viśvaṁ vai brahma-tan-mātraṁ
viśvaṁ vai brahma-tan-mātraṁ
saṁsthitaṁ viṣṇu-māyayā
īśvareṇa paricchinnaṁ
kālenāvyakta-mūrtinā
This universe which is firmly established by the māyā of Viṣṇu, whose cause is the Lord, is divided into various planets and living beings by time, whose form is invisible, and which is a representative of the Lord’s power.
This verse explains that time divides up the universe. Bu the energy of the Lord māyā, this universe is established firmly (saṁṣthitam). Its cause is the Lord. It is divided by time, a form of the Lord’s influence. “Divided” means that it is divided variously as described above. Its form is invisible. This explains the term “without particular attributes” in the previous verse.
|| 3.10.13 ||
yathedānīṁ tathāgre ca
paścād apy etad īdṛśam
As the universe exists now, it existed before devastation, and will exist after devastation.
“Because the universe has a beginning and end, the universe must be unreal. How can an unreal universe be divided?” This cannot be said. This universe existed before the great devastation (agre). After the devastation is over, it will exist. It is not a false object, but temporary.
|| 3.10.14 ||
sargo nava-vidhas tasya
prākṛto vaikṛtas tu yaḥ
kāla-dravya-guṇair asya
tri-vidhaḥ pratisaṅkramaḥ
There are nine types of creation (six are elemental and three are by Brahmā). The tenth (the creation of devatās) is a combination of elemental creation and a creation by Brahmā. There are three kinds of destruction: the destruction at the end of Brahmā’s life; the destruction at the end of Brahmā’s day; and the destruction of individual bodies by karma.
Having described time in general, Maitreya will describe time in detail in the next chapter. For that purpose, the creation which was previously described in detail is again discussed in summary for easy understanding. It is grouped into ten types. There are nine types and a tenth type which is a combination material creation and Brahmā’s creation. For the same purpose of discussing time, three types of destruction are listed: by time alone (kāla), the devastation of all universes; the daily destruction at the end of Brahmā’s day, by the fire from Saṅkarṣaṇa and other factors (dravya); and the common destruction through consumption of the body by an individual’s actions (guṇaiḥ).
|| 3.10.15 ||
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