*SKANDHA XI. CHAP. 24.*
"There is only one perception and one undivided object of perception,
when there are no Yugas (i.e. in Pralaya), in Satya Yuga, as well as for
men skilful in discrimination, that object of perception is Brahman, the
absolute Truth, beyond the reach of worlds and of mind. I became two
fold, by means of Maya. Of the two one is Prakriti consisting of causes
and effects. And the other is Purusha.
"Following the Karmic record of Jivas, I disturbed Prakriti, and Satva,
Rajas and Tamas became manifest. The Gunas gave rise to Sutra or Thread
(which represents Kriya Sakti). Mahat (Jnana Sakti) is not separate from
Sutra (Sutra and Mahat form one Tatva. It is two-fold, on account of its
double aspect of Jnana and Kriya or knowledge and action).
"Ahankara is the transformation of Mahat. It is three-fold, Satvic or
Vaikaric, Rajasic or Taijasa and Tamasic.
"The Adhi-daivas and Manas came from Satvic Ahankara, and the 5
Tanmatras from Tamasic Ahankara.. The five Maha bhutas came from the
five Tanmatras.
"Prompted by Me, all these principles united together to form the Egg
which was My own abode. I incarnated in that Egg which was immersed in
the (Pralayic) water (as Sri Narayana or Virat Purusha).
"Out of my navel grew the Lotus called the Universe. Brahma was
manifested in that Lotus.
"He brought into manifestation the Lokas (Bhur, Bhuvar &c.,) and the
Lokapalas.
"Svar was the abode of the Devas, Bhuvar of the Bhutas, Bhur of men, the
higher Lokas of the Siddhas and the Lower Lokas of the Asuras and Nagas.
"All actions (Karma) bear fruits in the Triloki. Mahar, Jana and Tapas
are attained by Yoga, Tapas and Renunciation. My abode (Vaikuntha, which
is beyond the Seven Lokas) is attained by Bhakti Yoga.
"All beings in this Universe wedded to karma are made by Me, who as Kala
am the Dispenser of all karma, to merge out of or to dive down in the
flow of Gunas (_i.e._ they are made to go up to the higher Lokas or to
come down to the lower Lokas).
"All things big or small, thick or thin are pervaded by Prakriti and
Purusha.
"That which is at the beginning and at the end of a thing is also at the
middle, as in the case of ornaments and earth-pots, the intervening
transformations having a separate existence only for the sake of
conventional use (thus the ornaments of gold are called by different
names only for temporary uses. But they are gold when the forms are made
and destroyed. The forms are all transitory and the ornaments are
essentially gold).
"That is only Real which gives rise to the original transformation,
which is at the beginning and at the end. Prakriti the material cause,
Purusha -- that pervades Prakriti and Kala or periodicity which causes
disturbance in the Gunas -- these are three in one and I am that
three-fold Brahma. The creative process flows on in order of succession
without a break. The multifarious creation unfolds itself to serve the
purposes of the jivas and it lasts so long as the period of Preservation
continues and so long as Ishvara looks at it.
"The order is reversed in Pralaya, and transformations are merged in the
principles from which they proceeded. The body merges in to the food
grains. The food grains merge in to the roots of plants. The roots merge
into the earth, The earth merges into smell, smell into water, water
into Taste, Taste into fire, fire into Form, Form in to Air, Air into
Touch, touch into Akasa and Akasa into sound.
"The Indriyas merge into the Adhi-daivas. The Adhi-daivas merge into the
Manas. Manas merges into Ahankara.
"Ahankara merges into Mahat (_i.e._ gives up the unconscious portion and
becomes Jiva Sakti and Kriya Sakti itself. _Sridhara_.)
"Mahat merges into the Gunas.
"The Gunas merge into unmanifested Prakriti. Prakriti merges into Kala.
Kala merges into Jiva. Jiva merges into Atma. Atma rests in self.
"When these processes are meditated on, there is no delusion."