Chapter 46

“Sanat-sujata said, ‘The primary Seed (of the universe), calledMahayasas, is destitute of accidents, is pure Knowledge, and blazeth witheffulgence. It leadeth the senses, and it is in consequence of that Seedthat Surya shineth. That Eternal One endued with Divinity is beheld byYogins (by their mental eye). It is in consequence of that Seed (which isJoy’s self) that Brahman becomes capable of Creation and it is through itthat Brahman increaseth in expansion. It is that Seed which entering intoluminous bodies giveth light and heat. Without deriving its light andheat from any other thing it is self-luminous, and is an object of terrorto all luminous bodies. The Eternal One endued with Divinity is beheld byYogins (by their mental eye). The body composed of the five grosserelements, that are themselves sprung from the five subtler ones,–thelatter, in their turn, originating in one homogeneous substance calledBrahman–is upheld (realised) in consciousness by both the creature-Soulendued with life and Iswara. (These two, during sleep and the universaldissolution, are deprived of consciousness). Brahman on the other hand,which is never bereft of consciousness, and which is the Sun’s Sun,upholdeth both these two and also the Earth and the Heaven. The EternalOne endued with Divinity is beheld by Yogins (by their mental eye). TheSeed upholdeth the two gods, the Earth and the Heaven, the Directions,and the whole Universe. It is from that Seed that directions (points ofthe compass) and rivers spring, and the vast seas also have derived theirorigin. The Eternal One endued with Divinity is beheld by Yogins (bytheir mental eye). The body is like a car destined to destruction. Itsacts, however, are undying. Tied to the wheels of that car (which arerepresented by the acts of past lives), the senses, that are as steeds,lead, through the region of consciousness, the man of wisdom towards thatIncreate and Unchangeable One, that One endued with Divinity is beheld byYogins (by their mental eye). The form of that One cannot be displayed byany comparison. None ever beholdeth Him by the eye. They that know him bythe rapt faculties, the mind, and the heart, become freed from death. TheEternal One endued with Divinity is beheld by Yogins (by their mentaleye). The stream of illusion is terrible; guarded by the gods, it hathtwelve fruits. Drinking of its waters and beholding many sweet things inits midst, men swim along it to and fro. This stream flows from thatSeed. That Eternal One endued with Divinity is beheld by Yogins (by theirmental eye). Destined to sojourn to and fro, the creature-Soul, havingreflected enjoyeth (in the other world) only half of the fruits of hisacts. It is that creature-Soul which is Iswara, pervading everything inthe universe. It is Iswara that hath ordained sacrifices. That EternalOne endued with Divinity is beheld by Yogins (by their mental eye). Soulsdivested of accidents, resorting to Avidya, which is like unto a tree ofgolden foliage, assume accidents, and take births in different ordersaccording to their propensities. That Eternal One endued with Divinity(in Whom all those Souls are united) is beheld by Yogins (by their mentaleye). Accidents (which coming in contact with Brahman make the latterassume many forms) raise the universe in its Fulness from that Brahmanwhich is full. Those accidents also, in their Fulness, arise from Brahmanin its Fulness. When one succeeds in dispelling all accidents fromBrahman which is ever Full, that which remains is Brahman in its Fulness.That Eternal One endued with Divinity is beheld by Yogins (by theirmental eye). It is from that Seed that the five elements have arisen, andit is in it that the power resideth for controlling them. It is from thatSeed that both the consumer and the consumed (called Agni and Soma) havesprung, and it is in it that the living organisms with the senses rest.Everything should be regarded to have sprung from it. That Seed called inthe Vedas TATH (Tad), we are unable to describe. That Eternal One enduedwith Divinity is beheld by Yogins (by their mental eye). The vital aircalled Apana is swallowed up by the Air called Prana; Prana is swallowedup by the Will, and the Will by the Intellect, and the Intellect by theSupreme Soul. That Eternal One endued with Divinity is beheld by Yogins(by their mental eye). The Supreme Soul endued with four legs, calledrespectively Waking, Dream, profound Sleep, and Turiya, like unto a swan,treading above the unfathomable ocean of worldly affairs doth not putforth one leg that is hid deep. Unto him that beholdeth that leg (viz.,Turiya) as put forth for the purpose of guiding the other three, bothdeath and emancipation are the same. That Eternal One endued withDivinity is beheld by Yogins (by their mental eye). Of the measure of thethumb, ever Full, and different from this eternal organism, coming incontact with the Vital airs, the Will, the Intellect, and the ten Senses,it moveth to and fro. That Supreme Controller, worthy of reverentialhymns, capable of everything when vested with accidents and the primecause of everything, is manifest as Knowledge in creature-Souls. Foolsalone do not behold him; that Eternal One endued with Divinity is beheldby Yogins (by their mental eye). Among individuals there are those thathave obtained the mastery of their minds, and those that have not. Yet inall men the Supreme Soul may be seen equally. Indeed, it resideth equallyin him that is emancipate and in him that is not, with only thisdifference that they that are emancipate obtain honey flowing in a thickjet. That Eternal One endued with Divinity is beheld by Yogins (by theirmental eye). When one maketh life’s Sojourn, having attained to theknowledge of Self and Not-Self, then it matters little whether hisAgni-hotra is performed or not. O monarch, let not such words as ‘I amthy servant’ fall from their lips. The Supreme Soul hath another name,viz., Pure Knowledge. They only that have restrained their minds obtainHim. That Eternal One endued with Divinity is beheld by Yogins (by theirmental eye). Even such is He. Illustrious and Full, all living creaturesare merged into Him. He that knoweth that embodiment of Fullnessattaineth to his object (emancipation) even here. That Eternal One enduedwith Divinity is beheld by Yogins (by their mental eye). That whichflieth away stretching forth thousands of wings, yea, if endued with thespeed of the mind, must yet come back to the Central Spirit within theliving organism (in which the most distant things reside… That EternalOne endued with Divinity) is beheld by Yogins (by their mental eye). Hisform cannot be an object of sight. They only, that are of pure hearts,can behold him. When one seeketh the good of all, succeedeth incontrolling his mind, and never suffereth his heart to be affected bygrief, then he is said to have purified his heart. Those again that canabandon the world and all its cares, become immortal. (That Supreme Soulwhich is undying),–that Eternal One endued with Divinity–is beheld byYogins (by their mental eye). Like serpents concealing themselves inholes, there are persons who following the dictates of their preceptors,or by their own conduct conceal their vices from scrutiny’s gaze. Theythat are of little sense are deceived by these. In fact, bearingthemselves outwardly without any impropriety, these deceive their victimsfor leading them to hell. (Him, therefore, who may be attained bycompanionship with persons of the very opposite class), that Eternal Oneendued with Divinity–is beheld by Yogins (by their mental eye). He thatis emancipate thinks,–this transitory organism can never make me liableto joy and grief and the other attributes inhering to it: nor can therebe, in my case, anything like death and birth: and, further, whenBrahman, which hath no opposing force to contend against and which isalike in all times and all places, constitutes the resting-place of bothrealities and unrealities, how can emancipation be mine? It is I alonethat am the origin and the end of all causes and effects.–(Existing inthe form of I or Self) that Eternal One endued with Divinity is beheld byYogins (by their mental eye). The Brahman-knowing person, who is equalunto Brahman itself, is neither glorified by good acts nor defiled by badones. It is only in ordinary men that acts, good or bad, producedifferent results. The person that knoweth Brahman should be regarded asidentical with Amrita or the state called Kaivalya which is incapable ofbeing affected by either virtue or vice. One should, therefore, disposinghis mind in the way indicated, attain to that essence of sweetness(Brahman). That Eternal One endued with Divinity is beheld by Yogins (bytheir mental eye). Slander grieveth not the heart of the person thatknoweth Brahman not the thought–I have not studied (the Veda), or, Ihave not performed my Agni-hotra. The knowledge of Brahman soon impartethto him that wisdom which they only obtain who have restrained their mind.(That Brahman which freeth the Soul from grief and ignorance)-thatEternal One endued with Divinity-is beheld by Yogins (by their mentaleye). He, therefore, that beholdeth his own Self in everything, hath nolonger to grieve, for they only have to grieve who are employed indiverse other occupations of the world. As one’s purposes (appeasingthirst, etc.) may be served in a well as in a large reservoir or vastexpanse, so the various purposes of the Vedas may all be derivable by himthat knoweth the Soul. Dwelling in the heart, and of the measure of thethumb, that illustrious One–the embodiment of Fullness–is not an objectof sight. Unborn he moveth, awake day and night. He that knoweth him,becometh both learned and full of joy. I am called the mother and father.I am again the son. Of all that was, and of all that we will be, I am theSoul. O Bharata, I am the old grandsire, I am the father, I am the son.Ye are staying in my soul, yet ye are not mine, nor am I yours! The Soulis the cause of my birth and procreation. I am the warp and woof of theuniverse. That upon which I rest is indestructible. Unborn I move, awakeday and night. It is I knowing whom one becometh both learned and full ofjoy. Subtler than the subtle, of excellent eyes capable of looking intoboth the past and the future, Brahman is awake in every creature. Theythat knows Him know that Universal Father dwelleth in the heart of everycreated thing!'”