Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 05, Chapter 17, Text 22-23

Text-22-23

SB 5.17.22-23

yasyadya asid guna-vigraho mahan
 vijñana-dhisnyo bhagavan ajah kila
yat-sambhavo ’ham tri-vrta sva-tejasa
 vaikarikam tamasam aindriyam srje
 
ete vayam yasya vase mahatmanah
 sthitah sakunta iva sutra-yantritah
mahan aham vaikrta-tamasendriyah
 srjama sarve yad-anugrahad idam
 
Translation by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada: 
 
From that Supreme Personality of Godhead appears Lord Brahma, whose body is made from the total material energy, the reservoir of intelligence predominated by the passionate mode of material nature. From Lord Brahma, I myself am born as a representation of false ego known as Rudra. By my own power I create all the other demigods, the five elements and the senses. Therefore, I worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is greater than any of us and under whose control are situated all the demigods, material elements and senses, and even Lord Brahma and I myself, like birds bound by a rope. Only by the Lord’s grace can we create, maintain and annihilate the material world. Therefore I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Being.
 
Purport by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada: 
 
A summary of creation is given in this verse. From Sankarsana, Maha-Visnu expands, and from Maha-Visnu, Garbhodakasayi Visnu expands. Lord Brahma, who was born of Garbhodakasayi Visnu, fathers Lord Siva, from whom all the other demigods gradually evolve. Lord Brahma, Lord Siva and Lord Visnu are incarnations of the different material qualities. Lord Visnu is actually above all material qualities, but He accepts control of sattva-guna (the mode of goodness) to maintain the universe. Lord Brahma is born from the mahat-tattva. Brahma creates the entire universe, Lord Visnu maintains it, and Lord Siva annihilates it. The Supreme Personality of Godhead controls all the most important demigods — especially Lord Brahma and Lord Siva — exactly as the owner of a bird controls it by binding it with a rope. Sometimes vultures are controlled in this way.
Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 05, Chapter 17, Text 21
Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 05, Chapter 17, Text 24