SrimadBhagavatam Episode 153: Emergence of the cosmic egg.

Keshavāya namah.

Maharishi Kapila continued,

“Wind & touch: Wind is born from the subtle element of touch (sparsha tanmatra). Wind is the cause for the movement of leaves and other objects. It gathers objects to one place. It is all pervading. It carries fragrances to the nose. It helps sound reach the ear. It strengthens the senses. These are the activities and characteristics of wind.

Fire & form: Due to the influence of time, this subtle element of touch (sparsha tanmatra) transforms and from it the subtle element of form (roopa tanmātra) was born. From this subtle element of form, Fire as well as the organ of sight i.e. eye manifested.

Form gives shape to every object. It highlights the qualities and dimensions of the object. It is the form of fire. These are the characteristics of roopa tanmātra. Fire is known by its effulgence. Cooking, causing thirst, causing hunger, driving away cold and causing dryness are the activities of fire.

Water & taste: Due to the Lord’s influence, this fire which has form (roopa) as its subtle element, transforms and gives birth to the subtle element of taste (rasa tanmātra). From this subtle element of taste, water and tongue i.e. the sense organ connected to taste, manifest.

Although there is only one taste, due to mixing with other substances, it is divided into six viz., sweet, sour, bitter, astringent, salty and pungent. Softening, causing satisfaction, causing dryness, sustaining life, quenching thirst, dispelling heat, being available in abundance and emerging from earth are the characteristics of water.

Earth & smell: Due to the Lord’s influence, Water which as taste as its subtle element, transforms and from it the subtle element of smell (gandha tanmātra) is born. From this gandha tanmātra, earth as well as nose i.e. sense organ connected to smell, emerge.

Although there is only one smell, due to combinations between matter, smell could be mixed, offensive, mild, fragrant, sour, sweet, etc.

Earth is born from this subtle element of smell (gandha tanmātra). In its varied forms, this earth is the support for the intentions of the Lord. While remaining stable, it becomes the support for water and other elements. Earth divides the all-pervading space into different small spaces for example, space in the pot, space in the vessel etc. It brings to fore the tendencies of male or female, which exist within every living being. These are the characteristics that define earth.

Sound is the characteristic of space and Ear is the organ that grasps it.

Touch is the characteristic of wind and Skin is the organ that grasps touch.

Form is the characteristic of fire and Eye is the organ that has the sense of sight.

Taste is the characteristic of water and Tongue is the organ that has the sense of taste.

Smell is the characteristic of earth and Nose is the sense organ connected to smell.

The characteristic of the effect is also visible in the cause. Due to combination with space and other elements, in addition to its own quality of smell, earth also has the qualities of other four elements.

Emergence of Cosmic egg:

Prior to creation, the principles of Mahat (cosmic intelligence), Ahamkara (sense of I-ness) and the 5 elements (totaling 7) were incapable of combining with one another. At that point, the Supreme Lord, who is the cause for this entire creation entered into them together with time, action and 3 attributes of Nature.

With the Lord’s entry, turbulence was caused within these 7 principles and they now combined with one another. This led to the birth of a lifeless egg (prana rahita) from which the universal form (virat puruśa) emerged.

This egg was enveloped by water that was 10 times its size. Water was surrounded by a layer of radiance which was 10 times bigger than the water layer. The layer of air which surrounded this radiance was 10 times thicker than the water layer. The space that enveloped the air was 10 times thicker than it. All these layers were covered by the veil of Nature.

Within this, the all the universes are contained. This vast expansive creation is nothing but the manifested form of Lord Srihari! It is known as Viśeṣa.

The universal Lord (Virat Puruśa), emerged from this effulgent cosmic egg. He once again entered into it and created many holes in the egg.

Emergence of organs and their corresponding presiding deities in the Universal Lord (Virāt Puruśa):

Then at first, the mouth appeared. From it the sense of speech and God of Fire, its presiding deity, manifested.

Thereafter nostrils emerged and from them life-force (prana) and the organ of smell manifested. Wind, which is the presiding deity for the nose, emerged.

Thereafter eyes emerged and from it came the sense of sight. Lord Sun, who is the presiding deity for sight, also appeared.

Then two ears appeared and from them the organ of hearing and Dik-devatas, the presiding deity of hearing, manifested.

Then skin appeared and from it hair, mustache and beard manifested along with herbs, which are the presiding deities for skin.

Thereafter the organ of reproduction was born. From it semen and its presiding deity i.e. Lord of waters, was born.

Next the organ of excretion emerged and from it the wind called Apāna was born. From Apāna the Lord of death manifested. This Lord of death creates fear throughout all universes.

Then hands which have the ability to hold objects and Indra, the presiding deity of this energy of holding, emerged.

Feet emerged and from them the ability of movement emerged along with Vishnu, its presiding deity.

Next veins were created. They were filled with blood. The Lord of the rivers then manifested.

Abdomen was now born. Hunger and thirst manifested along with oceans, their presiding deity.

Heart manifested and from it mind was born along with Moon, its presiding deity.

Intelligence emerged along with its presiding deity Brahma. Ahamkara (sense of I-ness) manifested along with its presiding deity Rudra. Then chitta (memory) and its presiding deity manifested.

These deities who thus emerged from the Universal Lord (Virāt Puruśa) tried to wake Him up but to no avail. Hence they once again reentered his body in order to wake Him up.

Fire mixed with the organ of speech and entered into the face of the Universal Lord but the Lord did not wake up. Wind along with the sense of smell entered into his nostrils, but yet He did not wake up.

Sun entered the eyes together with the organ of sight followed by Dik-devatas who entered the ears together with the organ of hearing. Lord of herbs together with hair entered into the skin of the Universal Lord but even then the Lord did not wake up.

The Lord of water through the semen entered into the genitals and the Lord of death entered the anus along with the Apāna respectively. Even then the Lord did not wake up. The Lord was in Yogic sleep”.

This subject is very difficult to comprehend and requires repeated listening and recapitulation before being understood. Minimum 5 times it should be heard before it is understood.

Narayanaya namah