Argument. Description of the twelve species of Human beings and the ways of their liberation.
Vasishtha said:—Hear me now relate to you, Ráma! the several classes of higher, lower and middling species of beings, and the various grades of their existence here and elsewhere in the scale of creation. (i.e. The spontaneous production of beings suo motu, when they were not bound by karma-vipáka or acts of a prior life, to be born in any particular form or state on earth).
2. They were the first in their production, and are known as the idam-prathama—or the first class in their birth, whose long practice in a course of virtuous actions in prior states, has secured to them the property of goodness—satva-guna only. (These are the holy saints and sages, who are entitled to their liberation in life time, and upon separation from their bodies).
3. The second grade is called the guna pívari or state of sound qualities, which is attained by the prosperous, and leads them to meritorious deeds, to the acquisition of their desired objects, and their right dealing in the affairs of the world.
(This meritorious state becomes entitled to liberation after some births in this earth).
4. The third grade is termed the sasatwá, or the state of substantiality of men of substance. It is attended with like results, proportioned to the righteous and unrighteous acts of men, who may obtain their liberation after a hundred transmigrations of their souls on earth.
5 & 6. The fourth grade comprises infatuated people called atyanta támasi, who are addicted to their varying desires in this changeful world, and come to the knowledge of truth, after passing a thousand lives in ignorance and sin, and suffering the effects proportionate to their good or evil deeds.
7. The fifth grade is composed of men of a baser nature, called adhama-satwá by the wise, and who may possibly have their liberation, after a course of numberless births in different shapes and forms.
8. The sixth grade is composed of those extremely benighted men (atyanta támasi), who are doubtful of their liberation (Sandigdha-moksha), and continue in the vicious course of their past lives.
9. Those who after passing two or three previous births in other states, are born afterwards with the quality of gentleness, these are reckoned as the seventh grade, and are denominated the Rájashi—gentry or gentility.