41. Fire Is Manifested

Adhyaya 3 Pada 3 AdhikaraNa 4

Fire Is Manifested From Air


Introduction by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa


After concluding this discussion, we will consider what
seems to be a contradiction in the shruti-shAstra as description of
fire. ChAndogya UpaniShad (6.2.3) explains:


tat tejo .asR^ijata


"Then the Supreme Personality of Godhead created
fire."

In this way it is explained that the Supreme Personality of
Godhead created fire.

However, the TaittirIya UpaniShad (2.1.3) explains:


vAyor agniH


"From air, fire is manifested."

These words explain that air created fire. Someone may say
that in this second quote the word "vAyoH" is in the
ablative case (meaning "after fire"), and in this way
there is no contradiction because both elements were created by
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and fire was created after
air was created.
Considering that someone may say this, the author of the
sUtras speaks the following words.


SUtra 9


tejo .atas tathA hy Aha

tejaH - fire; ataH - from that; tathA - so;hy - indeed; Aha - said.


Fire comes from it. Indeed, it said that.

Purport by shrIla Baladeva VidyAbhUShaNa


From air comes fire. This is confirmed in the shruti-shAstra,
which explains:


vAyor agniH



"From air comes fire."

The word "sambhUta" is used here. The use of that word shows that themeaning is that from air fire is created.
Also, the primary meaning of the ablative-case is "from".
If the primary meaning of a word makes sense, then the primary
meaning should be accepted. In that circumstance the secondary
meaning should not be accepted. As will be explained later, this
statement does not contradict the statement that everything is
created by the Supreme Personality of Godhead.