सङ्गीतरत्नाकर: प्रथम भाग (शार्ङ्गदेव - स्वरगताध्याय सविस्तार व्याख्या व अनुवाद सहित)

32 Treatment of Svara
ब्रह्मा ब्रह्माणमसृजत्तस्मै वेदान्प्रदाय च।
भौतिकं वेदशब्देभ्यः सर्जयामास तेन तत् ॥१४॥
तदाज्ञयाऽसृजद् ब्रह्मा मनसैव प्रजापतीन्।
तेम्यस्तु रेतसी सृष्टिः शरीराणां निरूप्यते ॥१५॥
(vi) The physical manifestation : 12c-15
From Ātman¹ emanated, ether², first³ of all, followed⁴
by air, fire, water and earth in their respective order. These
are the great elements⁵, and they constitute the body of
Brahman, then called viraj⁶. (12c-13)
Having elucidated the metaphysical basis of reality and appe-
arance, the creator and the creation and their mutual relationship, now
the author proceeds to describe the order of physical emanation and
the manifestation of nature etc. In Indian philosophy, the manifest
phenomenon as perceived through the five senses is classified into the
five basic elements, called mahābhūta-s, which term is translated here
as 'great elements'. These elements are not necessarily the equivalents
of the English words ether etc. used here; but, since there is roughly a
similar tradition in Greek philosophy, these terms have tentatively been
considered acceptable. However, in essence ākāśa means that objective

1. That is because ātman has been spoken of as being the cause
   of the phenomenon. Ātman is obviously taken as synonymous
   with Brahman.
2. Ākāśa is translated as ether, because that is the general prac-
   tice; and also because there is no other proper word for it in
   the English language.
3. Ether is the first evolute from which other elements evolve
   later in their respective order.
4. The word 'tataḥ' of the text, means 'thereafter'. The doctrine
   of the physical evolution, represented here, holds that from
   Ātman or Brahman emanates ether, from ether air, from air fire,
   from fire water and from water is evolved earth; and accor-
   dingly, they are dissolved back one by one unto Brahman.
5. Mahābhūta-s, the great elements represent the gross manifes-
   tation of Brahman before pañcīkaraṇa (amalgamation).
6. Brahman, as conditioned by these universal elements is known
   as virāj. The word virāj literally means luminous, splendour.
   It is held in this doctrine that Brahman, having created the
   five universal elements, entered into them The physical
   world has no existence apart from the intelligent principle;
   and thus, no real difference is conceived between the creator
   and the creation.

---

Section 2 : The Genesis of the Human Embodiment
Brahman⁷ created Brahmā and having handed over the
veda-s⁸ to him, it caused⁹ him to create the physical world
reality, which is the substratum of sound perceived by the ear; vāyu
denotes the element through which the perception of touch takes place;
anala (also called agni or tejas etc.) is the element that is responsible for
the perception of colour; jala is the element that is responsible for the
perception of taste; and pṛthivī is the element that produces the per-
ception of odour. Thus these elements are conceived on the basis of
five types of perception to which they respectively correspond. These
elements are quite different from the elements of modern science.
Then, these elements produce the physical universe, which is
essentially perceptive and has consciousness as its basis, by the process
of permutation and combination in various proportions, known as
pañcīkaraṇa in vedāntic parlance. That, however, involves too great a
divergence from the subject of this text.
This physical universe is conceived to constitute a body, a form,
to Brahman, the formless; who therefore is given a different name viz.,
Virāj to distinguish it from the unconditioned Brahman.
Brahman, conditioned by the five universal elements, called Virāj
is not yet in the position to create the physical world; since the elements
are in the state of equilibrium before the process of Pañcīkaraṇa takes
place, i.e., before they intermingle in ratio and proportion. But the
act of creation is possible through Brahman only while it is conditioned
by the universal elements in terms of physical manifestation, and by the
universal nescience, in terms of psychological manifestation. Thus,
even though the author has not clearly stated in the text, it is implied
7. 'K' identifies Virāj with the four faced Brahmā of the purāṇā-s
and thus attributes the act of creation directly to the
unconditioned Brahman, 'Brahmā virāḍrupam Brahmaṇam catur-
mukham asṛjat'. However, this does not accord well with the
metaphysical doctrine of Bhedābheda system.
8. Brahmā is a symbolic figure of the puranic mythology, having
four faces. Each of his faces is supposed to give expression to
each of the four vedas. He is considered to symbolise the
creative aspect of Brahman in the trinity of Brahmā, Viṣṇu
and Śiva, the last two being responsible for the maintenance
of the creation and the dissolution of the phenomenon.
Obviously, the author is presenting a synthesis of the vedic
and the puranic traditions.
9. That is how Brahman is the final cause, though it is Brahmā
who actually creates, yet he is inspired by Brahman to do so.
3