Brahma Sutras – According to Shankara 2-3-4

Topic 4 - Fire created from air

Sutra 2,3.10

तेजोऽतः, तथा ह्याह ॥ १० ॥

tejo'taḥ, tathā hyāha || 10 ||

tejaḥ—Fire; ataḥ—from this; tathā—so hi—verily; āha—says.

10. Fire (is produced) from this (i.e. air), so verily says (the Śruti).

From air (is produced) fire” (Taitt. 2. 1.) shows that fire springs from air. Again we have, “That (Brahman) created fire” (Chh. 6. 2. 3).

These two texts can be reconciled by interpreting the Taittirīya text to mean the order of sequence: Brahman, after creating air, created fire.

This Sutra refutes such an ingenious explanation and says that fire is produced from Vāyu or air.

This does not contradict the Chāṇḍogya text, for it means that as air is a product of Brahman, it is from Brahman, which has assumed the form of air, that fire is produced.

The general proposition that everything is created from Brahman requires that all things should ultimately be traced to that cause, and not that they should be the immediate effects. Hence there is no contradiction.