वसिष्ठ उवाच एवमप्रतिबुद्धत्वादवुद्धमनुवर्तते। देहाद् देहसहस्राणि तथा समभिपद्यते॥
Vasistha said Thus on account of his forgetfulness the Soul follows Ignorance and acquires thousands of bodies one after another.
तिर्यग्योनिसहस्रेषु कदाचिद् देवतास्वपि। उपपद्यति संयोगाद् गुणैः सह गुणक्षयात्॥
He attains to thousands of births among the intermediate orders and sometimes among the very gods on account his union with qualities.
मानुषत्वाद् दिवं याति दिवो मानुष्यमेव च। मानुष्यान्निरयस्थानमानन्त्यं प्रतिपद्यते॥
From the status of humanity he goes to heaven and from heaven he returns to humanity, and from humanity he sinks into hell for many long years.
कोशकारो यथाऽऽत्मानं कीट: समवरुन्धति। सूत्रतन्तुगुणैर्नित्यं तथायमगुणो गुणैः॥
As the worm that make the cocoon does itself completely on all sides by means of the threads it weaves itself, so the Soul, though in reality above all qualities, invests himself on all sides with qualities.
द्वन्द्वमेति च निर्द्वन्द्वस्तासु तास्विह योनिषु। शीर्षरोगेऽक्षिरोगे च दन्तशूले गलग्रहे॥ जलोदरे तृषारोगे ज्वरगण्डे विषूचके। श्वित्रकुष्ठेऽग्निदग्धे च सिध्मापस्मारयोरपि॥ यानि चान्यानि द्वन्द्वानि प्राकृतानि शरीरिषु। उत्पद्यन्ते विचित्राणि तान्येषोऽप्यभिमन्यते॥
Though above both happiness and misery, it is thus that he subjects himself to happiness and misery. It is thus also that, though above all discases, the Soul considers himself to be afflicted by headache, opthalmia, toothache, affections of the throat, abdominal dropsy, burning thirst, enlargement of glands, cholera, vitiligo, leprosy, burns, asthma, phthisis, epilepsy, and various other diseases from which embodied creatures suffer.
तिर्यग्योनिसहस्रेषु कदाचिद् देवतास्वपि। अभिमन्यत्यभीमानात् तथैव सुकृतान्यपि॥
Considering himself, through error, as born among thousands of creatures in the intermediate orders of being, the sometimes among the gods, he suffer misery and enjoys the fruits of his good deeds.
शुक्लवासाश्च दुर्वासाः शायी नित्यमधस्तथा। मण्डूकशायी च तथा वीरासनगतस्तथा॥ चीरधारणमाकाशे शयनं स्थानमेव च। इष्टकाप्रस्तरे चैव कण्टकप्रस्तरे तथा॥ भस्मप्रस्तरशायी च भूमिशय्या तलेषु च। वीरस्थानाम्बुपके च शयनं फलकेषु च॥ विविधासु च शय्यासु फलगृङ्ख्यान्वितस्तथा। मुञ्जमेखलनग्नत्वं क्षौमकृष्णाजिनानि च॥ शाणीवालपरीधानो व्याघ्रचर्मपरिच्छदः। सिंहचर्मपरीधानः पट्टवासास्तथैव च॥ फलक परिधानश्च तथा कण्टकवस्त्रधृका कीटकावसनश्चैव चीरवासास्तथैव च॥ वस्त्राणि चान्यानि बहून्यभिमन्यत्यबुद्धिमान्। भोजनानि विचित्राणि रत्नानि विविधानि च॥
Invested with Ignorance he considers himself as dressed sometimes in white cloth and sometimes in full dress of four pieces, or as lying on floors or with hands and feet contracted like those of frogs, or as seated upright in the position of meditation, or as clad in rags or as lying or sitting under the canopy of heaven or within palaces bult of bricks and stone or on rugged stones or on ashes or bare stones or on the naked earth or on beds or on battle-fields or in water or in mire or on wooden planks or on various sorts of beds; or, moved by desire of fruit, he considers himself as clad in a piece of cloth made of grass or as totally naked or as dressed in silk or in skin of the black antelope or in cloth made of flax or in sheep-skin or in tiger-skin or in lion-skin or in hemp fabric, or in barks of birch or in cloths made of the produce of prickly plants, or in vestures made of threads woven by worms or of tattered rags or in various other sorts of cloth too numerous to mention. The soul considers himself also as wearing various sorts of ornaments and gems, or as eating various sorts of food.
एकरात्रान्तराशित्वमेककालिकभोजनम्। चतुर्थाष्टमकालश्च षष्ठकालिक एव च॥ घड्रात्रभोजनश्चैव तथैवाष्टाहभोजनः। सप्तरात्रदशाहारो द्वादशाहिकभोजनः॥ मासोपवासी मूलाशी फलाहारस्तथैव च। वायुभक्षोऽम्बुपिण्याकदधिगोमयभोजनः॥ गोमूत्रभोजनश्चैव शाकपुष्पाद एव च। शैवालभोजनश्चैव तथाऽऽवामेन वर्तयन्॥ वर्तयन् शीर्णपणैश्च प्रकीर्णफलभोजनः। विविधानि च कृच्छ्राणि सेवते सिद्धिकासया॥
He considers himself as sometimes eating at intervals of one night, or once at the same hour every day, or as at the fourth, the sixty, and the eight hour every day, or as once in six or seven or cight nights, or as once in ten or twelve days, or as once, in a month, or as eating only roots, or fruits, or as living upon air or water alone, or on cakes of sesame husk, or curds or cowdung, or the urine of the cow or potherbs or flowers or moss or raw food, or as living on falled leaves of trees or fruits that have dropped down and lie scattered on the ground, or various other sorts of food, moved by the desire of acquiring ascetic success.
चान्द्रायणानि विधिवल्लिङ्गानि विविधानि च। चातुराश्रम्यपन्थानमाश्रयत्यपथानपि॥ उपाश्रमानण्यपरान् पाषण्डान् विविधानपि। विविक्ताच शिलाच्छायास्तथा प्रस्रवणानि च॥ पुलिनानि विविक्तानि विविक्तानि वनानि च। देवस्थानानि पुण्यानि विविक्तानि सरांसि च॥ विविक्ताश्चापि शैलानां गुहा गृहनिभोपमाः। विविक्तानि च जप्यानि व्रतानि विविधानि च॥ नियमान् विविधांश्चापि विविधानि तपांसि च। यज्ञांश्च विविधाकारान् विधींश्च विविधांस्तथा॥
The Soul considers himself as following the observance of Chandrayana according to the rites laid down in the scriptures, or various other vows and observances, and the courses of duty laid down for the four modes of life, and even prohibitions of duty, and the duties of other subsidiary modes of life set down the four principal ones, and even various kinds of practices that distinguish the wicked and sinful. The Soul considers himself as enjoying lonely places and the charming shades of mountains and the cool vicinity of springs and fountains, and solitary river banks and secluded forests, and sacred pilgrimages, and lakes and waters remote from the busy haunts of men, and linely mountain caves giving the accommodation that houses and palaces afford. The Soul consider himself as reciting of different kinds of secret Mantras or as observing different vows and rules and various sorts of penances, and sacrifices of many sorts, and rites of diverse sorts.
वणिक्पथं द्विजं क्षत्रं वैश्यशूद्रांस्तथैव च। दानं च विविधाकारं दीनान्धकृपणादिषु॥
The Soul considers himself as following sometimes the ways of traders and merchants and the practices of Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras, and gifts of various sorts to those who are poor or blind or helpless.
अभिमन्यत्यसम्बोधात् तथैव त्रिविधान् गुणान्। सत्त्वं रजस्तमश्चैव धर्मार्थो काम एव च॥
On account of his being invested with Ignorance, the Soul adopts the different qualities of Goodness, Darkness and Ignorance, and Righteousness and riches and pleasure.
प्रकृत्याऽऽत्मानमेवात्मा एवं प्रविभजत्युतः। स्वधाकारवषट्कारौ स्वाहाकारनमस्क्रियाः॥ याजनाध्यापनं दानं तथैबाहुः प्रतिग्रहम्। यजनाध्ययने चैव यच्चान्यदपि किंचन॥
Under the influence of Nature, the Soul, undergoing changes himself, observes and follows and practises all these and considers himself as such. Indeed, the Soul considers himself as employed in the utterance of the sacred Mantras Svaha, Svadha and Vashat, and in saluting those he considers as his elders; in officiating in the sacrifices and studying the scriptures, and doing all other acts and rites of this sort.
जन्ममृत्युविवादे च तथा विशसनेऽपि च। शुभाशुभमयं सर्वमेतदाहुः क्रियापथम्॥
The Soul considers himself as connected with birth and death and quarrels and destruction. All these, the learned say form the path of acts good and bad.
प्रकृतिः कुरुते देवी भवं प्रलयमेव च। दिवसान्ते गुणानेतानभ्येत्यैकोऽवतिष्ठते॥ रश्मिजालमिवादित्यस्तत् तत्काले नियच्छति। एवमेषोऽसकृत्पूर्वं क्रीडार्थमभिमन्यते॥ आत्मरूपगुणानेतान् विविधान् हृदयप्रियान्। एवमेतां विकुर्वाणः सर्गप्रलयधर्मिणीम्॥ क्रियां क्रियापथे रक्तस्त्रिगुणां त्रिगुणाधिपः। क्रियां क्रियापथोपेतस्तथा तदिति मन्यते॥
It is the goddess Nature who causes birth and death. When the time comes for Universal Dissolution, all existent objects and qualities are withdrawn by the Supreme Soul which then exists alone like the Sun withdrawing at evening all his rays; and when the time comes for Creation. He once more creates and spreads them out like the Sun shedding his rays when morning comes. Thus the Soul, for the sake of spol, repeatedly considers himself invested with all these conditions, which are his own forms and qualities infinite in number, and agrecable to himself. It is thus that the Soul, though really above the three qualities, becomes attached to the path of acts and creates by modification nature invested with the conditions of birth and death and at once with all acts and conditions which are characterised by the three qualities of Goodness, Darkness, and Ignorance. Arrived at the path of action, the Soul considers particular acts as possessing particular characteristics and productive of particular ends.
प्रकृत्या सर्वमेवेदं जगदन्धीकृतं विभो। रजसा तमसा चैव व्याप्तं सर्वमनेकधा॥
O king, the whole of this universe has been blinded by Nature and all things have been variously overwhelmed (through Nature by the qualities of Darkness and Ignorance).
एवं द्वन्द्वान्यथैतानि समावर्तन्ति नित्यशः। ममैवैतानि जायन्ते धावन्ते तानि मामिति॥
It is on account of the Soul being invested by Nature that these pairs of opposites, productive of happiness and woe, again and again come. It is on account of this Ignorance that individual Soul considers these sorrows to be his and imagines them as following him.
निस्तर्तव्यान्यथैतानि सर्वाणीति नराधिप। मन्यतेऽयं ह्यबुद्धत्वात् तथैव सुकृतान्यपि।॥ भोक्तव्यानि मयैतानि देवलोकगतेन वै। इहैव चैनं भोक्ष्यामि शुभाशुभफलोदयम्॥
Indeed, O king, through that Ignorance it is that Individual Soul imagines he should anyhow cross those sorrows, and that he should, going into the regions of the gods, enjoy the happiness that await all his good deeds. it is through Ignorance that he thinks he should enjoy and suffer these delights and these miserics here in this world.
सुखमेव तु कर्तव्यं सकृत् कृत्वा सुखं मम। यावदन्तं च मे सौख्यं जात्यां जात्यां भविष्यति॥
Through Ignorance Individual Soul thinks,-I should secure my happiness. By continually doing good deeds, I may enjoy happiness in this life till its close and shall be happy in all future lives.
भविष्यति च मे दुःखं कृतेनेहाप्यनन्तकम्। महद् दुःखं हि मानुष्यं निरये चापि मज्जनम्॥
Through, again the evil deeds I do in this life I may suffer unending misery. The status of humanity is full of great misery, for from it one sinks into hell.
निरयाच्चापि मानुष्यं कालेनैष्याम्यहं पुनः मनुष्यत्वाच्च देवत्वं देवत्वात् पौरुषं पुनः॥ मनुष्यत्वाच्च निरयं पर्यायेणोपगच्छति। य एवं वेत्ति नित्यं वै निरात्माऽऽत्मगुणैर्वृतः॥ तेन देवमनुष्येषु निरये चोपपद्यते। ममत्वेनावृतो नित्यं तत्रैव परिवर्तते।॥
From hell, it will take many long years before I can return to the status of humanity. From humanity I shall attain of the status of the gods. From that superior status I shall have to return to humanity and thence to sink into hell once more.—One who always consider this combination of the principal elements and the senses, with the reflection of consciousness in it, to be thus invested with the characteristics of the Soul, has again and again to walk among gods and human beings and to sink into hell. Being always invested with the idea of mineness, Individual Soul has to go through a round of such births.
सर्गकोटिसहस्राणि मरणान्तासु मूर्तिषु। य एवं कुरुते कर्म शुभाशुभफलात्मकम्॥ स एव फलमाप्नोति त्रिषु लोकेषु मूर्तिमान्। प्रकृति कुरुते कर्म शुभाशुभफलात्मकम्। प्रकृतिश्च तद श्नाति त्रिषु लोकेषु कामगा॥ तिर्यग्योनिमनुष्यत्वं देवलोके तथैव च। त्रीणि स्थानानि चैतानि जानीयात् प्रकृतानि ह॥ अलिङ्गां प्रकृति त्वाहुर्लिङ्गैरनुमिमीमहे। तथैव पौरुषं लिङ्गमनुमानाद्धि मन्यते॥
Millions upon millions of births have to be gone through by Individual Soul in the successive forms he assumes, all of which are liable to death. He who does acts in this way, which are all full of good and bad fruits, has in the three worlds to assume successive forms and to enjoy and suffer fruits corresponding therewith. It is Nature that causes good and bad acts; and it is Nature that enjoys and suffers the fruits thereof in the three worlds. Indeed, Nature follows the course of acts. The status of the intermediate beings, of humanity, and of the gods, all originate from Nature. Nature has been said to be shorn of all qualities. Her existence is proved by her acts.
स लिङ्गान्तरमासाद्य प्राकृतं लिङ्गमव्रणः। व्रणद्वाराण्यधिष्ठाय कर्मण्यात्मनि मन्यते॥ श्रोत्रादीनि तु सर्वाणि पञ्चकर्मेन्द्रियाण्यथ। वागादीनि प्रवर्तन्ते गुणेष्विह गुणैः सह॥ अहमेतानि वै सर्वं मय्यतानीन्द्रियाणि ह। निरिन्द्रियो हि मन्येत व्रणवानस्मि निर्बणः॥ अलिङ्गो लिङ्गमात्मानमकालः कालमात्मनः।
Similarly, Soul, though without attributes himself, has his existence proved by the acts which the body does when it receives his reflection. Although the Soul is not subject to changes of any kind, and is the active principle that sets Nature in motion, yet entering a body which is united with the senses of knowledge and action. He considers all the acts of those senses as his own. The five senses of knowledge beginning with the ear, and those of action beginning with speech, uniting with the qualities of Goodness and Darkness and Ignorance become engaged in numerous objects. Individual Soul imagines that it is he who does the deeds of his life and that the senses of knowledge and action belong to him, although in reality he has no senses. Indeed, though having no body, he imagines that he has a body. Though shorn of qualities, he considers himself as endued therewith, the though above Time, imagines himself to be under Time's control.
असत्त्वं सत्त्वमात्मानमतत्त्वं तत्त्वमात्मनः॥ अमृत्युर्मृत्युमात्मानमचरश्चरमात्मनः।
Though having no understanding, he still considers himself as endued with it, and though above the four and twenty topics, considers himself as one included among them. Though deathless, he still considers himself as subject to death, and though motionless regards himself as having motion.
अक्षेत्रः क्षेत्रमात्मानमसर्गः सर्गमात्मनः॥ अतपास्तप आत्मानमगतिर्गतिमात्मनः।
Though not possessed of a material body, he still considers himself as possessed of one; and though unborn, he still regards himself as having birth. Though above penances, he still considers as engaged in penances, and though he has no end he still considers himself as liable to attain to ends.
अभवो भवमात्मानमभयो भयमात्मनः॥ अक्षरः क्षरमात्मानमबुद्धिस्त्वभिमन्यते॥
Though not gifted with motion and birth, he still considers himself as endued with both, and though above fear, still considers himself as subject to fear. Though Indestructible, he still considers himself Destructible. Invested with Ignorance, the Soul thus thinks of himself.