Srimad Bhagavatam Skanda 2 - Continuation of Chapter 5 " The Wonder of the Creation of the World "

P.Natarajan.

( Source: Velukkudi Sri. Sri. Krishnan Swamy's writings in recent Tamil weekly Tuglak  - This would serve the limited purpose to read this chapter of Sacred Srimad Bhagavatham by those who don't know to read Tamil or don't get access to the related recent issues of the  Tamil weekly magazine 'Tuglak')

The Nature or the Prakriti gets subjected  to transformations to emerge as a philosophy called 'Mahat' which also in turn undergoes changes and finally comes out as another philosophy known as ' Ahankara'. Ahankara gets separated into three parts namely Tamas, Rajo and Sat. The Sat Ahankara is called as 'Vaikarikam'. Tamasa Ahankara is known as ' Bhudadi '. The act  of creation further progresses. Eleven senses are generated from Sat Ahankara which include five jnanendrias, five karmendrias and one mind.The five Karmendrias are Vak, Pani, Pada. Payu, Upasthas The five jnanendrias refer to eye, ear, nose, tongue and skin. Finally the mind, the inner conscience which controls all the senses is created. The Tamas Ahankara is responsible to generate five bhutas (natural elements) which are Pruthvi (land), Appu (water), Thejas (fire), Vayu (air) and Akash (sky) and  five Sensations which are the Sound, Touch,  Light,  Taste and Smell - thus 24 entities are created. An act known as ' Pancheekaranam'  is taken up by Bhagavan thereafter. In other words, though the five bhutas namely pruthvi, appu, thejas, vayu and akash are created; they themselves do not form as the raw material for the formation of the world. They need to be mixed in  right proportions. 

Bhagavan splits the bhutas into two. Akash is split into two parts. One part is kept aside in its original form and the other is further divided into four parts and mixed with the other four bhootas. The Vayu (air) is split into two. One part of Vayu is kept aside as Vayu and the other is split into four only to mix them with the four bootas. Thus the five bootas get mixed up with each other. This is the principle behind the creation of the fourteen worlds which is known as 'Brahmanda'. This part of Bhagavan's Srishti gets the name as 'Samasta Srishti' signifying that these operations are executed by Bhagavan independently. the other name for samasta srishti is 'atvaraha srishti' -  Atvaraha denotes no third person is involved.

As an ensuing act, Bhagavan examines the piles of jeevatma that are clinging in his body to select which atma is fit to occupy the post of Brahma. The atma gets selected on the basis of cumulative superior 'good acts' than the others. Brahma is born from the ' nabhi' of  Narayana. Brahma becomes the leader of all pervading worlds. The act of creation is then undertaken by Brahma under the orders and grace of Bhagavan . 

The creation work by Brahma takes place thereafter in the following order:- (1) Four types of skilled Professionals  (2)   People belonging to four states of livelihoods (3) Devas (4) Asuras (5) Rakshasas (6) Gandharvas (7) Humanbeings (8) Nagas (9) Immovables (Plants) (10) Movables (living items) (11) Eight Directions. Brahma can not create all these by himself .Bhagavan Narayana who stands behind him in an invisible state propels him and energizes the act of creation
Since this process happens in a series by separating the item from each other to create crores of identities, the srishti is called as 'Vyashti Srishti. Samasta Srishti begins from the Prakrit and gets completed till  human beings are created after the act of 'Panchikaranam'. Starting from the creation of Brahma till human beings, it is known as 'Vyashti Srishti', the other name for the same is Satvaraha Srishti' as Bhagavan Narayana motivates Brahma in this process.

To summarize upto now :- (1) Bhagavan  performs the sankalpa to begin the act of creation (2) He brings transformations in the Prakrit clinging to his body (3) He creates the Pancha bhootas (4) The pancha bhootas are mixed together in defined proportions to create the brahmanda (5) He creates Brahma from his 'nabhi' - that is he first selects the most deserving atma, produces him and assigns the post of Brahma (6) he makes Brahma instrumental to create the rest of the entities. This is the order of creation of the prapancha or the world.

Brahma has no share in the activities of Bhagavan who is soul responsible for the cration of brahmanda before the arrival of Brahma. Brahma also is a jeevatma like all other Devas. Brahma came out after 1000s of years after Brahmanda was created. Brahma did penance for long, learnt Vedas from Bhagavan and then attained the position to begin creation activity with the grace of Bhagavan. We now live in the world already created. This world would exist now as well as after the deluge also.  Paramatma will remain as Brahmam during Pralaya as he remained during Srishti.

World was the cause for pralaya and the same world is the means to end. Chit and Achit which were clinging to the body of Bhagavan were the cause for the pralaya and they become means to end in an expanded manner for the world to exist. In this state also they stand clinged to the body of Bhagavan. In other words, the cause is Brahmam and means to end is also Brahmam. The state where the chit and achit cling invisibly to Brahmam is known as Causal state and the state where chit and achit cling in visible form with the same Brahmam is the Resultant  State.

The chit and achit had no difference either in the name or physical state at the time of pralaya. But when srishti begins, the chit which are living organisms and achit which have no senses, undergo changes in the names as well as in  physical forms. The former is in invisible state and the later is in visible state which is the same as the existing form of 'prapancha'. The cause is Brahmam and the means to end is also Brahmam.

The above explanations are found in Vedanta. Brahma also explained this to Narada. As already brought out the subject is difficult both to explain as well as to understand . However it needs great attention to study when scope will expand for improvement and for a greater realization.

pn