Creatures sprung from heat are included in the third term--viz. that
which springs from a germ--which is exhibited in the text quoted. The
settled conclusion therefore is that the evil-doers do not go to the
moon.--Here terminates the adhikarana of 'those who do not perform
sacrifices.'
22. There is entering into similarity of being with those, there being a
reason.
The text describes the manner in which those who perform sacrifices, and
so on, descend from the moon as follows: 'They return again that way as
they came, to the ether, from the ether to the air. Then having become
air they become smoke, having become smoke they become mist,' &c. The
doubt here arises whether the soul when reaching ether, and so on,
becomes ether in the same sense as here on earth it becomes a man or
other being, or merely becomes similar to ether, and so on.--The former
view is the true one; for as the soul in the sraddhâ state becomes the
moon, so it must likewise be held to _become_ ether, and so on, there
being no reason for a difference in the two cases.--This primâ facie
view the Sûtra sets aside. The descending soul enters into similarity of
being with ether, and so on; since there is a reason for this. When the
soul becomes a man or becomes the moon, there is a reason for that,
since it thereby becomes capacitated for the enjoyment of pain and
pleasure. But there is no similar reason for the soul becoming ether,
and so on, and hence the statement that the soul becomes ether, and so
on, can only mean that, owing to contact with them, it becomes similar
to them.--Here terminates the adhikarana of 'entering into similarity of
being.'