भावनं ब्रह्मणः स्थानं धारणं सद्विशेषणम् ।
सर्वसत्त्वगुणोद्भेदः पृथिवीवृत्तिलक्षणम् ॥४६॥

bhÄvanaá¹ brahmaṇaḥ sthÄnaá¹
dhÄraṇaá¹ sad-viÅ›eá¹£aṇam
sarva-sattva-guṇodbhedaḥ
pṛthivī-vṛtti-lakṣaṇam

1 times this text was mentioned in purports to other texts: LSB(1)

 bhÄvanam - modeling forms; brahmaṇaḥ - of the Supreme Brahman; sthÄnam - constructing places of residence; dhÄraṇam - containing substances; sat-viÅ›eá¹£aṇam - distinguishing the open space; sarva - all; sattva - of existence; guṇa - qualities; udbhedaḥ - the place for manifestation; pá¹›thivÄ« - of earth; vá¹›tti - of the functions; laká¹£aṇam - the characteristics.


Text

The characteristics of the functions of earth can be perceived by modeling forms of the Supreme Brahman, by constructing places of residence, by preparing pots to contain water, etc. In other words, the earth is the place of sustenance for all elements.

Purport

Different elements, such as sound, sky, air, fire and water, can be perceived in the earth. Another feature of the earth especially mentioned here is that earth can manifest different forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By this statement of Kapila’s it is confirmed that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Brahman, has innumerable forms, which are described in the scriptures. By manipulation of earth and its products, such as stone, wood and jewels, these forms of the Supreme Lord can be present before our eyes. When a form of Lord Kṛṣṇa or Lord Viṣṇu is manifested by presentation of a statue made of earth, it is not imaginary. The earth gives shape to the Lord’s forms as described in the scriptures.

In the Brahma-saá¹hitÄ there is description of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s lands, the variegatedness of the spiritual abode, and the forms of the Lord playing a flute with His spiritual body. All these forms are described in the scriptures, and when they are thus presented they become worshipable. They are not imaginary as the MÄyÄvÄda philosophy says. Sometimes the word bhÄvana is misinterpreted as “imagination.†But bhÄvana does not mean “imaginationâ€; it means giving actual shape to the description of Vedic literature. Earth is the ultimate transformation of all living entities and their respective modes of material nature.