English
The universe though it be the subject of daily experi ence, and though it be the object of our constant intercourse (and therefore the living cause of constant delusion, so on &c. vide 54) is unreal like a dream in as much as its existence even in the moment next its birth is not provable. 57. For example : dreams are unreal during waking ; nor is the waking condition possible in dreams. Both however are not to be found in deep absorption, as in dreamless sleep, which again is not experienced in either. ssr gprnfaft1 fail1 58. Thus, all these three conditions are unreal, being the illusive creations of mdyd with its three gunas ; the real, perma nent, and unique one is the spirit, which stands aloof from these three gunas as the witness of all these conditions. n 59. Just as after mature contemplation one does not find a jar in the clay of which it is made, or silver in a lump of naore, so will the enlightened, on deep meditation, be free from the delusion of believing Jiva to be separate from Brahma. 60. The jar exists in earth, the ring in gold, and silver, in nacre — but all in mere name, so does Jiva exist in Brahma. ( 15 ) 61. Just as blueness appears in the sky, or water in the mirage, or as a man is seen in a post, so does the universe ap pear in the Atman. 62. Just as one sees a giant in vacancy ; a castle in the air or two moons instead of one in the sky, so do ignorant persons see the universe as apart from Brahma. 63. Just as all that appear is water whether in the form of waves or ripples on the surface, or as all again that appears is copper whether as pots or anything, so are all the various forms in the universe but mere manifestations of the Atman. If 3? 64. Just as it is earth alone that appears under the name of ajar, or just as they are the threads only that appear under the name of a cloth, so does the Illumined — spirit — go under the name of the universe ; this spirit can be grasped by the nega tion of the various imaginary adjuncts superinduced, as name, form &ct 65. All intercourse proceeds of, and through Brahma. It is through ignorance only that people do not clearly understand that all the jars and pots that appear are but earth and earth alone. ( 16 ) 68. Just as the relation of cause and effect between clay and a jar, is constant, so in the question at issue is that of Brahma and the unreal universe ; this is loudly declared by Revelation and clearly verified by reason. I 67. Just as the consciousness of clay is forced upon our mind, when we are contemplating of a jar only, so even though dealing with the unreal uniyerse, we are through it and in it, rendered forcibly and as it were intuitively conscious of the all pervading Brahma. ^Tf i% t 68. The Atman though ever pure, ever appears impure just as the same cord appears as a serpent and as a cord to an ignorant and a knowing man respectively. 69. Just as the jar is all earth, so this body is all spirit ; the divison of Atman and not Atman is made by the ignorant for no purpose whatever. 70. Just as a cord is understood to be a snake, or a lump of nacre to be a lump of silver, so do the ignorant determine the physical body to be the Atman. 71. Just as clay is confounded with the jar made of it, or the threads with the cloth, so do &c. r <FCT^R t 72. Just as gold is confounded with the rings made of it, or water with the waves surging over it, so &c. t 73. Just as a post is taken for a man or the mirage for real water, so do &c. H ^ n 74. Just as the materials are confounded with the house, or the iron with the sword made of it, so do &c. 75. Just as one seeing at a tree through water sees it in verted, so does .the material body appear as Atman to one view ing it through ignorance. 76. Just as to one sailing in a boat every thing appears to be in motion, so &c. 77. Just as a "jaundiced eye sees every thing yellow," so &c. ( 13 ) 78. With eyes which are as it were by nature in delusion, 'every thing appears illusion, so &c. 79. Just as the circle made by a fire-brand, appears like the disc of the sun, so &c. 80. Just as things which are prodigiously large appear small in consequence of distance, so &c. 81. Just as the smallest objects appear very large when Viewed through powerful spectacles, so &c. ft 82. As a floor of glass should be imagined to be filled with vwater or vice versa, so &c. ff ^4 ^r *ri|3T sTri i \\ 83. As one should confound fire with a jewel or vice versa so &c. 1 1 84. As the moon appears to be in motion through the clouds which really are moving, so &c. 85. As some one through confusion loses all distinction between the different points of the compass, so &c. 86. Just as the moon ;(on account of its reflection) appears moving under the surface of water to some one, so &c. 87. In this manner then, arises the delusion of matter (delia) in the (spiritual) Atmin, which, (delusion) melts away in the. proper realisation of Brahma, by the help of right knowledge. ffif ^R^RT^f PL. I n 88. When the whole universe, movable as well as immov able, is kno\ynj tp( be, At.rnan by the negation of all substance, which appear to exist apart from it, there hardly remains any room even to say that this material body is Atman, 89. Oh enlightened one ! spend all your time in ever con^ templating upon the Atman, consuming out, without repining or pain, the fruits of your Prdrabdha. ^° n 90. We now proceed to explain the opinion often declared? by the Sdstras that no body is free . from the operations, of the law of Pr&mbd/ta, even though he should have acquired fulj, knowledge of the Almn-n. ( 20 ) n ^ n 91. After the knowledge of the real has arisen, there re mains no room for Prdrabdha, in as much as this material body &c. (the plane on which the effects of Prdrabdhay manifest themselves) are then reduced as it were to nothing : just as there is no room for dream after waking. 92. That Karma acquired in a previous birth which is called Pr&rabdha (with respect to the present life), has no existence (in the form of SanchUa for a future birth) in as much as the man has no other birth to go through. \ f<fr ^v ^FTT>TI% it ^f ?r: n ^^ u 93. Just as the body at work during dream is a mere illu sion, so also is this our physical body. How, then, could an illusion, be said to take birth, and when it does not take birth how again could it be said to exist? 94. The Vedantas declare ignorance (and Brahma] to be the material cause of the universe, just as earth of a jar &c. When this ignorance is destroyed where could the universe subsist? 95. Just as some one should out of confusion understand a rope to be a serpent, so an ignorant man leaving aside the truth sets up this (material) transitory universe in its place. ( 21 ) irnr 96. The cord being fully known the serpent disappears at. once : so the great substance and support of the universe being known, the universe reduces itself to nothing. n 97. As this physical. Ipdy is thus a mere illusion, where could there be any room for the play of Prdrabdha. Hence the Prdrabdha &c described in tfieSrutis are for the enlighten ment of the ignorant only. 98. The P/tmtf used in the Sruti " the highest good of all being reached, all his Karmas are destroyed &c." is to negative distinctly the possibility of the action of Prdrabdha (as well as the other two : Sanchita and Kriyamdna). 99. If the ignorant should still maintain the possibility of Prdrabdha and its action, they will over and above involving themselves in two glaring absurdities, (1. impossibility of moksha on account of there being a second— a Prdrabdha— Superior even to Brahma: 2. moksha being thus rendered impossible the utility of the Dnydnmdrga— the way of knowledge— will l)e nullified), run counter to the teachings of the Ved&nta. It, therefore follows that we must go by the said Sruti (Vide^ Stanza 98) which directs the way to real knowledge. ( 22 ) H|; STT 3FT HITRR 3 II ^ oo 100. Hence forward (for the instruction of those .who require to be taken step by step to the realisation of the said truth), we begin to propound the 15 stages necessary for the acquisi tion of the knowledge described before.