Text 44] Vidura’s Talks with Maitreya 207

TRANSLATION

O Lord, You assume incarnations for the creation, maintenance and
dissolution of the cosmic manifestation, and therefore we all take shelter
of Your lotus feet because they always award remembrance and courage to
Your devotees.

PURPORT

For the creation, maintenance and dissolution of the cosmic manifes-
tations there are three incarnations: Brahma, Visnu and Maheésvara
(Lord Siva). They are the controllers or masters of the three modes of
material nature, which cause the phenomenal manifestation. Visnu is the
master of the mode of goodness, Brahma is the master of the mode of
passion, and Maheégvara is the master of the mode of ignorance. There are
different kinds of devotees according to the modes of nature. Persons in
the mode of goodness worship Lord Visnu, those in the mode of passion
worship Lord Brahma, and those in the mode of ignorance worship Lord
Siva. All three of these deities are incarnations of the Supreme Lord Krsna
because He is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. The demigods
directly refer to the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord and not to the
different incarnations. The incarnation of Visnu in the material world
is, however, directly worshiped by the demigods. It is learned from various
scriptures that the demigods approach Lord Visnu in the ocean of milk
and submit their grievances whenever there is some difficulty in the admin-
istration of universal affairs. Although they are incarnations of the Lord,
Lord Brahma and Lord Siva worship Lord Visnu, and thus they are also
counted amongst the demigods and not as the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. Persons who worship Lord Visnu are called demigods, and
persons who do not do so are called asuras, or demons. Visnu always
takes the part of the demigods, but Brahma and Siva sometimes take the
side of the demons; it is not that they become one in interest with them,
but sometimes they do something in order to gain control over the demons.

TEXT 44

TATGTISAA = =—««- AA

TATE ASEAN |
Yat ag aaaish ga
waa TH ATA TET VII
