Charaka-Samhita — trans. Kaviraj Avinash Chandra Kaviratna

That Chetana (or Self) is (otherwise) called Hetii, (antecedent cause). Kdranam (that which compels others to achieve its own ends), Nimittam (that through which effects are produced), Aksharam (unfading or indestructible), Kartri (actor), Mantri (thinker), Vodhayitri (that which causes apprehension), Vodhri (knower), Drashtri (beholder), Dhdtri (ordainer), Brahman ( Great or. Vast), Vigwakarman (the creator of the universe), Vicwarupa (that which has the universe for its form), Pmusha (that which lies or resides in the body), Prabhava (that from which everything has its origin), Avyaya (Immutable), Nitya (eternal), Gunin (that to which all the attributes co-inhere), Grahanam (that which attracts everything) Pradhdnam (the foremost of all things), Avyaktain (unmanifest) Jiva (endued with life), Jna (the cons¬ cious one), Prakula (the highest of born things), Chetanavat (en¬ dued with consciousness) Vibhu (all-pervading), Bliutdtman (the soul of all beings), Indriyatman (the soul of the senses) and Antardtman (the inner Self of things).*8

He ( viz , Jiva), when the time comes for his attracting (material) attributes, attracts Ether (or Space) before attracting the others, even as, when the end comes of the period of Dissolution, the in¬ destructible Being, desirous of creating beings (anew), creates Ether (or Space), which is the ingredient of all existing entities, before creating the other elements : after this, in due order, the four other elements beginning with Air, which happen to have attributes more and more gross. Similarly, when engaged in taking a (material) body, Jiva takes Ether (or Space) first or before the others ; after this, in due order, the four other elements beginning with Air, which happen to have attributes more and more gross. Verily, the entire process of this acceptance of (material attributes) is completed within a very brief space of time f'

* All these terms are applied to Brahman or the Universal Self. The identity of Jiva with the universal or highest Self is one of the first axioms ;of the Vedanta philosophy. — T.

. t Hindu philosophers .explain the cosmogony in this way : creation ( or the universe of Being) is- without beginning ; i. e, the beginning of creation

CHAR AKA SAM HIT A.

U°

He, having attracted (or become invested with) all the attri¬ butes, and (thus) constituting the foetus, in the first month (of his existence) remains in a state of syncope. He is then a turbid compound of all the dhdtus (or ingredients), and looks like a semi-solid slimy mass, without any distinct or definite shape, and his limbs (so called) are really made of materials some of which are subtile and some gross.8

In the second month, the foetus becomes thicker. It may take the form of a roundish lump, or of a long and flat piece of flesh, or of a ball. Amongst these, if it becomes a thick roundish lump, it developes into a male ; if a long and flat piece of flesh, it developes into a female ; and if a ball, one of the neuter sex. *9

In the third month, all the organs of sense as also the forms of all the limbs simultaneously manifest themselves.10 cannot be conceived by the human intellect. The fact is, the universe, having existed for a period, becomes dissolved again into nothingness or Brahman. After the period of dissolution is over, the Supreme Being creates the universe again. Thus creation and dissolution are going on and on, and will. go on for ever and ever, eternity having neither beginning nor end. During the period of dissolution what remains is Kama or the acts of iva unexhausted by enjoyment or endurance o f their fruits. As long as the acts of even a single individual Jiva will exist, so long will there be creation and dissolution. (Srishti and Pralaya ). ‘Mal apralaya’ or the utter extinction of the universe is improbable, for it will not take place unless the sum total of all acts becomes exhausted. Then, again, one becomes a snake ; another a toad ; a third, a tiger or a lion ; a fourth, a human being— a prince or a beggar ; This inequality of condition is not the result of the partiality of the Creator but is due to the unexhausted acts of the respective beings so born.