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Chapter 5: Vidura's Talks with Maitreya

Verse 27 of 51
SB 3.5.27

ततो ऽभवन्महत्तत्त्वमव्यक्तात्कालचोदितात् विज्ञानात्मा ऽऽत्मदेहस्थं विश्वं व्यंजंस्तमोनुदः

tato 'bhavan mahat-tattvam avyaktāt kāla-coditāt vijñānātmā ''tma-deha-sthaṁ viśvaṁ vyañjaṁs tamonudaḥ

Synonyms

tataḥthereafter; abhavatcame into existence; mahatsupreme; tattvamsum total; avyaktātfrom the unmanifested; kāla-coditātby the interaction of time; vijñānātmāunalloyed goodness; ātma-deha-sthamsituated on the bodily self; viśvamcomplete universes; vyañjanmanifested; tamonudaḥthe supreme light..

Translation

Thereafter, influenced by the interactions of eternal time, the supreme sum total of matter called the mahat-tattva became manifested, and in this mahat tattva the unalloyed goodness, the Supreme Lord, sowed the seeds of universal manifestation out of His own body.

Purport

In due course of time, the impregnated material energy was manifested first as the total material ingredients. Everything takes its own time to fructify, and therefore the word kāla-coditāt, influenced by time, is used herein. The mahat-tattva is the total consciousness because a portion of it is represented in everyone as the intellect. The mahat-tattva is directly connected with the supreme consciousness of the Supreme Being, but still it appears as matter. The mahat-tattva or shadow of pure consciousness is the germinating place of all creation. It is pure goodness with the slight addition of the material mode of passion, and therefore activity is generated from this point.

Verse 27 of 51
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