*SKANDHA III., CHAP. 10.*
When Bhagavan disappeared, Brahma, as directed, practised meditation for
one hundred Deva-years. He found his lotus abode moved by air. With all
the power acquired by _Atma Vidya_ and _Tapas_, he drank up all the
waters and the air. He found the _Lokas_ attached to the overspreading
Lotus and he had only to divide them. He entered into the Lotus bud and
divided it into three parts -- the _Triloki_. This is the creation of
the _Triloki_. The higher Lokas (Mahar, Jana, Tapas and Satya) are the
transformations of _Nishkama Karma_ or unselfish action. So they are not
destroyed in each Kalpa, but they last for two Parardhas.
"What is Kala", asked Vidura, "that has been described as a _Sakti of
Hari?_"
"_Kala_ is the disturber of _Gunas_", replied Maitreya, "causing
transformations. In itself it is without any particularity and is
without beginning or end.
"With Kala as the Nimitta or efficient cause, Bhagavan only manifested
Himself. The Universe has no separate existence from that of Brahma. It
is only Kala that makes the Universe manifest."
The Creation of Brahma is ninefold, Prakrita and Vaikrita,
Prakrita-Vaikrita being the tenth. The Pralaya is of three kinds:
1) By Kala or Nitya. Flow of time is the only cause of this Pralaya.
2) By Dravya or Naimittika. Dravya is the fire from the mouth of
Sankarshana, at the end of one Kalpa.
3) By Guna or Prakritika, the Gunas devouring their own actions. The
forms of Pralaya will be considered in the study of the Twelfth
Branch.
_A. -- Prakrita Creation, *i.e._ the Creation of Principles or Tatvas.*
I. _Mahat_ -- Which is the out-come of the first disturbance of
the equilibrium of the Gunas.
II. _Ahankara_ -- Dravya + Jnana + Kriya.
III. _Tanmatra_ -- Result of Dravya Sakti.
IV. _Indriyas_ -- Result of Jnana and Kriya Sakti.
V. _Vaikarika_ -- Devas and Manas.
VI. The five-fold Tamasika creation.
_B. -- Vaikrita or Individual Creation._
VII. _Urdha Srotas_ -- or with upward current of the food taken, the
Sthavara or Immobile kingdom with six divisions.