As the gods and similar exalted beings create, each in his own world,
whatever they require by their mere volition, so the Supreme Person
creates by his mere volition the entire world. That the gods about whose
powers we know from the Veda only (not through perception) are here
quoted as supplying a proving instance, is done in order to facilitate
the comprehension of the creative power of Brahman, which is also known
through the Veda.--Here terminates the adhikarana of 'the observation of
employment.'
26. Or the consequence of the entire (Brahman entering into the effect),
and stultification of (Brahman's) being devoid of parts.
'Being only was this in the beginning'; 'This indeed was in the
beginning not anything'; 'The Self alone indeed was this in the
beginning'--these and other texts state that in the beginning Brahman
was one only, i.e. without parts--that means: Brahman, in its causal
state, was without parts because then all distinction of matter and
souls had disappeared. This one, non-divided, Brahman thereupon having
formed the resolution of being many divided itself into the aggregate of
material things--ether, air, and so on--and the aggregate of souls from
Brahmâ down to blades of grass. This being so, it must be held that the
entire highest Brahman entered into the effected state; that its
intelligent part divided itself into the individual souls, and its non-
intelligent part into ether, air, and so on. This however stultifies all
those often-quoted texts which declare Brahman in its causal state to be
devoid of parts. For although the cause is constituted by Brahman in so
far as having for its body matter and souls in their subtle state, and
the effect by Brahman invested with matter and souls in their gross
state; the difficulty stated above cannot be avoided, since also that
element in Brahman which is embodied is held to enter into the effect.
If, on the other hand, Brahman is without parts, it cannot become many,
and it is not possible that there should persist a part not entering
into the effected state. On the ground of these unacceptable results we
conclude that Brahman cannot be the cause.--This objection the next
Sûtra disposes of.
27. But on account of Scripture; (Brahman's possession of various
powers) being founded upon the word.
The 'but' sets aside the difficulty raised. There is no
inappropriateness; 'on account of Scripture.' Scripture declares on the
one hand that Brahman is not made up of parts, and on the other that
from it a multiform creation proceeds. And in matters vouched for by
Scripture we must conform our ideas to what Scripture actually says.--
But then Scripture might be capable of conveying to us ideas of things
altogether self-contradictory; like as if somebody were to tell us
'Water with fire'!--The Sûtra therefore adds 'on account of its being
founded on the word.' As the possession, on Brahman's part, of various
powers (enabling it to emit the world) rests exclusively on the
authority of the word of the Veda and thus differs altogether from other
matters (which fall within the sphere of the other means of knowledge
also), the admission of such powers is not contrary to reason. Brahman
cannot be either proved or disproved by means of generalisations from
experience.