Translated by Dr. A. G. Krishna Warrier
Published by The Theosophical Publishing House, Chennai
Om ! That (Brahman) is infinite, and this (universe) is infinite.
The infinite proceeds from the infinite.
(Then) taking the infinitude of the infinite (universe),
It remains as the infinite (Brahman) alone.
Om ! Let there be Peace in me !
Let there be Peace in my environment !
Let there be Peace in the forces that act on me !
LESSON ONE: THE SUBSISTENCE AND DISSOLUTION OF THE UNIVERSE
1-3. The Unqualified Brahman: They say – ‘What existed ?’ He replied ‘Neither the existent nor the non-existent. From that Tamas was born; from Tamas was born Bhitadi (Prakriti – Matter), from it space, from space air, from air fire, from fire water and from water earth.
This became the Egg; which existing for just a year became two-fold – earth below and sky above. Between was Divine Man with a thousand heads, eyes, feet and arms (Virat-purusha).
4-6. He at first created the death of all creatures, having three eyes, heads and feet, armed with an axe. Brahma was afraid – he entered Brahma himself, he created seven mental sons – they created seven Virats, the pro-creators.
His face was Brahmana, arms were made into Kshatriya, thighs became the Vaishya, Sudra was born from the feet, air and vital air (Prana) from his ear, all this is from his heart.
Thus the First Section
1. From the Apana were created Nisadas, Yakshas etc., from the bones mountains, from the hair plants and trees, from the forehead Rudra (of anger).
2. The breath of this great being became Rik and other Vedas, phonetics, kalpa (the manual of ritual), grammar, etymology, metre, logic, astronomy, exegetic, law, comments, glosses etc.
3. The golden light in which dwell the self, all worlds made itself into two – woman and man. Becoming Deva created Devas, becoming Rishi created Rishis, also Yakshas etc., as well as wild as wild and domestic animals, bull and cow, horse and mare,
male and female donkey, earth and the boar.
4. At the end, becoming Vaisvanara (fire), he burned (destroyed) all creatures – earth was absorbed in water, water in fire, fire in air, air in ether, ether in sense organs, they in subtle elements, they in Prakriti, Prakriti in Mahat, Mahat in Avyakta, Avyakta in
Akshara, Akshara in Tamas, it in God. Then there is neither existent nor non-existent. This is the doctrine of dissolution (as given in) Vedas.
Thus the Second Section
LESSON TWO: THE FOURTH PRINCIPLE
1. In the beginning, this was non-existent. The man of wisdom does grow, meditating upon the Atman which has no birth, no rising, nor setting, unestablished, having no sound, touch, form, taste, smell, decay nor any thing bigger.
2. Without vital breath, face, ears, speech, mind, radiance, eyes, name, lineage, head, hands or feet, smoothness, blood, measurability, neither long, short nor gross, nor atomic, shoreless, beyond description, not open, nor illuminable, nor closed, without inside or outside; it neither eats nor is eaten.
3. One can achieve (realize) this only by means of truth, charity, undying austerity, celibacy, detachment with six parts. He shall observe the three, self control, munificence and compassion. His vital airs do not depart but merge here in Brahman.
Thus the Third Section
1. In the midst of the heart, is a mass of red flesh in which is the Dahara of Lotus (in shape), blossoming in many ways like lily – there are ten holes in the heart where the vital airs are established.
2. When the (Jiva) is connected with Prana, then he sees rivers and cities of many kinds; when with Vyana, he sees Devas and Rishis; with Apana, Yakshas etc.; with Udana, the celestial worlds, gods, Skanda and Jayanta; with Samana, wealth also; with Vairambha (Prana) sees what is seen, heard, eaten and not eaten, visible and invisible.
3. Then these Nadis become hundred; from these, branch out seventy two thousand Nadis, in which the self sleeps and makes noises, in the second sheath he sleeps and sees this world and the other, hears all sounds – this they call clarity. Prana defends the body. The Nadis are filled with green, blue, yellow, red and white blood.
4. This Dahara lotus is blooming in many ways like a lily and like hair, so also the Nadis are placed in the heart. The divine self sleeps in the great sheath when there are no desires, no sleep even, there are no Devas or their worlds, Yagas, Mother, Father,
kinsmen, no thieves or Brahmana-killer. All this is water – Again by the same path, he returns to wakefulness, this Samraj.
Thus the Fourth Section
1. The supreme being assigns places to their owners – the Nadi is their link. The eye is the owner in the body amidst the elements – what is seen in the divinity – the artery is the link. He that is in the eye, in the sun, artery, vital air, knowledge, bliss, heart’s sky – he that moves inside all these is the self. Meditate on that self that is ageless, deathless, fearless, endless.
2. The ear is the owner in the body amidst the elements, (the guardians of) the quarters the deity, the artery is the link. He that is in the ear, audible objects, in the quarters etc., — he that moves inside all this is the self. Meditate on that self who is ageless, deathless, fearless, painless, endless.
3. The nose is the owner in the body, the smellable is the elemental. The earth is the deity, the artery is the link. He that is in the nose etc., — meditate on him.
4. The tongue is the owner of the body, the savourable is the elemental. Varuna is the deity; the artery is the link. He that is in the tongue etc., — meditate on him.
5. The skin is the owner of the body, the touchable is the elemental, Vayu is the deity, the artery is the link. He that is in the skin etc., — meditate on him.
6. The mind is the owner, the thinkable things are the elemental, the moon is the deity, the artery is the link. He that is in the mind etc., — meditate on him.
7. Intellect is the owner, the cognizable is the elemental. Brahma the deity etc. He that is in the intellect etc., — meditate on him.
8. Ego is the owner – object of the ‘I’ concept is the elemental, Rudra the deity – He that is the ego – meditate on him.
9. Speech the owner, utterable the elemental, fire the deity – He that is – meditate on him.
10. The mind stuff is the owner, the apprehensible is the elemental, the Jiva is the deity – meditate on him.
11. The hands are the owners, what is grasped is the elemental, Indra the deity – He that is in the hands etc., — meditate on him.
12. The feet are the owners, the destination is the elemental, Vishnu the deity – He that is in the feet etc., — meditate on him.
13. The male organ is the owner, the delectable is the elemental, Prajapati is the deity – He that is in the male organ etc., — meditate on him.
14. He is the omniscient, almighty, inner ruler, source of all, waited on by all bliss but does not wait on bliss; waited on by Vedas and Shastras, but not waiting on them; whose food all this is but who is never food; agent and governor of all leadings, made of food-soul of elements, made of Prana – soul of sense-organs, made of mind; soul of thought, made of knowledge – soul of time, made of bliss – soul of dissolution.
15. There is oneness – how can there be duality – No mortality – how immortality ? Not cognisant inwardly or outwardly, or both ways – not a mass of knowledge, neither knowing nor not knowing.
