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The germs are transmitted in Man from birth to birth and in the Universe from kalpa to kalpa. They are the causes of the subsequent manifestations, whether indi- vidual or universal. The Para voice passing through the causal plane, becomes the root-ideas or germ thoughts. In the next plane, the Sikshma plane, the voice becomes the thoughts themselves or Madhyama. The last expression of the Voice is the articulate expression, Vaikhari. The Srutis and Smritis as written or spoken belong to the plane of lowest manifestation. They are governed by the root-ideas and ideas of the present universe, the root-ideas and ideas of the Rishis through whom they are manifested. When you seek the unmanifested light of the Logos, the Divine Voice, or only the first manifestation of that Voice, what care you Purnendu Narayana Sinha, M. A., B. L. 419 about the lower manifestations, the Srutis or Smritis, what care you about karma that pertains to the lower planes?) In Akasa, fire is only unmanifested heat (Ushman). It is mani- fested further down in the fuel. By friction in the fuel, it becomes a spark. Kindled by Ghee, it becomes a flame. Such is my manifestation also in this articulate Voice. So also the senses of action (Karmendriyas) and of perception (Gnanendriyas), the faculties of Desire, Discrimination, and Egois- tic perception, the thread-giving Pradhana, the transformations of Satva, Rajas and Tamas are all my manifestations. (i.e. I am mani- fested through all of them). Primally, this Jiva Ishvara is unmanifested and one. But being the resort of the three Gunas, being the generator (Yoni) of the lotus (of the Universe), He becomes in time of divided energy, and appears as many, even like seeds that have found the soil. This Universe exists in Me, even as a piece of cloth exists in threads. The essence of this eternal tree of the Universe is Inclination. It begets flowers (Karma) and fruits (the fruits of Karma). Two are its seeds (Merit and de merit). Hundreds are its roots (the desires). Three are its stems (the Three Gunas). Five are its trunks (the five Bht- tas, Akasa &c). The branches produce 5 sorts of juice (Sound, Touch, Sight, Taste and Smell); the Ten senses and the mind are the branches of the tree. Two birds (Jivatma and Paramatmé) make their nest on it. Wind, bile and phlegm are its dermal layers. Joy and sorrow are the two fruits of this tree. It extends up to the solar regions (for be- yond the Solar system, the Triloki, there are no rebirths.) The country loving Gridhras (in the first sense, vultures and in the second sense, home loving men of desires) partake of one fruit (sorrow). And the forest frequenting Hansas (in one sense swans and in the other sense discriminating men who give up desires) partake of the other fruit (joy). He who, through the favor of his Guru knows the One as becom- ing Many through Maya, knows the Truth. Thus with the axe of wisdom, sharpened by whole-minded devo- tion acquired by the worship of the Guru, do thou calmly and steadily cut asunder the sheaths of Jiva and on attaining Paramatma, do thou 420 A Study of the Bhagavata Purana let go of the instrument itself. THE GUNAS. SKANDHA XI. CHAP. 13. Satva, Rajas and Tamas—they are the Gunas of Buddhi (Prakriti), not of Atma—control Rajas and Tamas by means of Satva and con- trol Satva by Satva itself. When Satva grows in Man, he acquires Dharma, which is Devotion to Me. By worshipping Satvic objects Satva increases and Dharma is the outcome. That Dharma kills Ra- jas and Tamas and it increases Satva. When Rajas and Tamas are killed, Adharma which is an outcome of Rajas and Tamas is also killed. The scriptures, water, men, land, time, karma, regeneration, meditation, mantra and purification these ten are accessaries to the Gunas. Of these what the Sages praise are Satvic, what they blame are Tamasic, what they neither praise nor blame are Rajasic. Have re- sort to only those of them that are Satvic, for then Satva will increase. Dharma follows that increase and wisdom follows Dharma. But wis- dom has its field only so long as memory lasts and the (Gunas) are not exhausted. Fire that is produced by the friction of bamboo pieces, burns up the forest and is then extinguished of itself even so the body caused by disturbance of the Gunas is extinguished of itself, (at that final stage). (Of the scriptures, there are some that speak of inclination, oth- ers that speak of disinclination. The latter only are to be followed. Water which has a purifying effect, as that of a sacred place is to be used, not pointed water and wine. Bad men are to be shunned and good men are to be mixed with. Quiet solitary places are to be sought, not highways and gambling places. The time before sun rise is preferable for meditation not night fall or night. Nitya Karma is to be performed, not Kamya Karma. Initiation causes a second birth. Vaishnava or Saiva initiation is Satvic and not Sakta initiation. Med- itation upon Vishnu is Satvic and not the meditation upon women or upon those that are hostile to Vishnu. The Pranava Mantra is Satvic and not the lower Kamya Mantras. The cleansing must be purifica- tion of self, not the mere cleansing of Deva houses. Sridhara. By these Satvic pursuits, Satva Guna prevails in man. When Satva prevails the Purnendu Narayana Sinha, M. A., B. L. 421 whole nature becomes Satvic. The tendencies are all such as to lead to calmness, which is the essence of Satva. This is Dharma Adharma is the opposite of this. It is identified with such a nature as leads to distractions. Dharma is followed by wisdom. For when the mind is calm and tranquil, truths are reflected on it in their entirety and they are fully perceived. That wisdom lasts as long as memory lasts i.e. as long as Dvaita perception exists. But when the Gunas themselves die out, wisdom vanishes of itself, for when there is direct perception of Brahma as self, the knower, the known and knowledge become one and the same.) HOW TO WITHDRAW FROM THE OBJECTS OF THE SENSES. SKANDHA XI. CHAP. 13. Uddhava asked:— "Generally people know that the objects of the senses lead them to misery. How is it, O Krishna, they still follow them, like dogs, donkeys and goats?" Sri Krishna replied:— "When in the heart of the undiscriminating man, the false per- ception of ’I’ arises (with regard to body &c.), the terrible Rajas takes possession of the Manas, which by its origin is Satvic. Doubts and desires arise in the mind. The mind then dwells upon attributes (oh! how beautiful, what a nice thing!) and acquires a strong liking for it. Guided by the passions, with the senses uncontrolled, deluded by the strong current of Rajas, the helpless man knowingly does things that bear evil fruits. The mind of the wise man is also distracted by Rajas and Tamas. But he sleeplessly controls his mind and he finds fault (with his own actions). He is not attached to them. Gradually and steadfastly offer up your mind to Me, being wide awake, at all times, controlling your breath and regulating your seat and you will then be able to control your mind. "This is the Yoga, as taught by My disciples Sanaka and others." Uddhava asked:— "When and in what form did you teach Sanaka and others?" Sri Krishna replied:— 422 A Study of the Bhagavata Purana "Sanaka and other Manas-born sons of Brahma asked their father as follows:—The mind enters the Gunas (objects ie. the mind nat- urally becomes attached to objects) and the Gunas (i.e. the objects when experienced) enter the mind (as desires). How can those that want to cross over (the objects) and to become liberated cause a sep- aration between the two? "Brahma could not gauge the question in his own mind. So he meditated on me. I appeared before him as a Hansa. (The Swan can discriminate between milk and water. So the bird symbolises a discriminating sage.) The Brahmanas and Brahma asked: Who art thou?’ I said as follows:— "O Brahmanas does your question relate to Atma—If so, Atma is not many. So the question does not arise. And who will reply to whom? "If your question relates to the body, then also the elements com- posing the body being the same in all beings, and Atma being the same in all, your question is meaningless. "Whatever is perceived by the senses and the mind, I am that— There is nothing besides Me. Rightly know this to be so. "True the mind enters the Gunas and the Gunas enter the mind. The Gunas and mind thus mutually blended are but the body of the Jiva, its reality being My own self. (If mind wedded to objects, be the essence of Jiva, then their separation is not possible. But the essence of Jiva is Brahma. Mind is only attributed to Jiva. And Jiva’s connec- tion with the objects is through the properties of the mind. Therefore Jiva by realising that it is Brahma will find out that the objects have no existence as far as its own self is concerned. Therefore by devo- tion to Bhagavat, Jiva completely rests in its own self. Sridhara. This is not a separation of Manas and objects, but the withdrawal of self from both.) "By constant pursuit of the Gunas, the mind enters the Gunas. The Gunas also (being turned into desires) take a firm hold of the mind. Knowing Me to be thy own self give up both (the objects and the mind wedded to them.) "Wakefulness (Jagrat), Dream (Svapna) and Dreamless sleep (Sushupti) are states of mind, caused by the Gunas, Jiva is beyond all these states. For it is the witness of all these states. The bondage Purnendu Narayana Sinha, M. A., B. L. 423 caused by mind imparts the actions of the Gunas to Atma. Therefore being fixed in Me, the Fourth (i.e. beyond the three states of con- sciousness), get over the bondage of mind. That will be the (mutual) giving up of the mind and the Gunas.