A Study of the Bhagavata Purana or Esoteric Hinduism Part 3

I. THE CREATION.

Pariks.h.i.+t next asked "How did Bhagavan create this Universe, how does He preserve it, how will He draw it in? What are the Saktis by which He manifests Himself directly and indirectly? What are His actions?"

Suka replied, these were the very questions asked by Narada of his father Brahma.

Brahma replied: - "Wis.h.i.+ng to become manifold, the Lord of Maya, influenced Kala, Karma and Svabhava, by his own Maya". (Kala is the flow of Time and is, according to the Bhagavata Purana, the Sakti of Purusha.

Karma is the _adrishta_ of Jiva or the Jiva record of the previous Kalpa. Svabhava is the essence of Prakriti). Under the influence of Purusha, the first disturbance in the equilibrium of the Gunas follows from Kala, transformation follows from Svabhava and the development of Mahat Tatva follows from Karma. When Rajas and Tamas manifest themselves in Mahat Tatva, it is transformed into Ahankara Tatva, with predominant Tamas. Ahankara Tatva by transformation becomes threefold. - Satvika, Rajasika and Tamasika, i.e., Jnana Sakti (potency to produce the Devas), Kriya Sakti (potency to produce the Indriyas), and Dravya Sakti (potency to produce the Bhutas), respectively.

Tamasa Ahankara was first transformed into akasa, akasa into Vayu, Vayu into Agni, Agni into apas, and apas into Prithivi, Satvika Ahankara was transformed into Manas and the ten Vaikarika Devas.

[The Vaikarika Devas are the Adhidevas or the Energy-giving G.o.ds of the ten Indriyas. Sensing is _in_ Man or Adhi-atma, it is of the object or Adhi-bhuta and is _caused by_ Vaikarika Deva or Adhi-Deva. Thus the object seen is Adhi-bhuta, the sight is Adhyatma and the manifesting Energy of sight is Adhideva.]

The Vaikarika Devas are -

Dik for Hearing;

Vayu for Touch;

Sun for Sight;

Varuna for Taste;

Asvini k.u.maras for Smell;

Agni for Speech;

Indra for Pani or action of the hand;

Upendra or Vishnu for Pada or action of the foot;

Mitra or Yama for Payu or excretion;

and Praj.a.pati for Upastha or generation.

Rajasika Ahankara was transformed into the ten Indriyas.

The foregoing can be shown in the following table: -

[Ill.u.s.tration: There is a pendulum-like drawing between the word Purusha and the phrase starting with Kala which is the pendulum swinging left and Karma which is the pendulum swinging right.]

PURUSHA.

Kala causing disturbance in the equilibrium of Karma Gunas.

Svabhava.

Transformation

Details of transformation from Mahat downwards.

Mahat.

Ahankara.

+---------------------+------------------+ Satvika or Rajasika Tamasika Vaikarika, = Kriya Sakti. = Dravya Sakti.

= Jnana Sakti The 10 Indriyas Akasa Vayu (air).

+--------+ Agni (fire).

Manas The 10 Vaikarika Devas or Adhidevas Apas (water).

Prithivi (earth).

This is the Karana creation or the creation of the materials of the Individual creation. They could not, however, unite and proceed further with the work of creation. The Sakti of Bhagavan then permeated them and the cosmic Egg or Brahmanda was formed. The Egg remained for a thousand years unconsciously submerged in the primal waters. Purusha then influenced Kala, Karma and Svabhava to send forth vitality into it. It is this Purusha that emerged from the Egg with thousands of heads and thousands of limbs and is known as Virat Purusha. The seven Lokas and the seven Patalas are parts of His body. This is the first Avatara, the adi Purusha that creates, preserves and destroys. All the objects of creation are His Avataras, or Saktis or Vibhutis. The Lila Avatars of Virat Purusha or special Incarnations for the preservation of the Universe are detailed below.

II. PRESERVATION BY LILa AVATaRAS.

*SKANDHA II. CHAP. 7.*

1. _Varaha_ - In order to raise the Earth from the waters, the Purusha adopted the body of Varaha or Boar and killed with His tusks the first Daitya Hiranyaksha.

2. _Yajna_ - was born of Ruchi and akuti. The Suyama Devas were born of Yajna. He dispelled the fears of Triloki.

3. _Kapila_ - was born of Kardama Praj.a.pati and his wife Devahuti.

He taught Brahma Vidya to his mother.

4. _Dattatreya_ - He preached Yoga to his disciples, who acquired powers and became liberated.

5. _The k.u.maras._ - Sanat k.u.mara, Sanaka, Sanandana and Sanatana.

They completely promulgated the atma Vidya, which had been lost in Pralaya.

6. _Nara Narayana._ - They were born of Dharma and his wife Murti, daughter of Daksha. Their Tapas was so great that the Deva ladies could not shake it.

7. _Dhruva._ - Though a boy, he could not bear the words of his step-mother. He went into the forests and made Tapas. He was rewarded with ascent to Dhruva Loka or the region of the polar star.

8. _Prithu._ - He milked out riches and edibles from the earth.

9. _Rishabha._ - Rishabha was the son of Nabhi by Sudevi or Meru Devi. He roamed about as Parama Hansa.

10. _Hayagriva._ - This horse-headed Avatara appeared in the Vedic Yajna and promulgated the Vedas.

11. _Matsya._ - Vaivasvata Mann found out this Avatara at the end of a cycle of Yugas. He preserved all beings and the Vedas from the waters of the Deluge.

12. _Kurma._ - At the great churning of the Ocean, the Tortoise Avatara supported the Mandara mountain.

13. _Nrisinha._ - The Man-Lion Avatara killed Hiranyakasipu.

14. _Hari_ - saved the Elephant King of the famous story of Gajendra Moksha.

15. _Vamana_ - measured the Triloki by His two steps.

16. _Hansa_ - related Bhakti Yoga, Gnana and Bhagavata Purana to Narada.

17. The presiding deity of each Manvantara.

18. _Dhanvantari_ - promulgated the science of medicine.

19. _Parasu Rama_ - suppressed the Kshatriyas who became disregardful of the Brahmanas and the Sastras.

20. _Rama_ - destroyed Lanka and killed Ravana.

21. _Rama_ and _Krishna_. - The tenth Canto of Bhagavata is entirely devoted to their deeds.

22. _Vyasa._ - He divided the trunk of the Veda tree into several branches.

23. _Buddha._ - When the Asuras came to know the Vedic mysteries and to oppress people, Buddha incarnated Himself in order to confound them by preaching a variety of by-religions.

24. _Kalki_ - will appear before the end of Kali Yuga, to set things right.

Besides these Lila Avataras, there are Maya Guna Avataras and Vibhutis or Saktis.

In _creation_ these are: