THE GARUDA PURANA 42 страница

5. Scents are offered to grandfather, great grandfather and great great grandfather. Then Agnikarana (offerings in the fire) is performed. The remaining cooked rice is put in the vessel of grandfather. All other rites upto invoking the Mantra of the vessel of grandfather are concluded. Then the vessel of Pitr (father) and the brahmin representing him are touched.

The thumb is placed over the food. Gingelly seeds are scattered.

‘Om, here is thy food with ghi, drinking water and side-dishes devoid of forbidden foodstuff. The same unto those that follow thee. Svadha unto thee. ’

6. Then food and water are offered to Deva brahmin.

If there is a guest as well, his Sraddha too is performed. But no grain is scattered on this occasion. The householder then asks Pitr brahmin ‘Om, is it tasted by your holiness? ’ Pinda is then offered with necessary ancillary questions and split into two. The two Mantras ‘Ye samanah samanasah arc repeated.

The pinda is put in the vessels of great great grandfather and grand-father. Scents are offered to pintfas. Pinda is slightly stirred.

The Atithi Brahmin is asked ‘Is it tasted by your holiness?

The brahmins are given Acamana water and betel leaf in due order. May the sprinkling be in order. May the waters be holy and beneficent. Water is handed to the brahmin representing great great grandfather and others in due order. May the gotra enjoy unending bliss. Water with gingelly seeds is given to the Pitr brahmin saying, ‘may this stay by.

7. ‘May the manes be non-fierce. When the brahmin says ‘be it so, he says ‘Shall I repeat Svadha? When the grandfather brahmin replies ‘Om, let it be repeated. This is frequently asked and permission is given.

8. The mantra ‘Orjam vahantlh’ is repeated. The householder faces south and pours water. ‘Om may Vi$ve Devas be satiated with this Yajfta Barley and water is given to the Deva brahmin. The Mantra ‘Devatabhyah, etc is repeated thrice.

9. Pinda patras are stirred. Acamana is performed.

Daksina is offered to the grandfather brahmin. The Pitr brahmin is requested for blessings. Then he blesses the householder repeating the mantra ‘Da taro nobhivardhantam etc.

The vessel is then placed supine. The brahmins are bid adieu with ‘Vaje Vaje Mantra. The Pitf brahmin is bid farewell to by saying ‘may you rejoice. ’

10. O Vyasa I have thus explained to you the ‘Sapindikarapasraddha. ’ The Sraddha, the performer ofSr& ddha and the fruit thereof is Hari Himself.

CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTYONE.

Dhamasdra.

Brahmd said:

1. I shall briefly mention the essence of Dharma (Virtue and Righteousness), please listen, O Sankara. It is subtle. It quells all sins. It yields worldly enjoyment and salvation.

2. It is grief that destroys learning, righteousness, strength, courage, happiness and zeal of every man. Hence, grief must be eschewed.

3. One gets a wife according to one’s actions. One finds one’s surroundings according to one’s actions. His kinsmen and relatives behave in accordance with his actions. It is the action of a man that prompts him to activities generating happiness and misery.

4. Giving of gifts is the greatest virtue. Everything good is secured by making gifts. It is charity that enables one to attain heavenly kingdom. Hence, a man must make liberal gifts, 5. Making of gifts with excellent and entire money gifts (dak$ina) is on par with the saving of life of a terrified being.

6. Dharma is acquired by means of austerities, practising celibacy, sacrifices and holy ablutions. Those who destroy the same go to hell.

7. Persons desirous of performing Homas, Japas, holy ablutions and worship of deities and those who possess truthfulness, forgiveness and mercy attain heaven.

8. There is no one making a gift of happiness or misery and there is no one who removes the same. Men experience happiness or misery brought about by his own actions.

9. He who dedicates his life for the sake of virtue crosses all difficulties. If there is contentment, who is he who cannot sustain himself by means of fruits and roots?

10. Every one sinks into misery due to association and intimacies. The same is caused by greed which cannot be warded off.

11. Greed generates anger, malice results from greed; greed begets delusion, illusion, false prestige and rivalry.

12. He who is free from lust, hatred, falsehood, anger, greed, delusion and haughtiness becomes calm and tranquil and he attains the highest region divested of sins.

13. O Hara, the deities, the sages, the serpents, the Gandharvas and the Guhyakas honour a virtuous man and not a rich or lustful man.

14. By means of unlimited valour, intelligence or manliness a man secures even things difficult to get. Hence, there is nothing to grieve over.

15. This is the highest achievement that a man is merciful to all living beings, is able to curb all sense organs and has the notion that everything is transitory.

16. If a man does not perform meritorious actions although he sees Death staring at him face to face, his life is as worthless as the teatlike sebaceous growth under the chin of a goat.

17. The slayer of a child in the womb, the murderer of a brahmin, he who kills a cow or his own father and the wretch who defiles his own preceptor’s bed can get rid of the sin by making a gift of a land possessing all good features.

18. In my view, there is no other gift surpassing the gift of a cow. A cow acquired by lawful means, if handed over as a gift, makes the entire family cross all difficulties.

19. O Vrsadhvaja, there is no gift better than the gift of food. It is food that sustains the world of mobile and immobile beings.

20-21. The gift of a virgin, the gift of a bull, pilgrimage, high erudition, the gift of an elephant, horse and chariot or that of gems, jewels and lands — none of these is equal to even a sixteenth part of the gift of food. Vital airs, strength, splendour, valour, fortitude and power of memory take their origin from food.

22. If a person digs wells, tanks and lakes or lays parks for the sake of the public, he raises the members of his family even to the twentyfirst remove and himself revels in the region of Vi$nu.

23. Even the very sight of good men purifies one. It is better than the holy places of pilgrimage. The benefit from a

•holy place is derived later but that from the contact of good men is immediately effective.

24. Truthfulness, restraint, penance, purity, contents ment, forgiveness, straightforwardness, wisdom, tranquillity > mercy and charity — these are eternal virtues.

CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY-TWO.

Expiation.

Brahmd said:

1. I shall explain the rites of atonement quelling sins conducive to being confined in hell. Flies, sprays of water, woman, water on the surface of the earth, fire, cat and mungoose are always pure.

2. If inadvertently a brahmin takes food defiled by the Ucchi${a (residual of food partaken) of a Sudra he should fast for a day and night and drink Paficagavya. He shall be purified.

3. If a brahmin and another brahmin are mutually defiled by their Ucchi? $a, the expiatory rite is taking a bath and Japa. They shall take food only at the end of the day.

4-5. If anyone takes food containing flies or bits of hair he shall immediately vomit it out for purity. He who takes foodstuffs keeping them in the palms, or licks the finger or eats food placed on the arms shall be purified after the expiry of a day and night. Or he shall drink water poured out to him. Water drunk with the left hand, or water drunk by others partially is like toddy and so shall not be drunk or if drunk one incurs the sin of drinking toddy.

6-7. Water taken in a leather bag is impure. If a low caste person resides in the house of any one of other castes, without declaring that he is of low caste, the expiatory rite for the twice-born is Candrayapa or Par& ka. That for a Sudra is the Praj& patya rite. If the person resides knowingly, other types of expiatory rites are to be performed.

8. He who takes cooked food there shall perform half of a Kf-cchra penance. Those who take the food of these people shall perform a fourth of the Kfcchra penance.

9. The brahmin who takes food of a washerman, an actor, a bamboo worker or a cobbler has to perform Candrkyana penance.

10. If inadvertently he drinks water from a well or waterpot belonging to a Candala he shall perform the Santapana penance. A VaiSya shall perform half of that.

11. A Sudra in the circumstances shall perform a quarter of that. For inadvertently taking food in the house of a lowcaste, the atonement is three Krcchras. For approaching an Antyaja (low caste) woman, the expiatory rite is a Par& ka.

12. A brahmana taking the Ucchi? (a of a low caste man becomes pure by performing Candrayaria. If inadvertently he takes a Carujala’s food he should perform Aindhana (a variety of Santapana) form of an expiatory rite.

13. A Ksatriya shall perform Santapana and the others shall perform Japa Yajfia for a night. If a brahmin eats the fruit from the same tree as a Cand& hi inadvertently he becomes pure after the lapse of a day and a night.

14. By eating Ucchi^a impurity is incurred which shall be removed by vomitting it off. If he touches a Cantjala he shall repeat Gayatri eight thousand times or Drupada Mantra a hundred times.

15. The atonement for taking the food of a Ci^d& la or a Svapaca (those who cook dogs) or taking food after evacuating the bowels or urination (without the customary washing) is fasting for three nights. The expiation for approaching an Antyaja woman is Paraka penance.

16. Expiation for indulging in sexual intercourse with an unwilling woman is Paraka. There is no expiation for a low castr man in a similar context.

17. If a brahmin drinks water in a vessel that had contained wine and hence had been defiled, he is purified by a quarter of Krcchra penance and by undergoing all the Samskaras (investiture with sacred thread and other rites) all over again.

18-19. Brahmins who had once renounced the world but are desirous of starting the life of a householder again, after gathering food and drink, shall perform three Krcchras and three Candrayanas. The Sage Vasistha has laid down all the Samskaras beginning with post-natal rites.

20-21. A defiled woman shall become pure again by Prajapatya and other rites or by feeding two brahmins. A brahmin defiled by the touch of a dog or a Sudra defiled by Ucchisfa shall fast for a night and drink Paftcagavya. He shall become pure. Touched by an outcaste he shall fast for five nights.

22. A continuous stream of water is never defiled; dust blown out by wind is pure; women, children and old men are never polluted.

23. The mouth of women is always pure; the fruit struck down by birds is pure; a calf at the coming out of its mother animal’s womb is pure; a dog in the act of seizing a beast of game is pure.

24. Aquatic animals while in water and surface and nonaquatic animals in the ground are pure. A person standing in water and performing Acamana shall attain purity.

25. A vessel of bell metal not defiled by wine becomes pure by the application of ashes. If defiled by wine, it becomes pure by cow’s urine or by heating.

26. Bell-metal vessels smelt by cows, or containing the Ucchisfa of a Sudra or struck by crow or a dog become pure by rubbing them with ash ten times.

27-29. A brahmin taking food in the vessel of a Sudra should fast and then take Paftcagavya. A brahmin who has not rinsed his mouth after taking food becomes impure when touched by a dog or a Sudra or others of a higher caste. He shall fast for regaining purity. Defiled by the touch of a woman in her menses he shall take Paftcagavya for purity. If a person evacuates his bowels or urinates in a dry place or in a road infested by thieves and tigers he is not defiled if he holds some coins in his hand. While taking Sauca he shall place the coins on the ground.

30. Gruel; curd, milk, buttermilk and Krgara (mixture of jaggery, rice and gingelly seeds) can be taken even from a & udra. These together with pulse and honey can be taken from a low caste person.

31. If a brahmin or other castes drink Gau^i Pai? JI or Madhvika type of wine they shall expiate by drinking red-hot wine.

32. Defiled by taking food or drinking water in a house defiled by the impurity of death or birth of a child, a brahmin should repeat Gayatri five hundred times. A Ksatriya and a Vaisya in similar circumstances shall repeat Gayatri a hundred times.

33. When someone dies in the family, a brahmin remains impure for ten days and a Ksatriya for twelve days. A Vaisya becomes pure after fifteen days and a Sudra in a month.

34. If a king dies in battle, or while performing a sacrifice or during a sojourn in a foreign land, if a child less than a month old dies, the purity is instantaneous (there is no impurity).

35-36. An unmarried girl, a brahmin boy not yet invested with the sacred thread, a boy who has cut his first tooth, and a three year old girl, if these die the impurity is for three days. If there is abortion the impurity is for as many days as the number of months of conception. A woman in her menses becomes pure on the fourth day.

37-38. In times of famine, civil commotion, etc., during the days of initiation, in the practice of a religious rite, marriage preparation, invitation to a brahmin for a Sraddha, etc. impurities due to birth or death do not act as obstacles. Nor can the regular charity, etc. be disturbed.

39-40. A brahmin becomes impure by touching his wife in confinement. There is no impurity due to birth where sacrificial fires are daily nurtured, Vedas are regularly recited, or Vaisva Deva Sraddha is constantly performed. If a brahmin takes food in a house where the impurities are present he becomes pure after three days.

41-42. Women of four castes in their menses become impure again due to mutual touch. The brahmin woman becomes pure after three days, the Ksatriya woman after two days, the Vaisya woman after fasting for a day and the Sudra woman after taking a bath. Things measured in Dro^as are not to be cast off as defiled by them.

43. Cooked food touched by dogs or crows becomes defiled. The upper layer of such food should be thrown away. For the purification of the remaining food, it should be sprinkled with water from a vessel in which a piece of gold is kept and heated over fire for a short while.

44. If any one happens to drink water from a well where the dead body of a dog, jackal or a monkey has fallen, the expiation for a brahmin is fasting for three days, for a K? atriya two days and for a VaiSya a single day.

45. If bones, hides, faeces or the dead body of a mouse fall into a well, the water shall be drained off and the well should be sprinkled with Paficagavya. It becomes pure again.

46. If a tank or a lake is defiled as above, holy ashes should be sprayed over it and six potfuls of water should bet aken out. If Paficagavya is poured thereafter it becomes pure again.

47-48. The menstrual blood flowing into a tank contaminates it. Thirty potfuls of water should be taken out of the tank for purification. If any one indulges in sexual intercourse with a forbidden woman, drinks wine or eats beef he becomes impure. The atonement for a brahmin then is Candrayana penance, for a king it is Prajapatya penance, for a Vaisya it is Santapana and for a Sudra it is fasting for five days.

49. After performing the expiatory rite they should make gifts of cows and feed brahmins. During sports wearing of blue cloth is not forbidden. Nor is it forbidden as a bedsheet.

An indigo dyed cloth should not be touched otherwise. Persons regularly using blue cloth will fall into hell.

50-53. The slayer of a brahmin, the wine addict, the thief, the defiler of a preceptor's bed and those who associate with such sinners become pure after seeing the ‘Great Bear.

Then he should make a gift of a hundred cows and feed brahmins. The slayer of a brahmin must stay in a cottage in a forest for twelve years. The wine-addict should fall into fire.

The thief should hand over everything he possesses to a brahmin. The defiler of a preceptor’s bed shall make the gift of a bull or a thousand cows.

54. Binding the two legs of a cow, tying it illegally, and allowing it to die in conflagration or in a forest makes one a sinner and he should perform the complete Krcchra penance.

55-56. If a cow dies due to the defect in tying the bell round its neck, if one breaks its bones or horns, if one strips its skin, if one cuts its tail or wounds its nose, one shall expiate by taking over barley water for a fortnight. Injuring elephants or horses by means of weapons is also sinful and should be atoned for by performing the complete Krcchra penance.

57. Inadvertently taking in faeces or urine or touching wine the twice-born becomes sinful and should undergo all the Samskaras all over again.

58. While undergoing the Samskaras all over again, the items of tonsure, wearing of Kula girdle, holding of the staff, and the rites of begging alms can be omitted.

59. Raw flesh, ghi, honey and oil kept for a long time when taken out of the vessel of an Antyaja become automatically pure.

60-61. The onefourth Kj-cchra consists of taking a single food for the first day, a single night food for the second day, and unsolicited food for the third day. The same with a fast for the fourth day is half a Krcchra. Twice that is Prajapatya which atones for all sins. A Krcchra with seven days' fast is called Mahasantapana.

62. Taking hot water alone for three days, then taking hot milk alone for three days and then taking hot ghi alone for three days, is called a Taptakrcchra. It quells all sins.

63. A Paraka penance that quells all sins consists of fasting for twelve days. In the expiatory rites morsels of food must be increased by one each in the bright half and decreased by one each in the dark half.

64-66. The constituents of Paficagavya are as follows: —

Milk taken from a gold-coloured cow; the cow dung of a white cow; urine of a copper coloured cow; clarified butter of the milk of a blue cow and the curd of the milk of a black cow. Water added should be consecrated by Kuia grass.

Eight Milas of cow's urine, four Malas of dung, twelve Milas of milk, ten Milas of curd and five milas of ghi form the correct proportion. This Paficagavya removes all impurities.

CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTYTHREE.

Yuga-dharma.

Brahmd said:

1. O Vyasa, I have narrated with devotion the various acts of piety practised by the sages. Through them Visnu can be propitiated. They are conducive to happiness.

2-3. Lord Visnu who dispenses virtue, love, wealth and salvation can be attained by Tarpana, Homa and Sandhya prayers. Virtue is Lord Visnu Himself; worship is Vi$nu; performance of Tarpana, Homa, Sandhya prayers, contemplation, everything is Lord Hari Himself.

Suta said:

4. I shall explain, O Saunaka, the Pralaya (dissolution)

of the universe. Please listen to everything. A thousand sets of the four Yugas constitute a Kalpa which is one day for Brahma, the lotus born deity.

5. Know the characteristic features of the four Yugas viz Krta, Treta, Dvapara and Kali. In Krta age virtue rests on its four feet, viz. Truth, Gift, Penance and Mercy.

6. Hari protects Dharma then. All the wise men are contented. Men lived for four thousand years then.

7. At the end of Krta, brahmins were conquered by Ksatriyas and Vaisyas and Sudras remained submissive to the twice-born. The powerful Visnu, the valorous, killed the Raksasas.

8. In the Treta age, virtue stands on three feet, viz. Truth, Gift and Mercy. Men are devoted to Yajfias (sacrifices) then.

The universe takes its origin (sustenance) from Ksatriyas.

9. Hari of the red hue is worshipped by men who live for a thousand years. Visnu has a mighty chariot in this age.

K$& triyas killed Raksasas. [Or Visnu who incarnated as Bhimaratha of the K? atriya caste killed the Raksasas].

10. In the Dvapara age, when Vi§nu takes the yellow hue, virtue stands on two legs. People live for four hundred years and take their origin and sustenance from brahmins and Ksatriyas.

11. On seeing people deficient in intellect, Lord Visnu incarnating as Vyasa divided the Vedas into four books.

12-13. He taught the Vedas to his disciples. Please know the details. Disciple Paila was taught Rgveda; Jaimini was taught Samaveda; Sumantu was taught Atharvaveda and Mahamuni was taught Yajurveda. Suta in the company of Vaisampayana was taught the Puranas. He who knows the eighteen Puranas is Lord Hari himself.

14. The five topics dealt with in a Purana are (1)

creation (2) subsidiary creation (3) genealogy (4) Manvantaras and (5) the detailed description of the exploits of various kings.

15-16. The eighteen Puranas are — (l)Brahma (2)Padma (3) Vaisnava (4) Saiva 1 (5) Bhagavata (6) Bhavisya (7) Naradiya (8) Skanda (9) Linga (10) Varaha (11)

Markandeya (12) Agneya (13) Brahmavaivarta (14) Kaurma (15) Matsya (16) Garuda (17) Vayaviya and (18)

Brahmanda.

17. Many Upapuranas have been mentioned by sages.

The first one is narrated by Sanatkumara. The next one is that of Narasimha.

18. The third one is Skanda as narrated by Kumara.

The fourth one is Sivadharma as narrated by Nandisvara.

19. The next one is the one of wonderful features narrated by Durvasas. The next one is narrated by Narada. Then come those narrated by Kapila, Vamaria and Usanas.

20. The other ones are Brahmanda, Varuna, Kalika, Maheivara, Samba, Sarvarthasaficaya, ParaSarokta, Marica and Bhargava.

21. The eighteen Vidyas are (1) Puranas (2) Dharmagastras (3-6) the four Vedas (7-12) the six Vedangas (13) Nyaya

(14) Mimamsa (15) Ayurveda (16) Artha^astra (17) the Gandharva vidya (Science of Music) and (18) Dhanurveda the Science of Archery, O Sage Saunaka.

1. Sometimes V& yu Purarta is inserted in place of Siva Purina in the list of eighteen Mah& purdpas.

22. By the end of Dvapara, Lord Hari had already removed the weighty burden of the earth. Then Lord Hari incarnated as Krsna (the black) when virtue began to stand on a single foot.

23. Then (in the Kali age)men will become vicious, ruthless and evilminded. There are three qualities in a man viz. Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Actuated by Kali (Kala) these qualities undergo various changes in the Atman.

24. When the Sattva quality is predominant in the mind, the intellect and the sense organs know that to be the Krta Yuga when people are devoted to knowledge and penance.

25. O Saunaka, when the energy of people is turned towards the fulfilment of their desires and Rajas predominates, know that to be Treta Yuga.

26. When Rajas and Tamas are equally powerful giving rise to greed, discontent, false prestige, haughtiness, rivalry and eager pursuit of desired objects, know that to be Dvapara.

27. When Tamas alone is predominant, the people utter falsehood always, are lethargic, somnolent, seeking violent means and overwhelmed by grief, delusion, terror and wretchedness, know that to be Kali age.

28. Then people are lustful and harsh in speech. Country is overrun by thieves and robbers. Vedas are spoiled by Pa$andas (misinterpreters).

29. Kings will be begging of the subjects. People will be overpowered by their penises and bellies. [They will be carnal minded and gluttonous). The religious students will be divested of their rites and impure. Mendicants will turn householders.

30. Ascetics will begin ' to stay in villages. Depositors will be covetous of wealth. People will be short in stature but very gluttonous. Thieves and robbers will be considered holy.

31. Servants will leave their masters in the lurch; the ascetics will cast off their religious rite; Sudras will begin to receive Dak$i$as and VaiSyas will turn to austerities.

32-33. All people will be disgruntled appearing like Pijacas. They will be worshipping fire, deities and guests by means of unjustifiable means of feeding. When Kali age sets in, people will never offer water libations to their Pitrs. They will be devoted to womenfolk and for all appearance they will not be different from Siidras, O, Saunaka.

34. Women will give birth to many children. Their good fortune will decline. If they are rebuked they will simply scratch their heads and defy all orders.

35. Overwhelmed by heretics people will cease to worship Vi$nu. But, O Brahmins, though the Kali age is full of defects there is a great virtue in it.

36-37. In Kali, by singing songs in praise of Lord Kr$na one can free oneself from the great bondage. In Krtaage people have to perform sacrifices and in the Treta they have to recite Japas. In the Dvapara age, by serving the lord they can attain salvation but in Kali that is possibe only by singing songs in praise of the Lord. Hence, Hari is to be contemplated upon for ever and worshipped, O Saunaka.

CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTYFOUR.

Dissolution.

Suta said:

1. At the end of a thousand sets of four Yugas there will be a causal dissolution of all created beings called Brahma laya or Naimittika laya. At the end of [a Kalpa there will be a drought extending over a hundred years.

2. Then seven fierce suns will blaze in the sky. Drying up every drop of water they will wither up the three worlds.

3. The earth, Bhuvaji, Svafr and Mahar Lokas with ail their inmates mobile and immobile will be completely dried up. Lord Visnu in the form of Rudra, will burn nether worlds as well.

4. First burning up the three worlds, Lord Vi? nu will begin creating clouds from his mouth. These clouds of various delusive nature will shower water for a hundred years.

5. The whole world will appear like a vast ocean of water. All mobile and immobile beings will be destroyed.

Vi$nu will then lie down on the back of the serpent Ananta assuming the form of the Supreme Brahman.

6. After sleeping for a thousand years he will begin creating the universe again. Now I shall explain the dissolution called Prakftika Pralaya (Natural dissolution), O Saunaka, please listen.

7. When a hundred years (of Brahma) are completed, Lord Hari with his yogic powers destroys the whole universe after absorbing within himself the deity Brahma.

8. A long period of drought and blazing sun will be followed by the formation of clouds that will pour heavy showers for a hundred years and fill the cosmos with water. 9. With water within, the Antja (the Cosmic Egg) will burst when the life span of Brahma is over and dissolve in water.

10. The whole Earth sustaining the world will dissolve in water. Tne waters will merge in fire and the fire will merge in wind.

11. The wind will merge in Ether and the Ether in Bhiitadi (the essential matter). This essential matter merges into Mahan ( the Cosmic Intellect). The Mahan merges into Avyakta Prakrti (the undifferentiated Nature) which loses itself into the Purusa (the eternal subjectivity).

12. Hari sleeps for a hundred years and then creates on the onset of day in the same order manifesting finally into the world.

CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTYFIVE.

Results of good and bad acts.

Suta said:

1. After knowing the three types of misery such as the Adhyatmika (physiological) etc. the wise man conscious of the Samsara cakra (the wheel of worldly existence) will become possessed of wisdom and non-attachment ( to things mundane) and then merge into Atyantika Laya (Psychic annihilation).

2. I shall mention the wheel of worldly Existence from the time of death without knowing which the individual self (Purusartha) cannot become sub-merged in the supreme self (Paramatman).

3. After casting off the outer garment (i. e. the gross body) the man takes another body (the subtle one). In twelve days, he is led by the attendants of Yama.

4. The water libations with gingelly seeds offered by the kinsmen in the world as well as the ball of rice (pinda) offered by them is partaken of by him in the region of Yama.

5. From there the meritorious man goes to heaven and the sinner to hell.

6. After experiencing the benefits or torture of heaven and hell, the individual enters the womb of women. First nucleus is formed in the umbilical region which splits into bifurcated seed.

7. The foetus is then evolved with frothy exudations.

Blood and muscles are formed thereafter when the lump may weigh a Pal a in weight. Then it is said to sprout.

8. Limbs begin to grow; fingers are developed; eyes, nose, nails, etc are formulated.

9. Hairs begin to grow on the body and the head; the child is placed in a topsyturvy position and is born in the tenth month.

10. Then the most delusive Maya (Illusory Power) of Visnu begins to envelop him as he proceeds from infancy to childhood, youth and old age.

11. Then he dies and reaps the fruit of his different activities of virtue or otherwise. Thus man is caught in the cogs of the wheel of worldly existence that continues to turn like the water wheel.

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