Māndukya 1.15

भोगार्थं सृष्टिरित्यन्ये क्रीडार्थमिति चापरे। देवस्यैषः स्वभावोऽयं आप्तकामस्य का स्पृहा॥ इति ॥१५॥

bhogārthaṃ sṛṣṭirityanye krīḍārthamiti cāpare। devasyaiṣaḥ svabhāvo'yaṃ āptakāmasya kā spṛhā॥ iti ॥15॥

[भोगार्थम् (bhogārtham) - for enjoyment; सृष्टिः (sṛṣṭiḥ) - creation; इति (iti) - thus; अन्ये (anye) - others; क्रीडार्थम् (krīḍārtham) - for play; इति (iti) - thus; च (ca) - and; अपरे (apare) - others; देवस्य (devasya) - of the divine; एषः (eṣaḥ) - this; स्वभावः (svabhāvaḥ) - nature; अयम् (ayam) - this; आप्तकामस्य (āptakāmasya) - of one whose desires are fulfilled; का (kā) - what; स्पृहा (spṛhā) - desire; इति (iti) - thus;]

Some say creation is for enjoyment; others say it is for play. This is the nature of the divine; what desire can there be for one whose desires are already fulfilled? - stated thus.

Bhāshya 1.15

A testimonial from Harivamsha clarifies that the activities of the lord are considered by the wise as a play that is inherent to His very nature and are not defective.

"तस्यापि विष्णोः सृष्टिं तु केचिदाहुरनैपुणाः॥ अतृप्तस्यैव भोगार्थं क्रीडार्थं तु विपश्चितः। सा च क्रीडा स्वभावोऽस्य कुतोऽतृप्त्या स्पृहा विभोः॥"

"tasyāpi viṣṇoḥ sṛṣṭiṃ tu kecid āhur anaipuṇāḥ॥ atṛptasyaiva bhogārthaṃ krīḍārthaṃ tu vipaścitaḥ। sā ca krīḍā svabhāvo'sya kuto'tṛptyā spṛhā vibhoḥ॥"

[तस्य (tasya) - of him; अपि (api) - also; विष्णोः (viṣṇoḥ) - of Viṣṇu; सृष्टिं (sṛṣṭiṃ) - creation; तु (tu) - but; केचित् (kecit) - some; आहुः (āhuḥ) - say; अनैपुणाः (anaipuṇāḥ) - imperfection; अतृप्तस्य (atṛptasya) - of the unsatisfied; एव (eva) - indeed; भोगार्थं (bhogārthaṃ) - for enjoyment; क्रीडार्थं (krīḍārthaṃ) - for play; तु (tu) - but; विपश्चितः (vipaścitaḥ) - of the wise; सा (sā) - that; च (ca) - and; क्रीडा (krīḍā) - play; स्वभावः (svabhāvaḥ) - nature; अस्य (asya) - of him; कुतः (kutaḥ) - from where; अतृप्त्या (atṛptyā) - from dissatisfaction; स्पृहा (spṛhā) - desire; विभोः (vibhoḥ) - of the Lord;]

"Some opine that even Viṣṇu's creation stems from imperfection. For those who are unsatisfied, it is indeed for enjoyment and play, but for the wise, that play is inherent to his nature. How can the Lord's desire arise from dissatisfaction?"

इति हरिवंशेषु॥

iti harivaṃśeṣu॥

[इति (iti) - thus; हरिवंशेषु (harivaṃśeṣu) - in the Harivamsa;]

- stated thus in the Harivamsa.

॥इति प्रथमखण्डः॥

॥iti prathamakhaṇḍaḥ॥

[इति (iti) - thus; प्रथम (prathama) - first; खण्डः (khaṇḍaḥ) - section;]

Thus ends the first section.