16. But, joining minute particles even of those six, which possess measureless power, with particles of himself, he created all beings.
16. The translation follows Nand., Râgh., and Vigñânabhikshu (Sâmkhyasâra, p. 19, ed. Hall), who agree that the verse derives the subtile or rudimentary bodies of individual beings from the subtile body of the creator, and the individual souls from his soul. They explain âtmamâtrâsu by aparikkhinnasyaikasyâtmana upâdhivasâd avayavavatpratîyamâneshu âtmasu (Râgh.), svagîvâmseshu (Nand.), and svâmsaketaneshu (Vigñ.). But they differ with respect to the meaning of 'the particles of those six.' 'Those six' are, according to Râgh. and Vigñ., 'the six senses,' i. e. the five organs of sensation and the mind (which by implication indicate the whole subtile body, Vigñ.) ; according to Nand., the six classes of tattvas, which he believes to be mentioned in the preceding two verses, viz. (1) the great one, (2) egoism, (3) mind, (4) the subtile or rudimentary elements, (5, 6) the organs of sensation and action.
Medh., Gov., and Kull., on the other hand, take the verse as follows: 'Joining minute particles of those six (i. e. of egoism and of the five subtile elements) which possess immeasurable power to particles of the same (i. e. of evolutes from the same six [Gov., Kull.], i. e. of the gross elements produced from theTanmâtras and the organs produced from egoism [Medh.]), he framed all beings.' It would seem that Nand.'s explanation comes nearest to the truth, though, as stated above, his manner of showing that six principles or classes of principles are mentioned in the preceding verses is not altogether satisfactory. But, at all events, he has seen that the expression 'those six' must refer to the enumeration in the preceding two verses.
