14 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 4, Ch. 1

and under different influences of the modes of material nature. For
example, the sufferings of jivas who are situated in the mode of goodness
are less than those of jivas situated in the mode of ignorance. Pure Krsna
consciousness is the birthright of all living entities because every living
entity is part and parcel of the Supreme Lord. The consciousness of the
Lord is also in the part and parcel, and according to the proportion to
which that consciousness is cleared of material dirt, the living entities are
differently situated. In the Vedanta-siitra the living entities of different
gradations are compared to candles or lamps with different candle power.
For example, some electric bulbs have the power of one thousand candles,
some have the power of 500 candles, some the power of 100 candles, some
fifty candles, etc., but all electric bulbs have light. Light is present in every
bulb, but the gradations of light are different. Similarly, there are
gradations of Brahman. The Visnu svamsa expansions of the Supreme Lord
in different Visnu forms are like lamps, Lord Siva is also like a lamp, and
the supreme candle power or the 100 percent light is Krsna. The Visnu-
tattva has ninety-four percent, the Siva-tattva has eighty-four percent,
Lord Brahma has seventy-eight percent, and the living entities are also
like Brahma, but in the conditioned state their power is still more dim.
There are gradations of Brahman, and no one can deny this fact. There-
fore the words atmesa-brahma-sambhavan indicate that Dattatreya is
directly part and parcel of Visnu, whereas Durvasa and Soma are parts and
parcels of Lord Siva and Lord Brahma.

TEXT 16
gt Tay

wae gem: faaqerearataa: |
faafianferarat sre carereae Fy aT 112 E11

vidura uvaca
atrer grhe sura-sresthah
sthity-utpatty-anta-hetavah
kificic cikirsavo jata
elad akhyahi me guro

vidurah uvaca—Sri Vidura said; atreh grhe—in the house of Atri; sura-
sresthah—chief demigods; sthiti—maintenance; utpatti—creation; anta—de-
struction; hetavah—causes; kificit—something; cikirsavah—desiring to do;
jatah—appeared; etat—this; akh yahi—tell; me—to me;guro—spiritual master.
