CHAPTER XXXIV. PRAHLÁDA’S SELF KNOWLEDGE OF SPIRITUALISM.
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Valmiki and Mitra, Viharilala
40. The universal soul is beyond the distinction, of my, thy or his individual spirit; and is above the limits of time, and place, of number and manner, of form or figure or shape or size.
41. It is one intelligent soul, which by its own intelligence, is the eye and witness of all visible things; and is represented as having a thousand eyes and hands and as many feet. (Wherewith he sees and grasps everything, and stands and moves in every place).
42. This is that ego of my-self, that wanders about the firmament, in the body of the shining sun; and wanders in other forms also, as those of air in the current winds. (The first person I is used for supreme Ego).
43. The sky is the azure body of my Vishnu with its accompaniments of the conchshell, discus, club and the lotus, in the clouds, all which are tokens of prosperity in this world by their blissful rains. (Vishnu is the lord of Lakshmí or prosperity, which is another name for a plenteous harvest. Her other name Srí the same with Ceres—the goddess of corn and mother of Prosperine in Grecian mythology).[15]
44. I find myself as identic with this god, while I am sitting in my posture of padmásana and in this state of Samádhi—hypnotism, and when I have attained my perfection in quietism. (which is the form of Vishnu in the serene sky).
45. I am the same with Siva—the god with his three eyes, and with his eye-balls rolling like bees, on the lotus face of Gaurí; and it is I that in the form of the god, Brahmá, contain the whole creation in me, as a tortoise contracts its limbs in itself. (The soul in rapture, seems to contain the macrocosm in itself).
46. I rule over the world in the form of Indra, and as a monk I command the monastery which has come down to me. i.e. I am an Indra, when I reign over my domain; and a poor monk, when I dwell in my humble cell.
47. I (the Ego) am both the male and female, and I am both the boy and girl; I am old as regards my soul, and I am young with regard to my body, which is born and ever renewed.
48. The ego is the grass and all kinds of vegetables on earth; as also the moisture wherewith it grows them, like its thoughts in the ground of the intellect; in the same manner as herbs are grown in holes and wells by their moisture. i.e. The ego or soul is the pith and marrow of all substance.
49. It is for pleasure that this ego has stretched out the world; like a clever boy who makes his dolls of clay in play. (God forms the world for his own amusement).
50. This ego is myself that gives existence to all being, and it is I in whom they live and move about; and being at last forsaken by me, the whole existence dwindles into nothing. (The ego is the individual as well the universal soul).
51. Whatever image is impressed in the clear mirror or mould of my intellect, the same and no other is in real existence, because there is nothing that exists beside or apart from myself.
52. I am the fragrance of flowers, and the hue of their leaves; I am the figure of all forms, and the perception of perceptibles.
53. Whatever movable or immovable thing is visible in this world; I am the inmost heart of it, without having any of its desires in my heart.
54. As the prime element of moisture, is diffused in nature in the form of water; so is my spirit overspread in vegetables and all things at large in the form of vacuum. (Which is in the inside and outside of every thing).
55. I enter in the form of consciousness, into the interior of everything; and extend in the manner of various sensation at my own will.
56. As butter is contained in milk and moisture is inherent in water; so is the power of the intellect spread in all beings, and so the ego is situated in the interior of all things.
57. The world exists in the intellect, at all times of the present, past and future ages; and the objects of intelligence, are all inert and devoid of motion; like the mineral and vegetable productions of earth.
58. I am the all-grasping and all-powerful form of Virát, which fills the infinite space, and is free from any diminution or decrease of its shape and size. I am this all-pervading and all-productive power, known as Virát múrti or macrocosm (in distinction from the súkshma-deha or microcosm).
59. I have gained my boundless empire over all worlds, without my seeking or asking for it; and without subduing it like Indra of old or crushing the gods with my arms. (Man is the lord of the world of his own nature, or as the poet says:—“I am the Monarch of all I survey, and my right there is none to dispute”).
60. O the extensive spirit of God! I bow down to that spirit in my spirit; and find myself lost in it, as in the vast ocean of the universal deluge.
61. I find no limit of this spirit; as long as I am seated in the enjoyment of my spiritual bliss; but appear to move about as a minute mollusk, in the fathomless expanse of the milky ocean.
62. This temple of Brahmánda or mundane world, is too small and straitened for the huge body of my soul; and it is impossible for me to be contained in it, as it is for an elephant to enter into the hole of a needle.
63. My body stretches beyond the region of Brahmá, and my attributes extend beyond the categories of the schools, and there is no definite limitation given of them to this day.
64. The attribute of a name and body to the unsupported soul is a falsehood, and so is it to compress the unlimited soul within the narrow bounds of the body.
65. To say this is I, and this another, is altogether wrong; and what is this body or my want of it, or the state of living or death to me? (Since the soul is an immortal and etherial substance and my true-self and essence).
66. How foolish and short-witted were my forefathers, who having forsaken this spiritual domain, have wandered as mortal beings in this frail and miserable world.
67. How great is this grand sight of the immensity of Brahma; and how mean are these creeping mortals, with their high aims and ambition, and all their splendours of royalty. (The glory of God, transcends the glory of glorious sun).
68. This pure intellectual sight of mine, which is fraught with endless joy, accompanied by ineffable tranquility, surpasses all other sights in the whole world. (The rapture of heavenly peace and bliss, has no bounds).
69. I bow down to the Ego, which is situated in all beings; which is the intelligent and intellectual soul, and quite apart from whatever is the object of intellection or thought (i.e. the unthinkable spirit).
70. I who am the unborn and increate soul, reign triumphant over this perishing world; by my attainment to the state of the great universal spirit, which is the chief object of gain—the summum bonum of mortal beings, and which I live to enjoy. (This sublimation of the human soul to the state of the supreme spirit, and enjoyment of spiritual beatification or heavenly rapture, is the main aim and end of Yoga meditation).
71. I take no delight in my unpleasant earthly dominion, which is full of painful greatness; nor like to lose my everlasting realm of good understanding, which is free from trouble and full of perpetual delight.
72. Cursed be the wicked demons that are so sadly ignorant of their souls; and resort for the safety of their bodies, to their strongholds of woods and hills and ditches, like the insects of those places.
73. Ignorance of the soul leads to the serving of the dull ignorant body, with articles of food and raiment; and it was thus that our ignorant elders pampered their bodies for no lasting good.
74. What good did my father Hiranyakasipu reap, from his prosperity of a few years in this world; and what did he acquire worthy of his descent; in the line of the great sage Kasyapa?
75. He who has not tasted the blissfulness of his soul, has enjoyed no true blessing, during his long reign of a hundred years in this world.
76. He who has gained the ambrosial delight of his spiritual bliss, and nothing of the temporary blessings of life; has gained something which is ever full in itself, and of which there is no end to the end of the world.
77. It is the fool and not the wise, who forsakes this infinite joy for the temporary delights of this world; and resembles the foolish camel which foregoes his fodder of soft leaves, for browzing the prickly thorns of the desert.
78. What man of sense would turn his eyes from so romantic a sight, and like to roam in a city burnt down to the ground: and what wise man is there that would forsake the sweet juice of sugarcane, in order to taste the bitterness of Nimba?
79. I reckon all my forefathers as very great fools, for their leaving this happy prospect, in order to wander in the dangerous paths of their earthly dominion.