Soul and is known by the
name of Vasudeva. Behold, O Narada, the greatness and puissance of God.
He is never touched by acts good or bad. Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas, are
said to be the three (original) attributes. These dwell and act in the
bodies of all creatures. The Jiva-soul, called Kshetrajna, enjoys and
endorses the action of these three attributes. He, however, transcends
them and they cannot touch Him. Freed from these attributes, He is again
their enjoyer and endorser. Having created them Himself, He is above them
all. O celestial Rishi, the Earth, which is the refuge of the universe,
disappears[1830] (when the hour for universal dissolution comes) into
water, Water disappears into Light, and Light into Wind, Wind disappears
into Space, and Space into Mind. Mind is a great creature, and it
disappears into Unmanifest Prakriti. Unmanifest Prakriti, O Brahmana,
disappears into inactive Purusha. There is nothing higher than Purusha
which is Eternal. There is nothing among mobile and immobile things in
the universe that is immutable, except Vasudeva, the eternal Purusha.
Endued with great puissance, Vasudeva is the Soul of all creatures.
Earth, Wind, Space, Water, and Light forming the fifth, the primal
elements of great puissance. Mingling together they form what is called
the body. Possessed of subtile prowess and invisible to all eyes, O
Brahmana, the puissant Vasudeva then enters that combination of the five
primal elements, called body. Such entrance is called his birth, and
taking birth. He causes the body to move about and act. Without a
combination of the five primal elements, no body can ever be formed.
Without, again, the entrance of Jiva into the body, the mind dwelling
within it cannot cause it to move and act. He that enters the body is
possessed of great puissance and is called Jiva. He is known also by
other names, viz., Sesha and Sankarshana. He that takes his rise, from
that Sankarshana, by his own acts, Sanatkumara, and in whom all creatures
merge when the universal dissolution comes, is the Mind of all creatures
and is called by the name of Pradyumna. From Him (i.e., Pradyumna),
arises He who is the Creator, and who is both Cause and Effect. From this
last, everything, viz., the mobile and immobile universe, takes its rise.
This one is called Aniruddha. He is otherwise called Isana, and He is
manifest in all acts.[1831] That illustrious one, viz., Vasudeva, who is
called Kshetrajna, and who is freed f