OR SACRED WRITINGS OF THE HINDUS. 40^ 



of contemplation. First desire was formed in his 

 mind ; and that became the original productive 

 seed; which the wise, recognising it by the intel- 

 lect in their hearts, distinguish, in nonentity, as 

 the bond of entity.' 



' Did the luminous ra}^ of these [creative acts] 

 expand in the middle? or above? or below? That 

 productive seed, at once, became providence [or 

 sentient souls], and matter [or the elements] : 

 she, who is sustained within himself*, was infe- 

 rior; and he, who heeds, was superior.' 



* Who knows exactly, and who shall in this 

 world declare, whence and why this creation took 

 place? The gods are subsequent to the produc- 

 tion of this world : then who can know whence it 

 proceeded ? or whence this varied world arose ? or 

 whether it uphold [itself], or not? He, who, in 

 the highest heaven, is the ruler of this universe, 

 does indeed know; but not another can possess 

 that knowledg-e.' 



o 



II. * That victim, who was Wove with threads 

 on every side, and stretched by the labors of a 

 hundred and one gods, the fathers, who wove and 

 framed and placed the warp and woof, do wor- 

 ship. The [first] male spreads and encompasses 

 this [web]; and displays it in this world and in 

 heaven : these rays [of the creator] assembled at 

 the altar, and prepared the holy strains, and the 

 threads of the warp.' 



* What was the size of that divine victim, "whom 

 all the gods sacrificed ? What was his form ? what 



* So Swad'ha is expounded : and tbe commentator makes it 

 equivaleut to Mdi//t, or the world of ideas. 



DdS 



