Reading section 15

"If the soul were cognisable, there would need to be again a second knower;[131]

"And this would require another still, if the second were itself to be known."

Nor must we hold it non-pervading with the Jainas, nor momentary with the Bauddhas, since it is not limited by space or time. As has been said--

"That object which is unlimited in its nature by space or time,

"They hold to be eternal and pervading,--hence the soul's all-pervadingness and eternity."

Nor may we say with the Vedántin that it is only one, since the apportionment of different fruits proves that there are many individual souls; nor with the Sánkhyas that it is devoid of action, since, when all the various "fetters" are removed, Sruti informs us of a state of identity with Siva, which consists in intelligence in the form of an eternal and infinite vision and action.[132] This has been declared in the Srímat Mrigendra--

"It is revealed that identity with Siva results when all fetters are removed."

And again--

"Intelligence consists in vision and action, and since in his soul

"This exists always and on every side, therefore, after liberation, Sruti calls it that which faces every way."

It is also said in the Tattva-prakása--

"The liberated souls are themselves Sivas, but these are liberated by his favour;

"He is to be known as the one eternally liberated, whose body is the five Mantras."

Now the souls are threefold, as denominated _vijñánákaláh_, _pralayákaláh_, and _sakaláh_.[133] (_a._) The first are those who are under the influence of _mala_ only, since their actions are cancelled by receiving their proper fruits, or by abstraction, contemplation, and knowledge, and since they have no "fetters" in the form of enjoyments, such as _kalá_, &c. (which fetters would, however, be the cause of cancelling actions by bringing about their proper fruit). (_b._) The second are those who are under the influence of _mala_ and _karman_, since in their case _kalá_, &c., are destroyed by mundane destructions, hence their name _pralayákala_. (_c._) The third are those who are bound in the three fetters of _mala_, _máyá_, and _karman_, hence their name _sakala_. The first class are again subdivided into _samápta-kalusháh_ and _asamápta-kalusháh_, according as their inherent corruption is perfectly exhausted or not. The former,--having received the mature penalties of their corruptions,--are now, as foremost of men and worthy of the privilege, raised by Siva's favour to the rank of the Lords of Knowledge (the Vidyesvaras), Ananta, and the rest. This ogdoad of the Lords of Knowledge is described in the Bahudaivatya--

"Ananta, and Súkshma, and Sivottama,

"Ekanetra, and again Ekarudra and Trimúrttika,

"Sríkantha and Sikhandin,--these are declared to be the Vidyesvaras."

The latter Siva, in his mercy, raises to the rank of the seventy million Mantras.[134] All this is explained in the Tattva-prakása.[135] Similarly Soma-Sambhu has said--

"One class is named _vijñánákala_, the second _pralayákala_,

"The third _sakala_,--these are the three whom the Sástra regards as objects of mercy.

"The first is united to _mala_ alone, the second to _mala_ and _karma_,

"The third are united to all the tattvas beginning with _kalá_ and ending with 'earth.'"[136]

The _Pralayákaláh_ are also twofold, as being _pakvapásadvaya_ or not, _i.e._, those in whom the two remaining fetters are matured, and those in whom they are not. The former attain liberation, but the latter, by the power of _karman_, are endowed with the _puryashtaka_[137] body, and pass through various births. As has been said in the Tattva-prakása--

"Those among the Pralayákalas whose _karman_ and _mala_ are immature,

"Go, united with the _puryashtaka_ body, into many births by the power of _karman_."

The _puryashtaka_ is also thus described in the same work--

"The _puryashtaka_ is composed of the internal organ, thought (_dhí_), _karman_, and the instruments."

This is thus explained by Aghora Siva Áchárya, "the _puryashtaka_ is a subtile body apportioned to each individual soul, which continues from the creation until the close of the kalpa, or until liberation: it is composed of the thirty[138] tattvas beginning with 'earth' and ending with _kalá_." As has been said in the Tattva-sangraha--

"This set of tattvas, commencing with 'earth' and ending with _kalá_, is assigned to each soul,

"And wanders by the law of _karman_ through all the bodies produced by the world."

The following is the full meaning of this passage:--The word "_internal organ_," which properly includes "mind," "intelligence," "egoism," and "reason,"[139] includes also the seven tattvas which enter into the production of enjoyment [or experience], viz., those called _kalá_, time, fate, knowledge, concupiscence, nature, and quality;[140] the words "_thought_" (_dhí_) and _karman_ signify the five cognisable gross elements, and their originators, the subtile rudiments. By the word "_instruments_" are comprehended the ten organs of sense and action.

"But is it not declared in the Srímat Kálottara that 'The set of five, sound, touch, form, taste and smell, intelligence, mind and egoism, these constitute the _puryashtaka_?'"

How, then, can any different account be maintained? We grant this, and hence the venerable Ráma Kantha has explained that sútra in its literal meaning [_i. e_., as _puryashtaka_, is derived from _ashta_, "eight"], so why should we be prolix in the discussion? Still, if you ask how we can reconcile our account with the strict nominal definition of _puryashtaka_, we reply that there is really no contradiction, as we maintain that it is composed of a set of eight in the following manner:--(1.) The five elements; (2.) the five rudiments; (3.) the five organs of knowledge; (4.) those of action; (5.) the fourfold internal organ; (6.) their instrument;[141] (7.) nature [prakriti]; and (8.) the class composed of the five, beginning with _kalá_, which form a kind of case.[142]

Now in the case of some of those souls who are joined to the _puryashtaka_ body, Mahesvara Ananta having compassionated them as possessed of peculiar merit, constitutes them here as lords of the world; as has been said--

"Mahesvara pities some and grants them to be lords of the world."

The class called _sakala_ is also divided into two, as _pakvakalusha_ and _apakvakalusha_. As for the former, the Supreme Being, in conformity with their maturity (_paripáka_), puts forth a power agreeable thereto, and transfers them to the position of the hundred and eighteen Lords of the Mantras, signified by the words Mandalí, &c., as has been said--

"The rest are denominated _sakala_, from their connection with _Kalá_, &c., seized by time whose mouths are days;

"The Supreme of his own will makes one hundred and eighteen of these the Lords of the Mantras.

"Eight of these are called _Mandalins_; eight again are Krodha, &c.;

"Víresa, Sríkantha, and the hundred Rudras,--these together are the hundred and eighteen."

In their case again, the Supreme, having assumed the form of a teacher, stops the continued accession of maturity and contracts his manifested power, and ultimately grants to them liberation by the process of initiation; as has been said--

"These creatures whose _mala_ is matured, by putting forth a healing power,

"He, assuming the form of a teacher, unites by initiation to the highest principle."

It is also said in the Srímad Mrigendra--

"He removes from that infinitesimal soul all the bonds which previously exerted a contrary influence over it."[143]

All this has been explained at great length by Náráyana-Kantha, and there it is to be studied; but we are obliged to pass on through fear of prolixity.

But as for the second class, or those called _apakvakalusha_, the Supreme Being, as impelled by the desert of their respective actions, appoints them, as bound and endued with infinitesimal bodies, to enjoy the rewards of their previous actions.[144] As has been said--

"The other souls, bound [in their material bonds] he appoints to enjoy their various deserts,

"According to their respective actions: such are the various kinds of souls."

We now proceed to describe the third category, matter (or _pása_). This is fourfold, _mala_,[1] _karman_, _máyá_, and _rodha-sakti_.[145] But it may be objected, "Is it not said in the Saiva Ágamas that the chief things are the Lord, souls, and matter? Now the Lord has been shown to mean Siva, 'souls' mean atoms (or beings endowed with atomic bodies), and matter (or 'bond') is said to be the pentad,[146] hence matter will be fivefold. How then is it now reckoned to be only fourfold?" To this we reply as follows:--Although the _vindu_ or nasal dot, which is the germinal atom of _máyá_, and is called a Siva-tattva, may be well regarded as material in comparison with the highest liberation as defined by the attainment of the state of Siva, still it cannot really be considered as matter when we remember that it is a secondary kind of liberation as causing the attainment of the state of such deities as Vidyesvara, &c. Thus we see there is no contradiction. Hence it has been said in the Tattva-prakása--

"The bonds of matter will be fourfold."

And again in the Srímad Mrigendra--

"The enveloper-controller (_mala_), the overpowerer (_rodha_), action, and the work of Máyá,

"These are the four 'bonds,' and they are collectively called by the name of 'merit.'"

The following is the meaning of this couplet:--

(1.) "Enveloping," because _mala_ exceedingly obscures and veils the soul's powers of vision and action; "controlling," because _mala_, a natural impurity, controls the soul by its independent influence. As has been said--

"_Mala_, though itself one, by manifold influence interrupts the soul's vision and action;

"It is to be regarded as the husk in rice or rust on copper."[147]

(2.) The "overpowerer" is the obscuring power; this is called a "bond" [or matter] in a metaphorical sense, since this energy of Siva obscures the soul by superintending matter [rather than by itself partaking of the nature of matter].

Thus it has been said--