Text 17] Conversation Between Maitreya and Vidura 769

is independently able to create the rest of the manifested universe. The
lotus is described here to be as effulgent as the glare of a thousand suns.
This indicates that the living entities, as parts and parcels of the Supreme
Lord, are also of the same quality, since the Lord also diffuses His bodily
glare, known as brahmajyoti. The description of Vaikunthaloka, as stated
in Bhagavad-gita and other Vedic literatures, is confirmed herewith. In
Vaikuntha, the spiritual sky, there is no need of sunshine, moonshine,
electricity or fire. Every planet there is self-effulgent like the sun.

TEXT 17

Asa aaa a: Aa afro |
Reet TN Fay Ae MT | 2eIl

so ‘nuvisto bhagavata
yah Sete salilasaye
loka-samstham yathd pirvam
nirmame samsthayd svaya

sah—Lord Brahma; anuvistah—was entered; bhagavata—by the Lord;
yah—who; sele—sleeps; salila-dsaye—on the Garbhodaka Ocean; loka-
samstham—the universe; yalha piirvam—as previously; nirmame—created;
samsthaya—by intelligence; svayad—his own.

TRANSLATION

When that Supreme Personality of Godhead who is lying on the
Garbhodaka Ocean entered the heart of Brahma, Brahma brought his
intelligence to bear, and with the intelligence invoked he began to create
the universe as it was before.

PURPORT

At a certain time, the Personality of Godhead, Karanodakagayi Visnu,
lies in the Karana Ocean and produces many thousands of universes from
His breathing; then He enters again into each and every universe as
Garbhodakasayi Visnu and fills up half of each universe with His own
perspiration. The other half of the universe remains vacant, and that vacant
region is called outer space. Then the lotus flower sprouts from His
abdomen and produces the first living creature, Brahma. Then again, as
Ksirodakagayi Visnu, the Lord enters into the heart of every living entity,
