137 ­­­- Dialogue between Vasiştha and Karāla Janaka concluded

Vasistha said: 

1. Prakruti creates and seizes the unenlightened unmanifest storehouse of Guņas even as Gunas hold the Tattvas. 

2. In a playful manner, o king, Aja the unborn attains the state of modification; splitting itself into many it is perceived as though it is really multifarious. 

3. Budhyamāna that disturbs and stirs this up like this, is not comprehended. It creates, seizes and practices Guņas. 

4. They call this Budhyamāna because it enlightens Avyakta. Avyakta is not comprehended in any other manner whether it is Saguņa or Nirguna. 

5. It is only sometimes that it is so, so they call it Prati- buddhaka (Enlightened). If the Avyakta is comprehended it is the twenty-fifth principle. 

6. The Budhyamāna certainly becomes one with myness for its characteristic feature—so says the Veda. By becoming enlightened due to mutual endeavour it becomes Avyakta that never swerves—They say thus. 

7-8. They call this Budhyamāna because it enlightens Avyakta. It is the twenty-fifth principle. It is the great Ātman. It does not comprehend the twenty-sixth principle, the Buddha (enlightened), devoid of impurities, the eternal, one that cannot be perceived. It comprehends the twenty-fourth and twenty 

9. The perceptible and the imperceptible, O king of great lustre, follow its nature. The Avyakta, O dear one, comprehends that Brahman which is non-dual. 

10-12. It comprehends the Atman, the twenty-fifth and the twenty-fourth principle. At the time of comprehending the Ātman, when he considers "I am another” he becomes one with the Avyakta as his eyes and so endowed with Prakruti. When he comprehends the pure Buddhi without impurities, O mighty king, he comprehends the twenty-sixth principle. Contented, he procceds (ahead). Thereafter he abandons Avyakta with crcation and annihilation as the characteristic features. 

13. It comprehends Prakruti which is devoid of consciousness and which is endowed with Guņas. It becomes one with the features of lonely Atman by virtue of realizing of the Avyakta. 

14. After coming into contact with the Kevala it shall attain the liberated soul. They call this Tattva (principle) and (the soul) that is without old age and death, Nistattva (one that is beyond the principles). 

15. Only by duly listening to the description of the Tattvas does the soul, O king, become conversant with the principles. Learned scholars speak about twenty-five principles. 

16. Never does a person conversant with the Tattvas get immersed in the ocean of worldly existence, Odear one. The Tattvas approach these persons quickly. Now understand their characteristics. 

17. Prājña free from old age and death is understood as the twenty-sixth principle. Undoubtedly it attains equality with Sakti, it itself being Sakta. 

18. Abuddhiman (that which has no intellect) is being awakened by the Buddha (the enlightened one) that is the twenty-sixth principle. This is called diversity, Nänātva, as explained in the Samkhya scriptures. 

19. When it is comprehended by the intellect the twentyfifth principle, accompanied by conscious one, Chetana, shall have unity. 

20. It attains equality, o king of Mithila, with the enlightened one) that is being comprehended. Although the Ātman is devoid of attachment, o ruler of men, it has the features and characteristics of what is being attached. 

21. They underst and that the twenty-sixth principle is evolved out of Karman, after attaining the Ātman that is free from attachment. When this is enlightened the omnipresent soul abandons the Avyakta. 

22-24. The twenty-fourth principle is very subtle due to the enlightenment of the twenty-sixth principle. Thus thc Aprati- buddha (non-enlightened), Buddha (the enlightened) and the Budhyamāna have been briefly described to you, O sinless one, in the manner explained in the sástras. The difference between these two is the same as between Maśaka (mosquito) and Udumbara (the fruint of a particular tree). The difference obtained between the two is the same as between fish and water. The unity and diversity of the two should be thought of in this manner. 

25-26. What is mentioned as salvation is this much. It is termed Jñana and Vijñana. The desire, viz. “This person should be liberated" is suddenly originated in the body of the twenty-fifth principle, they say, within the view of the Avyakta. It is certain that he will be libcrted thus and not otherwise. 

27-30. The soul acquires the characteristics of another object by associating with it. It becomes pure when associating with the pure one and not with the impure one. It becomes free from attributes while associating with the enlightened, O bull among men. While associating with one with the feeling of detachment the soul becomes liberated. While associating with the liberated it becomes Liberated. One with unlimited intellect becomes pure and of pure activities while associating with one of pure activities. While associating with the soul free from impurities it becomes pure; while associating with the single it becomes single soul. While associating with the independent it becomes independent. 

31. O great king, the truth and the truthful reality have been recounted so far. By grasping with your intellect the eternal Brahman, the first pure one, you have become Amatsara, devoid of jealousy. 

32. O king, this great truth should not be imparted to a person not abiding by the Vedas. It imparts enlightenment in regard to a person who is desirous of acting according to it. It admonishes one who bows down for enlightenment. 

33. This truth should not be imparted to a liar nor to a rogue, nor to an impotent person nor to a person of crooked intellect. It should not be imparted to a person who harasses scholars devoted to knowledge. It should be imparted for the enlightenment of the disciples. 

34. This should be imparted to a disciple who is equipped with faith and good qualities, who refrains from slandering others, who possesses pure Yoga and who is a learned one equipped with forbearance and sympathy. 

35. This secret should be imparted to a person who has discrimination, who is fond of injunctions, who is devoid of quarrelsome dispute, who has learned much, who has humble dress and demeanour and who has no selfish motive. 

36. They say that knowledge of this great Brahman should not be imparted to a person who is devoid of these qualities. The narration of virtue in regard to such person is not conducive to welfare, because it is like charity accorded to a person who does not deserve it. 

37. This should not be given to a person who has no sacred rites even if the entire earth full of jewels were given away. O leader of men, this great thing should be imparted to a person who has conquered his sense organs, who observes purerites and who knows reality. 

38. O Karāla, let there be no fear at all in you. This great Brahman has been heard by you today. It has been duly recounted. It is extremely sacred. It is fully free from grief. It has neither beginning nor middle nor end. 

39-40. It is unfathomable. It is free from old age and death. It is free from ailment. It is auspicious. It is free from fear. In view of the erroneousness of the argument of others, the eternal Brahmå had been propitiated with great effort. That eternal Brahma of brilliant splendour had been propitiated and this had been acquired in the same manner as this has been acquired by you. 

41. I have been asked by you, O leader of men. So this has been recounted to you exclusively as it had been obtained from Brahma. It is the great knowledge, the utmost resort of those who are conversant with salvation.

Vyasa said: 

42.. This great Brahnan, the twenty-fifth principle, from which one does not return has now been recounted in the same manner as it had been recounted, O excellent sages, by Vasiştha formerly. 

43-44. He who does not completely and accurately under- stand the great unchanging knowledge, free from death and old age, even after striving for comprehension, returns. 

O brahmins, this Jñāna that is conducive to salvation, has been truthfually described by me after listening to it (and under standing it) from the divine sage. 

45. This was derived by sage Vasistha from Brahmā. Nārada the greatest among sages obtained this from Vasiştha. 

45. This eternal doctrine has been recounted to me and it has been obtained by me from Närada. After hearing about this great doctrine, O excellent sages, you will not feel sorry. 

47. He has no fear who has understood that Kshara and Akshara are different. He has fear certainly who does not know this accurately. 

48. Due to the absence of perfect knowledge a person of confounded soul undergoes hardships again and again and attains thousands of births ending with death. 

49. Or he may go to the heavenly world or to the realm of low creatures or to the human world. Or perhaps he is released from that ocean of ignorance. 

50. In the terrible ocean of ignorance the unmanifest is called the unfathomable one. O brahmins, it is here that the living beings become immersed day by day. 

51. Hence due to the destruction of the unfathomable Avyakta, the eternal one, all of you, O brahmins, have become free from Rajas and Tamas. 

52. Thus, O excellent sages, the great Liberation, the essence of essences, has been recounted by me. On realising it one does not return. 

53. It should not be imparted to an atheist or to a person who is not a devotee. O brahmins, it should not be imparted to an evil-minded person nor to a person who has no faith and who is averse to everything good.