Chapter – 7
Formation of the Universe
The Evolution of Sense-organs (Indriyas)
From Sattvika – Ahankara eleven sense organs take shape. The five cognitive sense-organs (jnanendriya-s) are body, eye, nose, tongue and ear. Since they help man achieve cognition through actions like touch, they are known as jnanendriya-s. Through the body one experiences touch. In the same way the eye experiences colour, the nose experiences smell, the tongue experiences taste and the ear experiences sound.
The five karmendriya-s (conative sense-organs) are tongue (vak), the hand (paani), the feet (paadam), the organ for evacuation (paayu) and the organ for reproduction (upastha). Since they are meant for action, they are known as karmendriya-s.
The eleventh sense-organ is manas (mind). This is the most important of all the sense organs. This creation is known as aggregate creation of elements (samashti srishti).
Purposeful Adulteration
In today’s world, one cannot see any unadulterated stuff. We have to learn to live with adulteration. Apparently this is nothing new. It was so in the beginning. But the adulteration of today leads to destruction. The adulteration of the earlier times was constructive. The elements, which rose individually, could not bring into being this world. Can you build a structure just with mud or stones or water? You have to mix them together to build.
These individual elements have to be made to interact. Elements that are mixed up are known as samashti tattva-s. Elements resulting from mixing are known as vyashti tattva-s.
If you want to create gross Ether, here is the method of mixing. One half of pure Ether and one eighth each of Air, Fire, Water and Earth, when brought together, make one full Element. This is gross Ether. Such a creation is known as vyashti srishti. In the same manner, one half of Air and the rest from other Elements create gross Air, and it is so for the rest. This is known as quintuplication (pancheekarana). This is also Brahman’s action. The Elements brought together in this manner remain as a unit, and by the Will of the Lord they create the Brahmanda according to the good and bad deeds of the jiva-s.
Formation of the Universe
Like the bubble of water in rainy season, this universe is formed out of the five elements in a trice by the Will of the Lord. Innumerable worlds full of mountains, oceans, islands, and the brilliant globe appear in it. The universe looks like a huge cauldron with the five gross Elements above it. It is enveloped by seven Elements like egoity and mahat and by prakriti. You can take a coconut as an example. The pulp within is enveloped by the shell, fibre and husk. In the same way, many Elements enclose the universe.
To be continued….
This English Commentary is written by Smt Prema Nandakumar based on the Tamil commentary written by HH 45th Azhagiyasingar of the Ahobila Mutt. His Holiness has ‘commented’ only on select chapters of the Vishnu Purana. The English translation faithfully follows the original in this aspect. Words that appear in square brackets [ ] have been placed there to serve as a link and do not form part of the original. Reproduced from Nrusimhapriya.
For Tamil commentary and Upanyasam of Vishnu Puranam, please visit: http://anudinam.org/category/stories/
