"'Yudhishthira said, "It behoveth thee, O grandsire, to discourse to me on
that which is freed from duty and its reverse, which is freed from every
doubt, which transcends birth and death, as also virtue and sin, which is
auspiciousness, which is eternal fearlessness, which is Eternal and
Indestructible, and Immutable, which is always Pure, and which is ever
free from the toil of exertion."
"'Bhishma said, "I shall in this connection recite to thee the old
narrative, O Bharata, of the discourse between Yajnavalkya and Janaka.
Once on a time the famous king Daivarati of Janaka's race, fully
conversant with the import of all questions, addressed this question to
Yajnavalkya, that foremost of Rishis.
"'"Janaka said, 'O regenerate Rishi, how many kinds of senses are there?
How many kinds also are there of Prakriti? What is the Unmanifest and
highest Brahma? What is higher than Brahma? What is birth and what is
death? What are the limits of Age? It behoveth thee, O foremost of
Brahmanas, to discourse on all these topics unto me that am solicitous of
obtaining thy grace; I am ignorant while thou art an Ocean of knowledge.
Hence, I ask thee! Verily, I desire to hear thee discourse on all these
subjects!'
"'"Yajnavalkya said, 'Hear, O monarch, what I say in an answer to these
questions of thine. I shall impart to thee the high knowledge which
Yogins value, and especially that which is possessed by the Sankhyas.
Nothing is unknown to thee. Still thou askest me. One however that is
questioned should answer. This is the eternal practice. Eight principles
have been called by the name of Prakriti, while sixteen have been called
modifications. Of Manifest, there are seven. These are the views of those
persons who are conversant with the science of Adhyatma. The Unmanifest
(or original Prakriti), Mahat, Consciousness, and the five subtile
elements of Earth, Wind, Space, Water, and Light,--these eight are known
by the name of Prakriti. Listen now to the enumeration of those called
modifications. They are the ear, the skin, the tongue, and the nose; and
sound, touch, form, taste, and scent, as also speech, the two arms, the
two feet, the lower duct (within the body), and the organs of
pleasure.[1641] Amongst these, the ten beginning with sound, and having
their origin in the five great principles,[1642] are called Visesha. The
five senses of knowledge are called Savisesha, O ruler of Mithila.
Persons conversant with the Science of Adhyatma regard the mind as the
sixteenth. This is conformable to thy own views as also to those of other
learned men well acquainted with the truths about principles. From the
Unmanifest, O king, springs the Mahat-soul. The learned say this to be
the first creation relating to Pradhana (or Prakriti): From Mahat, O king
of men, is produced Consciousness. This has been called the second
creation having the Understanding for its essence.[1643] From
Consciousness hath sprung the Mind which is the essence of sound and the
others that are the attributes of space and the rest. This is the third
creation, said to relate to Consciousness. From mind have sprung the
great elements, (numbering five), O king! Know that this is the fourth
creation called mental, as I say. Persons conversant with the primal
elements say that Sound and Touch and Form and Taste and Scent are the
fifth creation, relating to the Great (primal) elements. The creation of
the Ear, the Skin, the Tongue, and the Scent, forms the sixth and is
regarded as having for its essence multiplicity of thought. The senses
that come after the Ear and the others (i.e., the senses of action) then
arise, O monarch. This is called seventh creation and relates to the
senses of Knowledge. Then, O monarch, come the breath that rises upward
(viz., Prana) and those that have a transverse motion (viz., Saman,
Udana, and Vyana). This is the eighth creation and is called
Arjjava.[1644] Then come those breaths that course transversely in the
lower parts of the body (viz., Samana, Udana and Vyana) and also that
called Apana coursing downwards. This ninth creation, is also called
Arjjava, O king. These nine kinds of creation, and these principles, O
monarch, which latter number four and twenty, are declared to thee
according to what has been laid down in the scriptures. After this, O
king, listen to me as I tell thee durations of time as indicated by the
learned in respect of these principles or attribute.'"'"