Canto 11: General HistoryChapter 22: Enumeration of the Elements of Material Creation

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.22.8

ekasminn api dṛśyante

praviṣṭānītarāṇi ca

pūrvasmin vā parasmin vā

tattve tattvāni sarvaśaḥ

SYNONYMS

ekasminin one (element); api — even; dṛśyante — there are seen; praviṣṭāni — entered within; itarāṇi — others; ca — also; pūrvasminin a prior (subtle causal element, such as the dormant presence of ether within its cause, sound); — either; parasmin — or in a later (produced element, such as the subtle presence of sound within its further product, air); — or; tattvein some element; tattvāni — other elements; sarvaśaḥin the cases of each of the different enumerations.

TRANSLATION

All subtle material elements are actually present within their gross effects; similarly, all gross elements are present within their subtle causes, since material creation takes place by progressive manifestation of elements from subtle to gross. Thus we can find all material elements within any single element.

PURPORT

Since material elements are present within each other, there are innumerable ways to construe and categorize the material creation of God. Ultimately, however, the significant element is God Himself, who is the basis of all the transformations and permutations of the material cosmos. The creation of the material world takes place by a progression from subtle to gross elements, as explained in the sāńkhya-yoga system of Lord Kapila. The example may be given that we find the dormant existence of an earthen pot within mud and also the existence of mud within the earthen pot. Similarly, one element is present within another, and ultimately all elements rest within the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is simultaneously within everything. By such explanations, Kṛṣṇa consciousness constitutes the ultimate scientific methodology for factually understanding this universe.

<<< >>>

Buy Online Copyright © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami
Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari
Dravida dasa Brahmacari