134 Evolution of Life and Form. 



and recall once more that passage in the Vishnu 

 Pur ana where their evolution is described, and 

 where it is stated that the tanmatra of sound pro- 

 duces A'kasha ; that is, a modification of the con- 

 sciousness of Ishvara produces the form of matter 

 that we call the atom of A'kasha ; that atom has a 

 mere film of subtlest matter for its envelope, and 

 the vibrating life of Ishvara for the force within. 

 Then we are told that A'kasha generates another 

 tanmatra which is touch, and that, enveloped, per- 

 meated by A'kasha, produces the film of denser 

 matter which is called Vayu, the two tanmatras and 

 the A'kasha being the generating force. 



This goes on through the whole of the five 

 stages, so that when we get down to the physical 

 plane, we find an atom showing a wall of denser 

 matter, within it the involved life and without it 

 the magnetic field, made up of the higher tanmatras 

 and their atomic sheaths. The Prithivi atom hence 

 consists of its own tanmatra plus the matter and the 

 life of Apas ; the matter and life of Agni ; the 

 matter and life of Vayu; the matter and life of 

 A'kasha : so that on the physical plane, the physi- 

 cal atom is a mass of five interpenetrating spheres 

 in which is present as life the whole of the matter 

 and the life of the worlds above it, the envelope, or 

 wall, of the physical atom alone showing forth any 



