Text 5] The Structure of the Universe 279

dharma; brahmanah—of the Supreme Brahman; amrtasya—of the
auspicious result; ca—and; mrtyoh—of death (the inauspicious result):
ca—and; stiryam—the demigod Sarya; dtmdnam—the Supersoul or
origin of all souls; imahi—we approach for shelter; iti—thus.

TRANSLATION

[This is the mantra by which the inhabitants of Plaksadvipa wor-
ship the Supreme Lord.] Let us take shelter of the sun-god, who is
a reflection of Lord Visnu, the all-expanding Supreme Personality
of Godhead, the oldest of all persons. Visnu is the only worship-
able Lord. He is the Vedas, He is religion, and He is the origin of

all auspicious and inauspicious results.

PURPORT

Lord Visnu is even the Supreme Lord of death, as confirmed in
Bhagavad-gita (mrtyuh sarva-haras céham). There are two kinds of ac-
tivity—auspicious and inauspicious—and both are controlled by Lord
Visnu. Inauspicious activities are said to be behind Lord Visnu, whereas
auspicious activities stand before Him. The auspicious and the in-
auspicious exist throughout the entire world, and Lord Visnu is the con-
troller of them both. ;

In regard to this verse, Srila Madhvacarya says:

siirya-somagni-varisa-
vidhatrsu yatha-kramam

plaksadi-dvipa-sarsthasu
sthitam harim updasate

There are many lands, fields, mountains and oceans throughout the cre-
ation, and everywhere the Supreme Personality of Godhead is worshiped
by His different names. .

Srila Viraraghava Acarya explains this verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam
as follows. The original cause of the cosmic manifestation must be the
oldest person and must therefore be beyond material transformations. He
is the enjoyer of all auspicious activities and is the cause of conditional
life and also liberation. The demigod Sirya, who is categorized as a very
