आत्मैव तदिदं विश्वं सृज्यते सृजति प्रभु: । त्रायते त्राति विश्वात्मा ह्रियते हरतीश्वर: ॥ ६ ॥ तस्मान्न ह्यात्मनोऽन्यस्मादन्यो भावो निरूपित: । निरूपितेऽयं त्रिविधा निर्मूला भातिरात्मनि । इदं गुणमयं विद्धि त्रिविधं मायया कृतम् ॥ ७ ॥
ātmaiva tad idaṁ viśvaṁ sṛjyate sṛjati prabhuḥ trāyate trāti viśvātmā hriyate haratīśvaraḥ tasmān na hy ātmano ’nyasmād anyo bhāvo nirūpitaḥ nirūpite ’yaṁ tri-vidhā nirmūlā bhātir ātmani idaṁ guṇa-mayaṁ viddhi tri-vidhaṁ māyayā kṛtam
- ātmā
- the Supreme Soul
- eva
- alone
- tat idam
- this
- viśvam
- universe
- sṛjyate
- is created
- sṛjati
- and creates
- prabhuḥ
- the Supreme Lord
- trāyate
- is protected
- trāti
- protects
- viśva-ātmā
- the Soul of all that be
- hriyate
- is withdrawn
- harati
- withdraws
- īśvaraḥ
- the supreme controller
- tasmāt
- than Him
- na
- no
- hi
- indeed
- ātmanaḥ
- than the Soul
- anyasmāt
- who is distinct
- anyaḥ
- other
- bhāvaḥ
- entity
- nirūpitaḥ
- is ascertained
- nirūpite
- thus established
- ayam
- this
- tri-vidhā
- threefold
- nirmūlā
- without basis
- bhātiḥ
- appearance
- ātmani
- within the Supersoul
- idam
- this
- guṇa-mayam
- consisting of the modes of nature
- viddhi
- you should know
- tri-vidham
- threefold
- māyayā
- by the illusory energy
- kṛtam
- created
The Supersoul alone is the ultimate controller and creator of this world, and thus He alone is also the created. Similarly, the Soul of all existence Himself both maintains and is maintained, withdraws and is withdrawn. No other entity can be properly ascertained as separate from Him, the Supreme Soul, who nonetheless is distinct from everything and everyone else. The appearance of the threefold material nature, which is perceived within Him, has no actual basis. Rather, you should understand that this material nature, composed of the three modes, is simply the product of His illusory potency.