INDIFFERENCE OF BRAHMÁ.
Argument.—That God expects nothing from his creation.
Brahmá said:—O Bráhman! that art the best of Bráhmists (Bráhmos), the
God Sol having thus spoken of the ten Bráhmanas to Bráhma (me), held
his silence. (Here is a tautology of the word Bráhman in the fashion
of metaphysicians in its several homonymous significations. This is an
address of Brahmá to Vasishtha—the Bráhman and Brahmist, relating the
Bráhmanas).
2. I then thought upon this for sometime in my mind, and said
afterwards, O Sol, Sol! do thou tell me at present what I am next to
create. (Brahmá’s asking the sun about what he was next to create, bears
allusion to his works of creation during the six days of genesis, which
was directed by the course of the sun—his morning and evening),
3. Tell me thou sun, what need is there of my making any more worlds,
after these ten orbs have come into existence. (These ten orbs are the
ten planetary bodies belonging to the solar system).
4. Now O great sage! the sun having long considered in his mind about
what I wanted him to tell, replied to me in the following manner in
appropriate words.
5. The sun said:—What need hast thou of the act of creating, my lord!
that art devoid of effort or desire? This work of creation is only for
thy pleasure (and not for any use to thee).
6. Thou lord that art free from desires, givest rise to worlds, as the
sunbeams raise the waters, and the sunshine is accompanied by the shadow
(as its inseparable companion).
7. Thou that art indifferent to the fostering or forsaking of thy body
(_i.e._ either to live or die), needst have nothing to desire nor
renounce for thy pleasure or pain. (No gain or loss can add to the joy
or grief of the apathetic philosophic mind).
8. Thou, O Lord of creatures! dost create all these for the sake of thy
pleasure only, and so dost thou retract them all in thyself, as the sun
gives and withdraws his light by turns. (Creation and annihilation are
the acts of expansion and subtraction of all things, from and in the
supreme spirit).
9. Thou that art unattached to the world, makest thy creation out of the
work of love to thee, and not of any effort or endeavour on thy part.
10. If thou desist from stretching the creation out of the Supreme
Spirit, what good canst thou derive from thy inactivity? (Wherefore it
is better to do and produce something than nothing).
11. Do thy duty as it may present itself to thee, rather than remain
inactive with doing nothing. The dull person who like the dirty mirror,
does not reflect the image, comes to no use at all.
12. As the wise have no desire of doing anything which is beyond their
reach, so they never like to leave out anything which is useful, and
presents itself before them. (Nor long for more, nor leave out your own.
Or, Act well thy part &c.).
13. Therefore do thy work as it comes to thee, with a cheerful heart,
and calmness of mind; with a tranquil soul, as if it were in thy sleep,
and devoid of desires which thou canst never reap.
14. As thou dost derive pleasure, O Lord of worlds! in forming the orbs
of the sons of Indu, so the lord of gods will give thee thy reward for
thy works of creation.
15. The manner in which, O lord, thou seest the worlds with the eyes of
thy mind, nobody can see them so conspicuously with their external
organs of vision; for who can say by seeing them with his eyes, whether
thy are created or increate.
16. He who has created these worlds from his mind, it is he alone that
can behold me face to face, and no other person with his open eyes.
17. The ten worlds are not the work of so many Brahmás as it appeared to
thee before; and no body has the power to destroy them, when they are
seated so firmly in the mind. (It may be easy to destroy all visible
objects, but not to efface the impressions of the mind (memory)).
18. It is easy to destroy what is made by the hand, and to shut out the
sensible objects from our perception; but who can annul or disregard
what is ascertained by the mind.
19. Whatever belief is deep-rooted in the minds of living beings, it is
impossible to remove it by any body, except by its owner (by change of
his mind or its forgetfulness).
20. Whatever is habituated to confirmed belief in the mind, no curse can
remove it from the mind, though it can kill the body.
21. The principle that is deeply rooted in the mind, the same forms the
man according to its stamp; it is impossible to make him otherwise by
any means, as it is no way possible to fructify a rock by watering at
its root like a tree.