sa eva svaprakáštyedaáš
sášášŁášvÄgre tri-guášÄtmakam
tad anu tvaáš hy apraviᚣášaḼ
praviᚣáša iva bhÄvyase
saḼ - He (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); eva - indeed; sva-prakáštyÄ - by Your personal energy (mayÄdhyakᚣeáša prakáštiḼ sĹŤyate sa-carÄcaram); idam - this material world; sášášŁášvÄ - after creating; agre - in the beginning; tri-guáša-Ätmakam - made of three modes of energy (sattva-rajas-tamo-guáša); tat anu - thereafter; tvam - Your Lordship; hi - indeed; apraviᚣášaḼ - although You did not enter; praviᚣášaḼ iva - You appear to have entered; bhÄvyase - are so understood.
In Bhagavad-gÄŤtÄ (7.4) the Supreme Personality of Godhead clearly explains:
bhĹŤmir Äpo ânalo vÄyuḼ
khaáš mano buddhir eva ca
ahaáš kÄra itÄŤyaáš me
bhinnÄ prakáštir aᚣášadhÄ
This material world of three modes of nature â sattva-guáša, rajo-guáša and tamo-guáša â is a composition of earth, water, fire, air, mind, intelligence and false ego, all of which are energies coming from KášášŁáša, yet KášášŁáša, being always transcendental, is aloof from this material world. Those who are not in pure knowledge think that KášášŁáša is a product of matter and that His body is material like ours (avajÄnanti mÄáš mĹŤá¸hÄḼ). In fact, however, KášášŁáša is always aloof from this material world.
In the Vedic literature, we find the creation described in relationship to MahÄ-Viᚣášu. As stated in the Brahma-saášhitÄ (5.35):
eko âpy asau racayituáš jagad-aášá¸a-koášiáš
yac-chaktir asti jagad-aášá¸a-cayÄ yad-antaḼ
aášá¸Äntara-stha-paramÄášu-cayÄntara-sthaáš
govindam Ädi-puruᚣaáš tam ahaáš bhajÄmi
âI worship the primeval Lord, Govinda, the original Personality of Godhead. By His partial plenary expansion as MahÄ-Viᚣášu, He enters into material nature. Then He enters every universe as GarbhodakaĹÄyÄŤ Viᚣášu, and He enters all the elements, including every atom of matter, as KᚣčrodakaĹÄyÄŤ Viᚣášu. Such manifestations of cosmic creation are innumerable, both in the universes and in the individual atoms.â Govinda is partially exhibited as antaryÄmÄŤ, the Supersoul, who enters this material world (aášá¸Äntara-stha) and who is also within the atom. The Brahma-saášhitÄ (5.48) further says:
yasyaika-niĹvasita-kÄlam athÄvalambya
jÄŤvanti loma-vilajÄ jagad-aášá¸a-nÄthÄḼ
viᚣášur mahÄn sa iha yasya kalÄ-viĹeᚣo
govindam Ädi-puruᚣaáš tam ahaáš bhajÄmi
This verse describes MahÄ-Viᚣášu as a plenary expansion of KášášŁáša. MahÄ-Viᚣášu lies on the Causal Ocean, and when He exhales, millions of brahmÄášá¸as, or universes, come from the pores of His body. Then, when MahÄ-Viᚣášu inhales, all these brahmÄášá¸as disappear. Thus the millions of brahmÄášá¸as controlled by the BrahmÄs and other demigods come and go in this material world through the breathing of MahÄ-Viᚣášu.
Foolish persons think that when KášášŁáša appears as the son of Vasudeva, He is limited like an ordinary child. But Vasudeva was aware that although the Lord had appeared as his son, the Lord had not entered DevakÄŤâs womb and then come out. Rather, the Lord was always there. The Supreme Lord is all-pervading, present within and without. Praviᚣáša iva bhÄvyase: He only seemed to have entered the womb of DevakÄŤ and to have now appeared as Vasudevaâs child. The expression of this knowledge by Vasudeva indicates that Vasudeva knew how these events took place. Vasudeva was certainly a devotee of the Lord in full knowledge, and we must learn from devotees like him. Bhagavad-gÄŤtÄ (4.34) therefore recommends:
tad viddhi praášipÄtena
paripraĹnena sevayÄ
upadekᚣyanti te jĂąÄnaáš
jĂąÄninas tattva-darĹinaḼ
âJust try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.â Vasudeva begot the Supreme Personality of Godhead, yet he was in full knowledge of how the Supreme Lord appears and disappears. He was therefore tattva-darĹÄŤ, a seer of the truth, because he personally saw how the Supreme Absolute Truth appeared as his son. Vasudeva was not in ignorance, thinking that because the Supreme Godhead had appeared as his son, the Lord had become limited. The Lord is unlimitedly existing and all-pervading, inside and outside. Thus there is no question of His appearance or disappearance.