God Is Lord Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu - The Universal Creator
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the Supreme Personality of Godhead expands in three specific puruṣa-avatāra forms to execute the creation, maintenance, and destruction of the material world. The second of these forms is Lord Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, who directly enters into every individual universe to orchestrate its inner creation.
The Second Puruṣa-avatāra
As innumerable universes emanate from the breathing of Mahā-Viṣṇu, the Lord does not leave them empty. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the Supreme Lord expands Himself as Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu and personally enters into each and every universe to act as its supreme controller.
- Maha-Visnu is lying in the Causal Ocean, Karanarnava, and He is breathing, and from His breathing innumerable universes are coming out. And in each and every universe, Maha-Visnu, in His further expansion as Garbhodakasayi-Visnu, He enters.
- The first purusa is the Karanodakasayi Visnu. From His skin holes innumerable universes have sprung up. In each and every universe, the purusa enters as the Garbhodakasayi Visnu.
- After creating millions of universes, the first purusa entered into each of them in a separate form, as Sri Garbhodakasayi.
- The conclusion is that the purusa-avatara is manifested in three features - first the Karanodakasayi who creates aggregate material ingredients in the mahat-tattva, second the Garbhodakasayi who enters in each and every universe.
The Lotus Birth of Brahmā
Upon entering the universe, Lord Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu fills half of it with water and lies upon the serpent bed of Śeṣa Nāga. Śrīla Prabhupāda highlights that from the Lord's navel grows a majestic lotus flower, upon which Lord Brahmā is born to engineer the planetary systems.
- The Lord as Garbhodakasayi Visnu lies in the ocean of Garbha within this universe, and from His navel the lotus flower sprouts. Lord Brahma is generated from that lotus flower, and from Lord Brahma the creation of this material world begins.
- In each and every universal globe, the same Maha-visnu enters again as Garbhodakasayi Visnu and lies there on the serpentlike Sesa incarnation. From His navel sprouts a lotus stem, and on the lotus, Brahma, the lord of the universe, is born.
- From the navel of Garbhodakasayi Visnu has sprung the stem of the lotus flower, the birthplace of Brahma, who is the father of all living beings and the master of all the demigod engineers engaged in the perfect design and working of the universal order.
- He (Brahma) is the first living creature and is born from the lotus which grows from the abdomen of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Garbhodakasayi Visnu. Therefore he is called Svayambhu, self-born.
The Source of Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu
To intimately guide the individual souls, Lord Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu expands once more. Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that the third puruṣa-avatāra, Kṣīrodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, originates from Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu to enter the hearts of all living entities and every atom.
- From Garbhodakasayi Visnu there is expansion of the Ksirodakasayi Visnu, who is the collective Paramatma of all living beings. He is called Hari, and from Him all incarnations within the universe are expanded.
- The Lord enters every universe as Garbhodakasayi Visnu and then expands Himself as Ksirodakasayi Visnu to enter the hearts of all living entities and even enter the atoms. Andantara-stha-paramanu-cayantara-stham.
- The Visnu who is the plenary portion of the Garbhodakasayi Visnu is the Supersoul of the universal life, and He is known as the maintainer of the universe or Ksirodakasayi Visnu.
- In the Satvata-tantra it is said that the third purusa incarnation, Ksirodakasayi Visnu, is situated as the Supersoul in everyone's heart. This Ksirodakasayi Visnu is an expansion of Garbhodakasayi Visnu for pastimes.
Transcendental to Material Nature
Although Lord Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu is surrounded by the material energy, He is never affected by it. Śrīla Prabhupāda asserts that the Lord is the absolute controller of the guṇas (modes of nature) and remains completely aloof and spiritually pure.
- The Garbhodakasayi Visnu is the Lord of the universe, and although He appears to be lying within the universe, He is always transcendental.
- Although these three features of the Lord deal directly with the material energy, none of Them are touched by it. They are all beyond illusion.
- The material energy creates, maintains and devastates the entire cosmic manifestation because of directions given by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who enters this universe as Garbhodakasayi Visnu but is untouched by the material qualities.
- In the Transcendence there is no chance of material contact by any means. Brahma is the first living being, and therefore he mentions his birth from the lotus flower generated from the abdomen of Garbhodakasayi Visnu.
The Ultimate Resting Place
Everything that is created must eventually be destroyed. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that when the life of Lord Brahmā concludes, the entire universe and all the living entities within it merge back into the abdomen of Lord Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu.
- My dear Lord, at the end of each millennium the Supreme Personality of Godhead Garbhodakasayi Visnu dissolves everything manifested within the universe into His belly.
- When this cosmic manifestation is dissolved, all living entities enter the supreme body of the Lord, Garbhodakasayi Visnu, who merges within the body of Maha-visnu.
- One dissolution takes place at the end of the life of Brahma. At that time all the planetary systems, including the heavenly systems, are dissolved in water and enter into the body of Garbhodakasayi Visnu, who lies on the Garbhodaka Ocean.
- At the end of each and every millennium, when all the material worlds are dissolved, everything enters the body of Garbhodakasayi Visnu, who is lying on the lap of Sesa Naga, another form of the Lord.
Realization Through Devotion
Because the Lord's form and activities are entirely spiritual, they cannot be understood by materialistic logic. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that even the great Lord Brahmā could only perceive the form of Lord Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu through intense penance and pure devotion.
- Sometimes the atheists argue, How can a flower stem sprout from the navel of Garbhodakasayi Visnu? They consider all the statements of the sastras to be stories.
- By acts of penance only was Lord Brahma able to see the Garbhodakasayi Visnu, and by realization only could he understand the Lord as He is.
- Lord Brahma said: O my Lord, today, after many, many years of penance, I have come to know about You. Oh, how unfortunate the embodied living entities are that they are unable to know Your personality.
- Those who have worshiped Garbhodakasayi Visnu are liberated with Brahma, and those who are pure devotees of the Personality of Godhead at once push through the covering of the universe and enter the spiritual sky.
Conclusion
To properly comprehend the cosmic manifestation, one must understand the supreme position of Lord Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Śrīla Prabhupāda concludes that as the secondary creator, the maintainer, and the ultimate resting place of the universe, this profound puruṣa-avatāra eternally orchestrates the material world without ever being touched by its illusion. By seriously undertaking the path of devotional service, a sincere soul can transcend material speculation and directly realize the glorious form of the Lord.
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