Brahma Sutras (Shankara Bhashya)
by Swami Vireshwarananda | 1936 | 124,571 words | ISBN-10: 8175050063
This is the English translation of the Brahma-sutras including the commentary (Bhashya) of Shankara. The Brahma-sutra (or, Vedanta-sutra) is one of the three canonical texts of the Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy and represents an early exposition the Vedantic interpretation of the Upanishads. This edition has the original Sanskrit text, the r...
Chapter II, Section III, Adhikarana VIII
Adhikarana summary: Reabsorption takes place in the inverse order to that of creation
Brahma-Sutra 2.3.14: Sanskrit text and English translation.
विपर्ययेण तु क्रमोऽतः, उपपद्यते च ॥ १४ ॥
viparyayeṇa tu kramo'taḥ, upapadyate ca || 14 ||
viparyayeṇa—In the reverse order; tu—indeed; kramaḥ—order; ataḥ—from that (the order of creation); upapadyate—is reasonable; ca—and.
14. (At Pralaya the elements are) indeed (withdrawn into Brahman) in the reverse order from that (of creation); and this is reasonable.
The question is whether at the time of cosmic dissolution the elements get withdrawn into Brahman in the order of creation, or In the reverse order. The Sutra savs that it is in the reverse order, for the effect goes back to the causal state, as ice, for instance, melts into water. Hence each thing is withdrawn into its immediate cause and so on in the reverse order, till Akasa is reached, which in turn gets merged in Brahman.