> > Srimad Bhagavatam - Canto 3
> > Sanskrit, word-for-word and original translation of Swami Prabhupâda
> > (for the purports one will have to consult the books under the copyright of the BBT)

> > Canto 3 Part 1

> > **************

> > Chapter Ten: Divisions of the Creation

> > ******

> > TEXT 1

> > vidura uvaca antarhite bhagavati brahma loka-pitamahah prajah sasarja katidha daihikir manasir vibhuh

> > vidurah uvaca: Sri Vidura said; antarhite: after the disappearance; bhagavati: of the Personality of Godhead; brahma: the first created living being; loka-pitamahah: the grandfather of all planetary inhabitants; prajah: generations; sasarja: created; katidhah: how many; daihikih: from his body; manasih: from his mind; vibhuh: the great.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Sri Vidura said: O great sage, please let me know how Brahma, the grandfather of the planetary inhabitants, created the bodies of the living entities from his own body and mind after the disappearance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

> > ******

> > TEXT 2

> > ye ca me bhagavan prstas tvayy artha bahuvittama tan vadasvanupurvyena chindhi nah sarva-samsayan

> > ye: all those; ca: also; me: by me; bhagavan: O powerful one; prstah: inquired; tvayi: unto you; arthah: purpose; bahu-vit-tama: O greatly learned one; tan: all of them; vadasva: kindly describe; anupurvyena: from beginning to end; chindhi: kindly eradicate; nah: my; sarva: all; samsayan: doubts.

> > TRANSLATION

> > O greatly learned one, kindly eradicate all my doubts, and let me know of all that I have inquired from you from the beginning to the end.

> > ******

> > TEXT 3

> > suta uvaca evam sancoditas tena ksattra kausaravir munih pritah pratyaha tan prasnan hrdi-sthan atha bhargava

> > sutah uvaca: Sri Suta Gosvami said; evam: thus; sancoditah: being enlivened; tena: by him; ksattra: by Vidura; kausaravih: the son of Kusara; munih: great sage; pritah: being pleased; pratyaha: replied; tan: those; prasnan: questions; hrdi-sthan: from the core of his heart; atha: thus; bhargava: O son of Bhrgu.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Suta Gosvami said: O son of Bhrgu, the great sage Maitreya Muni, thus hearing from Vidura, felt very much enlivened. Everything was in his heart, and thus he began to reply to the questions one after another.

> > ******

> > TEXT 4

> > maitreya uvaca virinco 'pi tatha cakre divyam varsa-satam tapah atmany atmanam avesya yathaha bhagavan ajah

> > maitreyah uvaca: the great sage Maitreya said; virincah: Brahma; api: also; tatha: in that manner; cakre: performed; divyam: celestial; varsa-satam: one hundred years; tapah: penances; atmani: unto the Lord; atmanam: his own self; avesya: engaging; yatha aha: as it was spoken; bhagavan: the Personality of Godhead; ajah: the unborn.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The greatly learned sage Maitreya said: O Vidura, Brahma thus engaged himself in penances for one hundred celestial years, as advised by the Personality of Godhead, and applied himself in devotional service to the Lord.

> > ******

> > TEXT 5

> > tad vilokyabja-sambhuto vayuna yad-adhisthitah padmam ambhas ca tat-hala- krta-viryena kampitam

> > tat vilokya: looking into that; abja-sambhutah: whose source of birth was a lotus; vayuna: by the air; yat: that; adhisthitah: on which he was situated; padmam: lotus; ambhah: water; ca: also; tat-hala-krta: which was effected by eternal time; viryena: by its inherent force; kampitam: trembling.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Thereafter Brahma saw that both the lotus on which he was situated and the water on which the lotus was growing were trembling due to a strong, violent wind.

> > ******

> > TEXT 6

> > tapasa hy edhamanena vidyaya catma-samsthaya vivrddha-vijnana-balo nyapad vayum sahambhasa

> > tapasa: by penance; hi: certainly; edhamanena: increasing; vidyaya: by transcendental knowledge; ca: also; atma: self; samsthaya: situated in the self; vivrddha: matured; vijnana: practical knowledge; balah: power; nyapat: drank; vayum: the wind; saha ambhasa: along with the water.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Long penance and transcendental knowledge of self-realization had matured Brahma in practical knowledge, and thus he drank the wind completely, along with the water.

> > ******

> > TEXT 7

> > tad vilokya viyad-vyapi puskaram yad-adhisthitam anena lokan prag-linan kalpitasmity acintayat

> > tat vilokya: looking into that; viyat-vyapi: extensively widespread; puskaram: the lotus; yat: that which; adhisthitam: he was situated; anena: by this; lokan: all the planets; prak-linan: previously merged in dissolution; kalpita asmi: I shall create; iti: thus; acintayat: he thought.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Thereafter he saw that the lotus on which he was situated was spread throughout the universe, and he contemplated how to create all the planets, which were previously merged in that very same lotus.

> > ******

> > TEXT 8

> > padma-kosam tadavisya bhagavat-karma-coditah ekam vyabhanksid urudha tridha bhavyam dvi-saptadha

> > padma-kosam: the whorl of the lotus; tada: then; avisya: entering into; bhagavat: by the Supreme Personality of Godhead; karma: in activities; coditah: being encouraged by; ekam: one; vyabhanksit: divided into; urudha: great division; tridha: three divisions; bhavyam: capable of further creation; dvi-saptadha: fourteen divisions.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Thus engaged in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Brahma entered into the whorl of the lotus, and as it spread all over the universe he divided it into three divisions of worlds and later into fourteen divisions.

> > ******

> > TEXT 9

> > etavan jiva-lokasya samstha-bhedah samahrtah dharmasya hy animittasya vipakah paramesthy asau

> > etavan: up to this; jiva-lokasya: of the planets inhabited by the living entities; samstha-bhedah: different situations of habitation; samahrtah: performed completely; dharmasya: of religion; hi: certainly; animittasya: of causelessness; vipakah: mature stage; paramesthi: the highest personality in the universe; asau: that.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Lord Brahma is the most exalted personality in the universe because of his causeless devotional service unto the Lord in mature transcendental knowledge. He therefore created all the fourteen planetary divisions for inhabitation by the different types of living entities.

> > ******

> > TEXT 10

> > vidura uvaca yathattha bahu-rupasya harer adbhuta-karmanah halakhyam laksanam brahman yatha varnaya nah prabho

> > vidurah uvaca: Vidura said; yatha: as; attha: you have said; bahu-rupasya: having varieties of forms; hareh: of the Lord; adbhuta: wonderful; kamaanah: of the actor; kala: time; akhyam: of the name; laksanam: symptoms; brahman: O learned brahmana; yatha: as it is; varnaya: please describe; nah: unto us; prabho: O lord.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Vidura inquired from Maitreya: O my lord, O greatly learned sage, kindly describe eternal time, which is another form of the Supreme Lord, the wonderful actor. What are the symptoms of that eternal time? Please describe them to us in detail.

> > ******

> > TEXT 11

> > maitreya uvaca guna-vyatikaraharo nirviseso 'pratisthitah purusas tad-upadanam atmanam lilayasrjat

> > maitreyah uvaca: Maitreya said; guna-vyatikara: of the interactions of the modes of material nature; aharah: source; nirvisesah: without diversity; apratisthitah: unlimited; purusah: of the Supreme Person; tat: that; upadanam: instrument; atmanam: the material creation; lilaya: by pastimes; asrjat: created.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Maitreya said: Eternal time is the primeval source of the interactions of the three modes of material nature. It is unchangeable and limitless, and it works as the instrument of the Supreme Personality of Godhead for His pastimes in the material creation.

> > ******

> > TEXT 12

> > visvam vai brahma-tan-matram samsthitam visnu-mayaya isvarena paricchinnam halenavyakta-murtina

> > visvam: the material phenomenon; vai: certainly; brahma: the Supreme; tat-matram: the same as; samsthitam: situated; visnu-mayaya: by the energy of Visnu; isvarena: by the Personality of Godhead; paricchinnam: separated; kalena: by the eternal time; avyakta: unmanifested; murtina: by such a feature.

> > TRANSLATION

> > This cosmic manifestation is separated from the Supreme Lord as material energy by means of kala, which is the unmanifested, impersonal feature of the Lord. It is situated as the objective manifestation of the Lord under the influence of the same material energy of Visnu.

> > ******

> > TEXT 13

> > yathedanim tathagre ca pascad apy etad idrsam

> > yatha: as it is; idanim: at present; tatha: so it was; agre: in the beginning; ca: and; pascat: at the end; api: also; etat idrsam: it continues to be the same.

> > TRANSLATION

> > This cosmic manifestation is as it is now, it was the same in the past, and it will continue in the same way in the future.

> > ******

> > TEXT 14

> > sargo nava-vidhas tasya prakrto vaikrtas tu yah hala-dravya-gunair asya tri-vidhah pratisankramah

> > sargah: creation; nava-vidhah: of nine different kinds; tasya: its; prakrtah: material; vaikrtah: by the modes of material nature; tu: but; yah: that which; kala: eternal time; dravya: matter; gunaih: qualities; asya: its; tri-vidhah: three kinds; pratisankramah: annihilation.

> > TRANSLATION

> > There are nine different kinds of creations besides the one which naturally occurs due to the interactions of the modes. There are three kinds of annihilations due to eternal time, the material elements and the quality of one's work.

> > ******

> > TEXT 15

> > adyas tu mahatah sargo guna-vaisamyam atmanah dvitiyas tv ahamo yatra dravya jnana-kriyodayah

> > adyah: the first; tu: but; mahatah: of the total emanation from the Lord; sargah: creation; guna-vaisamyam: interaction of the material modes; atmanah: of the Supreme; dvitiyah: the second; tu: but; ahamah: false ego; yatra: wherein; dravya: material ingredients; jnana: material knowledge; kriya-udayah: awakening of activities (work).

> > TRANSLATION

> > Of the nine creations, the first one is the creation of the mahat-tattva, or the sum total of the material ingredients, wherein the modes interact due to the presence of the Supreme Lord. In the second, the false ego is generated in which the material ingredients, material knowledge and material activities arise.

> > ******

> > TEXT 16

> > bhuta-sargas trtiyas tu tan-matro dravya-saktiman caturtha aindriyah sargo yas tu jnana-kriyatmakah

> > bhuta-sargah: creation of matter; trtiyah: is the third; tu: but; tat-matrah: sense perception; dravya: of the elements; saktiman: generator; caturthah: the fourth; aindriyah: in the matter of the senses; sargah: creation; yah: that which; tu: but; jnana: knowledge-acquiring; kriya: working; atmakah: basically.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The sense perceptions are created in the third creation, and from these the elements are generated. The fourth creation is the creation of knowledge and of working capacity.

> > ******

> > TEXT 17

> > vaihariko deva-sargah pancamo yan-mayam manah sasthas tu tamasah sargo yas tv abuddhi-krtah prabhoh

> > vaikarikah: interaction of the mode of goodness; deva: the demigods, or controlling deities; sargah: creation; pancamah: fifth; yat: that which; mayam: sum total; manah: mind; sasthah: sixth; tu: but; tamasah: of darkness; sargah: creation; yah: that which; tu: expletive; abuddhi-krtah: made foolish; prabhoh: of the master.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The fifth creation is that of the controlling deities by the interaction of the mode of goodness, of which the mind is the sum total. The sixth creation is the ignorant darkness of the living entity, by which the master acts as a fool.

> > ******

> > TEXT 18

> > sadime prakrtah sarga vaikrtan api me srnu rajo-bhajo bhagavato lileyam hari-medhasah

> > sat: six; ime: all these; prakrtah: of the material energy; sargah: creations; vaikrtan: secondary creations by Brahma; api: also; me: from me; srnu: just hear; rajah-bhajah: of the incarnation of the mode of passion (Brahma); bhagavatah: of the greatly powerful; lila: pastime; iyam: this; hari: the Supreme Personality of Godhead; medhasah: of one who has such a brain.

> > TRANSLATION

> > All the above are natural creations by the external energy of the Lord. Now hear from me about the creations by Brahma, who is an incarnation of the mode of passion and who, in the matter of creation, has a brain like that of the Personality of Godhead.

> > ******

> > TEXT 19

> > saptamo mukhya-sargas tu sad-vidhas tasthusam ca yah vanaspaty-osadhi-ata: tvaksara virudho drumah

> > saptamah: the seventh; mukhya: principle; sargah: creation; tu: indeed; sat-vidhah: six kinds of; tasthusam: of those who do not move; ca: also; yah: those; vanaspati: fruit trees without flowers; osadhi: trees and plants existing until the fruit is ripe; lata: creepers; tvaksarah: pipe plants; virudhah: creepers without support; drumah: trees with flowers and fruits.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The seventh creation is that of the immovable entities, which are of six kinds: the fruit trees without flowers, trees and plants which exist until the fruit is ripe, creepers, pipe plants, creepers which have no support, and trees with flowers and fruits.

> > ******

> > TEXT 20

> > utsrotasas tamah-praya antah-sparsa visesinah

> > utsrotasah: they seek their subsistence upwards; tamah-prayah: almost unconscious; antah-sparsah: slightly feeling within; visesinah: with varieties of manifestation.

> > TRANSLATION

> > All the immovable trees and plants seek their subsistence upwards. They are almost unconscious but have feelings of pain within. They are manifested in variegatedness.

> > ******

> > TEXT 21

> > tirascam astamah sargah so 'stavimsad-vidho matah avido bhuri-tamaso ghrana jna hrdy avedinah

> > tirascam: species of lower animals; astamah: the eighth; sargah: creation; sah: they are; astavimsat: twenty-eight; vidhah: varieties; matah: considered; avidah: without knowledge of tomorrow; bhuri: extensively; tamasah: ignorant; ghrana jnah: can know desirables by smell; hrdi avedinah: can remember very little in the heart.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The eighth creation is that of the lower species of life, and they are of different varieties, numbering twenty-eight. They are all extensively foolish and ignorant. They know their desirables by smell, but are unable to remember anything within the heart.

> > ******

> > TEXT 22

> > gaur ajo mahisah krsnah sukaro gavayo ruruh dvi-saphah pasavas ceme avir ustras ca sattama

> > gauh: the cow; ajah: the goat; mahisah: the buffalo; krsnah: a kind of stag; sukarah: hog; gavayah: a species of animal; ruruh: deer; dvi-saphah: having two hooves; pasavah: animals; ca: also; ime: all these; avih: lamb; ustrah: camel; ca: and; sattama: O purest.

> > TRANSLATION

> > O purest Vidura, of the lower animals the cow, goat, buffalo, krsna stag, hog, gavaya animal, deer, lamb and camel all have two hooves.

> > ******

> > TEXT 23

> > kharo 'svo 'svataro gaurah sarabhas camari tatha ete caika-saphah ksattah srnu panca-nakhan pasun

> > kharah: ass; asvah: horse; asvatarah: mule; gaurah: white deer; sarabhah: bison; camari: wild cow; tatha: thus; ete: all these; ca: and; eka: only one; saphah: hoof; ksattah: O Vidura; srnu: just hear now; panca: five; nakhan: nails; pasun: animals.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The horse, mule, ass, gaura, sarabha bison and wild cow all have only one hoof. Now you may hear from me about the animals who have five nails.

> > ******

> > TEXT 24

> > sva srgalo vrko vyaghro marjarah sasa-sallakau simhah kapir gajah kurmo godha ca makaradayah

> > sva: dog; srgalah: jackal; vrkah: fox; vyaghrah: tiger; marjarah: cat; sasa: rabbit; sallakau: sajaru (with thorns on the body); simhah: lion; kapih: monkey; gajah: elephant; kurmah: tortoise; godha: gosapa (snake with four legs); ca: also; makara-adayah: the alligator and others.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The dog, jackal, tiger, fox, cat, rabbit, sajaru, lion, monkey, elephant, tortoise, alligator, gosapa, etc., all have five nails in their claws. They are known as panca-nakhas, or animals having five nails.

> > ******

> > TEXT 25

> > kanka-grdhra-baka-syena- bhasa-bhalluka-barhinah hamsa-sarasa-cakra hva- kakolukadayah khagah

> > kanka: heron; grdhra: vulture; baka: crane; syena: hawk; bhasa: the bhasa; bhalluka: the bhalluka; barhinah: the peacock; hamsa: swan; sarasa: the sarasa; cakrahva: the cakravaka; kaka: crow; uluka: owl; adayah: and others; khagah: the birds.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The heron, vulture, crane, hawk, bhasa, bhalluka, peacock, swan, sarasa, cakravaka, crow, owl and others are the birds.

> > ******

> > TEXT 26

> > arvak-srotas tu navamah ksattar eka-vidho nrnam rajo 'dhihah karma-para duhkhe ca sukha-maninah

> > arvak: downwards; srotah: passage of food; tu: but; navamah: the ninth; ksattah: O Vidura; eka-vidhah: one species; nrnam: of human beings; rajah: the mode of passion; adhihah: very prominent; karma-parah: interested in working; duhkhe: in misery; ca: but; sukha: happiness; maninah: thinking.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The creation of the human beings, who are of one species only and who stock their eatables in the belly, is the ninth in the rotation. In the human race, the mode of passion is very prominent. Humans are always busy in the midst of miserable life, but they think themselves happy in all respects.

> > ******

> > TEXT 27

> > vaikrtas traya evaite deva-sargas ca sattama vaiharikas tu yah proktah kaumaras tubhayatmakah

> > vaikrtah: creations of Brahma; trayah: three kinds; eva: certainly; ete: all these; deva-sargah: appearance of the demigods; ca: also; sattama: O good Vidura; vaiharikah: creation of demigods by nature; tu: but; yah: which; proktah: described before; kaumarah: the four Kumaras; tu: but; ubhaya-atmakah: both ways (namely vaikrta and prakrta).

> > TRANSLATION

> > O good Vidura, these last three creations and the creation of demigods (the tenth creation) are vaikrta creations, which are different from the previously described prakrta (natural) creations. The appearance of the Kumaras is both.

> > ******

> > TEXT 28-29

> > deva-sargas casta-vidho vibudhah pitaro 'surah gandharvapsa rasah siddha yaksa-raksamsi caranah

> > bhuta-preta-pisacas ca vidyadhrah kinnaradayah dasaite vidurakhyatah sargas te visva-srk-krtah

> > deva-sargah: creation of the demigods; ca: also; asta-vidhah: eight kinds; vibudhah: the demigods; pitarah: the forefathers; asurah: the demons; gandharva: the expert artisans in the higher planets; apsarasah: the angels; siddhah: persons who are perfect in mystic powers; yaksa: the superprotectors; raksamsi: giants; caranah: the celestial singers; bhuta: jinn; preta: evil spirits; pisacah: attendant spirits; ca: also; vidyadhrah: the celestial denizens named Vidyadharas; kinnara: superhuman beings; adayah: and others; dasa ete: all these ten (creations); vidura: O Vidura; akhyatah: described; sargah: creations; te: unto you; visva-srk: the creator of the universe (Brahma); krtah: done by him.

> > TRANSLATION

> > The creation of the demigods is of eight varieties: (1) the demigods, (2) the forefathers, (3) the asuras, or demons, (4) the Gandharvas and Apsaras, or angels, (5) the Yaksas and Raksasas, (6) the Siddhas, Caranas and Vidyadharas, (7) the Bhutas, Pretas and Pisacas, and (8) the superhuman beings, celestial singers, etc. All are created by Brahma, the creator of the universe.

> > ******

> > TEXT 30

> > atah param pravaksyami vamsan manvantarani ca evam rajah-plutah srasta kalpadisv atmabhur harih srjaty amogha-sankalpa atmaivatmanam atmana

> > atah: here; param: after; pravaksyami: I shall explain; vamsan: descendants; manvantarani: different advents of Manus; ca: and; evam: thus; rajah-plutah: infused with the mode of passion; srasta: the creator; kalpa-adisu: in different millenniums; atma-bhuh: self-advent; harih: the Personality of Godhead; srjati: creates; amogha: unfailing; sankalpah: determination; atma eva: He Himself; atmanam: Himself; atmana: by His own energy.

> > TRANSLATION

> > Now I shall describe the descendants of the Manus. The creator, Brahma, as the incarnation of the passion mode of the Personality of Godhead, creates the universal affairs with unfailing desires in every millennium by the force of the Lord's energy.

> Back to the running text