On attainment of Knowledge, the region of the Brahman, one does not die, one is not reborn, one does not become old and one does not decay.
It is where the Supreme Brahman is. IT is Un-manifest, Unmoving and Fixed. IT is not split and analyzed. IT has no extension. IT is Immortal. The devotee, who understands
the esoteric doctrine of yoga, (attains to IT).
Those who are impartial to all, those who are friendly to all, those who are engaged in everything conducive to the welfare of all living beings are not affected by pairs of
opposites or by mental activities.
The Purusa possessed of Knowledge is different from the Purusa possessed of karma. O Brahmins! The moon that stands with its full complement of subtle digits is different
from the sense of touch it has.
This has been mentioned by the sage, and it is sung in detail. It cannot be seen or recounted like a spoke in a revolving wheel in the sky.
The embodied form has the full complement of all digits. It has eleven created things within itself. O Brahmins! Understand it to be of the nature of karma and gunas
(qualities).
The splendid atman that has resorted to the physical body like the moon in the sky should be known as Kshetrajna. It is eternal. It has realized the Brahman by means of
yoga.
Tamas, Rajas and Sattva should be known as the qualities of the Jiva (individual soul). The Jiva has all the qualities of the Supreme Soul.
They (the wise sages) say that consciousness is innate in the Jiva. It activates the qualities of the Jiva. Thereafter, those who allow importance to the physical body say that they (the qualities of the Jiva) can create seven worlds.
Vyasa said:
The creatures (living beings) of Prakrti are known as (individual souls). They do not, however, comprehend their souls.
The individual soul performs the activities of the living being through the sense organs, with the mind as the sixth among them, just as the sober charioteer manages his
chariot by means of superb well-controlled horses.
The sense-objects are greater than the sense-organs; the mind is greater than the sense-objects; the intellect is greater than the mind; the great principle known as atman
is greater than the intellect; the Un-manifest One is greater than all these. The Immortal One is greater than the Un-manifest. There is nothing greater than the Immortal.
That is the climax. That is the supreme goal.
Thus the atman that is hidden in all living beings is not easily revealed. It is perceived by persons of subtle vision by means of perfect, subtle intellect.
The yogi shall cause his sense-organs including the mind to dissolve in the inner soul by means of his intellect. He shall not ponder over the sense-objects through (the
activities of) the sense-organs. He shall not think at all by means of his mind. He shall merge it with the soul by means of Knowledge and make it perfect in meditation. He
shall thereby attain to tranquility of the soul. He shall not have anyone else to rule over him. He shall go to the supreme region.
One who slavishly submits to one’s sense organs or one whose faculty of memory is shaken becomes a victim of death by yielding oneself. But if one subdues all (wishful)
thoughts and directs the mind towards sattva, after stabilizing the mind in sattva, one shall become victorious over death.
By means of clarity of thought (vision), the ascetic eschews the auspicious and inauspicious. One whose soul is pleased abides in the Atman, and attains to everlasting bliss.
The clearness (clarity) of the mind has varied characteristics. It is like happiness during slumber. It is like a lamp that shines without flickering, in a place not affected by wind. Similarly, one who practices yoga early in the night or early in the morning by uniting the atman (individual soul) with the Atman (Supreme Soul) sees the Atman in the atman. Such a seeker shall have to limit his diet and purify his senses.
This is the secret of the Veda. It is unparalleled; it is free from ailments; it convinces one about the existence of the Atman. One shall impart this sacred doctrine to one’s
son. This is the nectar that has resulted by churning for ten thousand years the wealth of all virtuous discourses and truthful narratives.
Just as butter is produced out of curd and as fire is produced from the sacrificial twig, so also this Knowledge is acquired for the salvation of wise scholars.
This Knowledge should be imparted to those who have completed the stage of Brahma-charya. This should never be mentioned to one who is not tranquil, who has no control over one’s sense-organs, who does not perform austerities, who has not mastered the Veda, who is not obedient, who is not straightforward, who is jealous, who does not act according to directions, who is given to argumentation or who is a backbiter.
This secret Knowledge should be imparted to one who is praiseworthy, who is tranquil, who is austere and who is obedient. It should by no means be imparted to anyone
else.
Even if the whole of the earth filled with all jewels were offered against this, a seeker who knows Reality shall prefer this (Knowledge) to that.
The Aadhyaatma (spiritual) doctrine that is super-human contains greater secrets than the Yogic-knowledge. It has been perceived by great sages. It is sung about in the
Vedanta.
O good and noble Ones! I have given unto you what you asked me. What else shall I tell you?
The sages said:
Describe once again to us the Aadhyaatma doctrine in detail, O holy One, the most excellent of all sages, so that we can fully understand it.
Vyasa said:
I shall explain to you all what is recounted as Aadhyaatma in regard to a person. Understand it properly.
The great elements are the Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space (Ether). He who is the Creator of these elements is within all the living beings.
The sages said:
The Ether, etc have no shape. No one sees anybody or anything in them. How can one then explain their presence in the physical bodies? There are certain qualities in the sense-organs. How can one comprehend them?
Vyasa said:
I shall explain this precisely in accordance with what is seen (in the scriptures). Listen attentively and comprehend them according to reality.
Sound, ear (hearing) and void space are the traits of Ether. Vital airs, movement and touch are the qualities of Vayu (air).
Colour, eye (vision) and gastric action (digestion) are the qualities of Fire. Taste (such as sweet), tongue, etc are the qualities of Water.
What is smelt, nose and the physical body are the qualities of Earth.
The group of sense organs has thus evolved out of the five elements.
The quality of touch belongs to Air (Wind), the quality of taste to Water, the quality of colour to Fire, the quality of sound to Ether, and the quality of smell to Earth.
The mind, intellect and intrinsic nature are born of their origins. They transcend gunas; they are greater than gunas.
