Vishnupurana 6.4.p2.2

6.4.p2.2

Devoid of the essential element of flavour they become identical with fire and the universe is therefore entirely filled with flame which drinks up the water on every side and gradually overspreads the whole of the world. While space is envelope in flame above, below and all around the element of the wind seizes upon the rudimental property or form which is the cause of light, and that being withdrawn, all becomes of the nature of air. The rudiment of form being destroyed and fire deprived of its rudiment, air extinguishes fire and spreads resistlessly over space which is deprived of when fire mages into air. Air then accompanied by sound which is the source of ether, extends everywhere throughout the ten regions of space until ether seizes upon contact, its rudimental property; by the loss of which air is destroyed and ether remains unchanged: devoid of form, flavour, touch and smell, it exists unembodied and vast and pervades the whole of space. Ether, whose characteristic property and rudiment is sound exists alone occupying all the vacuity of space. At then the radical element egotism devours sound and all the elements and faculties are at once merged into their original. This primary element is conscientiousness combined with the property of darkness and is itself swallowed up by Mahat whose characteristic property is intelligence; and earth and Mahat are the inner and outer boundaries of the universe.