Srimadbhagavatham-skandha3-chapters10and11

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Chapter 10- The process of creation

 

The lotus on which Brahma was seated was violently agitated by

winds after he did thapas as ordained by the Lord, and Brahma with

his power of penance drank the wind and the water. Then he found

that the lotus expanded and enveloped the whole region and he

realized that the whole creation could be effected from the lotus

itself. Brahma divided the lotus into three sections where the jives

transmigrate in order to experience the results of their actions ,

while the higher regions like sathyaloka is for the evolved souls

which were created later.

 

Then Maitreya described to Vidhura that there are nine different

forms of creation, visarga.

 

The first six are from prakrti, or primordial nature which consists

of three gunas, and formed by the interaction of the three gunas.

The prakrthi gave rise to mahath thathva, which is also known as

buddhi from which came the ahankara, which is of three kinds

according to the three gunas. From ahankara evolved the indriyas ,

thanmathras and mind. The sixth is the tamas or avidhya. All this

are explained in detail later in the skandha in the episode of

Kapilavathara, and mind.

 

The last three are called vaikrtha srshti, it consists of

immovable entities, movable lower species and humans. The immovable

entities are the plant life. They are predominantly of thamas and

have no manifest feeling. The second category, namely birds and

beasts are further divided into 28 species.. They have no wisdom and

are ignorant They have knowledge through scent only.

 

The last type of creation is that of humans.. The creation of devas

are both praakrtha and vaikrtha. The devas who are the forces behind

the idhriyas are praakrtha and others are vaikrtha, which includes,

sura. Asuram, pithrs, gandharvas etc.

 

Chapter11. The Time-Its dimensions and divisions

 

Time is the all powerful force of the Lord. It is unperceivable but

becomes perceivable by its effects. The basic unit of time is called

paramaaNu, The period it takes for the sun to pass one paramaNu is

called a particle of time or paramaaNukala, while mahaakaala is the

period of time required by the Sun to engulf the whole existence,

the unit of which is a year, hundred years being the lifespan of man.

 

The cycle of chathuryugas lasts for 4380000 human years, or 12000

deva years, of which the krthayuga prevails for 4800 deva years,

Threthaayuga for 3600,Dhvaapara 2600 and Kali for 1200 deva years

and one deva year is equal to 365 human years.

 

One day of Brahma is 1000chathuryugas and his night lasts for

another 1000 chathuryugas. The day of Brahma is the period of 14

Manus which means that each Manu has the life span of 71 and a half

chathuryugas approximately.

 

During each manvanthara , Manu, their vamSa, rshis , devas. Indra ,

gandharvas etc are created newly.

 

 

In the beginning of the first half of the life of Brahma known as

brahma kalpa,, that is, the first paraarDha, Brahma manifested and

Vedas originated simultaneously. At the end of the first paraarDha ,

the padmakalpa,. the lotus appeared from the navel of the Lord from

which the world originated , In the beginning of the second

paraarDhaa was Varahakalpa in which Lord Hari took the form of the

Boar, Varaha. These two paraarDhas of Brahma together is like one

nimisha or blinking of the eye for the Lord Hari. However this is

only figurative as the concept of time has no significance as far as

the Lord is concerned.

 

The night of Brahma after 1000 chathuryugas is the pralaya when

Brahma sleeps, while the cosmic night is when the Lord goes into

yoganidra when all the universe including Brahma dissolves.