The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol 4 (of 4), Part 1 (of 2)Valmiki
Religion
The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, Vol 4 (of 4), Part 1 (of 2)
Valmiki
Hinduism -- Doctrines -- Early works to 1800; Religious life -- Hinduism -- Early works to 1800
20. Whatever is perceived (by the intellect), the same is said as the
object; and the sight or seeing thereof by it, is the cause of its
perception, just as the light of a luminary, is the cause of ocular
vision.
21. Thus endless products of the intellect appear before it, as distinct
from one another by their time, place, and action; and all these
appearing as true, like the various colours of the skies in the sky.
22. The light of the intellect shines through different parts of the
body, as the eye is the organ whereby it sees; and so the other organs
of sense for its perception of other objects. (All these are called
_axas_ answering the sight of the eyes).
23. The intellectual particle, shining at first within itself, bears no
distinct name except that of _tanmátra_ or its inward perception; which
is as insignificant a term as empty air.
24. But the shadow of the atomic intellect falling upon the empty air,
becomes the solid body; which shoots forth into the five organs of
sense, owing to its inquest into their five objects of form and the
rest.
25. The intellectual principle, being then in need of retaining its
sensations in the sensorium, becomes the mind and understanding (which
is called the sixth or internal organ of sense).
26. Then the mind being actuated by its vanity, takes upon it the
denomination of egoism, and is inclined to make imaginary divisions of
space and time.
27. Thus the minute intellect comes to make distinctions of time, by
giving them the different denomination of the present, past and future.
28. Again with regard to space, it denominates one place as upper and
another as lower; and goes on giving different appellations of sides (or
the points of compass), to one invariable space in nature.
29. It then comes to understand the meanings of words, and invent the
terms signifying time and space, action and substance.
30. Thus the intellect bearing a vacuous form in the primordial vacuum,
became the spiritual or _lingadéha_ of its own accord, until it was
diffused all over the world (which is thence called the mundane God).
31. Having long remained in that state as it thought, it took upon it
the compleately concrete material form through which it was transfused.
32. Though formed originally of air in the original air, and was
perfectly pure in its nature; yet being incorporated in the false
corporeal form, it forgot its real nature; as the solar heat in
conjunction with sand, is mistaken for water.
33. It then takes upon itself and of its own will, a form reaching to
the skies; to which it applied to the sense of the word head to some
part, and that of the word feet to another. (The highest heaven is the
head and the earth the foot-stools of God).
34. It applied to itself the sense of the words breast, sides and to
other parts, by adopting their figurative sense and rejecting the
literal ones. (Virát is the human figure for the macrocosm of the
universe).
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