Slokam 1

The slokam begins by referencing fourteen worlds and a higher world of Brahma, which is known as Satyaloka. Brahma’s consciousness is dominated by the Rajasic Guna at the time of creation.  He is called Hiranyagharbha, which means “the cradle of creation” (literally the 'golden womb' or 'golden egg', poetically translated as 'universal germ').

Brahma is designated as the creator of all the three worlds.

An implied assertion here is that as the creator of the universe, it is also his responsibility to hold it in balance. 

The creator, Brahma did not begin assembling material building components.  There were no building components.  So the manifestation was born purely from the (or within the) consciousness/mind of the creator through the process of Tapas. Anything created from the mind_consciousness complex would be subject to constant change because the mind is pulled in different directions by imbalanced Gunas.  This is how the scriptures relate the creation and events in the universe to the three Gunas.  The three Gunas can also be related to the three worlds. Tamasic to the lower (Patalam), Rajasic to Earth (BHu) and Sattvic to the higher (Swarga lokam).

Remember, Brahma is physically not separate from our inner selves.  Creation, per the scriptures, is from inside out and not from outside inwards.  So the lotus and the stalk of the lotus (down which Brahma slides) are the mother’s womb, umbilical cord and other gynecological organs. The ocean is the amniotic fluid.  Our birth is the creation of our world. The world is born out of our perception. After our physical death, we are either re-born into the same world, or we are reborn in a higher/lower world depending on the Papam, Punyam or the Good and Bad Karmas accumulated. 

Going back to the prior Slokams, it is not important as to whether these physical worlds are created exclusively for us or if they already exist. We are born into them with the intent that we will learn and most importantly, evolve from the lessons learned, so that our consciousness attains purity, thru Tapas.

May we be given the strength to learn the lessons well and ascend from our present level of existence.