7. As soon as he entered the island, a woman seised him by the hand and asked him, “ Who and whose art thou, who has sent thee, tell me? n 8. Thus spoken to and seized by the hand by those women who were laughing at him he was repeatedly asked this question and released himself with difficulty from their grasp.
9. Having become greatly astonished the evil-minded RAkshasa thought aa follows “Killed by Vishnu, I shall go to Vaikuntha.
10. “I shall do that by which Vishnu may become angry with me.” Thus resolved that asura abducted Sita in the forest.
11. Knowing thee to be the supreme self, he abducted the daughter of the earth (Sita) and protected her like his mother, wishing to have his death at thy hands.
12. O Kama, thou art god, who knowest rII. Thou hast knowledge for thy eye. Thou art the witness of the movement of time past, present and future. Thou art free from all the three folds. Doing all modifi- cations of the mind for the purpose of setting an example to thy devotees to follow, worshipped by Indra and the rest, thou, Olord, lookest glorious, hearing the hymns of praise of the Munis and worshipped by the world.
13. Having thus praised RAghava, and been worshipped by him in return, the Muni Agastya went to his Ashrama along with the other Munis.
14. Hama, the lord of Ram A (SItA) also together with Sita, his brothers and his ministers, lived in the family, enjoying the pleasures of life like a man of the world.
15. Unattached he enjoyed objects of sense along with his dear spouse, surrounded by HanuinAna and the other good monkeys.
16. Once upon a time the Pushpakacar came to KAma, the lord, and said. “My lord, I have been sent by Kuvera to thee. Kuvera said: — 17. ** First tljou wast conquered by RAvnna, then by Rama, do thou therefore always carry him and live upon the earth i ill lie lives there.
18 — 19. “ When RAma goes to Vaikuntha, then do come back to me.” Hearing this, RAma said to Pushpaka which was equal to the sun in splendour, “ Do thou come to me when I think of thee, may good betide thee.
“ Do thou stay concealed, do thou go away now by my command.”
20. So saying, RAma Chandra did the work of his kingdom along with his brothers and ministers.
21. On RAma, the lord of RamA, ruling earth, the latter became full of crops and trees full of fruits.
22. All men became attached to duty, all women became devoted to their husbands. No one witnessed the death of a son in the reign of RAghava.
23. Riding a glorious chariot along with Si Ui, his brothers and the monkeys, the lord RAma roamed over earth.
24 — 27. He did many a superhuman deed. Seeing the child of a Brahmana dead before his time, and finding the Brahmana grieving over the loss of his son, RAma the wise king saw a Sudra engaged in austerities in the forest. He killed the Sudra and revived the child of the Brahmana, and gave heaven to the Sudra. RAma, the supreme self, for the purpose of the guidance of the world installed millions of images of Shiva everywhere and made SUA happy with enjoyments which were beyond the reach of men.
28. Rama, the knower of duty, ruled the kingdom virtuously and made his story which destroys all sins permanent.
29. For ten thousand years in a human form taken under the influence of MayA, worshipped by the world, RAraa ruled his kingdom according to the ordinances of the ShAstras.
30. Devoted to one spouse, llama the royal sage, always pure, did all his household duties, teaching the world by his example.
31. SitA also by her love, obedience, humility, self-control, modesty and fear became clear to her lord, 32—34. Once upon a time, as they were seated in a celestial temple, in a pleasure grove full of every good thing, unto the best of Raghus, who was of the brilliance of lapis lazuli, who was decked with celestial ornaments, whose face was cheerful, who was at peace, whose garment was like a mass of lightning, Sitd of eyes like the lotus, adorned with jewels of every description, lovingly pressing his lotus feet said: 35. “ 0 God of gods, 0 Lord of the world, O Thou Supreme Eternal Self, O Thou intelligence and bliss itself, O Thou without beginning, middle or end, O Thou cause of all, the gods once upon a time came up to me in solitude and said to me desirous of having thee come to Vai- kuntha.
36. 44 4 With thee as the intelligent energy, Rdma is living on earth, having abandoned us as well as his pristine abode in the Vaikuntha.
87—39. 44 4 Rdma is living with thee, O thou nourisher of the world.
Do thou first go away to Vaikuntha. If after thee the best of Raghus comes to Vaikuntha, he shall be our lord/ Thus they told me, thus have I humbly submitted this to thee, 40. 44 Whatever is fit, do thou, O lord, do, I do not direct thee/* On bearing this speech ol Sltd and thinking for a moment Rdmasaid: — 41 — 44. “ O goddess, I know all this, yet I shall tell thee of how it can be done. Making a pretext of a public scandal with reference to thee, I shall abandon thee in a forest, afraid of scandal of the world, like an ordinary person. There thou shalt beget two sons in the Ashrama of VAImiki.
“ Thy pregnancy is apparent now. Then having come to me and for convincing the world taking au oath, thou shalt by entering through a hole in the earth go to heaven. I shall follow thee, this is the settled conclusion.** 45 — 46, Having said so, Rdma, who was the embodiment of know- ledge, dimissed Sltd. Sitting with his ministers who were skilled in true knowledge, as well as his chief warriors, he was attended by friends who amused him with various humorous stories.
47__5#, In the course of conversation, Udiua asked Vijaya, “ How do people in the town and the country speak of me, either good or bad, vVhat do they say with reference to Sitd, my mother, my brothers, or Kaikeyi. Thou shouldst not be afraid. I conjure thee by my own self.** 49, Thus addressed Vijaya said. 44 O lord, all of them say, Rdma tho knower of self has done a very difficult fask.
“ But having killed Rdvana and brought back Sitd without showing any anger, be restored to her his household.
50. 44 What kind of pleasure can arise in his heart from the company of Sltd who was abducted in a lonely forest by the evif-minded Rdvana.
51—52. “ In this manner we shall have to overlook the misconduct of our women. Whatever the king is, so his subjects become/* 53. Hearing that speech of Vijaya, Rdma asked his servants about ib and they also humbly said to him “ this is so, there is no doubt in this.** 54. Then having dismissed Vijaya, his companions and ministers and having called Lakshmana he said to him: 55-56. 44 There is a great public scandal with reference to Sifcd regarding me.
“To-morrow taking her with thee and going by a car, do thou leave her near the dshrama of Vdlmiki, and come back to me forthwith. O Lakshmana, if thou sayest anything against this thou killest me/* 26 57. Thus ordered, having taken Janaki in a car for fear of Rams, Likslnann.i with SuQiantrai forthwith went to the forest.
58. Having left her near the ashrama of V&liniki, lie said to her, “ Hama has abandoned thee in a forest on account of fear of public scandal.
59. “ lb is no fault of mine, do thou, O mother, go to the tishrama of the Muni.” So saying Lakshmaua went back speedily to Rama.
60—61. Sita also greatly distressed wept like a foolish woman-. Having heard of it from his pupils and knowing all about Sita, that Muni ol celestial vision worshipped ihe daughter of jnimka with Arghya and t the like, and consoled her. Knowing all that was to come he made her over to the Muni ladies.
62. Those women worshipped Sita day by day with devotion, know- ing her from the saying of the Muni to be the Lakshmi of the supreme self. They always reveienily and humbly attended her.
63. Kama also, the supreme self, having intelligence for his eye, the one primeval god whose feet are worshipped by the Munis, bereft of Situ renounced all enjoyment and betook himself to the vows of a Mum.
N'otl. — T he banishment of Sita os described by Valmiki is very touching. She efxpresae9 to Rama a desire to visit the Asliramus of the rishis and Rama promises to gratify her. He is then told of people talking of his taking back without showing any resentment, Sita who had been forcibly carried by Havana and lived in his palaco for such a long time and thao when lie tolerated this sort of conduct, his subjects would also have to do the same, for tho people followed their ruler. On hearing this Rama sends for his brothers and tells them that wen though Sita had been purified by the fire ordeal, and even though he believed her to be thoroughly pure, yet tho scandal he ImJ heaid was troubling him much. For one whose good name was lout hell is ordained. For saving his good name he would renounce everything, what to say of his v ire. He thou tells Lakshmaua to take Sita to the Ashrama of Valmiki and leave there. Lakshmaua very sorrowfully obeys and takes the unsuspecting* Sita in a chariot to the forest. There he breaks to her the heart reuding news of her exile by Rama on account of the public scandal, advising her to pass her time in fasts and devotion to her husband, always keeping Rama in her heart ami that it will be yet good Tor her. 8ita becomes stunned nt the blow but recovering herself tells Lakshmaua. “My body has verily been created for suffering, tor I see nothing but sorrow in embodied form every time. What sin did 1 commit in my former life, whom did I separate from his wife, that 1 even of virtuous conduct and devoted to my husband, have been abandoned by him? Formerly I bore the troubles of life iu a hermitage patiently because of my husband being with me. How shall I now live alone, whom shall 1 tell of the sorrow of my having been separated from my husband! What evil action shall I speak of, for which I have been banished by the great souled Raghava. I cannot leave this body by drowning in the Ganges, as by doing so, I shall be cutting off the line of the royal dynasty, fori am with child. “ Do thou humbly tell tho king from me “ Thou, O Raghava, knoweat 8ita to be thoroughly pure, always following thee, always devoted to thee. 1 know thou hast abandoned me o.. account of fear of scandal and Avoiding calumny. Thou art my last refuge, let the king act towards his subjects as virtuously as he does towards his own brothers. This is the fraternal duty. I do not care for tins body of mine as for thy good name. For a woman her husband is her god, he is her friend, her preceptor, therefore his work should bo done by the wife even at tlie cost of life.” So saying 9he despatches Lnk*hamana who takes a sorrowful leavo and goes back grieving over the fate of Sita. He finds Hama sunk in fch <5 ocean of distress and counsels him not to give way to grief. “ All accumulations are sum to result in destruction, all rising m fall, all union in dibunion, all life in death. Let not, therefore, one attach himself too much to sons, wives, friends and wealth, ns separation from these is inevitable. You Rama can teach the world whole of why are you giving way to grief. Now there was one sort of scandal, now it will be ooother of your grieving for the loss of a wife.” This incident is the most touching iu iho story of the Rumayaua. fValmiki Ramayaus, Uttarakanda, Chapters 45 to 5*).
CHAPTER V.
('J.'he Kumagitd.)
1. Then that best of Rughus, who whs the etnbodimen t of all worldly bliss, having established ihe very sacred lame of the Kamayuua, followed the path trodden by the royal snges of old.
2. Questioned by the son of Sumitrd, Rdma recited to him the ancient stories relating to dharma, of how llaja Nriga was, through heedlessness, transformed into a creature of the lower order by the curse of Brahmanas.
Note.— The story of Nriga as given in the Valmiki is that the king once gayo a million of cows to the Brahmanas in Pushkara, One of these cows strayed fron the herd and was again given by the king to another Brahman*. The Brahmana to whom it had formerly been given searched for her for many years, but could not find her. In passing through tho town of Kankhal ho found her in the house of a brahmana, with a lean calf but horself healthy. He called out to her by name and she followod him. The Brahmana to whom nhe had been given a second time also claiming her weut after her. Thus fighting the two Brahmanas wont to the giver of the cow. But they were not allowed to enter the palace. Sims they 9tood at the gats till getting angry they cursed the king saying!' thou dost not show thyself for the good of suppliants, therefore thou shAlt become a charnel ion, In this way thou shalt live iu a well till released by the Lord, incarnating as Vasudeo.” (Uttarakanda, chap. 53).
3. Once upon a time the son of Sumitrd, whose mind had been purified by devotion, approached with reverence the Lord Rdma sitting in solitude with Ramd (Lakshmi) pressing his lotus feet, and prostrating himself said: 4. “Thou art pure knowledge, thou art the self of all embodied beings, thou art the lord in truth, thou art without form. 0 thou of great wisdom, thou art known to those who have knowledge for their vision and whose minds are ever attached to thy lotus feet, like a black bee to the lotus flower.
5. “ 0 Lord, I take refuge in fchy lotus feet which secure emancipa- tion from the course of worldly life, and are cherished by yogis. Do thou teach me that knowledge whereby I may speedily and with ease cross this impassible ocean of (nescience.)’’
6. On hearing this speech of the son of Sumitrd, Rdma, the ornament of kings and destroyer of the sorrow of his devotees, with a joyful heart communicated to him that knowledge which is declared by the vedas for the purpose of removing the whole of nescience, 7. “Having, in the beginning accomplished all these duties which are enjoined for one’s own caste and order, and having thereby purified his mind and acquired tohe necessary qualifications for knowledge, let him approach a wise preceptor for the purpose of acquiring Brahma Vidyd, knowledge of self.
Note — The aspirant after release is first enjoined to perform the duties of his order in a spirit of disiuterestedueas without caring for reward. He is to do duty for duty’s sake. (ThereJ>y his intellect w*ll become purified and he will be fit for cultivating the virtues of sama (control of tho mind), dama (control of the senses), uparati (cessation from worldly work), tifciksha (fortitude in suffering), sradha (faith) and samadhana (heodfulness). The seeking of a preceptor is obligatory as Brahma Vidya cannot be acquired without it.
8. “All work results in incarnation. For one who is attached to ib, come dharma and its contrary leading to happiness and misery, Thence arises the body and from ib again work. In this way like a wheel the course of worldly life revolves withoub an end.
Note. — Action leads to birth in a sphere high or low, pleasurable or painful. There again action is performed with its resultant merit, or demerit leading to further birth, further action. In this way the wheel of tho eunsar rolls on ceaselessly. Some times one goes up, sometimes down, now happy, now miserable, always doing wok and achieving its fruit here or hereafter. This his the course of worldly life.
9. “The root cause of ib is igdorance (ajftdna). For the purpose of warding off this course of worldly life, removal of ignorance or nescience is the only means. Knowledge alone is capable of destroying this nescience. Acbion cannob destroy ib, as it is born of nescience and is not ita contrary.
10. u Neither destruction of nescience nor of attachment follows the performance of action. On the contrary, ib leads to further action with its commitfcants of perishable and transient results, leaving the journey up and down this round of birth and re-birth unaffected. Let the sage, therefore, avoid action and devote himself to knowledge and meditation on the truths of the Ved&nta.
11. ‘“But/ says an objector: — * Action is also enjoined by the Vedas as conducive to the highesb end of men like knowledge. For one who has a body, performance of action is enjoined and itr becomes ultimately the helpmate of Vidya (Knowledge).
12 “ ‘The Veda has declared cessation from action to be sinful. Let the aspirant after emancipation, therefore, always engage in action/ ‘But/ replies the sage, * Vidya is certain in its results and independent and does not stand iu need of any helping agent even in thought/ 12. " ‘But/ rejoins the advocate of Vedic rites, ‘ even though (know- ledgej is true iu its results, yet Vedic sacrifice also requires other helping agents like time, place, &c., for its accomplishment. In the same manner does Vidy&, illuminated by work duly performad, leads to emancipation in a special manner/ 14. “Some, who are disputants in logio, maintain this combination of knowledge and action as conducive to emancipation. This is an untruth, because of its involving patent contradiction. Work flourishes through the notion of 1 in the body. On the contrary, knowledge arises from the sublation of the notion of I in the body and the like.
15 " That final condition of the manas (mind) which follows the realization of the truths of the Ved&nta, leading to pure knowledge, is called Vidya by the wise. Work arises from its adjuncts in the shape of actors, instruments, time, place and the rest. On the contrary, VidyA destroys all actors, instruments and the like.
16. “ Let the man of wisdom, therefore, renounce all work. On account of its being opposed to konwledge tlierc can be no combination of knowledge and work. Having withdrawn his senses from all objects, let him be ever engaged in realization of his own self (dtmd).
Note. — The doctrine refuted in verses 10 to 10 is the well known Samuchaya doctrine of the Shastras that the karma kanda (the action or the sacrificial and ceremonial portion of Jhc Veda) conducts to the highest end of man, viz., emancipation from transmigratory *xt;t?n«* t eiti«»r »lou* or in combination with the knowledge or the wisdom portion (j“ a u«- k mda). Tho two arc opposed in their nature. The former proceeds upon the notion of the 1 in the body and the reality of things of the world, the latter upon the sublation of these and complete destruction of all sense ot I in the body. The Veddnta, however, enjoins ot avoidance of only worldly or ceremonial work, not all work. If it did so, there will be no room left for study, meditation and self realization, all of which are work in various stages. (There will, moreover, be no approaching a teacher nor service in order to acquire from him tho knowledge of the Vedanta, nor reflection upon what has been learnt, nor realization, thereof. In all these stages the mind and the senses shall have to bo kept engaged itv various degrees of activity. Iu the final stage of Samadhi wheru the full significance of *' I am Brahmana” or Thou art That, is realized, all action of the mind and sense, gradually ceases, till the senses do not cognize objects, the mind becomes no ntind, and tho sago is ono with his self having absorbed all. tho seen and unseen into his own Atma.
A disregard of this truth has led many a vodantin into orror and has been the eauso of either unbridled nction or aimless existence in some cases.
Krishna also taught tho same in the Bhagavatgila. The Ramagita also explains this in the verses that follows.
17. “ As long as under the influence of M&ya, there is any sense of I in the body and the like, so long is there the binding force of injunctions of the Vedas regarding action. Having sublated the whole of it through the saying of Not this, not this, and knowing the supreme-self, let him renounce all action.
Ho?*.— The no! ion ol I in the body, and the like, oau enly be completely eu Mated in the londifcion known ae nirrikalpa eamadhi (seedless meditation). Till theu there is sense ot I In the body, the seme organs, the mind, the intellect and the pranas, the life breaths ana with it oognition of external world more or less vivid and therefore, no complete cessation from work suited to the. course of life one has adopted. When uirvikalpa samaani is •tfc&ined, no injunction or prohibition can hare any force. It is because people mistake the condition of an aimless existence for one of uirrikalpa sam&dhi and mere verbal know- ledge of Vedantic texte for realisation of the atma, that they fall into the condition of being neither useful to the society in which they live, nor themselves make progrew onwarde. The saying of the Vedanta — Neti, Neti— Not this, Not this, is the saying of the Upanishad which declare, the final truth about the self through negation of all finite existence, vis., it is not within the raDge of speech (asabda), touch (asparslin) form (arupam) decay yam) taste (aras) Nitya (eternal) beyond smell (agandha) beginning (anadi) beyond tne great principle mahtah param. All that can be predicated of it is that it is (Aeti.)
18. “ When that knowledge which destroyst-he notion of the separation of the supreme from the embodied self arises in the purified internal organ, theu Mdy& together with its off-shools which give rise to biilh and re-birth and action {Karma) forthwith disappears.
19. '* Having once been destroyed by knowledge, how b« capable of showing its activity in leading to further incarnation? When it has been destroyed by realized knowledge which is pure and without duality, how shall it (nescience) ever again arise?
Note. — The reference to the rodic saying here is to the well-known truth of Thou art That. When the full significance of this is realised through Samadhi (meditation) then there is left jao room for the flourishing of neecience, nor its resultant birth and rebirth, " For him there is delay so long as there is the body, he reaches his goal as soon as the body dissolves.” Such is the declaration of the Upaniehad.
20. “ When nescience once destroyed cannot spring forth anew, how can then there be any notion of ' I am the doer.* Therefore independent of everything else, knowledge < vxdyd) requires nothing for its fructifi- cation. It alone is sufficient for the purposo of securing emancipation.
21. •• The Sruti of the Taiteriya Upanishad has reverently declared this renunoiation of all action. * This alone is moksha * is also declara- tion of the Srubis of the Viijasaneyi Upanishad, therefore knowledge alone and not action is the means of emancipation.
Note. — T he reference to the Taitiriya Upanishad as explained by the commentator is not to that upanishad but to the saying of Kai yulyaopnishad " not by action, not by offipring, not by wealth, hut by renunciation alone efid they attain, to immortality. This, however, is apparently not correct. The ro'ereuee seems to the text " 1 Brahms through tapes transcend iug the gross, the food aheath ( -nimmaya kosha) the life breath sheath, prana maya kosha, the mind aheath. know may i koeha, the intellect thtatli, (vijnana maya koeha), anandmny kotdi, (Bhriguvnll Y-6). The other reference is to the saying of the Rishi Yajnavalkya iu the Bnhadaranyak opnishad where he tells hm w.le Maitreyi. '* This (many of all into merging Brahmana) alone is immortality", so say ing Yajnvalkya retired from family life. Chapter 4, Brahmana 85, verse 15- 22. “ ‘Thou hast,’ questions the Vadantin, ‘shewn tlie equality of sacrificial action with knowledge, but without giving any illustration thereof. The fruits of the two ore distinct. Sacrificial action is accom- plished through various instrument- like actor, instruments and the like, knowledge is not accomplished by these but by other means.
23. u It is only the intellect of one who superimposes the self upon the not self, that cherishes the notion of sin in the non performance of aobion. The intellect of the sage has no such notion. Therefore by the wise, action which is enjoined as obligatory should be renounced, as it is for those whose minds are attached to the fruit of action.
Note. — For one who treads the path of that which transcends the three attribute*, via. Brahmana, what injunction, what prohibition is there? These are for the man of th* world, not for one who is beyond it. This however «e not the lot of every «*m. A* pointed out by Sri Krishna in ths Oita. " He who finds his happiuees iu his own sell who i* satisfied in his ownself, who is content in hia ownaelf, (cr him there iz nothing to do. There is no object to be gained by his doing nor by hia not doinar anything here, not dees he depend upon any one for anything (Bhagavada Gita, III 17*18).
24. “ Leb one who is endowed with faith, through a purified mind and the grace of his preceptor, know the unity of the supreme with the embodied self through the great saying ihat art thou and be happy and unmoved like the Meru mountain.
Note. — The unity of the supreme with the individual self as taught iu the great saying ' That art thou ” is here enjoined to be realized through the grace of a Guru, as it is not mere verbal teaching but the force of personal contact, which has great weight in directing the diaeiple towards the way to self-realization. Preceptors who have risen to this rightly are, however, not easily to be met with in these days, and therefore whilst so many read Vedantic books, so few realise the truths contained in them.
25. “ In the beginning the meaning of realising the significance of the saying tat twam cm, (That art Thou) free from all doubt and uncertain- ty, is knowledge of the meaning of each of the three words tat twam and asi which ib consisba of The tat signifies the supreme self with hie attributes of omniscience aud the like, the twam the emobodied self and asi (is) connects the two.
26. “ Having sublated the adjuncts of the embodied seff as the internal ever present self with the notion of I attached, and of the sup- reme self as the not present! self with the notion of the (unseen) attached, and retaining the intelligent nature of the two and their final signifi- cance as illustrated in the indirect application (lakshana) described below, let him abide' in the unity of his own self.
27. “ The j aha ti Lakhahana is not possible here on account of the unity of the two seifs. The ajhat Lakhshana is also not possible on account of contradiction. On the contrary, just as in the saying. ‘ He is the same person whom 1 saw/ both kinds of Lakshanas enter, m the same manner do both kinds of Lakshanas enter in the unity of the two tat and the twam as free from all faults.
Notb. — These two verses describe the method of indirect Application in the unification through elimination of the embodied and the supreme solfe as taught in vedantic books. Those of the attributes of the That, viz, omnisience, omnipotence, creation, preservation and destruction of the world, which are really due to his association with Maya being suJblated, what remains is the pure limitless absolute supreme self. On the other hand, the limitation* ot the twam (Thou) are his notion of I in the body, the organs of sense, the mind, the intellect and the vital airs, and his sense of mine in all that he sees in the world. By sweating these and realizing it as free from all limitations and adjuncts, what remains ia the puce limitless self. This is the method of unification through elimination. The othes two kind* of lakshanas are: (i) Jahatlakshana whero a word loses its primary meaning but ia used in a sense which is in some way connected with its primary sense %. for example when, we say (gnngayam ghosa) a cattle farm in the Ganges, we do not mean a farm actually in thu water* of the Ganges but on its banks. In the ajhat lakshana, on the other liand, the words do not lose their original meaning completely, but to some extent, for instance, when we say Katnta pravashanti (locks enter), we mean persons wearing locks enter. In the tat twam asi tho former lakshana is not possible as the final sense remaining the same there is no room for any expression being used figuratively as in the case of the farm and the the river. 8o wo discard that method of expression. The ajhat lakshana is also not possible, for we do net uao any word eliptieally, i. e., in Tat Twam Asi, nor mean to say as in saying locks enter, men wearing locks enter, anything which is not expressed. Ou the contrary, we mean to eli- minate tliat which is adjoined and therfore we must havo recourse to processes of prelimi- nation in both. For instance, whoa we say “This is that very same person, whom I saw/ we imply that it is he whom we saw sometime ago. The object here is the identity of tho person seen and not of the timo, place or other circumstance under which lie was seen. In the same manner in the saying Tat twam asi, the object is the establishment of the unity of the two seifs and not tho time, place or circumstances relating to theif existence.
The Tat is the supreme self, the lord of tho world and twam the embodied self with ite limitations of knowledge. Through the process of elimination we contemplate tho embodied self without ite limitations of time, space, causality and the supreme self without it* attributes of creation, preservation and destruction of the world process in hia own char* acter as„ truth, intelligence and bliss. In short, having through meditation of the great Saying tattwam asi renounced its limitations and sense of 1 in the body, Ac., the embodied self becomes the supreme self he was and abides in its own self ever happy.
As was said by Haftumfrna to Rama, “ Looked at from the point of view of the body, I am thy slave, from the point of view of the embodied self h portion of thy onergy, from the point of view of the atma thy own self, this is my settled belief.” The aim is to renltze the self as free from all adjuncts whether individual or cosmic as the absolute un- differentiated self, above all specific cognition, above all world process, beyond speech and thought.
28. “ The gross adjunct of the &tm& is the body composed of the five elements of the earth, water, fire, air and space, in their combination with each other. It is the place of the enjoyment of the fruit of action as well as of happiness, misery and the like, having a beginning and end and born of M&ya.
Note. — The proeoss of panchi karan of the bhutas here spoken of is that of each of the elements of earth, water, fire, air and space giving an eighth portion of one to each half bf the other four elements, and taking from each of the four a corresponding share. This Combination is said to be the cause of further evolution.
29. “ The wise know the subtle body consisting of the mind, the intellect, the five organs of perception, and the five of action, and the vital airs born of the five elements in their original state of purity to be other than the gross body. It is the vehicle of the enjoyment of the enjoyer, when he is associated with a gross body. This body is also other than the self.
Noth.— What is meant here is that the gross, the subtle, And the causal are the three bodios of the self. The subtle body is that which goes from birth to birth, and moves the gross body. Without it the latter becomes lifeless.
30. “The beginningless incomprehensible Mdyd, is the chief body of the Lord. Through superimposition he appears to be differentiated as the supreme and the embodied seifs. Let one, therefore, gradually realize this self through sublation of all adjuncts.
31. “ Like a piece of crystal appearing to be red on accounb of its proximity to a red flower, this self appears to be of the form of the five sheaths because of proximity to them. When the great saying, * this Purusha is unattached/ is fully reflected upon, then it is known to be un- attached, unborn and without a second.
Note. — T ho five sheaths are the food sheath of tbe annamaya, the gross body and born of fool, tho pranamaya of the vital airs, prana, apana, vyanaj eamana and udana. The parana is tho air which is exhaled, the apanp which is inhaled, the vyr.na which pervades all tho bodily organs, the snmana which equalizes the distribution of ailment in the body, and t lio udana which carries the jiva to Brahma in deep sleep and keeps the equipoise of the body. The manomaya ia the vehicle of desire. The vijnana Tr.aya is the vehicle of the intellect and the anand maya of bliss. The self is other than thebe and is realized as such through iutrospection and meditation.
32. Tbe conditions of tbe intellect (budhi) also seen here as three” fold, wz., waking, dream and deep slee.p, are such on account of its com- bination with the attributes of 6atava, rajas and tamas. They are not the true conditions of the supreme self, for one of them does not abide when the other is prescu b. Therefore they are all unreal, and cannot be of the nati re of the supremfe self, which is unity and bliss itself.
Notk. — Tne saying of the Upanithads is Asanghoyam purusha. This purusha is un- attached. Dhyayativa lelayativa. He looks as if contemplating, as if moving. The mean- ing i? that the belt is neither an actor nor a thinker, all these are due to the action of th e mind and the prana, in truth he is uiiattached. The attributes (gunas) are goodness, activit y and inertia.
33. So long as the Budhi { intellect) having for its root the attributes of darkness and activity ^rajas and tamas) partakes of the nature of ingnorance, and functions as I in this conglomeration of the body, the organs of scales, the vital airs, the intelligent principle (chit; and the AbmA, so long does the sansAra flourish.