be older.

The most remarkable feature of this literature is its elaborate
doctrine of evolution and emanation from the Deity, the world process
being conceived in the usual Hindu fashion as an alternation of
production and destruction. A distinction is drawn between pure and
gross creation. What we commonly call the Universe is bounded by the
shell of the cosmic egg and there are innumerable such eggs, each with
its own heavens and its own tutelary deities such as Brahma and Siva
who are sharply distinguished from Vishnu. But beyond this multitude
of worlds are more mysterious and spiritual spheres, the highest
heaven or Vaikuntha wherein dwells God in his highest form (Para)
with his Saktis,[472] certain archangels and liberated souls.
Evolution commences when at the end of the cosmic night the Sakti of
Vishnu[473] is differentiated from her Lord and assumes the two forms
of Force and Matter.[474] He as differentiated from her is Vasudeva a
personal deity with six attributes[475] and is the first emanation, or
Vyuha, of the ineffable godhead. From him proceeds Sankarshana, from
Sankarshana Pradyumna, and from Pradyumna Aniruddha. These three
Vyuhas take part in creation but also correspond to or preside over
certain aspects of human personality, namely Sankarshana to the soul
that animates all beings, Pradyumna to intelligence and Aniruddha to
individuality. Strange to say these seem to be the names of
distinguished personages in the Sattvata or Vrishni clan.[476] Mere
deification occurs in many countries but the transformation of heroes
into metaphysical or psychological terms could hardly have happened
outside India. Next to the Vyuhas come twelve sub-Vyuhas, among whom
is Narayana,[477] and thirty-nine Avataras. All these beings are
outside the cosmic eggs and our gross creation. As a prelude to this
last there takes place the evolution of the aggregates or sources from
which individual souls and matter are drawn, of space and of time, and
finally of the elements, the process as described seeming to follow an
older form of the Sankhya philosophy than that known to us. The task
of human souls is to attain liberation, but though the language of the
Samhitas is not entirely consistent, the older view is that they
become like to God, not that they are absorbed in him.[478]

Thus it is not incorrect to say that the Bhagavata religion is
monotheistic and recognizes a creator of souls. Indeed Sankara[479]
condemns it on