278 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 5, Ch. 20

“Brahma, Sambhu, Sarya and Indra are all merely products of the power
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is also true of the many
other demigods whose names are not mentioned here. When the cosmic
manifestation is annihilated, these different expansions of Nardyana’s
potencies will merge into Narayana. In other words, all these demigods
will die. Their living force will be withdrawn, and they will merge into
Narayana.”

Therefore it should be concluded that Lord Visnu, not Lord Brahma or
Lord Siva, is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As a government of-
ficer is sometimes accepted as the entire government although he is ac-
tually but a departmental manager, so the demigods, having achieved
power of attorney from Visnu, act on His behalf, although they are not as
powerful as He. All the demigods must work under the orders of Visnu.
Therefore it is said, ekale isvara krsna, Gra saba bhrtya. The only master
is Lord Krsna, or Lord Visnu, and all others are His obedient servants,
who act exactly according to His orders. The distinction between Lord
Visnu and the demigods is also expressed in Bhagavad-gita (9.25). Yanti
deva-vrata devan. . . yanti mad-yajino ‘pi mam: those who worship the
demigods go to the planets of the demigods, whereas the worshipers of
Lord Krsna and Lord Visnu go to the planets in Vaikuntha. These are the
statements of the smrti. Therefore the idea that Lord Visnu is on the
same level as the demigods is in contradiction to the sdstras. The
demigods are not supreme. The supremacy of the demigods is dependent
on the mercy of Lord Narayana (Visnu, or Krsna).

TEXT 5

Tae fro et TATA TAT: |
THA FT Te TAA | I

pratnasya visno riéipari yat
satyasyartasya brahmanah

amrtasya ca mrtyos ca
stiryam atménam imahiti

pratnasya—of the oldest person; visnoh—Lord Visnu; réipam—the
form; yat—which; satyasya—of the Absolute Truth: rtasya—of
