"'"Yajnavalkya said, 'Thou hast asked me, O monarch, of that Supreme Brahma
which resides in the Unmanifest. Thy question relates to a deep mystery.
Listen to me with close attention, O king! Having conducted myself with
humility according to the ordinances laid down by the Rishis I obtained
the Yajushes, O king, from Surya. Without the austerest penances I
formerly adored the heat-giving deity. The puissant Surya, O sinless one,
gratified with me, saying,--"Solicit thou, O regenerate Rishi, the boon
upon which thou hast set thy heart, however difficult it may be of
acquisition, I shall, with cheerful Soul, grant it to thee. It is very
difficult to incline me to grace!" Bowing unto him with a bend of my head,
that foremost of heat-giving luminaries was addressed by me in these
words, "I have no knowledge of the Yajushes. I desire to know them without
loss of time!"--The holy one, thus solicited, told me,--"I shall impart the
Yajushes unto thee. Made up of the essence of speech, the goddess
Saraswati will enter into thy body." The deity then commanded me to open
my mouth. I did as I was commanded. The goddess Saraswati then entered
into my body, O sinless one. At this, I began to burn. Unable to endure
the pain I plunged into a stream. Not understanding that what the
high-souled Surya had done for me was for my good, I became even angry
with him. While I was burning with the energy of the goddess, the holy
Surya told me,--"Do thou endure this burning sensation for only a little
while. That will soon cease and thou wilt be cool." Indeed I became cool.
Seeing me restored to ease, the Maker of light said unto me,--"The whole
Vedas, with even those parts that are regarded as its appendix, together
with the Upanishads, will appear in thee by inward light, O regenerate
one! The entire Satapathas also thou wilt edit, O foremost of regenerate
ones. After that, thy understanding will turn to the path of
Emancipation. Thou wilt also attain to that end which is desirable and
which is coveted by both Sankhyas and Yogins!"--Having said these words
unto me, the divine Surya proceeded to the Asta hills. Hearing his last
words, and after he had departed from the spot where I was, I came home
in joy and then remembered the goddess Saraswati. Thought of by me, the
auspicious Saraswati appeared instantly before my eyes, adorned with all
the vowels and the consonants and having placed the syllable Om in the
van, I then, according to the ordinance, offered unto the goddess the
usual Arghya, and dedicated another to Surya, that foremost of all
heat-giving deities. Discharging this duty I took my seat, devoted to
both those deities. Thereupon, the entire Satapatha Brahmanas, with all
their mysteries and with all their abstracts as also their appendices,
appeared of themselves before my mental vision, at which I became filled
with great joy.[1661] I then taught them to a hundred good disciples and
thereby did what was disagreeable to my high-souled maternal uncle
(Vaisampayana) with the disciples gathered round him.[1662] Then shining
in the midst of my disciples like the Sun himself with his rays, I took
the management of the Sacrifice of thy high-souled sire, O king. In that
Sacrifice a dispute arose between me and my maternal uncle as to who
should be permitted to appropriate the Dakshina that was paid for the
recitation of the Vedas. In the very presence of Devala, I took half of
that Dakshina (the other half going to my maternal uncle). Thy sire and
Sumantra and Paila and Jaimini and other articles all acquiesced in that
arrangement.[1663]
"'"'I had thus got from Surya the five times ten Yajushes, O monarch. I
then studied the Puranas with Romaharshan. Keeping before me those
(original) Mantras and the goddess Saraswati I, then, O king, aided by the
inspiration of Surya, set myself to compile the excellent Satapatha
Brahmanas, and succeeded in achieving the task never before undertaken by
any one else. That path which I had desired to take has been taken by me
and I have also taught it to my disciples. Indeed, the whole of those
Vedas with their abstracts have been imparted by me to those disciples of
mine. Pure in mind and body, all those disciples have, in consequence of
my instructions, become filled with joy. Having established (for the use
of others) this knowledge consisting of fifty branches which I had
obtained from Surya, I now meditate on the great object of that knowledge
viz., (Brahma). The Gandharva Viswavasu, well-conversant with the Vedanta
scriptures, desirous, O king, of ascertaining what is beneficial for the
Brahmanas in this knowledge and what truth occurs in it, and what is the
excellent object of this knowledge, one questioned me. He put to me
altogether four and twenty questions, O king, relating to the Vedas.
Finally, he asked me a question, numbered twenty-fifth which relates to
that branch of knowledge which is concerned with the inferences of
ratiocination. Those questions are as follows: What is universe and what
is not-universe? What is Aswa and what Aswa? What is Mitra? What is
Varuna? What is Knowledge? What is Object of knowledge? What is
Unintelligent? What is Intelligent? Who is Kah? Who is possessed of the
principle of change? Who is not possessed of the same? What is he that
devours the Sun and what is the Sun? What is Vidya and what is Avidya?
What is Immobile and what Mobile? What is without beginning, what is
Indestructible, and what is Destructible? These were the excellent
questions put to me by that foremost of Gandharvas. After king Viswavasu,
that foremost of Gandharvas, had asked me these questions one after
another, I answered them properly. At first, however, I told him, Wait
for a brief space of time, till I reflect on thy questions! So be it,
Gandharva said, and sat in silence. I then thought once again of the
goddess Saraswati in my mind. The replies then to those questions
naturally arose in my mind like butter from curds. Keeping in view the
high science of inferential ratiocination, I churned with my mind, O
monarch, the Upanishads and the supplementary scriptures relating to the
Vedas. The fourth science then that treats of Emancipation, O foremost of
kings, and on which I have already discoursed to thee, and which is based
upon the twenty-fifth, viz., Jiva, I then expounded to him.[1664] Having
said all this, O monarch, to king Viswavasu, I then addressed him,
saying, "Listen now to the answers that I give unto the several questions
that thou hast put to me. I now turn to the question, which, O Gandharva,
thou askest, viz., What is Universe and what is not-universe? The
Universe is Unmanifest and original Prakriti endued with the principles
of birth and death which are terrible (to those that are desirous of
Emancipation). It is, besides, possessed of the three attributes (of
Sattwa, Rajas, and Tamas), in consequence of its producing principles all
of which are fraught with those attributes.[1665] That which is
Not-universe is Purusha divested of all attributes. By Aswa and Aswa are
meant the female and the male, i.e., the former is Prakriti and the
latter is Purusha. Similarly, Mitra is Purusha, and Varuna is
Prakriti.[1666] Knowledge, again, is said to be Prakriti, while the
object to be known is called Purusha. The Ignorant (Jiva), and the
Knowing or Intelligent are both Purusha without attributes (for it is
Purusha that becomes Jiva when invested with Ignorance). Thou hast asked
what is Kah, who is endued with change and who is unendued therewith. I
answer, Kah is Purusha.[1667] That which is endued with change is
Prakriti. He that is not endued therewith is Purusha. Similarly, that
which is called Avidya (the unknowable) is Prakriti; and that which is
called Vidya is Purusha. Thou hast asked me about the Mobile and the
Immobile. Listen to what my answer is. That which is mobile is Prakriti,
which undergoing modification, constitutes the cause of Creation and
Destruction. The Immobile is Purusha, for without himself undergoing
modifications he assists at Creation and Destruction. (According to a
different system of philosophy) that which is Vedya is Prakriti; while
that which is Avedya is Purusha. Both Prakriti and Purusha are said to be
unintelligent, stable, indestructible, unborn, and eternal, according to
the conclusions arrived at by philosophers conversant with the topics
included in the name of Adhyatma. In consequence of the indestructibility
of Prakriti in the matter of Creation, Prakriti, which is unborn, is
regarded as not subject to decay or destruction. Purusha, again, is
indestructible and unchangeable, for change it has none. The attributes
that reside in Prakriti are destructible, but not Prakriti herself. The
learned, therefore, call Prakriti indestructible. Prakriti also, by
undergoing modifications, operates as the cause of Creation. The created
results appear and disappear, but not original Prakriti. Hence also is
Prakriti called indestructible. Thus have I told thee conclusions of the
Fourth Science based on the principles of ratiocinative inference and
having Emancipation for its end. Having acquired by the science of
ratiocinative inference and by waiting upon preceptors, the Rich, the
Samans, and the Yajushes, all the obligatory practices should be observed
and all the Vedas studied with reverence, O Viswavasu! O foremost of
Gandharvas, they who study the Vedas with all their branches but who do
not know the Supreme Soul from which all things take their birth and into
which all things merge when destruction comes, and which is the one
object whose knowledge the Vedas seek to inculcate. Indeed, they, who
have no acquaintance with that which the Vedas seek to establish, study
the Vedas to no purpose and bear their burthen of such study in vain. If
a person desirous of butter churns the milk of the she-ass, without
finding what he seeks he simply meets with a substance that is as foul of
smell as ordure. After the same manner, if one, having studied the Vedas,
fails to comprehend what is Prakriti and what is Purusha, one only proves
one's own foolishness of understanding and bears a useless burthen (in
the form of Vedic lore).[1668] One should, with devoted attention,
reflect on both Prakriti and Purusha, so that one may avoid repeated
birth and death. Reflection upon the fact of one's repeated births and
deaths and avoiding the religion of acts that is productive at best of
destructible results, one should betake oneself to the indestructible
religion of Yoga. O Kasyapa, if one reflects continuously on the nature of
the Jiva-soul and its connection with the Supreme Soul, one then succeeds
in divesting oneself of all attributes and in beholding the Supreme Soul.
The Eternal and Unmanifest Supreme Soul is regarded by men of foolish
understandings to be different from the twenty-fifth or Jiva-soul. They
are endued with wisdom that behold both these as truly one and the same.
Frightened at repeated births and deaths, the Sankhyas and Yogins regard
the Jiva-soul and the Supreme Soul to be one and the same.
"'"'Viswavasu then said, "Thou hast, O foremost of Brahmanas, said that
Jiva-soul is indestructible and truly undistinguished from the Supreme
Soul. This, however, is difficult to understand. It behoveth thee to once
more discourse on this topic to me. I have heard discourses on this
subject from Jaigishavya, Aista, Devala, the regenerate sage Parasara,
the intelligent Varshaganya, Bhrigu, Panchasikha Kapila, Suka, Gautama,
Arshtisena, the high-souled Garga, Narada, Asuri, the intelligent
Paulastya, Sanatkumara, the high-souled Sukra, and my sire Kasyapa.
Subsequently I heard the discourses of Rudra and the intelligent
Viswarupa, of several of the deities, of the Pitris and the Daityas. I
have acquired all that they say, for they generally discourse that
eternal object of all knowledge. I desire, however, to hear what thou
mayst say on those topics with the aid of thy intelligence. Thou art the
foremost of all persons, and a learned lecturer on the scriptures, and
endued with great intelligence. There is nothing that is unknown to thee.
Thou art an ocean of the Srutis, as described, O Brahmana, in the world
of both the deities and Pitris. The great Rishis residing in the region
of Brahma say that Aditya himself, the eternal lord of all luminaries, is
thy preceptor (in the matter of this branch of knowledge). O Yajnavalkya,
thou hast obtained the entire science, O Brahmana, of the Sankhyas, as
also the scriptures of the Yogins in particular. Without doubt, thou art
enlightened, fully conversant with the mobile immobile universe. I desire
to hear thee discourse on that knowledge, which may be likened to
clarified butter endued with solid grains."
"'"Yajnavalkya said, 'Thou art, O foremost of Gandharvas, competent to
comprehend every knowledge. As, however, thou askest me do thou hear me
then discourse to thee according as I myself have obtained it from my
preceptor. Prakriti, which is unintelligent, is apprehended by Jiva.
Jiva, however, cannot be apprehended by Prakriti, O Gandharva. In
consequence of Jiva being reflected in Prakriti, the latter is called
Pradhana by Sankhyas and Yogins conversant with the original principles
as indicated in the Srutis. O sinless one, the other, beholding, beholds
the twenty-fourth (Prakriti) and the twenty-fifth (Soul); not beholding,
it beholds the twenty-sixth.[1669] The twenty-fifth thinks that there is
nothing higher than itself. In reality, however, though beholding, it
does not behold that (viz., the twenty-sixth) which beholds it.[1670] Men
possessed of wisdom should never accept the Twenty-fourth (viz.,
Prakriti, which is unintelligent or inert) as identifiable with the
Twenty-fifth or the Soul which has a real and independent existence. The
fish live in water. It goes thither impelled by its own nature. As the
fish, though living in the water, is to be regarded as separate from it,
after the same manner is the Twenty-fifth to be apprehended (i.e., though
the Twenty-fifth exists in a state of contact with the Twenty-fourth or
Prakriti, it is, however, in its real nature, separate from and
independent of Prakriti). When overwhelmed with the consciousness of meum
or self, and when unable to understand its identity with the
Twenty-sixth, in fact, in consequence of the illusion that invests it, of
its co-existence with Prakriti, and of its own manner of thinking, the
Jiva-soul always skins down, but when freed from such consciousness it
goes upwards. When the Jiva-soul succeeds in apprehending that it is one,
and Prakriti with which it resides is another, then only does it, O
regenerate one, succeed in beholding the Supreme Soul and attaining to
the condition of Oneness with the universe. The Supreme is one, O king,
and the Twenty-fifth (or Jiva-soul) is another. In consequence, however,
of the Supreme overlying the Jiva-soul the wise regard both to be one and
the same.[1671] For these reasons, Yogins, and followers of the Sankhya
system of philosophy, terrified by the birth and death, blessed with
sight of the Twenty-sixth, pure in body and mind, and devoted to the
Supreme Soul, do not welcome the Jiva-soul as indestructible.[1672]
When one beholds the Supreme Soul and losing all consciousness of
individuality becomes identified with the Supreme, one then becomes
omniscient, and possessed of such omniscience one becomes freed from the
obligation of rebirth. I have thus discoursed to thee truly, sinless one,
about Prakriti which is unintelligent, and Jiva-soul which is possessed
of intelligence, and the Supreme Soul which is endued with omniscience,
according to the indications occurring in the Srutis. That man, who
beholds not any difference between the knower or the known, is both
Kevala and not-Kevala, is the original cause of the universe, is both
Jiva-soul and the Supreme Soul.'[1673]
"'"'Viswavasu said, "O puissant one, thou hast duly and adequately
discoursed on that which is the origin of all the deities and which is
productive of Emancipation. Thou hast said what is true and excellent.
May inexhaustible blessings always attend thee, and may thy mind be ever
united with intelligence!"'
"'"Yajnavalkya continued, 'Having said those words, the prince of
Gandharvas proceeded towards heaven, shining in resplendence of beauty.
Before leaving me, the high-souled one duly honoured me by taking the
accustomed turns round my person, and I looked upon him, highly pleased.
He inculcated the science he had obtained from me unto those celestials
that dwell in the regions of Brahman and other deities, unto those that
dwell on Earth, unto also the denizens of the nether regions, and unto
them that had adopted the path of Emancipation, O king. The Sankhyas are
devoted to the practices of their system. The Yogins are devoted to the
practices inculcated by their system. Others there are that are desirous
of achieving their Emancipation. Unto these latter this science is
productive of visible fruits, O lion among kings. Emancipation flows from
Knowledge. Without Knowledge it can never be attained. The wise have said
it, O monarch. Hence, one should strive one's best for acquiring true
Knowledge in all its details, by which one may succeed in freeing oneself
from birth and death. Obtaining knowledge from a Brahmana or a Kshatriya
or Vaisya or even a Sudra who is of low birth, one endued with faith
should always show reverence for such knowledge. Birth and death cannot
assail one that is endued with faith. All orders of men are Brahmanas.
All are sprung from Brahma. All men utter Brahma.[1674] Aided by an
understanding that is derived from and directed to Brahma, I inculcated
this science treating of Prakriti and Purusha. Indeed, this whole
universe is Brahma. From the mouth of Brahma sprung the Brahmanas; from
his arms, sprung the Kshatriyas; from his navel, the Vaisya; and from his
feet, the Sudras. All the orders, (having sprung in this way) should not
be regarded as pilfering from one another. Impelled by Ignorance, all men
meet with death and attain, O king, to birth that is the cause of
acts.[1675] Divested of Knowledge, all orders of men, dragged by terrible
Ignorance, fall into varied orders of being due to the principles that
flow from Prakriti. For this reason, all should, by every means, seek to
acquire Knowledge. I have told thee that every person is entitled to
strive for its acquisition. One that is possessed of Knowledge is a
Brahmana. Others, (viz., Kshatriyas and Vaisyas and Sudras) are possessed
of knowledge. Hence, this science of Emancipation is always open to them
all. This, O king has been said by the Wise. The questions thou hadst
asked me have all been answered by me agreeably to the truth. Do thou,
therefore, cast off all grief. Go thou to the other end of this enquiry.
Thy questions were good. Blessings on thy head for ever!'"
"'Bhishma continued, "Thus instructed by the intelligent Yajnavalkya the
king of Mithila became filled with joy. The king honoured that foremost
of ascetics by walking round his person. Dismissed by the monarch, he
departed from his court. King Daivarati, having obtained the knowledge of
the religion of Emancipation, took his seat, and touching a million of
kine and a quantity of gold and a measure of gems and jewels, gave them
away unto a number of Brahmanas. Installing his son in the sovereignty of
the Videhas, the old king began to live, adopting the practices of the
Yatis. Thinking mainly of all ordinary duties and their derelictions (as
laid down in the scriptures), the king began to study the science of the
Sankhyas and the Yogins in their entirety. Regarding himself to be
Infinite, he began to reflect on only the Eternal and Independent One. He
cast off all ordinary duties and their derelictions, Virtue and Vice,
Truth and Falsehood, Birth and Death, and all other things appertaining
to the principles produced by Prakriti. Both Sankhyas and Yogins,
agreeably to the teachings of their sciences, regard this universe to be
due to the action of the Manifest and the Unmanifest. The learned say
that Brahma is freed from good and evil, is self-dependent, the highest
of the high, Eternal, and Pure. Do thou, therefore, O monarch, become
Pure! The giver, the receiver of the gift, the gift itself, and that
which is ordered to be given away, are all to be deemed as the unmanifest
Soul. The Soul is the Soul's one possession. Who, therefore, can be a
stranger to one? Do thou think always in this way. Never think otherwise.
He who does not know what is Prakriti possessed of attributes and what is
Purusha transcending attributes, only he, not possessed as he is of
knowledge, repairs to sacred waters and performs sacrifices. Not by study
of the Vedas, not by penances, not by sacrifices O son of Kuru, can one
attain to the status of Brahma. Only when one succeeds in apprehending
the Supreme or Unmanifest, one comes to be regarded with reverence. They
who wait upon Mahat attain to regions of Mahat. They who wait upon
Consciousness, attain to the spot that belongs to Consciousness. They who
wait upon what is higher attain to places that are higher than these.
Those persons, learned in the scriptures, who succeed in apprehending
Eternal Brahma who is higher than Unmanifest Prakriti, succeed in
obtaining that which transcends birth and death, which is free from
attributes, and which is both existent and non-existent. I got all this
knowledge from Janaka. The latter had obtained it from Yajnavalkya.
Knowledge is very superior. Sacrifices cannot compare with it. With the
aid of Knowledge one succeeds in crossing the world's ocean which is full
of difficulties and dangers. One can never cross that ocean by means of
sacrifices. Birth and death, and other impediments, O king, men of
knowledge say, one cannot pass over by ordinary exertion.[1676] Men
attain to heaven through sacrifices, penances, vows, and observances. But
they have again to fall down therefrom on the Earth. Do thou, therefore,
adore with reverence that which is Supreme, most pure, blessed,
stainless, and sacred, and which transcends all states (being
Emancipation itself). By apprehending Kshetra, O king, and by performing
the Sacrifice that consists in the acquisition of Knowledge, thou wilt
really be wise. In former time, Yajnavalkya did that good to king Janaka
which is derivable from a study of the Upanishads. The Eternal and
Immutable Supreme was the topic about which the great Rishi had
discoursed to the king of Mithila. It enabled him to attain to that
Brahma which is auspicious, and immortal, and which transcends all kinds
of sorrow."'"