A Synopsis of the Account of Creation
In the Srimad-Bhagavatam

Lord Brahma sits upon the Lotus while he meditates upon the Supreme Lord

This article is humbly dedicated to our Most Revered Gurus, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, His Divine Grace Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaja and His Divine Grace Bhakti Sundar Narasingha Maharaja. This article would not be possible but for the instruction given out of their causeless mercy.

om ajnana-timirandhasya
jnananjana-salakaya
caksur unmilitam yena
tasmai sri-gurave namah

"My prostrated obeisances to Sri Gurudeva who opens my blind eyes, removing dark nescience with the help of the eyesalve-stem of Divine Knowledge."

saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair
uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih
kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya
vande guroh sri-caranaravindam

"The spiritual master is to be honored as much as the Supreme Lord, because he is the most confidential servitor of the Lord. This is acknowledged in all revealed scriptures and followed by all authorities. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is the bonafide representative of Sri Hari (Krsna)."

Introduction
Creation, as it is described in the Vedic literatures (ancient Indian scriptures), especially in the Srimad-Bhagavatam, is very detailed. To present it in its entirety is not possible within the context of this short article. The points which will be presented here will hopefully bring to light those things relevant to a better understanding of Vaisnava, i.e. devotional consciousness.
Canto three, chapter five of Srimad-Bhagavatam (also known as the Bhagavata Purana) introduces a conversation between the greatly learned sage Maitreya and his disciple Vidura, who is actually an incarnation of Yamaraj, the controller of life after death. Vidura was previously cursed by Mandavya Muni to take birth on the planet Earth. One should take note, however, that due to his previous greatness, when Yamaraj took birth as Vidura, his situation allowed every opportunity to become a great devotee of the Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna (pronounced "Krishna"). The qualification for understanding spiritual truth is stated by Lord Krsna Himself in Bhagavad-gita, wherein He tells His disciple Arjuna:

sa evayam maya te 'dya
yogah proktah puratanah
bhakto 'si me sakha ceti
rahasyam hy etad uttamam (4.3)

"That very ancient science of the relationship with the Supreme is today told by Me to you because you are My devotee as well as My friend and can therefore understand the transcendental mystery of this science."

Sri Krsna also gives this advice:

tad viddhi pranipatena
pariprasnena sevaya
upadeksyanti te jnanam
jnaninas tattva-darsinah (4.34)

"Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth."

Therefore, we are informed that this very complex and esoteric subject matter could only be properly narrated and understood by dint of the super-excellent qualifications of both the speaker, Maitreya, and the listener, Vidura, who had adopted the proper submissive attitude toward the guru.

Creation of the Material Elements

In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, Maitreya Muni explains to his student how the material creation comes about due to the Omnipotent Will of the Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna. The world of matter is actually the external energy of the Supreme Lord, and is acting under His direction. This is confirmed in the Bhagavad-gita:

mayadhyaksena prakrtih
suyate sa-caracaram
hetunanena kaunteya
jagad viparivartate (9.10)

"Throughout all the energies of material nature there is the hand of the Supreme Lord as the final superintendent. Due to this supreme cause only, the activities of material nature appear planned and systematic, and all things regularly evolve."

The Supreme Living Being, as the transcendental Purusa incarnation, impregnated the material energy (maya) with the living entities merely by glancing over it.

bhutanam nabha-adinam
yad yad bhavyavaravaram
tesam paranusamsargad
yatha sankhyam gunan viduh
(S.B., 3.5.37)

"O gentle one, of all the physical elements, beginning from the sky down to the earth, all the inferior and superior qualities are only due to the final touch of the glance of the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

The Lord is described as viryavan, or "the most potent being." Due to the interactions of eternal time (kala-coditat), the sum total of matter known as the mahat-tattva became manifest. This mahat-tattva, or shadow of pure consciousness, is the germinating place of all creation. Mahat-tattva literally means "the great principle" or "the great causal truth" and can be understood to be the medium between the spiritual and material existences. It is at this junction point where the living entities assume a false sense of identification with the material world (ahankara or "false ego"), the first material element to appear. This illusory self-image manifests in three phases: the cause, the effect and the doer. It further manifests in three "modes" or qualities (gunas): sattva-guna (goodness), rajo-guna (passion) and tamo-guna (ignorance). From false ego come the intellect, and then the mind. These three comprise the subtle or mental aspect of the embodied living beings, who are originally sac-cid-ananda ("eternally existing, knowledgeable and blissful").
These mental faculties are resting upon the ethereal element i.e., material sky or space (akasa or kham) which contains the quality of sound (sabda). For example, there are many waves travelling through the ether, some perceivable directly as audible sound and others only indirectly such as x-rays, radio waves, microwaves, etc. All of these waves, and others not mentioned here, are in effect carrying information. By Vedic definition, they are, therefore, types of sound vibrations. Likewise, the vibrations of information within one's own mind rest within this ethereal element, and are also a kind of subtle sound.

From the ether comes air (vayu or anilam), which contains two qualities of sense perception, i.e., sound and touch. The primary quality of sense perception associated with air is that of touch (sparsam). For example, if one wishes to reach out to touch an object, he would experience that solid, liquid and fiery elements create different degrees of impedance towards accomplishing this task. If one moves his hand or body through the air, however, he is met with the least resistance and can easily touch the desired object.

From air comes the element of fire (agni). It is within the realm of our everyday experience that fire cannot exist without the prerequisite presence of air. This confirms the non-arbitrary nature of the Vedic sequence of the appearance of the elements. Fire contains three qualities of sense perception: sound, touch and visual form. The primary quality of fire is that of visual form (rupa). If one thinks carefully, he will notice that there is indeed no visual information ever acquired by mankind that has not been facilitated by the agency of fire. Everything we perceive with our eyes is due to the light from the sun (nuclear fire) or byproducts of the sun, such as electricity. One should not think that people of the ancient world worshipped the sun and moon due to primitive, superstitious thinking; rather, their deferential attitude was due to a justifiable and rational sense of respect, as well as other reasons beyond the scope of this article.

From fire comes the further evolute, water (salila or ambhah), which contains four qualities of sense perception: sound, touch, visual form, and taste. The sense of taste is the primary quality associated with the watery element. There is water in the mouth, in the form of saliva. If the mouth becomes dry, it becomes difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish the taste of different foodstuffs. Water, in its pure state, is tasteless; if it had its own taste, it would conflict with the taste of other things.

Finally, from water evolves the earth element or solid matter (prthivi), which contains five qualities of sense perception, i.e., sound, touch, visual form, taste and smell. Specifically associated with the earth element is the perception of smell (gandha). It is a fact that odor is carried to the sense organ via particles of solid matter. The odor emitted by a sewage plant, for instance, is transmitted by solid particles and not by liquid or air which may be the medium carrying these particles.

The Vedic literature is very scientific in its treatment of the topic of the creation, existence and dissolution of the material universe, and in it there are different philosophical systems containing knowledge of atomicity and other so-called "modern" conceptions of reality. The preceding system of information regarding the appearance of the material elements is known as Sankhya (the categorical analysis of the evolution of the elements from the most subtle to the most gross). Its greatest proponent is Devahuti Kapila, an expansion of the Supreme Lord. However, Srimad-Bhagavatam emphasizes the importance of knowledge of God, Who is the source of knowledge itself, and assigns an inferior role to knowledge of God's "external" energy, which is known as maya or matter. The Vaisnava, or devotee of the Lord, is not so much attracted by the mechanical workings of the material world. Lord Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita:

atha va bahunaitena
kim jnatena tavarjuna
vistabhyaham idam krtsnam
ekamsena sthito jagat (10.42)

"But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself I pervade and support this entire universe."

The bhakta (devotee), therefore, concentrates his attention upon the spiritual world, which revolves around the Most Beautiful Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna. Bhagavad-gita states:

yo mam pasyati sarvatra
sarvam ca mayi pasyati
tasyaham na pranasyami
sa ca me na pranasyati (6.30)

"For one who sees Me everywhere and sees everything in Me, I am never lost, nor is he ever lost to Me."

The actual position of the individual living entities (jivatmas) is that of spiritual consciousness, i.e., remembering God at all times. However, it can be clearly seen that some of the living beings, due to having been granted free will by the causeless mercy of Krsna, have the unfortunate propensity of being attracted to, and are ultimately trapped by, the flickering illusory combinations of the material elements. Consciousness is projected from the region of the heart throughout the material elements of the physical body in much the same way that electricity travels through copper wire. Just as different types of wire other than copper, such as tin, etc., create different degrees of resistance to electricity, so also the different material elements of the body place different degrees of limitation or resistance upon consciousness. Forgetfulness of God is the original cause of the soul's entanglement with matter, and in this artificial, embodied state, forgetfulness of God is perpetuated and increased. The spirit souls, enmeshed in this manner, travel blindly from one material form to another throughout time and space, sometimes experiencing happiness and sometimes distress. In the physical world, every action creates an equal reaction (karma). This karma follows the materially embodied being everywhere in the form of consequences of former deeds, both good and bad.

yonim anye prapadyante
sariratvaya dehinah
sthanum anye 'nusamyanti
yatha-karma yatha-srutam
(Sri Kathopanisad 5.7)

"Upon their demise most jivas (living beings) enter other wombs and thus obtain material bodies anew, while others enter inert substances. They obtain bodily coverings according to their deeds and the knowledge they have acquired."

When looking at a piece of wood, one does not immediately see fire. It is common knowledge, however, that when you rub two sticks together with correct knowledge of the process, fire becomes visible. Even the existence of bacteria was not observed by our modern civilization until recent times, although it had existed all along. Inability to observe something by physical means does not necessarily negate its existence. Likewise, the soul buried under the various layers of subtle matter (false ego, intellect and mind) and gross matter (ether, air, fire, water and earth) is not necessarily visible to the living entity looking externally at the bodies of others, or sometimes even less so looking internally towards himself. However, we should not doubt the existence of the soul or the existence of God and their distinctly non-material nature merely because we cannot presently see them with our materially dulled senses. The Vedas are described as apauruseya, or "beyond human calculation," and contain knowledge of God, Who is transcendental, or beyond the purview of material sense perception.

Appearance of the Lord's Universal Form
At this point, the material elements were in a disassembled state; the shapes and patterns of everyday experience had not yet been formed.

kala-sanjnam tada devim
bibhrac-chaktim urukramah
trayovimsati tattvanam
ganam yugapad avisat
(Srimad-Bhagavatam, 3.6.2)

"The Supreme Powerful Lord then simultaneously entered into the twenty-three elements with the goddess Kali, His eternal energy, who alone amalgamates all the different elements."

The sum total of the ingredients of matter are understood to be twenty-three. They are as follows: mahat-tattva (the total material energy), false ego, sound, touch, form, taste, smell, ether, air, fire, water, earth, ear, skin, eye, tongue, nose, hand, leg, evacuating organ, genitals, speech and mind. In the above sloka (Sanskrit verse) it is made very clear that the material elements in and of themselves have no capacity to act. The Supreme Lord utilizes His time energy, which is known as the dark goddess Kali (kala-sakti) to amalgamate the material elements.
In the Brahma-samhita it is stated:

eko 'py asau racayitum jagad-anda-kotim
yac-chaktir asti jagad-anda-caya yad-antah
andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami (5.35)

"I worship the primeval Lord, Govinda (another name for Krsna), Who is the original Personality of Godhead. By His partial plenary expansion (Maha-Visnu), He enters into material nature, and then into each and every universe (as Garbhodakasayi Visnu) and then (as Ksirodakasayi Visnu) into all the elements, including every atom of matter. Such manifestations of cosmic creation are innumerable, both in the universes, and in the individual atoms."

The important point to understand is that all stages of creation are made possible, ultimately by the Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna.

The creation of the material world does not occur just once. Because all the energies of the Supreme Lord are part and parcel of Him, they are completely spiritual, and are therefore eternal. Birth, temporary existence and death, or the material perspective of life, is an illusion created by the Lord's manipulation of His time energy:

kalo 'smi loka-ksaya-krt pravrddho
(Bhagavad-gita 11.32)

"Time I am, the great destroyer of the worlds."

The difference between the spiritual and material energies of God is one of behavior. The spiritual energy is a realm of eternally existing, infinite variegatedness. The material energy also exists eternally, but merely imitates the infinite variegatedness of the spiritual energy by means of exhibiting a continual process of change. The ceaseless recombining of the atomic constituents, which is the basis of measurable chemistry, is the cause of our illusory perception of appearance, temporary existence and disappearance. Modern science gives various names to the forces that mediate the temporary combinations of matter. When referring to electro-magnetic processes, for example, the terms positive, negative and neutral are used. The Vedas categorize these forces as the previously mentioned modes, sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna, and conclusively state that these three are under the control of the Supreme Lord at all times. In fact, Sri Krsna (as Paramatma) is situated at the very heart of sub-atomic structure, as the force that holds matter together. Ultimately, it is Sri Krsna Who holds all things together, whether spiritual or material.
The unfortunate living entity, who becomes attracted to the ever-changing nature of the material world in the form of friends, family, pets, personal possessions, etc., is doomed to suffer when radical change occurs (death and decay). But in reality, jivatma (the living entity) is eternally existing and not subject to change and therefore requires eternally existing objects of sense perception (God and the spiritual realm) for peace of mind.
Due to the entering into the material elements by the Supreme Lord, the living beings are enlivened into different activities. The Srimad-Bhagavatam explains that the innumerable material universes are created, remain for some time and then dissolve back into a state of suspension or rest. Those living beings who retain a desire to interact with the material energy then remain in a state of unconsciousness for millions of years until the time of the next creation, just as a person resumes his work after waking from sleep. The living entity remembers his past inclinations, due to the all-merciful Lord, and resumes his activities at the very point where he last left off:

sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto
mattah smrtir jnanam apohanam ca
(Bhagavad-gita, 15.15)

"I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness."

This process is repeated endlessly unless and until the living being is awakened to his original constitutional position as the eternal spiritual servitor of the Lord.

As mentioned previously in the quote from the Brahma-samhita, the Supreme Lord enters the material elements as Maha-Visnu, then enters into each and every one of the uncountable material universes in His gigantic Universal Form known as Hiranmaya or Garbhodakasayi Visnu within Whom all creations in each egg-shaped universe rest. Lord Sri Krsna showed this same Universal Form (virat-rupa) to His disciple, Arjuna, at the battlefield of Kuruksetra during His speaking of the Bhagavad-gita. He enters into each and every atom and the heart of every living being as Ksirodakasayi Visnu. From the previous statements we can understand that matter is a by-product of spirit. Spirit is not a by-product of matter as materialistically minded persons suggest. Without having been touched by spirit, i.e., God, each cosmic manifestation would not have achieved its immense proportions. Similarly, the material body would not be able to grow or mature without the presence of paramatma (the localized aspect of Krsna) and atma (the individual soul).

From this gigantic universal form of the Lord come the controllers of the different sense organs and their specific functions (the demigods). The western reader may have observed that modern so-called "Hinduism" seems to involve worship of a bewildering pantheon of different gods and goddesses. To understand the position of these entities properly, a brief explanation of the division of the Vedic literatures is required. Veda means knowledge, and as can be observed, there are as many departments of knowledge, both spiritual and material, as there are types of people with different propensities. Due to one's past activities, one has acquired a particular body endowed with specific physical and mental capabilities. The Vedas are divided according to subject matter with the aim of gradually elevating a person to the highest platform of consciousness, i.e., love of the One Supreme Being, Bhagavan Sri Krsna. In the hearts and minds of those living beings who have wandered throughout time and space since time immemorial, there are many desires for things other than love of God. It is rare that such a materially conditioned soul is able to give up his attachments easily. Therefore, the section of the Vedas known as karma-kanda, for example (which deals with elevation to higher planetary systems by means of good works and propitiation of the rulers of those planetary systems), is meant to help these types of persons raise themselves spiritually, one step at a time. The devas (demigods) are devotees of the Supreme Lord, and are therefore inclined towards worshipping Him. To understand the position of the demigods and their basis in reality, we can see that different types of human beings, with different degrees of technological involvement, ideals and social structures, co-exist on our own planet, Earth. If we look at the night sky, away from the city lights, we will see an immense panorama of celestial objects, boggling the imagination. Given that, we should not close our minds to the overwhelming possibility of life existing on other planets, both more advanced and less advanced than on our own Earth. The Vedas unequivocally state this to be true. The president heads the government of the United States, but he nonetheless deputes other officials to administer different departments of rule, such as the secretary of housing, secretary of the treasury, secretary of defense, etc. The "Hindu" demigods can be thought of in the same manner. For example, Surya (the sun-god, or demigod of light) is the controller of the sense of visual form. To list all the demigods and their respective functions or departments of rule would be beyond the spatial constraints of this paper. It must be said, however, that the demigods are never equal to or even approach the supreme status of Lord Krsna. Bhagavad-gita confirms this with this statement:

mattah parataram nanyat
kincid asti dhananjaya
mayi sarvam idam protam
sutre mani-gana iva (7.7)

"O conqueror of wealth, there is no truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread."

Also generated from the universal form of the Lord are the different varnas or social orders. In western society the "caste" system, as it is called, is commonly looked upon with suspicion. The implementation of it that we see in modern day India does not necessarily meet the standard that was laid down by Krsna Himself in the Vedas. The division of society into four distinct social orders, i.e.: brahmana (intellectual/ priestly class), ksatriya (warrior/ political class), vaisya (mercantile/ agricultural class) and sudra (laborer/ artisan class) is not man-made or artificial, as some might believe. Rather, it is intrinsic and natural as confirmed by Sri Krsna in Bhagavad-gita in this statement:

catur-varnyam maya srstam
guna-karma-vibhagasah
tasya kartaram api mam
viddhy akartaram avyayam (4.13)

"According to the three modes of material nature (sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna) and the work associated with them, the four divisions of human society are created by Me. And although I am the creator of this system, you should know that I am yet the non-doer, being unchangeable."

Human beings have different inclinations that are inherently connected to their particular birth. For example, some people are inclined towards teaching and learning while others are inclined towards politics and so on. These differences are natural and real and do not require the imposition of any external social influence in order to exist. Of course, social influences may accelerate or emphasize these naturally pre-existing propensities. It is sometimes seen, however, in materialistic society, that if one is born into a brahmana family (the highest social order) automatically, regardless of qualification, one is considered to be a brahmana. However, in Vaisnava tradition, which follows the instructions of Lord Krsna implicitly, one attains one's position in society only by means of genuine qualification and not merely by dint of family heritage. As an example, without exhibition of the qualities of peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance, honesty, knowledge, wisdom and religiousness no one can claim to be a brahmana. Should a person lacking these qualities make such claim, he will surely be given to exploitation and abuse of the other social orders. Similarly, ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras exhibit their own standards and qualifications. Just as our present activities are a result of our past activities, our present likes and dislikes are the consequence of past likes and dislikes. These propensities ultimately determine our position in society. In reality, the soul is not connected with any material activities or objects, for the soul is spirit, and is therefore, of God. Material tendencies and arrangements are only temporary, including the arrangement of society as a whole.

The Birth of Lord Brahma

The final details of creation are carried out by a secondary creator, Lord Brahma, under the supervision of the Supreme Lord, Sri Krsna. In His Form of Garbhodakasayi Visnu, the Lord lies upon on the Causal Ocean, supported by the great serpent, Ananta-Sesa. The material worlds are held without effort, like ornaments, upon the unlimited number of hoods of Ananta whose mouths are constantly singing the glories of Sri Krsna. This appears to the mundane senses as the force of gravity. In fact, the word "gravity" itself is derived from the Sanskrit root grah, which means "to seize or to grasp." At that time, just prior to the birth of Brahma, The Lord appeared to be sleeping, but his eyes were not completely closed. The living entities, who had been assimilated into the gigantic form of the Lord, were ready to emerge for further development of their material activities, being inspired to do so by the Lord's time energy. His Transcendental Body appeared to be bluish. Agitated by the material mode of passion, the subtle form of creation pierced through the Lord's abdomen. The subtle form of creation described here is actually the sum total of the material desires of the materially conditioned living entities. Assuming the shape of the bud of a lotus flower, it illuminated all directions and dissipated the Causal Ocean. Lord Visnu entered the lotus flower as the Supersoul (Paramatma) impregnating it with the three material modes, sattva-guna, rajo-guna and tamo-guna. The stage was now set for the birth of Brahma, who is also known as Svayambhu, which means "self-born" due to his having no material parents.

Brahma, having been generated from the lotus flower that was stemming from the navel of Lord Visnu, could neither see nor understand the environment into which he had now entered. One can only imagine the unique experience of this first materially embodied being upon entering a world where the configurations of our present experience had not yet been formed. Brahma could not even understand his very own self. Thus, in this eminently perplexing situation, Lord Brahma contemplated the same questions that all living beings must eventually consider: Who am I? Where am I? Where have I come from? Where am I going? It is the natural propensity of the living being to ask such questions. Only in the human form can we find the answers. Animal life means not being able to ask such questions. Lord Brahma began to climb down the stem of the lotus toward the navel of Lord Visnu in order to discover the real nature of the world into which he had been born. No matter how much he searched in this fashion, relying upon his material senses, he could not obtain the answers he required. Failing in this endeavor, he climbed back up to the top of the lotus, where he had originally been situated, and concentrated his mind one-pointedly upon Krsna, the Supreme Lord. Brahma meditated in this manner for many, many aeons. By dint of his great austerity (tapas) made possible by the grace of Krsna, he developed the requisite knowledge, and could see the Supreme Lord within his own heart. With this vision of the Lord in his mind, Brahma, surcharged with the mode of passion, became inclined to create. He began to offer many beautiful prayers to Lord Krsna (Visnu). Bhagavan Sri Krsna, could understand that Brahma was very anxious about the planning and construction of the various planetary systems, and the different types of material bodies needed to satisfy the material desires of the living entities. Understanding Brahma's intention, Krsna, Who is One Without a Second, spoke consolingly to Brahma in the following manner:

sri bhagavan uvaca
ma veda garbha gas tandrim
sarga udyaman avaha
tan mayapaditam hy agre
yan mam prarthayate bhavan

bhuyas tvam tapa atistha
vidyam caiva mad-asrayam
tabhyam antar-hrdi brahman
lokan draksyasy apavrtan
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.9.29-30)

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead then said, 'O Brahma, O depth of Vedic wisdom, be neither depressed nor anxious about the execution of creation. What you are begging from Me has already been granted before. O Brahma, situate yourself in penance and meditation, and follow the principles of knowledge to receive My favor. By these actions, you will be able to understand everything from within your heart.'"

Lord Brahma then began the creation of the world as we see it today, with all the different species of life and the various arrangements of inanimate things. By means of his own endeavors, utilizing his material senses, even with a life-span and intellect far greater than any ordinary human being, Brahma could not discern the truth. Even if we were to turn on all the lights of earth simultaneously at night, they would not reveal the sun. We can see the sun only when it rises of its own accord. Similarly, by definition, no one is equal to or greater than God, and therefore, no one can realize Him by his own endeavors, restricted by the limitations of material sense perception. No amount of material analysis will reveal God. On the contrary, Krsna bestows His grace upon those who are singularly devoted to Him. Like Lord Brahma, we must concentrate our hearts and minds upon the Supreme Personality, Who will reveal everything from within. In the Seventh Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam (7.5.23-24), Prahlada Maharaja, a great devotee of the Lord, has spoken of nine processes to realize the Lord, of which hearing (sravanam), speaking, chanting or singing (kirtanam) and remembering (smaranam) are the most important. If we follow these three principles with sincerity, all things, not just the mystery of creation, will be revealed to us.

Bibliography

Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Maharaja. Transcendental Lecture Series, USA. Phoenix: GOKUL, 1997.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Thakur. Sri Brahma-Samhita. Los Angeles: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1985.

Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, A.C. Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Los Angeles: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, revised ed., 1994.

Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, A.C. Srimad-Bhagavatam, Cantos 1-10, v.1, Canto 10, vol. 2 through Canto 12 completed by disciples of the author. Los Angeles: Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, 1988.

Karnamrita Das Adhikari. Katha and Kena Upanishads. Washington, D.C.: New Jaipur Press, 1989.

The preceeding article was prepared for an "Earthday" symposium at which GOKUL participated in the spring of 1998 along with the InterFaith Action Coalition of Arizona. At this event, several faith groups presented the concept of the creation of the universe as it appears in their individual scriptures. IFAC will be publishing a hardcopy version of these articles at some time in near the future. If you are interested in obtaining a copy, please visit the IFAC page on this site for contact info and links.

Interested readers who would like to know more about this topic, the Gaudiya Vaisnava tradition, and other Vedic subject matter, are invited to contact:

GOKUL
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