94. Chapter 94

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । उत्तमाधममध्यानां पदार्थानामितस्ततः । उत्पत्तीनां विभागोऽयं श्रृणु वक्ष्यामि राघव ॥ १ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | uttamādhamamadhyānāṃ padārthānāmitastataḥ | utpattīnāṃ vibhāgo'yaṃ śrṛṇu vakṣyāmi rāghava || 1 ||

Vasishtha said:—Hear me now relate to you, Rama! the several classes of higher, lower and middling species of beings, and the various grades of their existence here and elsewhere in the scale of creation.

इदं प्रथमतोत्पन्नो योऽस्मिन्नेव हि जन्मनि । इदंप्रथमतानाम्नी शुभाभ्याससमुद्भवा ॥ २ ॥

idaṃ prathamatotpanno yo'sminneva hi janmani | idaṃprathamatānāmnī śubhābhyāsasamudbhavā || 2 ||

They were the first in their production, and are known as the idam-prathama—or the first class in their birth, whose long practice in a course of virtuous actions in prior states, has secured to them the property of goodness—satva-guna only.

शुभलोकाश्रया सा च शुभकार्यानुबन्धिनी । सा चेद्विचित्रसंसारवासनाव्यवहारिणी ॥ ३ ॥

śubhalokāśrayā sā ca śubhakāryānubandhinī | sā cedvicitrasaṃsāravāsanāvyavahāriṇī || 3 ||

The second grade is called the guna pivari or state of sound qualities, which is attained by the prosperous, and leads them to meritorious deeds, to the acquisition of their desired objects, and their right dealing in the affairs of the world.

भवैः कतिपयैर्मोक्षमित्युक्ता गुणपीवरी । तादृक्फलप्रदानैककार्याकार्यानुमानदा ॥ ४ ॥

bhavaiḥ katipayairmokṣamityuktā guṇapīvarī | tādṛkphalapradānaikakāryākāryānumānadā || 4 ||

The third grade is termed the sasatwa, or the state of substantiality of men of substance. It is attended with like results, proportioned to the righteous and unrighteous acts of men, who may obtain their liberation after a hundred transmigrations of their souls on earth.

तेन राम ससत्त्वेति प्रोच्यते सा कृतात्मभिः । अथ चेच्चित्रसंसारवासनाव्यवहारिणी ॥ ५ ॥

tena rāma sasattveti procyate sā kṛtātmabhiḥ | atha ceccitrasaṃsāravāsanāvyavahāriṇī || 5 ||

The fourth grade comprises infatuated people called atyanta tamasi, who are addicted to their varying desires in this changeful world, and come to the knowledge of truth, after passing a thousand lives in ignorance and sin, and suffering the effects proportionate to their good or evil deeds.

अत्यन्तकलुषा जन्मसहस्रैर्ज्ञानभागिनी । तादृक्फलप्रदानैकधर्माधर्मानुमानदा ॥ ६ ॥

atyantakaluṣā janmasahasrairjñānabhāginī | tādṛkphalapradānaikadharmādharmānumānadā || 6 ||

The fourth grade comprises infatuated people called atyanta tamasi, who are addicted to their varying desires in this changeful world, and come to the knowledge of truth, after passing a thousand lives in ignorance and sin, and suffering the effects proportionate to their good or evil deeds.

असावधमसत्त्वेति तेन साधुभिरुच्यते । सैव संख्यातिगानन्तजन्मवृन्दादनन्तरम् ॥ ७ ॥

asāvadhamasattveti tena sādhubhirucyate | saiva saṃkhyātigānantajanmavṛndādanantaram || 7 ||

The fifth grade is composed of men of a baser nature, called adhama-satwa by the wise, and who may possibly have their liberation, after a course of numberless births in different shapes and forms.

संदिग्धमोक्षा यदि तत्प्रोच्यतेऽत्यन्ततामसी । अनद्यतनजन्मा तु जातिस्तादृशकारिणी ॥ ८ ॥

saṃdigdhamokṣā yadi tatprocyate'tyantatāmasī | anadyatanajanmā tu jātistādṛśakāriṇī || 8 ||

The sixth grade is composed of those extremely benighted men (atyanta tamasi), who are doubtful of their liberation (Sandigdha-moksha), and continue in the vicious course of their past lives.

योत्पत्तिर्मध्यमा पुंसो राम द्वित्रिभवान्तरा । तादृक्कार्या तु सा लोके राजसी राजसत्तम ॥ ९ ॥

yotpattirmadhyamā puṃso rāma dvitribhavāntarā | tādṛkkāryā tu sā loke rājasī rājasattama || 9 ||

Those who after passing two or three previous births in other states, are born afterwards with the quality of gentleness, these are reckoned as the seventh grade, and are denominated the Rajashi—gentry or gentility.

अविप्रकृष्टजन्मापि सोच्यते कृतबुद्धिभिः । सा हि तन्मृतिमात्रेण मोक्षयोग्या मुमुक्षुभिः ॥ १० ॥

aviprakṛṣṭajanmāpi socyate kṛtabuddhibhiḥ | sā hi tanmṛtimātreṇa mokṣayogyā mumukṣubhiḥ || 10 ||

Those who remain mindful of their duties, and are employed in discharge of them in this state of life; are said by the wise to be entitled to their liberation, soon after their demise.

तादृक्कार्यानुमानेन प्रोक्ता राजससात्त्विकी । सैव चेदितरैरल्पैर्जन्मभिर्मोक्षभागिनी ॥ ११ ॥

tādṛkkāryānumānena proktā rājasasāttvikī | saiva ceditarairalpairjanmabhirmokṣabhāginī || 11 ||

Those among the rajashi said:—gentility, whose acts are commensurate with those of gentlemen and the nobility, are included in the eighth class, and are called Raja Satwiki—or noble gentlemen; and are entitled to their liberation after a few births on earth.

तत्तादृशी हि सा तज्ज्ञैः प्रोक्ता राजसराजसी । सैव जन्मशतैर्मोक्षभागिनी चेच्चिरैषिणी ॥ १२ ॥

tattādṛśī hi sā tajjñaiḥ proktā rājasarājasī | saiva janmaśatairmokṣabhāginī cecciraiṣiṇī || 12 ||

The ninth class comprises the raja-rajashi or right gentlemen, whose actions conform with their title, and who obtain their long longed-for liberation, after a course of hundred births in the same state.

त्वदुक्ता तादृगारम्भा सद्भी राजसतामसी । सैव संदिग्धमोक्षा चेत्सहस्रैरपि जन्मनाम् ॥ १३ ॥

tvaduktā tādṛgārambhā sadbhī rājasatāmasī | saiva saṃdigdhamokṣā cetsahasrairapi janmanām || 13 ||

The next or tenth class is composed of the rajatamasi or blinded gentry, who act foolishly under their infatuation; and who are uncertain of their liberation, even after a thousand births.

तदुक्ता तादृशारम्भा राजसात्यन्ततामसी । भुक्तजन्मसहस्रा तु योत्पत्तिर्ब्रह्मणो नृणाम् ॥ १४ ॥

taduktā tādṛśārambhā rājasātyantatāmasī | bhuktajanmasahasrā tu yotpattirbrahmaṇo nṛṇām || 14 ||

The most giddy of this class is called atyanta-raja-tamashi, or the excessively infatuated gentry, whose conduct in life correspond with their name, and whose transmigration does not cease at any time.

चिरमोक्षा हि कथिता तामसी सा महर्षिभिः । तज्जन्मनैव मोक्षस्य भागिनी चेत्तदुच्यते ॥ १५ ॥

ciramokṣā hi kathitā tāmasī sā maharṣibhiḥ | tajjanmanaiva mokṣasya bhāginī cettaducyate || 15 ||

Then the lower classes comprise the children of darkness or ignorance—tamas; of whom the tamasas form the eleventh grade, and are said to be deprived of their liberation forever more.

तज्ज्ञैस्तामससत्त्वेति तादृशारम्भशालिनी । भवैः कतिपयैर्मोक्षभागिनी चेत्तदुच्यते ॥ १६ ॥

tajjñaistāmasasattveti tādṛśārambhaśālinī | bhavaiḥ katipayairmokṣabhāginī cettaducyate || 16 ||

There have been a few however among them, who have obtained their salvation by means of their divine knowledge, and their good acts during their life time.

तमोराजसरूपेति तादृशैर्गुणबृंहितैः । पूर्वजन्मसहस्राढ्या पुरोजन्मशतैरपि ॥ १७ ॥

tamorājasarūpeti tādṛśairguṇabṛṃhitaiḥ | pūrvajanmasahasrāḍhyā purojanmaśatairapi || 17 ||

Next follows the twelfth order of tamasa-rajasa, who combine in them the qualities of darkness and enlightenment, and who are liberated after a thousand births in their former demoniac state, and one hundred births in their progressive improvements.

मोक्षायोग्या ततः प्रोक्ता तज्ज्ञैस्तामसतामसी । पूर्वं तु जन्मलक्षाढ्या जन्मलक्षैः पुरोऽपि चेत् ॥ १८ ॥

mokṣāyogyā tataḥ proktā tajjñaistāmasatāmasī | pūrvaṃ tu janmalakṣāḍhyā janmalakṣaiḥ puro'pi cet || 18 ||

Then comes the thirteenth order of tamas-tamasi or those in darkest darkness, who have to transmigrate for millions of years both in their prior and later births, before they can have their liberation from the bondage of body.

संदिग्धमोक्षा तदसौ प्रोच्यतेऽत्यन्ततामसी । सर्वा एताः समायान्ति ब्रह्मणो भूतजातयः ॥ १९ ॥

saṃdigdhamokṣā tadasau procyate'tyantatāmasī | sarvā etāḥ samāyānti brahmaṇo bhūtajātayaḥ || 19 ||

Last comes the fourteenth order of beings, who continue in their state of gross ignorance (atyanta—tamasi) forever, and it is doubted whether they can have their liberation at all.

किंचित्त्प्रचलिता भोगात्पयोराशेरिवोर्मयः । सर्वा एव विनिष्क्रान्ता ब्रह्मणो जीवराशयः ॥ २० ॥

kiṃcittpracalitā bhogātpayorāśerivormayaḥ | sarvā eva viniṣkrāntā brahmaṇo jīvarāśayaḥ || 20 ||

All other masses of living beings also, have proceeded from the body of the great Brahma, as the moving waves rise from the great body of waters.

स्वतेजःस्पन्दिताभोगाद्दीपादिव मरीचयः । सर्वा एव समुत्पन्ना ब्रह्मणो भूतपङ्क्तयः ॥ २१ ॥

svatejaḥspanditābhogāddīpādiva marīcayaḥ | sarvā eva samutpannā brahmaṇo bhūtapaṅktayaḥ || 21 ||

And as the lamp flickering by its own heat, scatters its light on all sides; so does Brahma glowing in himself, irradiate his beams in the shape of scintilla, to spread all over the universe.

स्वमरीचिबलोद्भूता ज्वलिताग्नेः कणा इव । सर्वा एवोत्थितास्तस्माद्ब्रह्मणो जीवराशयः ॥ २२ ॥

svamarīcibalodbhūtā jvalitāgneḥ kaṇā iva | sarvā evotthitāstasmādbrahmaṇo jīvarāśayaḥ || 22 ||

And as the sparks of fire are flung about by force of the burning flame; so do these multitudes of produced beings rise from the substance of Brahma himself.

मन्दारमञ्जरीरूपाश्चन्द्रबिम्बादिवांशवः । सर्वा एव समुत्पन्ना ब्रह्मणो दृश्यदृष्टयः ॥ २३ ॥

mandāramañjarīrūpāścandrabimbādivāṃśavaḥ | sarvā eva samutpannā brahmaṇo dṛśyadṛṣṭayaḥ || 23 ||

As the dust and filaments of mandara flowers, fly to and fill the air on all sides; and as the beams of the moon shoot out of its orb, to fill the four quarters of heaven and earth; so the minutiae of Divine essence emanate from the Deity, and spread throughout the universe.

यथा विटपिनश्चित्रास्तद्रूपा विटपश्रियः । सर्वा एव समुत्पन्ना ब्रह्मणो जीवपङ्क्तयः ॥ २४ ॥

yathā viṭapinaścitrāstadrūpā viṭapaśriyaḥ | sarvā eva samutpannā brahmaṇo jīvapaṅktayaḥ || 24 ||

As the variegated arbour, produces its leaves and flowers of various hues from itself; so the varieties of created beings, spring from one Brahma—the source of all.

कटकाङ्गदकेयूरयुक्तयः कनकादिव । सर्वा एवोत्थिता राम ब्रह्मणो जीवराशयः ॥ २५ ॥

kaṭakāṅgadakeyūrayuktayaḥ kanakādiva | sarvā evotthitā rāma brahmaṇo jīvarāśayaḥ || 25 ||

As the gold ornaments are in relation to the metal gold of which they are made, and wherein they subsist, so Rama! are all things and persons in relation to Brahma, out of whom they have sprung and in whom they abide.

निर्झरादमलोद्योतात्पयसामिव बिन्दवः । अजस्यैवाखिला राम भूतसंततिकल्पनाः ॥ २६ ॥

nirjharādamalodyotātpayasāmiva bindavaḥ | ajasyaivākhilā rāma bhūtasaṃtatikalpanāḥ || 26 ||

As the drops of water, are related to the pure water of the cascade, so Rama, are all things related to the increate Brahma, whence they issue as drizzling drops.

आकाशस्य घटस्थालीरन्ध्राकाशादयो यथा । सर्वा एवोत्थिता लोककलना ब्रह्मणः पदात् ॥ २७ ॥

ākāśasya ghaṭasthālīrandhrākāśādayo yathā | sarvā evotthitā lokakalanā brahmaṇaḥ padāt || 27 ||

As the air in a pot and about a basin, is the same with the surrounding air of heaven; so are all individual objects the same, with the undivided spirit of the all-pervading Brahma.

सीकरावर्तलहरीबिन्दवः पयसो यथा । सर्वा एवोत्थिता राम ब्रह्मणो दृश्यदृष्टयः ॥ २८ ॥

sīkarāvartalaharībindavaḥ payaso yathā | sarvā evotthitā rāma brahmaṇo dṛśyadṛṣṭayaḥ || 28 ||

As the drops of rain-water, and those of water spouts, whirlpools and waves, are identic with their parent waters;so are all these phenomenal sights, the same with the great Brahma, whence they spring, and wherein they exist and subside.

मृगतृष्णातरङ्गिण्यो यथा भास्करतेजसः । सर्वा दृश्यदृशो द्रष्टुर्व्यतिरिक्ता न रूपतः ॥ २९ ॥

mṛgatṛṣṇātaraṅgiṇyo yathā bhāskaratejasaḥ | sarvā dṛśyadṛśo draṣṭurvyatiriktā na rūpataḥ || 29 ||

As the mirage presents the appearance of a billowy sea, by the fluctuation of sunbeams on sand; so do all visible objects show themselves to the sight of the spectator, beside which they have no figure or form of themselves.

शीतरश्मेरित ज्योत्स्ना स्वालोक इव तेजसः । एवमेता हि भूतानां जातयो विविधाश्च याः ॥ ३० ॥

śītaraśmerita jyotsnā svāloka iva tejasaḥ | evametā hi bhūtānāṃ jātayo vividhāśca yāḥ || 30 ||

Like the cooling beams of the moon, and the burning light of the sun, do all things shine with their different lustres derived from Brahma.

यस्मादेव समायान्ति तस्मिन्नेव विशन्ति च । काश्चिज्जन्मसहस्रान्ते जातयश्चिरकालिकाः । काश्चित्कतिपयातीतजन्मरूपा व्यवस्थिताः ॥ ३१ ॥

yasmādeva samāyānti tasminneva viśanti ca | kāścijjanmasahasrānte jātayaścirakālikāḥ | kāścitkatipayātītajanmarūpā vyavasthitāḥ || 31 ||

It is He, from whom all things have risen, unto him they return in their time; some after their transmigrations in a thousand births, and others after longer periods of their revolutions in various bodies.

इत्थं जगत्सु विविधेषु विचित्ररूपास्तस्येच्छया भगवतो व्यवहारवत्यः । आयान्ति यान्ति निपतन्ति तथोत्पतन्ति रूपश्रियः कणघटा इव पावकोत्थाः ॥ ३२ ॥

itthaṃ jagatsu vividheṣu vicitrarūpāstasyecchayā bhagavato vyavahāravatyaḥ | āyānti yānti nipatanti tathotpatanti rūpaśriyaḥ kaṇaghaṭā iva pāvakotthāḥ || 32 ||

All these various forms of beings in the multiform world are moving in their respective spheres by the will of the Lord. They come and go, rise and fall, and shine in their transitory forms, like the sparks of fire, fluttering and sparkling for a moment, and then falling and becoming extinct for ever.