SECTION LI
"Brahmana said, 'Since the mind is the ruler of these five elements, in
the matter of controlling and bringing them forth, the mind, therefore,
is the soul of the elements. The mind always presides over the great
elements. The understanding proclaims power, and is called the
Kshetrajna.[156] The mind yokes the senses as a charioteer yokes good
steeds. The senses, the mind, and the understanding are always joined to
the Kshetrajna. The individual soul, mounting the chariot to which big
steeds are yoked and which has the understanding for the reins, drives
about on all sides. With all the senses attached to it (for steeds), with
the mind for the charioteer, and the understanding for the eternal reins,
exists the great Brahman-car. Verily, that man endued with learning and
wisdom who always understands the Brahman-car in this way, is never
overwhelmed by delusion in the midst of all entities. This forest of
Brahman begins with the Unmanifest and ends with gross objects. It
includes mobile and immobile entities, and receives light from the
radiance of the sun and the moon, and is adorned with planets and
constellations. It is decked, again, on all sides with nets of rivers and
mountains. It is always embellished likewise by diverse kinds of waters.
It is the means of subsistence for all creatures. It is, again, the goal
of all living creatures. In that forest the Kshetrajna always moves
about. Whatever entities exist in this world, mobile and immobile, are
the very first to be dissolved away. After this (are dissolved) those
qualities which compose all entities. After the qualities (are dissolved)
the five elements. Such is the gradation of entities. Gods, men,
Gandharvas, Pisachas, Asuras, and Rakshasas, have all sprung from Nature,
and not from actions, not from a cause. The Brahmanas, who are creators
of the universe, are born here again and again. All that springs from
them dissolves, when the time comes, in those very five great elements
like billows in the ocean. All the great elements are beyond those
elements that compose the universe. He that is released from those five
elements goes to the highest goal. The puissant Prajapati created all
this by the mind only. After the same manner Rishis attained to the
status of deities by the aid of penance. After the same manner, those who
have achieved perfection, who were capable of the concentration of Yoga,
and who subsist on fruits and roots, likewise perceive the triple world
by penance. Medicines and herbs and all the diverse sciences are acquired
by means of penance alone, for all acquisition has penance for its root.
Whatever is difficult of acquisition, difficult to learn, difficult to
vanquish, difficult to pass through, are all achievable by penance, for
penance is irresistible. One that drinks alcoholic liquors, one that
slays a Brahmana, one that steals, one that destroys a foetus, one that
violates one's preceptor's bed, becomes cleansed of such sin by penance
well performed. Human beings, Pitris, deities, (sacrificial) animals,
beasts and birds, and all other creatures mobile and immobile, by always
devoting themselves to penances, become crowned with success by penance
alone. In like manner, the deities, endued with great powers of illusion,
have attained to Heaven. Those who without idleness perform acts with
expectations, being full of egoism, approach the presence of Prajapati.
Those high-souled ones, however, who are devoid of mineness and freed
from egoism through the pure contemplation of Yoga, attain to the great
and highest regions. Those who best understand the self, having attained
to Yoga contemplation and having their minds always cheerful, enter into
the unmanifest accumulation of happiness. Those persons who are freed
from the idea of mineness as also from egoism and who are reborn after
having attained to the fullness of Yoga contemplation, enter (when they
depart from such life) into the highest region reserved for the great,
viz., the Unmanifest. Born from that same unmanifest (principle) and
attaining to the same once more, freed from the qualities of Darkness and
Passion, and adhering to only the quality of Goodness, one becomes
released from every sin and creates all things.[157] Such a one should be
known to be Kshetrajna in perfection. He that knows him, knows the
Veda.[158] Attaining to pure knowledge from (restraining) the mind, the
ascetic should sit self-restrained. One necessarily becomes that on which
one's mind is set. This is an eternal mystery. That which has the
unmanifest for its beginning and gross qualities for its end, has been
said to have Ne-science for its indication. But do you understand that
whose nature is destitute of qualities? Of two syllables is Mrityu
(death); of three syllable is the eternal Brahman. Mineness is death, and
the reverse of mineness is the eternal.[159] Some men who are led by bad
understanding applaud action. Those, however, that are numbered among the
high-souled ancients never applaud action. By action is a creature born
with body which is made up of the sixteen.[160] (True) Knowledge swallows
up Purusha (Self with consciousness of body). Even this is what is highly
acceptable to eaters of Amrita.[161] Therefore, those whose vision
extends to the other end (of the ocean of life) have no attachment for
actions. This Purusha, however, is full of knowledge and not full of
action.[162] He dies not who understands Him that is immortal, immutable,
incomprehensible, eternal and indestructible--Him that is the restrained
Soul and that transcends all attachments. He who thus understands the
Soul to which there is nothing prior which is uncreated, immutable,
unconquered, and incomprehensible even to those that are eaters of
nectar, certainly becomes himself incomprehensible and immortal through
these means. Expelling all impressions and restraining the Soul in the
Soul, he understands that auspicious Brahman than which nothing greater
exists. Upon the understanding becoming clear, he succeeds in attaining
to tranquillity. The indication of tranquillity is like what takes place
in a dream.[163] This is the goal of these emancipated ones who are
intent on knowledge. They behold all those movements which are born of
successive developments.[164] This is the goal of those who are
unattached to the world, This is the eternal usage. This is the
acquisition of men of knowledge. This is the uncensured mode of conduct.
This goal is capable of being attained by one that is alike to all
creatures, that is without attachment, that is without expectations, and
that looks equally on all things. I have now declared everything to you,
ye foremost of regenerate Rishis. Do you act in this way forthwith; you
will then acquire success.'
"The preceptor continued, 'Thus addressed by the preceptor Brahma, those
high-souled sages acted accordingly and then attained to many regions (of
great felicity). Do thou also, O blessed one, duly act according to the
words of Brahma as declared by me, O thou of pure soul. Thou wilt then
attain to success.'
"Vasudeva said,--'Thus instructed in the principles of high religion by
the preceptor, the pupil, O son of Kunti, did everything accordingly, and
then attained to Emancipation. Having done all that he should have done,
the pupil, O perpetuator of Kuru's race, attained to that seat repairing
whither one has not to grieve.'
"Arjuna said, 'Who, indeed, was that Brahmana, O Krishna, and who the
pupil, O Janarddana. Truly, if it is fit to be heard by me, do thou then
tell me, O lord!'
"Vasudeva said, 'I am the preceptor, O mighty-armed one, and know that
the mind is my pupil. Through my affection for thee, O Dhananjaya, I have
related this mystery to thee. If thou hast any love for me, O perpetuator
of Kuru's race, do thou then, after having heard these instructions
relating to the Soul, always act duly (according to them), O thou of
excellent vows. Then when this religion has been duly practised, O mower
of foes, thou wilt become freed from all thy sins and attain to absolute
emancipation. Formerly, when the hour of battle came, this very religion,
O thou of mighty arms, was declared by me (to thee)! Do thou, therefore,
set thy mind on it. And now, O chief of Bharata's race, it is long since
that I saw the lord my sire. I wish to see him again, with thy leave, O
Phalguna!'
"Vaisampayana continued, 'Unto Krishna who had said so, Dhananjaya said
in reply,--We shall go to-day from this town to the city called after the
elephant. Meeting king Yudhishthira of virtuous soul there, and informing
him (of thy intention) thou shalt then repair to thy own city!'"
