Vishnupurana 1.22.p3

1.22.p3

Brahmā, Daksha, time and all beings, are the energies of the Great Hari, which are the causes of creation. Vishnu, Manu, time and all beings are energies, O twice-born one, of Vishnu, which are the causes of preservation. Rudra, Antaka, time and all other creatures are the energies of Janārddana that are intended for universal dissolution. In the beginning of the creation, till the hour of dissolution, Brahmā, the patriarchs and all other animals, are engaged with the work of creation. At first Brahmā created the universe, then Marichi and others were engaged in multiplying the race and then the other animals multiply it every moment. O twice born one, Brahmā cannot create the universe unless the proper time comes, and Marichi and other patriarchs as well as other animals, independent of time, cannot help the creation. Thus at the time of creation as well as that of dissolution the four-fold divisions of the Great Deity are equally essential, O Maitreya. Whatever is generated by any living being, O twice-born one—the agent is considered as a portion of Hari. And whatever destroys any living being, moveable or immoveable, is considered as the destroying portion of Janārddana as Rudra. In this wise Janārddana is the creator, preserver and destroyer of the universe. And assuming three qualities he is three-fold—in creation, preservation and destruction—but his true form is void of these qualities. And the four-fold manifestation of the Deity comprises true wisdom, pervades the universe, and does not admit of any similitude. Maitreya said:—"Describe to me, in sooth, O Muni, how could the supreme condition of the Deity admit of four varieties?" Parāçara said:—O Maitreya, that which is called the cause of a thing is the means of accomplishing it; and what is the desire of the soul to accomplish is the thing accomplished. The suspension of breath and the like operations, of the Yogi who is intent upon obtaining final emancipation, are his means and the end is the supreme Brahma from whom he does not return to the world. O Muni, the means, adopted for liberation by the ascetic, is the discriminative knowledge and this is the first variety of the condition of Brahma, O great Muni, the second portion is the knowledge that is to be obtained by the ascetics for liberation from suffering. By the third sort, they arrive at the knowledge of the identity of the end and the means and the rejection of the idea of duality. The last sort is the removal of whatever differences may have been formed regarding the three first varieties of knowledge and the necessary contemplation of the true essence of soul. The highest condition of Vishnu, who is identical with wisdom, is the knowledge of the truth. This knowledge requires no exercise, is not to be taught, is spread all over, admits of no comparison with anything, which does not require any other thing to explain it, which is itself existent and docs not require any explanation, which is calm, fearless and pure, which is not the subject of reasoning and does not require any support. And this knowledge is the excellent condition of Vishnu. O twice-born one, these ascetics, who, by the destruction of ignorance, emerge themselves in this knowledge of Brahma, lose the semenial property and do not germinate in the field of worldly existence. That which is the excellent condition of Vishnu is pure, eternal, universal, undecaying and uniform. And the ascetic who obtains this supreme condition of Brahma is not required to be born again, for he is freed from the distinction of virtue and vice and suffering.