Of Brahman which the text had introduced as intent on creation, 'He
wished, may I be many' (Taitt. Up. II, 6), a subsequent text says, 'That
itself made its Self (II, 7), so that Brahman is represented as the
object as well as the agent in the act of creation. It being the Self
only which here is made many, we understand that the Self is material
cause as well as operative one. The Self with names and forms non-
evolved is agent (cause), the same Self with names and forms evolved is
object (effect). There is thus nothing contrary to reason in one Self
being object as well as agent.
A new doubt here presents itself.--'The True, knowledge, infinite is
Brahman' (Taitt. Up. II, 1); 'Bliss is Brahman' (Bri. Up. III, 9, 28);
'Free from sin, free from old age, free from death and grief, free from
hunger and thirst' (Ch. Up. VIII, 1,5); 'Without parts, without action,
tranquil, without fault, without taint' (Svet. Up. VI, 19); 'This great
unborn Self, undecaying, undying' (Bri. Up. IV, 4, 25)--from all these
texts it appears that Brahman is essentially free from even a shadow of
all the imperfections which afflict all sentient and non-sentient beings,
and has for its only characteristics absolutely supreme bliss and
knowledge. How then is it possible that this Brahman should form the
purpose of becoming, and actually become, manifold, by appearing in the
form of a world comprising various sentient and non-sentient beings--all
of which are the abodes of all kinds of imperfections and afflictions?
To this question the next Sûtra replies.