SECTION CCXVII
"Bhishma said, 'He cannot be said to know Brahma who does not know the
four topics (viz., dreams, dreamless slumber, Brahma as indicated by
attributes, and Brahma as transcending all attributes), as also what is
Manifest (viz., the body), and what is Unmanifest (the chit-soul), which
the great Rishi (Narayana) has described as Tattwam.[776] That which is
manifest should be known as liable to death. That which is unmanifest
(viz., the chit-soul), should be known as transcending death. The Rishi
Narayana has described the religion of Pravritti. Upon that rests the
whole universe with its mobile and immobile creatures. The religion of
Nivritti again leads to the unmanifest and eternal Brahma.[777] The
Creator (Brahma) has described the religion of Pravritti. Pravritti
implies rebirth or return. Nivritti, on the other hand, implies the
highest end. The ascetic who desires to discriminate with exactitude
between good and evil, who is always bent on understanding the nature of
the Soul, and who devotes himself to the religion of Nivritti, attains to
that high end.[778] One desirous of accomplishing this, should know both
the Unmanifest and Purusha of which I shall speak presently. That, again,
which is different from both the Unmanifest and Purusha, and which
transcends them both, and which is distinguished from all beings, should
be particularly viewed by one possessed of intelligence.[779] Both
Prakriti and Purusha are without beginning and without end. Both are
incapable of being known by their like. Both are eternal and
indestructible. Both are greater than the greatest (of being). In these
they are similar. They are points of dissimilarity again between them.
(Of these I shall speak presently). Prakriti is fraught with the three
attributes (of Goodness, Passion, and Darkness). It is also engaged in
creation. The true attributes of Kshetrajna (Purusha or the Soul) should
be known to be different.[780] Purusha is the apprehender of all the
transformations of Prakriti (but cannot be apprehended himself). He
transcends (in respect of his original nature) all attributes. As regards
Purusha and the Supreme Soul again, both of them are in-comprehensible.
In consequence again of both of them being without attributes by which
they can be distinguished, both are highly distinguished from all
else.[781] A turbaned person has his head circled with three folds of a
piece of cloth. (The person, however, is not identical with the turban he
wears). After the same manner the embodied Soul is invested with the
three attributes of Goodness, Passion, and Darkness. But though thus
invested, the Soul is not identical with those attributes. Hence these
four topics, which are covered by these fourfold considerations, should
be understood.[782] One who understands all this is never stupefied when
one has to draw conclusions (in respect of all subjects of enquiry). He
that is desirous of attaining to high prosperity should become pure in
mind, and betaking himself to austere practices in respect of the body
and the senses, should devote himself to yoga without desire of fruits.
The universe is pervaded by yoga power secretly circulating through every
part of it and illumining it brightly. The sun and the moon shine with
effulgence in the firmament of the heart in consequence of yoga power.
The result of yoga is Knowledge. Yoga is talked of very highly in the
world.[783] Whatever acts are destructive of Passion and Darkness
constitute yoga in respect of its real character. Brahmacharya and
abstention from injury are said to constitute yoga of the body; while
restraining mind and speech properly are said to constitute yoga of the
mind. The food that is obtained in alms from regenerate persons
conversant with the ritual is distinguished from all other food. By
taking that food abstemiously, one's sins born of Passion begin to fade.
A yogin subsisting upon such food finds his senses gradually withdrawn
from their objects. Hence, he should take only that measure of food which
is strictly necessary for the support of his body. (Another advice that
may be offered is that) that knowledge which one obtains gradually by
mind devoted to yoga should cheerfully be made one's own during one's
last moments by a forcible stretch of power.[784] The embodied Soul, when
divested of Rajas (does not immediately attain to Emancipation but)
assumes a subtile form with all the senses of perception and moves about
in space. When his mind becomes unaffected by acts, he, in consequence of
such renunciation (loses that subtile form and) becomes merged in
Prakriti (without however, yet attaining to Brahma or Emancipation which
transcends Prakriti).[785] After the destruction of this gross body, one
who through absence of heedlessness escapes from all the three bodies
(viz., the gross, the subtile and the karana) succeeds in attaining to
Emancipation.[786] The birth and death of creatures always depend upon
the cause constituted by original Ignorance (or Avidya). When knowledge
of Brahma arises, necessity no longer pursues the person. Those, however,
that accept what is the reverse of truth (by believing that to be Self
which is really not-Self) are men whose understandings are always taken
up with the birth and death of all existent things. (Such people never
dream even of Emancipation).[787] Supporting their bodies by aid of
patience, withdrawing their hearts from all external objects by the aid
of their understanding, and withdrawing themselves from the world of
senses, some yogins adore the senses in consequence of their
subtility.[788] Some amongst them, with mind cleansed by yoga, proceeding
according to (the stages indicated in) the scriptures and reaching the
highest, succeed in knowing it by the aid of the understanding and dwell
in that which is the highest and which without resting on any other thing
rests on itself.[789] Some worship Brahma in images. Some worship Him as
existing with attributes. Some repeatedly realise the highest Divinity
which has been described to be like a flash of lightning and which is
again indestructible.[790] Others who have burnt their sins by penances,
attain to Brahma in the end. All those high-souled persons attain to the
highest end. With the eye of scripture one should observe the subtile
attributes of these several forms, as distinguished by attributes, of
Brahma that are (thus) worshipped by men. The yogin who has transcended
the necessity of depending on the body, who has cast off all attachments,
and whose mind is devoted to yoga abstraction, should be known as another
instance of Infinity, as the Supreme Divinity, or as that which it
Unmanifest.[791] They whose hearts are devoted to the acquisition of
knowledge succeed first in freeing themselves from the world of mortals.
Subsequently, by casting off attachments they partake of the nature of
Brahma and at last attain to the highest end.
"Thus have persons conversant with the Vedas spoken of the religion that
leads to the attainment of Brahma. They who follow that religion
according to the measure of their knowledge all succeed in obtaining the
highest end. Even those persons who succeed in acquiring knowledge that
is incapable of being shaken (by the assaults of scepticism) and that
makes its possessors free from attachments of every kind, attain to
various high regions after death and become emancipated according to the
measure of their knowledge. Those persons of pure hearts who have imbibed
contentment from knowledge, and who have cast off all desires and
attachments, gradually approach in respect of their nature, nearer and
nearer to Brahma which has the unmanifest for his attribute, which is
divine, and without birth and death. Realising that Brahma dwells in
their Souls, they become themselves immutable and have never to return
(to the earth). Attaining to that supreme state which is indestructible
and eternal, they exist in felicity. The knowledge with respect to this
world is even this: it exists (in the case of erring persons). It does
not exist (in the case of those who have not been stupefied by error).
The whole universe, bound up in desire, is revolving like a wheel. As the
fibres of a lotus-stalk overspread themselves into every part of the
stalk, after the same manner the fibres of desire, which have neither
beginning nor end, spread themselves over every part of the body. As a
weaver drives his threads into a cloth by means of his shuttle, after the
same manner the threads that constitute the fabric of the universe are
woven by the shuttle of Desire. He who properly knows transformations of
Prakriti, Prakriti herself and Purusha, becomes freed from Desire and
attains to Emancipation.[792] The divine Rishi Narayana, that refuge of
the universe, for the sake of compassion towards all creatures, clearly
promulgated these means for the acquisition of immortality.'"
