Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 3.20.12
Sarga· CreationCreation Depends on the Supreme Lord
“Maitreya said: When the equilibrium of the combination of the three modes of nature was agitated by the unseen activity of the living entity, by Mahā-Viṣṇu and by the force of time, the total material elements were produced.”
What the purport teaches
- Material creation exists for the conditioned soul who desires to lord it over nature for sense enjoyment. Forgetting the primary duty of serving the Lord creates the atmosphere called māyā.
- The three modes of nature were agitated by the living entity’s unseen activity, Mahā-Viṣṇu and time. Nature works under the supervision of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- The Lord remains unchanged in His personal form while creation appears through His inconceivable potency. He accompanies the conditioned soul as Paramātmā as the soul receives a body according to the laws of nature.
Try this today
Set aside one small pursuit of sense enjoyment today and use that time for devotional service.
Ask yourself
Where am I seeking to be the enjoyer rather than remembering my duty to serve the Lord?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.