sery, for from it one sinks into
hell. From hell, it will take many long years before I can come back to
the status of humanity. From humanity I shall attain to the status of the
gods. From that superior status I shall have to come back again to
humanity and thence to sink into hell once more!"--One who always regards
this combination of the primal elements and the senses, with the Chit's
reflection in it, to be thus invested with the characteristics of the
Soul, has repeatedly to wander among gods and human beings and to sink
into hell. Being always invested with the idea of meum, Jiva has to make
a round of such births. Millions upon millions of births have to be gone
through by Jiva in the successive forms he assumes, all of which are
liable to death. He who does acts in this way, which are all fraught with
good and bad fruits, has in the three worlds to assume successive forms
and to enjoy and endure fruits corresponding therewith. It is Prakriti
that causes acts fraught with good and bad acts; and it is Prakriti that
enjoys and endures the fruits thereof in the three worlds. Indeed,
Prakriti follows the course of acts. The status of the intermediate
beings, of humanity, and of the gods as well,--these three
fields,--should be known as originating in Prakriti and has been said to
be destitute of all attributes. Her existence is affirmed only in
consequence of her acts (beginning with Mahat). After the same manner,
Purusha (or Soul), though without attributes himself, has his existence
affirmed in consequence of the acts which the body does when it receives
his reflection. Although the Soul is not subject to modifications of any
kind and is the active principle that sets Prakriti in motion, yet
entering a body that is united with the senses of knowledge and action,
he regards all the acts of those senses as his own. The five senses of
knowledge beginning with the ear, and those of action beginning with
speech, uniting with the attributes of Sattwa and Rajas and Tamas, become
engaged in numerous objects. Jiva imagines that it is he who does the acts
of his life and that the senses of knowledge and acts belong to him,
although in reality he has no senses. Indeed, though unequipt with body,
he imagines that he has a body. Though destitute of attributes, he
regards himself as endued therewith, and though transcending Time,
imagines himself to be under Time's control. Though destitute of
understanding, he still regards hims