If, as in the argumentations of the logicians, so in the Vedanta-texts also, there were set forth different views concerning the nature of the cause, some of them favouring the theory of an intelligent Brahman being the cause of the world, others inclining towards the pradhana doctrine, and others again tending in a different direction; then it might perhaps be possible to interpret such passages as those, which speak of the cause of the world as thinking, in such a manner as to make them fall in with the pradhana theory.  But the stated condition is absent since all the Vedanta-texts uniformly teach that the cause of the world is the intelligent Brahman.  Compare, for instance, ’As from a burning fire sparks proceed in all directions, thus from that Self the pra/n/as proceed each towards its place; from the pra/n/as the gods, from the gods the worlds’ (Kau.  Up.  III, 3).  And ‘from that Self sprang ether’ (Taitt.  Up.  II, 1).  And ‘all this springs from the Self’ (Ch.  Up.  VII, 26, 1).  And ‘this pra/n/a is born from the Self’ (Pr.  Up.  III, 3); all which passages declare the Self to be the cause.  That the word ‘Self’ denotes an intelligent being, we have already shown.

And that all the Vedanta-texts advocate the same view as to an intelligent cause of the world, greatly strengthens their claim to be considered a means of right knowledge, just as the corresponding claims of the senses are strengthened by their giving us information of a uniform character regarding colour and the like.  The all-knowing Brahman is therefore to be considered the cause of the world, ’on account of the uniformity of view (of the Vedanta-texts).’—­A further reason for this conclusion is advanced.

11.  And because it is directly stated in Scripture (therefore the all-knowing Brahman is the cause of the world).

That the all-knowing Lord is the cause of the world, is also declared in a text directly referring to him (viz. the all-knowing one), viz. in the following passage of the mantropanishad of the Sveta/s/vataras (VI, 9) where the word ‘he’ refers to the previously mentioned all-knowing Lord, ’He is the cause, the lord of the lords of the organs, and there is of him neither parent nor lord.’  It is therefore finally settled that the all-knowing Brahman is the general cause, not the non-intelligent pradhana or anything else.

In what precedes we have shown, availing ourselves of appropriate arguments, that the Vedanta-texts exhibited under Sutras I, 1-11, are capable of proving that the all-knowing, all-powerful Lord is the cause of the origin, subsistence, and dissolution of the world.  And we have explained, by pointing to the prevailing uniformity of view (I, 10), that all Vedanta-texts whatever maintain an intelligent cause.  The question might therefore be asked, ’What reason is there for the subsequent part of the Vedanta-sutras?’ (as the chief point is settled already.)