मोक्षधर्म पर्व — सगुण क्या है और निर्गुण क्या

That which is without qualities, O son, can never be explained by assigning qualities to it. Listen, however, to me as I explain to you what is endued with qualities and what is devoid of them.

Great Munis conversant with the truth about principles say that when Soul seizes qualities like a crystal catching the reflection of a red flower, he is said to be possessed of qualities; but when freed from qualities like the crystal freed from reflection, he is seen in his real nature, which is as above all qualities.

Unmanifest Nature is by her nature endued with qualities. She cannot transcends them. Shorn of intelligence by nature she becomes attached to qualities.

Unmanifest Nature cannot know anything, while Purusha, by his nature, is endued with knowledge.—There is nothing higher than myself, the Soul is always conscious of it.

Therefore the unmanifest Nature, although by nature inanimate and unintelligent, still becomes animate and intelligent on account of her union with the Soul who is Eternal and Indestructible instead of remaining in her own nature owing to her destructibility.

When Soul, through ignorance, repeatedly becomes associated with qualities, he fails to understand his own real nature and therefore he fails to acquire Liberation.

On account of the Soul's Supremacy over the principles that originate from Nature he is said to partake of the nature of those principles. On account also of his agency in the matter of creation, he is said to possess the quality of creation. On account of his agency in the matter of Yoga, he is said to possess the quality of Yoga. For his Supremacy over those particular principles know by the name of Nature, he is said to possess the character of Nature.

For his agency in the matter of creating the seeds, he is said to partake of the nature of those seeds. And because he causes the several principles or qualities to come into being, he is, therefore, said to be subject to decay and destruction.

On account, again, of his being the witness of everything, and on account, also of there being nothing else than he, as also for his consciousness of oneness with Nature, Yatis endued with ascetic success, conversant with the spiritual science, and freed from fever of every sort, consider him as existing by himself without a second, immutable, unmanifest, unstable, and manifest.

This is what we have heard. Those Sankhyas, however, that depend upon Knowledge only and the practice of mercy for all creatures, say that it is Nature which is Ore but souls are many.

As a matter of fact, Soul is different from Nature which though unstable, still appears as stable. As a blade of reed is different from its outer cover, so is Soul different from Nature.

Indeed, the worm that lies within the Udumvara should be known as different from the Udumvara, Though existing with the Udumvara, the worm is not to be considered as forming a part of the Udumvara.

The fish is separate from the water in which it lives, and the water is separate from the fish that lives in it. Though the fish and water exist together, yet it is never drenched by water.

The fire that lies in an earthen saucepan is separate from the earthen saucepan, and the saucepan is separate from the fire it contains. although the fire exists in and with the saucepan, yet it is not to be considered as constituting any part of it.

The lotus-leaf that lies afloat on a piece of water is separate from the piece of water on which it floats. Because it exists with water it does not form a portion of the water.

The eternal existence of those objects in and with those mentioned, is never correctly understood by ordinary mortals.

They who see Nature and Soul in any other light are said to possess an incorrect vision. It is certain that they have repeatedly to sink into dreadful hell.

I have thus told you the philosophy of the Sankhyas, that excellent science by which all things have been correctly determined. Ascertaining the nature of Soul and Nature in this way, the Sankhyas acquire Liberation.

I have also told of the systems of those others who are conversant with the great principles of the universe. I shall now describe to you the science of the Yogins,