Text 17] Brahma’s Prayers for Creative Energy 355

We have already discussed this point in the Introduction, and it is
confirmed here in this verse. The tree of the material manifestation is
described in the Fifteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita as an asvattha tree
whose root is upward. We have actual experience of such a tree when we
see the shadow of a tree on the bank of a reservoir of water. The reflection
of the tree on the water appears to hang down from its upward roots.
The tree of creation which is described here is only a shadow of the reality
which is Parabrahman, Visnu. In the internal potential manifestation of the
Vaikunthalokas, the actual tree exists, and the tree reflected in the
material nature is only the shadow of this actual tree. The impersonalists’
theory that Brahman is void of all variegatedness is false because the
shadow tree described in Bhagavad-gita cannot exist without being the
reflection of areal tree. The real tree is situated in the eternal existence of
spiritual nature, full of transcendental varieties, and Lord Visnu is the
root of that tree also. The root is the same~the Lord—both for the real
tree and the false, but the false tree is only the perverted reflection of the
real tree. The Lord, being the real tree, is here offered obeisances by
Brahma on his own behalf and also on behalf of Lord Siva.

TEXT 17

ate frenifara: Fas 744:
amrry caghed WATaA FF |
TATA Tralee staat
TISAI AAT AMISH TEA? 11

loko vikarma-niratah kusale pramattah
karmany ayam tvad udite bhavad-arcane sve

sadyas chinatty animisaya namo’ stu tasmai

lokah—people in general; vikarma—work without sense; niratah—engaged
in; kusale—in beneficial activily; pramattah—negligent; karmani—in activity;
ayam—this; tvat—by You; udite—enunciated; bhavat—of You; arcane—in
worship; sve—their own; yah—who; laval—as long as; asya—of the
people in general; balavan—very strong; iha—this; jivilasam—struggle
for existence; sadyah—directly; chinatti—is cut to pieces; animis@ya—by the
eternal time; namah—my obeisances; astu—let there be; tasmai—unto Him.
