Brahman said:
That Mahat which was first produced, is (afterwards) called egoism; when it is born as (the feeling itself) [^1626] I, that is said to be the second creation. That egoism is stated to be the source of all entities [1], [ p. 334 ] that from which the changes take place [2]; it is full of light, the supporter of consciousness; it is that from which the people are produced, the Pragâpati. It is a deity, the producer of the deities, and of the mind; it is the creator of the three worlds. That which feels [3] thus—‘I am all this’—is called (by) that (name). That eternal world is for those sages who are contented with knowledge relating to the self, who have pondered on the self, and who are perfected by sacred study and sacrifice. By [4] consciousness of self one enjoys the qualities; and thus that source of all entities, the producer of the entities, creates (them); and as that from which the changes take place, it causes all this to move; and by its own light, it likewise charms the world.
333:1 I. e. says Arguna Misra, the world of the understanding. Does this mean the world of Hiranyagarbha? The understanding is said to be the ‘subtle body’ of Hiranyagarbha (Vedânta Paribhâshâ, p. 46). Probably the reference spiritually interpreted is to the state in which egoism and all its products are non-existent. ↩︎
333:2 Literally, ‘the high and holy passage to the great self.’ ↩︎
333:3 The Mahat first manifests itself as Vishnu before it manifests itself as Brahman or Siva (Sânkhya-sâra, p. 16), hence he is. sate to be the Lord in the primary creation. It may be added, that in the Sânkhya-sâra where this passage is quoted the original word rendered ‘cognition’ above (khyâti) does not occur. but in lieu of it occurs Brahman. The sentence ‘And the talented man’ &c. is also wanting there. ↩︎
333:4 I. e. the understanding. See Sankara on Svetâsvatara, p. 329; Katha, p. 100. ↩︎