SB 3.10.8 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

पद्मकोशं तदाविश्य भगवत्कर्मचोदित: । एकं व्यभाङ्‌क्षीदुरुधा त्रिधा भाव्यं द्विसप्तधा ॥ ८ ॥

Verse text

padma-kośaṁ tadāviśya bhagavat-karma-coditaḥ ekaṁ vyabhāṅkṣīd urudhā tridhā bhāvyaṁ dvi-saptadhā

Synonyms

padma — kośam — the whorl of the lotus ; tadā — then ; āviśya — entering into ; bhagavat — by the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; karma — in activities ; coditaḥ — being encouraged by ; ekam — one ; vyabhāṅkṣīt — divided into ; urudhā — great division ; tridhā — three divisions ; bhāvyam — capable of further creation ; dvi — saptadhā — fourteen divisions .

Translation

Thus engaged in the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Brahmā entered into the whorl of the lotus, and as it spread all over the universe he divided it into three divisions of worlds and later into fourteen divisions.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Inspired to do the work by the Lord, Brahmā entered into the whorl of the lotus, and divided it into three divisions and later expanded it into fourteen divisions in order to produce varieties. He entered into the lotus. Fixed in the creation of the planets by the Lord, he divided the one lotus into three parts. In order to negate the idea that it is impossible to create three worlds out of one, it is explained that the expansion was even greater. Brahmā made it into fourteen divisions, since to make it suitable (bhāvyam) for many forms, three divisions was not sufficient. This is Śrīdhara Svāmī’s explanation. First he divided the lotus into three and then into fourteen, and then even more, with planets like the sun and moon. How is it described? It was suitable for meditation (bhāvyam) by the worshippers of Vairāja. This is the explanation of bhāvyam by others.