PURPORT

In this verse, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Visnu, is ascertained to be the original cause of creation. Sridhara Svami, in his commentary Bhavartha-dipika, replies to the idea that prakrti and purusa are the causes of the cosmic manifestation. As stated herein, param pradhanam purusam visvam anyam: "He is the supreme cause, represented as the male and female creative energies. Although different from this universe, He exists in His universal form [virata rupa]." The word prakrti, which is used to indicate the source of generation, refers to the material energy of the Supreme Lord, and the word purusa refers to the living entities, who are the superior energy of the Lord. Both the prakrti and purusa ultimately enter the Supreme Lord, as stated in Bhagavad-gita (prakrtim yanti mamikam).

Although prakrti and purusa superficially appear to be the causes of the material manifestation, both are emanations of different energies of the Supreme Lord. Therefore the Supreme Lord is the cause of prakrti and purusa. He is the original cause (sarva-karana-karanam). The Naradiya Purana says:

avikaro 'pi paramah
prakrtis tu vikarini
anupravisya govindah
prakrtis cabhidhiyate

Both the prakrti and purusa, which are inferior and superior energies, are emanations from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As explained in Bhagavad-gita (gam avisya), the Lord enters the prakrti, and then the prakrti creates different manifestations. The prakrti is not independent or beyond His energies. Vasudeva, Lord Sri Krsna, is the original cause of everything. Therefore the Lord says in Bhagavad-gita (10.8):

aham sarvasya prabhavo
mattah sarvam pravartate
iti matva bhajante mam
budha bhava-samanvitah

"I am the source of all spiritual and material worlds. Everything emanates from Me. The wise who perfectly know this engage in My devotional service and worship Me with all their hearts." In Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.9.33) the Lord also says, aham evasam evagre: "Only I existed before the creation." This is confirmed in the Brahmanda Purana as follows:

smrtir avyavadhanena
prakrtitvam iti sthitih
ubhayatmaka-sutitvad
vasudevah parah puman
prakrtih purusas ceti
sabdair eko 'bhidhiyate

To generate the universe, the Lord acts indirectly as the purusa and directly as the prakrti. Because both energies emanate from Lord Vasudeva, the all-pervasive Supreme Personality of Godhead, He is known as both prakrti and purusa. Therefore Vasudeva is the cause of everything (sarva-karana-karanam).

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