LESSON TWO

 

SARGA - CREATION   (Part 1)

 

The elementary creation of the sixteen items of matter.

 

1)  earth             1)  nose               1)  smell

2)  water             2)  tongue             2)  taste

3)  fire              3)  eyes               3)  sight

4)  air               4)  skin               4)  touch

5)  ether             5)  ear                5)  sound

                      6)  mind

TOTAL = 16

 

   The five gross elements, the five senses, the five sense objects and the mind make up the sixteen items of matter. The creation of these elementary manifestations is a result of the energies of Maha Vishnu. All this is called creation or sarga.

                                             

   The interaction of the modes of nature is called visarga, recreation or secondary creation. The secondary creation is a result of the original ingredients and is performed by Brahma.

                                             (S.B. 2.10.3)

   After manifesting the universes from the pores of His skin, Maha Vishnu expands as Garbhodakasayi Vishnu and enters into each and every universe which is half filled with water made from the perspiration from His transcendental body. because He is the Supreme Person or Nara and the water from His body is called Nara, because he lies on this water He is called Narayana.

   While lying on His bed of mystic slumber the Lord desired to manifest varieties of living entities from Himself alone.

 

   The Lord divides His potency into three divisions;

 

1) Adhidaiva - controlling entities

2) Adhiyatma - controlled entities

3) Adhibhuta - material bodies or forms of matter

 

Verse 15

 

   From the sky situated within the body of the manifesting Maha Vishnu sense energy, mental force and bodily strength are all generated, as well as the sum total of the fountainhead of the total living force. (This explains how everything originally comes from Maha Vishnu).

 

Verse 16

 

   When the total energy is in motion, all other entities move, and when the total energy stops endeavouring, all other living entities stop sensual activities.

   The individual entities are completely dependent on the total energy of the Lord, just as every electrical instrument depends of the power house.

 

Verse 17

 

   Being agitated by the virata purusa, the living force generated hunger and thirst and when He desired to eat and drink the mouth opened.

 

Verse 18

 

   From the mouth the palate became manifested as well as the tongue. After this all the different tastes came into existence.

   The controlling deity Varuna also became manifest along with the tongue.

 

Verse 19

 

   When the Supreme desired to speak, speeches were vibrated from the mouth. Then the controlling deity of speech Fire (Agni) was generated from the mouth.

 

Verse 20

 

   When the Supreme desired to smell odors, the nostrils and respiration were generated, the nasal instrument and odors also came into existence, and the controlling deity of air, carrying smell, also became manifested.

 

Verse 21

 

   When the Lord desired to see the eyes, the Sun, the power of vision and the object of sight all became manifested.

 

Verse 22

 

   Because of the desire of the great sages to know, the ears, the power of hearing, and the objects of hearing became manifested. The controlling deities of directions also became manifested.

 

Verse 23

 

   When there was a desire to perceive the physical characteristics of matter, the skin, the skin pores and hairs on the body as well as their controlling deities (the trees), were generated.

 

Verse 24

 

   When the supreme Person desired to work, the hands and their controlling deity Indra became manifested and acts dependent on the hands were also generated.

 

Verse 25

 

   Because of His desire to control movement the legs became manifested and the controlling deity Vishnu was generated.

 

Verse 26

 

   Sexual pleasure and the genital organ along with the controlling deity Prajapati developed.

 

Verse 27

 

   When He desired to evacuate the refuse of eatables, the evacuating hole developed along with the controlling deity Mitra.

 

Verse 28

 

   When He desired to move from one body to another, the navel and the air of departure and death (apana vayu) were created.

 

Verse 29

 

  When He desired food and drink the abdomen, the intestines and arteries became manifest. The controlling deities, the rivers and the oceans, are the source of their sustenance and keep these organs healthy.

 

Verse 30

 

   When there was a desire to think about the activities of his potent energy, the heart, the mind, the moon, determination and desire all became manifested. The minds activities begin only when the heart becomes manifested. The heart becomes manifested when the Supersoul desires to remind the soul of his past activities and to see His creation.

                                      (S.B. 2.10.10-30)

 

   The whole explanation and description given above is on the subject of the absolute dependence of the living entities and absolute independence of the Supreme Lord. Everything must first be desired by the Lord before the subordinate living entity can act upon it. The living entity can only see when the Lord sees. The living entity can only smell when the Lord smells, etc.

                                      (S.B. 2.10.20)

 

   The Visvarupa, the gigantic universal form of the Lord, is not an eternal form. It is manifested after the ingredients of the material creation in each universe by Garbhodakasayi Vishnu.

                                      (S.B. 3.6.4)

 

   The conception of the Visvarupa, the universal form is especially meant for the neophytes who cannot understand the transcendental form of the Lord. For them He manifests a material form or the universal form.           (S.B. 1.3.3)

 

CREATION  (Part two)

 

(S.B.2.5.22-31)

 

Verses 22-24

 

   After the incarnation of the first purusa (Karanadaksayi Vishnu) the mahat-tattva (sum total of material energy) becomes manifested. Then time is generated and in course of time false ego appears and transforms into three qualities.

 

1) Goodness  - vaikarika ahankara

2) Passion   - taijasa ahankara

3) Ignorance - tamasa ahankara

 

 

Manifestations of false ego in ignorance.

 

Verses 24-29

 

   From the darkness of false ego five elements are generated.

 

1) Sky becomes manifested first. Its subtle form is the quality

   of sound.

 

2) Because sky is transformed air is generated with its subtle

   quality of touch. (It also contains the quality of sound).

 

3) When air is transformed fire is generated with its subtle

   quality of shape or form. (Fire also contains the qualities of

   sound and touch).

 

4) When fire is transformed water is generated with its subtle

   quality of taste. (Water also contains the qualities of sound,

   touch and form).

 

5) When water is transformed earth is generated with its subtle

   quality of smell. (Earth also contains the qualities of sound,

   touch form and taste).

 

(S.B. 3.26.32 Purport)

 

   It appears in this verse that the objects of the senses namely the five gross elements and their subtle counterparts are all products of ignorance.

 

   SUBTLE ELEMENT                                       GROSS ELEMENT

 

          Sound                     is the subtle quality of                 sky

          Touch                     is the subtle quality of                  air

          Form                      is the subtle quality of                  fire

          Taste                     is the subtle quality of                  water

          Smell                      is the subtle quality of                  earth

 

 

(S.B. 3.5.36)

 

   Each of the elements evolve from subtle to gross. The evolving element has the quality of the previous element as well as its own. Hence the sky, the subtlest of the five gross elements hs one quality. As the different elements evolve they have the qualities of the previous elements and so earth, the last element to manifest has all the qualities of all the elements.

 

       Sky     - sound

       Air      - sound, touch

       Fire     - sound, touch, form

       Water - sound, touch, form, taste

       Earth   - sound, touch, form, taste, smell

 

(S.B. 2.10.31)

 

   The construction of the whole material world is prominently made by three elements, namely earth, water and fire. But the living force is produced by sky, air and water. So water is the common element in both the gross and subtle forms of the material creation. Water is the most prominent element and is therefore the principle element of all the five.

 

 

Manifestations of false ego in passion.

 

Verse 31

 

   From false ego in the mode of passion all of the sense organs are generated.

 

   There are two kinds of senses;

 

          Knowledge acquiring senses                     Working senses

 

                   1) ears                                                1) hands

                   2) skin                                       2) legs

                   3) eyes                                                3) voice

                   4) tongue                                   4) anus

                   5) nose                                      5) genitals

 

   The intelligence and the living energy are also generated.

 

Manifestations of false ego in goodness.

 

Verse 30

 

   From false ego in the mode of goodness the mind is generated and becomes manifested. The ten demigods controlling bodily movements are also manifested.

 

 

 

 

The five knowledge acquiring senses and their controlling deities:

 

1) Ears   - sense of hearing - controlling deities of directions

2) Skin   - sense of touch   - controlling deity of air, Vayu

3) Eyes   - sense of sight   - controlling deity the Sun god

4) Tongue - sense of taste   - controlling deity of water, Varuna 

5) Nose   - sense of smell   - controlling deity the Asvin Kumaras

 

The five working senses and their controlling deities:

 

1) Voice        -  controlling deity    -      Agni

2) Hands       -  controlling deity    -      Indra, king of heaven

3) Legs         -  controlling deity    -      Lord Vishnu

4) Anus         -  controlling deity    -      Mitra

5) Genitals     -  controlling deity    -      Brahma

 

 

ANIRUDDHA            - mind           -  controlling deity  -          Moon god

 

PRADYUMNA  - intelligence   -  controlling deity  -          Brahma

 

SANKARSANA - false ego     -  controlling deity  -          Siva

 

Miscellaneous:

 

   The sense of perception is of two kinds; touch and itching.

 

   The controlling deity of air in the body is called Anila.

 

   Anila also controls the sense of touch.

 

   The controlling deity of hairs on the body is called Osadhya.

   He also controls the itching sensation.

 

   The controlling deities of the trees control the hairs on the body.

 

   Vayu, the controller of air controls smell because smell is carried by air.

 

   The controlling deities of the rivers control the nervous system.

 

   The ocean is considered to be the controlling deity of the abdomen.

 

   Yamaraja also presides over the anus and genitals because discharging semen is the cause of a horrible death and he is the god of death.