The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol. 3 (of 4), Part 2 (of 2)Valmiki
Religion
The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol. 3 (of 4), Part 2 (of 2)
Valmiki
Hinduism -- Doctrines -- Early works to 1800; Religious life -- Hinduism -- Early works to 1800
17. It thinks of taking a body and becomes the very body, as a potter
having the idea of a pot forms it in the same manner. Such being the
nature of the soul of being and doing all what it likes, it is thence
styled the _puryashtaka_ or manifest in its said eight different forms.
18. The Intellect is also called the _puryashtaka_ or octuple soul,
from its presiding over the eight fold functions of a person; as those
of perception, action and passion and inspection or witnessing of all
things and the like; as also from its inward consciousness and the
power of vitality. (The gloss gives the following explanations of these
words, _viz._--Perception of what is derived by the organs of sense.
Action of what is done by the organs of action [Sanskrit: karmendriya].
Passion or the feelings of pleasure or pain that is so derived.
Inspection or the silent witnessing of all things by the isolated soul.
And so on).
19. The living soul takes upon it different forms at different times,
according as it is employed in any one of these octuple functions; and
also as it is actuated by the various desires, that rise in it by turns.
20. The octuple nature of the soul causes it to put forth itself, in
the same form, as it is led to by its varying desire at any time; in
the same manner as a seed shoots forth in its leaves, according to the
quantity of water with which it is watered.
21. The soul forgets its intellectual nature, and thinks it's a mortal
and material being, embodied in the form of a living creature or some
inanimate being, and ever remains insensible of itself under the
influence of its erroneous belief.
22. Thus the living soul wanders about in the world, as it is dragged
to and fro by the halter of desire tied about its neck; now it soars
high and then it plunges below like a plank, rising up and sinking
below the waves and currents of the sea.
23. There is some one, who after being released from his imprisonment
in this world, comes to know the supreme soul, and attains to that
state which has neither its beginning nor end.
24. There are others also, who being weary and worried by their
transmigrations in multitudinous births, come after the lapse of a long
period to their knowledge of the soul, and obtain thereby their state
of final bliss at last.
25. It is in this manner, O intelligent Ráma, that the living soul
passes through many bodily forms, and you shall hear now, how it
comes to perceive the outward objects of the pots &c. by means of the
external organs of perception--the vision and others.
26. After the intellect has taken the form of the living soul, and
the same has received its vitality; the action of the heart sends its
feelings to the mind, which forms the sixth organ of the body.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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