Text 7]
Creation of the Universal Form
227
of the planetary systems, outer space, etc., which are visible to us, is only one half of the complete universe. Before the manifestation takes place and after the entrance of Viṣṇu within the universe, there is a period of one thousand celestial years. All the living entities injected within the womb of the  mahat-tattva  are divided in all universes with the incarnation of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and all of them lie down with the Lord until Brahmā is born. Brahmā is the first living being within the universe, and from him all other demigods and living creatures are born. Manu is the original father of mankind, and therefore, in Sanskrit, mankind is called  mānuṣya . Humanity in different bodily qualities is distributed throughout the various planetary systems.
TEXT 7
स वै विश्वसृजां गर्भो देवकर्मात्यशक्तिमान् । विबभाजात्मनाऽऽत्मानमेकथा दशधा त्रिधा ॥ ७ ॥
sa vai viśva-sṛjām garbho deva-karmātma-śaktimān vibabhājātmanā ’tmānam ekadhā daśadhā tridhā
saḥ—that; vai—certainly; viśva-sṛjām—of the gigantic virāṭa form; garbhaḥ—total energy; deva—living energy; karma—activity of life; ātma—self; śaktimān—full with potencies; vibabhāja—divided; ātmamā—by Himself; ātmānam—Himself; ekadhā—in oneness; daśadhā—in ten; tridhā—and in three.
TRANSLATION
The total energy of the  mahat-tattva , in the form of the gigantic virāṭa-rūpa, divided Himself by Himself into the consciousness of the living entities, the life of activity, and self-identification, which are subdivided into one, ten and three respectively.
PURPORT
Consciousness is the sign of the living entity or the soul. The existence of the soul is manifest in the form of consciousness, called  jñāna-śakti . The total consciousness is that of the gigantic  virāṭa-rūpa , and the same consciousness is exhibited in individual persons. The activity of consciousness is performed through the air of life which is of ten divisions. The airs of life are called  prāṇa ,  apāna ,  udāna ,  vyāna  and  samāna  and are also differently qualified as  nāga ,  kūrma ,  kṛkara ,  devadatta  and  dhanañjaya .