वेदान्त पारिजात सौरभ (भगवद् निम्बार्काचार्य - द्वैताद्वैत वेदान्त ब्रह्मसूत्र भाष्य सटीक)

296 VEDĀNTA-PĀRIJĀTA-SAURABHA [sū. 2. 1. 18-19. ADH. 6 ] SŪTRA 18 "AND LIKE A PIECE OF CLOTH." Vedānta-pārijāta-saurabha Just as a piece of cloth is at first rolled up, and afterwards spread out, so is the universe. Vedānta-kaustubha The sense is : Just as a piece of rolled up cloth, although not known to be a piece of cloth, does not, for that reason, become non-existent, but is indeed existent, existing in a different form, and when spread out once more, is known to be a piece of cloth,—so, indeed, prior to creation, the universe remains existent indeed, though not known to be a universe, having its name and form unmanifest; and is clearly known as the universe at the time of creation, having its name and form manifest. Just as the drawn forth limbs of a tortoise are not perceived, even though existent, but do not become non-existent thereby and are known when stretched out again; and just as the banyan tree, existent in the seed at all times indeed in a subtle form, is manifested in a gross form, so it is the pre-existent universe alone which originates, in accordance with the Mahā-bhārata passage: "Just as a tortoise, having stretched out its limbs, draws them in again, so the soul of beings, having created beings, destroys them again" (Mahā 12.7072b-7073a 1) and the Viṣṇu-purāṇa passage "Just as a gigantic banyan tree is contained in a small seed, so is the entire universe in you, the seed, during (the state of) contraction (viz dissolution)". (V.P 1 12.666–67a 2.) SŪTRA 19 "AND JUST LIKE THE VITAL-BREATH AND THE REST." Vedānta-pārijāta-saurabha Just as the vital-breath, having the prāṇa, apāna and the rest, controlled by breath exercises, etc. remains in its real form; and 1 P. 615, lines 24-25, vol 3. Reading: "sṛṣṭāni harate". Vaṅgavāsī ed. also, p. 1571. 2 P. 108.