Bs 5.23

TEXT 23

TEXT

sanjato bhagavac-chaktya

tat-kalam kila coditaḥ

sisrksayam matim cakre

pūrva-samskara-samskrtaḥ

dadarsa kevalam dhvantam

nanyat kim api sarvataḥ

SYNONYMS

sanjataḥ-on being born; bhagavat-saktya-by the divine potency; tat-kalam-at that time; kila-indeed; coditaḥ-being guided; sisrksayam-to the act of creation; matim-his mind; cakre-turned; pūrva-samskara-samskrtaḥ-under the impulse of previous impressions; dadarsa-he saw; kevalam-only; dhvantam-darkness; na-not; anyat-else; kim api-anything; sarvataḥ-in every direction.

TRANSLATION

On coming out of the lotus, Brahma, being guided by the divine potency tuned his mind to the act of creation under the impulse of previous impressions. But he could see nothing but darkness in every direction.

PURPORT

Brahma's impulse for creation arises solely from his previous impressions. All jivas get their nature conformably to their impressions of previous births and accordingly their activity can have a beginning. It is called "the unseen" or the result of one's previous deeds. His natural impulse is formed according to the nature of the deeds done by him in the previous kalpa. Some of the eligible jivas also attain to the office of Brahma in this way.

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