SECTION CCCXIV
'Yajnavalkya said, Brahmanas conversant with the topics of enquiry speak
of the two feet as Adhyatma, the act of walking as Adhibhuta, and Vishnu
as Adhidaivatam (of those two limbs). The lower duct (anal canal) is
Adhyatma; its function of throwing out the excreta is Adhibhuta, and
Mitra (Surya) is the Adhidaivata (of that organ). The organ of generation
is called Adhyatma. Its agreeable function is called Adhibhuta, and
Prajapati is its Adhidaivata. The hands are Adhyatma; their function as
represented by acts is Adhibhuta; and Indra is the Adhidaivata of those
limbs. The organs of speech are Adhyatma; the words uttered by them are
Adhibhuta; and Agni is their Adhidaivata. The eye is Adhyatma; vision or
form is its Adhibhuta; and Surya is the Adhidaivata of that organ. The
ear is Adhyatma; sound is Adhibhuta; and the points of the horizon are
its Adhidaivata. The tongue is Adhyatma, taste is its Adhibhuta; and
Water is its Adhidaivata. The sense of scent is Adhyatma; odour is its
Adhibhuta; and Earth is its Adhidaivata. The skin is Adhyatma; touch is
its Adhibhuta; and Wind is its Adhidaivata. Mind has been called
Adhyatma; that with which the Mind is employed is Adhibhuta; and
Chandramas is its Adhidaivata. Consciousness is Adhyatma; conviction in
one's identity with Prakriti is its Adhibhuta; and Mahat or Buddhi is its
Adhidaivata. Buddhi is Adhyatma; that which is to be understood is its
Adhibhuta; and Kshetrajna is its Adhidaivata. I have thus truly expounded
to thee, O king, with its details taken individually, the puissance of
the Supreme (in manifesting Himself in different forms) in the beginning,
the middle, and the end, O thou that art fully conversant with the nature
of the original topics or principles. Prakriti, cheerfully and of her own
accord, as if for sport, O monarch, produces, by undergoing modifications
herself, thousands and thousands of combinations of her original
transformations called Gunahs. As men can light thousands of lamps from
but a single lamp, after the same manner Prakriti, by modification,
multiplies into thousands of existent objects the (three) attributes (of
Sattwa and Rajas and Tamas) of Purusha. Patience, joy, prosperity,
satisfaction, brightness of all faculties, happiness, purity, health,
contentment, faith, liberality, compassion, forgiveness, firmness,
benevolence, equanimity, truth, acquittance of obligations, mildness,
modesty, calmness, external purity, simplicity, observance of obligatory
practices, dispassionateness, fearlessness of heart, disregard for the
appearance or otherwise of good and evil as also for past
acts,--appropriation of objects only when obtained by gift, the absence
of cupidity, regard for the interests of others, compassion for all
creatures,--these have been said to be the qualities that attach to the
attribute of Sattwa. The tale of qualities attaching to the attribute of
Rajas consists of pride of personal beauty, assertion of lordship, war,
disclination to give, absence of compassion, enjoyment and enduring of
happiness and misery, pleasure in speaking ill of others, indulgence in
quarrels and disputes of every kind, arrogance, discourtesy, anxiety,
indulgence in hostilities, sorrow, appropriation of what belongs to
others, shamelessness, crookedness, disunions, roughness, lust, wrath,
pride, assertion of superiority, malice, and calumny. These are said to
spring from the attributes of Rajas. I shall now tell thee of that
assemblage of qualities which springs from Tamas. They are stupefaction
of judgment, obscuration of every faculty, darkness and blind darkness.
By darkness is implied death, and by blind darkness is meant wrath.
Besides these, the other indications of Tamas are greediness in respect
of all kinds of food, ceaseless appetite for both food and drink, taking
pleasure in scents and robes and sports and beds and seats and sleep
during the day and calumny and all kinds of acts proceeding from
heedlessness, taking pleasure, from ignorance (of purer sources of joy)
in dancing and instrumental and vocal music, and aversion for every kind
of religion. These, indeed, are the indications of Tamas--'"
