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· VEDÂNTA-SOTRAS..
who has studied a small part only, and since without knowing that purport we cannot arrive at any certitude.
The Vishnu Purana relates how Maitreya, wishing to have his knowledge of Vedic matters strengthened by the holy Parásara, who through the favour of Pulastya and Vasishtha had obtained an insight into the true nature of the highest divinity, began to question Parásara, 'I am desirous to hear from thee how this world originated, and how it will again originate in future, and of what it consists, and whence proceed animate and inanimate things ; how and into what it has been resolved, and into what it will in future be resolved ?' &c. (Vi. Pu. I, 1). The questions asked refer to the essential nature of Brahman, the different modes of the manifestation of its power, and the different results of propitiating it. Among the questions belonging to the first category, the question whence proceed animate and inanimate things ?' relates to the efficient and the material cause of the world, and hence the clause of what the world consists' is to be taken as implying a question as to what constitutes the Self of this world, which is the object of creation, sustentation, and dissolution. The reply to this question is given in the words 'and the world is He.' Now the identity expressed by this clause is founded thereon that he (i.e. Brahman or Vishnu) pervades the world as its Self in the character of its inward Ruler; and is not founded on unity of substance of the pervading principle and the world pervaded. The phrase "consists of '(-maya) does not refer to an effect (so that the question asked would be as to the causal substance of which this world is an effect), for a separate question on this point would be needless. Nor does the -maya express, as it sometimes does-e.g. in the case of prâna-maya !, the own sense of the word to which it is attached; for in that case the form of the reply and the world is He' (which implies a distinction between the world and Vishnu) would be inappropriate ; the reply would in that case rather be . * Vishnu only. What 'maya' actually denotes here is
? Prânamaya' is explained as meaning "pråna' only.
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