worldly affairs begins to influence him. And
then his pride decreases, and uprightness becomes more prominent, and
his conflicting moral sentiments are reconciled. And then self-restraint
in any matter becomes unnecessary. A man, O Brahmana, may be born in the
Sudra caste, but if he is possessed of good qualities, he may attain the
state of _Vaisya_ and similarly that of a _Kshatriya_, and if he is
steadfast in rectitude, he may even become a Brahmana. I have described
to thee these virtues, what else dost thou wish to learn?"'"

SECTION CCXII

"'The Brahmana enquired, "How is it that fire (vital force) in
combination with the earthly element (matter), becomes the corporeal
tenement (of living creatures), and how doth the vital air (the breath
of life) according to the nature of its seat (the muscles and nerves)
excite to action (the corporeal frame)?"' Markandeya said, 'This
question, O Yudhishthira, having been put to the Brahmana by the fowler,
the latter, in reply, said to that high-minded Brahmana. (The fowler
said):--"The vital spirit manifesting itself in the seat of
consciousness, causes the action of the corporeal frame. And the soul
being present in both of them acts (through them). The past, the present
and the future are inseparably associated with the soul. And it is the
highest of a creature's possessions; it is of the essence of the Supreme
Spirit and we adore it. It is the animating principle of all creatures,
and it is the eternal _pumsha_ (spirit). It is great and it is the
intelligence and the _ego_, and it is the subjective seat of the various
properties of elements. Thus while seated here (in a corporeal frame) it
is sustained in all its relations external or internal (to matter or
mind) by the subtle ethereal air called _prana_, and thereafter, each
creature goes its own way by the action of another subtle air called
_Samana_. And this latter transforming itself into _Apana_ air, and
supported by the head of the stomach carries the refuse matter of the
body, urine &c, to the kidneys and intestines. That same air is present
in the three elements of effort, exertion and power, and in that
condition it is called _Udana_ air by persons learned in physical
science, and when manifesting itself by its presence at all the
junctional points of the human system, it is known by the name _Vyana_.
And the internal heat is diffused over all the tissues of our system,
and supported by these kinds of air, it t