July 7, 2026
śailendrāpekṣayā sūkṣmā yatheme trasareṇavaḥ
tathā sūkṣmataraṁ sthūlaṁ brahmāṇḍaṁ yadapekṣayā (9)
VASIṢṬHA continued:
During what is known as the cosmic dissolution, whatever appears to exist now is dissolved. What remains is the eternal. It is beyond description. In comparison with a mustard seed, the Meru-mountain is immense; so in comparison with that eternal infinite consciousness the space is like a mustard seed. In comparison with the greatest among mountains, a subatomic particle is minute: even so are the comparative dimensions of this whole universe and that eternal infinite consciousness. During the cosmic dissolution when all world-appearance has ceased, the eternal infinite consciousness remains aware of every subatomic particle that exists in the cosmic space. It sees them (though they are unreal) as if in a dream; then it imagines itself to be “Brahman”. It even conceives of itself as the infinite consciousness. Considering itself as the atomic particle of consciousness, it exists as the subject apparently seeing the atomic particle which becomes the object. This is like a man seeing himself dead in a dream. Thus, consciousness apparently polarises itself into the subject and the object without ever abandoning its own indivisibility.
At that moment the following principles arise spontaneously: time, space, action, matter, the seer (subject), sight and the scene (object). However, the forces that restrain or obstruct these do not arise. Where the consciousness-particles shine, space manifests there; when this happens, there is time; and the way in which it happens becomes action; whatever is experienced as existing becomes the matter; the experiencer becomes the subject; the experiencing or the seeing of this matter is the sight; and that which is responsible for this seeing or experiencing becomes the object. Thus do all these apparently come into being, though they are all false. Space alone appears in space without any particular order of sequence or principle.
Similarly, that material in which this consciousness shines is known as the body. That by which it sees is known as the eye. Even so with regard to the other senses, etc. That state in which this consciousness shines without name and form is known as the tanmatra (pure element) which is of the nature of space or void alone. This radiance of the atomic particle of consciousness itself becomes gross and comes to be known as the body; then there arise the five senses in it. That which is aware of all this is known as buddhi or intelligence. With thinking arises mind in which the egosense is rooted.