ANALECTA OF THE CELESTIAL SPHERES.
Argument:—The Spiritual body or soul, is not destroyed by destruction
of the material Body.
The Sol said:—O great father of creation! thus did these venerable
Bráhmans, remain at that spot, occupied with these various thoughts (of
existence) and their several actions in their minds for a long time.
(This sort of yoga meditation is called Sárúpya, or approximation of
one to the divine attribute, of thinking on the States and functions of
all things in the world in one’s self).
2. They remained in this state (of abstraction), until their bodies were
dried up by exposure to the sun and air, and dropped down in time like
the withered leaves of trees. (This is called the Samádhi yoga or
absorption in meditation, until one’s final extinction or Euthanasia in
the Spirit).
3. Their dead bodies were devoured by the voracious beasts of the
forest, or tossed about as some ripe fruits by the monkeys on the hills
(to be food for greedy vultures and hungry dogs).
4. These Bráhmans, having their thoughts distracted from outward
objects, and concentrated in Brahmáhood, continued in the enjoyment of
divine felicity in their Spirits, until the close of the kalpa age at
the end of the four yugas.
(The duration of a day of Brahmá extends over a kalpa age composed of
four yugas, followed by his night of _kalpánta_, when he becomes extinct
in his death-like sleep, the twin brother of death. _Ho hupnos esti
didumos adelphos thanatow_).
5. At the end of the kalpa, there is an utter extinction of the solar
light, by the incessant rains poured down by the heavy Pushkara and
Avartaka clouds at the great deluge (when the doors of heaven were laid
open to rain in floods on earth. Genesis).
6. When the hurricane of desolation blew on all sides, and buried all
beings under the Universal ocean (which covered the face of the earth).
7. It was then thy dark night, and the previous creation slept as in
their yoga-_nidrá_ or hypnotic trance in thy sleeping self. Thus thou
continuing in thy spirit, didst contain all things in thee in their
spiritual forms. (Darkness reigned on the deep, and the spirit of God
viewed everything in itself).
8. Upon thy waking this day with thy desire of creation, all these
things are exhibited to thy view, as a copy of all that was in thy
inmost mind or Spirit already. (So it is upon our waking from sleep, we
come to see a _fac-simile_ of all that lay dormant in the sleeping mind).
9. I have thus related to you O Brahmá! how these ten Bráhmans were
personified as so many Brahmás; these have become the ten bright orbs
situated in the vacuous sphere of thy mind. (An English poet has
expressed the holy soul to appear as a luminary in heaven).
10. I am the one eldest among them, consecrated in this temple of the
sky, and appointed by thee, O lord of all! to regulate the portions of
time on earthly beings.
11. Now I have given you a full account of the ten orbs of heaven, which
are no other than the ten persons united in the mind of Brahmá, and now
appearing as detached from him. (Mentally viewed, everything is found
situated in the mind, but when seen with open eyes, it seems to be set
apart from us. Have therefore your thoughts or your sights as you may
choose).
12. This beautiful world that you behold, appearing to your view, with
all its wonderful structures, spread out in the skies, serves at best as
a snare to entrap your senses, and delude your understanding, by taking
the unrealities as realities in your mind. (Brahmá the Demiurgus, being
but architect of the world, and a person next to or an emanation of the
mind of God, had not the intelligence of the soul, to discern the innate
ideas, which represented themselves in the outer creation).