अव्यक्ताद्व्यक्तय: सर्वा: प्रभवन्त्यहरागमे | रात्र्यागमे प्रलीयन्ते तत्रैवाव्यक्तसञ्ज्ञके || 18 || |
|---|
“All beings arise from the unmanifest state in the beginning of the day of Brahma, and they merge back into the unmanifest during the night of Brahma, which is called dissolution.”
Commentary: The “unmanifest” state, referred to as “Avyakta”, represents the potentially unexpressed state of existence. It is the state preceding creation when all forms and phenomena are in an unmanifested, subtle form. This unmanifest state is synonymous with the absolute and transcendent reality.
As the day of Brahma dawns, the process of manifestation begins. The unmanifest transforms into the manifest, and all beings, entities, and phenomena arise from this unmanifest source. This is the creative phase where the universe unfolds and diversifies.
Conversely, during the night of Brahma, which symbolizes dissolution or cosmic rest, all beings and forms return to the unmanifest state. The manifest universe gradually dissolves back into its unexpressed form, merging into the unmanifest source from which it originated. This dissolution is also a temporary phase that prepares the ground for the next cycle of creation.
The verse highlights the cyclical nature of existence, where creation and dissolution alternate in a continuous cosmic rhythm. It emphasizes that all manifestations, whether living beings or inanimate objects, have their origin in the unmanifest and eventually merge back into it.