Karika verse 1.15

15. (K⁹). Some think that the creation is for the sake of enjoyment (of the Creator), while others think that it is for the sake of recreation, (to shake off the lethargy of pralaya sleep or the ennui of the solitude of pralaya). This (act of creation) of God is His nature (without any motive). What motive there can be for one who has all His desires satisfied?—15.

Notes.

The Lord does not want this creation for His enjoyment, so the question of bhoga goes out. Then remains krīḍā or sport. The Rāmānujas hold that the Lord creates for the sake of recreation, to shake off the lethargy or ennui of pralaya. The siddhānta view, however, is that creation is no doubt a 1ī1ā or sport of the Lord, but with no such object or motive, as the Ramanujas imagine. For Hari is Āpta-Kāma—whose desires are all fulfilled, so he can have no such inclination. However though the Lord has no object of His own to be gained by creation, He creates for the sake of others—to make Jīvas perfect. As says the commentator Śrīnivāsa:—tathā ca bhagavat sṛṣṭeḥ sva prayojanā-bhāvepi para prayojanāpekṣatvam asty eva.

Madhva’s commentary called the Bhāṣya:

Some men of little learning say that this creation proceeds from Time. Some say it is from Rudra, some say from Brahmā, while others say it is from Pradhāna. All these are deluded verily; because Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme, is the creator of all and possessed of all power. He is the one creator alone, and no one else. The Pradhāna (Nature), Time, Brahmā, or Rudra and others below them in rank, are all under the command of the Lord (and create under His control). Some not very intelligent persons think, that Viṣṇu had some desires left unsatisfied, therefore, He creates (in order to attain the fullness of his being). But the wise say the creation is for the sake of sport only, but a sport which is His nature (and not for the sake of throwing off laziness). For how can the Lord who wants nothing have any wants. The above is so stated in Hari Vaṃśa?