"'"The Brahmana said, 'Thou hast made strenuous efforts before all these persons (for making me a sharer of the rewards in store for thee as the consequences of thy own acts). Let us then become equal in respect of our rewards (in next life), and let us go to receive that end which is ours.' Knowing the resolve to which they came there, the chief of the gods came to that spot, accompanied by the deities and the Regents of the world. The Sadhyas, the Viswas, the Mantras, diverse kinds of loud and sweet music, the Rivers, the Mountains, the Seas, the Sacred Waters, the Penances, the Ordinances about yoga, the Vedas, the Sounds that accompany the singing of the Samans, Saraswati, Narada, Parvata, Viswavasu, the Hahas, the Huhus, the Gandharva Chitrasena with all the members of his family, the Nagas, the Sadhyas, the Munis, the god of gods, viz., Prajapati, and the inconceivable and thousand-headed Vishnu himself, came there. Drums and trumpets were beat and blown in the firmament. Celestial flowers were rained down upon those high-souled beings. Bands of Apsaras danced all around. Heaven, in his embodied form, came there. Addressing the Brahmana, he said, 'Thou hast attained to success. Thou art highly blessed.' Next addressing the monarch, he said, 'Thou also, O king, hast attained to success.' Those two persons then, O monarch (viz., the Brahmana and the king), having done good to each other, withdrew their senses from the objects of the world. Fixing the vital breaths Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana and Vyana in the heart, they concentrated the mind in Prana and Apana united together. They then placed the two united breaths in the abdomen, and directed their gaze to the tip of the nose and then immediately below the two eye-brows. They next held the two breaths, with the aid of the mind, in the spot that intervenes between the two eye-brows, bringing them there very gradually. With bodies perfectly inactive, they were absorbed with fixed gaze. Having control over their souls, they then placed the soul within the brain. Then piercing the crown of the high-souled Brahmana a fiery flame of great splendour ascended to heaven. Loud exclamations of woe, uttered by all creatures, were then heard on all sides. Its praises hymned by all, that splendour then entered Brahman's self. The Great grandsire, advancing forward, addressed that splendour which had assumed a form of the tallness of a span, saying, 'Welcome!' And once more he uttered these words, 'Verily, Reciters attain to the same end with the yogins. The attainment by the yogin of his end is an object of direct vision unto all these (here assembled). As regards Reciters, there is this distinction, that the honour is ordained for them of Brahman's advancing forward to receive them (after their departure from earth).[649] Dwell thou in me.' Thus spoke Brahman and once more imparted consciousness into that splendour. Indeed, the Brahmana then, freed from all anxieties, entered the mouth of the Creator. The monarch (Ikshvaku) also, after the same manner, entered the divine Grandsire like that foremost of Brahmanas. The (assembled) deities saluted the self-born and said, 'A very superior end is, indeed, ordained for Reciters. This exertion (that we have seen thee put forth) is for Reciters. As regards ourselves, we came hither for beholding it. Thou hast made these two equal, rendered them equal honour, and bestowed upon them an equal end. The high end that is reserved for both yogins and Reciters has been seen by us today. Transcending all regions (of felicity), these two are capable of going whithersoever they wish.'
"'"Brahman said, 'He also that would read the great Smriti (viz., the Veda), and he too, who would read the other auspicious Smritis that follow the former (viz., Manu's and the rest), would, in this way, attain to the same region with me. He also who is devoted to yoga, will, without doubt, acquire in this manner, after death, the regions that are mine. I go hence. Go ye all to your respective places for the accomplishment of your ends.'"
"'Bhishma continued, "Having said these words, that foremost of gods disappeared there and then. The assembled deities, having previously taken his leave, returned to their respective abodes. All those high-souled beings, having honoured Dharma, proceeded with well-pleased hearts, O monarch, walking behind that great deity. These are the rewards of reciters and this their end. I have described them to thee as I myself had heard of them. What else, O monarch, dost thou wish to hear of?"'"
SECTION CCI
"'Yudhishthira said, "What are the fruits of the yoga represented by
Knowledge of all the Vedas, and of the (various) observances and vows?
How also may the creature-soul be known? Tell us, this, O grandsire!"
"'Bhishma said, "In this connection is cited the old narrative of the discourse between that lord of creatures, viz., Manu, and the great Rishi, Vrihaspati. In days of old, the foremost of celestial Rishis, viz., Vrihaspati, who was a disciple of Manu, bowed to his preceptor and addressing that lord and first of all creatures, said, 'What is the cause (of the universe)? Whence have the ordinances (about sacrifices and other pious observances) flowed? What are those fruits which the learned say are attached to Knowledge? Tell me also truly, O illustrious one, what is that which the very Vedas have not been able to reveal? What are those fruits which are adored by eminent personages conversant with the science of Artha, with the Vedas, and with the Mantras, through sacrifices and plentiful gifts of kine? Whence do those fruits arise? Where are they to be found? Tell me also this old history, viz., whence have the earth, all earthly objects, wind, sky, aquatic creatures, water, heaven, and the denizens of heaven, all sprung? Man's inclinations tend towards that object about which he seeks knowledge. I have no knowledge of that Ancient and Supreme one. How shall I rescue myself from a false display of inclinations towards Him?[650] The Riks, all the Samanas, all the Yajuses, the Chhandas, Astronomy, Nirukta, Grammar, Sankalpa, and Siksha, I have studied. But I have no knowledge of the nature of the great creatures (the five primal elements) that enter into the composition of everything.[651] Tell me all I have asked thee, by using only simple assertions and distinguishing adjectives or attributes. Tell me what the fruits are of Knowledge and what those fruits that are attached to sacrifices and other religious rites. Explain to me how also an embodied being departs from his body and how he attains to another body.'
"'"Manu said, 'That which is agreeable to one is said to constitute one's happiness. Similarly, that which is disagreeable to one is said to constitute one's misery.—By this I shall obtain happiness and keep off misery—from a sentiment like this flow all religious acts. The efforts for the acquisition of Knowledge, however, arise from a sentiment for avoiding both happiness and misery.[652] The ordinances about sacrifices and other observances, that occur in the Vedas, are all connected with desire. He, however, who liberates himself from desire, succeeds in attaining to Brahma. That man who, from desire of winning happiness, walks in the path of acts which are of diverse kinds, has to go to hell.'[653]
"'"Vrihaspati said, 'Men's aspirations are concerned with the acquisition of the agreeable which ends in happiness, and the avoidance of the disagreeable which brings misery. Such acquisition and such avoidance again are accomplished by acts.'[654]
"'"Manu said, 'It is by liberating oneself from acts that one succeeds in entering into Brahma. The ordinances about acts have flowed for that very end.[655] The ordinances about acts tempts only those whose hearts are not free from desire. By liberating oneself from acts (as already said) one acquires the highest state. One desirous of felicity (Emancipation), betaking oneself to religious rites, becomes purified (from attachments) by acts having for their object the purification of the soul, and at last wins great splendour. By liberating oneself from acts, one acquires the highest end, viz., Brahma, which is very much above the reward that acts give. Creatures have all been created by Mind and Act. These again are the two best paths adored by all. Outward acts produce fruits that are transitory as also eternal. For acquiring the latter there is no other means than abandonment of fruits by the mind.[656] As the eye, when night passes away and the veil of darkness is removed from it, leads its possessor by its own power, so the Understanding, when it becomes endued with Knowledge, succeeds in beholding all evils that are worthy of avoidance.[657] Snakes, sharp-pointed kusa blades, and pits, men avoid when they perceive them lie on their way. If some tread upon or fall into them, they do so through ignorance. Behold the superiority of the fruits of knowledge (over those of ignorance). Mantras applied duly, sacrifices, the presents called Dakshina, gift of food, and concentration of the mind (for divine contemplation),—these are the five acts that are said to be productive of fruits, there being none else. Acts have (the three) attributes (of Sattwa, Rajas, and Tamas) for their soul. The Vedas say this. (The Vedas consist of Mantras). The Mantras, therefore, have the same three attributes, since it is with Mantras that acts are to be accomplished. The ritual also must be liable to the same three attributes. The fruits of action depend upon the mind. It is the embodied creature that enjoys those fruits.[658] All excellent kinds of sound, form, taste, touch, and scent, are the fruits of acts, being attainable in the region of acts (i.e., heaven). As regards, however, the fruits of knowledge, man acquires them even here before death.[659] Whatever acts are accomplished by means of the body, one enjoys the fruits thereof in a state of physical existence. The body is, indeed, the framework to which happiness inheres, as also the framework to which misery inheres.[660] Whatever acts are accomplished by means of words, their fruits are to be enjoyed in a state in which words can be spoken. Similarly, whatever acts are accomplished by the mind, their fruits are enjoyed in a state in which one is not freed from the mind.[661] Devoted to the fruits of acts, whatever kind of acts (Sattwika or Rajasika or Tamasika) a person covetous of fruits accomplishes, the fruits, good or bad, that he actually enjoys partake of their character. Like fishes going against a current of water, the acts of a past life come to the actor. The embodied creature experiences happiness for his good acts, and misery for his evil ones. Him from whom this universe hath sprung, Him by knowing whom persons of cleansed souls transgress this world, Him who has not been expressed by Vedic mantras and words, I will now indicate. Listen to me as I speak of that highest of the high. Himself liberated from the several kinds of taste and scent, and sound and touch and form, He is incapable of being grasped by the senses, unmanifest, without colour, the One, and He has created the five kinds of objects[662] for His creatures. He is neither female, nor male, nor of the neuter sex. He is neither existent, nor non-existent, nor existent-nonexistent.[663] Only those that are acquainted with Brahma behold Him. He knoweth no direction.'"'"