Now, Brahmā's description is given here, that bhāsvān yathāśma-sakaleṣu nijeṣu tejaḥ. Just like valuable stone . . . the example is very nice, valuable stone, just like diamond. Diamond has got power to illuminate. And what is this diamond? The diamond is made by the interaction of sunshine. All these valuable stones, they are products of sunshine.
So as the diamond has got power of shining power, it is derived from the sun, or diamond . . . the moon also, it derives power from the sun, similarly, Brahmā, although he is very powerful, he is known as creator of this universe, but he is just like diamond. He inherits power from the Supreme Lord, so he becomes powerful.
Bhāsvān yathāśma-sakaleṣu nijeṣu tejaḥ. That is simple a bit of power. Just like a diamond, diamond also illuminating, but it is not original luminous. Original luminous is sun, and the illumination expanded by diamond is not so valuable as the sunshine. Similarly, Brahmā, although we see him so powerful, he has little power derived from the Supreme Lord. That is the example given here:
- kona kalpe yadi yogya jīva nāhi pāya
- āpane īśvara tabe aṁśe 'brahmā' haya
- (CC Madhya 20.305)
Kona kalpe. There are . . . kalpa means the duration of one creation. This material creation, bhūtvā bhūtvā pralīyate (BG 8.19), it is created at a certain interval, and it stays for some time, again it is annihilated. So again, at the time of creation, if somebody is not available, then the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa, He becomes Brahmā Himself.
- yasyāṅghri-paṅkaja-rajo 'khila-loka-pālair
- mauly-uttamair dhṛtam upāsita-tīrtha-tīrtham
- brahmā bhavo 'ham api yasya kalāḥ kalāyāḥ
- śrīś codavahema ciram asya nṛpāsanaṁ kva
- (CC Madhya 20.306)
So:
- nijāṁśa-kalāya kṛṣṇa tamo-guṇa aṅgīkari'
- saṁhārārthe māyā-saṅge rudra-rūpa dhari
- (CC Madhya 20.307)
Similarly, sometimes, when Śiva is not available . . . Śiva is available. Nijāṁśa-kalāya kṛṣṇa tamo-guṇa aṅgīkari'. Now Kṛṣṇa, the Lord Himself, when He accepts the management of these modes of ignorance, He is called Śiva. So Śiva, Śiva is God, but because he is in the department of ignorance, therefore his name is Śiva. He makes śiva. Śiva, another meaning of śiva is "auspicious." These inauspicious persons who are in ignorance, for them, Śiva worship, worship of Lord Śiva, is recommended so that gradually they come to the modes of passion and goodness, and then they are liberated.
So nijāṁśa-kalāya kṛṣṇa tamo-guṇa aṅgīkari', saṁhārārthe. But his business is destruction. When there is some destruction in this material world, you should know that is the action of Śiva. Perhaps you have seen one statue that is very popular, sold in antique shops—Naṭarāja, dancing and fire, all round there is fire. When Śiva begins to dance, his dance is very serious. As you dance, kṛṣṇa-kīrtana, so similarly Śiva also dances for annihilation. There is fire. By his dancing, there will be fire. Saṁhārārthe māyā-saṅge rudra-rūpa dhari. Māyā-saṅge. He has got connection with this material energy, and he is meant for destruction. Material energy is under the, I mean to say, control of this Śiva-rūpa of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore he is called father. He is called father, and the material energy is called mother. Father and mother, Durgā.