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‘Whether eating, or playing with women; driving a chariot or riding on horse-back, etc., along with his com- panions,jbe they wise or ignorant, he remembers not bis body, but says that his fructescent works havingj not yet been exhausted keeps his body alive.” (Chhandogya Upanishad) ” go says the Zatterya Upanishad. Unlike the ignorant, he is no more re-born to enjoy the fruits of works done; but as a result of knowledge, his accumulated works are destroyed, leaving the fructescent to he exhausted by consummation in the present life ; but his current (future) works can touch him not [as has already been said.] at. “With youth, beauty, learning, health, firmness of heart combined an army protecting the whole earth, 22, “Whatever happiness is experienced by such a mighty king endowed with all convinceivable enjoyments and satiated with them is attained by the theosophist too.”"* 23. Both ia that king and in the wise, no desires are left for human enjoyment, so that the attainment of happiness in the form of satiety is equal in them, But in the king itis due to want of desire ; while in the wise, discrimination is the source of that absence of desire; so that, cessation of desire Procuring satiety is equal in both. a4, Wise men as well as men learned in the Shastras, regard temporal enjoyments to be faulty. Inthe Maitrayniva Shakha, Raja Brihadrath speaks disparagingly of them and points out how defective are they. 20. “ The thenrophist attains all desires at once ™ * ‘The word ‘too! has a wider range, it includes all manner of happiness and its different grades, begifning with what is enjoyed by Gandharvas to that of Brakmd—all this is equally felt by the theosuphist. 42 324 PANCHADAS!. 25. Defects pertaining to the physical body, mind, and various sorts of material enjoyments are all spoken of by him. Just as no one shows any desire to cat tice-pudding vomited by a dog, so do men of discrimination show no desire for temporal enjoyment. 26. Though, so far as absence of desire is concerned, both the king and theosophist are said to be equal, yet the latter is superior. For the king had to encounter much pain and hardship in the beginning, and is further subject to much anxiety, lest his authority be destroyed at some future period. These are the two defects under which he suffers. 27. They cannot apply to a theosophist for which he is ruperior to the king. Then again, the king is particularly fond of dancing and music, which the man of discrimination cares not; that is another cause of superiority. 28. There are two sorts of Gandharvas :— Those incarnated in the present Xa/pa as men and asa particular result of meritorious works who have inherited the condition of a Gandharve are called Men-Gandharvas. 29. When for meritorious work done in a prior Xalpa, one attains the condition of Gandharva in the beginning of the present Kalpa, he is called Deva-Gandharva. 30. Demigods and the spirits of one’s departed ancestors eternally live in their own abodes. Those who have attained the condition of a Deva in the beginning of a Kalpa are called Ajan-Devatas. 31. Those who have secured an excellent position as a Tesult of the performance of horse-sacrifice in the present Kalpa are more honored than Ajan-Devatas, and are called Karma-Devatas. 32. Yama and Agni etc., are the principal Devas; Rudra and Brihaspati are two well-known ; Prajapati is called Virat; and Brabma, Threadsou! Hiranyagarbha. 33- From the sovereign exercising universal sway to the Threadsoul Hiranyagarbha, every one is desirous of enjoying PANCHADAS!. 325 more happiness than what he has; but the blissfulness of self which none can adequately express nor mind conceive of, is superior to them all. 34. Regarding that desire for obtaining superior happi- nees which king and the rest have, a theosophist heeds not ; and as he is perfectly unconcerned and free from desire, he is said to experience it all. 35- Justas he experiences happiness in his own body, for being the witness of the modification of intellect assuming the shape of happiness; so for a similar witness of the same modification of intellect in others too, he enjoys happiness. 36. If it be contended, that as ignorant persons are similar witnesses, they also can be said to enjoy all manner of happiness, That is impossible. For the knowledge that “I am the witness in all intellects seated inside all bodies” is absent in them. As the Srufi says:—“Who knows [each individuated self to be Brahma] enjoys all happiness,” 37. The theosophist thus sings of his being the al}-self os in the text of the Sama Veda :—"I am the food as well as its enjoyer.”* 38. Having thus declared the first and second varieties of felicity proceeding from knowledge of self, the remaining two vis. satisfaction from the successful accomplishment of what was proper to be done, and acquisition of the attainable a8 they have already been discussed in the Zrip/idwipa should be properly studied. 39- Since ample mention has been made of them in the Triphidwipa [Sect. vii. ante], the reader is referred to it. For the purpose of clearing the intellect, they are fit to be re-intro~ duced here to ascertain their drift. * He enjoys the blissfulness of heaven quite disinterestedly— without expressing any wish or longing for it, but as the witness- ing intelligence prevading everywhere. This is the purport of the Sruti text. 326 PANCHADASI. 40. Prior to knowledge, a theosophist had to perform various works either essential to present or future happiness, or the purpose of emancipation. 41. But subsequcnt to gnosis, he has nothing proper to do, [no harm can befall him if anything is left undone}, for the knowledge of proper and improper has left him, and that produces satiety, 42. Ignorant persons full of grief are actuated by desire, and act as they are influenced by it. Let them continue their everyday practice in connection with their present rela- tionship with son etc.; but as “I am full of Supreme bliss,” T have no desire left that can make me conform to this or that practice. 43- Let those desirous of knowledge perform works for the benefit of the future life, but since “Iam all the abodes,” why am I to undertake works and how practice them ? 44. Let professors qualified in them, explain the sacred writings, or yive instructions to the Vedas, but “I am action. less,” therefore not so qualified. 45. “Iam the intelligence” desirous neither of sleeping, begging, bathing, etc., nor of doing them, and if they are attributed to me by @ spectator what harm can it do me? 46. Just as the seeds of the Abrus precatorious piled in a spot mistaken by monkeys for fire cannot burn, so the attribution of ordinary worldly practices cannot make me do them. 47, Letthe ignorant betake to ‘hearing,’ I know the reality, self, what necessity is there for me to hear? Let those infested with doubts have recourse to ‘consideration,’ but as I am free from them why I am to practice considera- tion? 48. Let persons holding contrary ideas undertake pro- found contemplation or deep and repeated thinking. I never mistake the physical body for self, conscquently that is not necessary for me. PANCHADASI. 325 49. Force of eternal practice as the result of prior im. pressions make me conform to the ordinary usage and say “TI am @ man,” in spite of the cessation of antagonistic or conflict- ing ideas. 50, Exhaustion of the fractescent puts an end to practice ; but till actions are so destroyed that practice remains unaffect- ed and thousands and thousands of contemplations are of no avail. 51. If you hold diminution of practice to be beneficial for promoting a desire of release, be you engaged in contempla- tion. As I find practice causing no impediment to seli-know- ledge why then am I to contemplate ? 52. Since I am free from mental distraction, there is no necessity for me to undertake profound meditation for concen- trating the mind; both distraction and cencentration are the attributes of changeable mind. 53- “Iam the eternal experience’—what experience is distinct from me? None whatever, Therefore what was fit to be done has been done, and what was fit to have, have been gained. This is my certain conviction. 54. Iconform neither to popular practice, not what is enjoined in the Shas/ras, nor what is distinct from both. For I am no agent or instrument, but as my fructescent works bid me do, so do I act. 55. Or even if after having discharged what was proper toa be done, desire of popular favor makes me conform to the practices enjoined in the Shastras what harm can they do me? 56. Let the body be engaged in worshipping Devas, in bathing, cleanliness, and begging, and the organ of speech in recanting the mystic Om or in the study of the Vedanta ; 57- No matter, whether my intellect be employed in meditating Vishnu or merging into the felicity of Brahma, a3 328 PANCHADASI. “I am the witnessing intelligence” I do nothing nor make others do, 58 A theosophist satisfied with the successful accom- plishment of what was proper to be done, and ayain satisfied with the attainment of what was proper to have, constantly reflects in his mind in the following wise :-— 59- 1 have visible cognition of the eternal self there- fore 1 am blessed and blessed. The supreme felicity of Brahma is plainly manifested to me, therelore I am biessed and biessed, 60. Miseries of earth life touch me not, therefore I am blessed. Lam successful in having attained my end. The darkness of ignorance has left me, therefore 1 am blessed and Dlessec, 61, I have nothing proper teft to be done, therefore Tam blessed.