Chapter LXXXVIII - Indifference of brahma

Argument: That God expects nothing from his creation.

Brahma said:—

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O Brahman! that art the best of Brahmists (Brahmos), the God Sol having thus spoken of the ten Brahmanas to Brahma (me), held his silence. (Here is a tautology of the word Brahman in the fashion of metaphysicians in its several homonymous significations. This is an address of Brahma to Vasishtha—the Brahman and Brahmist, relating the Brahmanas).

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I then thought upon this for sometime in my mind, and said afterwards, O Sol, Sol! do thou tell me at present what I am next to create. (Brahma's asking the sun about what he was next to create, bears allusion to his works of creation during the six days of genesis, which was directed by the course of the sun—his morning and evening),

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Tell me thou sun, what need is there of my making any more worlds, after these ten orbs have come into existence. (These ten orbs are the ten planetary bodies belonging to the solar system).

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Now O great sage! the sun having long considered in his mind about what I wanted him to tell, replied to me in the following manner in appropriate words.

The sun said:—

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What need hast thou of the act of creating, my lord! that art devoid of effort or desire? This work of creation is only for thy pleasure (and not for any use to thee).

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Thou lord that art free from desires, givest rise to worlds, as the sunbeams raise the waters, and the sunshine is accompanied by the shadow (as its inseparable companion).

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Thou that art indifferent to the fostering or forsaking of thy body (i. e. either to live or die), needst have nothing to desire nor renounce for thy pleasure or pain. (No gain or loss can add to the joy or grief of the apathetic philosophic mind).

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Thou, O Lord of creatures! dost create all these for the sake of thy pleasure only, and so dost thou retract them all in thyself, as the sun gives and withdraws his light by turns. (Creation and annihilation are the acts of expansion and subtraction of all things, from and in the supreme spirit).

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Thou that art unattached to the world, makest thy creation out of the work of love to thee, and not of any effort or endeavour on thy part.

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If thou desist from stretching the creation out of the Supreme Spirit, what good canst thou derive from thy inactivity? (Wherefore it is better to do and produce something than nothing).

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Do thy duty as it may present itself to thee, rather than remain inactive with doing nothing. The dull person who like the dirty mirror, does not reflect the image, comes to no use at all.

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As the wise have no desire of doing anything which is beyond their reach, so they never like to leave out anything which is useful, and presents itself before them. (Nor long for more, nor leave out your own. Or, Act well thy part &c.).

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Therefore do thy work as it comes to thee, with a cheerful heart, and calmness of mind; with a tranquil soul, as if it were in thy sleep, and devoid of desires which thou canst never reap.

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As thou dost derive pleasure, O Lord of worlds! in forming the orbs of the sons of Indu, so the lord of gods will give thee thy reward for thy works of creation.

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The manner in which, O lord, thou seest the worlds with the eyes of thy mind, nobody can see them so conspicuously with their external organs of vision; for who can say by seeing them with his eyes, whether thy are created or increate.

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He who has created these worlds from his mind, it is he alone that can behold me face to face, and no other person with his open eyes.

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The ten worlds are not the work of so many Brahmas as it appeared to thee before; and no body has the power to destroy them, when they are seated so firmly in the mind. (It may be easy to destroy all visible objects, but not to efface the impressions of the mind (memory)).

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It is easy to destroy what is made by the hand, and to shut out the sensible objects from our perception; but who can annul or disregard what is ascertained by the mind.

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Whatever belief is deep-rooted in the minds of living beings, it is impossible to remove it by any body, except by its owner (by change of his mind or its forgetfulness).

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Whatever is habituated to confirmed belief in the mind, no curse can remove it from the mind, though it can kill the body.

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The principle that is deeply rooted in the mind, the same forms the man according to its stamp; it is impossible to make him otherwise by any means, as it is no way possible to fructify a rock by watering at its root like a tree.