Text 50] Fundamental Principles of Material Nature 1113

parasya—of the cause; drsyate—is observed; dharmah—the characteristics;
hi—indeed; aparasmin—in the effect; samanvaydt—in order; atah—hence;
visesah—the distinctive characteristic; bhdvandm—of all the elements;
bhiimau—in earth; eva—alone; upalaksyate—is observed.

TRANSLATION

Since the cause exists in its effect as well, the characteristics of the
former are observed in the latter. That is why the peculiarities of all the
elements exist in the earth alone.

PURPORT

Sound is the cause of the sky, sky is the cause of the air, air is the cause
of fire, fire is the cause of water, and water is the cause of earth. In the
sky there is only sound; in the air there is sound and touch; in the fire
there is sound, touch and form; in water there is sound, touch, form and
taste; and in the earth there is sound, touch, form, taste and smell. There-
fore earth is the reservoir of all the qualities of the other elements. Earth
is the sum total of all other elements. The earth has all five qualities of the
elements, water has four qualities, fire has three, air has two, and the sky
has only one quality, sound.

TEXT 50
UMNaet Al Neila aq zl

VSIA weneenfsaq well

etany asarthatya yada
mahad-adini sapta vai

kala-karma-gunopeto
jagad-adir updvisat

etani—these; asamhatya—being unmixed; yada—when; mahat-ddini—
the mahat-tattva, false ego and five gross elements; sapta—all together
seven; vai—in fact; kdla—time; karma— work; guna—and the three modes of
material nature; upetah—accompanied by; jagat-adih—the origin of creation;
updvisat—entered.

TRANSLATION

When all these elements were unmixed, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, the origin of creation, along with time, work and the qualities
