Page:Philosophy of bhagawad-gita.pdf/37

Rh Of course, this is the first manifestation of Parabrahmam, the first ego that appears in the cosmos, the beginning of all creation and the end of all evolution. It is the one source of all energy in the cosmos, and the basis of all branches of knowledge; and, what is more, it is as it were the tree of life, because the chaitanyam which animates the whole cosmos springs from it. When once this ego starts into existence as a conscious being having objective consciousness of its own, we shall have to see what the result of this objective consciousness will be with reference to the one absolute and unconditioned existence from which it starts into manifested existence. From its objective standpoint, Parabrahmam appears to it as Mulaprakrti. Please bear this in mind and try to understand my words, for here is the root of the whole diffiulty about Purusha and Prakrti felt by the various writers on Vedantic philosophy. Of course this Mulaprakrti is material to us. This Mulaprakrti is no more Parabrahmam than the bundle of attributes of this pillar is the pillar itself; Parabrahmam is an unconditioned and absolute reality, and Mulaprakrti is a sort of veil thrown over it. Parabrahmam by itself cannot be seen as it is. It is seen by the Logos with a veil thrown over it, and that veil is the mighty expanse of cosmic matter. It is the basis of material manifestations in the cosmos.

Again, Parabrahmam, after having appeared on the one hand as the Ego, and on the other as Mulaprakrti