Srimad Bhagavatam – day 102
Aniruddhāya namah
In this world, the combined form of the energies of knowledge (jnana) and actions (Kriya) are themselves the Mahat tattva (principle of cosmic intelligence/ total material creation). This Mahat tattva causes in people the real knowledge about matter (object) and dispels their spiritual ignorance.
This Mahat tattva is within the control of eternal time. Although in its manifested state it is known as Mahat tattva, in reality this Mahat tattva is none other than the Supreme Parabrahma.
From this Mahat tattva this entire world made up of name and form emerges. In other words, Mahat tattva undergoes transformation and ahamkara (sense of I-ness) is born. Thus it becomes the shelter for that transformation which causes feelings such as ‘I am the doer’ within both the five subtle elements (tanmātras) and the five gross elements (pancha mahābhootas).
In ahamkāra (sense of I-ness, egoism) there are three divisions viz., Sātvika, Rājasa and Tāmasa. Among them when the Sātvik ahamkara (egoism arising out of traits of goodness) undergoes transformation, the presiding deities of mind and senses emerge. From them sound and other sensory perceptions that illumine these worldly objects emerge.
From Rājasa ahamkara (egoism born out of traits of action/ passion) the 10 senses i.e. the five organs of perception and the five organs of action are born.
We have already heard once in the past about their description as well as of sequence in the creation process of Paramatma. At that time only the manner in which they emerged was explained. Now the tasks achieved by each of them is being explained.
From Tāmasa ahamkāra (egoism born out of traits of inertia/ inaction) the subtle-sound (śabda tanmātra) was born. This sound is the quality of space. That space represents symbolically the Supreme Paramatma. (tanmātras are subtle sense perceptions).
Due to the union of eternal time, the power of illusion (māya) which exists in the form of Tāmasa ahamkāra, and chidābhāsa (reflected consciousness) space is born. From space the subtle sense of touch (sparsha tanmātra) is born. This subtle-touch (tanmātra) undergoes transformation and from it air (vayu) is born.
When the extremely powerful air mixes with space, it undergoes a transformation and from it the subtle sense perception of form (roopa tanmātra) is generated. From this subtle-form, illumination (tejas), which makes all planes of existence visible, is generated.
Under the leadership of Paramatma the combination of eternal time, reflected consciousness (chidābhāsa) and power of illusion (māya) as well as the merger of air and fire, creates the subtle sense perception of taste (rasa tanmātra). From this subtle- taste (rasa tanmātra) water is born.
When this similar combination (merger of time, māya and chidābhāsa) takes place again, due to the transformation caused by the merger of water and fire, the subtle sense perception of smell (gandha tanmātra) and from it the earth element are born.
Understand that for each of the five basic elements beginning with the sky, due to the existence of elements before and after them, their qualities will be in sequential order.
Understand that the presiding deities of Mahat and other principles are manifestations of the Supreme Lord Sriman Narayana. ‘Transformation’ symbolizes time. ‘The innumerable forms’ are symbolic of illusion (māya). ‘Illumination’ is symbolic of reflected consciousness (chidābhāsa). The combination of these three results in the formation of these presiding deities.
Nevertheless, for having manifested in innumerable different forms, these presiding deities could not collectively merge and complete the tasks of creation that were allotted to them. Therefore these presiding deities folded their hands and prayed to the Supreme Lord through the following hymn:
Namāma te deva padāravindaṁ prapanna-tāpopaśamātapatram
Yan-mūla-ketā yatayo ’ñjasoru- saṁsāra-duḥkhaṁ bahir utkṣipanti
O Supreme Lord! Your lotus feet serve as an umbrella that dispels the afflictions of those who have sought refuge under You. Seeking refuge under Your lotus feet, great saints (Yati) easily cross over this ocean of worldly bondages. We offer obeisance to those lotus feet.
O Lord of all the worlds! We observe that in this creation the living beings overwhelmed by their afflictions are unable to obtain peace of mind. Therefore we perpetually take shelter under the shadow of Your lotus feet.
The birds called Vedas eternally seek shelter under the umbrella called Your lotus face. In other words Your face is the nest that protects them. Through the medium of these Vedas, great saints who sit in isolation eternally search for You. They meditate upon You. Ganga, which dispels sins, was born from Your lotus feet. We seek refuge in those holy feet.
Simply by listening to Your glorious stories, spiritual aspirants further boost their devotion towards You. With this their mind turns pure. Then with their purified minds they meditate upon Your holy feet and obtain dispassion (vairagya) and knowledge (jnana) which in turn bestows upon them jeevanmukti (Liberation while living). We seek refuge under such holy feet!
O Supreme Lord! You incarnate so as to execute the tasks of creation, sustenance and annihilation. Remembering Your lotus feet even once grants protection to all the relatives of the person! We seek refuge under such holy feet.
O Lord! Living in this body, the individual being gets trapped with that body, the relatives that it creates, house, wealth and other material objects connected to that body as well as with the feelings of me and mine. He is unable to understand that it is all an illusion. Although You remain within that body as a form of Self (atma), Your feet are invisible to that person who is thus trapped in this illusion. We are fortunate to serve those lotus feet of Yours which are beyond the reach of these bonded souls.
O Supreme Lord! Through the medium of the senses, these human beings wander in this illusory world and instead of becoming inward facing (antar-mukha, introspective) they remain external facing (bahir-mukha). These senses drag and distance their inner mind away from You. As such they are unable to have the vision of Your holy feet.
You are renowned for being profusely glorified by ardent devotees. O Lord! By drinking the nectar called Your divine stories, devotion in the spiritual aspirant intensifies. With it their inner mind turns pure. The knowledge of the Self arises within such persons. These Self-realized persons effortlessly attain Your holy abode of Vaikunta. In other words they effortless enjoy supreme bliss and attain liberation even when they are alive (jeevanmukti).
In the similar manner some knowledgeable persons, through the medium of Yoga, eliminate all mental modifications, subdue the powerful illusory energy and obtain You, who are a personification of completeness.”
In this way the presiding deities continued to praise the Supreme Lord.
Aniruddhāya namah.