The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4 by or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli

O >> or: Kisari Mohan Ganguli >> The Mahabharata of Krishna Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 4

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SECTION XIX

"--The Brahmana said, 'He who becomes absorbed in the one receptacle (of
all things), freeing himself from even the thought of his own identity
with all things,--indeed, ceasing to think of even his own
existence,--gradually casting off one after another, will succeed in
crossing his bonds.[24] That man who is the friend of all, who endures
all, who is attached to tranquillity, who has conquered all his senses,
who is divested of fear and wrath, and who is of restrained soul.
succeeds in emancipating himself. He who behaves towards all creatures as
towards himself, who is restrained, pure, free from vanity and divested
of egoism is regarded as emancipated from everything. He also is
emancipated who looks with an equal eye upon life and death, pleasure and
pain, gain and loss, agreeable and disagreeable. He is in every way
emancipated who does not covet what belongs to others, who never
disregards any body, who transcends all pairs of opposites, and whose
soul is free from attachment. He is emancipated who has no enemy, no
kinsman, and no child, who has cast off religion, wealth, and pleasure,
and who is freed from desire or cupidity. He becomes emancipated who
acquires neither merit nor demerit, who casts off the merits and demerits
accumulated in previous births, who wastes the elements of his body for
attaining to a tranquillised soul, and who transcends all pairs of
opposites. He who abstains from all acts, who is free from desire or
cupidity, who looks upon the universe as unenduring or as like an
Aswattha tree, ever endued with birth, death and decrepitude, whose
understanding is fixed on renunciation, and whose eyes are always
directed towards his own faults, soon succeeds in emancipating himself
from the bonds that bind him.[25] He that sees his soul void of smell, of
taste and touch, of sound, of belongings, of vision, and unknowable,
becomes emancipated.[26] He who sees his soul devoid of the attributes of
the five elements to be without form and cause, to be really destitute of
attributes though enjoying them, becomes emancipated.[27] Abandoning,
with the aid of the understanding, all purposes relating to body and
mind, one gradually attains to cessation of separate existence, like a
fire unfed with fuel.[28] One who is freed from all impressions, who
transcends all pairs of opposites, who is destitute of all belongings,
and who uses all his senses under the guidance of penances, becomes
emancipated.[29] Having become freed from all impressions, one then
attains to Brahma which is Eternal and supreme, and tranquil, and stable,
and enduring, and indestructible. After this I shall declare the science
of Yoga to which there is nothing superior, and how Yogins, by
concentration, behold the perfect soul.[30] I shall declare the
instructions regarding it duly. Do thou learn from me those doors by
which directing the soul within the body one beholds that which is
without beginning and end.[31] Withdrawing the senses from their objects,
one should fix the mind upon the soul; having previously undergone the
severest austerities, one should practise that concentration of mind
which leads to Emancipation.[32] Observant of penances and always
practising concentration of mind, the learned Brahmana, endued with
intelligence, should observe the precepts of the science of Yoga,
beholding the soul in the body. If the good man succeeds in concentrating
the mind on the soul, he then, habituated to exclusive meditation,
beholds the Supreme soul in his own soul. Self-restrained, and always
concentrated, and with all his senses completely conquered, the man of
cleansed soul, in consequence of such complete concentration of mind,
succeeds in beholding the soul by the soul. As a person beholding some
unseen individual in a dream recognises him, saying,--This is he,--when
he sees him after waking, after the same manner the good man having seen
the Supreme Soul in the deep contemplation of Samadhi recognises it upon
waking from Samadhi.[33] As one beholds the fibrous pith after extracting
it from a blade of the Saccharum Munja, even so the Yogin beholds the
soul, extracting it from the body. The body has been called the Saccharum
Munja, and the fibrous pith is said to stand for the soul. This is the
excellent illustration propounded by persons conversant with Yoga. When
the bearer of a body adequately beholds the soul in Yoga, he then has no
one that is master over him, for he then becomes the lord of the three
worlds.[34] He succeeds in assuming diverse bodies according as he
wishes. Turning away decrepitude and death, he neither grieves nor
exults. The self-restrained man, concentrated in Yoga, can create (for
himself) the godship of the very gods. Casting off his transient body he
attains to immutable Brahma.[35] No fear springs up in him at even the
sight of all creatures falling victims to destruction (before his eyes).
When all creatures are afflicted,--he can never be afflicted by any one.
Devoid of desire and possessed of a tranquil mind, the person in Yoga is
never shaken by pain and sorrow and fear, the terrible effects that flow
from attachment and affection. Weapons never pierce him; death does not
exist for him. Nowhere in the world can be seen any one that is happier
than he. Having adequately concentrated his soul, he lives steadily on
himself. Turning off decrepitude and pain and pleasure, he sleeps in
comfort. Casting off this human body he attains to (other) forms
according to his pleasure. While one is enjoying the sovereignty that
Yoga bestows, one should never fall away from devotion to Yoga.[36] When
one, after adequate devotion to Yoga, beholds the Soul in oneself, one
then ceases to have any regard for even him of a hundred sacrifices
(Indra).[37] Hear now how one, habituating oneself to exclusive
meditation, succeeds in attaining to Yoga. Thinking of that point of the
compass which has the Sun behind it, the mind should be fixed, not
outside, but in the interior of that mansion in which one may happen to
live. Residing within that mansion, the mind should then, with all its
outward and inward (operations), behold in that particular room in which
one may stay. At that time when, having deeply meditated, one beholds the
All (viz., Brahman, the Soul of the universe), there is then nothing
external to Brahman where the mind may dwell. Restraining all the senses
in a forest that is free from noise and that is uninhabited, with mind
fixed thereon, one should meditate on the All (or universal Brahman) both
outside and inside one's body. One should meditate on the teeth, the
palate, the tongue, the throat, the neck likewise; one should also
meditate on the heart and the ligatures of the heart![38]

"The Brahmana continued, 'Thus addressed by me, that intelligent
disciple, O slayer of Madhu, once more asked me about this religion of
Emancipation that is so difficult to explain. How does this food that is
eaten from time to time become digested in the stomach? How does it
become transformed into juice? How, again, into blood? How does it
nourish the flesh, the marrow, the sinews, the bones? How do all these
limbs of embodied creatures grow? How does the strength grow of the
growing man? How occurs the escape of all such elements as are not
nutritive, and of all impurities separately? How does this one inhale and
again, exhale? Staying upon what particular part does the Soul dwell in
the body? How does Jiva, exerting himself, bear the body? Of what colour
and of what kind is the body in which he dwells again (leaving a
particular body)? O holy one, it behoveth thee to tell me all this
accurately, O sinless one,--even thus was I interrogated by that learned
Brahmana, O Madhava. I replied unto him, O thou of mighty arms, after the
manner I myself had heard, O chastiser of all foes. As one placing some
precious object in one's store-room should keep one's mind on it, so,
placing the mind within one's own body, one should then, restraining all
the senses, seek after the Soul, avoiding all heedlessness. One would,
becoming always assiduous in this way and gratified with one's own self,
within a very short time attain to that Brahma by beholding which one
would become conversant with Pradhana.[39] He is not capable of being
seized by the eye; nor even by all the senses.[40] It is only with the
lamp of the mind that great Soul can be seen. He has hands and feet on
all sides; he has ears on all sides; he dwells, pervading all things in
the world.[41] Jiva beholds the Soul as extracted from the body (like the
stalk from a blade of Saccharum Munja, when knowledge comes). Then
casting off Brahma as invested with form, by holding the mind in the
body, he beholds Brahma as freed from all attributes.[42] He sees the
Soul with his mind, smiling as it were at the time. Depending upon that
Brahma, he then attains to Emancipation in me.[43] O foremost of
regenerate ones, all this mystery has now been declared by me. I ask thy
permission, for I shall leave this spot. Do thou (also) go withersoever
thou pleasest. Thus addressed by me, O Krishna, on that occasion, that
disciple of mine, endued with austere penances, that Brahmana of rigid
vows, went away according to his pleasure.

"Vasudeva continued, 'That best of Brahmanas, O son of Pritha, having
said these words unto me, on that occasion, properly relating to the
religion of Emancipation, disappeared then and there. Has this discourse
been heard by thee, O son of Pritha, with mind directed solely towards
it? Even this was what thou didst hear on that occasion while thou wert
on thy car. It is my opinion, O son of Pritha, that this is difficult of
being comprehended by one whose understanding is confused, or who has
acquired no wisdom by study, or who eats food incompatible with his body,
or whose Soul is not purified.[44] O chief of Bharata's race, this is a
great mystery among the deities that has been declared (to thee). At no
time or place, O son of Pritha, has this been heard by man in this world.
O sinless one, no other man than thyself is deserving of hearing it. It
is not, at this time, capable of being easily understood by one whose
inner soul is confused. The world of the deities is filled, O son of
Kunti, with those who follow the religion of actions. The cessation of
the mortal form (by practising the religion of inaction) is not agreeable
to the deities.[45] That goal, O son of Pritha, is the highest which is
constituted by eternal Brahman where one, casting off the body, attains
to immortality and becomes always happy. By adhering to this religion,
even they who axe of sinful birth, such as women and Vaisyas and Sudras,
attain to the highest goal. What need be said then, O son of Pritha, of
Brahmanas and Kshatriyas possessed of great learning, always devoted to
the duties of their own orders and who are intent on (the acquisition of)
the region of Brahma? This has been laid down with the reasons (on which
it rests); and also the means for its acquisition; and its complete
attainment and fruit, viz., Emancipation and the ascertainment of the
truth regarding pain. O chief of Bharata's race, there is nothing else
that is fraught with happiness greater than this. That mortal, O son of
Pandu, who, endued with intelligence, and faith, and prowess, renounces
as unsubstantial what is regarded as substantial by the world, succeeds
within a short time in obtaining the Supreme by these means. This is all
that is to be said,--there is nothing else that is higher than this. Yoga
takes place in his case, O son of Pritha, who devotes himself to its
constant practice for a period of six months.'"

SECTION XX

"Vasudeva said, 'In this connection is cited the ancient narrative, O son
of Pritha, of the discourse that took place between a married couple. A
certain Brahmana's spouse, beholding the Brahmana, her husband who was a
complete master of every kind of knowledge and wisdom, seated in
seclusion, said unto him,--Into what region shall I go, depending on thee
as my husband,--thee that art seated, having cast off all (religious)
acts, that art harsh in thy conduct towards me, and that art so
undiscerning?[46] It has been heard by us that a wife attains to those
regions which are acquired by her husband. What, indeed, is the goal that
I shall attain, having obtained thee for my husband?--Thus questioned,
that Brahmana of tranquil soul then said unto her, smilingly,--O blessed
dame, I am not offended with these words of thine, O sinless one.
Whatever acts exist that are adopted with the aid of others, that are
seen (in consequence of their grossness), and that are true, are done as
acts by men devoted to acts.[47] Those persons that are destitute of
knowledge, only store delusion by acts. Freedom from acts, again, is
incapable of being attained in this world for even a moment. From birth
to the attainment of a different form, action good or bad, and
accomplished by acts, mind, or speech, exists in all beings. Those paths
(of action) which are characterised by visible objects (such as
Soma-juice and ghee for libations) being destroyed by Rakshasas, turning
away from them I have perceived the seat (of the soul) that is in the
body, without the aid of the soul.[48] There dwells Brahma transcending
all pairs of opposites; there Soma with Agni: and there the urger of the
understanding (viz., Vayu) always moves, upholding all creatures.[49] It
is for that seat that the Grandsire Brahman and others, concentrated in
Yoga, worship the Indestructible. It is for that seat that men of
learning and excellent vows, of tranquil souls, and of senses completely
vanquished, strive.[50] That is not capable of being smelt by the sense
of smell; nor tasted by the tongue; or touched by the organs of touch. It
is by the mind that that is attained. It is incapable of being conquered
by the eye. It transcends the sense of hearing. It is destitute of scent,
taste, touch, and form as attributes. It is that from which proceeds the
well-ordained universe, and it is that upon which it rests. The
life-breaths called Prana and Apana and Samana and Vyana and Udana flow
from it, and it is that into which they again enter. The breaths Prana
and Apana move between Samana and Vyana. When the soul sleeps, both
Samana and Vyana are absorbed.[51] Between Apana and Prana, Udana dwells,
pervading all. Hence, Prana and Apana do not desert a sleeping person. In
consequence of its controlling all the life-winds, the controlling breath
is called Udana. Hence, utterers of Brahman undergo penances which have
myself for their goal.[52] In the midst of all those life-breaths that
swallow up one another and move within the body, blazes forth the fire
called Vaiswanara made up of seven flames. The nose, the tongue, the eye,
the skin, the ear which numbers the fifth, the mind, and the
understanding,--these are the seven tongues of that Vaiswanara's flame.
That which is smelt, that which is seen, that which is drunk, that which
is touched, as also that which is heard, that which is thought of, and
that which is understood,--these are the seven sorts of fuel for me. That
which smells, that which eats, that which sees, that which touches, that
which hears numbering the fifth; that which thinks, and that which
understands,--these are the seven great officiating priests. Behold, O
blessed one, learned sacrificers duly casting seven libations in seven
ways in the seven fires, viz., that which is smelt, that which is drunk,
that which is seen, that which is touched, as also that which is heard,
that which is thought of, and that which is understood, create them in
their own wombs.[53] Earth, Wind, Ether, Water, and Light numbering as
the fifth, Mind, and Understanding--these seven are called wombs (of all
things). All the attributes which constitute the sacrificial offerings,
enter into the attribute that is born of the fire, and having dwelt
within that dwelling became reborn in their respective wombs. Thither
also, viz., in that which generates all beings, they remain absorbed
during the period for which dissolution lasts. From that is produced
smell, from that is produced taste, from that is produced colour, and
from that is produced touch; from that is produced sound; from that
arises doubt; and from that is produced resolution. This is what is known
as the sevenfold creation. It is in this very way that all this was
comprehended by the ancients. By the three full and final libations, the
full become full with light.'"

SECTION XXI

"The Brahmana said, 'In this connection is cited the following ancient
story. Do thou understand, of what kind the institution is of the ten
Hotris (sacrificing priests). The ear, the skin, the two eyes, the
tongue, the nose, the two feet, the two hands, the genital organ, the
lower duct, and speech,--these, O beautiful one, are the ten sacrificing
priests. Sound and touch, colour and taste, scent, speech, action,
motion, and the discharge of vital seed, of urine and of excreta, are the
ten libations. The points of the compass, Quarters, Wind, Sun, Moon,
Earth, Fire, Vishnu, Indra, Prajapati, and Mitra,--these, O beautiful
one, are the ten (sacrificial) fires. The ten organs (of knowledge and
action) are the sacrificing priests. The libations, O beautiful one, are
ten. The objects of the senses are the fuel that are cast into these ten
fires,[54] as also the mind, which is the ladle, and the wealth (viz.,
the good and bad acts of the sacrificer). What remains is the pure,
highest knowledge. We have heard that all this universe was well
differentiated (from Knowledge). All objects of knowledge are Mind.
Knowledge only perceives (i.e., discovers the Mind without being attached
to it). The knower (or Jiva), encased in subtle form, lives within the
gross body that is produced by the vital seed. The bearer of the body is
the Garhapatya fire. From that is produced another. Mind is the Ahavaniya
fire. Into it is poured the oblation. From that was produced the Veda (or
Word); (then was born Mind); Mind (desirous of creation) sets itself on
the Veda (or the Word). Their arises form (or colour) undistinguished by
particular colours. It runs towards the Mind.'"[55]

"The Brahmana's wife said, 'Why did Word first arise and why did Mind
arise afterwards, seeing that Word starts into existence after having
been thought upon by Mind? Upon that authority can it be said that Mati
(Prana) takes refuge in Mind. Why, again, in dreamless slumber, though
separated from Mind, does not Prana apprehend (all objects)? What is that
which restrains it then?'"[56]

"The Brahmana said, 'The Apana breath, becoming the lord (i.e., bringing
the Prana under its control), in consequence of such lordship over it,
makes it identical with itself. That restrained motion of the Prana
breath (which for the time becomes identical with that of the Apana) has
been said to be the motion of the mind. Hence the mind is dependent upon
Prana, not Prana upon the mind. Therefore, in dreamless slumber, upon the
disappearance of mind, Prana does not disappear. But since thou askest me
a question about word and mind, I shall, therefore, relate to thee a
discourse between them. Both Word and Mind, repairing to the Soul of
matter,[57] asked him,--Do thou say who amongst us is superior. Do thou,
O puissant one, dispel our doubt.--On that occasion, the holy one made
this answer.--The mind undoubtedly (is superior). Unto him Word said,--'I
yield to thee the fruition of all thy desires!'[58]

"The Brahmana said, 'Know that I have two minds, immovable and movable.
That which is immovable is, verily, with me; the movable is in your
dominion.[59] That mind is verily called movable which, in the form of
Mantra, letter, or voice, is referable to your dominion. Hence, thou art
superior (to the other mind which concerns itself with only the external
world). But since, coming of thy own accord, O beautiful one, thou
enterest into the engagement (about the fruition of all wishes),
therefore, filling myself with breath, I utter thee.[60] The goddess Word
used always to dwell between Prana and Apana. But, O blessed one, sinking
into Apana, though urged upwards, in consequence of becoming dissociated
from Prana, she ran to Prajapati and said,--Be gratified with me, O holy
one.--The Prana appeared, once more fostering Word. Hence, Word,
encountering deep exhalation, never utters anything. Word always flows as
endued with utterance or unendued with it.[61] Amongst those two, Word
without utterance is superior to Word with utterance. Like a cow endued
with excellent milk, she (Word without utterance) yields diverse kinds of
meaning. This one always yields the Eternal (viz., Emancipation),
speaking of Brahman. O thou of beautiful smiles, Word is a cow, in
consequence of her puissance which is both divine and not divine. Behold
the distinction of these two subtle forms of Word that flow.'"[62]

"The Brahmana's wife said, 'What did the goddess of Word then say, in
days of old, when, though impelled by the Wish to speak, Speech could not
come out?'"

"The Brahmana said, 'The Word that is generated in the body by Prana,
then attains to Apana from Prana. Then transformed into Udana and issuing
out of the body, envelops all the quarters, with Vyana. After that, she
dwells in Samana. Even in this way did Word formerly speak. Hence Mind,
in consequence of being immovable, is distinguished, and the goddess
Word, in consequence of being movable, is also distinguished."'

SECTION XXII

"The Brahmana said, 'In this connection is cited the ancient story, O
blessed one, of what the institution is of the seven sacrificing priests.
The nose, the eye, the tongue, the skin, and the ear numbering the fifth,
the mind, and the understanding,--these are the seven sacrificing priests
standing distinctly from one another. Dwelling in subtle space, they do
not perceive one another. Do thou, O beautiful one, know these
sacrificing priests that are seven by their nature.'"

"The Brahmana's wife said, 'How is it that dwelling in subtle space,
these do not perceive one another? What are their (respective) natures, O
holy one? Do thou tell me this, O lord.'"

"The Brahmana said, 'Not knowing the qualities (of any object) is
ignorance (of that object); while knowledge of the qualities is (called)
knowledge (of the object which possesses those qualities). These seven
never succeed in apprehending or knowing the qualities of one another.
The tongue, the eye, the ear too, the skin, the mind, and the
understanding, do not succeed in apprehending smells. It is the nose
alone that apprehends them. The nose, the tongue, the ear also, the skin,
the mind, and the understanding, never succeed in apprehending colours.
It is the eye alone that apprehends them. The nose, the tongue, the eye
too, the ear, the understanding, and the mind, never succeed in
apprehending sensations of touch It is the skin alone that apprehends
them. The nose, the tongue, the eye, the skin, the mind, and the
understanding, never succeed in apprehending sounds. It is the ear alone
that apprehends them. The nose, the tongue, the eye, the skin, the ear,
and the understanding never succeed in apprehending doubt. It is the mind
that apprehends it. The nose, the tongue, the eye, the skin, the ear, and
the mind, never succeed in apprehending determination (certainty in
respect of knowledge). It is the understanding alone that apprehends it.
In this connection, is cited, O beautiful lady, this ancient narrative of
a discourse between the senses and the mind.'

"The mind said, 'The nose does not smell without me. (Without me) the
tongue does not apprehend taste. The eye does not seize colour, the skin
does not feel touch, the ear does not apprehend sound, when deprived of
me. I am the eternal and foremost one among all the elements. It always
happens that destitute of myself, the senses never shine, like
habitations empty of inmates or fires whose flames have been quenched.
Without me, all creatures fail to apprehend qualities and objects, with
even the senses exerting themselves, even as fuel that is wet and dry
(failing to ignite a fire).'

"Hearing these words, the Senses said, 'Even this would be true as thou
thinkest in this matter, if, indeed, thou couldst enjoy pleasures without
either ourselves or our objects.[63] What thou thinkest, would be true,
if, when we are extinct, there be gratification and support of life, and
a continuation of thy enjoyments, or, if, when we are absorbed and
objects are existing, thou canst have thy enjoyments by thy desire alone,
as truly as thou hast them with our aid. If, again, thou deemest thy
power over our objects to be always complete, do thou then seize colour
by the nose, and taste by the eye. Do thou also take smell by the ear,
and sensations of touch by the tongue. Do thou also take sounds by the
skin, and likewise touch by the understanding. They that are powerful do
not own the dominion of any rules. Rules exist for those only that are
weak. Do thou seize enjoyments unenjoyed before; it behoves thee not to
enjoy what has been tasted before (by others). As a disciple repairs to a
preceptor for the sake of (acquiring) the Srutis, and then, having
acquired the Srutis, dwells on their import (by obeying their
injunctions), even so dost thou regard as thine those objects which are
shown by us, past or future, in sleep or in wakefulness. Of creatures,
again, that are of little intelligence, when their mind becomes
distracted and cheerless, life is seen to be upheld upon our objects
discharging their functions.[64] It is seen also that a creature, after
having formed even innumerable purposes and indulged in dreams, when
afflicted by the desire to enjoy, runs to objects of sense at once.[65]
One entering upon enjoyments depending on mental purposes alone and
unconnected with actual objects of sense, always meets with death upon
the exhaustion of the life-breaths, like an enkindled fire upon the
exhaustion of fuel. True it is that we have connections with our
respective attributes; true it is, we have no knowledge of one another's
attributes. But without us thou canst have no perception. Without us no
happiness can come to thee.'"