By the influence of the Lord’s three energies (spiritual,
marginal, and material), the spiritual world, the living
entities, and the material world have been created.
Within each of the three energies we find three separate
propensities called sandhinī, samvit, and hlādinī.
By the interaction of the spiritual potency and the
sandhinī propensity, all kinds of spiritual opulences
such as the spiritual abode, spiritual forms, and spiritual
paraphernalia manifest. The names, forms, qualities,
and pastimes of Krishna are the work of sandhinī. By
the interaction of the spiritual potency with the samvit
propensity, all spiritual sentiments manifest. By the
interaction of the spiritual potency with the hlādinī
propensity, the cultivation of ecstatic love manifests.
By the interaction of the marginal potency and
the sandhinī propensity, spiritual existence and the
names and abodes of the living entities manifest. By
the interaction of the marginal potency with the
samvit propensity, impersonal knowledge manifests.
By the interaction of the marginal potency with the
hlādinī propensity, happiness derived from merging
into Brahman manifests, as well as the happiness
of trance attained through aṣṭāṅga-yoga or the
happiness of being one with the Lord.
By the interaction of the material potency with the
sandhinī propensity, the material universes (consisting of
fourteen worlds, the gross and subtle bodies of the conditioned
souls, their attainment of the heavenly planets,
and their material senses) have been created. The material
names, forms, qualities, and activities of the conditioned
souls are also the result of this interaction. By the interaction
of the material potency with the samvit propensity,
the conditioned souls’ thoughts, desires, imaginations, and
concepts are manifest. By the interaction of the material
potency with the hlādinī propensity, gross material pleasures
and subtle heavenly pleasures manifest.
— Bhaktivinoda-vāṇī-vaibhava, translated by Bhumipati Das.
Published by Ishwar Das and Touchstone Media. Vrindavan. 2003.
