58 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 6, Ch. 15
anapeksah—not interested (in creation) ; api—although; bala-vat—like
a boy.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master and proprie-
tor of everything, is certainly not interested in the temporary cos-
mic manifestation. Nonetheless, just as a boy at the beach creates
something in which he is not interested, the Lord, keeping every-
thing under His control, causes creation, maintenance and annihi-
lation. He creates by engaging a father to beget a son, He maintains
by engaging a government or king to see to the public’s welfare,
and He annihilates through agents for killing, such as snakes. The
agents for creation, maintenance and annihilation have no inde-
pendent potency, but because of the spell of the illusory energy,
one thinks himself the creator, maintainer and annihilator.
PURPORT
No one can independently create, maintain or annihilate. Bhagavad-
gita (3.27) therefore says:
prakrteh kriyamanani
gunaih karmani sarvasah
ahankara-vimiidhatma
kartaham iti manyate
“The bewildered spirit soul, under the influence of the three modes of
material nature, thinks himself the doer of activities that are in actuality
carried out by nature.” Prakrti, material nature, as directed by the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, induces all living entities to create,
maintain or annihilate according to the modes of nature. But the living
entity, without knowledge of the Supreme Person and His agent the ma-
terial energy, thinks that he is the doer. In fact, he is not at all the doer.
As an agent of the supreme doer, the Supreme Lord, one should abide by
the Lord’s orders. The present chaotic conditions of the world are due to
the ignorance of leaders who forget that they have been appointed to act
by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because they have been ap-
pointed by the Lord, their duty is to consult the Lord and act accordingly.
