the contact of the souls
with the atoms. By such action the air atoms come in contact
with one another and the dvya@nukas are formed and then in a
similar way the trya@nukas are formed, and thus vayu originates.
After vayu, the ap is formed by the conglomeration of water
atoms, and then the tejas atoms conglomerate and then the earth
atoms. When the four elements are thus conglomerated in the
gross form, the god Brahma and all the worlds are created by
Is'vara and Brahma is directed by Is'vara to do the rest of the
work. Brahma thus arranges for the enjoyment and suffering of
the fruits of diverse kinds of karma, good or bad. Is'vara brings
about this creation not for any selfish purpose but for the good
of all beings. Even here sorrows have their place that they
may lead men to turn from worldly attachment and try for
the attainment of the highest good, mukti. Moreover Is'vara
arranges for the enjoyment of pleasures and the suffering of
pains according to the merits and demerits of men, just as in
our ordinary experience we find that a master awards prizes
or punishments according to good or bad deeds [Footnote ref 1]. Many Nyaya
books do not speak of the appointment of a Brahma as deputy
for supervision of the due disposal of the fruits of karma
according to merit or demerit. It is also held that pralaya and
creation were brought about in accordance with the karma of
men, or that it may be due to a mere play (_lila_) of Is'vara.
Is'vara is one, for if there were many Is'varas they might quarrel.
The will of Is'vara not only brings about dissolution and creation,

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[Footnote 1: See _Nyayakandali_, pp. 48-54.]

325

but also acts always among us in a general way, for without it
our karmas could not ripen, and the consequent disposal of
pleasures and sorrows to us and a corresponding change in the
exterior world in the form of order or harmony could not happen.
The exterior world is in perfect harmony with men's actions.
Their merits and demerits and all its changes and modifications
take place in accordance with merits and demerits. This desire
(_iccha_) of Is'vara may thus be compared with the _iccha_ of Is'vara
as we find it in the Yoga system.

Proof of the Existence of Is'vara.

Sa@mkhya asserts that the teleology of the prak@rti is sufficient
to explain all order and arrangement of the cosmos. The
Mima@msakas, the Carvakas, the Buddhists