"'Yudhishthira said, "Tell me, O grandsire, what and of what nature is
that which is called by the name of Adhyatma and which is laid down for
every person.[600] O thou that art acquainted with Brahma, whence has
this universe consisting of mobile and immobile things, been created?
When universal destruction sets in, to whom does it go? It behoveth thee
to discourse to me upon this topic."[601]
"'Bhishma said, "This Adhyatma, O son of Pritha, that thou askest me
about, I will presently discourse upon. It is highly agreeable and
productive of great felicity. Great teachers have (before this) shown the
truths about Creation and the Destruction (of the universe). Knowing
those truths, a person may obtain, even in this world, great satisfaction
and felicity. Such knowledge may lead also to the acquisition of great
fruits, and it is highly beneficial to all creatures. Earth, air, space,
water, and light numbered as the fifth, are regarded as Great Creatures.
These constitute both the origin and the destruction of all created
objects. Unto him from whom these great primal elements take their
origin, they return repeatedly, severing themselves from all creatures
(into whose compositions they enter), even like the waves of the ocean
(subsiding into that from which they seem to take their rise). As the
tortoise stretches its limbs and withdraws them again, even so the
Supreme Soul creates all objects and again withdraws into Himself. The
Creator places the five primal elements in all created objects in
different proportions. The living creature, however, does not see it
(through ignorance). Sound, the organs of hearing, and all holes,--these
three,--spring from Space as their progenitor. Touch, action, and skin
are the triple attributes of the Wind. Form, eye, and digestion are the
triple attributes of Fire or Energy. Taste, all liquid secretions, and
the tongue represent the three attributes of Water. Scents, the nose, and
the body are the triple properties of Earth. The great (primal) elements
are five. The mind is the sixth. The senses and the mind, O Bharata, are
(the sources of all) the perceptions of a living creature.[602] The
seventh is called the understanding; and the eighth is the soul.[603] The
senses are for perceiving; the mind (unable to deal with those
perceptions) produces uncertainty. The understanding reduces all
perceptions to certainty. The Soul exists as a witness (without acting).
All that is above the two feet, all that is behind, and all that is
above, are seen by the Soul. Know that the Soul pervades the entire being
without any space being left unoccupied. All men should know the senses,
the mind, and the understanding fully. The three states or qualities
called Darkness, Passion, and Goodness, exist, dependent on the senses,
the mind, and the understanding.[604] Man, by apprehending with the aid
of his intelligence, the manner in which creatures come and leave the
world, is sure to gradually attain to steadfast tranquillity. The three
qualities (already mentioned, viz., Darkness, Passion, and Goodness),
lead the understanding (to worldly attachments). In this respect, the
Understanding (or Intelligence) is identical with the Senses and the
Mind. The Understanding, therefore, is identical with the six (the five
senses and the mind), and also with the objects comprehended by it. When,
however, the Understanding is destroyed, the three qualities (of
Darkness, Passion, and Goodness) are incapable of leading to action.[605]
This universe of immobile and mobile things consists of that
intelligence. It is from that Intelligence that everything arises and it
is into it that everything subsides. For this reason, the scriptures
indicate that everything is a manifestation of Intelligence. That by
which one hears is the ear. That by which one smells is called the organ
of smell, and that by which one distinguishes the tastes is called the
tongue. By the coat that covers the body one acquires perception of
touch. That which is called the Intelligence undergoes
modifications.[606] When the Intelligence desires anything it comes to be
called Mind. The foundations upon which the Intelligence rests are five
in number, each serving a different purpose. They are called the senses.
The invisible principle, viz., Intelligence rests on them. The
Intelligence that exists in a living creature concerns itself with the
three states (called Passion, Darkness, and Goodness). Sometimes it
obtains joy and sometimes misery. Sometimes it becomes divested of both
joy and misery. Even thus the Intelligence exists in the minds of all
men. Sometimes the Intelligence which is made up of the triple states
(already mentioned), transcends those three states (by yoga), like the
lord of rivers, viz., the Ocean, with his surges, transgressing his high
continents.[607] That Intelligence which transcends the three qualities
exists in the mind in a pure state of (unmodified) existence alone. The
quality of Darkness, however, that impels to action, soon pursues it. At
that time, the Intelligence sets all the senses to action. The properties
of the three are even thus: joy dwells in Goodness; sorrow in Passion;
delusion in Darkness. All the states that exist (of the mind) are
included in the three (that have been named). I have now, O Bharata, told
thee about the course of the Understanding. An intelligent man should
subdue all his senses. The three qualities of Goodness, Passion, and
Darkness, are always attached to living creatures. Three kinds of
intelligence also are noticeable in every creature, viz., that which
depends upon Goodness, that upon Passion, and that upon Darkness, O
Bharata. The quality of Goodness brings happiness; the quality of Passion
produces sorrow; and if these two combine with the quality of Darkness,
then neither happiness nor sorrow is produced (but, instead, only
delusion or error). Every state of happiness that appears in the body or
the mind is said to be due to the quality of Goodness. A state of sorrow,
disagreeable to oneself, that comes, is due to nothing but the quality
of Passion. One should never think of it with fear.[608] That state,
again, which is allied with delusion and error, and in consequence of
which one knows not what to do, which is unascertainable and unknown,
should be regarded as belonging to the quality of Darkness.[609]
Gladness, satisfaction, delight, happiness, tranquillity of heart, these
are the properties of the state of Goodness. Man sometimes obtains a
measure of them. Discontent, heart-burning, grief, cupidity,
vindictiveness are all indications of the state of Passion. They are seen
with or without adequate causes for producing them. Disgrace, delusion,
error, sleep and stupefaction, that overtake one through excess of
ill-luck, are the various properties of the state of Darkness.[610] That
person whose mind is far-reaching, capable of extending in all
directions, mistrustful in respect of winning the objects it desires, and
well-restrained, is happy both here and hereafter.[611] Mark the
distinction between these two subtile things, viz., Intelligence and
Soul. One of these (viz., intelligence), puts forth the qualities. The
other (viz., the Soul), does nothing of the kind. A gnat and a fig may be
seen to be united with each other. Though united, each however is
distinct from the other. Similarly, Intelligence and Soul, though
distinguished from each other, by their respective natures, yet they may
always be seen to exist in a state of union. A fish and water exist in a
state of union. Each, however, is different from the other. The same is
the case with Intelligence and Soul. The qualities do not know the Soul,
but the Soul knows them all. The Soul is the spectator of the qualities
and regards them all as proceeding from itself. The soul, acting through
the senses, the mind, and the understanding numbering as the seventh, all
of which are inactive and have no self-consciousness, discovers the
objects (amid which it exists) like a (covered) lamp showing all objects
around it by shedding its rays through an aperture in the covering. The
understanding or Intelligence creates all the qualities. The Soul only
beholds them (as a witness). Even such is certainly the connection
between the intelligence and the Soul.[612] There is no refuge on which
either Intelligence or Soul depends. The Understanding creates the mind,
but never the qualities. When the soul, by means of the mind,
sufficiently restrains the rays that emanate from the senses, it is then
that it becomes manifest (to the Understanding) like a lamp burning
within a vessel that covers it. That person who renounces all ordinary
acts, practises penances, devotes himself to study the Soul, taking a
delight therein, and regards himself as the Soul of all creatures,
acquires a high end. As an aquatic fowl, while moving over the waters, is
never drenched in that element, even thus does a person of wisdom move
(in the world) among creatures. By the aid of one's intelligence one
should act in the world after this fashion, without grief, without joy,
with an equal eye for all, and destitute of malice and envy. One living
in this way succeeds in creating the qualities (instead of being oneself
affected by them), like a spider creating threads.[613] The qualities
should, indeed, be regarded as the threads of the spider. Some say that
the qualities in respect of such men are not lost. Some say that they are
all lost. Those who say that they are not lost rely upon the revealed
scriptures (viz., the Srutis), which do not contain any declaration to
the contrary. They, on the other hand, who say that the qualities are all
lost rely on the Smritis. Reflecting upon both these opinions, one should
judge oneself as to which of them is right. One should thus get over this
hard and knotty question which is capable of disturbing the
understanding by doubt, and thereby win happiness. When that doubt will
be removed, one will no longer have to indulge in sorrow of any kind. Men
of filthy hearts may by knowledge obtain success like persons plunging in
a well-filled stream purifying themselves of all filth. One who has to
cross a broad river does not feel happy at only seeing the other shore.
If the case were otherwise (i.e., if by only beholding the other shore
one could reach it by a boat), then might one become happy. The matter is
otherwise with one acquainted with the Truth. The mere knowledge of Truth
will bring him happiness. As soon as such knowledge begins to bear
fruits, the person may be regarded to have reached the other shore. They
who thus know the Soul as freed from all worldly objects and is but the
One, are said to obtain high and excellent knowledge.[614] A person by
knowing the origin and the end of all creatures, which is even such, and
by reflecting upon the matter, gradually obtains infinite happiness. He
that has understood the triple aggregate (viz., that it is liable to
destruction instead of being eternal), and reflecting upon it, casts it
away, succeeds by yoga to behold the Truth and obtain perfect felicity.
The Soul is incapable of being seen unless the senses, which are employed
on diverse objects and are difficult of being controlled, be all duly
restrained. He that knows this is really wise. What other indication is
there of a wise man? Acquiring this knowledge, men possessed of
intelligence regard themselves to be crowned with success. That which
inspires the ignorant with fear can never inspire fear in persons of
Knowledge. There is no higher end for anybody (than Emancipation). In
consequence, however, of the excess or otherwise of good qualities, the
sages say that differences are observable in respect of the degree of
Emancipation. A person by acting without expectation of fruits succeeds
(by those acts) in annihilating his sinful acts of a former period. To
one possessed of wisdom, the acts of a former period (thus washed off)
and those of this life also (which are accomplished without expectation
of fruit), do not become productive of any disagreeable consequence (such
as immurement in hell). But how can acts, if he continues to be engaged
in accomplishing acts, bring about what is agreeable (viz.,
Emancipation)?[615] People censure a person that is afflicted (with lust,
envy, and other evil passions). Those vices hurl the person in his next
life into diverse kinds of inferior orders.[616] Mark with close
attention the vicious in this world who grieve exceedingly for the loss
of their possessions (such as sons and wives, etc.). Behold also those
that are gifted with judgment and who never grieve when thrown into
similar circumstances. Those that are conversant with both (i.e., with
gradual Emancipation and immediate Emancipation), deserve to be called
truly wise."'"[617]