"That he only can make a thing who knows it with its means, parts, and end." "Well," our opponents may say, "we concede that God is an independent maker, but then he has no body.[120] Now experience shows that all effects, as jars, &c., are produced by beings possessed of bodies, as potters, &c.; but if God were possessed of a body, then he would be like us subject to trouble, and no longer be omniscient or omnipotent." We, however, deny this, for we see that the incorporeal soul does still produce motion, &c., in its associated body; moreover, even though we conceded that God _did_ possess a body, we should still maintain that the alleged defects would not necessarily ensue. The Supreme Being, as he has no possible connection with the fetters of matter, such as _mala_,[121] action, &c., cannot have a material body, but only a body of pure energy (Sákta),[122] since we know that his body is composed of the five hymns which are forms of Śakti, according to the well-known text: "The Supreme has the _Iśána_ as his head, the _Tatpurusha_ as his mouth, the _Aghora_ as his heart, the _Vámedeva_ as his secret parts, and the _Sadyojáta_ as his feet."[123] And this body, created according to his own will, is not like our bodies, but is the cause of the five operations of the Supreme, which are respectively grace, obscuration, destruction, preservation, and production.[124] This has been said in the Śrímat Mṛigendra-- "From the impossibility of its possessing _mala_, &c., the body of the Supreme is of pure energy, and not like ours." And it has also been said elsewhere-- "His body is composed of the five mantras which are subservient to the five operations, "And his head, &c., are formed out of the Ísa, Tatpurusha, Aghora, Váma, and other hymns." If you object to this view that "such passages in the Ágamas as 'He is five-faced and fifteen-eyed,' assert prominently the fact that the Supreme Being is endowed with a body, organs, &c.," we concede what you say, but we maintain that there is no contradiction in his assuming such forms to show his mercy to his devoted servants, since meditation, worship, &c., are impossible towards a Being entirely destitute of form. This has been said in the Paushkara-- "This form of his is mentioned for the preservation of the devotee." And similarly elsewhere-- "Thou art to be worshipped according to rule as possessed of form; "For the understanding cannot reach to a formless object." Bhojarája[125] has thus detailed the five operations-- "Fivefold are his operations, creation, preservation, destruction, and obscuration, "And to these must be added the active grace of him who is eternally exalted." Now these five operations, in the view of the pure Path, are held to be performed directly by Śiva, but in that of the toilsome Path they are ascribed to Ananta,[126] as is declared in the Śrímat Karaṇa[127]--