39. Air Is Created

Adhyaya 3 Pada 3 AdhikaraNa 2

Air Is Created


Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa


To show that the same arguments may also show the creation
of air, the author of the sUtras gives the following
explanation.


SUtra 7


etena mAtarishvA vyAkhyAtaH

etena - by this; mAtarishvA - air; vyAkhyAtaH - is explained.


This also refers to air.

Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa


This proof that ether was created clearly shows that air,
which exists within ether, must also have been created. That is
the meaning. This is so because the limbs of something must have
the same qualities as the whole of which they are parts.
Our opponent may object: Because it was never described in
the ChAndogya UpaniShad, it is clear that air was never created.
To this I reply: The TaittirIya UpaniShad explains that air
was created from ether.
Then our opponent may say: That description of the creation
of air must have been a figure of speech, because the shruti-
shAstra explains that air is eternal.
To this I reply: The ChAndogya UpaniShad affirms in a
pratij~nA statement (aitad-Atmyam idaM sarvam) that
everything was created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In
this way the creation of air is proved. When it is said that air
is eternal the intention is that it is so only relative to some
other things. Air was discussed in a separate sUtra and not
discussed together with ether. This was done to facilitate the
argument of SUtra