224
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 2, Ch. 5]
items, namely the living being, the phenomenal world and the controller, are all in continuous action—past, present, and future—and the direct manager is supposed to know everything of such actions and reactions, as one knows about a walnut within the grip of one's palm. The direct manufacturer of a particular thing is supposed to know how he learned the art of manufacturing, where he got the ingredients, how he set it up and how the products in the manufacturing process are being turned out. Because Brahmā is the first-born living being, naturally he is supposed to know everything about creative functions.
TEXT 4
यद्विज्ञानो यदाधारो यत्परस्त्वं यदात्मकः । एकः सृजसि भूतानि भूतैरेवात्ममायया ॥ ४ ॥
yad vijñāno yad-ādhāro yat-paras tvaṁ yad-ātmakaḥ ekaḥ srjasi bhūtāni bhūtair evātma-māyayā
yad vijñānaḥ—the source of knowledge; yad-ādhāraḥ—under whose protection; yad-paraḥ—under whose subordination; tvam—you; yad-ātmakaḥ—in what capacity; ekaḥ—alone; srjasi—you are creating; bhūtāni—the living entities; bhūtaiḥ—with the help of material elements; eva—certainly; ātma—self; māyayā—by potency.
TRANSLATION
My dear father, what is the source of your knowledge? Under whose protection are you standing? And under whom are you working? What is your real position? Do you alone create all entities with material elements by your personal energy?
PURPORT
It was known to Śrī Nārada Muni that Lord Brahmā attained creative energy by undergoing severe austerities. As such, he could understand that there was someone else superior to Brahmājī who invested Brahmā with