SB 5.12.9 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

एवं निरुक्तं क्षितिशब्दवृत्त- मसन्निधानात्परमाणवो ये । अविद्यया मनसा कल्पितास्ते येषां समूहेन कृतो विशेष: ॥ ९ ॥

Verse text

evaṁ niruktaṁ kṣiti-śabda-vṛttam asan nidhānāt paramāṇavo ye avidyayā manasā kalpitās te yeṣāṁ samūhena kṛto viśeṣaḥ

Synonyms

evam — thus ; niruktam — falsely described ; kṣiti — śabda — of the word “earth” ; vṛttam — the existence ; asat — not real ; nidhānāt — from the dissolution ; parama — aṇavaḥ — atomic particles ; ye — all of which ; avidyayā — because of less intelligence ; manasā — in the mind ; kalpitāḥ — imagined ; te — they ; yeṣām — of which ; samūhena — by the aggregate ; kṛtaḥ — made ; viśeṣaḥ — the particulars .

Translation

One may say that varieties arise from the planet earth itself. However, although the universe may temporarily appear to be the truth, it ultimately has no real existence. The earth was originally created by a combination of atomic particles, but these particles are impermanent. Actually the atom is not the cause of the universe, although some philosophers think so. It is not a fact that the varieties found in this material world simply result from atomic juxtaposition or combination.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

What is known by the word “earth” exists in name only because earth is resolved into atomic particles, which are imagined by the mind out of ignorance. Out of their combination, a particular object is made. “Earth at least is real.” The word “earth” exists as a name only. Why? Because it is caused by atomic particles (asat), which are the cause of earth. Earth cannot exist except for these particles. “Then particles are real.” These particles have been imagined by the mind out of ignorance by philosophers, in order to explain the effects in the world we perceive. Therefore particles are also unreal. The reason for this conception is described. A particular object such as earth is made out of the totality of particles. One should accept the total only rather than the parts.

Purport

Those who follow the atomic theory think that the protons and electrons of atoms combine in such a way as to bring all material existence into being. However, the scientists fail to discover the cause of atomic existence itself. Under these circumstances, we cannot accept that the atom is the cause of the universe. Such theories are advanced by unintelligent people. According to real intelligence, the real cause of the cosmic manifestation is the Supreme Lord. Janmādy asya yataḥ: He is the original cause of all creation. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (10.8) : ahaṁ sarvasya prabhavo mattaḥ sarvaṁ pravartate. Kṛṣṇa is the original cause. Sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam: He is the cause of all causes. Kṛṣṇa is the cause of atoms, the material energy. bhūmir āpo ’nalo vāyuḥ khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā (Bg. 7.4) The ultimate cause is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and only those in ignorance try to find out other causes by posing different theories.