This phenomenal world existed at the point of inception as non-existence only, (then) again like a dream,
The Supreme Powerful God poured forth the totality by mere will.
Commentary
The sage opens his composition by telling us that in the beginning this phenomenal world was non-existence, and was then "again" poured forth, implying this is the inception of another great cyclic cosmic age. Actually the agent of emanation is the Absolute which can be called a God or a Goddess as the Guhyakali Upanishad does in verse 54: "All this cosmos the Goddess pours forth." The Sakti Sutra further declares: "She manifests the cosmos at will in Herself."
The phenomenal world came into being spontaneously, at a single stroke as declared in verse 9. There is no evolution, creative or mechanical, in the sage's vision, but an all-at-once emanating or pouring forth. In the Mimamsakavadakautuhala it is said, "The cosmos comes about by the will of the Powerful God."
The phenomenal world was not created during a fixed number of days. It arose like a dream, implying that a certain illusive quality is attached to this phenomenal world. The Pratyabhijna declares, "The state of dream is objectifying those visions perceived in the mind to the perception of ideas latent in the mind." Or as the Aitareya Upanishad (I.1) says: "He thought let me emanate these worlds."