Srishti Prakarana Suladi of Vijayadasaru Sri V. Badaryana Murthy ( Suladi verses of Vijayadasaraya, describing the process of creation. Suladi is verification of a particular kind set to music and different types of time-beat.) " Sri Gurubhyo namah, Harih om " Vyasa, maharshi, Lord incarnate, has given descriptions of the process of creation, the layout of the fourteen words and the glory of the Time - Wheel (Kala Chakra ) in srimad Bhagavatham - Cantos II, III and V. Sri Madhvacharya has, in his 'Bhagavata Tatparya', given us guidance to understand Bhagavatam with the proper perspective. Vijayadasaraya has described the process of creation in Srishti Prakama suladi: and, in the 'Bhugola Suladi; he has given full details about the seven islands and the seven oceans, with Jambudvipa an our Bharatkhanda as the central part all in conformity with Srimad Bhagavatam and' Bhagavatha Tatparya He begins the Suladi by first telling about the eternal entities to be reckoned with. I " Matter, Time, Space, Veda, Soul. Lakshmi and Narayana, know you must as eternal entities." In this context, space should not be mistaken for the sky we know of. Rather, it is the accommodation provided within her by Mahalaxmi for original matter and souls before they are brought into creation during the period of' Maha Pralaya', that period being equal to 100 years by Brahmas count. Creation begins again to the close of Maha Pralaya.. " During Maha Pralaya, Braluna, with the name' Sunya', one of auspicious qualities and ever independent in His fullness within the atomic as well the molecular, as though limited quite different from materials and souls, keeps the released and those still in the moulding all in large heaps without the least dislike." The name' Sunya' does not mean emptiness. On the other hand, it means (i ) 'Vyapara sunya'.state of inactivity: and (ii) Bestower of auspiciousess. (sham+unati). In His belly lie innumerable souls,who have never yet come. into creation, the released ones and those yet running their courses of Karma Among them, there are dirty souls like Kali and his brood too. But God, who is quite detached, does I feel any sort of aversion at all. " When yet twelve years and a half remained, He willed to create." www.vijayadasaru.net 1
If we consider 100 years of Brahma as a day for the supreme Brahma, and another 100 years as night., His day or night in our parlance would be equal to 12 hours; and Twelve and half years of Brahma count would equal to one and half hours - 1 1/2 ' Tasu', as the people of North Kamataka would put it An eighth part of the night as the period of creation, what the fully realised ones say is rig/! j Hari Came out with many forms like horse, bull, man and so on, and Lakshmi devi followed suit released souls also were brought out and they imitated the Lord and His spouse; He sported with them all in different ways. The material used was pure satraguna to create oceans, mountains, rivers, lakes, tuskers palanquins, horses, infantry, and all kinds of articles of luxury. In the city beautiful. full-well furnished the Lord went through wonderful activities, in the company of the released ones." Vijayadasarya says that the Lord sported with the.released souls of the previous Brahma Kalpas He furnished the beautiful city with many many luxurious. out of pure Satvaguna. It is different from which we know as Satvaguna, created later on by clashing Suddha Salva (Pure Light) with Suddha Tama I dadmess). The creation for sporting reffered to above, is termed as 'Suddha Srishti'. Sri Hari enjoy: own bliss full nature. Lakshmidevi is His eternal partner. Then, why this Suddha Srishti" It is. sinful souls from eternal hell were also made to participate in the sportive activities. Those dirty fellows displayed their in innate sinful tendencies there too and they were punished. This highlights the unchanging natures of the three kinds of souls pointed out by our Sarvagnacharya it is the lession to the newly released good souls,and to us who learn about it to get it over the wrong notion of universal kindness or misplaced sympathy.. "The eighth part of the night, came to an end when Sri Hari gave up his different 'sporting forms, Mahalakshmi did so and the released souls were rid of their assumed forms; their original forms resumed, it was dawn and Sri Hari willed to create His own forms. (Atma Srishti)"'. As has been already said, the Suddha Srishtiwas not part of new creation in the ensuing Brahma God creating or bringing out His own forms is known as 'Atma Srishti'. It is like" one lamp lighting another,nor becoming less". Any new form taken by the Supreme Lord is not at all different Forom any other because each is in its fullness and each form contains every other. They differ only in so far as names and particular activities gone through are concerned. "He took four frms as Vasudeva: Sridevi took the forms Maya Jaya, Kriti, Shanti" Narayana +.Sridevi Vasudeva + Maya Sankarshna + Jaya www.vijayadasaru.net 2
Pradyumna + Kriti Aniruddha + Shanti In course of time, these five forms were combined to form thirty forms as Narayana, Vasudeva, Samkarshana, Pradyunma, Aniruddha. Narayana Narayana, Narayana Vasudeva: Narayana Samkarshana Narayana Pradyumna, Narayana Aniruddha. Narayana Vasudeva, Vasudeva Vasudeva, Vasudeva Samkarshna, Vasudeva Pradyunma Vasudeva Aniruddha etc He also took Dasavatara forms,forms like Vedavyasa Kapila Dattatreya and others Apart from these he took countless forms like things and beings created, to make them what they are. Lakshmidevi also took matching forms. But, she being dependent on her spouse, her forms go by Paradhinavapta Srishti'. Now about Sukshma Srishti ' - giving transcendental physical bodies to divine chiefs. "Vasudeva gave birth to 'Aja', also named 'Purusha', Samkarshana begot 'Maruta Sutra', Pradvunma broughout Saraswati and Bharati". Vasudeva + Mayadevi Aja ( Purusha Brahma) Vayudeva promoted to the post of brahma 2) San1karshana + Jaya Maruta Sutra (Sri Vadiraja promoted to the post of Vayudeva) 3) Pradyunma + Kriti Saraswathi, Bharathi. "Purush Brahma,and Sutra maruta gave birth willingly to ' Sesha " also named Jeeva and Garuda with the name 'Kala', respectively". PurushaBrahma+Saraswathi Sesha(Jeeva) Sutra marutha + Bharathi Garuda (Kala) Sesha will be in charge of the Jeevas, and Garuda gets subordinate charge of 'Kala'. the time factor, next (only to Mukhya Prana. Again, with Virinchi (Aja) as father of Prakriti (Sarswathi) as mother, Vayudeva (Marutha) was born with the spouse of Saraswathi".. Purusha (Virinchi) + Prakriti ( Saraswathi ) Brahma maruta (Vaya) Our dasaraya says, "Here is a secret". Indeed, it requires secret knowledge to know how a husband could be born of his own wife, along with his companion of almost equal status. It is this. His,the Parama Purusha. in purush brahma and Mahalakshmi, the mistress of Prakrati in Saraswathi, named 'Prakritil who gave birth to Brahma and Vayu with a definite purpose. It was meant to www.vijayadasaru.net 3
infuse the 'Ahamkara' element into the bodies of Brahma and Vayu for further creation. It also shows the mistresship of Saraswathi and Bharati on 'Causal matter from Mahat tattva downwards. To understand the truth about such creation, it would be profitable to know the process of creation. i) Suddha Satva (Principle of light & Knowledge Suddha Tama Principle of Darkness and ignorance) Mistress - Sridevi >< Together SABALA (Mixtures of Hues) Mistress - Durgadevi Satvaguna (yellowish); Rajoguna (reddish) Sridevi Bhudevi 100 SatYa + 10 Raja + 1 Tama = Mahat tattva For the physical bodies of Brahma and Saraswati Malilit tattva + 2 Rajoguna = Vijnana tattva Jamoguna(bluish) Durgadevi For the bodies of Maruta and Bharathi. Ahamkara tattva in three grades. M+R+S M+R+T; M+T Souls are found by 'Linga sariras' of-causation bodies front beginningless time and contain the seeds of karma and the innate abilities of the mino, and the sensory and the motor organs. Ahamkara tattvagives three kinds of subtle physical bodies to Shiva and Parvati and they are meant to connect the soul with the physical world of expenences. As Sri Purandara dasarya has said, Parvatidevi bestows intellegence and Rudrade'Va turns the mind heaven world. "Again as willed by Sri Hari, Purusha Brahma begot uraga & Rudra, through Saraswati, making i use of 'Vaikarika' (Satvic) Ahamkara; Maruta begot Garuda and Rudra, making use of 'Taijasa' (Rajasik)j Ahamkara; Uraga (Sesha), also named 'Jeeva' begot hara in Varunidevi, using 'Tamasa' Ahamkara; whatis J thus thriving is considered as ' Sukshma Srishti (transcedental, though physical); thus Vijaya Vittalareya, Lord of Vaikunta, is happy with this early progeny created by Him www.vijayadasaru.net 4
Purusha Brahma+ Saraswati Mixing Vaikarika Aham with Mahattattva thus satvic Uraga (Sesha) Marutha + Bharati ( Mixing Taijasa Aham with Vijnana thus Rajasik ) Garuda (Vishnu Rudra) Uraga + Varunidevi ( Mixing Tamasa Aham with Taijasa' Ahani' - thus Tamasika) Rudra( Shiva) Rudra activated mainly by Vishnu although through Brahma Rudra activated by Brahma through the motivation of Vishnu Rudra activated by sesha, with the motivation of Vishnu through Brahma Vijayadasaraya tells about further creation. Vaikarika Rudra + Parwati ( Vishnu + Laxmi) Mind, Devendra, Kama, Aham Prana, Aniruddha, Brihaspati, Vishwakarma, Sakra, Sun,Moon & Others Mukhya Prana + Bhrathi Garuda Sesha, Rudra, deities incharge of Vedas & Rituals Jaya, Vijaya & Others Acquiring 'Ariruddha Sarira' The subtle body is created out of the satva-raja-tama stuff taken out of the 'Linga Sarira'). Lord 'Aniruddha gave Aniruddha sariras to deties (With the ability to be born with fractional abilities of their souls) and he gave such bodies to all others; Pradyumna lodges those souls in his own body for a thousand years and blessed them".. The aniruddha bodies are meant for lodging the deities in charge of the 'taltvas'-those who control activities of 'souls born with gross physical bodies. The misleading demons who also have their share such activities, find lodging in the nervous system of gross bodies, Up to the creation of Ahamakarak taltva, ten years of Brahma's count had expired ; and it took another ten Years till bestowing of aniruddha sariras, classification into casters and categories, etc. Then, Lord Siva continued creation for another ftfteen such years.. "It is hard to count the variety of creation by shiva giving bodies with different characteristics He combined his three types of bodies into one, and assumed half-male and half-female (form in conjunction his spouse; the fire-eyed lord, then from his right side and left side, created bodies. for the twelve gods, ten Rudras, Viswa devas, the Aswins, Rubhus, eight Vasus, Gandharwas, serpants, www.vijayadasaru.net 5
Saturen sani and others; also to humans, elephants, horses, plants and trees and different other living beings all with the grace of SriHari; our Vijaya Vittala the lotus-eyed, is the Lord of such a big family, during every kalpa of Brahma (100 chaturyugas make a Dinakalpa of Brahma).,. Creation of the 'avaranas' or outer envelopes. "Then, for creating gross bodies and other features in the Brahma and, the Supreme Lord put the stuff of the nine external avairians,one into the other (in (descending order) appointed presiding deities to look after each combination, 81)and himself entered into every thing and every one of them; say not that this is not so; no one can move a single straw without his motivation; three envelopes of the primal invisible matter salva, Raja, Tama, and Maltat tattwa, Ahamkrom. tattwa sky matter, air, fire, water and earth, He created and there were twenty four presiding deities in all by this time, forty five years of Braltma's count were over". 24 elements and 24 presidilg deities, thuus Avyakta:.Maltat, Aham, Mind ten sensory and motor abilities five subtle physical elements. "He, the Lord, invoked by the praise by his spouse, presiding over the elements of water and earth took the form of Padmanabha, combining in it his vishnu, Brahma and Rudra forms; process of created the stuff of the ten avaranas was a matter of physical combinations; but thereafter the creation was by wonderful Combinations by means of chemical reactions (Samkalitada adbhuta) it is such stuff of chemical combinations that is used for the bodies of human, aquatics, birds, moths, insects, ghosts, etc., by then, forty six years ( a few days less) of Brahama had elapsed." It is important to note that every form and every name belongs primarily to the Supreme being, and secondarily to things and beings on account of his motivating, but detached presence in them.in this connection, it is aiso necessary to note how the sky, air, fire water and earth principles of subtle nature were formed by the subtler principles (Tanmatras) of sound, touch, sight, taste and. smell. It is also physical process known as 'Panchikarna' (mixing and hardening). It is thus 120 sound+20 touch+20 sight+20 taste+20smell=subtle sky 20sky+120 touch+20 sight+20 taste+20 smell=subtle air. 20sky+120 touch+20 sight+20 taste+20 smell=subtle Fire etc., "Having created the Brahamanda, Sri Hari entered into the praaya waters, that filled the Bmhmanda, with his Padmanabha fonn along with Sridevei. He lay there in the waters at an attitude of fifteen crore yojans above the base of Brahmanda. for a thousand divine years and the, expanded his form, diffusing his powers, to fill the: entire hollow of the Brahmanada, measuring www.vijayadasaru.net 6
fifty crore yojanas every way! (The expanded form, besides the Padmanabha form, is known as Virat rupa). "Having created subtle physical principles to fonn tile outer ten envelopes, the lord created grosser physical materials by laking out the necessary ingredients from tile Brahmanda: that was the work of his virat rupa). "Counting upto this end, fifty years of Brhama were completed."this completes tile 'Prathmapara ardha' of Brahma "When the fifty first year of Brahma commenced at dawn begins the 'Panla Kalpa': Sri Hari, out of his body, begot the 'Lotus-born (Brhama). and that from the lotus that sprang up from the naval of his Padmanabha fonn: the lotus contatined the stuff necessary for the creation of the fourteen worlds seated in that lotus, Brhama was bewildered and attempted to see his creator by going down tile stalk of lotus: failing to find his parent and seated again on tile pedestal of the lotus, he heard tile words "Tapa, Tapa" coming out of the sky: and heeding those words as god-sent instruction, he did penance for a thousand divine years, and was blessed with the glorious vision of the Supreme being, as also direct instruction: did penance again for a thousand years; and then I converted the contents of tile lotus into the three worlds (fourteen); and expanded his own form to fill the Brahmanda: his Virat form containing the Vriat form Padmanabha. After that, with the expanded form itself. Brhama went on With ' Upasarga' (Subsidiary creation: then were born maruta, Bharati, tile Rudras. lndra, Kama, all the presiding deities, articles necessary for tile sacrifices, varuna and others, the different vedas, mountains. oceans, rivers, islands, aquatic creatures, mountain flora, groves and trees, ghosts and every other kind of creatures and at the end of his Padma Kalpa, with the acccord of Sri Hari he intended to put an end to tile creation; drew every thing into his own body, and with Prakriti (Samswati) as his second, took rest in his Satyaloka that ended Padma Kalpa." Although our dasarya has given a very brief account of Padmakalpa, it is packed with information called from the puranas and it is also a commentary on the Purushasukta'. What is termed as 'Upasaraga is tile same as 'Kevala Sristi and 'Vaikrita Srishti' Vaikrita, because the creation of physical objects by using gross materials with changed properties is in contrast with physical mixtures of the envelopes. Here is the meeting ground for modem science,md puranic facts, scientists to-day do not know the sky came into existance, most of them consider it as vaccum. But it has been said already how subtle sky matter was created by the process of 'Panchikarana' and how 'Akasha' of a grosser type created during 'Padma Kalpa' by chemical combination. That has given rise to 'Akasha tattva (Either) Present-day scientsists know only about four gross elements-earth, water, fire, air However, with their diligent perseverance, they have analysed those elements down to particles and antiparticles of three primary ingredients-protons; electrons, and neutrons. But not knowing the unifying www.vijayadasaru.net 7
factor, they are blinking. Truly speaking, Satva guna, Rajoguna and Tamoguna are the great ground parents of Protons' electrons and neutrons, resp. and the co-ordinator is the omnicient, onmipotent, omnipresent supreme being who works through subordinate deities to help them know more and more about him and to become'and more devoted, such that they reap its benefits. Although scientists are ignonrant of the process of creation as described in the puranas, their guess about the 'Big bang' is not too far -fetched. According to the Puranas, it was indeed a big ball of fire that threw out chunks to form the objects of the universe at the hands of the divine agents, and what has remained is our sun. The suladi of Vijayadasarya suggests that the Lord took out materials from Braimanda, a created the grosser physical elements. In fact, Brahama's Virat body was of the Prithvitaltva of Brahmandas the purest gold; hence his name, 'Hiranya-garbha'. The materials, poured out from the Brahmanda, formed a huge cloud (Nebula ) and by chemical reactions, it became a big ball of fire. "This is coiloborated by the Kurma Purana and the Vayu Purana. "Surya eva trilokiasya.moolam Parama daviatam" (Kurma Purana-ch 38). "Divyanam parthivanam cha naishanam eha SVashah; Adanannityam adityah taijasam tamasam prabhuh" (Kunna Purana- ch. 41).. "Nakshatra graha somanam Pratishta yonivenracha", (Vaya Purana-ch.53) "Yaschasau tapate suryo pibannambhogabhastibhin; Parthivohi vinusbrosau divyuah shuehi iti smritah. Sahasra padah sognistn vrittah kumbhanibhah shubhah " (Vayu puma-ch. 53). That the objects in the universe were made out of the chunks thrown out by the ball of fire, may be verified by the following -. i) Sauri (son of the sun) - saturn (shanigraha) ii) Bhuputra (son of the earth) - mars (mangala graha) a portion of the earth matter, came down from the ball of fire, thrown up). iii) Son of the moon-mercury (Budha graha) - thrown out from the moon matter as in the case of mars. There is also another point of agreement. Creation of the physical features during the Padmakalpa was a gradual process, spread over a period of200 crore years; and creation of living beings took another: 200 crore years. It was also a gradual process from the simple to the more and more complex, broadly in seven stages-aquatics, crawlers, plants and trees, birds, beasts, higher animals, man. But was not a matter of evolution as Darwin guessed. He has confessed in his private diary that his theory is untenable (Vide 'Hinduism Today' - may 91). Dissolution went on for 32 lakh years. therefore the period of Padma Kalpa is 4.32 billion years. Modem astronomical calculation agrees with this. ( Note creation of physical feature did not take place again on the second day-swetha Varaha Kalpa.)..' www.vijayadasaru.net 8
" Varaha kalpa, the second day, thus it is stated in Puranic texts; and that is true At the begining of the Sweta Varaha Kalpa, Brahma created Sanaka and others out of his mind. As those saintly persons did not agree to procreate, Brahma got angry, as it were, and created Rudra(Sadyojata) out of the centre between his eye brows. It is thus described.in the suladi.. The senior master among the tatavyas(those high grade souls eligible for the post of Brahma quite soon), eagerly gave birth to persons like Sadak.a and others; his eyes becoming red with anger when they,mused to bring out progeny,.immediately brought out Shiva with the nanie Sadyojata and ordered him to create living beings; and his creation being terrible and ghastly, put an end to that creation.. "Adi Swayambhuva Manu and Satarupa devi he created ( from his right side and left side) simultaneously and when Manu praised his creator, Brahma united them in marriage and they begot children by conjugal right. In the suladi text of the udupi edition, some passages seem to have been misplaced in their order. It laid that Varaha avatar took place as soon as Brahma thought of creation. This displacement is perhaps, to the oral version gathered by the publishers. The proper sequence as follows. Adi manu praised his creator and agreed to procreate. But, he asked, "where is the land for me to out my off -spring?" Right at that moment, Sri Hari came out of the right nostril of Brahma, like a tiny bear, grew upto the size of an elephant and dived into the waters which had submerged the earth and all Satyaloka, during the night of Padma Kalpa. Although the waters subsided, the earth was not where should have been. During the period of night, the demon Hiramyaksha had rolled the wide earth like a mat and rad hidden it in Rasatala loka. Even as varaha murthi emerged from the right nostril of Brahma, Hiramyaksha came out of the left nostril and had divided into the waters to hold.the earth where he had hid varaha killed him and crushed him and mixing the fat of their bodies with the earth, hardened it brought it up and spread it as before. He also stationed four mighty elephants upon the Lokaloka parvata. such that the earth could not be rolled again. This is about the glorious deed of Adi Varaha. Later on, in the vaivaswatha Manvantara the seventh and the present one, Hiranayksha, brother of HiranyakShipu, stole Bhudevi and not the earth, and hid her in Rastala loka. Sri Hari came down as varaha for the second time and, as he killed the demon and was coming up with Bhudevi, he uplifted the west coast region of Bbarat, which had sunk into the sea due to the pressure of the kick given by Hiranayaksha as he leaped into the sea. The varaha parvata near Kuduremukh in the Chickmagalur district of Kamataka' bears witness to this fact..rivers Tunga, Bhadra and Netravathi flow from thence. River Tungbhadra goes by the name 'Varaha tanaya' Geologists have said www.vijayadasaru.net 9
that the west coast region of India, which had been once submerged, has been recently uplifted. Adivaraha made Srimeshnam in South India his block while Bhoovaraha is glorifying the Ttrupathi hills with his presence beside the holy lake, swami pushkarini. Coming back to the suladi version of our dasaraya, we are told about the progency of Swayambhuva Manu and Satrupa. "By marriage tie were children born, know them, uttanapada and Priyavrata of noble quality, their sisters being Akiti, Prasiti and the pretty Devahiiti, all of auspicious birth; Adi manu gave them in marriage to sage Ruehi, Dakha and Kardama". Swayambhuva Manu+Satarupadevi Uttanapada Ruchi+Akuti Priyavarata Kardanna+Devahuti Daksha+Prasuti With their marriages, the earth brimmed with population. Later in the Vaivaswatha Manvanthara, Sage Kashyapa married the 13 daughters of Daksha Prajeswara and gave birth to a variety of living beings. Ditidevi's Children were the Daityas like Hiranya Kashipu and Hiranyaksha. Aditidevi's offspring were the Aditeryas of divine nature. Danu's children were the danavas - demons of materialistic inclination; hence 'Dravinas' who were the ansectors of the Dramilas (Dravidas, Damilas, Tamilians). They were the traders who spread over the Mediterranian shores and being greatship builders, came over to Bharat too, later on. (A daitya or a danava does not necessarily by mean one of demoniac nature. For instance, while Hiranyakshipu was a demon, his own son Prahlada, Will a typical devoteee of VIShnu; and his brothers and his collegues at the Gurukula, were all of divine nature). Vinatadevi gave birth to birds and the progenct of Kardrudevi were serpents and reptiles, All kinds of living things were the off - springs of Ka.shyapa Maharshi. Vijayadasarya tells us about the purpose of creation, "The benevolent Lord provided means of living to the created beings. He goes on with the wodof creation, preservation and annihilation, making the born ones to go through evil deeds and learn to engage themselves in fruitful, meritorious deeds; thus. He is taking care of the world, our benefactor, Vijaya Vittalareya; Brahma is like his reflected self' (Pratibimba), 1 In his "Bhugola Suladi" our dasarya gives a detailed description of the seven islands and seven oceans; and he extols our Bharata Khanda as a gift of God to earn merit and reach his abode. If one contemplates upon the ten varanas, recognising the glorious presence of the Supreme Lord in every one of them. It will not be a wasteful affair, on the other hand, one earns great merit and the Master of the three worlds, shows the entire creation along himself, in one's own body. www.vijayadasaru.net 10
To him who listens to the glories of the seven islands, Vijaya Vlittala bestows hisblessings and becomes closest well-wisher" And, the Dasarya dedicates his Suladi to the Lord of his heart, thus "I have narrated the process and course of creation to the extent of my understanding, having heard from the knowers and that by the grace of Vijay a Vittala raya". Sri Gopala Krishnmpanamastu Typesetted By Chippagiri Mohan www.vijayadasaru.net 11