Intelligent & material cause

Some people think there is no cause for this world. The world emerges from nothing and will return to nothing. There is no such a thing as brahman which is the cause of the world. Since brahman does not exist, how can people attain absolute happiness by knowing a non-existence entity? The next mantra addresses this objection.

yadidam kiñca jagat sarvam prāṇa ejati nissṛtam |

mahadbhayam vajramudyatam ya etad viduramṛtāste bhavanti ||2.3.2||

Whatever consists in this entire universe emerges and moves because of brahman. That (brahman) is a source of fear, like one who raises a thunderbolt. Those who know this (brahman) become immortal.

This mantra presents that brahman is the intelligent cause as well as the material cause of this universe, unlike in the case of pot, where the pot maker, who is the intelligent cause, is different from the clay, which is the material cause. yadidam kiñca jagat sarvam prāṇa ejati nissṛtam - this whole universe, with everything in it, emerges (exists) and vibrates (functions) only in the presence of brahman. Just as the dreamer is the intelligent cause for the dream world to emerge, and the same dreamer is the material cause that supports the entire transaction within the dream. In the same way, brahman is the intelligent cause from which the universe appears, and brahman is also the material cause that sustains the universe. As the creator of the universe, brahman doesn’t need any other material other than himself, and as the maintainer, he is not actively managing things step-by-step, but merely remains as the underlying order for the continuity of the universe. From the first half of this mantra, we established that a non-existent-cause cannot lend existence to anything, and the cause of the existent universe has to be of the nature of existence.

In the second half of this mantra, brahman, which is the maintainer of order in this universe, is described as the source of fear with a thunderbolt (weapon) in hand - mahadbhayam vajramudyatam. This strict enforcer of the laws is described as the source of fear, because it is seen in the world that people follow laws due to the fear of punishment for violating the law. It is because of this order that the world functions. If the order is disturbed in any way, there will be calamity (if the sun moves closer or further away, we will be scorched or frozen). The laws must be maintained strictly for the universe to function in perfection and harmony.

Those who know brahman (Īśvara), who is the intelligent and material cause of this

universe, is none other than oneself, they will attain immortality - ya etad viduramṛtāste bhavanti.