SECTION CCCV
"'Vasishtha said, 'It is thus, in consequence of his Ignorance and his
association with others that are invested with Ignorance, that Jiva has
recourse to millions and millions of births every one of which has
dissolution in the end. In consequence of his transformation into Chit
invested with Ignorance, Jiva betakes himself to millions of abodes one
of which is liable to end in destruction, among intermediate beings and
men and the deities. In consequence of Ignorance, Jiva, like Chandramas,
has to wax and wane thousands and thousands of times. This is truly the
nature of Jiva when invested with ignorance. Know that Chandramas has in
reality full sixteen portions. Only fifteen of these are subject to
increase and decrease. The sixteenth (i.e., that portion which remains
invisible and which appears on the night of the New-moon) remains
constant. After the manner of Chandramas, Jiva too has full sixteen
portions. Only fifteen of these, (viz., Prakriti with Chit's reflection,
the ten senses of knowledge and action, and the four inner faculties)
appear and disappear. The sixteenth (viz., Chit in its purity) is subject
to no modification. Invested with Ignorance, Jiva repeatedly and
continually takes birth in the fifteen portions named above. With the
eternal and immutable portion on Jiva primal essence become united and
this union takes place repeatedly. That sixteenth portion is subtile. It
should be known as Soma (eternal and immutable). It is never upheld by
the senses. On the other hand, the senses are upheld by it. Since those
sixteen portions are the cause of the birth of creatures, creatures can
never, O monarch, take birth without their aid. They are called Prakriti.
The destruction of Jiva's liability to be united with Prakriti is called
Emancipation. The Mahat-Soul, which is the twenty-fifth, if it regards
that body of sixteen portions called the Unmanifest,[1617] has to assume
it repeatedly. In consequence of not knowing, That which is stainless and
pure, and for its devotion to what is the result of a combination of both
Pure and Impure, the Soul, which is in reality pure, becomes, O king
Impure. Indeed, in consequence of its devotion to Ignorance, Jiva, though
characterised by Knowledge becomes repeatedly associated with Ignorance.
Though, O monarch, free from error of every kind, yet in consequence of
its devotion to the three attributes of Prakriti, it becomes endued with
those attributes.'"
