PLATE THIRTEEN

In a corner of the spiritual sky (brahmajyoti) a spiritual cloud some-
times appears, and the covered portion is called the mahat-tattva. Then,
by His plenary portion known as Maha-Visnu, the Lord lies down within
the water of the mahat-tattva. This water is called the Causal Ocean.
While Maha-Visnu sleeps within the Causal Ocean, innumerable uni-
verses are generated along with His breathing. These floating universes
scatter all over the Causal Ocean, remaining manifest only during the
breathing period of Maha-Visnu. In each and every universal globe the
same Maha-Visnu enters as Garbhodakasayi Visnu and lies down on the
serpentlike Sesa incarnation, and from His navel a lotus sprouts. Upon
the lotus is born Brahma, the lord of the universe, who creates the sun,
the moon, the demigods and all forms of living beings of different shapes
in terms of their different desires. (p. 278)
