238 The Religion of the Veda
can ‘being’ come out of ‘non-being?”’ asks the Chfindogya Upanishad (6. 2. 2). Moreover it ignores the previously postulated “ That Only ” which by its terms eliminates “non-being.” The poet here no- questionably entangles himself in shnm~profundity; he had better left out all reference to “ non-being”; it is a term handled by the Hindus with a. degree of dcftness which is in the inverse ratio to their fondness for it.
The hymn continues with a mystical fifth stanza which is obscure, and in any case unimportant. Then it takes a wholly new turn into the direction of philosophic scepticism. This is quite unexpected in the wake of “That Only,” in Whose mind creative desire had sprung forth: it ought to, aided by its own or the sages’ creative fervor, go on to create the
World, if it does anything at all: SIXTH STANZA.
“ W/Ea body #:7201er]; 1? Wine cam Kore proclaim z'zf ? Wszce mm?» dam, till/M7266 comer]; t/zz'x creation .9 0:; 27222: side are {/23 gods from 2'35 creating,
Who emwew Z/zen from whence it some to hazing? ”
SEVENT II STANZA.
“ This creation—“from 205337263 it come 3‘0 hing, T/V/zé't/m it made z'z‘ser, or coder/5W not-— He' who 2‘5 z'z‘s overseer in my“: Ammo, He sure!) enowm‘lzmar fierc/zmzce 27w renewez‘k not.”
act”. I-R.-.‘-fi
' Jim—fry: menm_w,rr=— : A
ucfl-W‘wu ‘E;p;,- __
