The System of the Vedanta according to Badarayana's Brahma-Sutras and Cankara's Commentary c7.s3.t3.3

c7.s3.t3.3

How are we to understand this emanation of the elements from each other? They are without intelligence (acetana), but (a weighty axiom of our system) without intelligence, no motion is possible (p. 635, 1; compare 528, 7). Therefore we must assume that God himself changes himself into the elements (p. 635, 3) and after he has become air, for example, he creates fire (p. 630, 10); his position in regard to the elements is this expressed by the passage of scripture (Bṛih. 3, 7, 3): "He who, dwelling in the earth, is different from the earth, whom the earth does not know, whose body is the earth, who inwardly governs the earth, He is thy soul, thy inward guide, the immortal" (compare above p. 149 ff.). Consequently, in all elements, Brahman is the inner guide and overseer, and as such, brings about their motions (p. 635, 7).