मनोमात्रमिदं चित्रमिवाग्रे सर्वमीद्र्शम्।
प्रापयामास वैचित्र्यं भगवान् चित्रकारवत् || ५ ||
At the point of inception this (world) was mere mind, then like a picture all was endowed with qualities;
Like an artist, the Revered One, gave out a wonderful display.
Commentary
In the beginning all was mind and absorbed in the Absolute. Then the Revered One gave out a wonderful display. The Taittiriya Upanishad (III. 4.1) says: "He understood mind is the Absolute; so indeed, truly, from mind these beings were produced."
The Absolute or Revered One is called an artist making a wonderful picture of the cosmos. The cosmos in its entirety was first in the mind of the artist, and then the picture was painted. Let us recall the words of the Valmiki Ramayana: "That Bhairava Siva is said to be space-consciousness, while His own vibrating energy-power is known to be composed of mind."