17. Lightening
bharavataranayanye
bhuvo nava ivodadhau
sidantya bhuri-bharena
jato hy atma-bhuvarthitah
Others say that the world, being over-

burdened like a boat at sea, is much ag-

grieved, and that Brahma, who is Your

son, prayed for You, and so You have

appeared to diminish the trouble.

—Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.34
Brahma is directly the son of the Supreme Lord, the supreme father,
and was not put into the womb of a mother. Therefore he is known as
atma-bhu. This Brahma is in charge of further creations in the universe,
secondarily reflected by the potency of the Omnipotent. Within the halo
of the universe there is a transcendental planet known as Svetadvipa,
which is the abode of the Ksirodakasayi Visnu, the Paramatma feature of
the Supreme Lord. Whenever there is trouble in the universe that cannot
be solved by the administrative demigods, they approach Brahmaji for a
solution, and if it is not to be solved even by Brahmaji, then Brahmaji
consults with and prays to the Ksirodakasayi Visnu for an incarnation and
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