When, on the other hand, the released soul possesses a body created by
its own will, then it enjoys its various delights in the same way as a
waking man does.--In the same way as the highest Person creates out of
himself, for his own delight, the world of the Fathers and so on; so he
sometimes creates such worlds for the enjoyment of the released souls.
But sometimes, again, the souls using their own creative will-power
themselves create their own worlds, which however are included within
the sphere of sport of the highest Person (so that the souls in enjoying
them do not pass beyond the intuition of Brahman).
But it has been taught that the soul is of atomic size; how then can it
connect itself with many bodies?--To this question the next Sûtra
replies.
15. The entering is as in the case of a lamp; for thus Scripture
declares.
Just as a lamp, although abiding in one place only, enters through the
light proceeding from it into connexion with many places; so the soul
also, although limited to one place, may through its light-like
consciousness enter into several bodies. It may do this as well as in
this life the soul, although abiding in one spot of the body only, viz.
the heart, pervades the whole body by means of its consciousness and
thus makes it its own. There is however the following difference between
the two cases. The non-released soul has its intellectual power
contracted by the influence of Karman, and hence is incapable of that
expansive pervasion without which it cannot identify itself with other
bodies. The released soul, on the other hand, whose intellectual power
is non-contracted is capable of extending as far as it likes, and thus
to make many bodies its own. For Scripture declares, 'That living soul
is to be known as part of the hundredth part of the point of a hair
divided a hundred times, and yet it is capable of infinity' (Svet. Up. V,
9). The non-released soul is ruled by Karman, the released one only by
its will--this is the difference.--But, a new difficulty is raised,
Scripture declares that when the soul reaches Brahman all its inner and
outer knowledge is stopped: 'Embraced by the highest Self the soul knows
nothing that is without, nothing that is within' (Bri. Up. IV, 3, 21).
How then can it be said to know all things?--To this the next Sûtra
replies.
16. It refers either to dreamless sleep or to union (sampatti); for this
is manifested.
Texts as the one last quoted do not refer to the released soul, but
either to deep sleep or to 'union' (sampatti), i.e. the time of dying;
the latter in accordance with the text 'then his speech is united
(sampadyate) with his mind,--heat with the highest divinity' (Ch. Up. VI,
15, 1). In both those states the soul attains to the highest Self and is
unconscious. That in the states of deep sleep and dying the soul is
unconscious and that the released soul is all-knowing, Scripture reveals.
The text 'In truth he thus does not know himself that he is I, nor does
he know anything that exists. He is gone to utter annihilation. I see no
good in this' (Ch. Up. VIII, 11, 1) declares that the soul is
unconscious in the state of deep sleep; and a subsequent text in the
same section declares the released soul to be all-knowing, 'He seeing
these pleasures with the divine eye, i.e. the mind, rejoices' (VIII, 12,
5). The same is clearly stated in the text,'He who sees this sees
everything, and obtains everything everywhere' (VII, 2, 6, 2). That at
death there is unconsciousness appears from the text, 'having risen from
these elements he vanishes again in them. When he has departed there is
no more knowledge' (Bri. Up. IV, 5, 13). From all this it follows that
the text as to the soul being held in embrace by the prâjña Self refers
either to deep sleep or death.--Here terminates the adhikarana of 'non-
being.'
17. With the exception of world-energy; on account of leading subject-
matter and of non-proximity.
The doubt here presents itself whether the power of the released soul is
a universal power such as belongs to the Supreme Person, extending to
the creation, sustentation, and so on, of the worlds; or is limited to
the intuition of the Supreme Person.--The Pûrvapakshin maintains the
former view. For he says Scripture declares that the soul reaches
equality with the Supreme Person: 'Free from stain he reaches the
highest equality' (Mu. Up. III, 1, 3); and moreover Scripture ascribes
to the released soul the power of realising all its thoughts. And these
two conditions are not fulfilled unless the soul possess the special
powers of the Lord with regard to the government, &c., of the world.--To
this the Sûtra replies, 'with the exception of world-energy.' The
released soul, freed from all that hides its true nature, possesses the
power of intuitively beholding the pure Brahman, but does not possess
the power of ruling and guiding the different forms of motion and rest
belonging to animate and inanimate nature.--How is this known?--'From
subject-matter.' For it is with special reference to the highest Brahman
only that the text mentions ruling and controlling power over the entire
world. 'That from whence these beings are born, that through which they
live when born, that into which they enter at death, endeavour to know
that; that is Brahman' (Taitt. Up. III, 1, 1). If such universal ruling
and controlling power belonged to the released soul as well, it would
not be used--as the text actually uses it--for defining Brahman; for all
definition rests on special individual attributes. Analogously many
other texts speak of universal ruling and controlling power with
exclusive reference to the Supreme Person--'Being only this was in the
beginning, &c.--it thought, may I be many' (Ch. Up. VI, 2); 'In the
beginning this was Brahman, one only--it created the most excellent
Kshattra,' &c. (Bri. Up. I, 4, 11); 'In the beginning all this was Self,
one only--it thought, let me send forth these worlds' (Ait. Âr. II, 4, 1,
1); 'There was Narayana alone, not Brahmâ, and so on.' 'He who dwelling
within the earth,' &c. (Bri. Up. III, 7, 3).--This also follows 'from
non-proximity'; for in all those places which speak of world-controlling
power the context in no way suggests the idea of the released soul, and
hence there is no reason to ascribe such power to the latter.
18. If it be said that this is not so, on account of direct teaching; we
reply not so, on account of the texts declaring that which abides within
the spheres of those entrusted with special functions.
But, an objection is raised, certain texts directly declare that the
released soul also possesses 'world-energy.' Compare 'He becomes a self-
ruler; he moves in all worlds according to his wishes' (Ch. Up. VII, 25,
2); 'He moves through these worlds, enjoying any food he wishes, and
assuming any shape he wishes' (Taitt. Up. III, 10, 5). We cannot
therefore accept the restriction laid down in the last Sûtra.--Not so,
the latter half of the present Sûtra declares, 'on account of the texts
declaring that which abides in the spheres of those entrusted with
special functions.' The meaning of the texts quoted is that the released
soul participates in the enjoyments connected with the spheres of
Hiranyagarbha and other beings which are entrusted with special
functions. The soul whose knowledge is no longer obstructed by Karman
freely enjoys all the different worlds in which the power of Brahman
manifests itself and thus is fully satisfied.--But if the released soul,
no less than the soul implicated in the Samsâra, experiences enjoyments
belonging to the sphere of change, it follows that the sum of its
enjoyments is finite and limited, and that hence the released soul is no
better off than the soul in the state of bondage!--Of this doubt the
next Sûtra disposes.
19. That which is not within change; for thus Scripture declares the
abiding (of the soul).
That which is not within change, i.e. the highest Brahman which is free
from all change and of an absolutely perfect and blessed nature--this,
together with the manifestations of its glory, is what forms the object
of consciousness for the released soul. The worlds which are subject to
change thus form objects for that soul's experience, in so far as they
form part of Brahman's manifestation. For Scripture declares that the
released soul thus abides within, i.e. is conscious of the changeless
highest Brahman, 'when he finds freedom from fear and an abode in that
which is invisible, incorporeal, undefined, unsupported, then he obtains
the fearless' (Taitt. Up. II, 7). And that the world is contained within
Brahman as its manifestation is declared in the text, 'In that all the
worlds abide, and no one goes beyond' (Ka. Up. II, 5, 8). The meaning of
the text stating that the Released freely move in all worlds, and
similar texts, therefore is only that the released soul while conscious
of Brahman with its manifestations experiences also the enjoyments,
lying within the sphere of change, which abide in the world of
Hiranyagarbha and similar beings; not that it possesses the world-
energies--creative, ruling, and so on--which are the distinctive
attribute of the highest Lord.