2. Chapter 2

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । इदमाकाशजाख्यानं श्रृणु श्रवणभूषणम् । उत्पत्त्याख्यं प्रकरणं येन राघव बुध्यसे ॥ १ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | idamākāśajākhyānaṃ śrṛṇu śravaṇabhūṣaṇam | utpattyākhyaṃ prakaraṇaṃ yena rāghava budhyase || 1 ||

Vasishtha resumed:—Hear me Rama; now relate to you the narrative of one Akasaja or air-born Brahman, which will be a jewel to your ears, and enable you the better to understand the drift of the book of Genesis.

अस्ति ह्याकाशजो नाम द्विजः परमधार्मिकः । ध्यानैकनिष्ठः सततं प्रजानां च हिते रतः ॥ २ ॥

asti hyākāśajo nāma dvijaḥ paramadhārmikaḥ | dhyānaikaniṣṭhaḥ satataṃ prajānāṃ ca hite rataḥ || 2 ||

There lived a Brahman Akasaja by name, who sat always reclined in his meditation, and was ever inclined to the doing of good to all creatures.

स चिरं जीवति यदा तदा मृत्युरचिन्तयत् । सर्वाण्येव क्रमेणाह भूतान्यद्मि किलाक्षयः ॥ ३ ॥

sa ciraṃ jīvati yadā tadā mṛtyuracintayat | sarvāṇyeva krameṇāha bhūtānyadmi kilākṣayaḥ || 3 ||

Finding him long-lived, Death thought within himself saying:—It is I alone that am imperishable, and devour all things one by one.

एनमाकाशजं विप्रं न कस्माद्भक्षयाम्यहम् । अत्र मे कुण्ठिता शक्तिः खङ्गधारा इवोपले ॥ ४ ॥

enamākāśajaṃ vipraṃ na kasmādbhakṣayāmyaham | atra me kuṇṭhitā śaktiḥ khaṅgadhārā ivopale || 4 ||

How is it that I cannot cram myself with this air-born, wherein I find my teeth as blunt in him, as the edge of a sword is put to the bluff by the solid rock.

इति संचिन्त्य तं हन्तुमगच्छत्तत्पुरं तदा । त्यजन्त्युद्यममुद्युक्ता न स्वकर्माणि केचन ॥ ५ ॥

iti saṃcintya taṃ hantumagacchattatpuraṃ tadā | tyajantyudyamamudyuktā na svakarmāṇi kecana || 5 ||

So saying, he proceeded to the abode of the Brahman, intent upon making an end of him; for who is of so dull a nature as is not alert in his practice.

ततस्तत्सदनं यावन्मृत्युः प्रविशति स्वयम् । तावदेनं दहत्यग्निः कल्पान्तज्वलनोपमः ॥ ६ ॥

tatastatsadanaṃ yāvanmṛtyuḥ praviśati svayam | tāvadenaṃ dahatyagniḥ kalpāntajvalanopamaḥ || 6 ||

But as he was about to enter the house, he was opposed by a gorgeous flame of fire, like the conflagration of final destruction on the last day of the dissolution of the world.

अग्निज्वालामहामालां विदार्यान्तर्गतो ह्यसौ । द्विजं दृष्ट्वा समादातुं हस्तेनैच्छत्प्रयत्नतः ॥ ७ ॥

agnijvālāmahāmālāṃ vidāryāntargato hyasau | dvijaṃ dṛṣṭvā samādātuṃ hastenaicchatprayatnataḥ || 7 ||

He pierced the ambient flame and entered the dwelling, where seeing the Brahman before him, he stretched his hand to lay hold on him with all avidity.

नचाशकत्पुरो दृष्टमपि हस्तशतैर्द्विजम् । बलवानप्यवष्टब्धुं संकल्पपुरुषं यथा ॥ ८ ॥

nacāśakatpuro dṛṣṭamapi hastaśatairdvijam | balavānapyavaṣṭabdhuṃ saṃkalpapuruṣaṃ yathā || 8 ||

He was unable even with his hundred hands (i. e. with all his might) to grasp the Brahman, as it is impossible for the strongest to withstand the resolute man in his wonted course.

अथागत्य यमं मृत्युरपृच्छत्संशयच्छिदम् । किमित्यहं न शक्नोमि भोक्तुमाकाशजं विभो ॥ ९ ॥

athāgatya yamaṃ mṛtyurapṛcchatsaṃśayacchidam | kimityahaṃ na śaknomi bhoktumākāśajaṃ vibho || 9 ||

He then had recourse to yama said:—his lord to clear his doubt, and to learn why he could not devour the air-born.

यम उवाच । मृत्यो न किंचिच्छक्तस्त्वमेको मारयितुं बलात् । मारणीयस्य कर्माणि तत्कर्तृणीति नेतरत् ॥ १० ॥

yama uvāca | mṛtyo na kiṃcicchaktastvameko mārayituṃ balāt | māraṇīyasya karmāṇi tatkartṛṇīti netarat || 10 ||

Yama replied saying said:—Death, trust not too far thy own might, that makes thee mighty to destroy the living. It is the act of the dying person that is the chief cause of his death and naught otherwise.

तस्मादेतस्य विप्रस्य मारणीयस्य यत्नतः । कर्माण्यन्विष्य तेषां त्वं साहाय्येनैनमत्स्यसि ॥ ११ ॥

tasmādetasya viprasya māraṇīyasya yatnataḥ | karmāṇyanviṣya teṣāṃ tvaṃ sāhāyyenainamatsyasi || 11 ||

Therefore do thou be diligent to find out the acts of the person thou intendest to kill; because it is by their assistance only that thou canst seize thy prey.

ततः स मृत्युर्बभ्राम तत्कर्मान्वेषणादृतः । मण्डलानि दिगन्तांश्च सरांसि सरितो दिशः ॥ १२ ॥

tataḥ sa mṛtyurbabhrāma tatkarmānveṣaṇādṛtaḥ | maṇḍalāni digantāṃśca sarāṃsi sarito diśaḥ || 12 ||

Hereupon Death betook himself gladly to wander about in all places under the horizon. He roved over the habitable parts, as also throughout the lacunal and fluvial districts.

वनजङ्गलजालानि शैलानब्धितटानि च । द्वीपान्तराण्यरण्यानि नगराणि पुराणि च ॥ १३ ॥

vanajaṅgalajālāni śailānabdhitaṭāni ca | dvīpāntarāṇyaraṇyāni nagarāṇi purāṇi ca || 13 ||

He traversed the forests and jungles, marshy and rocky grounds and maritime coasts, and passed to foreign lands and islands, and pried through their wildernesses, cities and towns.

ग्रामाण्यखिलराष्ट्राणि देशान्तर्गहनानि च । एवं भूमण्डलं भ्रान्त्वा न कुतश्चित्स कानिचित् ॥ १४ ॥

grāmāṇyakhilarāṣṭrāṇi deśāntargahanāni ca | evaṃ bhūmaṇḍalaṃ bhrāntvā na kutaścitsa kānicit || 14 ||

He searched through kingdoms and countries, villages and deserts;and surveyed the whole earth to find out some act of the Brahman in any part of it.

तान्याकाशजकर्माणि लब्धवान्मृत्युरुद्यतः । वन्ध्यापुत्रमिव प्राज्ञः संकल्पाद्रिमिवापरः ॥ १५ ॥

tānyākāśajakarmāṇi labdhavānmṛtyurudyataḥ | vandhyāputramiva prājñaḥ saṃkalpādrimivāparaḥ || 15 ||

At last Death with all his search and effort, came to find the acts of the air-born Brahman, to be as nil as the offspring of a barren woman; and his mind as transfixed (in meditation) as if it were a rock.

समपृच्छदथागत्य यमं सर्वार्थकोविदम् । परायणं हि प्रभवः संदेहेष्वनुजीविनाम् ॥ १६ ॥

samapṛcchadathāgatya yamaṃ sarvārthakovidam | parāyaṇaṃ hi prabhavaḥ saṃdeheṣvanujīvinām || 16 ||

He then returned from his reconnoitering to his all-knowing master Yama, and besought his advice, as servants do in matters of doubt and difficulty.

मृत्युरुवाच । आकाशजस्य कर्माणि क्व स्थितानि वद प्रभो । धर्मराजोऽथ संचिन्त्य सुचिरं प्रोक्तवानिदम् ॥ १७ ॥

mṛtyuruvāca | ākāśajasya karmāṇi kva sthitāni vada prabho | dharmarājo'tha saṃcintya suciraṃ proktavānidam || 17 ||

Death addressed him saying said:—"Tell me my lord, where the acts of the Air-born Brahman are to be found;" to which Yama after a long head-work, replied as follows.

धर्मराज उवाच । आकाशजस्य कर्माणि मृत्यो सन्ति न कानिचित् । एष आकाशजो विप्रो जातः खादेव केवलात् ॥ १८ ॥

dharmarāja uvāca | ākāśajasya karmāṇi mṛtyo santi na kānicit | eṣa ākāśajo vipro jātaḥ khādeva kevalāt || 18 ||

Know, O Death! that this air-born seer has no acts whatever; for as he is born of empty air so his doings are all null and void.

आकाशादेव यो जातः स व्योमैवामलं भवेत् । सहकारीणि नो सन्ति न कर्माण्यस्य कानिचित् ॥ १९ ॥

ākāśādeva yo jātaḥ sa vyomaivāmalaṃ bhavet | sahakārīṇi no santi na karmāṇyasya kānicit || 19 ||

Whoso is born of air, is as pure as air itself, and has no combination of cause or acts like all embodied.

संबन्धः प्राक्तनेनास्य न मनागपि कर्मणा । अस्ति वन्ध्यासुतस्येव तथाऽजाताकृतेरिव ॥ २० ॥

saṃbandhaḥ prāktanenāsya na manāgapi karmaṇā | asti vandhyāsutasyeva tathā'jātākṛteriva || 20 ||

He has no relation with acts of his prior existence. He is nil as the child of an unprolific woman, and as one unborn, uncreated and unbegotten.

कारणानामभावेन तस्मादाकाशमेव सः । नैतस्य पूर्वकर्मास्ति नभसीव महाद्रुमः ॥ २१ ॥

kāraṇānāmabhāvena tasmādākāśameva saḥ | naitasya pūrvakarmāsti nabhasīva mahādrumaḥ || 21 ||

Want of causes has made him a pure vacuous being, and the privation of prior acts has made him as nil as an etherial arbor.

नैतदस्यावशं चित्तमभावात्पूर्वकर्मणाम् । अद्य तावदनेनाद्यं न किंचित्कर्म संचितम् ॥ २२ ॥

naitadasyāvaśaṃ cittamabhāvātpūrvakarmaṇām | adya tāvadanenādyaṃ na kiṃcitkarma saṃcitam || 22 ||

His mind is not ruffled as those of others, by reason of the privation of his former acts; nor is there any such act of his present state, whereby he may become a morsel to death.

एवमाकाशकोशात्मा विशदाकाशरूपिणि । स्वकारणे स्थितो नित्यः कारणानि न कानिचित् ॥ २३ ॥

evamākāśakośātmā viśadākāśarūpiṇi | svakāraṇe sthito nityaḥ kāraṇāni na kānicit || 23 ||

Such is the soul seated in the sheath of vacuity, and remaining for ever as the simple form of its own causality (karanadeha), and not guided by any extraneous causation whatever.

प्राक्तनानि न सन्त्यस्य कर्माण्यद्य करोति नो । किंचिदप्येवमेषोऽत्र विज्ञानाकाशमात्रकः ॥ २४ ॥

prāktanāni na santyasya karmāṇyadya karoti no | kiṃcidapyevameṣo'tra vijñānākāśamātrakaḥ || 24 ||

It has no prior deed, nor does it do any thing at present; (i. e. neither led by predestination, nor actuated by present efforts); but continues as something in the shape of aeriform intelligence.

प्राणस्पन्दोऽस्य यत्कर्म लक्ष्यते चास्मदादिभिः । दृश्यतेऽस्माभिरेव तन्न त्वस्यास्त्यत्र कर्मधीः ॥ २५ ॥

prāṇaspando'sya yatkarma lakṣyate cāsmadādibhiḥ | dṛśyate'smābhireva tanna tvasyāstyatra karmadhīḥ || 25 ||

Our inference of the actions of breathing and motion by the agency of the soul, is a mere supposition; because the soul is devoid of every thought of or tendency to action.

संस्थिता भावयन्तीव चिद्रूपैव परात्पदात् । भिन्नमाकारमात्मीयं चित्स्तम्भे शालभञ्जिका ॥ २६ ॥

saṃsthitā bhāvayantīva cidrūpaiva parātpadāt | bhinnamākāramātmīyaṃ citstambhe śālabhañjikā || 26 ||

It sits meditating on itself as inseparable from the Supreme Intelligence, just as the images (in painting and statuary), are inseparable from the mind of the painter and sculptor.

तथैव परमार्थात्सखात्मभूतः स्थितो द्विजः । यथा द्रवत्वं पयसि शून्यत्वं च यथाम्बरे ॥ २७ ॥

tathaiva paramārthātsakhātmabhūtaḥ sthito dvijaḥ | yathā dravatvaṃ payasi śūnyatvaṃ ca yathāmbare || 27 ||

The self-born Brahman is as intimately connected with the objects of his thought, as fluidity is associated with water and vacuity with the firmament.

स्पन्दत्वं च यथा वायोस्तथैष परमे पदे । कर्माण्यद्यतनान्यस्य संचितानि न सन्ति हि ॥ २८ ॥

spandatvaṃ ca yathā vāyostathaiṣa parame pade | karmāṇyadyatanānyasya saṃcitāni na santi hi || 28 ||

His soul is as immanent in the supreme, as motion is inherent in the winds. It has neither the accumulated acts of past lives, nor those of its present state.

न पूर्वाण्येष तेनेह न संसारवशं गतः । सहकारिकारणानामभावे यः प्रजायते ॥ २९ ॥

na pūrvāṇyeṣa teneha na saṃsāravaśaṃ gataḥ | sahakārikāraṇānāmabhāve yaḥ prajāyate || 29 ||

It is produced without the co-operation of accompanying causes, and being free from prior motives, it is not subjected to the vicissitudes concomitant with human life.

नासौ स्वकारणाद्भिन्नो भवतीत्यनुभूयते । कारणानामभावेन तस्मादेष स्वयंभवः ॥ ३० ॥

nāsau svakāraṇādbhinno bhavatītyanubhūyate | kāraṇānāmabhāvena tasmādeṣa svayaṃbhavaḥ || 30 ||

It is found to be no other than its own cause; and having no other cause for itself, it is said to be self-produced.

कर्ता न पूर्वं नाप्यद्य कथमाक्रम्यते वद । यदैष कल्पनां बुद्ध्या मृतिनाम्नीं करिष्यति ॥ ३१ ॥

kartā na pūrvaṃ nāpyadya kathamākramyate vada | yadaiṣa kalpanāṃ buddhyā mṛtināmnīṃ kariṣyati || 31 ||

Say, how can you lay hold on that being that has done no act before, nor is in the act of doing any thing at present? It is then only subjected to thee when it thinks itself mortal.

पृथ्व्यादिमानयमहमिति यस्य च निश्चयः । स पार्थिवो भवत्याशु ग्रहीतुं स च शक्यते ॥ ३२ ॥

pṛthvyādimānayamahamiti yasya ca niścayaḥ | sa pārthivo bhavatyāśu grahītuṃ sa ca śakyate || 32 ||

Whoso believes his soul to be of this earth, and thinks himself to be an earthly being, he may be easily overtaken by thee;

पृथ्व्यादिकलनाभावादेष विप्रो न रूपवान् । दृढरज्ज्वेव गगनं ग्रहीतुं नैव युज्यते ॥ ३३ ॥

pṛthvyādikalanābhāvādeṣa vipro na rūpavān | dṛḍharajjveva gaganaṃ grahītuṃ naiva yujyate || 33 ||

This Brahman is a formless being, by reason of his disowning the material body. Hence it is as hard for thee to enthral him, as to entwine the air with a rope.

मृत्युरुवाच । भगवञ्जायते शून्यात्कथं नाम वदेति मे । पृथ्व्यादयः कथं सन्ति न सन्ति वद वा कथम् ॥ ३४ ॥

mṛtyuruvāca | bhagavañjāyate śūnyātkathaṃ nāma vadeti me | pṛthvyādayaḥ kathaṃ santi na santi vada vā katham || 34 ||

Death rejoined saying said:—Tell me my lord! how may the unborn Aja or the self-born swayambhu, be produced out of vacuum, and how can an earthly or other elemental body be and not be.

यम उवाच । न कदाचन जातोऽसौ न च नास्ति कदाचन । द्विजः केवलविज्ञानभामात्रं तत्तथा स्थितः ॥ ३५ ॥

yama uvāca | na kadācana jāto'sau na ca nāsti kadācana | dvijaḥ kevalavijñānabhāmātraṃ tattathā sthitaḥ || 35 ||

Yama replied:—This Brahman is neither born nor is nil at any time; but remains for ever the same, as the light of intelligence of which there is no decay.

महाप्रलयसंपत्तौ न किंचिदवशिष्यते । ब्रह्मास्ते शान्तमजरमनन्तात्मैव केवलम् ॥ ३६ ॥

mahāpralayasaṃpattau na kiṃcidavaśiṣyate | brahmāste śāntamajaramanantātmaiva kevalam || 36 ||

There remains nothing at the event of the great Doomsday, except the tranquil, imperishable and infinite Brahman himself in his spiritual form.

शून्यं नित्योदितं सूक्ष्मं निरुपाधि परं स्थितम् । तदा तदनु येनास्य निकटेऽद्रिनिभं महः ॥ ३७ ॥

śūnyaṃ nityoditaṃ sūkṣmaṃ nirupādhi paraṃ sthitam | tadā tadanu yenāsya nikaṭe'drinibhaṃ mahaḥ || 37 ||

This is the nature of the everlasting vacuum, too subtile in its essence, and devoid of all attributes; but viewing present before its mind, the stupendous cosmos in the form of a huge mountain in the beginning of recreation.

संविन्मात्रस्वभावत्वाद्देहोऽहमिति चेतति । काकतालीयवद्भ्रान्तमाकारं तेन पश्यति ॥ ३८ ॥

saṃvinmātrasvabhāvatvāddeho'hamiti cetati | kākatālīyavadbhrāntamākāraṃ tena paśyati || 38 ||

Being of the nature of intelligence it is imperishable; but those who view the spirit in the form of any phenomenal body, are liable to perish with it like all embodied beings.

स एष ब्राह्मणस्तस्मिन्सर्गादावम्बरोदरे । निर्विकल्पश्चिदाकाशरूपमास्थाय संस्थितः ॥ ३९ ॥

sa eṣa brāhmaṇastasminsargādāvambarodare | nirvikalpaścidākāśarūpamāsthāya saṃsthitaḥ || 39 ||

Thus this Brahman remained in the womb of vacuity in the beginning, in his state of unalterable, vacuous intelligence.

नास्य देहो न कर्माणि न कर्तृत्वं न वासना । एष शुद्धचिदाकाशो विज्ञानघन आततः ॥ ४० ॥

nāsya deho na karmāṇi na kartṛtvaṃ na vāsanā | eṣa śuddhacidākāśo vijñānaghana ātataḥ || 40 ||

It is purely of the nature of the inane understanding, and of the form of a vast expanse of omniscience; having neither body nor organism; no acts nor agency, nor desire of any kind in itself.

प्राक्तनं वासनाजालं किंचिदस्य न विद्यते । केवलं व्योमरूपस्य भारूपस्येव तेजसः ॥ ४१ ॥

prāktanaṃ vāsanājālaṃ kiṃcidasya na vidyate | kevalaṃ vyomarūpasya bhārūpasyeva tejasaḥ || 41 ||

That which is simply of the form of vacuum and pure light, is never beset by the snare of pristine desires, as a corporeal being.

वेदनामात्रसंशान्तावीदृशोऽपि न दृश्यते । तस्माद्यथा चिदाकाशस्तथा तत्प्रतिपत्तयः ॥ ४२ ॥

vedanāmātrasaṃśāntāvīdṛśo'pi na dṛśyate | tasmādyathā cidākāśastathā tatpratipattayaḥ || 42 ||

It has nothing to know or see without itself (i. e. beyond its self-consciousness). The only conception that we have of it, is what resembles an extended intelligence.

कुतः किलात्र पृथ्व्यादेः कीदृशः संभवः कथम् । एतदाक्रमणे मृत्यो तस्मान्मा यत्नवान्भव ॥ ४३ ॥

kutaḥ kilātra pṛthvyādeḥ kīdṛśaḥ saṃbhavaḥ katham | etadākramaṇe mṛtyo tasmānmā yatnavānbhava || 43 ||

Under these circumstances, how is it susceptible of any earthly or other external form? Therefore O Death! desist from thy attempt to lay hold on the same.

ग्रहीतुं युज्यते व्योम न कदाचन केनचित् । श्रुत्वैतद्विस्मितो मृत्युर्जगाम निजमन्दिरम् ॥ ४४ ॥

grahītuṃ yujyate vyoma na kadācana kenacit | śrutvaitadvismito mṛtyurjagāma nijamandiram || 44 ||

Hearing these words of Yama, Death thought upon the impracticability of laying hold on empty vacuity by any body, and sorrowfully returned to his own abode.

श्रीराम उवाच । ब्रह्मैष कथितो देवस्त्वया मे प्रपितामहः । स्वयंभूरज एकात्मा विज्ञानात्मेति मे मतिः ॥ ४५ ॥

śrīrāma uvāca | brahmaiṣa kathito devastvayā me prapitāmahaḥ | svayaṃbhūraja ekātmā vijñānātmeti me matiḥ || 45 ||

Rama said: you said sir, that Brahma is your great grand-sire; I think it is he that you mean to say as the unborn, self-born, universal soul and intelligence.

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । एवमेतन्मया राम ब्रह्मैष कथितस्तव । विवादमकरोन्मृत्युर्यमेनैतत्कृते पुरा ॥ ४६ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | evametanmayā rāma brahmaiṣa kathitastava | vivādamakaronmṛtyuryamenaitatkṛte purā || 46 ||

So is this Brahma, Rama! as I have spoken to you, and it was with regard to the same, that the aforesaid discussion was held of yore between Death and Yama.

मन्वन्तरे सर्वभक्षो यदा मृत्युर्हरन्प्रजाः । बलमेत्यब्जजाक्रान्तावारम्भमकरोत्स्वयम् ॥ ४७ ॥

manvantare sarvabhakṣo yadā mṛtyurharanprajāḥ | balametyabjajākrāntāvārambhamakarotsvayam || 47 ||

Again when Death had made an end of all living beings at the interval of a manwantara, he thought himself strong enough to make an attempt to bear down upon the lotus-born Brahma also.

तदैव धर्मराजेन यमेनाश्वनुशासितः । यदेव क्रियते नित्यं रतिस्तत्रैव जायते ॥ ४८ ॥

tadaiva dharmarājena yamenāśvanuśāsitaḥ | yadeva kriyate nityaṃ ratistatraiva jāyate || 48 ||

It was then that he was admonished by Yama, saying:—It is your habit that makes you go on your wonted course of killing.

ब्रह्मा किल पराकाशवपुराक्रम्यते कथम् । मनोमात्रं च संकल्पः पृथ्व्यादिरहिताकृतिः ॥ ४९ ॥

brahmā kila parākāśavapurākramyate katham | manomātraṃ ca saṃkalpaḥ pṛthvyādirahitākṛtiḥ || 49 ||

But the super-etherial form of Brahma too is beyond your reach: it being simply of the nature of the mind having connection with its thoughts only, and no concern with the actual forms of things.

यश्चिद्व्योमचमत्कारः किलाकारानुभूतिमान् । स चिद्व्योमैव नो तस्य कारणत्वं न कार्यता ॥ ५० ॥

yaścidvyomacamatkāraḥ kilākārānubhūtimān | sa cidvyomaiva no tasya kāraṇatvaṃ na kāryatā || 50 ||

It is of the form of the wonderfully vacuous intellect, having the faculty of cognition in it. Thus the intellect being but vacuum, has neither any cause for it, nor any effect produced by it.

आकाशस्फुरदाकारः संकल्पपुरुषो यथा । पृथ्व्यादिरहितो भाति स्वयंभूर्भासते तथा ॥ ५१ ॥

ākāśasphuradākāraḥ saṃkalpapuruṣo yathā | pṛthvyādirahito bhāti svayaṃbhūrbhāsate tathā || 51 ||

As the aeriform volitive principle in men, manifests itself without being connected with material forms, so is the self-born (Brahma) manifest to all in his own immaterial nature.

निर्मले व्योम्नि मुक्तालीसंकल्पस्वप्नयोः पुरम् । अपृथ्व्यादि यथा भाति स्वयंभूर्भासते तथा ॥ ५२ ॥

nirmale vyomni muktālīsaṃkalpasvapnayoḥ puram | apṛthvyādi yathā bhāti svayaṃbhūrbhāsate tathā || 52 ||

Like strings of pearl appearing to view in the clear firmament, and forms of cities seen in a dream, the self-born (Brahma) is manifest of himself without relation to external objects.

न दृश्यमस्ति न द्रष्टा परमात्मनि केवले । स्वयंचित्ता तथाप्येष स्वयंभूरिति भासते ॥ ५३ ॥

na dṛśyamasti na draṣṭā paramātmani kevale | svayaṃcittā tathāpyeṣa svayaṃbhūriti bhāsate || 53 ||

As there is no beholder nor any thing beholden of the solitary Supreme spirit which is the intellect itself; so is the mind manifest of itself.

संकल्पमात्रमेवैतन्मनो ब्रह्मेति कथ्यते । संकल्पाकाशपुरुषो नास्य पृथ्व्यादि विद्यते ॥ ५४ ॥

saṃkalpamātramevaitanmano brahmeti kathyate | saṃkalpākāśapuruṣo nāsya pṛthvyādi vidyate || 54 ||

It is the volitive mind which is called Brahma and volition being a spiritual faculty, has no connection with any material substance.

यथा चित्रकृदन्तःस्था निर्देहा भाति पुत्रिका । तथैव भासते ब्रह्मा चिदाकाशाच्छरञ्जनम् ॥ ५५ ॥

yathā citrakṛdantaḥsthā nirdehā bhāti putrikā | tathaiva bhāsate brahmā cidākāśāccharañjanam || 55 ||

As the mind of the painter is fraught with images of various things, so is the mind of Brahma full of figures of all created beings.

चिद्व्योमकेवलमनन्तमनादिमध्यं ब्रह्मेति भाति निजचित्तवशात्स्वयंभूः । आकारवानिव पुमानिव वस्तुतस्तु वन्ध्यातनूज इव तस्य तु नास्ति देहः ॥ ५६ ॥

cidvyomakevalamanantamanādimadhyaṃ brahmeti bhāti nijacittavaśātsvayaṃbhūḥ | ākāravāniva pumāniva vastutastu vandhyātanūja iva tasya tu nāsti dehaḥ || 56 ||

The self-born Brahma is manifest in his own mind as Brahma is manifested in the vacuous sphere of his intellect. He is without beginning, middle and end, and appears to have a figure like that of a male being, while in reality he has no body, as the offspring of a barren woman.