BOOK III.
UTPATTI-KHANDA.
EVOLUTION OF THE WORLD.
CHAPTER I.
CAUSES OF BONDAGE TO IT.
SECTION I.
Exordium (Bhúmiká.)
It is both by means of words and lights (Vágbhábhis i.e. the words of the scripture and the lights of nature and reason), that the knower of the Great God (Brahmavid), perceives the spirit of Brahma appearing within himself as in a dream. And he also knows him as such, who understands him according to the purport of the holy text. “What this is, that is the self.” (i.e. He is all in all).
2. This passage shows in short, the visible world to reside in the vacuous bosom of Brahma at its creation: it is now to be known in length, what this creation is, whence it takes its rise, and wherein it becomes extinct at last.
3. Hear me, O intelligent Ráma! now expound to you all things according to my best knowledge of them, and agreeably to their nature and substance in the order of creation.
4. One conscious of himself as a spiritual and intelligent being, views the passing world as a Somnum (swapnam) dream: and this dreaming simile of the passing world, applies equally to our knowledge of ego and tu or non-ego (which is as false as our cognitions in a dream).
5. Next to the book describing the conduct of the seekers of liberation (mumukshu-vyavahára), then follows the book of evolution (utpatti), which I am now going to propound to you.