144 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 1, Ch. 3

are mentioned in the revealed scriptures.

Apart from the direct incarnations, there are innumerable empowered
incarnations. They are also mentioned in the revealed scriptures. Such
incarnations are directly as well as indirectly empowered. When they are
directly empowered they are called incarnations, but when they are in-
directly empowered they are called vibhitis. Directly empowered incar-
nations are the Kumaras, Narada, Prthu, Sesa, Ananta, etc. As far as
vibhiitis are concerned, they are very explicitly described in the Bhagavad-
gita in the Vibhiiti-yoga chapter. And for all these different types of
incarnations, the fountainhead is the Garbhodakasayi Visnu.

TEXT 6

a aq wad fa: SA ararhaa: |
TAR at AM THTATHAT SATII § II

sa eva prathamam devah
kaum4aram sargam asritah

cacdra duscaram brahma
brahmacaryam akhanditam

sah—that; eva—certainly; prathamam—first;) devah—Supreme Lord;
kaumdram—named the Kumaras (unmarried); sargam—creation; dsritah—
under; cacara—performed; duscaram—very difficult to do; brahma—in
the order of Brahman; brahmacaryam—under discipline to realize the
Absolute (Brahman); akhanditam—unbroken.

TRANSLATION

First of all, in the beginning of creation, there were the four unmarried
sons of Brahma [the Kumaras], who, being situated in a vow of celibacy,
underwent severe austerities for realization of the Absolute Truth.

PURPORT

The creation of the material world is effected, maintained and then
again annihilated at certain intervals. So there are different names of the
creations in terms of the particular types of Brahmi, the father of the
living beings in the creation. These Kumaras, as above-mentioned, appeared
in the kaumara creation of the material world, and to teach us the process
