222 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 10, Ch. 3

The total material energy remains intact even after being divided into
sixteen elements. The material body is nothing but a combination of the
five gross elements—namely earth, water, fire, air and ether. Whenever
there is a material body, it appears that such elements are newly created,
but actually the elements are always existing outside of the body.
Similarly, although You appear as a child in the womb of Devaki, You are
also existing outside. You are always in Your abode, but still You can
simultaneously expand Yourself into millions of forms.

“One has to understand Your appearance with great intelligence be-
cause the material energy is also emanating from You. You are the
original source of the material energy, just as the sun is the source of the
sunshine. The sunshine cannot cover the sun globe, nor can the material
energy —being an emanation from You—cover You. You appear to be in
the three modes of material energy, but actually the three modes of ma-
terial energy cannot cover You. This is understood by the highly intellec-
tual philosophers. In other words, although You appear to be within the
material energy, You are never covered by it.”

We hear from the Vedic version that the Supreme Brahman exhibits
His effulgence and therefore everything is illuminated. We can under-
stand from Brahma-samhita that the brahmajyoti, or the Brahman
effulgence, emanates from the body of the Supreme Lord. And from the
Brahman effulgence, all creation takes place. It is further stated in the
Bhagavad-gitda that the Lord is the support of the Brahman effulgence.
Originally He is the root cause of everything. But persons who are less
intelligent think that when the Supreme Personality of Godhead comes
within this material world, He accepts material qualities. Such conclu-
sions are not mature, but are made by the less intelligent.

TEXT 18
T aed TaN, afata
TTA «| ACTA THASTT: |
lata a a arated
TTT TATA TAL 112 Cl

ya aGtmano drsya-gunesu sann iti
vyavasyate sva-vyatirekato "budhah
