Madhvaon Brahma Sūtra 2.3.12

In the earlier text quoted above, Prithivi (Earth) is spoken of by the word Anna; for that text is found in the chapter dealing with the creation of the elements. And earth is mainly of black colour; while blackness is not the characteristic of the other Anna (any other thing denoted by the term Anna). This becomes evident from other passages as, “ Water and earth (are both call- ed) Anna ” (A. A. II. 3. x). “Earth indeed is Anna” (Tait III. 9). “They (water) created Anna; (and) earth indeed is Anna." The term, * etc. ’ implies an argu- ment, pig., erroneousness cannot be supposed of Vedic authority; for it is free from the faults which arise from being the work of (an author), since it has no author and is eternal; and so on. The Kurmapurana speaks to the same effect. “ When a conflict appears to arise between two scriptural passages, there the erroneousness of the texts is not (to be) admitted, but they should be inter- preted in such a way that the (seeming) conflict ceases to be.” The Vyoma Samhita has the following, “ Naturally fire is red, water is white, and earth is only black. She (earth) is said to be yellow being in contact with the navel lotus of the Lord, she is red because of the admixture of Kshatriya blood; elsewhere she becomes white (pale) owing to abundance of water. Likewise she comes to be of other hues being mixed up with other things. Again her yellowness (in some places) is accounted for by the admixture of the Lord's essence. For the eternal Lord, most high and most glorious, is of golden essence.” From the texts such as, “ Thou art the support of the vital airs, O Rudra, as well as the destroyer; do not visit me as a destroyer, but bless me with Thy holy presence,” (Mn. i6-2), some one different from Brahman seems to be the destroyer. To clear this doubt, the Sutrakara says: