18. Chapter 18

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । मरणं सर्वनाशात्म न कदाचन विद्यते । स्वसंकल्पान्तरस्थैर्यं मृतिरित्यभिधीयते ॥ १ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | maraṇaṃ sarvanāśātma na kadācana vidyate | svasaṃkalpāntarasthairyaṃ mṛtirityabhidhīyate || 1 ||

Vasishtha related:—There is never and nowhere an absolute death or total dissolution of the body together with the mind, soul and egoism;but it is the cessation of the inward imagery of the mind, that is called its quietus.

पश्येमे पुर उह्यन्त इव मन्दरमेरवः । अरूढा अपि दिग्वातैः सरिद्बिम्बितशैलवत् ॥ २ ॥

paśyeme pura uhyanta iva mandarameravaḥ | arūḍhā api digvātaiḥ saridbimbitaśailavat || 2 ||

Look at these sights of the Meru and Mandara Mountains, which are born before thy presence; they are not carried to and fro to every body, but are reflected in the minds of all like the flying clouds of autumn in the water of a river.

उपर्युपर्यन्तरतः कदलीदलपीठवत् । श्लिष्टाश्लिष्टस्वरूपाः खे मिथः संसृतयः स्थिताः ॥ ३ ॥

uparyuparyantarataḥ kadalīdalapīṭhavat | śliṣṭāśliṣṭasvarūpāḥ khe mithaḥ saṃsṛtayaḥ sthitāḥ || 3 ||

These creations are placed over and above and below and under one another, like the coatings of a plantain tree; and they are either in contact with or detached from one another like clouds in the sky.

श्रीराम उवाच । पश्य मे पुर उह्यन्त इति वाक्यार्थमक्षतम् । न किंचिदवगच्छामि यथावन्मुनिनायक ॥ ४ ॥

śrīrāma uvāca | paśya me pura uhyanta iti vākyārthamakṣatam | na kiṃcidavagacchāmi yathāvanmunināyaka || 4 ||

Rama said:—Sir, I do not fully comprehend the sound sense of what you say by the words “Look at these flying sights” and therefore I beg to you to explain this clearly unto me.

श्रीवसिष्ठ उवाच । प्राणस्याभ्यन्तरे चित्तं चित्तस्याभ्यन्तरे जगत् । विद्यते विविधाकारं बीजस्यान्तरिव द्रुमः ॥ ५ ॥

śrīvasiṣṭha uvāca | prāṇasyābhyantare cittaṃ cittasyābhyantare jagat | vidyate vividhākāraṃ bījasyāntariva drumaḥ || 5 ||

Vasishtha replied:—Know Rama, that the life contains the mind, and the mind is the container of the worlds within it; as there are various kinds of trees and their several parts, contained in the bosom of a small berry.

मृते पुंसि नभोवातैर्मिलन्ति प्राणवायवः । सरिज्जलैरिवाम्भोधिजलान्यात्मद्रुतानि हि ॥ ६ ॥

mṛte puṃsi nabhovātairmilanti prāṇavāyavaḥ | sarijjalairivāmbhodhijalānyātmadrutāni hi || 6 ||

After a man is dead, his vital airs fly to and unite with the etherial air; as the liquid water of streams flows to and mixes with the main ocean.

इतश्चेतश्च यान्तीव तेषामन्तर्जगन्त्यलम् । व्योमवातविनुन्नानां संकल्पैकात्मकान्यपि ॥ ७ ॥

itaścetaśca yāntīva teṣāmantarjagantyalam | vyomavātavinunnānāṃ saṃkalpaikātmakānyapi || 7 ||

The winds of heaven then disperse on all sides, his vital airs together with the imaginary worlds of his life time, which subsisted in the particles of his vital breath.

सप्राणवातैः पवनैः स्फुरत्संकल्पगर्भितैः । सर्वा एव दिशः पूर्णाः पश्यामीमाः समन्ततः ॥ ८ ॥

saprāṇavātaiḥ pavanaiḥ sphuratsaṃkalpagarbhitaiḥ | sarvā eva diśaḥ pūrṇāḥ paśyāmīmāḥ samantataḥ || 8 ||

I see the winds of heaven, bearing away the vital airs, together with their contents of the imaginary worlds; and filling the whole space of air with vital breath on all sides.

अत्रैते पश्य पश्यामि संकल्पजगताङ्गणे । बुद्धिदृष्ट्या समुह्यन्ते पुरो मन्दरमेरवः ॥ ९ ॥

atraite paśya paśyāmi saṃkalpajagatāṅgaṇe | buddhidṛṣṭyā samuhyante puro mandarameravaḥ || 9 ||

I see the Meru and Mandara Mountains, wafted with the imaginary worlds before me; and you also will observe the same, before the sight of your understanding.

खवातेऽन्तर्मृतप्राणाः प्राणानामन्तरे मनः । मनसोऽन्तर्जगद्विद्धि तिले तैलमिव स्थितम् ॥ १० ॥

khavāte'ntarmṛtaprāṇāḥ prāṇānāmantare manaḥ | manaso'ntarjagadviddhi tile tailamiva sthitam || 10 ||

The etherial airs are full with the vital airs of the dead, which contain the minute particles of mind in them; and these minds again contain the types of the worlds in them, just as the sesame seeds contain the oil in them.

खवातैः खसमाः प्राणा यथोह्यन्ते मनोमयाः । उह्यन्ते वै तथैतानि तदङ्गानि जगन्त्यपि ॥ ११ ॥

khavātaiḥ khasamāḥ prāṇā yathohyante manomayāḥ | uhyante vai tathaitāni tadaṅgāni jagantyapi || 11 ||

As the etherial airs bear the vital airs, which are of the same kind with them (both being airy substances); so are the vital breaths accompanied with particles of the mind (which is equally an airy substance also), these again bear the pictures of the worlds in them, as if they are ingrafted upon them.

सभूतान्यम्बरोर्व्यादिवृन्दानि त्रिजगन्त्यपि । उह्यन्ते चाप्यरूढानि पुरः सर्वत्र गन्धवत् ॥ १२ ॥

sabhūtānyambarorvyādivṛndāni trijagantyapi | uhyante cāpyarūḍhāni puraḥ sarvatra gandhavat || 12 ||

The same vacuum contains the whole creation and the three worlds with the earth and ocean, all which are borne in it, as the different odors are borne by the winds.

तानि बुद्ध्यैव दृश्यन्ते न दृष्ट्या रघुनन्दन । पुरः संकल्परूपाणि स्वस्वप्नपुरपूरवत् ॥ १३ ॥

tāni buddhyaiva dṛśyante na dṛṣṭyā raghunandana | puraḥ saṃkalparūpāṇi svasvapnapurapūravat || 13 ||

All these are seen in the sight of the understanding, and not by the vision of the visual organs; they are the portraiture of our imagination, like the fairy lands we see in our dreams before us.

सर्वत्र सर्वदा सन्ति सुसूक्ष्माण्येव खादपि । कल्पनामात्रसारत्वान्न चोह्यन्ते मनागपि ॥ १४ ॥

sarvatra sarvadā santi susūkṣmāṇyeva khādapi | kalpanāmātrasāratvānna cohyante manāgapi || 14 ||

There are many other things, more subtile than the visible atmosphere, and which owing to their existence in our desire or fancy only, are not borne upon the wings of the winds as the former ones.

तान्येव दृढभावत्वात्स्वेषु लोकेषु तेष्वलम् । सत्यान्येव चिदंशस्य सर्वगत्वाद्भवानिव ॥ १५ ॥

tānyeva dṛḍhabhāvatvātsveṣu lokeṣu teṣvalam | satyānyeva cidaṃśasya sarvagatvādbhavāniva || 15 ||

But there are some certain truths, which are derived from the intellect, and are called intellectual principles, which have the power to cause our pleasure and pain, and lead us to heaven or hell.

प्रतिबिम्बं पुराणीव पुरःप्राणसरिद्रये । अरूढान्यपि चोह्यन्ते रूढान्यपि च नैव च ॥ १६ ॥

pratibimbaṃ purāṇīva puraḥprāṇasaridraye | arūḍhānyapi cohyante rūḍhānyapi ca naiva ca || 16 ||

Again our desires are as the shadows of cities, floating on the stream of life; and though the current of life is continually gliding away, yet the shadowy desires whether successful or not, ever remain the same.

सौरभाणि समुह्यन्ते वाताङ्गस्थानि राघव । जगन्ति प्राणसंस्थानि व्योमात्मकमयानि तु ॥ १७ ॥

saurabhāṇi samuhyante vātāṅgasthāni rāghava | jaganti prāṇasaṃsthāni vyomātmakamayāni tu || 17 ||

The vital breath carries its burden of the world, along with its course to the stillness of endless vacuity; as the breezes bear away the fragrance of flowers, to the dreary desert where they are lost for ever.

कुम्भे देशान्तरं नीते यथान्तर्व्योन्नि नान्यता । स्पन्दनादिमये चित्ते तथैव त्रिजगद्भ्रमे ॥ १८ ॥

kumbhe deśāntaraṃ nīte yathāntarvyonni nānyatā | spandanādimaye citte tathaiva trijagadbhrame || 18 ||

Though the mind is ever fickle, changeable and forgetful in its nature; yet it never loses the false idea of the world which is inherent in it, as a pot removed to any place and placed in any state, never gets rid of its inner vacuity.

इत्थं न सज्जगद्भ्रान्तिरसत्यैवोदितेव ते । न विनश्यति नोदेति केवलं ब्रह्मरूपिणी ॥ १९ ॥

itthaṃ na sajjagadbhrāntirasatyaivoditeva te | na vinaśyati nodeti kevalaṃ brahmarūpiṇī || 19 ||

So when the fallacy of the false world has taken possession of the deluded mind, it is alike impossible either to realize or set it at naught, like the form of the formless Brahma.

यदि वाप्युदिते वातैस्तत्तदस्या न लक्ष्यते । तदन्तःसंस्थितैः स्पन्दो नावि कोशगतैरिव ॥ २० ॥

yadi vāpyudite vātaistattadasyā na lakṣyate | tadantaḥsaṃsthitaiḥ spando nāvi kośagatairiva || 20 ||

Or if this world is a revolving body, carried about by the force of the winds; yet we have no knowledge of its motion, as when sitting quiet in a boat, though carried afar to the distance of miles by the tide and winds.

यथा स्पन्दोऽङ्गलग्नायां नाव्यन्तःसंस्थितैरपि । न लक्ष्यते तथा पृथ्व्यां तत्संस्थैस्तन्मयैरपि ॥ २१ ॥

yathā spando'ṅgalagnāyāṃ nāvyantaḥsaṃsthitairapi | na lakṣyate tathā pṛthvyāṃ tatsaṃsthaistanmayairapi || 21 ||

As men sitting in a boat, have no knowledge of the force which carries the boat forward; so we earthly beings have no idea of the power that is attached to it in its rotatory motion.

यथा योजनविस्तीर्णं लघौ सद्मानुभूयते । यत्तस्य पादपस्तम्भे परमाणौ यथा जगत् ॥ २२ ॥

yathā yojanavistīrṇaṃ laghau sadmānubhūyate | yattasya pādapastambhe paramāṇau yathā jagat || 22 ||

As a wide extending city, is represented in miniature in a painting at the foot of a column; so is this world contained in the bosom of the minute atom of the mind.

वस्त्वल्पमप्यतिवृहल्लघुसत्त्वो हि मन्यते । मूषिकाः स्वाञ्जलिद्रव्यं नवपङ्कमिवार्भकाः ॥ २३ ॥

vastvalpamapyativṛhallaghusattvo hi manyate | mūṣikāḥ svāñjalidravyaṃ navapaṅkamivārbhakāḥ || 23 ||

A thing however little or insignificant, is taken to be too much and of great importance, by the low and mean; as a handful of paddy is of great value to the little mouse than gems, and a particle of mud to the contemptible frog, than the pearls under the water.

असत्येव स्वरूपेऽस्मिञ्जगदाख्ये विदो भ्रमे । लोकान्तराधर्ममयी सा बृंहगस्य भावना ॥ २४ ॥

asatyeva svarūpe'smiñjagadākhye vido bhrame | lokāntarādharmamayī sā bṛṃhagasya bhāvanā || 24 ||

Again a trifle is taken as too much, by those who are ignorant of its insignificance; as the learned in the error of their judgement, mistake this visionary world as preparatory to their future happiness or misery.

इदं हेयमुपादेयमिदमित्यन्तरज्ञता । यस्य तस्य भवायास्ति सर्वज्ञस्यापि मूढता ॥ २५ ॥

idaṃ heyamupādeyamidamityantarajñatā | yasya tasya bhavāyāsti sarvajñasyāpi mūḍhatā || 25 ||

The inward belief of something as real good, and of another as positive evil, is a mistake common to the majority of mankind, and to which the learned also are liable, in their conduct in this world.

सचेतनो ह्यवयवी चेतत्यवयवान्यथा । स्वान्तरेव ततं जीवस्त्रिजगद्बुध्यते तथा ॥ २६ ॥

sacetano hyavayavī cetatyavayavānyathā | svāntareva tataṃ jīvastrijagadbudhyate tathā || 26 ||

As the intelligent and embodied soul, is conscious of every part of the body in which it is confined; so the enlightened living soul—jiva, beholds all the three worlds displayed within itself.

संविदात्मपराकाशमनन्तमजमव्ययम् । व्योम्नोऽवयवरूपाणि तस्येमानि जगन्ति भोः ॥ २७ ॥

saṃvidātmaparākāśamanantamajamavyayam | vyomno'vayavarūpāṇi tasyemāni jaganti bhoḥ || 27 ||

The unborn and ever lasting God, who is of the form of conscious soul, extending over the infinity of space, has all these worlds, as parts of his all pervading vacuous body.

सचेतनोऽयःपिण्डोऽन्तः क्षुरसूच्यादिकं यथा । बुद्ध्यते बुद्ध्यते तद्वज्जीवोऽज्ञस्त्रिजगद्भ्रमम् ॥ २८ ॥

sacetano'yaḥpiṇḍo'ntaḥ kṣurasūcyādikaṃ yathā | buddhyate buddhyate tadvajjīvo'jñastrijagadbhramam || 28 ||

The intelligent and ever living soul (of God) sees the uncreated worlds deeply impressed in itself; as a rod of iron (were it endowed with intelligence), would see the future knives and needles in itself.

अचिच्चिद्वापि मृत्पिण्डः शरावोदञ्चनादिकम् । यथाङ्ग मनुते जीवस्तथाङ्ग मनुते जगत् ॥ २९ ॥

aciccidvāpi mṛtpiṇḍaḥ śarāvodañcanādikam | yathāṅga manute jīvastathāṅga manute jagat || 29 ||

As a clod of earth, whether endowed with intelligence or not knows the seed which is hidden in it, and which it grows to vegetation afterwards; so doth the ever living soul know the world which is contained in it.

चिदचिद्वाङ्कुरो देहे वृक्षत्वं मन्यते यथा । वृक्षशब्दार्थरहितं ब्रह्मेदं त्रिजगत्तथा ॥ ३० ॥

cidacidvāṅkuro dehe vṛkṣatvaṃ manyate yathā | vṛkṣaśabdārtharahitaṃ brahmedaṃ trijagattathā || 30 ||

As the sensitive or insensitive seed, knows the germ, plant and tree, which it contains within its bosom; so doth the spirit of God, perceive the great arbour of the world conceived in its profoundest womb.

चिद्वाचिद्वा यथादर्शो बिम्बितं वाप्यबिम्बितम् । नगरं वेत्ति नो वापि तथा ब्रह्म जगत्त्रयम् ॥ ३१ ॥

cidvācidvā yathādarśo bimbitaṃ vāpyabimbitam | nagaraṃ vetti no vāpi tathā brahma jagattrayam || 31 ||

As the man having his sight, sees the image of something reflected in a mirror, which the blind man does not; so the wise man sees the world in Brahma, which the ignorant does not perceive.

देशकालक्रियाद्रव्यमात्रमेव जगत्त्रयम् । अहंत्वजगतोस्तेन भेदो नास्त्येतदात्मनोः ॥ ३२ ॥

deśakālakriyādravyamātrameva jagattrayam | ahaṃtvajagatostena bhedo nāstyetadātmanoḥ || 32 ||

The world is nothing except the union of the four categories of time, space, action and substance; and egoism being no way distinct from the predicates of the world, subsists in God who contains the whole in Himself.

कल्पितेनोपमानेन यदेतदुपदिश्यते । तत्रोपमैकदेशेन उपमेयसधर्मता ॥ ३३ ॥

kalpitenopamānena yadetadupadiśyate | tatropamaikadeśena upameyasadharmatā || 33 ||

Whatever lesson is inculcated to any body by means of a parable, i.e. whatever thing is signified to some one by a comparison, know that the simile relates to some particular property of the compared object and not in all respects.

यदिदं दृश्यते किंचिज्जगत्स्थावरजङ्गमम् । अमुञ्चतः पराणुत्वं जीवस्यैतत्स्मृतं वपुः ॥ ३४ ॥

yadidaṃ dṛśyate kiṃcijjagatsthāvarajaṅgamam | amuñcataḥ parāṇutvaṃ jīvasyaitatsmṛtaṃ vapuḥ || 34 ||

Whatever is seen to be moving or unmoving here in this world; is the vivarta or expanded body of the living soul, without any alteration in its atomic minuteness.

सर्वसंवेदनत्यागे शुद्धसंस्पन्ददे पदे । न मनागपि भेदोऽस्ति निःसङ्गोपलकोशवत् ॥ ३५ ॥

sarvasaṃvedanatyāge śuddhasaṃspandade pade | na manāgapi bhedo'sti niḥsaṅgopalakośavat || 35 ||

Leaving the intelligence aside (which is wanting in created objects); and taking the force only (which actuates all nature); we find no difference of this physical force from the giver of the force.

यो यो नाम विकल्पांशो यत्र यत्र यथा यथा । यदा यदा येन येन दीयते स तथैव चित् ॥ ३६ ॥

yo yo nāma vikalpāṃśo yatra yatra yathā yathā | yadā yadā yena yena dīyate sa tathaiva cit || 36 ||

Again whatever alteration, is produced in the motion or option of any thing or person, at any time or place or in any manner; is all the act of that Divine Intellect.

अचित्त्वान्नास्ति मनसि संकल्पः ख इवाङ्कुरः । चित्त्वात्तु चेतसो विद्धि चितिरेवेह कल्पनम् ॥ ३७ ॥

acittvānnāsti manasi saṃkalpaḥ kha ivāṅkuraḥ | cittvāttu cetaso viddhi citireveha kalpanam || 37 ||

It is the intellect which infuses in the mind the power of its option, volition, imagination and the like; because none of these can spring as a sprout in the mind, which is without intelligence and without an intelligent cause of it.

या योदेति विकल्पश्रीरप्रबुद्धाशयं प्रति । सर्वगत्वादनन्तत्वाच्चिद्व्योम्नः सा न सन्मयी ॥ ३८ ॥

yā yodeti vikalpaśrīraprabuddhāśayaṃ prati | sarvagatvādanantatvāccidvyomnaḥ sā na sanmayī || 38 ||

Whatever desires and fancies, rise in the minds of the unenlightened; are not of the nature of the positive will or decree of the Divine Mind, owing to the endless variety and mutuality of human wishes.

यथोदेति विकल्पश्रीः प्रबुद्धे नोदितैव सा । सर्वगत्वादनन्तत्वाच्चिद्व्योम्नः सा न सन्मयी ॥ ३९ ॥

yathodeti vikalpaśrīḥ prabuddhe noditaiva sā | sarvagatvādanantatvāccidvyomnaḥ sā na sanmayī || 39 ||

The desires rising in the minds of the enlightened, are as they were no desires and never had their rise; because.—

सर्वसंकल्पकलना सत्येत्याबालमक्षतम् । स्वप्नादावनुभूतोन्तरर्थः केनापि लभ्यते ॥ ४० ॥

sarvasaṃkalpakalanā satyetyābālamakṣatam | svapnādāvanubhūtontararthaḥ kenāpi labhyate || 40 ||

All thoughts and desires being groundless, they are as false as the idle wishes of boys; for who has ever obtained the objects of his dream?

संकल्पो वासना जीवस्त्रयोऽर्था लिखिताश्चिता । सोनुभूतोऽप्यसत्यः स्यादसत्त्वस्यैव नो सतः ॥ ४१ ॥

saṃkalpo vāsanā jīvastrayo'rthā likhitāścitā | sonubhūto'pyasatyaḥ syādasattvasyaiva no sataḥ || 41 ||

Sankalpa with its triple sense of thought, desire and imagination, is impressed by the intellect on the living soul (which is the image of God) from its past reminiscence; and though we have a notion of this ideal soul, yet it is as untrue and unsubstantial as a shadow; but not so the original Intellect, which is both real and substantial.

असत्यताभिधं सत्यं मुक्त एव भवेच्छिवः । सातिवाहिकदेहैकपरिक्षयविकासवान् ॥ ४२ ॥

asatyatābhidhaṃ satyaṃ mukta eva bhavecchivaḥ | sātivāhikadehaikaparikṣayavikāsavān || 42 ||

He who is freed from the error of taking the unreal world for real, becomes as free as the god Siva himself; and having got rid of the corporeal body, becomes manifest in his spiritual form.

जगन्ति वातैरुह्यन्ते व्योम्नि शाल्मलितूलवत् । नोह्यन्ते चोपलानीव न च सन्त्येव कल्पनात् ॥ ४३ ॥

jaganti vātairuhyante vyomni śālmalitūlavat | nohyante copalānīva na ca santyeva kalpanāt || 43 ||

The imagination of the ignorant, whirls about the worlds, as the wind hurls the flying cotton in the air; but they appear to be as unmoved as stones to the wise, who are not led away by their imagination.

इत्यस्मिन्नखिलपदार्थसार्थकोशे व्योमन्यप्यतिवितते जगन्ति सन्ति । अन्योन्यं परिमिलितानि कानिचिच्च नान्योन्यं परिमिलितानि कानिचिच्च ॥ ४४ ॥

ityasminnakhilapadārthasārthakośe vyomanyapyativitate jaganti santi | anyonyaṃ parimilitāni kānicicca nānyonyaṃ parimilitāni kānicicca || 44 ||

So there are multitudes of worlds, amidst many other things in the vast womb of vacuum which nobody can count; some of which are united with one another in groups, and others that have no connection with another.

सर्वत्वात्परमचितेरनन्तरूपाण्यारम्भप्रचुरदिगन्तसंभृतानि । लोलाम्बूदरपुरबिम्बभङ्गुराणि स्वान्तःस्थाविरलमहापुरोपमानि ॥ ४५ ॥

sarvatvātparamaciteranantarūpāṇyārambhapracuradigantasaṃbhṛtāni | lolāmbūdarapurabimbabhaṅgurāṇi svāntaḥsthāviralamahāpuropamāni || 45 ||

The supreme intellect being all in all, manifests itself in endless forms and actions, filling the vast space of infinity, some of which are as transient as rain drops or bubbles in air and water, which quickly burst out and disappear; and others appearing as the great cities (of gods &c.), situated in the heart of the Infinite one.

सस्थैर्याण्यपि सततं क्षणक्षयाणि व्यक्ताक्षाण्यपि सततं निमीलितानि । सालोकान्यपि परितस्तमोवृतानि चिद्रूपार्णवलहरीविवर्तनानि ॥ ४६ ॥

sasthairyāṇyapi satataṃ kṣaṇakṣayāṇi vyaktākṣāṇyapi satataṃ nimīlitāni | sālokānyapi paritastamovṛtāni cidrūpārṇavalaharīvivartanāni || 46 ||

Some of these are as durable as rocks, and others are continually breaking and wearing out; some appearing as bright as with their open eyes, and others as dark as with their closed eyelids; some of these are luminous to sight and others obscured under impenetrable darkness; thus the bosom of the intellect resembling the vast expanse of the ocean, is rolling on with the waves of creation to all eternity.

पृथक्स्थितानि व्यतिमिश्रितानि जलानि चैवाम्बुनिधौ नदीनाम् । तारार्कचन्द्रग्रहमण्डलानां समोदितानां नभसीव भासः ॥ ४७ ॥

pṛthaksthitāni vyatimiśritāni jalāni caivāmbunidhau nadīnām | tārārkacandragrahamaṇḍalānāṃ samoditānāṃ nabhasīva bhāsaḥ || 47 ||

Some though set apart are continually tending towards another; as the waters of distant rivers are running to mix with those of seas and ocean; and as the luminous bodies of heaven, appearing together to brighten its sphere.