History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c99.472

v7.c99.472

Creation (and dissolution) of world or universe: (vide under 'God', 'asat', 'man', 'sattā' (reality), 'Nāsadīyasūkta', Upaniṣads): 1491; Atharvaveda has several hymns on C, but they are verbose and wanting in depth, 1493-95; Atharvaveda puts forward Skambha (identified with *prajāpati*) as Creator, also Kāma and Kāla 1493–95; C. is put in Upaniṣads in the distant and dım past, while in Bıblıcal chronology it is put at 4004 B. C following James Ussher, Arch bishop of Armagh, in 17th century 1506n, description of state before C in Ṛg. X. 129; none in reality, acc to PMS and Śloka-vārtıka, 1209–10, 1483n, Mahābhārata, particularly Śāntiparvan, frequently states theories of C. 1517–18, purpose of the description of creation and dissolution in the Smṛtıs, epics, Purānas, etc. is, acc. to Kumārila, to show the distinction between the powers of *daiva* and human effort, 1261–62; Purānas devote thousands of verses to C. 1519–22; statements in the Upaniṣads about creation are not to be taken, acc. to Śaṅkara, literally, they are meant to lead on to the knowledge of *brahman* and non-dıfference from *brahman* 1485, 1506, Sāṅkhya scheme of guṇas, tanmātrās etc. brought in describing creation by Nārāyana or Hıranyagarbha, as in Matsya, Visnu, Mārkandeya 1519–22, several theories on C. in Manusmṛtı, two of which have some Sāṅkhya doctrines, 1515–17, several hymns on C. in Ṛg. (X. 72, X. 81–82, X. 90, X. 121, X. 129) examıned and it is shown that the Creator is called by various names, 1488–91; several references in Ṛg. to the creation or support of heaven and earth by different gods, 1492; statements about Cr and dissolution of the universe in the Upaniṣads are valid only on the practical or empirical plane but from the highest metaphysical point of the Vedānta, there is no Cr. nor dissolution, the individual soul is not really in bondage 1506, Tai. Br. passages on creation and Prajāpatı as creator 1496–97; Upaniṣads lıke Taı (III. 1) and Chān. (III. 14) state that the creation, preservation and absorption of all *bhūtas* is due to *brahman* 1484, 1500; various statements about C. in Śat Br. 1495–96, Vedāntasūtra relies on Upaniṣads that *brahman* is the creator, sustaıner and destroyer, 1484; Yāj Smṛtı 1519.