|
Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 12: Chapter 4: Verses 15-25
Fire then absorbs the property of water, viz., taste; and deprived of its taste, the water (too) is forthwith dissolved (in the fire). Then the air absorbs the property of fire, viz., colour; and, divested of colour it loses itself into the air. (Likewise) ether absorbs the property of the air (viz., touch) and gets dissolved (in ether), 0 Pariksit ! Then the Tamasika aspect of the Cosmic Ego absorbs the property of ether, viz.,. sound; alongwith it ether (too) gets dissolved (in the Tamasika Ahankara); and the Rajasika type of Ahankara absorbs the I indriyas alongwith their functions. (Similarly) the Sattvika type of Ahankara absorbs the gods (presiding over them),0 dear Pariksit ! The Mahat-tattva absorbs the (triple) Ahankara; while the (three) Gunas (modes of Prakrti), viz., Sattva etc., absorb Mahat. Impelled by Time, the Unmanifest (Prakrti) reduces the (three) modes of Prakrti to the state of equilibrium, 0 king ! Prakrti is not subject to the (six) states such as modification, brought about by the divisions of time (even as they pass),. it is without beginning or end, unmanifest, constant, the cause (of all) and not subject to decay. In that state, there is no speech, no mind, no (modes of Prakrti, viz.,) Sattva, Rajas and Tamas, no Mahat and other products of Matter, no breath, no intellect, no senses nor the deities (presiding over them) and no conception, much less location of Lokas (spheres). (Again,) there is no dream nor waking life nor deep slumber; no ether, water, earth, air, fire or sun. It is something like deep sleep or vacuity; nay, beyond conception. The Vedas speak of it as a state which is the root of the universe. This is (what is known as) Prakrtika Pralaya (the Dissolution of everything into Prakrti or Primordial Matter), when, impelled by Time, the potencies of the Supreme Person as well as of the Unmanifest (Prakrti) are completely and helplessly withdrawn (into their substratum). In the form of the intellect, the senses and their objects it is consciousness alone, their ground or substratum, which shines forth. Whatever has a beginning and an end is unreal, because it is open to perception and has no existence apart from its cause. Light, the eye and colour (which are all modifications of fire) are not distinct from fire. Similarly the intellect, senses and their objects are not distinct from Brahma (the only Reality),which is quite different from them (inasmuch as It exists even when they cease to be, while the reverse is not true). Wakefulness, dream and deep slumber, it is said, are so many states of Buddhi (intellect); the plurality attributed to the pure Self (in the form of Viswa, Taijasa and Prajna, as severally presiding over these states), is mere illusion, 0 Pariksit !
|
|
