Now, in each brahmāṇḍa . . . this universe what we are seeing, it is only half. The half is full with water. And where is that water, we cannot see. But there is water. Just like a ball, and half the ball, inside, is filled with water. So . . . and wherefrom this water came? The Mahā- . . . this Viṣṇu, the . . . the Viṣṇu which entered each universe, from His perspiration He created this water. And He laid down on the water. This is called Śeṣaśāyī Viṣṇu or Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu. Tāṅra nābhi-padma haite uṭhila eka padma (CC Madhya 20.287): "And then He created one lotus flower from His navel." You have seen that picture in the title page, title cover. Nābhi-padma. Sei padme ha-ila brahmāra janma-sadma: "And from that lotus flower, on that lotus flower, the Brahmā, the first created being, was manifested."
- sei padma-nāle ha-ila caudda bhuvana
- teṅho 'brahmā' hañā sṛṣṭi karila sṛjana
- (CC Madhya 20.288)
And this Brahmā is a living being, jīva-tattva. He is not viṣṇu-tattva. Just see how much a living being can be powerful. "Now, Brahmā was created by this Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu, and Brahmā in his turn, he created all these planetary system." There are fourteen status of planetary system, caudda bhuvana: Bhūrloka, Bhuvarloka, Janaloka, Maharloka, Tapoloka and Brahmaloka, and down, Tala, Atala, Vitala, Pātāla, Talātala, and similarly, there are fourteen planetary systems all over this universe.
- 'viṣṇu'-rūpa hañā kare jagat pālane
- guṇātīta viṣṇu—sparśa nāhi māyā-sane
- (CC Madhya 20.289)
"Now, this Viṣṇu has nothing to do. He is not affected by this material contamination." That is the power of Viṣṇu. Just like we are living entities. When we come into this material world, we become contaminated, we become affected by this, by the influence of this material nature. But Viṣṇu, although He is looking after the management of creation of this brahmāṇḍa, He is not affected. He is not affected.
- 'viṣṇu'-rūpa hañā kare jagat pālane
- guṇātīta viṣṇu—sparśa nāhi māyā-sane
- (CC Madhya 20.289)
- 'rudra'-rūpa dhari kare jagat saṁhāra
- (CC Madhya 20.290)
And when these material worlds or universes are to be annihilated, the same Viṣṇu in His form of Lord Śiva, rudra-rūpa, He annihilates. So Viṣṇu's, Viṣṇu creates, and Lord Śiva annihilates, and Brahmā is in charge of this universe.