न वियत्, अश्रुतेः ॥ १ ॥
na viyat, aśruteḥ || 1 ||
na—Not; viyat—Akasa; aśruteḥ—(as it is) not so stated by the Sruti.
1. Akasa (is) not (created), (as it is) not so stated by the Sruti.
To start with, the texts dealing with creation are taken up, and Akasa (ether) is first dealt with. In the Chhandogya Upanishad, where the order of creation is given, the text says, “It thought, ‘May I be many, may I grow forth.’ It sent forth fire” (6. 2. 3). Here there is no mention of Akasa being produced by the Sat or Brahman. Hence Akasa has no origin, it is eternal.