# Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.26.32

*Type: Srimad-Bhagavatam Dated: January 9th 1975 Location: Bombay Audio file: 750109SB.BOM.mp3*

Nitāi: [indistinct]

Prabhupāda: And why it is that? All right.

Nitāi: *Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.* [devotees repeat] [leads chanting of verse, etc.]

> tāmasāc ca vikurvāṇād
> bhagavad-vīrya-coditāt
> śabda-mātram abhūt tasmān
> nabhaḥ śrotraṁ tu śabdagam

SB 3.26.32

[break] [02:30]

**"When egoism in ignorance is agitated by the sex energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the subtle element sound is manifested, and from sound comes the ethereal sky and the sense of hearing."**

Prabhupāda:

> tāmasāc ca vikurvāṇād
> bhagavad-vīrya-coditāt
> śabda-mātram abhūt tasmān
> nabhaḥ śrotraṁ tu śabdagam

SB 3.26.32

So this creation... The beginning of the creation is the sound. The modern physist, they also agree. Sound and light, according to their theory. But the sound is the origin of creation, mixed with these modes of ignorance. Everything here in the material world is spiritual reflection covered by the material elements. So when this sound is purified or you catch up the spiritual sound, then your spiritual life begins. As from the material sound this material creation has begun from first of all the sky, *nabha,* or ether; and from ether, air is created, wind; and from air, then fire is created, electricity... You see. From the sound, there is immediately electricity in the sky, the fire. Electricity means fire. So from sky, the sound is created. From the sound, air is created. By the friction of air, the electricity, or fire, is created. Then, within the fire, there is water. And after water, there is land. This is *pañca-bhūta,* five gross elements. It is coming from the subtle elements. From the subtle elements, the gross elements gradually develop.

So in the ether there is sound, *śabdagam.* And from the sound the instrument of hearing is created, *śrotram.* Similarly, our subtle senses---*rūpa, rasa, śabda, sparśa, gandha...* So *śabda, sparśa...,* then *sparśa. Sparśa* means touching. When there is air, there is touching; touching sensation is created. And when there is fire, then form sensation is created. When there is water, then *rasa,* taste sensation, is created. And from *rasa,* water, when there is earth, then *gandha, gandha* sensation, or smell, is created. How scientifically it is described = *rūpa, rasa, gandha, śabda, sparśa.* They are the sense perception. The sense perception is created from the five elements = earth, water, air, fire and ether. And above that, there is still finer materials = mind, intelligence, ego. And then, behind that, the soul is there. As the material creation, behind everything, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is there, *bhagavat-coditāt...* It is not automatically taking place. *Vikurvāṇād bhagavad-vīrya-coditāt.* Just like the sex. When the semina is discharged by the man, then there is pregnancy; not automatically. Similarly, here also, the same thing = *bhagavad-vīrya-coditāt,* in the *tamo-guṇa.* That means the origin of this creation is *tamo-guṇa, tama.* The whole creation is *tama,* ignorance. Every one of us in ignorance. We do not know. Therefore *Vedas* says, *tamasi mā:* "Don't stay in this *tamasi.*" *Jyotir gama*---*jyoti* is Brahman---"Try to come out there." And the whole Vedic knowledge is based on this principle, how to again give up this association of *tāmasika-guṇa* and come to the *sattva-guṇa,* and then surpass *sattva-guṇa,* come to the transcendental position of *brahma-bhūta* SB 4.30.20. This is the position.

So as this material creation has begun from material sound under the agitating, impelling method by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, similarly, by spiritual sound you can get out of it, because sound is the central point. When it is mixed with *tama, tamo-guṇa,* then the material creation begins. So similarly, if you directly catch up that sound... The sound is *śabda-brahma.* Sound is actually spiritual, the Vedic sound *oṁ, oṁkāra. Oṁkārāsmi sarva-vedeṣu.* So Vedic sound begins = *oṁ.* So that is a sound. So if we capture that sound and make further progress, *śabdād anāvṛtti...* In the *Vedānta-sūtra* it is there, *anāvṛtti:* no more repetition of birth and death. *Oṁkāra.* If one can chant *oṁkāra* at the time of death, he immediately transferred to the spiritual world, impersonal spiritual effulgence. But if you can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, then immediately you go to the spiritual planet. These are stated in the *Bhagavad-gītā. Anta-kāle,* at the time of death, if you can capture this sound, *oṁkāra* or Hare Kṛṣṇa... If you capture *oṁkāra,* then you are transferred to the spiritual sky. As it is said, the sky. *Śabdāt... Śabda-mātram abhūt nabhaḥ. Nabha* is sky. So there is a point wherefrom the sky, the material sky, begins and there is spiritual sky. The sky is spiritual wherefrom the *śabda* is resounded. Because there is sky, therefore there is sound. Because there is sound, therefore the instrument of hearing sound, the ear, is there.

So our material position and spiritual position---the ultimate point is sound. And this sound is presented in its original spiritual form. That is called *Veda, śabda-brahma. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye* SB 1.1.1. This *brahma* means *śabda-brahma.* The *śabda-brahma* was imparted or vibrated by Kṛṣṇa in the heart of Brahmā. *Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye.* And then he could realize what is his position. Then, after hearing the sound, he compiled this *Brahma-saṁhitā.* That *Brahma-saṁhitā* we have recited many times. The Brahmā, Lord Brahmā, by personal realization through the mercy of Kṛṣṇa on account of this sound, transcendental, being injected within heart, he could see the whole spiritual world as it is. And that is described in the *Brahma-saṁhitā:*

> cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa-
> lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam
> lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ
> govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi

[Bs. 5.29]

He is offering... He is not claiming himself that "I am the first person for creation," although in this material world, Brahmā is the first person, then Lord Śiva, Rudra. And before Brahmā, there is Viṣṇu. Therefore it is said, *aham evāsam agre. Agre,* "Before the creation, there was only Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa. There was no Brahmā, no Śiva." These are Vedic statement. In the beginning Lord Viṣṇu was there. And we know the method of creation. There was water, and from that, in that water, Mahā-Viṣṇu is lying there. From Mahā-Viṣṇu in His sleeping condition there are so many... Universes are created in the exhaling breathing process. And when He inhaling, the whole thing is annihilated. In this way this material creation is coming and going. *Bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate* Bg. 8.19.

So we have to understand that the creation actually begins in the *tamo-guṇa* by agitated, impelled, by the *Bhāgavata,* Bhagavān. Here it is stated, *vikurvāṇād bhagavad-vīrya-coditāt.* Not that automatically. Just like if you take two chemicals, soda bicarb and citric acid, and mix together---make two solution, soda bicarb and citric acid, and mix together, there will be efful... What is called? Bubbles. Huh?

Devotee: Effervescence.

Prabhupāda: Effervescence, yes. There is effervescence. So that effervescent takes place not due to this chemical, but due to the chemist who mixes together. Then effervescence takes place, and then the action comes in contact.

So modern scientists, they are being unable to see that who is mixing the chemical. Because Kṛṣṇa says, *nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yoga-māyā-samāvṛtaḥ* Bg. 7.25. Therefore the scientist cannot see *bhagavad-vīrya-coditāt.* They cannot see. They are seeing simply two mixture and mixed together. It is mixing by certain person, but who is mixing, that they cannot see. But that is *bhagavad-vīrya-coditāt. Mayādhyakṣeṇa prakṛtiḥ sūyate sa-carācaram* Bg. 9.10. *Prakṛti* is working, interaction of two chemicals or many chemicals. They are accepting it that the chemicals were already there. But wherefrom the chemicals came? They say that hydrogen and oxygen mixed together, and the water... Now you see the vast water, not only here, but there are so many other oceans---Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean. And not only in this planet, but there are innumerable planets, and innumerable Pacific Oceans are floating in the air. Where you got so much chemical? Who supplied it? If the hydrogen-oxygen is the cause of water, then wherefrom so much chemical came into existence? Of course, they came in existence the same process as it is stated here. It is coming from the sky, and the sky is generated by *bhagavad-vīrya* in the *tamo-guṇa.*

So originally everything is coming from the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore Kṛṣṇa, simplifying the matter and informing us, "You fools, you try to understand," *ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavaḥ* Bg. 10.8, "I am the origin." And *Vedānta-sūtra* says that *janmādy asya yataḥ* SB 1.1.1. *Janma ādi,* from whom, that is Brahman. That is Kṛṣṇa. *Janma,* this *janma,* or the creation of this material cosmic manifestation, phenomenal world, that who is the cause of *janma?* The cause is Kṛṣṇa. *Aham ādir hi devānām* Bg. 10.2. Then He is the cause of Brahmā, *devānām,* Śiva. *Padma-palāśa-locana, padma, padma-nābha.* Therefore Viṣṇu's another name is Padmanābha. Padmanābha, He causes the lotus flower from His navel, and there is Brahmā. And then Brahmā creates whole universe. The original creator is *bhagavad-vīrya-coditāt,* not this material. The material, there was no existence of the material. The materials are created by the supreme living being, *nityo nityānāṁ cetanaś cetanānām* [*Kaṭha Upaniṣad* 2.2.13]. That is to be understood. So the modern theory that the phenomenal world or this cosmic manifestation is due to chemical combination... They have written books, *Chemical Evolution.* The same example, that a solution of soda bicarb and solution of citric acid, mixed together, there is effervescence. But who is mixing? The mixture is *bhagavad-vīrya-coditāt.* This is to be understood.

So the creation, beginning of creation, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. That is to be understood. And the beginning of creation is *śabda,* the ether and the sky. I think modern science also admits the beginning of creation is sound. There are so many sound theories. Sound and light, they have written so many books, chemical composition. Here also this is... That sound... From the sound, the sky is created, and then air, and then fire, then water, and at last, this land. So in the land there are five perception = *rūpa, rasa, gandha, śabda, sparśa.* Five perception. In the earth you will find the form, and there is taste. You will have some taste. If you taste earth, dirt, you will find some salty taste, because earth containing sixty percent soda. That is chemical analysis. So you will find taste, *rasa.* And *rūpa, rasa... Śabda* you will find also. Any metal you strike together, there will be *śabda. Rūpa, rasa, gandha.* There is smell. You see so many plants are growing, flowers. Wherefrom they are getting this scent? You see? You getting from the earth. The bad smells and good smell, everything is coming from the earth. And where is the chemist that they can take out rose scent from earth? That is not possible. But there is. There is no doubt about it. Otherwise wherefrom the scent is coming? The rose flower, you are smelling so nicely, but where it has got this smell? From the earth. The earth is there. *Rūpa, rasa, gandha, śabda* and *sparśa.* Then in the water, one thing is minus. And then in the fire, two things are minus. And from the air, three things are minus. And from the sound, four things are minus. Only sound is there. The sound is the original cause of this creation where we are materially bound up.

Because I am spirit soul, I have nothing to do with this material atmosphere. *Asaṅgo 'yaṁ puruṣaḥ.* This spirit soul has nothing to do. But on account of his material association by different processes, we have, I mean to say, grown this body, material body, and we are now... That is entangled. Just like a fish becomes entangled within the network, similarly, we are, we living entities, we are entangled with the network of this fabrication of this material elements. So very difficult position. Just like the fish caught up in the net of the fisherman, or *māyā,* similarly, we are now caught up within the network created by the material nature. *Prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarva...* Bg. 3.27. Because we associated the particular type of material modes of nature, then we are now entangled. Like the fish is entangled, similarly, we are also entangled. This material world is supposed to be like a big ocean, *bhavārṇava. Arṇava* means ocean, and *bhava* means the situation where repetition of birth and death takes place. This is called *bhavārṇava. Anādi karama-phale, paḍi' bhavārṇava-jale. Anādi karma-phale:* "Before creation I had my resultant action of my activities, and somehow or other, I am now fallen in this ocean of *bhavārṇava,* repetition of birth and death." So as the fish, being entangled, he struggles for existence, how to get out of the net... He's not peaceful. You will find, as soon as caught he's up in the net, *"Fut! Fut! Fut! Fut! Fut!"* He wants to get out. So that is our struggle for existence, how to get out. We do not know.

So to get out of this, only the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. He can do everything. He can immediately take out from this entanglement. Otherwise how He is Almighty? I cannot get out. The fish cannot get out, but the..., if the fisherman wants, he can get him out immediately and throw in the water. Then he gets life again. Similarly, if we surrender to Kṛṣṇa, He can get out immediately. And He says, *ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ* Bg. 18.66. You simply surrender. As the fisherman is seeing, *"Fut! Fut! Fut!"* but if the fish surrenders... He wants to surrender, but he does not know the language. Therefore he remains within the network. But if the fisherman likes, he can take it out and throw in the water. Similarly, if we surrender to Kṛṣṇa... For that surrendering process this human life is meant. In other life, the fish cannot; but I can. That is the difference between the life of the fish and my life. The fish entangled in the network, he has no power. He is doomed. So doomed, doomed, in this way, by nature's mercy, he gets evolution. *Jalajā nava-lakṣāṇi sthāvarā lakṣa-viṁśati* [Padma Purāṇa]. The living entity is entangled in the network of this material nature. He has to go through nine *lakhs'* species of this aquatic life. There are nine *lakh* species of fish in the water. Who knows it? The *śāstra* says. One who has seen. Who has seen how many varieties of fishes are there? But there are many, many varieties. From the *śāstra* we get information of the whale fish, *timi.* And there is another fish which is called *timiṅgala. Timiṅgala* means he is so big that he swallows up this *timi,* whale fish, like a small... [makes gulping sound] Finished. [laughter] They are called *timiṅgala.* So you have not seen. We have not seen. But the *śāstra* says.

Therefore we have seen, because *śāstra-cakṣuṣā.* You should see through the *śāstra.* Otherwise what can you see with your teeny eyes? You cannot see, say, three yards more than that. Imperfect. Every senses, all sense, they are imperfect. You cannot see. You are seeing the sun, but what you are seeing? You are seeing just like a disc. But it is fourteen thousand times bigger than this planet. So your this naked sense perception has no value. Don't try to gather knowledge through these naked senses. Try to gather knowledge just like how creation is made. And that is stated here by the authorities, Kapiladeva. And if you take it, then your knowledge is perfect. And if you imagine, "Perhaps there was a chunk, and there was this, there was that, there was that"---all nonsense. At least we, Kṛṣṇa conscious men, we don't accept this nonsensical proposition. Our knowledge is derived---*tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva abhigacchet* [MU 1.2.12]. [break] This is Vedic injunction. If you want to know perfectly, if you want to have perfect knowledge, *tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum eva,* you must approach *guru.* Here is *guru,* Kapiladeva, or Kṛṣṇa, God. God is *guru,* original *guru.* God gave lessons to Brahmā. Brahmā gave lessons to Nārada. Nārada gave lessons to Vyāsadeva. Vyāsadeva gave lessons to us. This is Vyāsadeva's contribution. And if you follow this disciplic succession, then you get perfect knowledge. Otherwise, if you speculate, then you are in darkness, *tamasi.* What power you have got? All your senses are imperfect. How you can get perfect knowledge? That is not possible. Therefore the injunction is, *tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet* [MU 1.2.12] = "You must go to *guru*." And who is *guru?* This *paramparā* system. *Evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ* Bg. 4.2.

So this is the process. If you want perfect knowledge, you must approach *guru.* And who is *guru? Guru* means the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. *Ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit* SB 11.17.27. "*Ācārya,*" Kṛṣṇa says, *māṁ vijānīyāt,* "he is Myself. I am. Because he is My perfect representative---he won't speak anything nonsense; he will speak something or everything which he has heard from Me---therefore he is *ācārya.*" *Ācārya* means one who knows the *śāstra* and practically uses in his life, and the same thing, he teaches to his disciple. That is called *ācārya. Ācārya* is not a self-made man. No. *Ācārya* means *ācinoti yaḥ śāstrāṇi.* One who understand the *śāstra,* the Vedic *śāstra,* and practices in life and teaches the same thing to his student---that is called *ācārya.* So *ācāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān nāvamanyeta karhicit, na asūyeta martya-buddhyā* SB 11.17.27.

So *ācārya* should not be considered as ordinary man, because he is representative of Kṛṣṇa. *Sākṣād-dharitvena samasta-śāstraiḥ.* Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura says, "All the *śāstras...*" The *śāstra* is the basic strength, platform. So all the *śāstra* says the *ācārya:* "He is representative of the Supreme Lord." So *sākṣād-dharitvena. Sākṣāt:* not indirectly, supposingly. No. Directly, *sākṣāt. Sākṣāt* means directly. So how he is directly representative? Suppose Kṛṣṇa appeared five thousand years ago or millions of years ago. Because Kṛṣṇa first spoke to Vivasvān. *Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam* Bg. 4.1 = "This *yoga* system, I first of all explained to Vivasvān, the sun-god." That means millions and millions of years. Later on, again, He explained. So He says that "That very old thing, again I am explaining to you, Arjuna. There is no change."

So *Bhagavad-gītā,* the lessons of *Bhagavad-gītā,* cannot be changed by the whims of rascals. This is not possible. *Aham avyayam. Imaṁ vivasvate yogaṁ proktavān aham avyayam* Bg. 4.1. *Avyayam.* This *yoga* is *avyayam,* not that with the change of time the meaning would be changed. That is not possible. The meaning would remain the same thing. The millions of years ago Kṛṣṇa said, *man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru* Bg. 18.65. That does not mean that the meaning has changed = "Because it has become old, now I can change." The speaker can say that "When Kṛṣṇa says *man-manā bhava mad-bhaktaḥ,* so Kṛṣṇa is dead and gone. Now I am incarnation of Kṛṣṇa. You think of me." This is going on. This rascaldom is going on. "Kṛṣṇa is now dead and gone. Now I am *avatāra.*" Then the answer is, "Then you will be dead and gone, then somebody will come." Just like the meaning of "my head." One child, one boy, was reading "my head," and the teacher is explained, " 'My head' means my head." So the child thought teacher said... When he explained the meaning, " 'My head,' it is my head," so the child thought, "The teacher says 'my head.' Therefore 'my head' means teacher's head." [laughter] Another person came = "No, no. It is not teacher head. It is 'my head.' " Then he thought brother's head, then father's head. In this way he became puzzled.

So due to this nonsensical meaning, people are puzzled, that "Whom to surrender? Because Kṛṣṇa I do not see." No. Kṛṣṇa is always existing. So you can... Kṛṣṇa is existing, and to be perceivable by you, Kṛṣṇa has appeared before you. Here is the *arcā-mūrti.* The *arcā-mūrti* we are serving. It is not that... Don't think... *Arcye viṣṇau śilā-dhīḥ.* If you are rascal, they will think that "These people are serving a stone statue." The rascals will think like that, but that is not the fact. Here, practical serving of Kṛṣṇa. The same *ācārya* has taught that "Here is Kṛṣṇa." *Śrī-vigrahārādhana-nitya-nānā-śṛṅgāra-tan-mandira-mārjanādau. Śrī-vigraha.* This *arcā-mūrti, śrī-vigraha, ārādhanam,* you should worship. This is the *ācārya-panthā.* This is the *paramparā.*

So this worship is going on under this *paramparā* system. It is not manufactured. *Ācāryaṁ mām...* What the *ācārya* says, if you follow, then you become perfect. *Tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā* Bg. 4.34. If you follow the instruction of *ācārya,* then you understand perfectly everything, *tad viddhi praṇi...* But you have to understand by *praṇipātena,* by submission, not by challenging. If you challenge, then you will never be able to understand. This whole process is submission. *Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja* Bg. 18.66. If you are not prepared to submit, then you will never understand. You will remain in this *tama, tama. Tamasi mā.* But don't remain in *tama.* Come to the light.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: *Haribol.* [end]