694 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 17

TRANSLATION

My dear Lord, although You are one, by Your inconceivable potencies
You have expanded Yourself in many forms. Through the agency of Brahma,
You have created this universe. You are therefore directly the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Those who are not sufficiently experienced cannot
understand Your transcendental activities because they are covered by Your
illusory energy.

PURPORT

God is one, but He expands Himself in a variety of energies—the material
energy, the spiritual energy, the marginal energy and so forth. Unless one
is favored and especially endowed with grace, he cannot understand how the
one Supreme Personality of Godhead acts through Ilis different energies.
The living entities are also the marginal energy of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. Brahma is also one of these living entities, but he is especially
empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Although Brahma is
supposed to be the creator of this universe, actually the Supreme Person-
ality of Godhead is its ultimate creator. In this verse the word mayaya is
significant. Mdyd means “energy.” Lord Brahma is not the energetic but is
one of the manifestations of the Lord’s marginal energy. In other words,
Lord Brahmi is only an instrument. Although sometimes plans appear con-
tradictory, there is a definite plan behind all action. One who is experienced
and is favored by the Lord can understand that everything is being done ac-
cording to the Lord’s supreme plan.

TEXT 33

aM asargenfe afefi-
_, Raafrarera ae aTeahH: |
TH «= - Ata haegaTy
aa: Te GOT Fes 13
sargadi yo ’sydnurunaddhi saktibhir
dravya-kriya-karaka-cetanatmabhih

tasmai samunnaddha-niruddha-sak taye
namah parasmai purusdya vedhase

sarga-adi—creation, maintenance and dissolution; yah—one who; asya—of
this material world; anurunaddhi—causes; saktibhih—by His own potencies;
