just like the ass.
The demons were captivated by the false, glaring beauty of this material form, and thus they embraced her.
3.20.38
prahasya bhava-gambhiram
jighrantyatmanam atmana
kantya sasarja bhagavan
gandharvapsarasam ganan
SYNONYMS
prahasya—smiling; bhava-gambhiram—with a deep purpose; jighrantya—understanding; atmanam—himself; atmana—by himself; kantya—by his loveliness; sasarja—created; bhagavan—the worshipful Lord Brahma; gandharva—the celestial musicians; apsarasam—and of the heavenly dancing girls; ganan—the hosts of.
TRANSLATION
With a laugh full of deep significance, the worshipful Brahma then evolved by his own loveliness, which seemed to enjoy itself by itself, the hosts of Gandharvas and Apsaras.
PURPORT
The musicians in the upper planeary systems are called Gandharvas, and the dancing girls are called Apsaras.
After being attacked by the demons and evolving a form of a beautiful woman in the twilight, Brahma next created Gandharvas and Apsaras.
Music and dancing employed in sense gratification are to be accepted as demoniac, but the same music and dancing, when employed in glorifying the Supreme Lord as kirtana, are transcendental, and they bring about a life completely fit for spiritual enjoyment.
3.20.39
visasarja tanum tam vai
jyotsnam kantimatim priyam
ta eva cadaduh pritya
visvavasu-purogamah
SYNONYMS
visasarja—gave up; tanum—form; tam—that; vai—in fact; jyotsnam—moonlight; kanti-matim—shining; priyam—beloved; te—the Gandharvas; eva—certainly; ca—and; adaduh—took possession; pritya—gladly; visvavasu-purah-gamah—headed by Visvavasu.
TRANSLATION
After that, Brahma gave up that shining and beloved form of moonlight.
Visvavasu and other Gandharvas gladly took possession of it.
3.20.40
srstva bhuta-pisacams ca
bhagavan atma-tandrina
dig-vasaso mukta-kesan
viksya camilayad drsau
SYNONYMS
srstva—having created; bhuta—ghosts; pisacan—fiends; ca—and; bhagavan—Lord Brahma; atma—his; tandrina—from laziness; dik-vasasah—naked; mukta—disheveled; kesan—hair; viksya—seeing; ca—and; amilayat—closed; drsau—two eyes.
TRANSLATION
The glorious Brahma next evolved from his sloth the ghosts and fiends, but he closed his eyes when he saw them stand naked with their hair scattered.
PURPORT
Ghosts and mischievous hobgoblins are also the creation of Brahma; they are not false.
All of them are meant for putting the conditioned soul into various miseries.
They are understood to be the creation of Brahma under the direction of the Supreme Lord.
3.20.41
jagrhus tad-visrstam tam
jrmbhanakhyam tanum prabhoh
nidram indriya-vikledo
yaya bhutesu drsyate
yenocchistan dharsayanti
tam unmadam pracaksate
SYNONYMS
jagrhuh—took possession; tat-visrstam—thrown off by him; tam—that; jrmbhana-akhyam—known as yawning; tanum—the body; prabhoh—of Lord Brahma; nidram—sleep; indriya-vikledah—drooling; yaya—by which; bhutesu—among the living beings; drsyate—is observed; yena—by which; ucchistan—smeared with stool and urine; dharsayanti—bewilder; tam—that; unmadam—madness; pracaksate—is spoken of.
TRANSLATION
The ghosts and hobgoblins took possession of the body thrown off in the form of yawning by Brahma, the creator of the living entities.
This is also known as the sleep which causes drooling.
The hobgoblins and ghosts attack men who are impure, and their attack is spoken of as insanity.
PURPORT
The disease of insanity or being haunted by ghosts takes place in an unclean state of existence.
Here it is clearly stated that when a man is fast asleep and saliva flows from his mouth and he remains unclean, ghosts then take advantage of his unclean state and haunt his body.
In other words, those who drool while sleeping are considered unclean and are subject to be haunted by ghosts or to, go insane.
3.20.42
urjasvantam manyamana
atmanam bhagavan ajah
sadhyan ganan pitr-ganan
paroksenasrjat prabhuh
SYNONYMS
urjah-vantam—full of energy; manyamanah—recognizing; atmanam—himself; bhagavan—the most worshipful; ajah—Brahma; sadhyan—the demigods; ganan—hosts; pitr-ganan—and the Pitas; paroksena—from his invisible form; asrjat—created; prabhuh—the lord of beings.
TRANSLATION
Recognizing himself to be full of desire and energy, the worshipful Brahma, the creator of the living entities, evolved from his own invisible form, from his navel, the hosts of Sadhyas and Pitas.
PURPORT
The Sadhyas and Pitas are invisible forms of departed souls, and they are also created by Brahma.
3.20.43
ta atma-sargam tam kayam
pitarah pratipedire
sadhyebhyas ca pitrbhyas ca
kavayo yad vitanvate
SYNONYMS
te—they; atma-sargam—source of their existence; tam—that; kayam—body; pitarah—the Pitas; pratipedire—accepted; sadhyebhyah—to the Sadhyas; ca—and; pitrbhyah—to the Pitas; ca—also; kavayah—those well versed in rituals; yat—through which; vitanvate—offer oblations.
TRANSLATION
The Pitas themselves took possession of the invisible body, the source of their existence.
It is through the medium of this invisible body that those well versed in the rituals offer oblations to the Sadhyas and Pitas (in the form of their departed ancestors) on the occasion of sraddha.
PURPORT
Sraddha is a ritualistic performance observed by the followers of the Vedas.
There is a yearly occasion of fifteen days when ritualistic religionists follow the principle of offering oblations to departed souls.
Thus those fathers and ancestors who, by freaks of nature, might not have a gross body for material enjoyment can again gain such bodies due to the offering of sraddha oblations by their descendants.
The performance of sraddha, or offering oblations with prasada, is still current in India, especially at Gaya, where oblations are offered at the lotus feet of Visnu in a celebrated temple.
Because the Lord is thus pleased with the devotional service of the descendants, by His grace He liberates the condemned souls of forefathers who do not have gross bodies, and He favors them to again receive a gross body for development of spiritual advancement.
Unfortunately, by the influence of maya, the conditioned soul employs the body he gets for sense gratification, forgetting that such an occupation may lead him to return to an invisible body.
The devotee of the Lord, or one who is in Krsna consciousness, however, does not need to perform such ritualistic ceremonies as sraddha because he is always pleasing the Supreme Lord; therefore his fathers and ancestors who might have been in difficulty are automatically relieved.
The vivid example is Prahlada Maharaja.
Prahlada Maharaja requested Lord Nrsimhadeva to deliver his sinful father, who had so many times offended the lotus feet of the Lord.
The Lord replied that in a family where a Vaisnava like Prahlada is born, not only his father but his father’s father and their fathers—up to the fourteenth father back—are all automatically delivered.
The conclusion, therefore, is that Krsna consciousness is the sum total of all good work for the family, for society and for all living entities.
In the Caitanya-caritamrta the author says that a person fully conversant with Krsna consciousness does not perform any rituals because he knows that simply by serving Krsna in full Krsna consciousness, all rituals are automatically performed.
3.20.44
siddhan vidyadharams caiva
tirodhanena so ’srjat
tebhyo ’dadat tam atmanam
antardhanakhyam adbhutam
SYNONYMS
siddhan—the Siddhas; vidyadharan—Vidyadharas; ca eva—and also; tirodhanena—by the faculty of remaining hidden from vision; sah—Lord Brahma; asrjat—created; tebhyah—to them; adadat—gave; tam atmanam—that form of his; antardhana-akhyam—known as the Antardhana; adbhutam—wonderful.
TRANSLATION
Then Lord Brahma, by his ability to be hidden from vision, created the Siddhas and Vidyadharas and gave them that wonderful form of his known as the Antardhana.
PURPORT
Antardhana means that these living creatures can be perceived to be present, but they cannot be seen by vision.
3.20.45
sa kinnaran kimpurusan
pratyatmyenasrjat prabhuh
manayann atmanatmanam
atmabhasam vilokayan
SYNONYMS
sah—Lord Brahma; kinnaran—the Kinnaras; kimpurusan—the Kimpurusas; pratyatmyena—from his reflection (in water); asrjat—created; prabhuh—the lord of the living beings (Brahma); manayan—admiring; atmana atmanam—himself by himself; atma-abhasam—his reflection; vilokayan—seeing.
TRANSLATION
One day, Brahma, the creator of the living entities, beheld his own reflection in the water, and admiring himself, he evolved Kimpurusas as well as Kinnaras out of that reflection.
3.20.46
te tu taj jagrhu rupam
tyaktam yat paramesthina
mithuni-bhuya gayantas
tam evosasi karmabhih
SYNONYMS
te—they (the Kinnaras and Kimpurusas); tu—but; tat—that; jagrhuh—took possession of; rupam—that shadowy form; tyaktam—given up; yat—which; paramesthina—by Brahma; mithuni-bhuya—coming together with their spouses; gayantah—praise in song; tam—him; eva—only; usasi—at daybreak; karmabhih—with his exploits.
TRANSLATION
The Kimpurusas and Kinnaras took possession of that shadowy form left by Brahma.
That is why they and their spouses sing his praises by recounting his exploits at every daybreak.
PURPORT
The time early in the morning, one and a half hours before sunrise, is called brahma-muhurta.
During this brahma-muhurta, spiritual activities are recommended.
Spiritual activities performed early in the morning have a greater effect than in any other part of the day.
3.20.47
dehena vai bhogavata
sayano bahu-cintaya
sarge ’nupacite krodhad
utsasarja ha tad vapuh
SYNONYMS
dehena—with his body; vai—indeed; bhogavata—stretching out full length; sayanah—lying fully stretched; bahu—great; cintaya—with concern; sarge—the creation; anupacite—not proceeded; krodhat—out of anger; utsasarja—gave up; ha—in fact; tat—that; vapuh—body.
TRANSLATION
Once Brahma lay down with his body stretched at full length.
He was very concerned that the work of creation had not proceeded apace, and in a sullen mood he gave up that body too.
3.20.48
ye ’hiyantamutah kesa
ahayas te ’nga jajnire
sarpah prasarpatah krura
naga bhogoru-kandharah
SYNONYMS
ye—which; ahiyanta—dropped out; amutah—from that; kesah—hairs; ahayah—snakes; te—they; anga—O dear Vidura; jajnire—took birth as; sarpah—snakes; prasarpatah—from the crawling body; krurah—envious; nagah—cobras; bhoga—with hoods; uru—big; kandharah—whose necks.
TRANSLATION
O dear Vidura, the hair that dropped from that body transformed into snakes, and even while the body crawled along with its hands and feet contracted, there sprang from it ferocious serpents and Nagas with their hoods expanded.
3.20.49
sa atmanam manyamanah
krta-krtyam ivatmabhuh
tada manun sasarjante
manasa loka-bhavanan
SYNONYMS
sah—Lord Brahma; atmanam—himself; manyamanah—considering; krta-krtyam—had accomplished the object of life; iva—as if; atmabhuh—born from the Supreme; tada—then; manun—the Manus; sasarja—created; ante—at the end; manasa—from his mind; loka—of the world; bhavanan—promoting the welfare.
TRANSLATION
One day Brahma, the self-born, the first living creature, felt as if the object of his life had been accomplished.
At that time he evolved from his mind the Manus, who promote the welfare activities or the universe.
3.20.50
tebhyah so ’srjat sviyam
puram purusam atmavan
tan drstva ye pura srstah
prasasamsuh prajapatim
SYNONYMS
tebhyah—to them; sah—Lord Brahma; asrjat—gave; sviyam—his own; puram—body; purusam—human; atma-van—self-possessed; tan—them; drstva—on seeing; ye—those who; pura—earlier; srstah—were created (the demigods, Gandharvas, etc., who were created earlier); prasasamsuh—applauded; prajapatim—Brahma (the lord of created beings).
TRANSLATION
The self-possessed creator gave them his own human form.
On seeing the Manus, those who had been created earlier—the demigods, the Gandharvas and so on—applauded Brahma, the lord of the universe.
3.20.51
aho etaj jagat-srastah
sukrtam bata te krtam
pratisthitah kriya yasmin
sakam annam adama he
SYNONYMS
aho—oh; etat—this; jagat-srastah—O creator of the universe; sukrtam—well done; bata—indeed; te—by you; krtam—produced; pratisthitah—established soundly; kriyah—all ritualistic performances; yasmin—in which; sakam—along with this; annam—the sacrificial oblations; adama—we shall share; he—O.
TRANSLATION
They prayed: O creator of the universe, we are glad; what you have produced is well done.
Since ritualistic acts have now been established soundly in this human form, we shall all share the sacrificial oblations.
PURPORT
The importance of sacrifice is also mentioned in Bhagavad-gita, Third Chapter, verse 10.
The Lord confirms there that in the beginning of creation Brahma created the Manus, along with the ritualistic sacrificial method, and blessed them: Continue these sacrificial rites, and you will be gradually elevated to your proper position of self-realization and will also enjoy material happiness All the living entities created by Brahma are conditioned souls and are inclined to lord it over material nature.
The purpose of sacrificial rituals is to revive, gradually, the spiritual realization of the living entities.
That is the beginning of life within this universe.
These sacrificial rituals, however, are intended to please the Supreme Lord.
Unless one pleases the Supreme Lord, or unless one is Krsna conscious, one cannot be happy either in material enjoyment or in spiritual realization.
3.20.52
tapasa vidyaya yukto
yogena susamadhina
rsin rsir hrsikesah
sasarjabhimatah prajah
SYNONYMS
tapasa—by penance; vidyaya—by worship; yuktah—being engaged; yogena—by concentration of the mind in devotion; su-samadhina—by nice meditation; rsin—the sages; rsih—the first seer (Brahma); hrsikesah—the controller of his senses; sasarja—created; abhimatah—beloved; prajah—sons.
TRANSLATION
Having equipped himself with austere penance, adoration, mental concentration and absorption in devotion, accompanied by dispassion, and having controlled his senses, Brahma, the self-born living creature, evolved great sages as his beloved sons.
PURPORT
The ritualistic performances of sacrifice are meant for material economic development; in other words, they are meant to keep the body in good condition for cultivation of spiritual knowledge.
But for actual attainment of spiritual knowledge, other qualifications are needed.
What is essential is vidya, or worship of the Supreme Lord.
Sometimes the word yoga is used to refer to the gymnastic performances of different bodily postures which help mental concentration.
Generally, the different bodily postures in the yoga system are accepted by less intelligent men to be the end of yoga, but actually they are meant to concentrate the mind upon the Supersoul.
After creating persons for economic development, Brahma created sages who would set the example for spiritual realization.
3.20.53
tebhyas caikaikasah svasya
dehasyamsam adad ajah
yat tat samadhi-yogarddhi-
tapo-vidya-viraktimat
SYNONYMS
tebhyah—to them; ca—and; ekaikasah—each one; svasya—of his own; dehasya—body; amsam—part; adat—gave; ajah—the unborn Brahma; yat—which; tat—that; samadhi—deep meditation; yoga—concentration of the mind; rddhi—supernatural power; tapah—austerity; vidya—knowledge; virakti—renunciation; mat—possessing.
TRANSLATION
To each one of these sons the unborn creator of the universe gave a part of his own body, which was characterized by deep meditation, mental concentration, supernatural power, austerity, adoration and renunciation.
PURPORT
The word viraktimat in this verse means possessed of the qualification of renunciation Spiritual realization cannot be attained by materialistic persons.
For those who are addicted to sense enjoyment, spiritual realization is not possible.
In Bhagavad-gita it is stated that those who are too attached to seeking material possessions and material enjoyment cannot reach yoga-samadhi, absorption in Krsna consciousness.
Propaganda that one can enjoy this life materially and at the same time spiritually advance is simply bogus.
The principles of renunciation are four: (1) to avoid illicit sex life, (2) to avoid meat-eating, (3) to avoid intoxication and (4) to avoid gambling.
These four principles are called tapasya, or austerity.
To absorb the mind in the Supreme in Krsna consciousness is the process of spiritual realization.