Srimad Bhagavatam — Dvitiya Skandha, Shloka 33
Nārada’s Questions and Brahmā’s Reply: Vāsudeva as the Source; Sarga–Visarga; Virāṭ-rūpa Mapping
तदा संहृत्य चान्योन्यं भगवच्छक्तिचोदिता: । सदसत्त्वमुपादाय चोभयं ससृजुर्ह्यद: ॥ ३३ ॥
tadā saṁhatya cānyonyaṁ bhagavac-chakti-coditāḥ sad-asattvam upādāya cobhayaṁ sasṛjur hy adaḥ
ત્યારે તે બધાં ભગવાનની શક્તિથી પ્રેરિત થઈ પરસ્પર જોડાયા; અને સત્ તથા અસત્—પ્રાથમિક અને ગૌણ—બંને કારણોને સ્વીકારી આ વિશ્વની સૃષ્ટિ થઈ.
In this verse it is clearly mentioned that the Supreme Personality of Godhead exerts His different energies in the creation; it is not that He Himself is transformed into material creations. He expands Himself by His different energies, as well as by His plenary portions. In a corner of the spiritual sky of brahmajyoti a spiritual cloud sometimes appears, and the covered portion is called the mahat-tattva. The Lord then, by His plenary portion as Mahā-Viṣṇu, lies down within the water of the mahat-tattva, and the water is called the Causal Ocean (Kāraṇa-jala). While Mahā-Viṣṇu sleeps within the Causal Ocean, innumerable universes are generated along with His breathing. These universes are floating, and they are scattered all over the Causal Ocean. They stay only during the breathing period of Mahā-Viṣṇu. In each and every universal globe, the same Mahā-Viṣṇu enters again as Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and lies there on the serpentlike Śeṣa incarnation. From His navel sprouts a lotus stem, and on the lotus, Brahmā, the lord of the universe, is born. Brahmā creates all forms of living beings of different shapes in terms of different desires within the universe. He also creates the sun, moon and other demigods.
FAQs
This verse states that under the impulse of Bhagavān’s energies, creation proceeds by taking up both sat (the manifest state) and asat (the unmanifest state), indicating the Lord’s control over both manifestation and withdrawal.
Because the Bhagavatam emphasizes that the cosmos does not arise independently—its creation and dissolution occur when the Lord’s energies activate, showing divine causality behind material nature.
It encourages humility and steadiness: changes, gains, and losses are part of cycles governed by a higher order, so one can focus on devotion and right action rather than anxiety over outcomes.