TEXTS 2223
yasyadya asid guna-vigraho mahan
vijnana-dhisnyo bhagavan ajah kila
yat-sambhavo ham tri-vrta sva-tejasa
vaikarikam tamasam aindriyam srje
ete vayam yasya vase mahatmanah
sthitah sakunta iva sutra-yantritah
mahan aham vaikrta-tamasendriyah
srjama sarve yad-anugrahad idam
SYNONYMS
yasyafrom whom; adyahthe beginning; asitthere was; guna-vigrahahthe incarnation of the material qualities; mahanthe total material energy; vijnanaof full knowledge; dhisnyahthe reservoir; bhagavanthe most powerful; ajahLord Brahma; kilacertainly; yatfrom whom; sambhavahborn; ahamI; tri-vrtahaving three varieties according to the three modes of nature; sva-tejasaby my material strength; vaikarikamall the demigods; tamasammaterial elements; aindriyamthe senses; srjeI create; eteall of these; vayamwe; yasyaof whom; vaseunder the control; maha-atmanahgreat personalities; sthitahsituated; sakuntahvultures; ivalike; sutra-yantritahbound by rope; mahanthe mahat-tattva; ahamI; vaikrtathe demigods; tamasathe five material elements; indriyahsenses; srjamahwe create; sarveall of us; yatof whom; anugrahatby the mercy; idamthis material world.
TRANSLATION
From that Supreme Personality of Godhead appears Lord Brahma, whose body is made from the total material energy, the reservoir of intelligence predominated by the passionate mode of material nature. From Lord Brahma, I myself am born as a representation of false ego known as Rudra. By my own power I create all the other demigods, the five elements and the senses. Therefore, I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is greater than any of us and under whose control are situated all the demigods, material elements and senses, and even Lord Brahma and I myself, like birds bound by a rope. Only by the Lords grace can we create, maintain and annihilate the material world. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Being.
PURPORT
A summary of creation is given in this verse. From Sankarsana, Maha-Visnu expands, and from Maha-Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu expands. Lord Brahma, who was born of Garbhodakasayi Visnu, fathers Lord Siva, from whom all the other demigods gradually evolve. Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and Lord Visnu are incarnations of the different material qualities. Lord Visnu is actually above all material qualities, but He accepts control of sattva-guna (the mode of goodness) to maintain the universe. Lord Brahma is born from the mahat-tattva. Brahma creates the entire universe, Lord Visnu maintains it, and Lord Siva annihilates it. The Supreme Personality of Godhead controls all the most important demigodsespecially Lord Brahma and Lord Sivaexactly as the owner of a bird controls it by binding it with a rope. Sometimes vultures are controlled in this way.

Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/5/17/22-23

Previous: SB 5.17.21     Next: SB 5.17.24

If you Love Me Distribute My Books -- Srila Prabhupada