मोक्षधर्म पर्व — विविध भूत, अहंकार और बुद्धि

Shuka said O illustrious one, O foremost of Rishis, once again describe to me fully the subject bearing on soul. Tell me what, in deed, is spiritual topic and whence does it come?

Vyasa said That, O son, which is considered as spiritual with reference to human beings, I shall now mention to you, and listen to the explanation I give.

Earth, water, light, wind, and entities are the great principles which form the component parts of all creatures, and though really one are yet considered different like the waves of the Ocean.

Like a tortoise extending out its limbs and withdrawing then again, the great elements, by living in innumerable small forms, go through transformations.

All this universe of mobile and immobile objects has for its component parts these five elements. Everything, regarding creation and destruction, is referable to this fivefold elements.

These five elements are in all existent things. The Creator of all things, however, has made an unequal distribution of those elements for serving different ends.

How can one understand that unequal distribution in the various objects of the universe? Which amongst them are the senses and which the attributes? How may this be understood?

Vyasa said I shall explain this to you properly, one after another. Listen with rapt attention to the subject as I explain how what I have said actually takes place.

Sound, the sense of hearing, and all the cavities within the body,-these three Originate-from ether. The vital airs, the action of the limbs, and touch are the attributes of the wind.

From eyes and the digestive fire within the stomach, originate from light. Taste, tongue, and all the humours,—these three originate from water.

Scent, nose, and the body,-these three,-form the attributes of earth. These then, as I have explained to you, are the changes of the five (great) elements in connection with the senses.

Touch is said to be attribute of the wind; taste of water; form of light. Sound originate from ether, and scent is the property of earth.

Mind, Understanding, and Nature,—these three, originate from their own previous states, and acquiring a position higher than the attributes, do not get over those attributes.

As the tortoise extends its limbs and withdraws them once again within itself, so the Understanding creates the senses and once again withdraws them into itself. The consciousness of ego which arises about what is above the soles of the feet and below the crown of the head, is mainly due to the action of the Understanding.

It is the Understanding which is transformed into the (five) attributes. It is the Understanding also which is transformed into the (five) senses with the mind for the sixth. Where the attributes when the Understanding is nowhere? are Own

There are five senses in man. The mind is called the sixth. The Understanding is called the seventh. The Soul is the eighth.

The eyes and the other senses are for only receiving impressions of form, etc. The mind exists for doubting. The Understanding determines those doubts. The Soul is said to only see every work without mingling with them.

The qualities of goodness, darkness and ignorance originate from their counterparts. These exist equally in all creatures. These are called qualities and should be known by the actions they produce.

Regarding those actions, all such states of cheerfulness or joy, of tranquillity and purity which one becomes conscious of in one self, should be known as due to the quality of goodness.

All such states of sorrow in either the body or the mind, should be considered as due to the influence of the quality of darkness.

All such states of stupefaction whose cause cannot be deterinined (by either reason or inward light), should be known as due to the action of Ignorance.

Delight, cheerfulness, joy, equanimity, contentment of heart, due to any known cause or originating otherwise, are all effects of the quality of goodness.

Pride, false speech, cupidity, stupefaction, vindictiveness, whether originating from any known cause or otherwise, are characteristics of the quality of darkness.

Stupefaction of judgement, carelessness, sleep, lethargy, and indolence, from whatever cause these may originate, are to be regarded as the characteristics of the quality of Ignorance.