PLATE SIX

“The first form of Lord Visnu is called Maha-Visnu. He is the original
creator of the total material energy. The innumerable universes emanate
from the pores of His body. These universes are understood to be floating
in air as the Maha-Visnu exhales. They are like atomic particles that float
in sunshine and pass through the holes of a screen. All these universes are
thus created by the exhalation of Maha-Visnu, and when Maha-Visnu in-
hales, they return to His body. The unlimited opulences of Maha-Visnu
are completely beyond material conception.

After creating the total number of universes, which are unlimited, the
Maha-Visnu expanded Himself into unlimited forms and entered into
each of them. When Maha-Visnu entered each of the limitless universes,
He saw that there was darkness all around and that there was no place to
stay. He therefore began to consider the situation. With the perspiration
produced from His own body, the Lord filled half the universe with water.
He then lay down on that water on the bed of Lord Sesa. A lotus flower
then sprouted from the lotus navel of that Garbhodakasayi Visnu. That
lotus flower became Lord Brahma’s birthplace. In the stem of that lotus
flower the fourteen worlds were generated. Then He became Lord
Brahma and created the entire universe. In this way, the Supreme Per-
sonality of Godhead in His form of Visnu maintains the entire material
world. Since He is always beyond the material qualities, the material
nature cannot touch Him.” (pp.757-162 )
