Text 19] Creation of the Kumaras and Others 455
you. By penance only shall you be able to create the universe as it was
before.

PURPORT
In the creation, maintenance and dissolution of the cosmic manifesta-
tion, the three deities Brahma, Visnu and Mahesvara, or Siva, are respec-
tively in charge. Rudra was advised not to destroy while the period of
creation and maintenance was going on, but to situate himself in penance
and wait for the time of dissolution, when his services would be called for.
TEXT 19
ava oo Siiftearmbag |
airs AKA APL HSI
tapasaiva param jyotir
bhagavantam adhoksajam
sarva-bhuta-guhavasam
afijasa vindate puman
tapasa—by penance; eva—only; param—the supreme; jyotih—light;
bhagavantam—unto the Personality of Godhead; adhoksajam—He who is
beyond the approach of the senses; sarva-bhuta-guha-vasam—residing in
the heart of all living entities; afjasa—complete; vindate—can know;
puman-—a person.
TRANSLATION
By penance only can one even approach the Personality of Godhead,
who is within the heart of every living entity and at the same time beyond
the reach of all senses.
PURPORT
Rudra was advised by Brahma to perform penance as an example to his
sons and followers that penance is necessary for the attainment of the
favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Bhagavad-gita it is said
that the common mass of people follow the path shown by an authority.

Thus Brahma, disgusted with the Rudra generations and afraid of being
devoured by the increase of population, asked Rudra to stop producing
such an unwanted generation and take to penance for attaining the favor
