Text 19]
Creation of the Kumāras and Others
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you. By penance only shall you be able to create the universe as it was before.
PURPORT
In the creation, maintenance and dissolution of the cosmic manifestation, the three deities Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara, or Śiva, are respectively in charge. Rudra was advised not to destroy while the period of creation and maintenance was going on, but to situate himself in penance and wait for the time of dissolution, when his services would be called for.
TEXT 19
तपसैव परं ज्योतिर्भगवन्तमधोक्षजम् । सर्वभूतगुहावासमञ्जसा विन्दते पुमान् ॥१९॥
tapasaiva paraṁ jyotir bhagavantam adhokṣajam sarva-bhūta-guhāvāsam añjasā vindate pumān
tapasā —by penance;  eva —only;  param —the supreme;  jyotiḥ —light;  bhagavantam —unto the Personality of Godhead;  adhokṣajam —He who is beyond the approach of the senses;  sarva-bhūta-guhā-vāsam —residing in the heart of all living entities;  añjasā —complete;  vindate —can know;  pumān —a person.
TRANSLATION
By penance only can one even approach the Personality of Godhead, who is within the heart of every living entity and at the same time beyond the reach of all senses.
PURPORT
Rudra was advised by Brahmā to perform penance as an example to his sons and followers that penance is necessary for the attainment of the favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In  Bhagavad-gītā  it is said that the common mass of people follow the path shown by an authority. Thus Brahmā, disgusted with the Rudra generations and afraid of being devoured by the increase of population, asked Rudra to stop producing such an unwanted generation and take to penance for attaining the favor