History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c93.196

v7.c93.196

5. There is no real creation nor dissolution of the whole universe. The constituent parts may come and go but the universe as a whole has no beginning and no end. The descriptions of creation and dissolution are only meant to illustrate the power of *daiva* (fate, destiny) and the vanity of human effort and urge men to perform duties enjoined by the Veda. Without any human effort the world may come into being and in spite of all effort it may come to an end The world is real and has always been there and will go on for all time.¹⁹⁶³ Vide Ślokavārtika (V. 112-117), Prakaraṇapañcikā pp 137-140 and Nyāyaratnākara on the former The Ślokavāratika goes so far as to say 'it must be admitted that all these (worlds &c) existed before the creator, and again such a creator may be proved (by anumāna) to have been preceded by the Veda on account of his being an intelligent being, just as ourselves are preceded by the Veda'