Kâsyapa, said:
How does the body perish, and how, too, is it produced? How does one
who moves in this harassing course of worldly life become freed? And
(how) does the self, getting rid of nature, abandon the body
(produced) from it 3 ? And how, being freed from the body, does he
attain to the other 4 ? How does this man enjoy the good and evil acts
done by himself? And where do the acts of one who is released from the
body remain?
The Brâhmana said:
Thus addressed, O descendant of Vrishni! that Siddha answered these
questions in order. Hear me relate what (he said).
The Siddha said:
When those actions, productive of long life and fame , which a man
performs here, are entirely exhausted, after his assumption of another
body, he performs (actions of an) opposite character, his self being
overcome at the exhaustion of life. And his ruin being impending, his
understanding goes astray. Not knowing his own constitution, and
strength, and likewise the (proper) season, the man not being
self-controlled, does unseasonably what is injurious to himself When
he attaches himself to numerous very harassing (actions); eats too
much, or does not eat at all; when he takes bad food, or meat, or
drinks, or (kinds of food) incompatible with one another, or heavy
food in immoderate quantities, or without (previously taken food)
being properly digested; or takes too much exercise, or is
incontinent; or constantly, through attachment to action, checks the
regular course (of the excretions); or takes juicy food; or sleeps by
day ; or (takes food) not thoroughly prepared; (such a man) himself
aggravates the disorders orders (in the body) when the time comes . By
aggravating the disorders (in) his own (body), he contracts a disease
which ends in death, or he even engages in unreasonable (acts), such
as hanging (oneself). From these causes, the living body of that
creature then perishes. Learn about that correctly as I am about to
state it. Heat being kindled in the body, and being urged by a sharp
wind , pervades the whole frame, and, verily, checks the (movements of
all the) life-winds. Know this truly, that excessively powerful heat,
if kindled in the body, bursts open the vital parts-the seats of the
Soul. Then the soul, full of torments, forthwith falls away from the
perishable (body). Know, O best of the twice-born! that (every)
creature leaves the body, when the vital parts are burst open, its
self being overcome with torments. All beings are constantly
distracted with birth and death; and, O chief of the twice-born! are
seen abandoning (their) bodies; or entering the womb on the exhaustion
of (their previous) actions. Again, a man suffers similar torments,
having his joints broken and suffering from cold, in consequence of
water. As the compact association of the five elements is broken up,
the wind in the body, distributed within the five elements , between
the upward and downward life-winds, being aggravated by cold, and
urged by a sharp wind, goes upwards, abandoning the embodied (self) in
consequence of pain. Thus it leaves the body, which appears devoid of
breath. Then devoid of warmth, devoid of breath, devoid of beauty, and
with consciousness destroyed, the man, being abandoned by the Brahman,
is said to be dead. (Then) he ceases to perceive (anything) with those
very currents with which the supporter of the body 8 perceives objects
of sense. In the same way, it is the eternal soul which preserves in
the body the life-winds which are produced from food. Whatever (part
of the body) is employed in the collection of that, know that to be a
vital part, for thus it is seen (laid down) in the Scriptures. Those
vital parts being wounded, that (wind) directly comes out therefrom,
and entering the bosom of a creature obstructs the heart. Then the
possessor of consciousness knows nothing. Having his knowledge
enveloped by darkness , while the vitals are still enveloped, the
soul, being without a fixed seat, is shaken about by the wind. And
then he heaves a very deep and alarming gasp, and makes the
unconscious body quiver as he goes out (of it). That soul, dropping
out of the body, is surrounded on both sides by his own actions, his
own pure and meritorious, as also his sinful (ones). Brâhmanas,
possessed of knowledge, whose convictions are correctly (formed) from
sacred learning, know him by (his) marks as one who has performed
meritorious actions or the reverse. As those who have eyes see a
glow-worm disappear here and there in darkness, so likewise do those
who have eyes of knowledge. Such a soul, the Siddhas see with a divine
eye, departing (from the body), or coming to the birth, or entering
into a womb. Its three descriptions of seats are here learnt from the
Scriptures. This world is the world of actions, where creatures dwell.
All embodied (selfs), having here performed good or evil (actions),
obtain (the fruit). It is here they obtain higher or lower enjoyments
by their own actions. And it is those whose actions here are evil, who
by their actions go to, hell. Harassing is that lower place where men
are tormented. Freedom from it is very difficult, and the self should
be specially protected from it. Learn from me now the seats in which
creatures going up 1 dwell, and which I shall describe truly. Hearing
this, you will learn the highest knowledge, and decision regarding
action. All (the worlds in) the forms of stars, and this lunar sphere,
and also this solar sphere which shines in the world by its own
lustre, know these to be the seats of men who perform meritorious
actions. All these, verily, fall down again and again in consequence
of the exhaustion of their actions. And there, too, in heaven, there
are differences of low, high, and middling. Nor, even there, is there
satisfaction, (even) after a sight of most magnificent splendour. Thus
have I stated to you these seats distinctly. I will after this
(proceed to) state to you the production of the foetus. And, O
twice-born one! hear that attentively from me as I state it.
There is no destruction here of actions good or not good. Coming to
one body after another they become ripened in their respective ways.
As a fruitful (tree) producing fruit may yield much fruit, so does
merit performed with a pure mind become expanded. Sin, too, performed
with a sinful mind, is similarly (expanded). For the self engages in
action, putting forward this mind. And now further, hear how a man,
overwhelmed with action, and enveloped in desire and anger , enters a
womb. Within the womb of a woman, (he) obtains-as the result of action
a body good or else bad, made up of virile semen and blood. Owing to
(his) subtlety and imperceptibility, though he obtains a body
appertaining to the Brahman, he is not attached anywhere; hence is he
the eternal Brahman. That is the seed of all beings; by that all
creatures exist. That soul, entering all the limbs of the foetus, part
by part, and dwelling in the seat of the life-wind, supports (them)
with the mind. Then the foetus, becoming possessed of consciousness,
moves about its limbs. As liquefied iron being poured out assumes the
form of the image, such you must know is the entrance of the soul
into the foetus. As fire entering a ball of iron, heats it, such too,
you must understand, is the manifestation of the soul in the foetus.
And as a blazing lamp shines in a house, even so does consciousness
light up bodies. And whatever action he performs, whether good or bad,
everything done in a former body must necessarily be enjoyed (or
suffered). Then that is exhausted, and again other (action) is
accumulated, so long as the piety which dwells in the practice of
concentration of mind for final emancipation has not been learnt. As
to that, O best (of men)! I will tell you about that action by which,
verily, one going the round of various births, becomes happy. Gifts,
penance, life as a Brahmakârin, adherence to prescribed regulations,
restraint of the senses, and also tranquillity, compassion to (all)
beings, self-restraint, and absence of cruelty, refraining from the
appropriation of the wealth of others, not acting dishonestly even in
thought towards (any) being in this world, serving mother and father,
honouring deities and guests, honouring preceptors, pity, purity,
constant restraint of the organs, and causing good to be done; this is
said to be the conduct of the good. From this is produced piety, which
protects people to eternity. Thus one should look (for it) among the
good, for among them it constantly abides. The practice to which the
good adhere, points out (what) piety (is). And among them dwells that
(course of) action which constitutes eternal piety. He who acquires
that, never comes to an evil end. By this are people held in check
from making a slip in the paths of piety . But the devotee who is
released is esteemed higher than these. For the deliverance from the
course of worldly life of the man who acts piously and well, as he
should act, takes place after a long time. Thus a creature always
meets with (the effects of) the action performed (in a) previous
(life). And that is the sole cause by which he comes here (in a)
degraded (form). There is in the world a doubt as to what originally
was the source from which he became invested with a body. And that I
shall now proceed to state. Brahman, the grandfather of all people,
having Made a body for himself, created the whole of the three worlds,
moving and fixed. From that he created the Pradhâna, the material
cause of all embodied (selfs), by which all this is pervaded, and
which is known in the world as the highest. This is what is called the
destructible; but the other is immortal and indestructible. And
Pragâpati, who had been first created, created all creatures and (all)
the fixed entities, (having) as regards the moving (creation), a pair
separately for each (species). Such is the ancient (tradition) heard
(by us). And as regards that, the grandsire fixed a limit of time, and
(a rule) about migrations among (various) creatures, and about the
return. What I say is all correct and proper, like (what may be said
by) any talented person who has in a former birth perceived the self 1
. He who properly perceives pleasure and pain to be inconstant, the
body to be an unholy aggregate, and ruin to be connected with action,
and who remembers that whatever little there is of happiness is all
misery, he will cross beyond the fearful ocean of worldly life, which
is very difficult to cross. He who understands the Pradhâna, (though)
attacked by birth and death and disease, sees one (principle of)
consciousness in all beings possessed of consciousness. Then seeking
after the supreme seat, he becomes indifferent to everything .
Actually Dharma, Smritis, Law of Karma, Moksha are part of Sanatana Dharma and for all the evolved souls(real self) of mankind on earth, but because its Kaliyuga and people are of lower intellect and identify themselves with matter/body alone just like animals-insects and with strong barbarian Mlecchas with their own false divisional definition of Dharma as religion only like Hinduism, Islam, Christianity etc., and where Body's senses pleasures are the end and bodies are worshipped as soul and preserved in graves and God is some third person in some heavens surrounded by flying angels has led to mayhem and hatred among today's people against scriptures, spirituality and religions as these people see creation separate from creator and try to convert people into their religions by insulting other religions. Science cant prove soul in lab made of matter, because soul is the seer/subject/self/Purusha/God, not the seen/object/Prakriti. Brihadaranyaka Upanishada
Sun is one, Moon is one, earth is one, hunger is same, mind is same, God is one, and so is there only one Dharma and is for all the souls but only an evolved man can understand it with intellect and experience. Your body is yours but you are not of your body as they are sock puppets of self. Actually, soul is the rider and body is the carriage for it as explained in Geeta and in Upanishads, animals dont know that and hence fight for perishable matter and senses but a yogi, knowing the real self, works in reverse by renunciation, hence monks, Sanyassis come into picture. Also refer Tree of Jiva and Atman
