The Bhagâvata Purâna as Related by Brahmâ to Nârada

Skandha II. Chap. 4-6

I. The Creation

Parikshit next asked “How did Bhagavân create this Universe, how does He preserve it, how will He draw it in? What are the Śaktis by which He manifests Himself directly and indirectly? What are His actions?”

Suka replied, these were the very questions asked by Nârada of his father Brahmâ.

Brahmâ replied: — “Wishing to become manifold, the Lord of Mâyâ, influenced Kala, Karma and Svabhâva, by his own Mâyâ”. (Kala is the flow of Time and is, according to the Bhâgavata Purâna, the Śakti of Purusha. Karma is the adrishta of Jiva or the Jiva record of the previous Kalpa. Svabhâva is the essence of Prakriti). Under the influence of Purusha, the first disturbance in the equilibrium of the Gunas follows from Kala, transformation follows from Svabhâva and the development of Mahat Tatva follows from Karma. When Rajas and Tamas manifest themselves in Mahat Tatva, it is transformed into Ahankâra Tatva, with predominant Tamas. Ahankâra Tatva by transformation becomes threefold. — Sâtvika, Râjasika and Tâmasika, i.e., Jnâna Śakti (potency to produce the Devas), Kriyâ Śakti (potency to produce the Indriyas), and Dravya Śakti (potency to produce the Bhûtas), respectively.

Tâmasa Ahankâra was first transformed into Âkása, Âkása into Vayu, Vayu into Agni, Agni into Âpas, and Âpas into Prithivi, Sâtvika Ahankâra was transformed into Manas and the ten Vaikârika Devas.

[The Vaikârika Devas are the Adhidevas or the Energy-giving gods of the ten Indriyas. Sensing is in Man or Adhi-Âtmâ, it is of the object or Adhi-bhuta and is caused by Vaikarika Deva or Adhi-Deva. Thus the object seen is Adhi-bhûta, the sight is Adhyâtma and the manifesting Energy of sight is Adhideva.]

The Vaikârika Devas are —

Dik for Hearing;

Vayu for Touch;

Sun for Sight;

Varuna for Taste;

Asvini Kumâras for Smell;

Agni for Speech;

Indra for Pani or action of the hand;

Upendra or Vishnu for Pada or action of the foot;

Mitra or Yâma for Payu or excretion; and Prajâpati for Upastha or generation.

Râjasika Ahankâra was transformed into the ten Indriyas.

The foregoing can be shown in the following table: —

PURUSHA.

Kâla causing disturbance in the equilibrium of Karma Gunas. Svabhâva.

Transformation

Details of transformation from
Mahat downwards.

This is the Kârana creation or the creation of the materials of the Individual creation. They could not, however, unite and proceed further with the work of creation. The Śakti of Bhagavân then permeated them and the cosmic Egg or Brahmânda was formed. The Egg remained for a thousand years unconsciously submerged in the primal waters. Purusha then influenced Kâla, Karma and Svabhâva to send forth vitality into it. It is this Purusha that emerged from the Egg with thousands of heads and thousands of limbs and is known as Virât Purusha. The seven Lokas and the seven Pâtâlas are parts of His body. This is the first Avatâra, the Âdi Purusha that creates, preserves and destroys. All the objects of creation are His Avatâras, or Śaktis or Vibhutis. The Lilâ Avatârs of Virât Purusha or special Incarnations for the preservation of the Universe are detailed below.

II. Preservation by Lilâ Avatâras

SKANDHA II. CHAP. 7.

Varâha — In order to raise the Earth from the waters, the Purusha adopted the body of Varâha or Boar and killed with His tusks the first Daitya Hiranyâksha.

Yajna — was born of Ruchi and Âkuti. The Suyama Devas were born of Yajna. He dispelled the fears of Trilokî.

Kapila — was born of Kardama Prajâpati and his wife Devahûti. He taught Brahmâ Vidyâ to his mother.

Dattâtreya — He preached Yoga to his disciples, who acquired powers and became liberated.

The Kumâras. — Sanat Kumâra, Sanaka, Sanandana and Sanâtana. They completely promulgated the Âtmâ Vidyâ, which had been lost in Pralaya.

Nara Nârâyana. — They were born of Dharma and his wife Murti, daughter of Daksha. Their Tapas was so great that the Deva ladies could not shake it.

Dhruva. — Though a boy, he could not bear the words of his step-mother. He went into the forests and made Tapas. He was rewarded with ascent to Dhruva Loka or the region of the polar star.

Prithu. — He milked out riches and edibles from the earth.

Rishabha. — Rishabha was the son of Nàbhi by Sudevi or Meru Devi. He roamed about as Parama Hansa.

Hayagrîva. — This horse-headed Avatâra appeared in the Vedic Yajna and promulgated the Vedas.

Matsya. — Vaivasvata Mann found out this Avatâra at the end of a cycle of Yugas. He preserved all beings and the Vedas from the waters of the Deluge.

Kûrma. — At the great churning of the Ocean, the Tortoise Avatâra supported the Mandâra mountain.

Nrisinha. — The Man-Lion Avatâra killed Hiranyakâsîpu.

Hari — saved the Elephant King of the famous story of Gajendra Moksha.

Vâmana — measured the Trilokî by His two steps.

Hansa — related Bhakti Yoga, Gnana and Bhâgavata Purâna to Nârada.

The presiding deity of each Manvantara.

Dhanvantari — promulgated the science of medicine.

Parasu Râma — suppressed the Kshatriyas who became disregardful of the Brâhmanas and the Sâstras.

Râma — destroyed Lankâ and killed Râvana.

Râma and Krishna. — The tenth Canto of Bhâgavata is entirely devoted to their deeds.

Vyâsa. — He divided the trunk of the Veda tree into several branches.

Buddha. — When the Asuras came to know the Vedic mysteries and to oppress people, Buddha incarnated Himself in order to confound them by preaching a variety of by-religions.

Kalki — will appear before the end of Kali Yuga, to set things right.

Besides these Lilâ Avatâras, there are Mâyâ Guna Avatâras and Vibhûtis or Śaktis.

In creation these are:

Tapas, Brahmâ, the Rishis, and the Nine Prajâpatis.

In preservation they are:

Dharma, Vishnu, Manu, Devas and Kings.

In Pralaya they are:

Adharma, Śiva, Serpents and Asuras.

O Nârada, this is, in brief, the Bhâgavata Purâna. You relate it to others in a much more expanded form, so that people may have Bhakti or Divine attachment to Bhagavân.

Thoughts on the Above

The above account of creation relates to Trilokî and to the dwellers of Trilokî. After creation, some come down from the higher planes and hold responsible positions as we have already seen. The Vaikârika Devas, who may be identified with the Vedic Devas, are created or rather manifested in the Trilokî before the Individual creation. They appertain to what the Purâna calls Kârana or causal Creation. The Vaikritika Devas and Deva Yonis, known as Elemental in Theosophical language, are created according to their Karma in the previous Kalpa and are subject to gradual evolution during the Kalpa. The Vaikarika Devas, however, remain as they are during the whole of the Kalpa. Similarly the Devas of the higher planes, e. g., Kumudas, Ribhus, Pratardanas, Anjanâbhas and Pratitâbhas of Mahar Loka, Brahma Purohitas, Brahma Kayikas, Brahma Mahâ Kayikas and Amaras of Jana Loka, Âbhasvaras, Mahâbhasvaras, and Satya Mahâbhasvaras of Tapas Loka and Achyutas, Súddha Nibâsas, Satyâbhas and Sanjnâ Sanjnins of Satya Loka these are not affected by creation in Trilokî. The dwellers of those Lokas other than Devas are also similarly not affected. The story of creation is a simple one. As the Linga Purâna says, when Earth is scorched up in the summer season, it becomes fallow and the roots of vegetation remain underground. They, however, wait for the rainy season to germinate again and grow in all the varieties of the previous vegetation. Similarly when the previous creation is burnt up by the fires of Pralaya, the roots remain imbedded in Prakriti, which becomes fallow. The fallowness is removed on the approach of the creative period or Kâla. Kâla, according to Bhâgavata, is a Śakti of Purush or the Unmanifested Logos. Then transformation follows in Prakriti according to Svabhâva or the inherent nature of Prakriti and Karma, or the root-record of the previous Kalpa gives shape to the transformation.

Śridhara Svâmi quotes a sloka, which says that there are three Purusha manifestations. The first Purusha is the creator of Mahat and other elemental principles (Tatvas). The Second Purusha is the dweller of the Cosmic Egg. The Third Purusha is the pervader of all beings.

Creation is divided into two stages. First the creation of the principles themselves or Tatvas, which unite to form globes and individuals. This is called Kârana creation. Secondly the creation of individuals and of globes. This is called Kârya or resultant creation. Following the law of periodicity, the First Purusha energises the latent Karma or Jiva-record of the previous Kalpa, and prepares the ground for the development of that Karma, by setting Prakriti into active transformation. This is the First Life Wave which caused the principles to appear by themselves. The First Purusha permeated these principles as pure Âtmâ.

But the principles could not unite to make the forms, and to make individuals and globes. Purusha, as pure Âtmâ could not guide them further, as the gulf between Purusha and Prakriti was too wide. So Purusha had to limit Himself further, by uniting with Mûla Prakriti, as one undivided whole, and so becoming the guiding principle of all individual workings in our universe, the pervader of all individuals and globes as Âtma-Buddhi. The Universe as a whole is represented as an Egg, and the Second Purusha or Virât Purusha is the soul of that Egg. Individuals and globes appear as germs in that Egg, and are all brought into manifestation in time by the Third Purusha Brahmâ.

The Second Purusha is called the First Avatâra and the seed and resting place of all other Avatâras. An Avatâra is a highly evolved Jiva, that has attained the Logoic state and that comes down from his exalted position, to serve the universe. Why is the second Purusha called an Avatâra? The Brihad Âranyaka Upanishad raises the veil a little on this point.

“This was before Âtmâ, bearing the shape of man (the first born from the Egg, the embodied soul, the Virât with heads and other members of the body) Looking round, he beheld nothing, but himself. He said first: ‘This am I’. Hence the name of I was produced.

“And because he, as the first of all of them consumed by fire all the sins, therefore he is called Purusha. He verily consumes him, who strives to obtain the state of Prajâpati, prior to him.” Sankarâchârya explains the under-lined portion as follows: — “And because he, “Prajâpati in a former birth, which is the cause, as the first of those who were desirous to obtain the state of Prajâpati by the exercise of reflection on works and knowledge, viz, “as the first of all of them,” of all those desirous of obtaining the state of Prajâpati, consumed by the perfect exercise of reflection in works and knowledge all the sins of contact, which are obstacles to the acquirement of the state ‘of Prajâpati’ because such was the case, therefore he is called Purusha, because, he, pur (first) (did) ush (burn)

Therefore by the words: “He consumes him,” it is meant, that the perfect performer obtains the highest state of Prajâpati, he, who is less perfect, does not obtain it, and by no means, that the less perfect performer is actually consumed by the perfect.

Here the word Prajâpati refers to the Second Purusha.

The state of the Second Purusha is the highest achievement of Jiva. It is the meeting ground of Jiva and the Supreme Purusha. The Second Purusha may be different for each Kalpa, it may be for each Brahmânda. He is the Íshvara, the Lord of our Universe. He holds the whole creation unto His bosom, and is the sustaining force of all. In the three aspects of Brahmâ, Vishnu and Śiva, he guides the creation, the preservation and the dissolution of the Universe. Those that could not attain His state, though they strove for it equally as eminent as the Second Purusha, that are to become the Second Purusha in perhaps another Kalpa or Brahmânda, are the Lilâ Avatâras. They remain merged in the Second Purusha or Íshvara and they manifest themselves in the Universe, only when a necessity arises for their manifestation. The Bhâgavata contends that of all Lilâ Avatâras, only Krishna is Purusha Himself the others being only partial manifestations of Purusha.

“These are the parts and aspects of Purusha. Krishna is Bhagavân Himself.” — I-3-28.

Tamas is dark, opaque and heavy on the physical plane, indolent and ignorant on the mental plane, non-perceptive on the spiritual plane.

Rajas is translucent, and constantly moving on the physical plane; distracted constantly, acquiring likes and dislikes, and exercising intellection on the mental plane; and partially perceptive on the spiritual plane.

Satva is light and transparent on the physical plane, cheerful and buoyant on the mental plane, and fully perceptive on the spiritual plane. True perception and real knowledge follow from Satva. By partial understanding and semblance of knowledge, the results of Rajas, people become distracted and led astray.

Tamas keeps down all beings and enchains them to materiality in the course of evolution, and there is a point in the downfall of beings as well as of globes, beyond which there is a complete break-down. Satva counter-acts Tamas and the preservation and improvement of the Universe, rather of Trilokî, there fore mean the infusion of Satva. Vishnu represents Satva and so Vishnu is the Preservative aspect of Virâta Purusha. When Rajas and Tamas predominate in Trilokî, when the lowest plane Bhûr becomes heavy with Tamas, the Lilâ Avatâras appear and infuse Satva into the Lokas.

SKANDHA I., CHAP. 2-34.

This Preserver of Lokas preserves the Lokas by means of Satva, by incarnating in Deva, Animal, Human and other kingdoms as Lilâ Avatâras.

The Third Purusha is Brahmâ in Creation, Vishnu in Preservation and Śiva in dissolution. Vishnu as the Âtmâ in each being manifests Himself in action consciousness and will. Brahmâ is the propelling power in the Involution of beings, which gives them their physical body. Vishnu is the propelling force in the evolution of beings through physiological action (Prâna), sensation, intellect, and lastly the development of the spiritual faculties.

The Bhâgavata Purâna and Its Parts

SKANDHA II., CHAP. 10.

The next question of Râjâ Parikshit was most comprehensive. It related to all knowledge of the Universe in all details. In answering the question, Suka related the whole of the Purâna, from beginning to end. In doing so, the Muni gave a short introduction as to the history of the Purâna. When Brahmâ regained his drowsy consciousness at the dawn of the present Kalpa, he knew not how to bring back the former state of things. He practised Tapas. Then Bhagavân appeared and related to him the Bhâgavata Purâna. Brahmâ taught the Purâna to his son Nârada. Nârada gave it to Vyâsa, and Vyâsa to his son Suka.

The Purâna has ten parts: —

Sarga — the creation of the Bhûtas, Tanmâtras, Indriyas, Ahankâra and Mahat, or of the materials that form individuals, and the appearance of Virât Purusha.

Visarga — the Individual creation by Brahmâ or the creation of the individual life forms.

Sthâna — the preservation of the created beings in their own states by Bhagavân.

Poshana — the divine favor to those that properly remain in their own states.

Manvantara — the duties of the Rulers of Manvantaras.

Uti — desires that bind one to Trilokî.

Isânukathâ — stories of the Avatâras and of the followers of Hari.

Nirodha — the sleep of Hari and of all individual souls a Pralaya.

Mukti — the continued perception of the identity of self and of Brahmâ.

Asraya — The Final Resort, Para Brahma or Paramâtma from whom Creation and Dissolution both proceed.

This brings us to the end of the Second Skandha.

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