That the energies connected with the rule of the entire world are
exclusive attributes of the highest Person, Scripture and Smriti alike
declare. Compare scriptural texts such as 'From fear of him the wind
blows,' &c. (Taitt. Up. II, 8, 1); 'By the command of that Imperishable
one sun and moon stand, held apart' (Bri. Up. III, 9); 'He is the lord
of all, the king of all beings, the protector of all beings' (Bri. Up.
IV, 4, 22). And Smriti texts such as 'With me as Supervisor, Prakriti
brings forth the Universe of the movable and the immovable, and for this
reason the world ever moves round'; 'Pervading this entire Universe by a
portion of mine I do abide' (Bha. Gî. IX, 10; X, 42). Scripture and
Smriti likewise declare that of the bliss which is enjoyed by the
released soul the highest Person alone is the cause--'For he alone
causes blessedness' (Taitt. Up. II, 7); 'He who serves me with
unswerving devotion, surpasses these qualities and is fitted for
becoming one with Brahman. For I am the abode of Brahman, of infinite
immortality, of everlasting virtue, and of absolute bliss' (Bha. Gî. XIV,
26-27). The exalted qualities of the soul--freedom from evil and sin and
so on--which manifest themselves in the state of Release no doubt belong
to the soul's essential nature; but that the soul is of such a nature
fundamentally depends on the Supreme Person, and on him also depends the
permanency of those qualities; they are permanent in so far as the Lord
himself on whom they depend is permanent. It is in the same way that all
the things which constitute the means of enjoyment and sport on the part
of the Lord are permanent in so far as the Lord himself is permanent. It
thus appears that the equality to the Lord which the released soul may
claim does not extend to the world-ruling energies.