6.3
apane purusa visvera 'nimitta'-karana
advaita-rupe 'upadana' hana narayana
'nimittamse' kare teoho mayate iksana
'upadana' advaita karena brahmanda-srjana
Lord Visnu is the efficient cause (nimitta) of the material world, and
Narayana, in the form of Sri Advaita, is the material cause (upadana). Lord
Visnu, in His efficient aspect glances over the material energy, and Sri
as the material cause, creates the material world. (Cc. Adi 6.16,17)
I cannot understand the meaning of Narayana being the material cause. Is he referring to Siva here?
As an aside, according to Madhava isvara is not the material cause of the world, only the efficient cause. On the other hand according to Ramanuja, isvara is both the efficient and material cause. I recall BVT saying that isvara is both the material and efficient cause of creation. BVT attacks Vaisesika philosophy on the point that they accept isvara as only the efficient cause. Could somebody clear the air on this two issues?