Chapter Twelve
Creation of the Kumāras and Others
TEXT 1
maitreya uvāca
iti te varṇitaḥ kṣattaḥ
kālākhyaḥ paramātmanaḥ
mahimā veda-garbho ’tha
yathāsrākṣīn nibodha me
SYNONYMS
maitreyaḥ uvāca—Śrī Maitreya said; iti—thus; te—unto you; varṇitaḥ—described; kṣattaḥ—O Vidura; kāla-ākhyaḥ—by the name eternal time; paramātmanaḥ—of the Supersoul; mahimā—glories; veda-garbhaḥ—Lord Brahmā, the reservoir of the Vedas; atha—hereafter; yathā—as it is; asrākṣīt—did create; nibodha—just try to understand; me—from me.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Maitreya said: O learned Vidura, so far I have explained to you the glories of the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His feature of kāla. Now you can hear from me about the creation of Brahmā, the reservoir of all Vedic knowledge.
TEXT 2
sasarjāgre ’ndha-tāmisram
atha tāmisram ādi-kṛt
mahāmohaṁ ca mohaṁ ca
tamaś cājñāna-vṛttayaḥ
SYNONYMS
sasarja—created; agre—at first; andha-tāmisram—the sense of death; atha—then; tāmisram—anger upon frustration; ādi-kṛt—all these; mahā-moham—ownership of enjoyable objects; ca—also; moham—illusory conception; ca—also; tamaḥ—darkness in self-knowledge; ca—as well as; ajñāna—nescience; vṛttayaḥ—engagements.
TRANSLATION
Brahmā first created the nescient engagements like self-deception, the sense of death, anger after frustration, the sense of false ownership, and the illusory bodily conception, or forgetfulness of one’s real identity.
PURPORT
Before the factual creation of the living entities in different varieties of species, the conditions under which a living being in the material world has to live were created by Brahmā. Unless a living entity forgets his real identity, it is impossible for him to live in the material conditions of life. Therefore the first condition of material existence is forgetfulness of one’s real identity. And by forgetting one’s real identity, one is sure to be afraid of death, although a pure living soul is deathless and birthless. This false identification with material nature is the cause of false ownership of things which are offered by the arrangement of superior control. All material resources are offered to the living entity for his peaceful living and for the discharge of the duties of self-realization in conditioned life. But due to false identification, the conditioned soul becomes entrapped by the sense of false ownership of the property of the Supreme Lord. It is evident from this verse that Brahmā himself is a creation of the Supreme Lord, and the five kinds of nescience which condition the living entities in material existence are creations of Brahmā. It is simply ludicrous to think the living entity to be equal with the Supreme Being when one can understand that the conditioned souls are under the influence of Brahmā’s magic wand. Patañjali also accepts that there are five kinds of nescience, as mentioned herein.
TEXT 3
dṛṣṭvā pāpīyasīṁ sṛṣṭiṁ
nātmānaṁ bahv amanyata
bhagavad-dhyāna-pūtena
manasānyāṁ tato ’sṛjat
SYNONYMS
dṛṣṭvā—by seeing; pāpīyasīm—sinful; sṛṣṭim—creation; na—did not; ātmānam—unto Himself; bahu—much pleasure; amanyata—felt; bhagavat—on the Personality of Godhead; dhyāna—meditation; pūtena—purified by that; manasā—by such a mentality; anyām—another; tataḥ—thereafter; asṛjat—created.
TRANSLATION
Seeing such a misleading creation as a sinful task, Brahmā did not feel much pleasure in his activity, and therefore he purified himself by meditation on the Personality of Godhead. Then he began another term of creation.
PURPORT
Although he created the different influences of nescience, Lord Brahmā was not satisfied in performing such a thankless task, but he had to do it because most of the conditioned souls wanted it to be so. Lord Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (15.15) that He is present in everyone’s heart and is helping everyone to either remember of forget. The question may be raised why the Lord, who is all-merciful, helps one to remember and another to forget. Actually, His mercy is not exhibited in partiality towards one and enmity towards another. The living entity, as part and parcel of the Lord, is partially independent because he partially possesses all the qualities of the Lord. Anyone who has some independence may sometimes misuse it due to ignorance. When the living entity prefers to misuse his independence and glide down towards nescience, the all-merciful Lord first of all tries to protect him from the trap, but when the living entity persists in gliding down to hell, the Lord helps him to forget his real position. The Lord helps the falling living entity glide down to the lowest point, just to give him the chance to see if he is happy by misusing his independence.
Almost all the conditioned souls who are rotting in the material world are misusing their independence, and therefore five kinds of nescience are imposed upon them. As an obedient servitor of the Lord, Brahmā creates all these as a matter of necessity, but he is not happy in doing so because a devotee of the Lord naturally does not like to see anyone falling down from his real position. Persons who do not care for the path of realization get full facilities from the Lord for executing their proclivities to the fullest extent, and Brahmā helps in that procedure without fail.
TEXT 4
sanakaṁ ca sanandaṁ ca
sanātanam athātmabhūḥ
sanat-kumāraṁ ca munīn
niṣkriyān ūrdhva-retasaḥ
SYNONYMS
sanakam—Sanaka; ca—also; sanandam—Sananda; ca—and; sanātanam—Sanātana; atha—thereafter; ātma-bhūḥ—Brahmā, who is self-born; sanat-kumāram—Sanat-kumāra; ca—also; munīn—the great sages; niṣkriyān—free from all fruitive action; ūrdhva-retasaḥ—those whose semen flows upwards.
TRANSLATION
In the beginning, Brahmā created four great sages named Sanaka, Sananda, Sanātana and Sanat-kumāra. All of them were unwilling to adopt materialistic activities because they were highly elevated due to their semen’s flowing upwards.
PURPORT
Although Brahmā created the principles of nescience as a matter of necessity for those living entities who were destined to ignorance by the will of the Lord, he was not satisfied in performing such a thankless task. He therefore created four principles of knowledge: sāṅkhya, or empirical philosophy for the analytical study of material conditions; yoga, or mysticism for liberation of the pure soul from material bondage; vairāgya, the acceptance of complete detachment from material enjoyment in life to elevate oneself to the highest spiritual understanding; and tapas, or the various kinds of voluntary austerities performed for spiritual perfection. Brahmā created the four great sages Sanaka, Sananda, Sanātana and Sanat to entrust them with these four principles of spiritual advancement, and they inaugurated their own spiritual party, or sampradāya, known as the Kumāra-sampradāya, or later on as the Nimbārka-sampradāya, for the advancement of bhakti. All of these great sages became great devotees, for without devotional service to the Personality of Godhead one cannot achieve success in any activity of spiritual value.
TEXT 5
tān babhāṣe svabhūḥ putrān
prajāḥ sṛjata putrakāḥ
tan naicchan mokṣa-dharmāṇo
vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ
SYNONYMS
tān—unto the Kumāras, as above mentioned; babhāṣe—addressed; svabhūḥ—Brahmā; putrān—unto the sons; prajāḥ—generations; sṛjata—to create; putrakāḥ—O my sons; tat—that; na—not; aicchan—desired; mokṣa-dharmāṇaḥ—pledged to the principles of liberation; vāsudeva—the Personality of Godhead; parāyaṇāḥ—who are so devoted.
TRANSLATION
Brahmā spoke to his sons after generating them. “My dear sons,” he said, “now generate progeny.” But due to their being attached to Vāsudeva, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they aimed at liberation, and therefore they expressed their unwillingness.
PURPORT
The four sons of Brahmā, the Kumāras, declined to become family men even on the request of their great father, Brahmā. Those who are serious about gaining release from material bondage should not be entangled in the false relationship of family bondage. People may ask how the Kumāras could refuse the orders of Brahmā, who was their father and above all the creator of the universe. The reply is that one who is vāsudeva-parāyaṇa, or seriously engaged in the devotional service of the Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva, need not care for any other obligation. It is enjoined in the Bhāgavatam (11.5.41):
devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṝṇāṁ
na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan
sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ
gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam
“Anyone who has completely given up all worldly relationships and has taken absolute shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord, who gives us salvation and who alone is fit to be taken shelter of, is no longer a debtor or servant of anyone, including the demigods, forefathers, sages, other living entities, relatives, and members of human society.” Thus there was nothing wrong in the acts of the Kumāras when they refused their great father’s request that they become family men.
TEXT 6
so ’vadhyātaḥ sutair evaṁ
pratyākhyātānuśāsanaiḥ
krodhaṁ durviṣahaṁ jātaṁ
niyantum upacakrame
SYNONYMS
saḥ—he (Brahmā); avadhyātaḥ—thus being disrespected; sutaiḥ—by the sons; evam—thus; pratyākhyāta—refusing to obey; anuśāsanaiḥ—the order of their father; krodham—anger; durviṣaham—too much to be tolerated; jātam—thus generated; niyantum—to control; upacakrame—tried his best.
TRANSLATION
On the refusal of the sons to obey the order of their father, there was much anger generated in the mind of Brahmā, which he tried to control and not express.
PURPORT
Brahmā is the director in charge of the mode of passion of material nature. Therefore it was natural for him to become angry on the refusal of his sons to obey his order. Although the Kumāras were right in such acts of refusal, Brahmā, being absorbed in the mode of passion, could not check his passionate anger. He did not express it, however, because he knew that his sons were far enlightened in spiritual advancement and thus he should not express his anger before them.
TEXT 7
dhiyā nigṛhyamāṇo ’pi
bhruvor madhyāt prajāpateḥ
sadyo ’jāyata tan-manyuḥ
kumāro nīla-lohitaḥ
SYNONYMS
dhiyā—by intelligence; nigṛhyamāṇaḥ—being controlled; api—in spite of; bhruvoḥ—of the eyebrows; madhyāt—from between; prajāpateḥ—of Brahmā; sadyaḥ—at once; ajāyata—generated; tat—his; manyuḥ—anger; kumāraḥ—a child; nīla-lohitaḥ—mixture of blue and red.
TRANSLATION
Although he tried to curb his anger, it came out from between his eyebrows, and a child mixed blue and red was immediately generated.
PURPORT
The face of anger is the same whether exhibited due to ignorance or knowledge. Although Brahmā tried to curb his anger, he could not do so, even though he is the supreme being. Such anger in its true color came from between the eyebrows of Brahmā as Rudra, in a mixed color of blue (ignorance) and red (passion), because anger is the product of passion and ignorance.
TEXT 8
sa vai ruroda devānāṁ
pūrvajo bhagavān bhavaḥ
nāmāni kuru me dhātaḥ
sthānāni ca jagad-guro
SYNONYMS
saḥ—he; vai—certainly; ruroda—cried loudly; devānām pūrvajaḥ—the eldest of all demigods; bhagavān—the most powerful; bhavaḥ—Lord Śiva; nāmāni—different names; kuru—designate; me—my; dhātaḥ—O destiny maker; sthānāni—places; ca—also; jagat-guro—O teacher of the universe.
TRANSLATION
After his birth he began to cry: O destiny maker, teacher of the universe, kindly designate my name and place.
TEXT 9
iti tasya vacaḥ pādmo
bhagavān paripālayan
abhyadhād bhadrayā vācā
mā rodīs tat karomi te
SYNONYMS
iti—thus; tasya—his; vacaḥ—request; pādmaḥ—one who is born from the lotus flower; bhagavān—the powerful; paripālayan—accepting the request; abhyadhāt—pacified; bhadrayā—by gentle; vācā—words; mā—do not; rodīḥ—cry; tat—that; karomi—I shall do it; te—as desired by you.
TRANSLATION
The all-powerful Brahmā, who was born from the lotus flower, pacified the boy with gentle words, accepting his request, and said: Do not cry. I shall certainly do as you desire.
TEXT 10
yad arodīḥ sura-śreṣṭha
sodvega iva bālakaḥ
tatas tvām abhidhāsyanti
nāmnā rudra iti prajāḥ
SYNONYMS
yat—as much as; arodīḥ—cried loudly; sura-śreṣṭha—O chief of the demigods; sa-udvegaḥ—with great anxiety; iva—like; bālakaḥ—a boy; tataḥ—therefore; tvām—you; abhidhāsyanti—will call; nāmnā—by the name; rudraḥ—Rudra; iti—thus; prajāḥ—people.
TRANSLATION
Thereafter Brahmā said: O chief of the demigods, you shall be called by the name Rudra by all people because you have so anxiously cried.
TEXT 11
hṛd indriyāṇy asur vyoma
vāyur agnir jalaṁ mahī
sūryaś candras tapaś caiva
sthānāny agre kṛtāni te
SYNONYMS
hṛt—the heart; indriyāṇi—the senses; asuḥ—life air; vyoma—the sky; vāyuḥ—the air; agniḥ—fire; jalam—water; mahī—the earth; sūryaḥ—the sun; candraḥ—the moon; tapaḥ—austerity; ca—as well as; eva—certainly; sthānāni—all these places; agre—hereinbefore; kṛtāni—already made; te—for you.
TRANSLATION
My dear boy, I have already selected the following places for your residence: the heart, the senses, the air of life, the sky, the air, the fire, the water, the earth, the sun, the moon and austerity.
PURPORT
The creation of Rudra from between the eyebrows of Brahmā as the result of his anger, generated from the mode of passion partly touched by ignorance, is very significant. In Bhagavad-gītā (3.37) the principle of Rudra is described. Krodha (anger) is the product of kāma (lust), which is the result of the mode of passion. When lust and hankering are unsatisfied, the element of krodha appears, which is the formidable enemy of the conditioned soul. This most sinful and inimical passion is represented as ahaṅkāra, or the false egocentric attitude of thinking oneself to be all in all. Such an egocentric attitude on the part of the conditioned soul, who is completely under the control of material nature, is described in Bhagavad-gītā as foolish. The egocentric attitude is a manifestation of the Rudra principle in the heart, wherein krodha (anger) is generated. This anger develops in the heart and is further manifested through various senses, like the eyes, hands and legs. When a man is angry he expresses such anger with red-hot eyes and sometimes makes a display of clenching his fists or kicking his legs. This exhibition of the Rudra principle is the proof of Rudra’s presence in such places. When a man is angry he breathes very rapidly, and thus Rudra is represented in the air of life, or in the activities of breathing. When the sky is overcast with dense clouds and roars in anger, and when the wind blows very fiercely, the Rudra principle is manifested, and so also when the sea water is infuriated by the wind it appears in a gloomy feature of Rudra, which is very fearful to the common man. When fire is ablaze we can also experience the presence of Rudra, and when there is an inundation over the earth we can understand that this is also the representation of Rudra.
There are many earthly creatures who constantly represent the Rudra element. The snake, tiger and lion are always representations of Rudra. Sometimes, because of the extreme heat of the sun, there are cases of heatstroke, and due to the extreme coldness created by the moon there are cases of collapse. There are many sages empowered with the influence of austerity and many yogīs, philosophers and renouncers who sometimes exhibit their acquired power under the influence of the Rudra principle of anger and passion. The great yogī Durvāsā, under the influence of this Rudra principle, picked a quarrel with Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, and a brāhmaṇa boy exhibited the Rudra principle by cursing the great King Parīkṣit. When the Rudra principle is exhibited by persons who are not engaged in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the angry person falls down from the peak of his improved position. This is confirmed as follows:
ye ’nye ’ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas
tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ
āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ
patanty adho ’nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ
(Bhāg. 10.2.32)
The most lamentable falldown of the impersonalist is due to his false and unreasonable claim of being one with the Supreme.
TEXT 12
manyur manur mahinaso
mahāñ chiva ṛtadhvajaḥ
ugraretā bhavaḥ kālo
vāmadevo dhṛtavrataḥ
SYNONYMS
manyuḥ, manuḥ, mahinasaḥ, mahān, śivaḥ, ṛtadhvajaḥ, ugaretāḥ, bhavaḥ, kālaḥ, vāmadevaḥ, dhṛtavrataḥ—all names of Rudra.
TRANSLATION
Lord Brahmā said: My dear boy Rudra, you have eleven other names: Manyu, Manu, Mahinasa, Mahān, Śiva, Ṛtadhvaja, Ugraretā, Bhava, Kāla, Vāmadeva and Dhṛtavrata.
TEXT 13
dhīr dhṛti-rasalomā ca
niyut sarpir ilāmbikā
irāvatī svadhā dīkṣā
rudrāṇyo rudra te striyaḥ
SYNONYMS
dhīḥ, dhṛti, rasalā, umā, niyut, sarpiḥ, ilā, ambikā, irāvatī, svadhā, dīkṣā rudrāṇyaḥ—the eleven Rudrāṇīs; rudra—O Rudra; te—unto you; striyaḥ—wives.
TRANSLATION
O Rudra, you also have eleven wives, called the Rudrāṇīs, and they are as follows: Dhī, Dhṛti, Rasalā, Umā, Niyut, Sarpi, Ilā, Ambikā, Irāvatī, Svadhā and Dīkṣā.
TEXT 14
gṛhāṇaitāni nāmāni
sthānāni ca sa-yoṣaṇaḥ
ebhiḥ sṛja prajā bahvīḥ
prajānām asi yat patiḥ
SYNONYMS
gṛhāṇa—just accept; etāni—all these; nāmāni—different names; sthānāni—as well as places; ca—also; sa-yoṣaṇaḥ—along with wives; ebhiḥ—with them; sṛja—just generate; prajāḥ—progeny; bahvīḥ—on a large scale; prajānām—of the living entities; asi—you are; yat—since; patiḥ—the master.
TRANSLATION
My dear boy, you may now accept all the names and places designated for you and your different wives, and since you are now one of the masters of the living entities, you may increase the population on a large scale.
PURPORT
Brahmā, as the father of Rudra, selected the wives of his son, his living places, and his names as well. It is natural that one should accept the wife selected by one’s father, just as a son accepts the name given by the father or as he accepts the property offered by the father. That is the general course in increasing the population of the world. On the other hand, the Kumāras did not accept the offering of their father because they were elevated far beyond the business of generating a great number of sons. As the son can refuse the order of the father for higher purposes, so the father can refuse to maintain his sons in increasing population because of higher purposes.
TEXT 15
ity ādiṣṭaḥ sva-guruṇā
bhagavān nīla-lohitaḥ
sattvākṛti-svabhāvena
sasarjātma-samāḥ prajāḥ
SYNONYMS
iti—thus; ādiṣṭaḥ—being ordered; sva-guruṇā—by his own spiritual master; bhagavān—the most powerful; nīla-lohitaḥ—Rudra, whose color is mixed blue and red; sattva—power; ākṛti—bodily features; svabhāvena—and with a very furious mode of nature; sasarja—created; ātma-samāḥ—like his own prototype; prajāḥ—generations.
TRANSLATION
The most powerful Rudra, whose bodily color was blue mixed with red, created many offspring exactly resembling him in features, strength and furious nature.
TEXT 16
rudrāṇāṁ rudra-sṛṣṭānāṁ
samantād grasatāṁ jagat
niśāmyāsaṅkhyaśo yūthān
prajāpatir aśaṅkata
SYNONYMS
rudrāṇām—of the sons of Rudra; rudra-sṛṣṭānām—who were generated by Rudra; samantāt—being assembled together; grasatām—while devouring; jagat—the universe; niśāmya—by observing their activities; asaṅkhyaśaḥ—unlimited; yūthān—assembly; prajā-patiḥ—the father of the living entities; aśaṅkata—became afraid of.
TRANSLATION
The sons and grandsons generated by Rudra were unlimited in number, and when they assembled together they attempted to devour the entire universe. When Brahmā, the father of the living entities, saw this, he became afraid of the situation.
PURPORT
The generations of Rudra, the incarnation of anger, were so dangerous to the maintenance of universal affairs that even Brahmā, the father of the living entities, became afraid of them. The so-called devotees or followers of Rudra are also a menace. They are sometimes dangerous even to Rudra himself. Descendants of Rudra sometimes make plans to kill Rudra—by the grace of Rudra. That is the nature of his devotees.
TEXT 17
alaṁ prajābhiḥ sṛṣṭābhir
īdṛśībhiḥ surottama
mayā saha dahantībhir
diśaś cakṣurbhir ulbaṇaiḥ
SYNONYMS
alam—unnecessary; prajābhiḥ—by such living entities; sṛṣṭābhiḥ—generated; īdṛśībhiḥ—of this type; sura-uttama—O best among the demigods; mayā—me; saha—along with; dahantībhiḥ—who are burning; diśaḥ—all sides; cakṣurbhiḥ—by the eyes; ulbaṇaiḥ—fiery flames.
TRANSLATION
Brahmā told Rudra: O best among the demigods, there is no need for you to generate living entities of this nature. They have begun to devastate everything on all sides with the fiery flames from their eyes, and they have even attacked me.
TEXT 18
tapa ātiṣṭha bhadraṁ te
sarva-bhūta-sukhāvaham
tapasaiva yathā pūrvaṁ
sraṣṭā viśvam idaṁ bhavān
SYNONYMS
tapaḥ—penance; ātiṣṭha—be situated; bhadram—auspicious; te—unto you; sarva—all; bhūta—living entities; sukha-āvaham—bringing happiness; tapasā—by penance; eva—only; yathā—as much as; pūrvam—before; sraṣṭā—will create; viśvam—the universe; idam—this; bhavān—yourself.
TRANSLATION
My dear son, you had better situate yourself in penance, which is auspicious for all living entities and which will bring all benediction upon you. By penance only shall you be able to create the universe as it was before.
PURPORT
In the creation, maintenance and dissolution of the cosmic manifestation, the three deities Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara, or Śiva, are respectively in charge. Rudra was advised not to destroy while the period of creation and maintenance was going on, but to situate himself in penance and wait for the time of dissolution, when his services would be called for.
TEXT 19
tapasaiva paraṁ jyotir
bhagavantam adhokṣajam
sarva-bhūta-guhāvāsam
añjasā vindate pumān
SYNONYMS
tapasā—by penance; eva—only; param—the supreme; jyotiḥ—light; bhagavantam—unto the Personality of Godhead; adhokṣajam—He who is beyond the approach of the senses; sarva-bhūta-guhā-āvāsam—residing in the heart of all living entities; añjasā—completely; vindate—can know; pumān—a person.
TRANSLATION
By penance only can one even approach the Personality of Godhead, who is within the heart of every living entity and at the same time beyond the reach of all senses.
PURPORT
Rudra was advised by Brahmā to perform penance as an example to his sons and followers that penance is necessary for attaining the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Bhagavad-gītā it is said that the common mass of people follow the path shown by an authority. Thus Brahmā, disgusted with the Rudra generations and afraid of being devoured by the increase of population, asked Rudra to stop producing such an unwanted generation and take to penance for attaining the favor of the Supreme Lord. We find, therefore, in pictures, that Rudra is always sitting in meditation for the attainment of the favor of the Lord. Indirectly, the sons and followers of Rudra are advised to stop the business of annihilation, following the Rudra principle while the peaceful creation of Brahmā is going on.
TEXT 20
maitreya uvāca
evam ātmabhuvādiṣṭaḥ
parikramya girāṁ patim
bāḍham ity amum āmantrya
viveśa tapase vanam
SYNONYMS
maitreyaḥ uvāca—Śrī Maitreya said; evam—thus; ātma-bhuvā—by Brahmā; ādiṣṭaḥ—being so requested; parikramya—by circumambulating; girām—of the Vedas; patim—unto the master; bāḍham—that is right; iti—thus; amum—unto Brahmā; āmantrya—thus addressing; viveśa—entered into; tapase—for the matter of penance; vanam—into the forest.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Maitreya said: Thus Rudra, having been ordered by Brahmā, circumambulated his father, the master of the Vedas. Addressing him with words of assent, he entered the forest to perform austere penances.
Comments