Text 42] The Glories of Devotional Service 1057

varsatindro dahaty agnir
mrtyus carati mad-bhayat

mat-bhayat—out of fear of Me; vati—blows; vdtah—wind; ayam-—this;
siryah—the sun; tapati—shines; mat-bhayat—out of fear of Me; varsati—
showers rain; indrah—Indra; dahati—burns; agnih—fire; mrtyuh—death;
carati—goes; mat-bhayat—out of fear of Me.

TRANSLATION

It is because of My supremacy that the wind blows, out of fear of Me;
the sun shines out of fear of Me, and the lord of the clouds, Indra, sends
forth showers out of fear of Me. Fire burns out of fear of Me, and
death goes about taking its toll out of fear of Me.

PURPORT

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, says in Bhagavad-gita that
the natural laws being enacted are correct in all activities because of His
superintendence. No one should think that nature is working automati-
cally, without superintendence. The Vedic literature says that the clouds
are controlled by the demigod Indra, heat is distributed by the sun-god,
the soothing moonlight is distributed by Candra, and the air is blowing
under the arrangement of the demigod Vayu. But above all these demigods,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the chief living entity.
Nityo nityanam cetanas cetananam. The demigods are also ordinary living
entities, but due to their faithfulness—their devotional service attitude—
they have been promoted to such posts. These different demigods, or
directors, such as Candra, Varuna and Vayu, are called adhikari-devatad. The
demigods are departmental heads. The government of the Supreme Lord
consists not only of one planet or two or three; there are millions of
planets and millions of universes. ‘The Supreme Personality of Godhead has a
huge government, and He requires assistants. The demigods are considered
His bodily limbs. These are the descriptions of Vedic literature. Under
these circumstances, the sun-god, the moon-god, the fire-god and the air-
god are working under the direction of the Supreme Lord. It is confirmed
in the Bhagavad-gita, mayddhyaksena prakrtih sityate sa-cardcaram. ‘The
natural laws are being conducted under His superintendence. Because He
is in the background, everything is being performed so punctually and
regularly.
