316 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 3, Ch. 8
PURPORT

This lotus flower is the universal virata form, or the gigantic form of the
Lord in the material world. It becomes amalgamated in the Personality of
Godhead Visnu, in His abdomen, at the time of dissolution, and it becomes
manifest at the time of creation. This is due to Garbhodakasayi Visnu,
who enters into each of the universes. In this form is the sum total of all
the fruitive activities of the living entities conditioned by material nature,
and the first of them, namely Brahma, or the controller of the universe, is
generated from this lotus flower. This first-born living being, unlike all
the others, has no material father, and thus he is called self-born or
svayambhu. He goes to sleep with Narayana at the time of devastation,
and when there is another creation, he is born in this way. From this
description we have the conception of three—the gross virata form, the
subtle Hiranyagarbha and the material creative force, Brahma.

TEXT 16
TSH a aeaeeahirara-
RAAT = STRATTAT: |
wet Sasa wranft 28a
tasyam sa cambho-ruha-karnikayam
avasthitu lokam apasyamanah
parikraman vyomni viurtta-netras
catvari lebhe’nudigam mukhani

tasyam—in that; ca-ambho—water; ruha-karnikdyam—whorl of the lotus;
avasthitah—being situated; lokam—the world; apasyamanaht—without being
able to see; parikraman—circumambulating; vyomni—in space; viurtta-
netrah—while moving the eyes; catvdri—four; lebhe—achieved; anudigam—
in terms of direction; mukhadni—mouths.

TRANSLATION

Brahma, born out of the lotus flower, could not see the world, although
he was situated in the whorl. He therefore circumambulated all of space,
and while moving his eyes in all directions he achieved four heads in terms
of the four directions.
