1278
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 3, Ch. 29]
PURPORT
It is understood from this verse that all the planets in outer space are floating, and they all hold living entities. The word  śvasatām  means those who breathe, or the living entities. In order to accommodate them, there are innumerable planets. Every planet is a residence for innumerable living entities, and the necessary space is provided in the sky by the supreme order of the Lord. It is also stated here that the total universal body is increasing. It is covered by seven layers, and as there are five elements within the universe, so the total elements, in layers, cover the outside of the universal body. The first layer is of earth, and it is ten times greater in size than the space within the universe; the second layer is water, and that is ten times greater than the earthly layer; the third covering is fire, which is ten times greater than the water covering. In this way each layer is ten times greater than the previous one.
TEXT 44
गुणामिमानिनो देवाः सर्गादिष्वस्य यज्ञयात् ।  
 वर्तन्तेऽनुयुगं येषां वश एतच्चरावरम् ॥४४॥
guṇābhimānino devāḥ  
 sargādiṣv asya yad-bhayāt  
 vartante 'nuyugam yeṣām  
 vaśa etac carācaram
guṇa —the modes of material nature;  abhimāninaḥ —in charge of;  devāḥ —the demigods;  sarga-ādiṣu —in the matter of creation and so on;  asya —of this world;  yat-bhayāt —out of fear of whom;  vartante —carry out functions;  anuyugam —according to the  yugas ;  yeṣām —of whom;  vaśe —under the control;  etat —this;  cara-acaram —everything animate and inanimate.
TRANSLATION
Out of fear of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the directing demigods in charge of the modes of material nature carry out the functions of creation, maintenance and destruction; everything animate and inanimate within this material world is under their control.
PURPORT
The three modes of material nature, namely goodness, passion and ignorance, are under the control of three deities—Brahmā, Viṣṇu and