अनुगीता पर्व — पंच महाभूत

Brahman said From Egoism were, indeed, born the five great elements. They are earth, air, ether, water and light numbering the fifth.

In these five great clements, in the matter of the operations of sound, touch, colour, tasie, and smell, all creatures become deluded.

When at the close of the destruction of the great elements, the dissolution of the universe comes, O wisemen, a great fear possesses all living creatures.

Every existent object is dissolved into that from which it is produced. The dissolution takes place in an order that is the reverse of that in which creation occurs. Indeed, as regards birth, they are born from one another.

Then, when all existent objects, mobile and immobile, become become dissolved, wise men possessed of a powerful memory never dissolve.

Sound, touch, colour, taste, and smell numbering the fifth, are effects. They are, however, inconstant, and called by the name of delusion.

Generated by the production of cupidity, not different from one another, without reality, connected with flesh and blood, and depending upon one another, existing outside the soul, these are all helpless and powerless. Prana and Apana, and Udana and Samana and Vyana, these five vital airs are always closely attached to the soul. Together with speech, mind, and understanding, they form the universe of eight ingredients.

He whose skin, nose, ear, eyes, tongue, and speech are controlled, whose mind is pure, and whose understanding deviates not (from the right path), and whose mind is never burnt by those eight fires, succeeds in acquiring that auspicious Brahma than which nothing superior exists.

I shall now, O twice-born ones, mention particularly, those which have been called the eleven organs and which have originated from Egoism.

They are the ear, the skin, the two eyes, the longue, the nose for the fifth, the two feet, the lower duct, the organ of generation, the two hands, and speech forming the tenth.

These form the group of organs, with mind numbering as the eleventh. One should first subdue this group. Then will Brahma shine forth (in him).

Five amongst these are called organs of knowledge, and five, organs of action. The five beginning with the ear are connected with knowledge.

The rest, however, which are connected with action, are without distinction. The mind should be considered as belonging to both. The understanding is the twelfth in the top.

Thus have been enumerated the eleven organs in due order. Learned man, having understood these, think they have done everything.

I shall, after this, enumerate all the various orgains. Space (or Ether) is the first. As connected with the soul, it is called the ear.

As connected with objects, it is sound. The presiding deity (of this) is the quarters. The Wind is the second. As connected with the soul, it is known as the skin.

As connected with objects, it is known as objects of touch; and the presiding deity there is touch. The third is said to be Light. As connected with the soul, it is known as the eye.

As connected with objects, it is colour; and the sun is its deity. The fourth should be known as Water. As connected with the soul, it is said to be the tongue.

As connected with objects, it is taste and the presiding deity there is Soma. The fifth is Earth. As connected with the soul, it is said to be the nose.

As comected with objects it is scent; and the presiding deity there is the wind. Thus has the manner been described of how the five entities are divided into sets of three.

After this I shall describe everything about the various (other) organs. Brahmanas knowing the truth say that the two feet are mentioned as connected with the soul.

As connected with objects, it is motion; and Vishnu is there the presiding deity. The Apana air, whose motion is downward, as connected with the soul, is called the lower duct.

As connected with objects, it is the excreta that is ejected; and the presiding deity there is Mitra. As connected with the soul, the organ of generation is mentioned, the producer of all beings.

As connected with objects, it is the vital sec; and the presiding deity is Prajapati. The two hands are mentioned as connected with the soul by persons knowing the relations of the soul.

As connected with objects, it is actions; and the presiding deity there is Indra. Next, connected with the soul is speech which relates to all the celestials.

As connected with objects, it is what is spoken. The presiding deity there is Agni. As connected with the soul, the mind is mentioned, which moves within the soul of the five elements.

As connected with objects, it is the mental operation; and the presiding deity is the moon. As connected with the soul is Egoism, which is the cause of the entire course of worldly life.

As connected with objects, it is consciousness of self; and the presiding deity there is Rudra. As connected with the soul is the understanding, which moves the six senses.

As connected with objects, it is that which is to be understood, and the presiding deity there is Brahman. Three are the seats of all existent objects. A fourth is not possible.

These are land, water, and ether. The birth is fourfold. Some are born of eggs; some are born of germs which; spring upwards, passing through the earth; some are born of fifth; and some are born of fleshy balls in wombs.

Thus the birth of all living creatures is of four kinds. Now, there are other inferior beings and likewise those which range the sky.

These should be known to be born of eggs as also those which crawl on their breasts. Insects are said to be born of fifth, as also other creatures of a like description.

This is said to be the second mode of birth and is inferior. Those living creatures which take birth after the lapse of sometime, bursting through the earth, are said to be germ-born beings, O foremost of twice-bom persons! Creatures of two fect or of many fect, and those which move crookedly, are the beings born of wombs. Among them are some which are deformed, you best of men! The eternal womb of Brahma should be known to be of two kinds, viz., penance and meritorious acts. Such is the doctrine of the learned. Action should be understood to be of various kinds, such as sacrifice, gifts made at sacrifices, and the meritorious duty of study for every one that is born; such is the teaching of the ancients. He who duly understands this, comes to be considered as possessed of Yoga, you chief of twice-born persons.

Know also that such a man becomes freed too from all his sins. I have thus described to you duly the doctrine of spiritual science.

You Rishis knowing all duties, a knowledge of this is gained by those who are considered as persons, viz., the senses, the objects of the senses, and the five great elements, one should keep them in the mind.

When everything is immersed in the mind, one no longer regards highly the pleasures of life. Learned men, whose understandings are furnished with knowledge, consider that as true happiness.

I shall, after this, tell you of renunciation about all entities by means gentle and hard, which produces attachment to subtle topics and which is fraught with auspiciousness.

That conduct which consists in treating the qualities as not qualities, which is shorn of attachment, which is living alone, which does not recognise distinctions, and which is full of Brahma, is the root of all happiness.

The learned man who takes all desires himself from all sides like thc tortoise withdrawing all its limbs, who is devoid of passion, and who is freed from everything, becoming always happy.

Controlling all desires within the soul, killing his thirst, concentrated in mediation, and becoming the friend of good heart towards all creatures, he succeeds in becoming fit for assimilation with Brahma.

Through suppression of all the senses which always hanker after their objects, and abandonment of inhabited places, the spiritual fire blazes forth in the man of contemplation.

As a fire, fed with fuel, becomes bright on account of the burning flames it puts forth, so, on account of the repression of the senses, the great soul puts forth its effulgence.

When one with a tranquil soul sees all entities in his own heart, then, lighted by his own effulgence, one attains to that which is subtler than the subtle and which is peerless in excellence.

It is settled that the body has fire for colour, water for blood and other liquids, wind for sense of touch, earth for the hideous holder of mind (viz., flesh and bones, etc.), space (or ether) for sound; that it is pervaded by disease and sorrow; that it is overwhelmed by five currents; that it is made up of the five elements; that it has nine doors and two deities; that it is full of passion; that it is unfit to be seen; that it made up of three qualities; that it has three elements, (viz., wind, bile, and phlegm); that it is delighted with attachments of every kind; that it is full of delusion.

It is difficult of being moved in this mortal world, and it rests on the understanding as its stay. That body is, in called delusion. It is this body which stretches forth, contracts, and awakens the universe with the immortals.

By controlling the senses, one renounces lust, anger, fear, cupidity, enmity, and falsehood, which are cternal and, therefore, highly difficult to renounce.

He who has controlled these in this world, viz., the three qualities and the five elements of the body, has the Highest for his seat in the celestial region. By him is Infinity attained.

Crossing the river which has the five senses for its steep banks, the mental inclinations for its powerful waters, and delusion for its lake, one should control both lust and anger,

Such a man, freed from all faults, then sces the Highest, concentrating the mind within the mind and sceing self in self.

Understanding all things, he sees his self, with self, in all creatures, sometimes as one and sometimes as various, changing form from time to time.

Forsooth, he can perceive numerous bodies like a hundred lights from one light. Indeed, he is Vishnu and Mitra, and Varuna and Agni, and Prajapati.

He is the Creator and the ordainer; he is the powerful Lord, with faces turned in all directions. In him, the heart of all creatures, the great soul, becomes resplendent.

All the learned Brahmanas, celestials, Asuras, Yakshas, Pishachas, the departed manes, birds, Rakshasas, goblins, and all the great Rishis, laud Him.