SECTION CCXLVI
"Vyasa said, 'The Jiva-soul is endued with all those entities that are
modifications of Prakriti. These do not know the Soul but the Soul knows
them all. Like a good driver proceeding with the aid of strong,
well-broken, and high-mettled steeds along the paths he selects, the Soul
acts with the aid of these, called the senses, having the mind for their
sixth. The objects of the senses are superior to the senses themselves.
The mind is superior to those objects. The understanding is superior to
the mind. The Soul, also called Mahat, is superior to the understanding.
Superior to Mahat is the Unmanifest (or Prakriti). Superior to the
Unmanifest is Brahma. There is nothing Superior to Brahma. That is the
highest limit of excellence and the highest goal. The Supreme Soul is
concealed in every creature. It is not displayed for ordinary men to
behold. Only Yogins with subtile vision behold the Supreme Soul with the
aid of their keen and subtile understanding. Merging the senses having
the mind for their sixth and all the objects of the senses into the inner
Soul by the aid of the Understanding, and reflecting upon the three
states of consciousness, viz., the object thought, the act of thinking,
and the thinker, and abstaining by contemplation from every kind of
enjoyment, equipping his mind with the knowledge that he is Brahma's
self, laying aside at the same time all consciousness of puissance, and
thereby making his soul perfectly tranquil, the Yogin obtains that to
which immortality inheres. That person, however, who happens to be the
slave of all his senses and whose ideas of right and wrong have been
confounded, already liable as he is to death, actually meets with death
by such surrender of self to (the passions).[1036] Destroying all
desires, one should merge the gross Understanding into one's subtile
Understanding. Having thus merged the gross into the subtile
Understanding, one is sure to become a second Kalanjara mountain.[1037]
By purifying his heart, the Yogin transcends both righteousness and its
reverse. By purifying his heart and by living in his own true nature, he
attains to the highest happiness.[1038] The indication of that purity of
heart (of which I speak) is that one who has attained to experiences that
state of unconsciousness (with respect of all one's surroundings) which
one experiences in dreamless slumber. The Yogin who has attained to that
state lives like the steady flame of a lamp that burns in a place where
the atmosphere is perfectly still. Becoming abstemious in diet, and
having cleansed his heart, that Yogin who applies his Soul to the Soul
succeeds in beholding the Soul in the Soul.[1039] This discourse, O son,
intended for thy instruction, is the essence of all the Vedas. The truths
herein disclosed are incapable of being understood by the aid of
inference alone or by that of mere study of the scriptures. One must
understand it oneself by the aid of faith. By churning the wealth that is
contained in all religious works and in all discourses based on truth, as
also the ten thousand Richs, this nectar hath been raised. As butter from
curds and fire from wood, even hath this been raised for the sake of my
son,--this that constituteth the knowledge of all truly wise men. This
discourse, O son, fraught with solid instruction, is intended for
delivery unto Snatakas.[1040] It should never be imparted to one that is
not of tranquil soul, or one that is not self-restrained, or one that
hath not undergone penances. It should not be communicated to one that is
not conversant with the Vedas, or one that doth not humbly wait upon
one's preceptor, or one that is not free from malice, or one that is not
possessed of sincerity and candour, or one that is of reckless behaviour.
It should never be communicated to one whose intellect hath been consumed
by the science of disputation, or one that is vile or low. Unto that
person, however, who is possessed of fame, or who deserveth applause (for
his virtues), or who is of tranquil soul, or possessed of ascetic merit,
unto a Brahmana who is such, unto one's son or dutiful disciple, this
discourse containing the very essence of duties should be communicated,
but on no account should it be communicated to others. If any person
makes a gift of the whole earth with all her treasures, unto one
conversant with truth, the latter would still regard the gift of this
knowledge to be very much superior to that gift. I shall now discourse to
thee on a subject that is a greater mystery than this, a subject that is
connected with the Soul, that transcends the ordinary understandings of
human beings, that has been beheld by the foremost of Rishis, that has
been treated in the Upanishads, and that forms the topic of thy inquiry.
Tell me what, after this is in thy mind? Tell me in what thou has still
any doubt? Listen, for here I am, O son, faces turned towards all
directions. The Sun and the Moon are thy two seated before thee! Upon
what indeed, shall I once more speak to thee?'"
