Pādma Kalpa Sṛshṭi

The Pādma Kalpa is the kalpa (day of Brahmā) in which Brahmā is born from a golden lotus that rises from the navel of Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa. The Matsya Purāṇa tells this account in its last section, Chapters 163 to 170. It covers the lengths of the yugas, the dissolution (pralaya), the rising of the lotus, Brahmā’s birth and his first acts of creation, ending with the Gāyatrī mantra and the four Vedas.

Manu’s question to Bhagavān Matsya

The section opens with Vaivasvata Manu putting a question to Bhagavān Matsya (Bhagavān Vishṇu in his fish form, the teacher of this Purāṇa). Manu asks: “What is the nāvī-padma, the lotus that rises from your navel, and what is the Pādma Kalpa?” The question begins the last teaching of the Purāṇa on how the world is made. This is Chapter 163.

The length of the yugas

Before describing the dissolution, the text gives the length of each of the four yugas in divine years. Each yuga has a saṃdhyā (twilight period) on each side. The total includes both.

One mahāyuga is 12,000 divine years. One thousand mahāyugas make one kalpa, which is one day of Brahmā (the day only, not the night). Brahmā’s day and night together are 2,000 mahāyugas. This is Chapter 164.

The dissolution

At the end of the kalpa the world is drawn back in stages.

The seven Saṃvartaka suns. Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa takes the form of seven blazing suns at once, the Saṃvartaka Sūryas. Their combined heat dries up all the oceans, rivers and waters. The earth is scorched bare, and all plants, beings and moisture are consumed.

The Saṃvartaka fire. Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa then becomes the Saṃvartaka agni, the fire of dissolution. It burns whatever is left of matter: the mountains, the earth and every physical form. Only the unmanifest remains.

The Saṃvartaka clouds. The terrible clouds of dissolution pour rain for one thousand divine years. The flood covers everything that is left, and the waters spread without limit.

Nārāyaṇa’s sleep. With all creation drawn back into himself, Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa rests alone on the endless dark ocean in yoga-nidrā (the sleep of yoga). There is no world, no sun, no stars, and no time measured by events. There is only the silent ocean, and on it the sleeping form of Paramātmā. This is Chapter 165.

Mārkaṇḍeya within Nārāyaṇa

Chapter 166 holds the account of the ṛshi Mārkaṇḍeya. He wanders inside the cosmic body of Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa, is breathed out into the empty ocean, and there sees the infant Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa on a banyan leaf (vaṭa).

The nāvī-padma: the golden lotus rises

When the time of new creation came, creation began again from within Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa. It went through the elements in order: ākāśa (space), vāyu (air), agni (fire), then jala (water). From the gathering of these, energy began to flow from his navel as a bright stalk of light.

From this stalk rose the nāvī-padma, the great golden lotus (also called hiraṇya-padma or nābhi-padma). It rose through the cosmic waters toward the surface of light. It shone with the light of ten thousand suns, golden and beyond measure, and its petals spread through the empty space. The kalpa that begins with the birth from this lotus is called the Pādma Kalpa, named for this first padma (lotus). This is Chapter 167.

Brahmā’s birth

The four-faced Brahmā was born inside the golden lotus. He came out of its centre and found himself alone on the cosmic ocean, seated on a flower of unmatched beauty. For a long time he meditated, trying to know his own origin and nature. He went down the lotus stalk toward its source but could not reach the bottom. He came back up and sat in meditation.

The lotus on which Brahmā sat is named as Pṛthivī, the earth principle. It is both the first support of the earth and the creative power from which all material things begin. From this lotus-earth Brahmā set up the mountains, with Meru at the centre, and the first form of Jambūdvīpa, the central continent. The seven dvīpas (continents) begin to take shape. The kalpa is called Pādma because Brahmā came into being through this first padma. This is Chapter 168.

Madhu and Kaiṭabha

Chapter 169 holds the account of the two dānavas Madhu and Kaiṭabha, who arose from the ears of Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa and were killed by Bhagavān Vishṇu on his own thighs.

Brahmā’s second creation: sons, Gāyatrī and the Vedas

Brahmā then began his second creation, called vaikṛta. His first creations were three mānasa-putras (mind-born sons):

1. Svāyambhuva, who would become the first Manu
2. Bhuva
3. Bhūrbhuva

Two teachers. Brahmā fixed that the created beings would have two highest teachers. Nārāyaṇa is the yogācārya, the teacher of yoga, the path of union and devotion. Kapila is the sāṃkhyācārya, the teacher of Sāṃkhya, the path of clear knowledge.

Gāyatrī and the Vedas. Brahmā then created his consort Gāyatrī, who is also called Sarasvatī, the devī of speech, learning and the sacred word. Through her Brahmā spoke the great Gāyatrī mantra:

Oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ — tat savitur vareṇyaṃ bhargo devasya dhīmahi dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt.

This means: we meditate on the glorious light of Bhagavān Savitṛ; may he guide our minds. From this utterance the four Vedas came into being: the Ṛgveda, the Yajurveda, the Sāmaveda and the Atharvaveda.

The Prajāpatis. Brahmā then created all the Prajāpatis, the fathers of creatures, to begin the ordered growth of all beings.

Dharma, the first son. The first son of Brahmā is Dharma, the principle of right order. Before any other being or class was created, Brahmā’s first child was Dharma. This is Chapter 170.

Sources

• Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 163: Manu’s question to Bhagavān Matsya
• Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 164: the length of the yugas
• Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 165: the dissolution and Nārāyaṇa’s sleep
• Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 166: Mārkaṇḍeya within Nārāyaṇa
• Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 167: the nāvī-padma
• Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 168: Brahmā’s birth
• Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 169: Madhu and Kaiṭabha
• Matsya Mahā Purāṇa, Chapter 170: Brahmā’s second creation, Gāyatrī and the Vedas