The Bhagavadgîtâ, with the Sanatsugâtîya and the Anugîtâ — SBE Vol. 8 (trans. K. T. Telang, 1882)
The translator’s English as printed (K. T. Telang). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
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; ortakestoo 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 (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 4, 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 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* 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 ee weer ee ee ee er 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). Brâhmaṇas, 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* 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 actionst 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 fœtusf. And, O twice-born one! hear that attentively from me as I state it.
" One reading omits ‘ fame,’ as to which cf. Taittirîya-upanishad, p. 129; Khândogya, pp. 122-227. As to long life, cf. Khândogya, p. 272; exhausted, i.e. by enjoyment of fruit in another world.
* Cf. Sarfraka Bhâshya, p. 753 seq., where we have a slightly different view.
* Arguna Misra renders the original, sattva, by svabhâva.
* Cf. for all this, Gita, Pp. 62, 69,118, which passages, however, are from a slightly different point of view. See also Khândogya, p. 526.
* À various reading here excludes meat. But cf. Apastamba I, A 1, 2, 23; Gautama II, 13. ° So says Nîlakaṇṭha.
7 Le. which turns to juice in digestion, much juice being a cause of indigestion, say the commentators,
* This is doubtful. The sense may be, ‘ who takes juicy or not thoroughly prepared food by day and night” But see Âśvalâyana Grihya-sûtra, p. 90; Apastamba I, 1, 2, 24; Gautama II, 13.
The Siddha said:
When the actions that produce long life and fame, which a man performs in this world, are entirely exhausted, he assumes another body and begins performing actions of the opposite kind, his self overcome by the draining away of life. His ruin draws near, and his understanding goes astray. No longer knowing his own constitution, his strength, or the proper season, and lacking self-control, he does what is harmful to himself at the wrong times. When he throws himself into many exhausting activities, eats too much or not at all, takes bad food, or meat, or drinks, or things that are incompatible with one another, or heavy food in immoderate amounts, or food before what he has already eaten is properly digested; when he takes too much exercise, or is incontinent; when he constantly suppresses the natural course of his excretions out of attachment to action; when he takes juicy food, or sleeps by day, or eats food not thoroughly prepared—such a man aggravates the disorders in his body when the time comes. By aggravating those disorders, he contracts a disease that ends in death, or even goes so far as to do something utterly unreasonable, such as hanging himself. From these causes, the living body of that creature perishes. Hear me state this correctly now.
Heat is kindled in the body and, urged by a sharp wind 4, spreads through the whole frame and checks the movements of all the life-winds. Know this truly: excessively powerful heat, once kindled in the body, bursts open the vital parts—the seats of the soul. Then the soul, full of torments, falls away at once 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 grown 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, is aggravated by cold and urged by a sharp wind, and goes upwards, abandoning the embodied self in consequence of pain. In this way it leaves the body, which then appears devoid of breath. Devoid of warmth, devoid of breath, devoid of beauty, with consciousness destroyed, the man, abandoned by the Brahman, is said to be dead. He ceases to perceive anything through those very currents by which the supporter of the body perceives objects of sense. In the same way, it is the eternal soul that preserves in the body the life-winds produced from food. Whatever part of the body is employed in gathering that, know that to be a vital part, for so it is seen laid down in the Scriptures.
When those vital parts are wounded, the wind comes directly out of them and, entering the bosom of a creature, obstructs the heart. Then the possessor of consciousness knows nothing. His knowledge is enveloped by darkness, the vitals are still enveloped, the soul is without a fixed seat and is shaken about by the wind. He heaves a very deep and alarming gasp, and makes the unconscious body quiver as he passes out of it. That soul, dropping out of the body, is surrounded on both sides by its own actions—its own pure and meritorious ones, as well as its sinful ones. Brâhmaṇas possessed of knowledge, whose convictions are correctly formed from sacred learning, know by his marks whether a man has performed meritorious actions or the reverse. Just as those who have eyes see a glow-worm disappearing here and there in the darkness, so likewise do those who have eyes of knowledge. The Siddhas behold such a soul with a divine eye—departing from the body, coming to birth, or entering into a womb. Its three kinds of seats are here learned from the Scriptures.
This world is the world of actions, where creatures dwell. All embodied selfs, having performed good or evil actions here, obtain their fruit here. It is here that they obtain higher or lower enjoyments by their own actions. And those whose actions here are evil go by those actions to hell. That lower place where men are tormented is a harrowing one. Escape from it is very difficult, and the self should be specially guarded against it.
Now learn from me the seats in which creatures who go upward dwell, which I shall describe truly. Hearing this, you will gain the highest knowledge and a clear understanding of action. All the worlds in the forms of stars, the lunar sphere, and the solar sphere that shines in the world by its own lustre—know these to be the seats of men who perform meritorious actions. All of these, however, fall down again and again when their actions are exhausted. And there, too, in heaven, there are distinctions of low, high, and middling. Nor, even there, is there satisfaction, even after beholding the most magnificent splendour. So I have set out these seats distinctly before you. After this I will describe to you the production of the fœtus. Hear that attentively from me, O twice-born one, as I now set it forth.
One reading omits 'fame,' on which see Taittirîya-upanishad, p. 129; Khândogya, pp. 122-227. On long life, see Khândogya, p. 272; exhausted, that is, by enjoyment of fruit in another world.
* Cf. Sarfraka Bhâshya, p. 753 seq., where we have a slightly different view.
* Arjuna Misra renders the original, sattva, by svabhâva.
* Cf. for all this, Gita, Pp. 62, 69, 118, which passages, however, are from a slightly different point of view. See also Khândogya, p. 526.
* À various reading here excludes meat. But cf. Apastamba I, A 1, 2, 23; Gautama II, 13. ° So says Nîlakaṇṭha.
7 I.e. which turns to juice in digestion, much juice being a cause of indigestion, say the commentators.
* This is doubtful. The sense may be, 'who takes juicy or not thoroughly prepared food by day and night.' But see Âśvalâyana Grihya-sûtra, p. 90; Apastamba I, 1, 2, 24; Gautama II, 13.