UC-NRLF

24b 505

SANATANA DHARMA
AN ADVANCED TEXT BOOK
OF

RELIGIOI^ AND

ETHICS.

PUBLISHED BY THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES,.

CENTRALJIINDU COLLEGE,

BENARES.
1903,

All rights reserved.

PRINTED AT THE

'J

AHA PUINTING WOBKS, BENARJE*.

LOAN STACK

GIFT

032

FOREWORD.
The Board

of Trustees of the Central

Hindu

College has laid dowri the following principles on

which religious and moral teaching is to be given

Jn

all

Institutions under

its

control.

The object of the Central Hindu College being

to combine Hindu religious and ethical training
ivith the western education suited to the needs of
necessary that this religious and
training shall be of a wide, liberal and un-

ihe time,
ethical

it is

sectarian character, while at the

same time

be definitely and distinctively Hindu.

inclusive

of

enough

It

it

shall

must be

most divergent forms

to unite the

Hindu thought, but exclusive enough

to

leave

forms of thought which are non-Hindu.

It must avoid all doctrines which are the subject of

outside

it

controversy between schools recognised as orthodox it must not enter into any of the social and
;

political questions of the

day but it must lay a

and ethics on which the
;

solid foundation of religion

student

may

build, in his

manhood, the more speciand emomust be directed to the

alised principles suited to his intellectual

tional temperament.

It

Building up of a character

pious, dutiful, strong,

Forewotd.

ii

self-reliant,

upright, righteous,

gentle

and

well-

balanced a character which will be that of a good

man and a good citizen the fundamental principles
of
governing the general view of life and
;

religion,

of

life's

obligations,

are alone sufficient to form

That which unites Hindus in a.

must be clearly and simply taught
Lastly,
all that divides them must be ignored.
care must be taken to cultivate a wide spirit of
tolerance, which not only respects the differences
of thought and practice among Hindus, but which

such a character.

common

faith

also respects the differences of religion

among non-

reverence, as
Hindus, regarding
roads whereby men approach the Supreme.
faiths

all

Therefore

i.

The

with

Religious and

struction

Ethical

must be such as

Inall

Hindus can accept.

2.

It

must include the special teachings which mark out Hinduism

from other

3.

It

religions.

must not include the

distinctive

views of any special school or

sect.

The Text Book is intended

Hindu youths in Colleges, after

to

be studied by

the elementary one

and the Catechism have been mastered

in

school

ni

Foreword.

exactly the same general plan,

in the broad outlines given in the elementaIt

days.
filling

follows

ry one, and

supplying details which were not be-

fore introduced, lest they should confuse the

minds

of young learners.
It follows

the

common

same

principle

of expounding

the vast majority of Hindus,

In the Introducsectarian
views.
avoiding special
tion a very brief sketch of the great Schools is
beliefs

to

given, as every youth should

know

of their exis-

tence and of their distinguishing marks.

The name

to

carefully discussed,

ma "

was

be giVen to these books was

and that of " Sanatana Dhar-

teachings, free

connoting the ancient

from modern accretions. It should

cover

as

finally chosen, as

all sects,

it

did in the ancient days.

great work of
building up the national Religion, and so pave the
way to national happiness and prosperity.

May

this

book

also

aid

in, the

CONTENTS.
PAGE.

INTRODUCTION.

PART
BASIC

_CHAPTER

CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER

HINDU RELIGIOUS

IDEAS.

Tin, ONE EXISTENCE.

THE MANY,

I.

II.

II

I.

39
62

REBIRTH.

F.

89

IV.

KARMA.

V.

SV:KIFK:K.

VI.

THE

108

124

VISIBLE

AND

IN-

VISIBLE WORLDS.

PART

139

II.

GENERAL HINDU RELIGIOU

CUSTOMS AND RITES.

CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER
CHAPTER

I.

THE SAMSKARAS.

...

165

II.

SiiRAfiDiiA.

...

183

III.

SHAUCHAM.

...

191

IV.

THE FIVE DAILY

SACRI-

FICES.

...

...

CHAPTER
CHAPTER

V.

WORSHIP.

VI..

Tin:

CHAPTER

VII.

THE CASTE SYSTEM.

FOUR

STAGES

LIFE.

198
208

OF
...

220

...

237

PART

III.

ETHICAL TEACHINGS.

PART

I.

BASIC HINDU RELIGIOUS IDEAS.

II

INTRODUCTION.
The Religion based on the VeTV
Sanatana Dharma, or Vaidika Dharma, is
the oldest of living Religions, and stands unrivalled
I

das, the

in the
it

depth and splendour of its philosophy, while

none in the purity of its ethical teach-

yields to

ings,

and

its rites

in the flexibility

and ceremonies.

and varied adaptation of ^

^
"
It is like a river, which

'

'

f'

may play in, and depths

which the strongest diver cannot fathom." lti$
thus adapted to every human need, and there is

&)

has shallows that a child

nothing which any religion can supply to add to its

rounded perfection. The more it is studied, the
more does it illuminate the intellect and satisfy the

heart

The youth who

learns something of

it is

laying up for himself a sure increaser of happiness,

a sure consolation in trouble, for the rest of
his

life.

see

Cal.

*"TT

*Q

fs snip

"That which
gether the

(of

that which

supports,

peoples

the

holds to-

universe),

that

is

Dharma/'

Dharma

not merely a set of beliefs having

no necessary connection with the daily life of humanity, but it is the very principles of a healthy
is

and beneficent life. Therefore to know those principles and act upon them is to be a true Aryan (or
follower of Vaidika Dharma), and to tread the sure
road

to happiness,

individual as well as general.

meaning of "religion" is also

x3EEe_etymological
"
the same, that which binds together."

means
ledge."

"

"

Vaidika

"

Veda or Perfect KnowHence Vaidika Dharma means " the Relipertaining to the

gion of Perfect Knowledge."

of the most remarkable things in the Sanatana Religion, is the way fn which it has laid down

One

a complete scheme of knowledge, and has then

crowned it with a Philosophy composed of six
faces, but governed by one idea and leading to one
No such comprehensive and orderly view of
eoal.
*H?\. F&Yi fyp
is elsewhere

human knowledge

to be found.

in the

This

has been sketched

elementary Text-Book,
but now requires some further elucidation.
l

Mahdbhdrata.

Karijta Parva, Ixix, 59.

THE BASIS OF SANATANA DHARMA,

The
Vedas,

consisting of the Four

the final authority in the Aryan Religion,
Shruti|ij

sjfip
is

and these four Vedas form

in their entirety

VEDA, THE PERFECT KNOWLEDGE,

Brahma, seen by the

by Them

Rishis,

and clothed

for the benefit of the

Aryan

in

by

words

peoples.
:

"

THE

revealed

The Vedas,

together with the Itihasas, were

withdrawn at the end of the Yugas, The Mahar-

permitted by SvayambhO (Brahma), recovered

them by Tapas,"

Shis,

appears that modifications were introduced

on such recoveries, which took place at the beginIt

ning of each cycle, so as to

Vedas

we

read

to
in.

the
the

suit the again revealed

conditions of the age.
For

special

Devi Bh&gavata
sr srg

^r ^H^nr^^r
Prsrr^jcrr^r

^^r^tr n

"

Then, in the Kali age, He (Vishnu in the

form of Vyasa) divides the one Veda into many
parts, desiring benefit (to men), and knowing that the
l

Quoted by Shankar&ch^rya,

Vysa>Shdrtraka Bhdfhya.
3

Loc. cit.l.

iii.

19.

and

I. iii) 29.

attributed

by him

to

Brahmanas would be

and of small

short-lived

telligence/ and hence unable

in-

to master the whole.

Thus the Rights are ever watching over the

Religion they gave, withdrawing and again giving
revelation according to the needs and the capaciIf so much has disappeared
of each age.
as may be seen by combooks
sacred
from the
be contained
paring the number of shlokas said to
this
in some of them, with the extant shlokas

ties

disappearance has been brought about by the

Ri^his for men's benefit.
In Pataftjali's Mah&bhdshya much higher figures, as regards the extent and content of the Vedas,
are given than are found in the now extant books.
He mentions 21 shAkh^s of the Rigveda, 100 of

the Yajurveda,

1000 of the SAmaveda, and 9 of

the Atharvavtda.

The Muktikopani$hat

gives 21

of the Rigveda, 109 of the Yajurveda,

1000 of the Samaveda, and 50 of the Atkawaveda,
Of these but few are now known. 1

sMkhas

Each Veda has

The

three divisions

Samhita, or Collection, consistused at sacriing of *?firR SQkt&ni, SOktas, hymns

fices and offerings, the Mantras, on which the
(i.)

gffrrr

efficacy of the rite depends.

1 Cf- on

t)ii*

point the

(2) The OTgrnrw^ Brahmananl, Brahmanas, described by Apastamba as containing precepts for
sacrifice, reproof, praise, stories and traditions ;

they explain the connection betweeft the SQktas and

the ceremonies they are treatises on ritual, but
interspersed with the ritual directions are many
;

illustrative stones, philosophical observations, and

profound ideas., especially in the Tandya Mahd-

bidhmana and the Shatapatka Brahmana* Treatises named 3TK a 3^ffa Aranyakani, Aranyakas, or
Books for the Forest, i. e. for study by recluses, are
given at the end of the Brahmanas,

The

OTHW?: Upanihadah, Upanisliats,

philosophical treatises of a profound character,
embodying the ^njfffTOr, Brahrnavidya, on which the
(3)

^ Six:

f are

Darshaaas, or the great systems of philosophy

built up*
They are many in number, 108

being the more important, and of these 10 or 12

are called Major, and the rest Minor. The Major

have been commented on by the founders of the

leading schools of Vedanta, or by their early
disciples.^.

The
the

_,_,,-^

""""" 'C

Sarnhita, or Collection

Jg.igv.eda,

contains

o! the

1017 Sftktas, arranged in

JPT^R Mandalani, Mandalas,

The SOktas are for the most part
10

invocations

of,

Mantras of

the Devas, but

Hteraily circles.

prayers

we shall

to,

and

find later that

One Supreme Existence is also definitely taught

Aryan book, it is the book of
the ffrTT Hota, the priest who pours offerings into the
fire, and, as its name implies, is the knowledge of

the

in this ancient

Richas, or laudatory verses,, to be recited aloud

the time of the sacrifice.

The Samhita of the Yajurveda

at

consists of forty

Adhyayas, or chapters, containing 1886 shlokas,

about half of which are also found in the Rigveda.
There are two main versions of it, the Krishna, the
black, or Taittittya, in which the Samhita and Brahmana are mixed up ; and the Shn-kla^ the white, or

Vajasaneya, in which the Samhita is separate from

the Brahmana. There are other minor differences.

The Samhita

and prayers
the preparation of the mate-

consists of the invocations

offered in sacrifices in

the altar, the bricks, the stakes, etc., etc,

Details of the sacrifices often mentioned in histories
the Ashvamedha, eta may here
the

rials,

Rajastiya,

be found, as well as of domestic and other ceremonies. It is the book containing, as its name implies,
the knowledge of sacrifices, and belongs especially
to the

sro

Adhvaryuh (conductor), comprising

his duties in a sacrifice.

The Samhita

of

the

Samaveda contains 15

subdivided
books, divided into 32 chapters, again
in the
found
also
are
of
these
Most
into 460 hymns.

Rigveda mantras, only 75 being different. The

Sdmaveda is the knowledge of song, and its hymns
were chanted by the ^nrm UdgiU, at sacrifices in
which Sorna was offered, *

The

Sarnhita of the Atharvaveda

into 20 Kandas,
Its earthly

is

divided

and these again into 731 hymns.

compilation

is

ascribed to the descen-

dants of Atharvana, the Angirasas and the Bhrigus,

to

whom

it

was revealed.

It

is

sometimes called

Brahmdveda, probably because it was the special

Veda used by the sgir Brahma, the chief priest at a
sacrifice, who supervised the whole, and remedied
any errors that might have been committed by the
Hotri, Adhvaryu and Udgatri. The name, however,
may refer to the fact that in the Atharvaveda is also

expounded the knowledge of Brahman which bestows Moksha, liberation from rebirth,

many

of the

Sdmaveda comprises four

different works, the iinwt the gjfj, the 3j$j, and the
-A- 11
these four include the whole of the
srrruprrnTSdmaveda as set to music. But as the hymns with
their musical notations became wholly unintelligible,
even in early days, they were rearranged into a dis1

The Samhiba

of the

tinct compilation, called the Archika.

tion

on the top

of the

On

The

this compila-

Bhashya.
figures used
mantras in the printed text indicate

Sdyana wrote his

the notes of the gamut.

more famous Upani$hats forming part of

it.
Furon the daily life of the
ancient middle class Aryan, the merchant and the
agriculturist, as well as on that of the women of the

ther,

throws

it

same

class,

much

light

and thus has a

sociological interest of

There

are

its

special

historical

and

own.

two Br^hmanas attached

to

the

Rigveda the Aitareya, consisting of 40 Adhy^yas,

deals with the Soma sacrifices, the Agnihotra, and
;

the ceremonies connected with the accession of a

The Aitareya

king.

Aranyaka belongs

to

Brcthmana, in which the Aitaieya Upanishat

is

this
in-

The Kaushttaki Brdhmana, sometimes

called also Skdnkhdyana, has 30 Adhy&yas and
The Aranyaka of
deals with the Soma sacrifices.
the same name belongs to it, and includes the
cluded

Kaushitaki Upani$hat^ There are attached to it

also 8 minor Upanis/hats.
In the Krishna Yajurveda there are no separate

Brahmanas recognised by two

schools, the

prose portions mingled with the SamhM taking

; but a third school separates these as the
Taittiriya Brdhmana in 3 Adhyyas, with a Tait-

this place

tiiiya

Aranyaka containing the

shat.

The Katha and Shvetdshvatara Upanishats

Taittirtya Upani-

and 31 minor ones belong also to the Krishna Yajurveda. The Shukla Yajurveda has the Shatapa-

tha Brdhmana in 100 Adhy^yas, the Aranyaka of

which contains the Brihaddtanyakopani$hat> also
called the Vdjasaneya
the Ishopanishat forms
;

the last chapter of this Veda,

together with 17

minor Upanis;hats.

The S&maveda has

manas

3 generally known Brahthe Talavakdra, which includes the Keno-

panishat ; the Panchavinsha, containing 25 books

the Chhdndogya Brdhmana, including the
nishat of that name, and 14 minor ones.

The

Upa-

A tharvaveda

has the Gopatfia Brdhmana,

of
2
books,
consisting
Many Upanishats are attached to this Veda in different lists. The Mdndfikya,

Mundaka and Prashna

are

among

those

12 chief Upanihats, and there are

31 minor ones attached to it in the Muktikopani-

classed

as the

?hat.

The

12

Kaushitaki,

Upanihats are: the Aitateya,

Taittiriya, Katha, Shvetdshvatara,

chief

Brihaddranyaka, fsha, Kena, Chhdndogya, MdnThe student can

dtikya, Mundaka and Prashna.
find the

complete

list

of the whole 108 in the

Muk-

tikopanishat.

On

these Shrutis the whole fabric

of Vaidika

Dharma, the Religion of the Vedas, as

named, is built, In modern days much

it is

truly

criticism

has been directed against the Vedas, because the

occult knowledge, on the possession of which de-

pends the understanding of

their inner

meaning,

They contain in their entirety a

the
system by
mastery of which all the energies of
nature may be controlled, for it is the system by
has disappeared.

which these energies were vitalised in our universe

its
beginning, and are still directed by fshvara.

at

true Vedavit could rule nature,

gies

would be

and

all

her ener-

at his service.

not wise to conclude hastily that

the Vedas are rubbish, or " the bab-

It is therefore

passages

in

blings of a child-humanity," because they are not

intelligible to the modern student, devoid of Yoga

and of inner knowledge. The student should suspend his judgment whenever he feels inclined to

remembering that some of the keenproduced by humanity have seen

wisdom where he sees none, and he should wait
tffrtil
riper years and increased purity of life have

see absurdity,
est

intellects

opened

his eyes.

The Vedas

are

summed up

in the

G^yatrl, the
Pranava, and the Pranava is the exThis statement is repeatpression of the Absolute.

G&yatri
edly

in the

made

in

the

again and again

meaning

Vedas themselves, and occurs

in

Samskrit

literature.

The

real

or significance of this mysterious fact can

II

only be discovered by prolonged study and meditation.

Next

in

the f^f^:

order to the Shruti in authority conies

Smritih, which explains and developes

laying down the laws which regulate

Dharma,
Aryan national,

social,

family and individual obli-

gations.
They are the text-books of law, and are
l
very numerous, but four of them are regarded as
the chief, And these are sometimes related to the

four Yugas,

Manu

being said to be the authority

the

for

Satya Yuga, Yajnavalkya for the Treta,

Shaftkha and Likhita for the Dvpara, and
shara for the Kali.

3 TR^T

sTPfRf:

^<rra sir^rewrsn".

"

[The laws] of Manu are declared for the Kfita

Yuga, those of Y^jnavalkya for the Treta those
of Shankha and Likhita are remembered for the
Dv^para, those of Parashara are remembered for
;

the Kali."

Thus we

see that, as in the case

of the Vedas,

Rishis with the necessary authority made alterations and adaptations to suit the needs of the

the

time.
1

It

was

See the

this flexibility, characteristic of the

Introduction to M&Q<jLilik's translation of the

Vyavahdra Mayukha and Ydjnavalkya

'2

San&tana Dharma, that preserved

many ages,
The above

when other ancient

saying, however,

it

through so

religions

perished.

no way followed

in

is

to -day*

Of the
Manu says

authority of the Shruti and

reg% *nrorw
tai& <TTOT
"

The Veda

shAstras

as

known

is

Smriti

as

3%

from them

fMnfr n

ff

Shruti,

f8n

the

Dharma-

these should not be doubted

(but carefully consulted and considered) in

ters4 for

Smriti,

Dharma

all

mat-

1'

arose.

Of

these Smritis, the two of Manu and Yajftavaikya are universally accepted at the present time
as of chief authority all over India, and Y&jfta-

valkya
law.

is

other Smritis are drawn upon

necessary to supplement these.

Manu, the original lawgiver of the
is

Hindu
when it is

chiefly consulted in all matters of

The

said in the

Ndrada Smrtti

Dharmashastra
1080 chapters

in

100,000

to

Aryan

race,

have composed a

shlokas,

arranged in

was reduced by N^rada to

12,000 shlokas, by Markandeya to 8000, and by
;

this

Sumati, Bhrigu's son, to 4000.

exist in
i

12 books,

Loc.

Qit.

ii.

10.

The Laws now

containing only

2685 shlokas.

13

Manu expounds
then

the origin of the universe, and

desires Bhrigu to recite the Institutes as

taught by himself. Bhrigu, accordingly, sketches

the work, and then expounds in detail the duties

householder (chap, iii.), and

a Sn^taka (chap, iv.) ; he then deals

of the student (chap,

of one

who

with food,

women

is

ii.),

impurity and purification,

(chap.

and

v,)

finishes the

and with

orderly

life

by

describing the two last stages of the forest-dweller

and the SannySsl (chap. vL). The duties of a king
are then laid

down

(chap,

and the adminis-

vii.),

This
tration of civil and criminal law (chap. viii,).
u
is followed by the
eternal laws for a husband and
his wife," the laws of inheritance, the punishments

some

for

crimes,

and some additional precepts as

to royal duties (chap

The

ix,).

rules

the four

for

castes, chiefly in times of distress, follow (chap, x.),

and then laws on penances (chap. XL). The I2th

chapter deals with transmigration and declares that

supreme bliss is to be gained by the knowledge of

Atma, on whom " the universe rests."

The
yas,

or

They

Y&jftavalkyk Smriti consists of 3 Adhy^chapters, which contain 1010 shlokas.

deal

Vyavah^ra
ances).

respectively
(Civil

In the

Castes and

with

Ach^ra (Conduct),

Law), and Prayashchitta (Pen-

first

Adhyya

Ashramas

are

the duties

expounded,

of the

foods arg

dealt with,

offerings,

gifts,

and the

certain rites,

In the second,
and
civil law and procedure
punishments for crimes
In the third, purifications are
are laid down.
of a king are explained.

duties

given, and these are followed by an explanation of

duties in time of distress, and those of a forest-

an ascetic, and some physiological

then follows a disquisition on the universal and the individual Soul, the paths of liberation
dweller and

details

siddhis, and transmigraof penances.

a
number
with
tion, together

and of bondage, yoga, the

Next

in

succession
the

Puranani,

to

Smriti

the

has read, 1

on

calls

the

sometimes said to

Paftchamo Veda, the Fifth

telling Sanatkumara what he

them the

this: TS^nff %f

the

with

Puranas, which,

r, Itihasah, the history, are

form the <T>^r%^>

Veda. Narada, in

come

fifth,

and Shankara says

In the Bhdgavata

Purdna

__

occurs the phrase

'

ti

Vyasa "having recovered the four Vedas,

named the Rik, Yajuh, Sama, and Atharva, completed

Veda."

the

Itihasa

VII.

and Purana,

i,

2.

Loc.

called

cit, I, iv. 20.

the

fifth

is

So

also

is it

written

fPTC re^^m's:'**? ?EWr

"Always, in each Dvapara age, Vishnu,

form of Vycisa, reveals the Pur^nas, as is
for the

in

the

fitting,.

sake of Dharma."

"
like the six Angas, the
says that
Purnas, etc. are adapted to give a knowledge of
the Vedas, and are therefore worthy objects of

Madhva

study."

So

also

Yajnavalkya

II

2
t

14

The Vedas, along with

the Pur^nas, the NySthe

the
Dharmash^stras
and the
Mim^ns^s,
yas,
Afigas, are the fourteen sources of knowledge and

student should ) expound the

Dharma.
( The
Vedas with (the help of) the Itih&sas and

Puranas."

Eighteen Pur^nas are reckoned the

chief,

and

there are another eighteen, styled Upa-Pur^nas, or

The 18 mukhya, or great, Pur^nas
lesser Pur^nas.
Bh&g.

1. Hi,

18.

a Loc. cit, I,

i.

3.

16

Padma, Vishnu, Shiva, BhAgavata,

N4rada, MArkandeya, Agni, Bhavi$hya, Brahma-

are: Brahma,

vaivarta, Lifiga, VArAna, Skanda, Vmana, Ktirma,

Matsya, Suparna or Garuda, and Brahrn&nda.

The

Upa-Purnasare: Sanatkumra, Narasinha,

Brihannaradiya, Shivarahasya, Durvsas, Kapila,
1

Vmana

Purina thus named),

(in addition to the

BhArgava, Varuna, Kaiik, SAmba, Nandi, Surya,

Devi BhAgavata, Ganesha,

ParAshara, Vasihtha,

Hansa,

There has arisen a dispute as to which of the

two, the Vaishnava Bh/igavata or the Devi Bh&gaand
vata, is the PurAna and which the Upa-Pur^na,
the point remains undecided but it is certain
both are equally valuable and instructive.
;

Devi Bh&gavata

is

specially fitted for those

that

The

who

are

metaphysics and science, while the

to the
Vaishnava Bhdgavata is most acceptable
devotional temperament.
The PurAnas contain the history of remote times,

inclined

to

the conditions of existence were quite different

from those which prevail in our days they also describe regions of the universe not visible to the orit is unfair to
regard
dinary physical eye. Hence
as
PurAnas
the
of
being of the
the

when

conceptions
as those of modern

same nature

Science.

When

Yogasiddhis are developed, the Paurapic pictures

17

past history are seen to

correct than those arrived at

of the universe and

its

more
scientific use of our physical organs
modern
by
of perception, however much these may be aided by
be

infinitely

the

delicate scientific

of

racteristics

Purdna and

apparatus. Certain definite chaPiirina are given in the Vishnu

in others

"

Creation,
Secondary Creation, Genealogy,
Manvantaras,and History, such are the five marks of

a PurAna."

Vy^sa

is

the compiler of the PurHnas from age

age he
Krishna Dvaip^yana, the son of Parshara.

to age, as

we have

seen,

and

for this

is

The other part of the Fifth Veda is the Itih^sa,

the two great epics, the Rdmdyana and the Mak&bkdtata* These are so well known that little need
be said of them here,

The Rtimdyana has for author V^lmiki, and is

the history of the family of the Solar Race, descended from Ikshvaku, in which was born the AvatSra
of Vishnu, Ramachandra and his three brothers.

The

story of their birth, education, and marriages,

the exile of RSmachandra, the carrying off and
recovery of SitA, his wife, the destruction of

18

Rk$hasa, and the reign of R&machandra, are

The whole gives a vivid picture
detailed at length.

the

of Indian

life,

as led towards the close of the Treta

intended to provide, in the life of

Ramachandra and his brothers, a model of fraternal

Yuga, and

is

and mutual

affection

and general
inspiration

service, leading to

welfare, that

true

in

may

Aryan

prosperity
serve as a lesson and

living,

and a model of

kingship for all Aryan rulers. It is, perhaps, almost

needless to add, that the life of Sit& has always
been, and is, regarded as the most perfect example of

womanly

fidelity, chastity

and sweetness

to be

found

in literature.

The Mah&bhdrata was compiled by Vy&sa

it

Yuga, but different recensions of

early in the Kali

have been made.

more complicated and more

Rdmdyana, and relates
of
a family of the Lunar
the varying fortunes
Race, which, rent by jealousies and rivalries,

The

modern

story

is

far

t*han that

of the

this dark
perished by internecine strife. Against
of
the
the
out
Avatara,
stands
figure
background
surroundthe
whole,
Sim Krishna, dominating

by the Pandava family, which triumphs by

virtue of its righteous cause over the opposing
ed

Kurus
heroic

while,

among

the

latter,

shine forth the

Bhi?hma, Drona, and Karna, the splendid

19

doomed defenders

but

of wrongful sovereignty.
Kali Yuga, in which good
the
story fitly opens
and evil contend with almost equal forces, and in

The

which ethical problems and the complicated workin

ings of Karma baffle and bewilder the mind
the destruction of the best and wisest of the
;

Khattriya caste

it

seems

"to

presage the coming

invasions of India, and in the gloom of its closing

earthly scenes to forecast the darkness that was

soon to

down on

settle

Aryavarta.

The main

thread of the story is constantly broken by interludes, consisting of instructive lessons and stories,

among which

Bhih-

are the immortal discourse of

ma

on Dharma, and the most famous jewel of

Aryan literature, the B/tagavad-Gttd. The whole
forms an encyclopaedia of history, morals and religion, unsurpassed, or even rivalled, by any other
epic in the world.

THE SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY OF

.

SANATANA DHARMA.
The Science

of ancient India was contained in

the t5F?$FR Shadang^ni, the Six Limbs, or Branches,

Its Philosophy was contained in

oftheVedas.
the
or

q^lRFR
Systems,

Shadi-Darshan^ni,

They

are

all

the Six

designed

Views,
to

lead

20

man

to the

saw One

One

One Wisdom, which

as unreal.
The
of all knowledge, made

Science, the

Self as Real and

all else

Rihis, realising the unity

distinction between science, philosophy and reAll alike were based on the Veda
the
ligion.

ho

sciences were the Vedfigas, the limbs of the Veda,

the philosophies culminate in the Vedanta, the end

of the Veda. And they were all summed up together as the Lesser Knowledge, the Knowledge

One being alone supreme and indivisible

even the revealed Veda was included in the
former, in virtue of its being revealed, whereas in

of the

the

latter

written

the

Atma knows

Thus

Itself.

it

is

f Rr ? *H *ujpf%fr ^rar
!

firarr

"Two

knowledges are to be known, thus say

the knowers of Brahman the supreme and the
lower.

The lower

Rigveda, Yajurveda,

Sma-

veda, Atharvaveda, the Method of Study, the Method of Ritual, Grammar, Dictionary [Philology],

Prosody, Astrology.
Eternal is reached."

The
\

six Afigas are

Mundakop.

1.

i.

4, 5.

The supreme, whereby That

expounded

in

a vast

mass

21

of literature divided

under six heads

it is

com-

posed of ^rrpr SOtrini, SQtras, with commentaries.

A Sutra is an exceedingly terse aphorism, literally
a " thread," and it is easy to understand that where

knowledge was orally transmitted, this style of

composition would be exceedingly valuable. It
appears to be certain that the SCtras were the
summing up of teachings contained in a vast mass
of literature, long

lost.

These

brief

condensed

aphorisms obviously contain the distilled essence

These being
of profound and abstruse teachings.
the Sutras needed to be again expanded and
explained by the teacher, and hence grew up a
lost,

huge array of commentaries, containing traditional

explanations, with the comments of the immediate
writer.

The
I.

six Aftgas, as just mentioned,

Shikshi,

Method of Study

were

that

is

a know-

ledge of phonetics, in which pronunciation

accent were fully dealt with in an extensive
ature,

the text of the

and
liter-

Vedas being arranged

in

forms or Pathas, which guarded it from

alteration
the Pada-patha, giving each word its
various

separate form, the Karma-p^tha, connecting the

words

in

methods.

pairs,

and

other

more

complicated

22

2.

Kalpah, Method of Ritual

to this

belong

the Shrauta SAtras, explanatory of the ritual of

sacrifices in the three fires ; their supplement, the

Shulva SAtras, dealing with the measurements

needed

for laying

that entailed

full

out the

sacrificial area,

a subject

knowledge of geometry, which

consequently -taught therein (tha 47th proposiof Euclid, Bk. i. is the first subject dealt
with in the Shulva Stitras) ; the Grihya Sdttas,
is

tion

relating to domestic

life

and the Dharma SAtras,

treating of customs and laws.

3.

Vykkaranam, grammar

of which P&nini

is

the latest great representative, having summed up

what went before him, and dominated all who
followed him.
4.

philology, etymology ; Yaska

Anga, as Pnini represents the

Niruktam,

represents

this

Vyckkaranam, and has left a great commentary

based on an earlier work.

Chhandah, metre, dealing with prosody, a

5.
matter of vital importance in connexion with the
Vedas, of which the latest and best representative
is

Pingala.
6.

Jyotiham, astronomy, including astrology,

not only with the movements of the
heavenly bodies, but with their influence on human
dealing
affairs.

23

The Six Darshanas

are

best

understood by

being seen in relation to each other rather than in

opposition,

for

they form, in their entirety, one

great scheme of philosophic truth,

ged

They are

arran-

in pairs.
%trf^T37

Vaisheshikam,

Safikhyam,

srrr;

Mimamsa,

%^r?rp

Yogah.
Vedantah,

Nyayah,

The Prasthdna Bheda

of Madhusudana Saras-

summarising the Six Darshanas, lays

"
In reality, all the Mtinis
stress on their unity,
vati, after

who have

put forward these theories agree in wishing to prove the existence of the One Supreme
Lord without a second ...... These Mtinis cannot be

in error, considering that they are omniscient

and

these different views have only been propounded by

thera, in order to keep off all nihilistic tlieories, and

because they were afraid that human beings, with

their inclinations towards the objects of the world,
could not be expected at once to know the true
goal of man."

As

the Shruti says

1
Quoted in Max Mailer's Six Systems. Pp.
2 Brakmavindvp. 19".

107, 108.

24

"

Cows are many-coloured but the milk (of all)

Look on knowledge as the
;

has

but one colour.

milk, and on the teacher as the cows."

In each Darshana there

who

gives

is

principles in the

its

Rishi

as Teacher,
form of aphorisms,

terse sentences,
g^rr% SQtrani, Stitras, and a vrr3,
Bha$hyam, a commentary, regarded as authoritative.

On

these Sfltras and

shanas are based.

rescue

men from

The

commentaries the Dar-

object of

all is

the

same

to

and the way of rescue

is the same
the removal of ignorance, which
is 3*?vjf: Bandhah,
bondage, and consequent union
with the Supreme.
Thus the Nyaya calls ignorsufferings,

ance RUjTsTPT Mithyajnanam, false

knowledge the
calls
it
Safikhya
arm^ Avivekah, non-discrimination between the Real and the unreal
the
;

Vedanta

calls

arfror Avidya, nescience.

Each
at its removal by ^rnT Jftanam,

it

philosophy aims

wisdom, whereupon arpr^r Anandah, bliss, is enjoyed.

This Ananda is the nature of the Self, and
therefore cannot accurately be said to be obtained.

The Self is Bliss, and it is only necessary to remove the illusion which causes suffering in order
that Bliss may be enjoyed.
The Nyaya hence
speaks of

its

ance, liberation
liberation,

is

object as sropr: Apavargah, deliver;

and

*fr$r:

Mokshah,or 5%: Muktih,

the universally accepted goal.

The

Rishi of the Ny^ya, the system of Logfc,

his Sfttras are divided into 5-

Gautama, and

is

Books.

The

authoritative

topics, into

that of

lays down 16 ^ruf: Pad^rth^h,

which he divides knowledge, and

then proceeds to define them,

to

is

He

Vatsyayana.
or

commentary

<3$$r9fr

Lakhan&, and

examine them, q"fr^ Pariksh&. He begins with

Pram^nam, measure, or proof,, or right percep-

srerH
tion,

which comprises

Jf^rsr

Pratyaksham, sense

Anumnam,

argJTFf,

Upamnam,

comparison ror analogy,

dah,

word

the

of

an expert.

objects of know ledge, sro^

ed.

He

^RTO

inference,

perception,

and

By

Prameyam,

Shab-

?[3$:

these

means

are establish-

then, after discussing the four succeeding

a syllogism, reasoning, conclusion, argument, and then deals with various kinds
of fallacies and sophisms. When man by right

Pad^rthas,

defines

reason has freed himself from false knowledge, then

he attains liberation.

The
literally,

Bhahya

Vaishe^hika, the System of Particulars,

has for its ]ilihi Kanda, and for its
that

of Prashastap^da.

Kanda

laid

down 6

Padarthas, under which all nameable things

could be classified categories, in fact. These are ;

Dravyam, substance spr: Gunah, quality 3?*?,.

Karma,action; HRn^, Sam^nyam, what is common,,
T
i. e. makes a
genus rt^ V ishehah, particularity^
JT^,

what makes an

26

individual

inseparability, sprre:

and

Abhavah,

g?reni:

Samavayah,

privation, non-being,

a seventh Padartha,

is required by later philosoof

this
Kanada has 9 subdivisions
School.
phers
under the head of substances the 5 grTTR BhCtani

or elements

^r^

Kalah,

Time

?r^r Atrn&, the Self; and

universal form of the Self

J^T:

is

f^^ Dik, Space

Manah, mind. The

God, the individual the

Jivatrna of the BhQtas, srr^r^n Akashah is

eternal and infinite, whereas ^r%^r Prithivi, earth,
WfarrJTT

iTr?:

Apah, Water, %^: Tejah, fire, ^rrg: Vayu^i, air,

the atom, ST^J Anuh, of each is eternal,

are atomic

but the aggregations that

light,

and

air,

make our

are temporary

creation

earth,
is

water,

due to the

conjunction of the atoms, the ceasing of a universe

to their disjunction.

The S^nkhya,
back

to

the

system of Number, looks

Kapila as the giver of its SQtras, but

extant form

is

their

not regarded as that in which they

were originally delivered.

There are two Bhcthyas

considered to be authoritative, those of Aniruddha

and Vijftanabhikhu. There is also a third Bhahya,

by Vednti Mahadeva.

Another and older

authority for the S^nkhya is the SAftkhya-kdrikA

of fshvara Krishna with the Bh^hya of Gaudap^da,

and the much

Tika called the S&Hkhya Tattva-Kaumudt of V^chaspati Mishra. There is a

later

27

higher authority mentioned by Vijftftnabhikshu as

the text book of the Saiikhya, and as older than
the present SOtras, ascribed to Kapila himself, the
Tattva-S'amdsa-SAtras, on which several commentaries

have been written.

The Sankhya

an account, primarily, of the

it is
often called Anishvara,
without a supreme Lord, but there is in it no denial
of fshvara, and the repeated appeals to the Shruti

"How"

is

of creation

as the final authority, above

perception and infer-

But Kapila was

engaged with the order of happening, not with the
cause thereof. There are two primary roots of all

ence, are evidence to the contrary.

we

see around us, g^q*:

kfitih, Matter.

in

differences

death,

etc.,

Puruha

Spirit, JT>f?f:

Pra-

many, as appears by the

and
happiness
misery, birth and

but

Puru$ha thus

Puruhah,

all

may be

are

is

of like essential nature

taken to represent a totality,

the Subject side of existence. Prakriti is the Object

side of existence, and produces* 23 substances, 7 of

which share the name of

Vik^rah,

or

Prakriti,

and 16 are

f^frrcn

modifications.

Rr^rRJ
Vikritayah,
the opposite of Purusha, is srsq^fj^
Avyaktam, the producer of all, but itself unproduced,
the unmanifested. From this, in contact with Puru-

Prakriti,

as

produced in order: *T??I Mahat or fljre Bud"

"
I
dhih, the Pure Reason; ST?fRt Ahamkrah, the

$ha, are

28

tnaking principle, the individualising or separative!

this 5 s^errm: TanmatrAni, "measures of

power

That," the essential powers that later form the

Then come the 16 Vik^ras: 5 g^jtf^rfrr
senses.
Buddhtndry^ni, the perceptive organs, or senses
;

the

5 SffSHf^rsrn't
Karmendriy&ni, the organs of
action *FT: Manah, the mind, which is the unifying
;

centre of the Indriyas; the

T^cTTR Mah&bhtitni,

great elements Aether, air, fire, water, earth. After

this enumeration of the principles of the evolution

of the universe, the S4ftkhya alleges the%gwii Traigunyam, or the triple nature of Matter, its three

Gunas,

or

constituent

factors:

^i Tamah,

C5fJ

Rajah, and *r^ Sattvam. When these are in equilibrium there is no activity, no evolution when
;

they are out of equilibrium evolution begins. This

evolution, sr^c: Sancharah, is next dealt with, and
the succeeding dissolution, srRr^C: Pratisamcharah,
and the meaning of arsCT^T Adhy^tmam, 3rP*ri

Adhibhfitam, and srf^%^ Adhidaivatam, as applied

to Buddhi,
Manas and the 10 Indriyas. This is
followed by an elaborate enumeration of activities,
facts, and qualities, that must be studied in the

books on the system, concluding with an explanation of the triple nature of Bandha, Moksha, Pram&na and 5:^ Duhkham.

The Yoga,

the system of

Effort, or of

Union,

has, as the giver of its

VyAsa Bhashya

is

its

Stitras,

Patanjali,
It

commentary.

and the
is some-

times called the Seshvara S^nkhya, the Snkhya

with an fshvara, because it accepts the S^ftkhya
as philosophy, and in adding to it a system of

which should set the Puruha free, it makes

one of the means of freedom f^sff^WT 1 f shva-

effort

rapranidhanam, "Self-surrender to the

Pataftjali then defines fshvara, as a special

who has

Lord."

Puruha

not been touched by pain, action, conseunlimited by time;

quences of action, and desires,

ticq CTTOT:

W?-

<(

His name

is

The SOtras

Om."

are 198 in number, arranged in 4 PAdas, and have

as aim the exposition of the means of stopping the

constant movements of the f%TT Chittam, the think*

ing principle, and thus reaching *nrrfw Samdhih,
:

the perfectly steady and balanced condition, from

which 5R^r Kaivalyam, the isolation of the Puruha,
the separation from Prakriti, can be gained,
out of the four is devoted to the description of the Rr*JT?f: Vibhutih, the powers, obtained in

i.e.

One book

the course of Yoga, but

it is

remarked that these

f*F2W Siddhayah, are obstacles in the way of Satnadhi, and they are therefore not desirable.

The remaining
i,

Svtrdni.

for
i,

pair of systems is entitled the

both deal primarily with the leading

23,

30

principles to be adopted in interpreting the text of

the Vedas. But the POrva

The PQrva,

Mim&ns&

Mimclns^

the name, the Uttara

known as the VedSnta.

or Earlier,

with the

5fffoTr*g-

with the

being

usually

Mim^ns^ has Jaimini

the giver of its Sutras, Shabara's

It
the authoritative commentary.
is

generally bears

as

Bhhya
is

being
concerned

Karmak^ndam

sacrifices,

of the Veda, that

offerings, and ceremonials

while the Uttara, or Later, Mim^msi is

concerned with the 3gT5TR Brahmajnanam of the
generally

Veda, the knowledge of Brahman.

Sutras are divided
the

Karmaknda

in

into

12

The Mim^msA

books, deal ing with

they also contain

minute detail

a discussion of the Pram^nas, which are regarded

as

five,

Pratyaksham,

Anum^nam, Upam^nam,

Arthpatti (presumption), and Shabda.

Authority

vested only in the Veda,

which, Jaimini devotes himself to proving, is of
is,

in

the

Mim^ms^,

superhuman

origin.

The Uttara MlmAmsa,

shana which
thought

may

or Ved^nta, is the Darbe said to dominate Indian

in the present day,

in its three forms.

Its

Sutras are the Brahma-SQtras, given

by Vy&sa, or
Krishna Dvaipayana, called also Badrayana. The
the 3T%^, AdvaiVed^nta has three great schools
:

;am, non-duality, the authoritative

BhShya

of which

31

by Shafikara the

refcreriNf Vishishtadvaitam, nona

with
difference, with the Bha$hya of
duality
the
Ramanuja
%gr, Dvaitam, duality, with the
is

Bhasjiya of Madhva.

Further, the student of the

Vedanta being expected

to travel through three

stages, STTOR^ra Prasthanatrayam, the study

of the

Bhagavad-GitA, the Upanishats, and the Sdtras,

each of the great commentators, or his early disciples,
has written on each of these three. The Bhagavadthe application of the philosophy to life, the
explainer and the guide of conduct. The Upanihats

G$t&

is

contain the philosophy in an intellectual form, and

on them the intelligence is exercised. The S&ttas

sum up

the philosophy in terse aphorisms, intended

to serve as the seeds for meditation,

their deepest

meanings being only attainable in Sarnadhi. For

no man was admitted to the study of
the Vedanta until he possessed the Four Qualifica-

this reason

tions

%5ernf Vairagyam, ft%c&: Vivekah, q^gvTf^r*

hat-sampattih (the six mental and moral require^fr Mumuksha, and was thus fit for
ments) and

its

reception.

The Dvaita Vedanta

on the separateness
of the Jivatm& and Paramatma.
insists

It teaches that Vishnu is the Supreme Deity,

and formed the universe out of Prakriti, already

32

existing;
verse,

Vihnu

and matter

is

is

the efficient cause of the uni-

the material cause

thereof,

as

the goldsmith and the gold are the double cause

of the bracelet. Both Vihnu and Prakriti are
beginningless and endless, as also is Jiva, the individual soul; but Prakriti and Jiva are subordi-

nate

to,

reality,

He

and dependent on, Vishnu. Visjinu is Sat,

Jftanam, wisdom, and Ananta, infinite,

enters Prakriti

Puru^ha, the

upon

called

also Jada-Prakriti

as

animating universal soul, and there-

follows the evolution of the universe, as given

Sankhya: Mahat, Ahamkara, the Tanmatras

and the Indriyas. Then follow the Devatas and
Avidya in five aspects these six, from Mahat to
in the

Avidya, are called the

material

irrfjrrcw

manifestation.

It

Prakritasargah, the
followed by the

is

%^rTOT: Vaikritasargah, the organised manifestation,

in three divisions, the minerals and plants, the

men. The manifestations of Vihand

nu, guiding
ruling the preceding nine, are
animals, and

called the tenth creation.

Jiva

is

immaterial, dif-

and each Jiva is different from

The Jiva attains Moksha, in which

ferent from Vishnu,

every other.

enjoys HTT: Bhogah, eternal bliss; this is fourfold,

and the Jiva reaches one or other of the four conit

ditions, according to its deserts.

.are

These conditions

^rr^cg Sarupyam, with the Divine

Form

33

Salokyam, vision of the Divine Presence

Sannidhyam, nearness to God ^rr^^f Sayujyam,
union with God. This union must not be considered
;

as

one of identity of nature.

The Vishi$htadvaita Vedanta is for those who,

conscious of separation, and longing for union with
the Supreme, feel the necessity for an Object of
worship and devotion, and find it in the conception
of the Saguna Brahman, the conditioned Brahman,

Brahman

Supreme Lord,

fshvara, the

the high-

One, but has attributes inseparable

from Brahman comes g^^r: San-

est Reality, the

from Himself;

the separated

kar$hanah,

is

soul-,

which produces

1?^: Pradyumnak, mind, which produce^

Aniruddhah, the I. These separated souls are
vyaktah, manifested, during the period of activity,

and when

JT?TO:

become

in,

man

is

causal

and

Pralaya^ approaches they are drawn

Brahavyaktam, unmamfested

Q?oq^R

then in the ^rWR^^IT Karanavastha, the

state,

in

which remain avyakta both soul

Brahman is the Object of

on
whom
the
soul
worship
depends, the soul being
not Brahman, but a part of Brahman. The separation is insisted on but union is sought.
matter,

Brahman.

The Advaita Vedanta is summed up

"
Thou art That." Brahman
rTrcRRr,

words

guna, without attributes, and

3

is

Real;

all

in

the

is

Nir-

else is

34

Jlvtm& and Param^trn^ are the same

The idea of difference arises
difference.
from Avidya, nescience, and when the Atm& transcends nescience, it knows its own nature and is free.
The universe springs from Brahman, as hairs Irom
unreal

there

is

no

it is the work of
;
May*. Cause and
one and the same, ^r^r^TfHf:, not two
different things, as an aggregate of threads is cloth,

a man's head

effect are

an-i there is

no cloth apart from the threads that

The unreality of
the universe, having Reality as it were behind it,
has a kind of reality, like a shadow which could

run lengthways and crossways.

not exist without a substance, and this justifies

and makes necessary

also there

is

an

activity of all kinds.

BTTCrRnStf

Hence

AparSvidya, the knowledge

of the phenomenal, as well as a TOTf^r Par^vidy^,

the knowledge of the Noumenon. Having established the fundamental truth of unity, the

Vedanta

explains the conditions which surround the AtmS,

the 3r<rrp*'. Up&dhih, which
enveloped in Avidya
:

makes

its

illusory separateness, their

grouping as the

Sukshma and ^r^SKrcrrT Karana-

f*n* Sthula, *T$TT

Sharlrani and the states of consciousness belonging
to these.While the Atma identifies Itself with the

It is free.

bound; when It knows Itself as Itself,

For those who iirc not yet ready for this

effort after

Self-knowledge, ritual

UpcLdhis, It

is

is

not only desir-

35

able but necessary

but for those

the point where only the Atm

enough, Brahman is the goal.
It

Jnni

who have reached

Jn^nam is

attracts,

must not be supposed from

is

this

On

an abstainer from action.

that

the

the contra-

he best understands action, and has the best

ry,

reason for engaging in it

"

without

attachment, constantly
perform action which is duty, for in performing
action without attachment, man verily reacheth
Therefore,

the Supreme.
"

As

the ignorant act from attachment to action,

Bh^rata, so should the wise act without attach-

ment, desiring the maintenance of mankind."

And

Shankara himself:

"

If I had
not
walked without remission in the path of works,
others would not have followed in my steps, O

Lord."

so

The Jnani

recognises

his duties

to all

around him, plants, *animals, men, Gods, fshvara,

and performs them the better, because he acts with
1

Bha<javad-Gnd.

iii.

19.23.

2 Quoted in Mas: Mailer's Sin' Systems. P. 217.

36

opened eyes, ami without personal object to confuse his judgment.

But he performs actions as
being without desire,

and,

free,

is

not bound by

them.
.

The Six Darshanas may now be seen as parts

In the Ny&ya and Vaisheshika, a man

of a whole,
learns to

detect

use his

fallacies,

intellectual

constitution of the universe.

he

rightly,

to

In the

Sankhya, he

course of evolution, and in the Yoga

to hasten his own growth.
In the Mim^ms^,

learns

how

powers

and to understand the material

is

the

trained

to

use the invisible world for the

helping of the visible, and in the three schools of

the Ved^nta he learns to climb from the idea of
himself as separate from Brahman to the thought
that he is a part of Brahman that can unite with

Him, and

finally that

he

is

and ever has been Brah-

man, veiled from Himself by Avidy&.

Further,

school

of

a coherent view of the whole vast

Aryan teachings,

as an ascending path

of evolution for the Jiv^tm^, may now be gained,

literal meaning of the Veda, with its ritual

The

and daily obligations, developed the Manas, the

mind,

passions and

emotions.
$hat

Aryan, disciplined his K&ma, his

desires, and evolved and directed his

of the

It

is

said

in

the Amrita-bind&pani-

37

"

Manas is said to be of two kinds, pure and

impure: moved by Kama it is impure; free of
Kama, it is pure."
Manas, joined to K&ma, was gradually purified
by life led according to Vaidika rules. Such a
Manas, become pure, was further developed in
a

by the study of the Afigas, was trained

and developed, and thus became capable of the
straia of philosophic thought.
To a mind thus

capacity

trained

to

see

and

to

understand the many, the

Veda would unfold its deeper occult meanings,

such as intellect could master and apply. The end
all this study was to make possible the evolution
of Pure Reason, Buddhi, which cannot unfold un-

of

less Manas is developed, any more than Manas

can unfold without the development of the senses.
It thus led up to the Darshanas, which develope

the Pure Reason, which see the

and then realises its unity with

One
all,

in

the

Many,

which therefore

To the
hates and despises none, but loves all.
Buddhi, thus unfolded to see the One, the Veda
would unveil
Vedanta,
1

Loc.

its

spiritual

intelligible

cit. 1.

only

meaning,
to

the

its

true

end,

pure compas-

38

sionate Reason.
Then, and then only, is man
is attainready to reach the goal, the Par&vidy
ed, Atmi beholds Itself.

Thus
the

utterly rational, orderly,

Santana Dharma,

the

Aryan

and complete
Religion.

is

CHAPTER
THE ONE

*'

Thus

One

all

EXISTENCE,

only, without

a second.

the Shrutis proclaim.

Infinite,

Absolute, Eternal, Changeless,

THAT, without attributes, without qualities,

beyond name and form, M^TORR* Nirgun a -Brahman,
All, is

**

Then was not non-existence nor existence.

Its own nature
apart
,

THAT Only breathed by

from THAT was naught.

71

IT contains

be said of

IT.

be ascribed to

IT

no particular thing
therefore can no one thing
iT is not Being only, for that

therefore can

all,

is all,

IT.

would exclude Non-Being; but Being

and Non-Being is also there.
1

Ckhdndogyop.

Rig-ceda. X. cxxix.

VI.

ii.

I.

2.

arises

in

IT,

40

"

When

day nor

no darkness (was), then (there was) not

night, nor being nor not-being, (but) the

Blessed alone."

The same Upanishat

f

3T$?t

snm

c^?r%

says

f^qR

In the imperishable infinite supreme

knowledge and ignorance are hidden."
"

3?*rW%,

One
which
the

It is," 3

such

mysterious

is

is all

sound

When

Brahma

that can be said.

alone

Nachiketah presses

THAT

denotes

beyond number and beyond name

Pranava.

frij Rff^r snr *re

"

it is

Yama,

Lord of Death, to reveal to him the supreme secret,

and when Yama has admitted that he is worthy,
Nachiketah prays

Other than dharma and adharma, other than

and inaction, other than past and present,

action

THAT which

And Yama

thou seest,

answers

THAT

declare."

srfrnr,

n
1

SKretfahvata/rop*

Kathop.

iv.

II. vi. 12.

18.

Ibid. v.

T^j^

[.

n.

I.

i 5)

"

THAT

which

all

lead the

which

all

41

THAT, desiring which they

of Brahmacharya,

thee briefly it is
man that Word
:

THAT WORD

That Word

AUM.
is

THAT

the Vedas declare,

austerities utter,
life

I tell

even Brah-

is

even the Supreme."

This Unity, which never appears but which

is

implied

the very existence of universes,

in

systems, and worlds, and

only recognised in

sophy and

individuals.

all religion,

in all science as a

but also

unnamed

left

but

all

rest

IT,

is

not

in all philo-

fundamental

Endless disputes and controversies

about IT, but none has denied IT.

have been used to describe

IT

IS,

and

necessity*

have

arisen

Many names

and IT has been

upon

IT.

IT has been

and the Nothing, the Fullness and

the Void, Absolute Motion and Absolute Rest, the
All are true, yet none is fully
Real, the Essence.

called the All

true.

And

ever the words of the Sages remain as

"
Not this, not this/'
%fir%KT,

best conclusion

Words seem to put far off and to veil in mystery THAT which is in truth nearest and closest,
more than close, is our very Self. One
name, perhaps, speaks most clearly, the <FC*T[c*Tr, the
nay, which

is

Paramatma, the Supreme

Mtindubyop.

2.

Self.

42

AtmA

This

Such

(is)

Brahman."

again, insisted on in various forms,

clay

is

all

gold

is

lest

it

over

should

As by knowing one

not be grasped.
all

and

declared over

the truth

is

clod of clay
as
one
known,
by knowing
piece of gold
one
known, as by knowing
piece of iron

known, no matter by what number of

names men may call the objects made of clay, or

all iron is

gold, or iron

know one

so to

SELF, and knowing

Moreover, as

is

Self

is

known.

It, all is

to

know THE

said in the Chhdndogyopani$hat:

"

"

All this verily (is) Brahman.

"This" is the technical word for the universe, and

the universe

from
is

it is

Brahman, because

is

maintained."

forth from that Fullness

And

that Substance.
clares,

rTTST^fRra, "there-

merged, thereby it
All that we see around us comes

born, thereinto

we need not go

it

is

and

is

as

yet, as the
far to seek

the shadow of

Upanihad

de-

"

This

my

Self within the heart, this

man/'
1

Chh&ndogyop. VI.
Ibid. III. xiv.

5
*

rfTSHT^

is

i.

4, 5, 6.

I.

equal to ?nr

Chh&ndogyoj). III. xiv.

4.

(is)

Brah-

43

It

not

is

for

necessary

youth

to

try

to

nor to grapspring up in the

this great truth,

grasp metaphysically
with the questions

that

ple

thoughtful mind when

that he should

some shape

in

know

or another

it

later

may be known

Enough

stated.

It

is

truth

is

recognised

that this

all

to himself

for the present

enough

thoughtful men,

all

by

the foundation of

that

is

is

it

and

right thought,

by deeper study.

in the case

of most, at least

he try to feel the Unity as a centre of peace

and a bond of fellowship with all. IT is the Heart
of the universe, equally in all and therefore in himif

self;

and

this

be

may

felt

before

it is

understood

in-

tellectually.

This knowledge

Wisdom, and
self-sacrifice

11

it is

is

the Par^vidya, the

to be gained

Supreme

by purity, devotion,

and knowledge.

(He who) has not renounced

evil ways, nor

subdued, nor concentrated, nor (of) subdued
mind, even by knowledge he may not obtain IT."

(is)

?r

^ irarcnrmr ^rofwjfni
H

Kajhop.

I. ii.

Mun$a,kop %

24.

III.

ii.

4.

44

"Nor

Atma

the

obtained by the strengthless,

nor by the careless, nor without marks of austerity
is

who

the wise,

Atma

enters the

Here

is

these means, of

strives

the

by
abode of Brahman."

him the

Supreme Peace, the Nirvana of

Brahman.

>

"

The

\\

Rishis, their sins destroyed,

their

doubts

upon the
welfare of all beings, obtain the Brahma-Nirvana."
Of such a one says Shrt Krishna, ^Tnr^^ffir, 2

removed,

"

their

selves

he goeth to Peace."
But now we read

controlled,

intent

*r^re?R qrs^nrcs'q- 5tfi itrgn:

"
Verily,
Satyakama, this Omkara
:

<pft[

(is)

the

Supreme and the lower Brahman."

And

again

"

There are two states of Brahman, form full and

formless, changing and unchanging* finite and infinite,

existent and beyond (existence)."

Bbagirad-Gitd. V.

Ibid. 29.

Prashnop. V.

Brihaddranyakop.

Shaiikara gives thus the meauing of

25.

2.
II.

iii.

1.

45

This second, lower, formfull, changing, finite,

Brahman is not " another," but is Brah-

existent

man conditioned

and therefore

limited, manifesting

and therefore ^ror saguna, with

The Rigveda,

in

the

hymn

attributes.

before quoted, gives

this appearing:
"

By

the great

power of Tapas uprose

THE

ONE."
Again, the Wise are asked
1% ^fr^H^rqrr^^r

i^f^^^

RF?R<T feft3?* u

What was

that ONE, who, in the form of the

hath
established
these six regions ?"
Unborn,
f<

THE ONE that is His Name, for THAT wherein He arises is Numberless, beyond Number, and
being THE ALL is neither One nor Many.
;

Manu

Loc.

describes that uprising in stately shlokas

cit.

X. cxxix.

I Ibid. I. clxiv. 6.

3.

46

lp

This was in the form of

without marks

or

Darkness, unknown,
unattainable by
),

homogeneous

unknowable, wholly,

reasoning,

as

it

were,

in

sleep.
"

Then

the Self-Existent, the Lord, unmanifest,

the great elements

with
appeared
mighty power, Disof
Darkness.
peller
"
He who can be grasped by that which is be(but)

making manifest This

and the

rest

yond the

senses,

tainir.g all

shone

unmanifest, ancient, con-

beings, inconceivable, even

He

Himself

forth.

*
"

subtle,

That unmanifest Cause,

everlasting, in nature

Sat and Asat, that produced the Furusha famed

the world as Brahma."
"
i. e*

This

"

in the

the universe, but here in

is

unman ifested

in

Darkness,
as

condition,
5^!T^f^
"
unknowable."
Mulaprakritih, the Root of Matter,
This becomes manifest only when Svayarnbhu

shines forth.

The emergence

is

simultaneous

for

He

cannot become manifest save by clothing Himself in This, and This cannot become manifest save
as illumined, ensouled,
l

Manusmritl.

i.

6, 7, 11.

by

Him.

This

Two-in-

47

One, by nature Sat and Asat, the Self and the NotSelf, Purusha and Prakfiti, everlasting but appearing and disappearing, is the Cause of all things.
1

"

When He

after

(Him)

This shines

We
and

He

hath shone forth,

the shining

(by)

forth.

He

is

the Snguna

He

is

hara, the Indestructible One,

on

Pure

Bliss.

woven

is

He

Atm^ntaryamyamritah, the
Immortal,

who

Him

all

Brahman,
nature

Hffc

Ananda, Pure Being, Pure

Sat, Chit,

Intelligence,

Prakriti

own

declared to be in His

TOJ, 3TR?T,

of

forth

7'

have seen that

is

shines forth

all

is

called B?$H,

whom

the

Self,

Ak-

the other

STF^f^rW^rpr

the Inner Ruler,

dwells in the earth, the waters, the

the atmosphere, the wind, the heavens, in all

that is, in the Devas, in the elements, in the bodies
fire,

of

beings, the all-prevading.

all

ff ffCT S'grP WrfT SH^f f^rTF sf%*Tmf

n 4
"

of

Unseen He

He
1

Bliagavad-Gitd.
2

Zcf-Hv,

4 ibid. 23.

He hears, unthought

unknown He knows.

thinks,

^^frar^HSJ

sees,

unheard

**

?.

Sat and Asat

am

I,

None other

O Arjuna !"

ix. 19.

II. y. 15.

2}rihaddra*yafa>p, III.

Tii. 8.

than

He

is

48

the Seer, none other than He is the

He is the Thinker, none

Hearer, none other than

Knower. He is the Self,

the Inner Ruler, Immortal. That which is other
other than

He

is

the

perishes."

He

"

the error* ^ScTrerafl^, l

ed in the heart of all beings." This

the Self, seat-

is

idea to grasp.

The

Ego

the clearest

Brahman

conditioned

Self-conscious Universal

is

as against the

Ego, Spirit as against Matter, the

always, and in all things, identical

"

in

is

the

Non-

"

everywhere,
nature with

the Nirguna Brahman, but manifested, with qualities,

and always united to Mulaprakriti.

language of symbols, so largely emthe

San^tana Dharma, fshvara is represenployed by
ted by a triangle pointing upwards, the triangle
In

the

symbolising His triple nature, Sat, Chit, Ananda,

Ananda

We
1

see this, especially

Bhagavad-Gttd. X.

20.

when

interlaced with a

49

second

downward-pointing

presently be explained

in

triangle

which

will

many Temples,

This idea of the eternal Subject, the Spirit,

"
the Self, the " I,
being firmly grasped, the
student must next seek to grasp the eternal Object,
Matter, Mulaprakriti, the Not-Self, the Not-L

We

have already seen in Manusmriti that, in

the unmanifested state, this is homogeneous and

unknowable

therefore often

it is

the ether, formless but the root of

ible but the

nature

of

root

is divisibility,

compared with
all

forms, intang-

resistances.

all

inherent

Its

that of the eternal Subject

as

inseparateness ; it is multiplicity, as He is unity.

While He is the Father, the Life-Giver, she is the
Mother, the Nourishes Matter is the womb in

is

which the germ

is

placed.

w siPr^
"
I

My womb

place

<?R*r^

the

r'$

surras*

Mahat-Brahma

in

that

by Shankara as

the

f?H3<nrf?*rerc

We

is

5Tsi

germ" explained
*$r^, the Prakriti of three Gunas.

must pause

for

moment on

the three

gunas, for an understanding of them is necessary

to any clear conception of the working of nature.

The gunas
ter,

are not qualities, nor attributes of mat-

though both terms are often used

.

xiv. 3,

in

transla-

and Shaakara's Commentary.

ticm

they are the very materiality of matter, that

it to be matterMatter cannot be

which causes

thought of without these, and wherever there

is

matter, there are these, inseparable,, existing in the

ultimate particle as much as in the hugest system.
When these are in equilibrium, balancing each
other,

there

is

Pralaya, sleep, inactivity, and

to

matter in this state the term STOR Pradhinam is

usually applied, These gimas- are named ?r^:
:

Tamah, or Tamas

^|:

Sattvam, or Sattva.

Rajab,

Tamas

or

Rajas

^r^

often translated dark-

ness or foulness, the effect of tamasic predominance being taken as the guna itself is resistance^
stability,

what

matter.

All matter

resistant

it

is

called

resists.

in

science the

inertia

of

fundamentally and always

Its capacity for taking form

is

Rajas is motion, the

to
of
every particle
change its place, and
capacity
so
the necessity of
changing it unless prevented ;
is

due to

this constituent

in scientific phrase this is motion, inherent in

mat-

rhythm, the limiting of movement

to an equal distance in an equal time an each side of
a fixed point, the power and necessity of what is, in
ter.

Sattva

is

scientific phrase, vibration.

Hence every

particle

motion, and rhythm.

of

When

matter has resistance,

the equilibrium of the three is disturbed by the breath
of Ishvara, these three gunas at once manifest :

Si

inertia, resistance; rajas throwof

the resistant mass into active
ing every particle
thus
movement,
producing what is called Chaos

tamas appearing as

and sattva imposing rhythm on the movement of

each particle, each thus becoming a vibrating, i. e. a
regularly moving, particle, capable of entering into
All the
relations with the surrounding particles.
qualities found in matter arise

from the interaction

of these three gunas, their endless permutations and

combinations producing the endless variety of attributes found in the universe.

of tarnas in a body

made up

The predominance

of countless

particles

gives rigidity, immovability, such as is seen in

stones and other things that do not move of themselves.

The predominance of

rajas in a

body gives

unregulated hasty movements, restlessness, excess

of activity. The predominance of sattva gives

harmony, controlled rhythmical movements, order,

beauty. But in the most immovable stone, the
minute particles are in a state of unceasing vibration, from the presence of rajas and sattva in the
most restless animal there is stability of material
;

and vibration of

particles

from the presence of

tamas and sattva and in the most harmonious and

and controlled man there is stability of material
and movement from the presence of tamas and
;

rajas.

As the

triple

52

nature of fshvara, Sat-Chit-Ananda,

was symbolically represented by a

triangle pointing
the triple nature of
Mftlaprakriti symbolised as a triangle, but now it
points downwards, like a drop of water.

upwards, like a flame, so

is

Sattva

Rajas

Tamas
From

these two triangles

is

formed the symbol

of fshvara and His universe, often seen in Temples,

the two interlaced, and a point in the centre, the

symbol of the ONE, the whole giving the Great

Septenary, the Supreme Brahman and the Universe.

Thus we have

before us the second

member

of

the Duality which, as we saw above in Manusmriti\

Cause of all things,
js {he

53

The Divine Power,

or ^f%: Shaktih, the will of

His
sent
forth and making "This"
fshvara,
light
as

says the Smriti, is called M4y.

"
Their unity
inseparable from fshvara
is like that of the moon and the
moonlight, or
that of the fire and its power to burn," says Nilamanifest,

M&ya

is

kantha,

commenting

on

Devi Bh&gavata. VI.

xv. 49.

Thus we read

tf

"

TT

T^nr

The Will am

reme Purushaj;

He

beholds me,

ft^rr^r ff^rf sr^r^:

ftr^r u l

Daitya, of Him [ the Supsend forth the whole universe.

I,
I

He

the Universal Self,

His be-

nign nature."
Nilakantha, commenting on above, quotes one
of the Shiva Sfttras
:

"Will-power

(is)

Urn^, the Virgin."

While inseparable from the Lord, when turned

Him She is called JTfrRpsn' Mah^vidy^, Supreme Knowledge. She is also called, when turned
away from Him, srf^Jr, AvidyS, Nescience, and
towards

emphatically

*ffnrrar,

Mah^m^y^,

Eh&ga-vata. V, xyi, 30.

the Great Illusion,

S4

as she permeates MQlaprakriti and

parable from

becomes

inse-

it.

These are Her two forms

i^r Hire
"

O Rama May^
!

(are) ever

manifests as a duality

these

Vidya and Avidya."

This identification of the Shakti of the Lord

with Mftlaprakriti often causes
Mtilaprakriti and

May&

to

be called

So Shri Krishna

Prakriti.

having defined Prakriti as generally understood

"

Earth,

Buddhi

Manas, and
fire,
air, ether,
and Ahamk^ra, these are the eight-

water,

also,

fold division of

goes on

My

This the inferior

Prakriti.

"

u
"

Know my

element,

other Prakriti, the higher, the lifemighty-armed, by which the universe is

upheld/
1

Adhyatma-Rdmayana.

Bhagavad-Gitd.

III.

vii. 4, 5.

iii.

32.

55

This "other Prakrit!

"

is

also

spoken of by

Him

"

"

*m %^t TfT%'
"My divine
His
^mr^r YogaHis own Power,
Prnkriti,"
universe is upheld."
"the
which
truly
by
Maya,
under the name of
l

As

says the Shruti

"

Let (the student)

Possessor of

Miya

know May

as Prakriti

the

as the Great Lord."

Devi Bh&gavala some very beautiful

Matter side of Nature,
descriptions are given of this
In the

regarded as Maya.

Thus:

^rr %
^rt^ftr f^r^r u

J^.
2

ix. 13.

Skvetashvatarnp. iv 10.
i0c?.. <?#.

III.

iii.

51-61.

56

us

She

all,

(is)

Bhagavati, the Goddess, the cause of

Mahavidya,

the Fullness, the

Mahmaya,

imperishable Prakrit! .........

"The
in

Will of the

Her nature

Supreme Self

verily (is She),

the ever-lasting and the

(uniting)

ever-passing .........
u

(Her) embryo the Veda, the long-eyed, the

primal Goddess of all.
w

She
of

At the Pralaya, having

rolled up the universe,

Her own body the types

sports, hiding within

all

living beings ......

"

Mulpraknti is she indeed, ever united with

Puru^ha.
Having m ide the world-systems, she
shows them to the Supreme Self. .....
"

The

cause of

it (is)

She, the All,

M^ya, the

benignant All-Ruler."

This

Maya

is

inseparable from

Saguna Brahman, as
*rr ^r

m*n

<ft

"^rftm

said

rt^ sfNifT

She, Maya,

is

1 Ibid. VI. xxxi. 48,

srlar

*K?T

ever in the
49,

fshvara, the

^ ^r^i ^TT
II

"

above

Supreme Essence,

57

whose nature is Consciousness, subordinate to Him,

and by Him ever sent forth among Jivas.
"

Therefore should be worshipped that Consciousness, whose nature is Sat, Chit and Arianda,
Lord of M^ya, the Divine, with Miya, the Sup-

reme Lady."
Being thus seen as the illusion-producing Power
of the Lord, She is known as the cause of bondage
and also as the path to liberation. As Avidy she
as Vidya she leads to Her Lord, and as
She vanishes in Him the Atm knows itself as

deludes

free.

sr^r^r 5Tf^%

ft

^ ^tr ^r^ii:

"This
sends

(the

notion of

separateness

being presenrt

This is
Jiva) forth into Samsara.
fortunate one I Vidya is the turning

Avidya. O
away from this.

Vidya and Avidya should be

Without sunshine how
(should; the pleasure of shade bj known ? Without
"
Avidy& how should Vidy be known ?
always known by

the wise.

Bhdgavata.

I, xyiii. 42, 43,

44 %

58

"The

travellers

on the PrAvptti MArga (the

forth-going path) are under the

The

travellers

power of Avidya.

on the Nivritti Marga (the returning

path) reach the Vedanta."

When

the Jiva goes forth, facing Prakriti and

it,
envelopes him as Avidya.

at

Mya

looking
When he turns his back on Prakriti, turns towards
the Lord, then She turns with him and becomes

Vidya, and he
ing the

is free.

Shaivagama

inward-facing Shakti

As Nilakantha says, quot2 "

The
ST?<T!|^r STRfi^T f^W M
is

Vidya."

Then he realises the mighty power of MAya,

Her divine nature, and Her identity with the Supreme, and hymns Ishvara and Maya as One
:

'

?rer

TT. u

THT

it

"

Thou Sovereign of endless

systems, we bow to Thee

crores

Adydt/tta-Itd/ridyanv. III.

Commentary on Drvt

iii

32.

haj. VI. xv. 47, 48.

^ Deri Bhfyicat*. VII, xxviii. 31, 32.

of world-

59

Hail

Thou

that art

the

in

Form

of the

motionless Eter( the changeless and

the Form of Consciousness, we bow to Thee

Rock-seated
nal

),

"

Hail

Thou

that

mayest be known by the

Ruler of the universe, we bow to

Vedanta, the

Thee!

"Thou whom all the Sacred Books only describe

"
by the words Not thus, not thus."
"

Goddess

bow

nature we

the Cause of

Thee

to

all,

with

our whole

"
!

The Supreme

fshvara, by His Maya, creates

and
preserves
destroys the innumerable worldsystems that form the ocean of Samsara.

He

"

That

Then,

"

produces The Many.

He

be Many, may
names
given many

willed
is

May

be born."

To what

Wise give many names."

But whatever the names given, fshvara is One.
Thus has it ever been taught in the Shruti and
Smriti, as we have seen, and this is repeated in the
1

is

ONE,

Chhdndogyop. VI.
Rigveda,

I,

ii.

cxiv, 46,

3.

the

60

more popular teaching of which

may

the Vi$hnu PurAiia

serve as example.

"

Thus the One Only God, JanArdana, takes

designation of

Brahm, Vishnu and

the

Shiva, accord-

He creates, preserves, or destroys..* He is the

ingly as

Cause of creation, preservation, and

To sum

The

up.

destruction.'

student must remember.

UNMANIFESTED.
The

1.

Absolute, the All, Param^tm^, Nirguna

Brahman.

MANIFESTED.

The One,

2.

fshvara,

the Self,

the

Subject,

Saguna Brahman.

Sat,

MQlaprakriti,

3.

the

Not-Self,

the

Object,

Asat.

Mfty ft, the Shakti, the Power, the Will, of

4.

Ishvara.

The Many,

5.

arising from Mtilaprakriti

by the

of fshvara.

As

to the

precise

definition

of the nature of

these Five, and of Their mutual inter-relations, there

1

Life. Git. I.

ii.

62.

is

much

opinion,
divisions,

discussion,
in

as

the

Six

6i

and more less difference of

Darshanas and their sub-

now taught

But the

fact

of these

Five, under whatever names,

is recognised
by all,
and the student who studies deeply enough will
come to the conclusion that the differences between
the Pcirshanas arise from each great Teacher em-

phasising one aspect of the relations, and that all

the Six Darshanas, rightly understood, form one

organic whole.

CHAPTER

II.

THE MANY.

l
i

"

From

the

Unmanifested

all

the manifested

stream forth at the coming of day at the coming

of night they dissolve, even in That called the Un;

manifested.

This multitude of beings, going forth again

'

and again,
law,

is

dissolved at the

Partha,

it

coming of night

by

streams forth at the coming of

day.

"Therefore verily there existeth, higher than

that Unmanifested, another Unmanifested, which,
is not destroyed.
It is callthe
Indestrnctible,
Unmanifested,

in the destroying of all beings,

"

ed
l

It is

named

Bha,gavad-Gte&.

the highest goal."

viii. 18,

21.

63

Here, in a few shlokas, the coming forth of the

is
stated.
At the begining of the Day of
all
manifestation,
beings stream forth from the un-

Many

manifested
"

This

the

"

in

Day

then

is

Root of matter, MCilaprakriti,

darkness, as Manusmriti has it.

When

over, and the Night of Pralaya comes,

these separated existences again dissolve

all

into MCilaprakriti.

Over and over again

succeed universes,

for universes
ion.

from

Behind

this, then,

tshvara,

rnanifested,

in

this occurs,

endless success-

there must be another

the

Un-

Saguna Brahman, other

than Mulaprakriti, the Indestructible Lord.

The

"

wise

seeth

man

the diversified

existence of beings as

One and proceeding from It/'

have now to study the nature of

rooted in

We
cession

from, or production

of,

this pro-

the Qif, Sarga, the

The Sanatana Dharma

sending
does not recognise an unscientific creation, a making of something out of nothing. The supreme
forth, or evolving.

Ishvara evolves

1 Ibid. xiii.

30.

all

beings out of Himself.

64

"

web

As
),

the spider sends forth and retracts ( its

as in the earth herbs grow, as from a living

man

the hairs of the head and body, so from the

Indestructible the universe becomes."

^rrit^ft

f^Tf
2
I

As from

a blazing

in

fire

a thousand

ways

similar sparks spring forth, so from the Indestrucbeloved, various types of beings are born,
tible,

and also return thither .......... ..

"

From That

Senses,

Ether,

support of
"

From

are born Breath, Mind,

Air,

Fire,

that in various

Munda-kop.

'l

i.
?

all

the

all ..... ,...

ways are born the Gods,

S^dhyas, Men, Beasts, Birds."

l

and

Water, and Earth, the

I. i. 7.

1,3,7.

65

more details are given

order of evolution, and here again it is
In Manitsmriti

as to the

said that

the immediate Creator, Brahmi, created all beings

from Himself and from the elements previously

produced from Himself, as we shall immediately

see,

m,

a^n^^tnr, Brahmandini, literally Eggs of Brahor as we should say, world-systems, are

numberless,

"

we

are told,

All around this

Brahma nda,

there blaze

nite crores of other similar Brahmancias,

envelopes.

w ith

infi-

their

Four-faced, five-faced, six-faced, sevenup to the number

faced, eight-faced, successively,

of a thousand-faced

whom

the Rajoguna

is

of

N^r^yana, in
pre-dominant, Creators each
portions

of one world-system, preside in them.

Portions of

Vishnu and Maheshvara, in whom

the Sattva and Tamo Gunas predominate, also
Nclr^yana, called

Atharvana for Trip&d- Vilh&ti) Mahdn&r&yana.

TJ.

66

preside in them, performing the work of preservaand destruction in each. They wander about,

tion

these Brahmandas, like shoals of fishes and bubbles

mass of water."

in a vast

"

Grains of sand are perhaps numerable, but of

universes ( there is ) not any ( numbering, )
"

So

there

nus, Shivas

there

are

is

no numbering of Brahmas^ Vi$h-

and the

rest.

Brahma,

In

Vihmi^

all

the universes

Shiva,

and other

(Devas

).

This we could have imagined, even had we not

for since, as we saw in the Vishnu
it,

been told

"

one only God, Janardana, takes the

designation of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva accordingly as He creates, preserves, or destroys, and

Put&na, the

and destruction must go on

in every world-system, God must manifest in each
in these three Forms,

creation, preservation

This

the Trimurti, the reflexion as it were

in Space and Time of that Supreme Triple Unity,
the Source of beings the Nirguna Brahman, the
1

is

Zterf J3hdg

IX. iiu

7, 8.

67

Saguna Brahman and

and Time, Eternal.

Mfllaprakriti, out of

Space

The Trimurti is the manifestation, then, of

fshvara in a world-system, or Brahman<Ja, and is
therefore the Supreme Will, Wisdom and Activity
in a concrete form.

BrahmS.

the

is

Creator,

Sarasvati, the Goddess of

and His Shakti

Wisdom, without

is

whom

Activity could not be wisely guided. He is pictured

with four heads, one looking towards each
quarter, as the Maker of the four quarters and
their contents, and riding on the ^p Hamsat, the
as

Swan. The name f?=f, a re-arrangement of spsrf ^rf

an allusion to His relation with Ahamkara, the
,

is

divider, the

Vishnu

maker of atoms.
is

the

Preserver and

principle

underlying

verse

order,

in

them

together

Shakti

is

and

by

and

preserving

His

Sustainer,

the

sustaining

forms,

attracting

the
uni-

holding

force.

His

Lakshmi, the Goddess of Happiness, of

He is pictured
Prosperity, of all desirable objects.
with four arms, as sustaining the four quarters, and
on Garuda, the emblem of speed and of
He is the source of Avatras, and in
intelligence.
Them, or in His own Person, is perhaps the most
rides

generally worshipped

manifestation

of

Ishvara,"

68

Indeed, as N&rftyana,
waters,

He

He whose

dwelling

is

in

the

worshipped as Saguna Brahman,

is

dwelling in Matter.
Shiva,

Mah&deva, or Maheshvara,

or

He who

frees

is

the

Atm& from

inprisoning
destroys Avidy& and so gives VidyS,
and who, finally rolling up the universe, brings
the peace of liberation. His Shakti is
f^grr,

Destroyer,

forms,

who

Um,

IchchhA, Will, called also sgiftsn

who

reveals

Brahman.

as an

it

He is
He who

Brahmavidy^,
pictured ever
the Object

is

Ascetic,
being
of worship for Yogis, who have renounced the
world.
lie rides on the Bull, the emblem of the

mind

and sometimes of physical nature ), as

having subdued it, and wears the tiger-skin, the
(

emblem of the slain desire-nature. Hence is He,

as the name Shiva implies, Ananda, the peace and
bliss

of

Atma,

freed from desire

and master of

mind.

These Supreme Forms of fshvara, separated by

Their functions, but
central Life of the

Them

One

in Essence,

stand as the

Brahm^nda, and from and by

proceeds, is maintained, and is indrawn.

Their functions should not be confused, but their
it

Unity should never be forgotten.

.

i\i t

iv,

Brahm&,

69

God, is spoken of as
the Golden Egg, which

as the creative

appearing first, born in

grows out of the seed of the

One

Waters of

in the

Matter.

n l

"He, having meditated,

desiring to

produce

various beings from His own body, first put forth

the waters in these He placed the seed.
"
That became a Golden Egg, equal in radiance
;

to the thousand-rayed

the

Sun

].

In that was

born BrahmS. Himself, the Grandsire of

all

worlds."

Here the Waters, Matter, Mulaprakriti, receive

the seed of Life, and this becomes the Hiranyagarbha, the Golden Egg, in which the Creator is
born, in order to form His world-system.
world-system is called a Brahmanda, a

Hence a
Brahmi-

Egg, a very significant epithet, as world-systems

are oval, like an egg, and seen from outside, present

exactly an egg-like form, each planet following an

egg-like orbit Of this Egg we read in the Vishnu

Purana that within it Brahm and the world-system were contained, while it was invested externally by seven envelopes, water, fire, air, ether, the
1

Manusmriti.

i.

8, 9.

70

origin of

the elements,

Ahamkra ) Mahat

and

primal homogeneous Matter, which surrounds the

whole.

Every world-system is thus surrounded by the

great kosmic elements, as described in the First
Chapter of Manusmriti by Manu himself (shl. 559).
The account of the later creation is given over to
Bhrigu, who explains briefly the repetition of the
process within
fuller

account

the World-Egg.

is

in

similar

and

the Mah&bhdrata^ and in

given
the Vishnu and other Purnas.

be enough if the student grasp the general

he can fill up later the complicated
principles, and
details from the many accounts given in the sacred
It will

books.

He

should remember that the process in

the universe containing

in the separate

many Brahm^ndas, and

Brahm^ndas,

is

similar.

very fine and instructive description of the

general principle of emanation which will also be

found illuminative when the student comes to the

bodies in which the
the Devt Bh&gavata.

Loc.

cit, I. ii.

Jivtm

dwells

is

given in

71

11

11

if

it

3<n
:

x
:

His M^y^, conjoined with Kdma and

of the SamskSra of past experibecause
Karma,
ence, and the ripeness of time and Karma, and
"**

He by

because of non-discrimination of the Tattva, becomes desirous of creation. This emanation, O

King of mountains, is not preceded by Buddhi.

This transcendental form of mine that I have de1 Loc. eit.

VII. xxxii. 22, 28.

72

scribed to thee,

is

the undifferentiated Avyakta, and

all the Shcistras is it de-

the May^-coloured ; in
scribed as the Cause of

all

and the

causes,

first

Element of all the elements, the embodiment of SatChit-Ananda y compacted of all Karma, the base of
Ichchha, JMna and Kriy&. It is declared by the
mantra Hrin, and is called the Adi-Tattva.
"

From

it

was born Aksha,

Tanmatra of sound.
the nature of touch.

in the

form of the

Thereafter arises VSyu, of

Then Tejas, of the nature

Then Water, of the nature of taste. And

then Earth, of the nature of smell
Frorii them
arose the great Thread, which is called the Linga,
of vision.

It is

declared to possess the nature of

Sfikshma Deha of the

A toft.

K^rana Deha, declared

all.

It is

The Avyakta

before,

in

is

the

the

which the world

a seed, from which the Linga arises,

wherefrom (arise) the gross elements in the way of
The result of that is the Virata
Panchlkarana
exists as

Deha, which

The

is

the Sthfila

emanation

first

Deha

is

of the Atma."

here the Adi-Tattva

then the Buddhi-Tattva, sometimes called Mahatthen the five TatTattva, said to follow the first
;

tvas in order.

The terms

used, denoting the

two, vary in different accounts

represented

as

first

they are sometimes

Mahat and Ahamk^ra,

or as Adi-

73

Bhuta and Mahat.

which the

In any case, the materials from

worlds are made are seven, and these

seven are spoken of in

snfRf

Manu

jpwfr

w?rero:
"

Verily, this

as the source of all

ffir^rerf 1 *.

becomes from the

*r**nrra

subtile formative

particles of these seven very mighty Beings/'

We

shall

within a

now

see

Brahmanda

Brahm&

is

the creative

that

follows on the

same

process

lines.

surrounded by homogeneous matter,

Vishnu Purdna in which

called Pradhana, in the

the Gunas are in equilibrium

His energy disturb-

ing this tAmasic condition, Rajoguna prevails arid

there is rapid motion. Then He puts forth the
which,
principle of Mahat-Buddhi, Pure Reason

entering matter, being invested by it, and causing

the predominance of the Sattva-guna, the motion

becomes rhythmical,

Ahamkra,

harmonious.

Then

follows

the individualising principle, separating

homogeneous matter into particles, Anus,

Ahamkara, causing the Tamo-guna to pre-

the

atoms.

vail in Prakrit!,,

forms successively the

or subtle elements, and

five

the senses

Tanma-

hearing,
touch, sight, taste, smell, with their appropriate gross
tras,

elements
1

Loc,

akSsha, vayu, agni, &pa, prithivi

cit. i. 19:

ether,

air, fire,

water, earth.

74

Causing Rajo-guna

Ahamkara

to prevail,

gives rise to the ten Indriyas the 5 ideal

of
sense-organs and the 5 ideal types of actypes
:

Causing Sattva-guna to prevail, Ahamout the ten Deities connected with the

tion-organs.

kara calls

sense-and action-organs, and Manas, the centralising

organ of the Indriyas, These three creations are
the gnrff, Bhutadi, that of the
elements ;%*rcr, Taijasa, that of the fiery, the active
called

respectively

energies

and

%3>rft*?,

Vaikarika, the

directing,

administrative, powers.

The points to remember here are in what is

usually called matter, Tamo-guna predominates
:

in the Indriyas,

Rajo-guna predominates

in

the

presiding Deities, Sattva-guna predominates.

The work

of creation proceeded by calling into

existence the Suras or Devas, described by Manu

"
whose nature is action/' that vast mulas sffirfeTR:
titude of intelligent Beings, of very varying power
and authority, who guide the whole course of na-

and direct

ture,

all its activities.

of course, clearly understood by all Hindus

that this vast host of Devas no more obscures the
It

is,

Unity of fshvara, in His triple form as Brahmd,

Vi?hnu and Shiva, than do the vast hosts of men
animals, plants, and minerals. As said in the Shruti

75

f *% fa^T

^TTf^TTTf
^f^f^t

ipK ^f$??r 3<f*rr

"

^rraR^R^rf

Indra, Mitra.

He

and

*ri

Varuna, Agni, they

golden-feathered Garutman.

is

One, sages speak as manifold

is

Agni, Yama,

So

also the Smriti

All the

Him,

Of what
call

Him

Matarishva."
:

"

call

they

Gods

(are)

even the Self

2
:

all rests

on

the Self."

li

"

Some

call

Him

some

Agni, others

Manu,

others

Indra, others Life-Breath, others

Prajapati,
the eternal Brahman."

But the Devas have

their

own

place in nature,

as the ministers of the will of fshvara,

ruling,

pro-

and
tecting, adjusting, guiding, with intelligence
limited.
power far greater than human, but still
The name, Deva, Shining or Radiant, very
describes their resplendent appearance, their
bodies being formed of a subtle luminous mat-

well

ter,

and

hence

flashing

out

light.

They

are

concerned with the matter-side of nature, and the

guidance of

its

evolution,

Rigveda. clxiv, 46.

JMd.

123,

and

Manu.

all

the constructive

xii T 119.

76

energies studied by science are the energies of the

Devas. On their work depend the truits of all

human
its

concerned with production, in

activities

Those who seek

branches.

for material

perity need their continual co-operation,

all

pros*

and

this

is granted under quite definite laws*

be
obtained
may
by a scientific knowledge of
their methods of working, man falling in with their

co-operation
It

activities

and thus sharing the

Or

result.

may

it

be obtained from them by what is literally exchange, man supplying them with objects which
work, or which they enjoy, and they,

facilitate their

in return, directing their energies, the energies of

"

"

nature,

to suit his ends

as a strong

man may

help a weak man in the performance of a task.

Or their increased co-operation may be won by
prayers, accompanied by such acts as they approve,
such as feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, etc.

Or

their

services

may be commanded by

Rishis and Yogis, who,

by

great

purity, knowledge,

and

austerity, have risen above them in the scale of

Sometimes a man wins the favour of a
being.

Deva by some
birth,

and then

all his efforts

ceeds where others

"

Good

and as

luck
their

"

done

service

is

fail,

the

is

a previous

prosper, and he suc"

"
is called
lucky.

and he

of the working of Devas,

invisible, men think the

restflt

working

in this or

77

result

is

But

must be reDevas work within law, and not

a chance, or accident.

membered
by

that

all

it

The sacrifices and offerings

Vedas form a great occult system

arbitrary fancies.

prescribed in the
for obtaining

and regulating

this

co-operation be-

tween Devas and men, whereby the work of both

was carried on with the largest results.
\

l
i

"

With

this nourish

ye the Devas, ( and ) may

thus nourishing each other

the Devas nourish you

ye shall obtain the greatest good.
<f
Nourished by sacrifice, the Devas shall give
"
you ( all ) desired enjoyments.
:

And

"

the reason

From

given

food creatures become

production of food
"

is

They who

from

desire success in

them are

Bhagavad-GitcL.

Md. iv.

12

iii.

11, 12.

is

the

action here

ship the Devas."

But the benefits obtained from
sient

from rain

sacrifice rain proceedeth."

? Ibid.

trai>

78

"

Transient indeed the

fruit,"

Hence the worship of the Devas is not practismen whose hearts are set on spiritual things.

ed by

They worship

Ishvara, rather than

His ministers,

or as revealed in the

either as

Brahman,
Trimurti,
or in the Shaktis, or in such a Deva as Ganesha for
But this will be furlearning, or in the Avataras.
ther dealt with in Part II, Chapter V.

The Devas of the Elements Ether, Air, Fire,

Water and Earth Indra, V&yu, Agni, Varuna and
Kubera, are the Five Devar^jas, Deva Kings, of
these great departments of nature, Indra being the
Chief Ruler. Under them are divided the great
hosts of Devas.

Thus the Sdhyas, Vasus, Adityas

and Apsaras are specially connected with Indra

the Maruts with

Vyu

the

Yakhas, Gandharvas,

Some

Vidy^dharas, and Kinnaras with Kubera.

have charge of the animal kingdom, as the

Ngas

and Sarpas of snakes, the Suparnas of birds,

etc.

Four great Gods rule the four quarters Indra,

Yama, Varuna and Kubera, as the protectors of
mankind. Yama is the Lord of Death, the wise
and gracious Deva who instructed Nachiketas.
:

Ibid,

vii,

23,

79

The Asuras,

who

the beings

are opposed to the

Suras, or Devas, in their activity, embody the destructive energies of nature they are as necessary
;

and as useful as the constructive, though on the

surface opposed to them.
They hinder and obstruct

embodying the very essence of matter,

Tamo-guna, inertia, resistance, and by that very
resistance make progress steady and durable.
evolution,

These creations belong

although,

connected with the visible

invisible, indeed,

worlds,

field

the

of a vast evolu-

World

Process,

order of the process in the physical world

at its origination

men.

invisible

they were to be closely

the worlds visible and

forming the

Samsra,

tionary process

The

to the

in their activities,

was

In the Vishnu

minerals,

Purdna

it is

plants, animals,
stated that while

Brahm& was meditating on creation the three primary Prakrita creations of Mahat, the elements and
the indriyas, being over the immovable creation,
minerals and plants, appeared. Then followed the

animal kingdom, called Tiryaksrotas.

The

creation

of some

Devas followed here, according to the

Put Ana^ but they do not belong to the physical
Then
world, with which we are here dealing.
came the creation of men. It must be remembered
that while this

is

the

fundamental order of evolu-

many

tion,

varieties

occur

in the

different

and accounts
certain

in

different

kalpas,

books vary, within

broad

limits, since these great classes of

each
other, so that new kinds of
beings overlap
animals and plants appear long after man. The
world in fact is ever-becoming along the four great
lines,

however much we may separate them

for

purposes of exposition.

The

stages of evolution are very plainly given

in the Aitareya

Br&hmana.
t

ft
i

ft srjcfRT *r*T5T*TT:

T^RFWI

f^rfir
t

^^f^r

firs^r^

^T
"

T ft<

^^r^

wiw ft ^rwr^r:

i. ?r

n x

Atm& as Him (the Puruhe most enjoys that maniHerbs and trees and all that bears life,

He who knows

the

?ha) in manifestation,
festation.

he knows as the Self in manifestation. In herbs

and trees Rasa (sap, life,) is seen, and mind in them
In that them have Pr^na, the
that have Pr^na.
lAitareydranyaka.

II.

iii.

2.

Atma

(more) manifest. In them, Rasa also is

seen, while mind is not seen in the others. In man,
he is most supplied
the Atma is (most) manifest
is

He

speaks that which he knows

he sees that which he knows; he knows what occurred

with knowledge.

yesterday he knows the visible and the invisible

by the mortal he desires the immortal. Thus supBut of the others, animals, hunger and
plied is he.
;

thirst are the

only knowledge. They speak not the

they see not the known they know not
what belongs to yesterday, nor the visible and the

known

Only this much have

knowledge are the births."

invisible.

to the

On

this

S^yana comments

they.

as follows

According

ff^r

"

All objects whatsoever, being of the nature of

effects, are Upadhis for the manifestation of the

Supreme

Self, Sat, Chit,

Ananda, the cause of the

In the

universe.

unconscious, earth, stones, etc.

and the Atm& has not yet
attained to the form of Jiva. The unmoving Jivas,

only Sat

is

manifest,

namely the herbs and

trees,

and also the moving

Prna

which have

Jivas,

82
as

breath,

both these are

stages of manifestation in a higher degree,"

The

student should note these passages, as it is

currently supposed that the idea of evolution is of

modern

birth.

The work

of

Rrahm
we have

consisted in producing

all

seen, and by His tapas,

or meditation, he formed the archetypes of all
But we learn from the Shiva
living things.

the materials, as

Pur ana and

the

Shtimad Bhagavata that He

Vis/hnu in order to endow these

needed the help of

forms with life, Vishnu being that aspect of Ishvara
from whom the sustaining life, sn% Pr^nah, that is
the life that holds forms together and preserves

them

as forms, together with f%j, Chit,

ness,

comes

conscious-

forth.

it is further stated in the Shiva Purdna

when these forms had been fully developed, Mahadeva was appealed to, and He gave immortality

Moreover,

that

that

is,

He

linked to the forms the Jiv^tm^s evolved

This is generally referred to in

kalpas.
the ascription of AhamkSra to Rudra. These three
great stages in the building of worlds the work of
Brahm&, creative of materials and of the ideal forms
in previous

the work of Vihnu, in breathand

Chit into these forms, and maining Prlna

of

all

living beings

83

taming them in life the work of Shiva in giving

the eternal Jivatmas should be clearly understood
;

In Manusmriti nothing but hints of these degiven, only the name Brahma being used

tails are

but

is

it

indicated

that

He changed

His form,

divided Himself and produced Virat, who produced Svayarnbhuva Manu, who then called forth the
ten Maharhis, they in turn producing seven Manus,
After that, These became the active and direct

agents

in

creation,

BrahmS. Himself disappearing

after creating the worlds,

a class

of Devas

(those

connected with the great elements), and some other

general fundamental principles and beings, and
giving the Vedas. The account is very brief, and

from

its

somewhat

brevity

difficult,

but this sum-

mary of the World-Process is only introductory to

the main object of the book.
The Shiva Purdna^ as mentioned, gives the
following details

He (Brahma) emanated

water first and therein

sowed a handful of the seed which was His. The
same grew up as an Egg, made up of the 24 tattvas.
Brahm&, who appeared as Virat, perceived the Egg
becoming hard. This caused doubt in His mind
and He gave Himself up to tapas. Thus He spent
twelve years, concentrating His thought on Vishnu.
Then Vihnu appeared and said " I am pleased
:

84

with Thee

ma

Thou

ask what boon

"

said

Lord

it is

just as

desirest."

it

Brah-

should be, for

have been placed by Shiva in your charge. The

world which Shiva commanded me to create is here,

So be

motionless fjadarup.i) and material

thou,
Lord, as Life (Prana) unto it, and

make

conscious (chetana).

but

see

it

it is

Thus Brahma spoke,

and Vishnu, following the directions Shiva gave,

entered the Egg His form being one of a thousand
heads, a thousand ears, a thousand feet and hands

who touched heaven and

the Universal Purusha

earth and pervaded the Egg.

As Vihnu entered

it,

that

Egg

of 24 tattvas

and consciousness (sa-chetana)

to
Patala
from
Satya Loka,

became

full

of

life

all Purushas adorned the seat

He occupied. Brahma stood
which
Satya,
of
the world
Tapas, while other Purushas occupi-

Hari, the best of

that
in

is

ed the other worlds as became them. Brahma

first created a number of sons born of the mind.

But they

all

became

ascetics.

He

created

more

So He
again, but they also renounced the world.
of
out
As
He
to
annoyance.
cried,
cry,
began

Mahadeva appeared.

Because

He came

forth

from

Brahma's cry, He is called Rudra. Immediately

pn His appearance He addressed BrahmS saying
3

S5

"'Brahma, what aiieth Thee? Tell that to

[

remove

will
"

answered BrahmS,

Deva,"

stacles in the

Me

and

it."

way

there are ob-

of further manifestation.

thou therefore so ordain

it,

When He

impediments,"

"

as

may make

heard

this,

it

free

Do
from

Mahdeva,

the destroyer of all trouble, resolved to do what

Brahma desired and said " This creation of yours,
:

make

will

So

it

everlasting.

saying,

Mah^deva, the Lord who

is

Bliss,

although known as Rudra, disappeared to Kail^sa,

with His gana$. Then (with Shiva's help) BrahmS,
created Bhrigu and six other B,i$his.

He also

from

His lap caused Narada to be born, from His shadow

(chhSya) Kardama, and from His thumb Dakha

He

Thus there appeared ten Rishis. And

Bhrigu came Marichi, whose son Kashyapa

made.

after

was.
filled

It

is

In the

Kashyapa who with

this

the world.

his

progeny

Shrtmad Bh&gavata the mention

is

in

connection with the making of the World-Egg as

an organised form, but, as said before, the process
similar

is

on the large

point to be recognised

is

niser.
l

SUm Purfoa.

I. yi,

120.

scale

or the small.

that Vishnu

is

The

the Orga-

86

"

When

these separated existences, the

Manas and Gunas, were unable

Indriyas,

Bhfitas,

to create

(literally a dwelling-place, an UpSdhi),

of Brahma-knowers, then, mixing with
each other, they were impelled by the power of

organisms

best

Bhagavan (Vishnu), and, becoming both Sat and

Asat, evolved this/'

The

ten

Pulastya,

Mahar^his, Marichi, Atri, Angiras,

Pulaha. Kratu, Prachetas, Vasishtha,

Bhrigu and N^rada, were superhuman beings, who

having obtained liberation in former kalpas, were
of the Worldand
who
Process,
remain, superintending the destinies of the worlds, and will remain until Pralaya.
Sometimes only seven are given this rank, Prache-

called forth to aid in the direction

tas,
list,

Bhrigu and

Nrada

not being included in the

Sometimes others are added, as Daksha and

Kardama.

The Kumaras, variously given as four, five, six

and seven, are, as their name implies, Virgin Beings,
Shiva
ascetics, and they watch over the world.
1

Loc.

cit. II. v. 32, 33.

87

Rudra or NllaloSanatkumara, Sanandana, Sanaka and Sa-

Himself took the form of one

hita.

nStana are the four most often referred

to.

Ribhu,

Kapila and Sana are also mentioned.

To

this brief sketch

of the World-Process

should be added that the early

human

races

it

pre-

under the
Aryan
names of D^navas and Daityas, huge beings of
are often

ceding the

referred

to

enormous strength and energy, who carried on

many a struggle with the Devas themselves. The
Rakshasas were another race, more brutal in nature,
usually malformed,, huge, cruel, powerful, cannibals,
the terror of milder races. They possessed, more-

many magical secrets of a dark kind, which

for terrorising and oppressing.
All these
used
they
have long entirely disappeared from the earth.
over,

Such

is

the vast field of

in

Samsra,

which the

some human
pilgrim Jiv^tmls wander, until,
of
the
Self, and
form, they- reach the knowledge
in

obtai n

The

Deration,

points to be

remembered

are

The coming forth of the Many from Saguna

Brahman and Mulapraknti by the power of My$,
i.

and

their return at the close of the

festation.

Day

of mani-

2.

The

mtirti, in

88

manifestation of tshvara

as

the Trf-

the forms of Creation, Preservation, and

BrahmS, Vishnu and Shiva, with their

Destruction,.

Shaktis, Sarasvati, Lakshmi, and

Uma.

The work

of BrahmA, forming the materials

the ideal types of all beings,
Suras, Asuras, minerals, plants, animals and men.
3.

of the universe and

The work of Vishnu, giving Prana and Chit,

4.
and hence making living organised forms possible,
all such forms being preserved and maintained by
Him.
5.

forms,

m&s

The work
when they

of Shiva, breathing
arrive at the

that have reached

human

into these

stage, JivAt-

previous kalpas a stage

at which such highly organised bodies can be utilised by them, bodies in which AvidyA can be
in

destroyed, and they can attain Vidya.

Theexistencethroughoutthe World-Process
of lofty superhuman Intelligences, such as Rihis
6.

and Kumciras, intent on human welfare.

7.

yas,

The

past races on the earth, DAnavas, Dait-

Rakhasas.

CHAPTER

III.

REBIRTH.

"

In the Brahman-wheel, the immense source

and support of all Jivas, the Hamsa ( the individual ) is made to wander, thinking himself and the

Ruler

United with Him, he obtains Im-

different.

mortality."

Here,

in a single shloka,

we

are given the reason

Man wanders about in

of rebirth and its ending.
the universe so long as he thinks of himself as
different from fshvara knowing himself to be one
;

with Him, he obtains liberation.

In Shruti and Smriti, in Purana and
the Self in

man

is

declared to be of the

Itihasa,

nature of

Brahman.

"

the
l

Then, having known the Supreme Brahman,

Supreme Immensity, as the Essence hidden in

Shvetcuhvatarop.

i.

6.

IUd.

Hi. 7, 13.

90

all

creatures, the

one Pervader of the universe, the

Lord, they become immortal.

"

The measure

inner Self,

"

He,

"

thumb, the Puru^ha, the

ever dwelling in the heart of men."
of a

this Self, is

this

He,

Akasha

this

unborn

great

this intelligence in

Brahman/

Self,

living

He who
He who

(is)

(is)

creatures,

(is)

in the heart."
3
i

"

He,

this great,

immortal, fearless
It is

the

this

sparks

unborn, undecaying, deathless,

Self,

nature,

from a

fire

which evolves, unfolds

living beings.

As

the fearless Brahman."

(is)

identical

with

Brahman

are identical with the

as
fire,

the JlvatmA in all

a seed grows to be a tree like
itself as

the Jivatmic seed grows into selfconscious Deity.

Samsara exists that the Jivatits

parent,

so

ma may

learn to realise himself. The Jivatma differs

from Brahman only as the seed from the tree that

bears

it.

Jirlhad&ranyltop. IV.
.

i.

9.

iv. 5.

Ibid. 22.

3 Ibid. 25.

Skve-

"

Wise and unwise, both unborn, powerful and

powerless."

Therefore, although unwise and powerless, the

to this
Jivatma can become wise and powerful
;

end he must evolve, and his evolution

wheel of births and deaths.

Transmigration

is

the word

is

on the

given

usually

to

the Jiv^tm^ transmigrates from

one body to another as one grows old and wastes
away he takes another.
this journey, for

tfurfir

"

^rrR^fr

old garments and

takes others (that are) new, so the Embodied casts
away old bodies and puts on new ones."

As

man throws away

The word

"

"

is also very generstress

the
modern
in
used
being here laid
days,
ally
it again
on the body rather than on the Jivatma

re-incarnation

takes a fleshly covering.

This truth of the evolution of the JivAtma from

ignorance to wisdom, from feebleness to power, is
definitely revealed

of

it is

in

the Shruti, and a knowledge

necessary as a basis for

for the wise

shaping of

life.

good conduct and

Man

is

not a creature

92

of a day, here to-day and gone to-morrow, but an

unborn immortal being, growing into a knowledge

of his true nature and powers. Everything is within
him, the fullness of divine wisdom and power, but
capacity has to be unfolded, and that is the
Such a view of man's
object of living and dying.
this

nature gives dignity and strength and sobriety to

It has been believed in by wise men in all

life.

and has been a part of every ancient

ages,

The

religion.

student will find this great truth established

and conclusively by pure argument in

Vatsyayana's Bhahya on the Nydya Sdtras of

irrefutably

Gautama.

modern times, during a period of great

was
this truth lost sight of in the West,
ignorance,
and very irrational and fantastic notions have in
Only

in

consequence grown up there as to the human

nature and

its

just

and loving

destiny, undermining
rule of Ishvara.

soul,

belief in the

The Jivatma contains within himself infinite possibilities, but when first thrown down into Prakriti,
l

But even in the West such great scientific thinkers as ProHuxley have begun to recognise the continued existence of

fessor

life to life.
"Like the doctrine of evolution
" that of
he
transmigration has its roots iu the world
itself,"
says,
of reality
and it may claim such support as the great argument

the Jivatma from

from analogy
P. 16.

is

capable of supplying."

Evolution and Ethict

93

embodied

in

ROpa made up

these are

all

of the five elements,

not manifest.

inherent,

He

passes

through the diversified existences of the mineral

kingdom, and of the plant and of the animal realms,
the

Udbhijjah (born by

SF3F3F5fn

fission

in

the

the ^3 4ft: Swedajh (born

minerals and plants)
exudation
or
by
gemmation, in certain low forms
;

of plants and animals) the 3T o;3~5rn AndajaMi (born

first as eggs, the oviparous animals)
before coming
;

into the ^HTgift: Jarayujah

animals and the

In these
loped,

and

many

its

(the viviparous higher

human kingdom).
of

its

lower powers are deve-

consciousness passes from the latent

A double evolution goes

to the active condition.

on

there

is

the continued

life

of the Jiva\tma himself,

continually increasing in richness and complexity and there is a corresponding continuity in the
;

forms he occupies, as each physical form is directly

Each
derived from a preceding physical form.
form, however independent it may seem, was once
part of another form, whose characteristics it
shared,

and from which

it

has been separated off

an independent career. While part of the parent form it shared all the advantages and imfor

provements, or the reverse, due to the developing

Jiv&tm& within that parent form, and thus starts

on its separate life on a little higher level than

94

its

parent if the Jtv^tm^ has progressed, or on

lower level if it has retrograded.
For

little

while

the general

movement

is

one of progress,

ebbs and flows, like the waves that

run on and fall back in a rising tide. This unbrothere are

little

ken physical inheritance from form to form causes

what science calls heredity, the passing on of chafrom parents to offspring. But it has
been observed by scientific men that mental and
racteristics

moral characteristics do not

pass from form to

for the evo-

form, and they are puzzled to account

Their theory needs to be

completed by the acceptance of transmigration.
lution of consciousness.

For

just as

physical continuity is necessary for

physical evolution, so is the continuity of consciousness necessary for the evolution of mental and

This continuity is the consciousness of the Jivcitmct, which takes a form

moral characteristics.

as we shall see presently

his
own powers by using
IV.
enlarges
Chapter
and
the form,
thereby improves the form also the

suitable to his condition

in

bodies of the children of the body share these im-

provements of the form, are improved again by

other JivAtm^s, and pass on still more improved
bodies.

m&

When

throws

above.

the old

it off,

body

is

worn

out, the Jivat-

and takes another form, as said

When

95

the animal stage has been fully experiis ready to pass on into the

enced, and the Jiv^tma

human

form, his triune nature, reflection of the

The
triune nature of fshvara, begins to manifest.
human Jiv&tmA as we may now call him maniof JMna, IchchhS. and Kriy&
which have ever been in him, and these begin to
fests the three aspects

evolve as self-consciousness; ahamk^ra appears, and

"
"
I
as opposed to the "Notthe recognition of the
"

The desire-nature, developrapidly developes.

ed in the animal kingdom, now becomes much
I

more powerful, by seizing on the evolving mind as

its slave, and using its growing powers for the
As the mind
satisfaction of its own cravings.
grows stronger, and the Jiv&tm& by experience
learns the pains that result from unbridled desires,
he begins to exert his strength in checking and di-

and the long struggle commences

between the JivStma, dimly beginning to feel his
own divinity, and the kAmic elements of his up^dhis.

recting thed esires,

As

is

written in the Kathopanishat

ft-fisr
ii

srffo-kWMr

tfe 3

srrrflr

ff^rrfar f arRffff srar*%f *fnro^

:

I. iii,

3-7.

II

96

"

Know

the chariot

mind

the Self the chariot-owner, the

;

know Reason

as the reins

they

body

the charioteer, and the

the senses the horses,

call

the sense-objects their province. The Self, joined

thus say
to the senses and mind, (is) the enjoyer
;

Whoever

the wise.

is

ignorant, always with

loose, his senses (are) uncontrolled, like

of the charioteer.

Whoever

is

wise,

mind

bad horses

always with

mind

tightened, his senses (are) controlled, like

of the charioteer. Whoever is indeed
horses
good

ignorant, thoughtless, always impure, he does not

obtain that goal, (but) comes again into Samscira."

When

a term of earth-life

is

over, the

withdraws from the physical body, and

Jivatma

in a subtle

vehicle passes into the invisible worlds. He carries

thither the results of the earth-life, to be enjoyed
and suffered as fruits, going to the worlds in which

these fruits can be consumed.

In the Brihad&ranyakopanihat a description

The Jivatma leaves the body,
is given.

of this

taking with him the knowledge he has gained and

then
the result of his work
;

G. cit.

IY.

iv,

97

''As a goldsmith, having taken a piece of gold,

jnakes another form, new and more beautiful, so
verily the

At ma, having

cast off

this

body and

having put away Avidya, makes another new and

more
he

beautiful form."

In this he goes to the invisible world for

a matter to be dealt with in
fitted

is

which

Chapter

VI

and then the Upanishat goes on to say what

happens when his fruit in that invisible world is
consumed.

^T^R

TTW^*S^>c

cfij? f frT

37TWTPT:

II

end of (the fruit of)

this one
(of) whatsoever he here does
returns again from that world to this world of ac-

rthat"Having
work
tion

arrived

thus verily

at

the

the story of

him who

desires."

This process is repeated over and over

again as
long as he has desires, for these desires bind him
to the wheel of transmigration.
It is truly "the

him who desires." So also

Bhdgavata the same idea is expressed
story of

3rrfr srnfff^

Ibid

6,

in
:

the Devi

98

"

Having abandoned the former body, the Jiva r

following Karma's rule, obtains either Svarga

Naraka according to his deeds r
"

And

having obtained a

or

body, or a

celestial

body of suffering born of objects of desire, experiences varied fruits in Svarga or Naraka.
"

At

rebirth arrives ...... then

when the time for his

Time unites him again with

karmas

of the Sanchita karmas."

the end of the

selected out

fruits,

The development

of the Chit aspect of the Jivtma, and the purification of tht, Ichchha aspect,

being the main work of the human stage of evolution, the growth of Manas, and later of Buddhi,

marks out the steps of the journey.

The

constitution of the

human being

clearly outlined in the Mahdbhdrata,

we give the following summary

is very
from which

The

Self in man, the Jivatma, is identical in

nature with the Supreme Self, Brahman. From
this

comes

forth the understanding

Loo.

cit.

IV. xxi. 22-25.

Loc.

cit.

Sh&nti Parva,

ccii.

Buddhi

and

99

from the understanding the mind ( Manas ) when

to these the Senses (Indfiyas) are added, the man,
;

the Dweller in the

his dwelling,

is

the

complete

the

Body,

The

of the five elements.

senses, through the body,

outer world

is

Body,

made up

come

into touch with the

hand on

senses

to

the

mind

the results of the contact, giving the attributes or

the way in
properties of the objects contacted

which the objects affect them. The mind receives

these reports, and groups them into mental images,
the unand presents these to the understanding
;

derstanding pierces to the reality in which these

mental images, made up of attributes, inhere. This
is

the outgoing of the Jivatma,

of experience, the srf r^wf

the path of going forth.

The

first

the

and

his

Pravjritti

gathering

Margah,

step, or stage, of this evolution

is

the

and therefore
the sixth sense, which re-

experiencing of varied sensations

Manas

is

ceives

and organises the impressions conveyed to

it

by the

regarded as

five senses, affected

by

their contact

with

the outer world through the sense-organs.

"

The

senses,

Or,

when

together
l

Manas

the sixth."

the senses and sense organs are taken

Bhagavad-Gttd. xv.

7.

100

"The

ten senses and the one."

at this stage,

Manas,

is

the slave of

Kdma, and

developes its capacities by directing the search for

Evolution is quickened by
objects of enjoyment.
the instruction of the Rihis, who teach man to sacrithe objects of enjoyment to the Devas, first
worldly prosperity, and then to

fice

to gain increased

gain the delights of Svarga,

The second

stage of evolution

one of conti-

is

between Manas and Kama, Manas

nual conflict

being now sufficiently developed to recognise that

the pleasures longed for by

Kama

usually,

in

the

long run, bring more pain than pleasure.

"The

^R3 ^ 31

ft *m*T5rr HF*TT

delights

verily (are) even

that

wombs

(are)

and hence

purifies

conflict,

begins to show itself

Shakti of Shiva, who
1

Ibid

Ibid.

xiii. 5.

v.

2.

resist

the searching

enjoyment, instead of directing

in

of the kSmic

longings

higher aspect of Ichch^

Ichchha which
is

it,

which Manas grows more

The thwarting
Kama, and the

rfepidly.

contact-born, these

of pain."

Manas, therefore, begins to

for objects of

is

the destroyer of

Will, the

KAma,

the

ioi

son of Vi?hnu and

aspect of IchchhS, 1

The

Lakshmi, and also the lower

third stage of the evolution of

Manas con-

development of the higher intellectual

Manas, no longer enslaved by, nor even

sists in the

powers

struggling with

K&ma, has become

the pure
out
ideas, wrought
Manas, engaged
by his
own labour, not with sense-born images. The Jivfree, is

with

Atm

ceases to delight in sense-contacts, or in their

mental reproductions, and engages himself in pure

thought, in the endeavour to understand the Self

This stage leads up to the evoof Buddhi, the Pure Reason or the Higher

and the Not-Self.

lution

Understanding, of which the expression is Wisdom,

the result of the union of knowledge and love, Wisdom which sees and loves the Self alone.

"
fice
1

Better than the sacrifice of objects

of Wisdom, O Parantapa
All
!

Dharma

is

born from the

material

objects; therefore Dharma,

together on the Pravpitti Mirga.
Ibid. iv. 33, 35.

eiij.riuod
2

the sacri-

actions

in

of Vishnu, Kama from

man first by desire for
Kama aud Artha arc

Wisdom

His Love, which must be developed in

is

102

their

By

entirety,

this

P&rtha, culminate in

thou shalt see

and thus

in the Self,

wisdom.

beings without exception

Me/'

all

in

the Jiv^tma reaches this stage, he is on

the threshold of liberation. He has long fiKffr 5*T-

When
"

ceased from wicked ways,"

"

f <T:

mind."

"

concentrated,"

3TF?P subdued,"

is

"

^IMHI^:

of pacified

Whoever

is

verily

wise,

thoughtful, always
not born
is

pure, he obtains that goal whence he

again/*

For

round of births and deaths

this

lasting for the Jivatma

bound to

it

is

by

not everhis

desires, with the ceasing of those desires he

comes free bound to it by his ignorance of his
;

nature, with the ceasing of that ignorance he

himself

"

free.

He

goes from death to death

Kathop.

Brihad&ranyakop* IV.
iii.

1. ii. 24.

8.'

be-

own

knows

Only

many ness.

3 Ibid.

own

iv. 19.

who

here sees

103

f Rf H
44

When

the desires hiding in his heart are

loosed, then the mortal becomes immortal ; here
all

he enjoys Brahman."

"Therefore having thus become wise, calm, subdued, dispassionate, enduring, collected, he sees the
Self in the Self, he sees the Self as all nor does sin
overcome him, he overcomes all sin nor does sin
consume him, he consumes all sin. Free from sin,
free from passion, he becomes a Brhmana ( of the
nature of Brahman) this the Brahman-world/'
;

The

the reversal of the process of outgoing, as is very clearly outlined in the Mahdbhdrata^ from which we can summarise the return as
return

is

we summarised the outgoing.

The senses are withdrawn from contact with
the outer world through the body, and become
The mind is withdrawn from its
tranquil, 5[Rr.
study of the images obtained
1

Ibid. 7-

3 Ibid. 23*

by the

senses,

and

I04

The

thus also becomes tranquil.

understanding'

withdraws from the study of the concepts presented

by the mind, and, thus tranquil, reflects the Self

So long as the mind turns to the senses it finds

When

misery.

turns to the

it

understanding

it

finds bliss.
this road, the

Along

FrfPcWT' the

Nivritti

M&r-

gah, or returning path, the Jivatma returns from his

wanderings in Samsara and reaches his true home>

the Eternal, paying, while he treads this path,

the debts contracted on the Pravritti Marga.

To
Self

is

all

is Jnana, wisdom ; to love the

devotion
Bhakti,
; to serve the Self is Karma>

see the Self

Such Jnana, Bhakti, Karma, are the three

Margas, ways, to Mok&ha, liberation. The JMna

action.

M^rga

is

for those in

the Bhakti

dominates

M^rga
;

the

whom

Chit predominates ;
for those in whom Ichchha pre-

Karma MArga
But

in

for those

in

whom

each path, as each

Kriya predominates.
Jivatma is triune, the evolution of all of its three
aspects must be carried on. The Jnani, as he gains
devotion and right activity appear ;
the Bhakta, as devotion is perfected, will find himself possessed of activity and wisdom.
The Kar-

wisdom,

will find

manya, as
achieve

his activity

wisdom and

are, in fact, one, in

becomes wholly

devotion.

The

selfless, will

three

Margas

which three different tempera*

ments emphasise one or other of

its

inseparable

method by which
the Self can be seen and loved and served.
constituents.

Yoga

supplies the

The words spoken by Shri Krishna, as to the

Sankhya and Yoga Darshanas, may well be applied here

"

Children, not Pandits, speak of the SAnkhya

and Yoga as different. (He who is) duly established in one obtaineth the fruit of both.
"

The

place obtained

by

the

SSnkhyas

is

gained also by the Yogis."

The Mukta, the man who has reached liberamay or may not remain active in the three
worlds.
The Rishis are Muktas, and are employed
tion,

maintenance and guidance of the worlds.

Janaka was a Mukta, and was a king, ruling his
realm.
Tuladhara was a Mukta, and was a merin the

chant, weighing out his goods.

spoken of in the Itihasa who

Many
is

Mukta

is

surrounded by

For Mukti is not a change

physical conditions.
of conditions, but a change of condition ; not an alteration of the circumstances
1

hagavad-6it&. V.

4. 5,

surrounding the Jiv-

io6

4tm4, but the attitude of the Jivltma to the Self

and the Not-Self.

was said above that while the general sweep
is upward and onward, temporary
retrogression might occur, and in some of the very
ancient Aryan books given when the possibility
It

of evolution

of such retrogression was much greater than now

a good deal of stress is laid on the danger of such
reversions.

Shri Krishna, speaking in

much

later

"
the worst of men" only
days, says that TOSHTP
are thrown STrgfts^ ^tPnj, " into asuric wombs," 1

He

are born of evil people, such as

had just been

describing as asuric. The law is that

has so degraded himself below the

when a man

human

level

only express themmany

selves through the form of a lower creature, he
of his qualities can

that

cannot,

human

when

his

time for rebirth comes, pass into a

He

delayed, therefore, and is

of
one of the lower creatures,
body
as a co-tenant with the animal, vegetable or mineral
form.

is

attached to the

Jiva, until

these

he has worn out, exhausted, the bonds of

non-human

qualities

birth in the world of

men.

and

is fit

may have

where the man should be

exaggerated fondness.
Bhagacad-Gttd,* xvi.

19,

again

take

very strong and ex-

cessive attachment to an animal

results,

to

tar

similar

beyond such

io 7

The

points to be

The Jivatma

i.

and remains

tree,

own

he realises his

remembered are
is

as a

Brahman, as a seed is the

in Samsara till

wanderer

nature.

continuity of forms, by a new form

separating from an old and leading an independent
existence
and continuity of life in each evolving

There

2,

is

Jivatma.

The

Jiv&tma, embodied in a form, experienthrough that form, throws it away when

3.

ces

outworn, reaps his reward

and returns to the

in

the invisible worlds,

visible.

4 The Jivitma may be detained

forms by self-degradation.
5.

There are three stages

Manas

Kama

(c)

triumph

of

Kama ()
over Kama and

(a) subjection to

animal

in

the evolving
conflict

with

development

of the higher intellectual powers.

6.

Buddhi

is

evolved, and liberation

is

reached.

There are three paths to liberation,

7.
Bhakti, and Kriya, and these finally blend.

JMna

CHAPTER

IV.

KARMA.

Karma

literally

means

action is triple in its

but as every

action,

nature, belonging

partly

to

the past, partly to the present, partly to the future,

it has come to mean the
sequence of events, the

law of causes and

each

effects,

follows

effect

the succession

its

own

cause.

in

which

The word

Karma, action simply, should however remind us

what is called the consequence of an action is

that

really not a separate thing

but

is

a part of the

The conseaction, and cannot be divided from it.

which
the
action
is
of
that part
belongs to
quence
<r,

-V

the future, and

done

in the

is

as

present

much a
Thus

part of

it

suffering

as the
is

part

not the

consequence of a wrong act, but an actual part of

A
it, although it may be only experienced later.
soldier is sometimes wounded in battle, and in the

any pain afterwards, when

quiet he feels the pain; so a man sins and feels
no suffering, but later the suffering makes itself felt.

excitement does not

he

feel

is

The

not separated from the wound,

any mare than heat from fire, though experienced
as a result.

Tv

suffering

is

'09

]
j^*r

Hence all things are linked together indissolubwoven and interwoven inseparably
nothing

ly,

occurs which

is

not linked to the past and to

future.

"

How

shall there

--^

caused action

be in this Sams^ra an

(+****!%.

The Jivitma,

un-

then,

comes

into a

realm of law

and must carry on all his activities within law. So

long as he does not know the law in its various
branches, called the laws of nature, he
tossed about by

all

is

slave,

the currents of natural energies,

and drifting whithersoever they carry him when

he knows them, he is sble to use them to carry out
;

his

own

purposes.

So a boat without

oars, sails, or

rudder

is

carri-

ed about helplessly by the winds and currents, and

the sailor finds himself drifting along under the
press of forces he can
1

But a clever

sailor,

neither change

with oars,

sails

nor direct.

and rudder, can

send along his boat in any direction he pleases, not

because he has changed the winds and the currents,
but because he understands their directions, and can
use those that are going in the direction he wants,
I

Devi Bhagavata,

I. v, 74.

and can play off, the one against the other, the
oppose him. So can a man who knows
the laws of nature utilise those whose forces are
going his way and neutralise those which oppose.
forces that

Therefore is knowledge indispensable the ignor***

ant are always slaves.
It must be remembered that a law of nature is

^&W &
;

not a

command

to act in a particular

a statement of the conditions

"

of any kind can be done.

within

Water

way, but only

which action

boils at

100

under normal pressure." This is a law of nature.

does not command a man to boil water, but
states the conditions under which water boils at
100 C. If he wants boiling water at that tempeIt

rature these are the conditions which are. necessary.

If he

is

on a high mountain where the pressure

is

much less than the normal, his water will boil at a

temperature not sufficiently high for cooking purHow then does the law help him ? It tells
poses.
him how to get his boiling water at 100 C by
increasing the pressure

let

him shut

his

water up

from which the steam cannot escape, and

so add to the pressure the weight of the steam
in a pot

a,

w~

given
100.

The

off,

till

the temperature of the water rises to

And

so also with every other law of nature.

laws state conditions under which certain re-

sults follow.

According to the

results desired

may

"i

]
^

conditions be arranged, and, given the conditions,

Hence law does

the results will invariably follow.

*ls\ '*ufL

not compel any special action, but only renders

actions possible, and knowledge of law is power.

The

Jivatma, as

we have

seen,

is

all

three-fold in

he consists of Ichchha, Jfiana and KriyS,

Will, Wisdom and Activity.
These, in the lower
world of upadhis, of forms, express themselves as

his nature;

Desire,

Knowledge and Action, and these three

Karma, and each works according

fashion a man's

to a definite law.

Desire stands behind Thought, stimulating and

Thought, energised and determined

stands
behind Action, expressing itself
by Desire,
in
the
world
of objects.
therein
it

directing

"JW2 ^*\
-N

%&?.

^^

*f

4|1
a
is

his

tion

f<f;
&\

Man
;

verily

is

desire-formed

as

is

his desire, so

thought as (his) thought is, so he does acas he does action, so he attains."

On
Desire

We

32.

^ i

41
r

which
is

Shankara

hloka

comments that

the root of the world.

have then to study three laws, which, taken

together,

make up

the

Law

of

Karma.

We

shall

then understand the conditions under which things

IV*

iv, 5,

ft

"2

*>

happen, and can shape our future destiny according

to the results we have chosen,
Desires carry the man to the place where
the objects of desire exist, and thus determine the
I.

channels of his future

"So
object in

activities.

indeed (the desirer goes (by work to the

which his(min_d\is immersed.
v

"^^^

man

Desire attaches a

-^

to the objects of desire,

binding him to them with links unbreakable

wherever is the object of desire thither must go the

man who
qFP%,

fruit,

and

The

object of desire is called

the fruit which the man has sought

desires

it.

he must consume,

in

whatever place

it

is

found.

The man
.^..

**

'"

labelled by desire, attached to fruit, is

Whether the fruit be good or evil, pleasurable or

painful, the

law

desires fruit, he
fruit,

and

is

is

said

the same.

is

bound by
to

have

his
"

So long as a man
attachment to that

good or bad Karma

"

according as the fruit is pleasant or painful. When

a man understands this law, he can watch over his
Bhacjawd-Gttd. ?.

12,

<z

"3

desires,

and allow them

to

attach themselves only

to objects the possession of which will yield hapthen, in another life, he will have opportuof attaining them, for they will come and
place themselves in his way. This is the first law,
belonging to the desire- nature.

piness

nities

The second law concerns the mind.

Mind

2.

comes

"

is

"

the creative power, and a

man be-

that which he thinks.

Now

verily

man

is

in this world thinks, so,

thought-formed 2

as a

man

having gone away hence,

he becomes."

As BrahmA

created

by meditation, so does
Marias, which is His reflection in man, have creaBrahm embodies
tio-n as its essential activity
;

Kriy,

activity,

sisted

in

but

we

find that

his

activity

con-

meditation, thought, and this gave birth

hence action is only thought thrown
;

;to the worlds

outwards, objeptivised, and a man's actions are only

his past thoughts materialised.

As BrahmA

creat-

ed His world, so Manas creates his vehicles, and by

1

Chhdfidogyop. III. xiv.

The word

is

15J.

1*

_,

/--/***

'

X-

the same means, thought.

Character, the nature of

this is the first of the

the man, is thought-created
three factors of Karma. What the man essentially jt
is in himself, that is the outcome of his thinking.
;

As he

\.

is

If

be.

thinking now, so hereafter he will himself

he thinks nobly, he will become noble if
;

he thinks

basely,

liKKwing, a

man can

he

will

become

base.

Thus

deliberately shape his charac-

by dwelling in his mmd on all that is good and

pure and elevating, and driving out of it all that is
This is the second law,
evil, foul, and degrading.
ter,

belonging to the mind.

The
3.

third law concerns action.

Circumstances are made by actions,

i*i

Devoted to the fruits of acts, whatever kind

t"
*
Kq^
ot acts a person covetous of fruits accomplishes,
the fruits, good or bad, that he actually enjoys,
partake of their character. Like fishes going against
a"current of water, the acts of a past life are flung

back on the

actor.

The embodied

creature ex-

periences happiness for his good acts, and

for his evil ones/
,

Shanti Parva,

cci,

23.

misery

"5

*; "

JLJ-*.

"Nothing
sp%Iuforth without a
No one can obtain happiness without having ac^
can

[
j

complished acts capable of leading to happiness."

man

spread happiness round him, he will

reap happiness hereafter; if he spread misery, he
If a

reap misery. Thus knowing the law, he can

prepare for himself favourable or unfavourable cirwill

cumstances, as he prepared a good or bad charac-

&
3j

ter,

and pleasure-giving or pain-giving

This

is

objects.

the third law, belonging to actions,

These three laws cover the making of Karma,

for the Jlv&tma consists of Will, Wisdom and Activity, and these show themselves in the world by
thoughts and actions. When we have divided the factors in a man's destiny into opportudesires,

<,

nities,

character

or

capacities

and surrounding
all.
Nothing

circumstances, we have covered them

else remains.

We

that we are always making new

and
Karma,
experiencing what we have made in
1^

find, then,

the past.

We

are obliged to act

now

in

the con-

created in our past we have only

the opportunity of obtaining the objects then de-

ditions

we have

Ibid, ecxci. 12.

kvj

sired; of using the capacities

then

created; of
Kving in the circumstances then made. But the
living JivAtma-, that then desired, thought and acted, is still the same powerful agent as he then was,

and can put out his powers, within the limits he has
made, can modify and slowly change them y and
create better conditions for the future;

Bhihrna places exertion above

Therefore

destiny.

is

view of Karma that paralyses human efforts

a crude and mistaken one, and men should see

Karma a guide, and not a paralyser, of action,

One very commonly felt difficulty in connexion
men ask " If I am destined
with Karma is this
by my Karma to be bad or good,, to do this or nc-t
to do it, it must be so
why then make any
"
effort ?
The fallacy of this line of thought

in

;.

should be very clearly understood,

been grasped,

the above has

if

turns upon a complete misunderstanding of the nature of Karma. The effort

is part of the Karma, as much as the goodness or

badness

for

Karma

is

it

not a finished thing awaiting

us, but a constant becoming, in which the future is

not only shaped by the past but is being modified
by the present. If a man desires tp J^e^good, hejs

putting" forth an energy which presently, w-ili-make^

himjjood, however ]3adJhj^jmayr-^-riow. A man

/$ not a helpless being, destined by his Ka.rma to
h

\1

[
fee either
tie

or good, but

he becomes that whlck

daily chooses as desirable

ness.

^
^

bad

efforts,

choice

badness or good-

He

always is, and always must be, making

merely because he is alive, and his only

lies in

making an

effort to

move

in

one direc-

tion rather than in another; his quietude is merely

a choice to let past choices have their way, and

to go in accordance with them.

He does not eliminate the element of choice by doing nothing ;

he simply chooses doing nothing. A man has only

to desire, to think, to act, and he can make his
Karma what he chooses. Thus the Gods have
risen to their high estate,

and thus

may

others

rise,

*
.

1
'

\\

"

By his Karma may a Jtva become an Indra

Karma a son of Brahm. By his Karma
by
he may become HarTsjefvant, and freejrn^) h'*fh g
"
By his Karma he may surely obtain perfection,
immortality. By his Karma he may obtain the
f

his

fourfold (Mukti), Salokya and the

with Vishnu,
I

Devt Bhfyavata. IX, xxvii, 18-20.

rest,

connected

"

JJ2O^j-_eniireL may a man obtain %L_JKarm^, and

a' so * ne s t a t e f Shiva and of Ganesha/'

&

'-^

Godhood and Manhood and sovereignty of

The main
^ffi*\ ny

/:

t^

is

thing

Karma

to see in

iniposecffrorn withoijt, but

not a desti-

**

^-^

imposed from within, and tijrgfore a

re-made by its maker.
is_jcontinually being
Another mistake sometimes made as to Karma
5
5s

that which leads a person to say respecting a suf-

ferer
I

u
:

He

may be

is

suffering his

Karma

interfering with his

if

help him

Those who

Karma."

thus speak forget that each man is an agent of the

Karma of others, as well as an experiencer of his
own. If we are able to help a man, it is the proof

Karma under which he was suffering is

exhausted, and that we are the agent of his Karma
that the

bringing him

krmic

relief,

If we refuse
relief.
we make bad Karma

to

the

carry

for ourselves,

shutting ourselves out from future help, and some

one else will have the good Karma of carrying the
relief and so ensuring for himself aid in a future
difficulty.

Further,

"

ifs"

and

"

may

be's" are

no

"

If I do not help him I may be

an arguwith
his
is as valid
Karma,"
interfering
ment as " If I help him." Action should be based

ground

for action

on what we know, and we know

good

to help others

it is

it

constantly

is

right

and

commanded

"9

by the

Only a

wise.

and

full

knowledge of

clear

the causes in the past resulting in the suffering

the present could justify refusal to help

of

on krmic

grounds.

Karma

is

said to be

three kinds

that which

is.

PrA'

'

'

'

called also 9rrrn%,

JTTCSqr,

Ag^mi.

'

ripe for reading

Pr^rabdha Karma

and which cannot be

only exhausted by being experienced.

Safichita Karma is the accumulated Karma of the

avoided

past,

and

it is

is

partly seen in the character of the

in his powers,

mana Karma

man,

weaknesses and capacities. Vartathat which is now being created. x

is

it

That which was

'

in

many births, is
produced
"
That Karma which
in

the olden time

called
is

Sanchitam ........

being done, that

"

is

is
Again, from the midst of the Safichitas
of
of
time
selected a portion, and, at the
beginning
fa

1 Devi-Bhfyavata. VI.

Av<2-J>

is

x. 9, 12, 13,

U.

fffl^-jc

[120
Time

the body,

energised this

it

is

known

as

Prirabdha Karma."

The

Safichita

Karma

Karma which is _ t
heaped together. It is the mas&^
the

is

gathered, collected,
which lies behind a man; and his tendencies^come

from

this.

that which

The Vartam&na Karma is the actual,

now being made for the future, or the

is

Agcimi> the coming

Karma

Karma

while the Prirabdha

that which has begun>

is

is

actually bearing

fruit.
/

Now

this

Prirabdha Karma

is,

as said in

the

shloka above-quoted, selected out of the mass of

the Safichita Karma. In Vedantic literature it is
sometimes compared to an arrow already shot.
If

That which is sufficiently congruous to be worked

out in one physical body is selected by the Devas
who rule this department of nature, and a suitable
physical body is built for it, and placed with the
parents, nation, country, race, and general surroundings, necessary for the exhaustion of that Karma.
Prirabdha Karma, as said above, cannot be

must be exhausted by being experienced. The only thing that can be done is to take
it as it comes, bad or good, and work it out contentedly and patiently. In it we are paying our
past debts, and thus getting rid of many of our
changed

liabilities.

it

c;

"

The exhaustion

of

Prrabdha Karma

is

possi-

by the suffering of the consequences of

ble only
"

it

Safichita

the

additions

Karma may be
we make to it

largely modified
:

by

vicious tendencies

can be weakened, virtuous ones can he strengthened, for with every thought, desire and action we
are adding to that which will be the Safichita

next

in our

Karma

birth.

Vartam^na Karma may, to a great extent, be

destroyed in the same life, balanced up, by one

who

deliberately

expiates

wrong done by

resti-

tution, voluntarily paying a debt not yet due, instead of leaving it to fall due at a future time.

There remains the question

become free from Karma ?

how can

man

all

are

Devas, men, animals, plants, minerals,

under the sway of Karma no "manifested life can
;

everlasting law, without which

the universe would be a chaos.~

escape fiom

this

II

IV t

ii,

8,

$if
f<>
-^~4

fc'&

the general Karma of the universe he

cannot be freed so long as he remains in the universe

"JC'J

s^~*\

From

....-7

yS

1^f|

^ *&
\ \
I

fc

122

"

BrahmA and

All,

vereign rule,
If a

the

rest,

under

are

its

so-

"

king

man would

escape this universal Karma,

that is, he must

he must go out of the ^umyerse^

>

merge in the Absolute.

But a man may escape from the wheej^of births
and deaths, and yet remain manifested $o long as
fshvara chooses to manifest, by_ceasing to create

Karma and by exhausting what already

For the tie that binds man to the wheel is
exists.
tlesie^ and when desire ceases man creates no more
fresh

bonds

^_

When

all

the desires hidden in the heart are

then the mortal becomes immortal, then he

Ipfloosed)
nA/here enjoys Brahman."
v_y
Such is the Mg-iteratedj teaching of the Shruti.

^r-^^^

Again, we read

in the

Bhagavad-Gita

f^T:

Kathop.

II. vi.

Z<7(7, ctf. iv.

14.

19. 23.

'23

/
/

"

Whose works are

whose Karma

of desire,

all free
is

from the moulding

burned up

in the fire of

wisdorn^him the wise have called a Sage...rr7TTrr^

__^x
""From one with attachment dead, free, with his
thoughts established
fice (only), all

in

Karma

Then freedom

is

wisdom, working

melts away.

for sacri-

2?

^J?

c
*L

"'

achieved, and the

man may

'^

Rihjs have remained, to aid

going on in the Brahmanda or

either remain, as the

in

the evolution

may

sink to

The

rest.

points to be

remembered

are
its

1.

The nature

of action and

2.

The nature

of law.

3.

The

three laws

the Jivitma.

consequence.^^ *-)

which make the Karma of

1&^

4.

The

relation

5.

The

three kinds of

6.

The

ceasing of individual Karma,

between exertion and destiny. 1&

Karma.

CHAPTER

V.

SACRIFICE.

As far-reaching as the Law of Karma is the

Law of Sacrifice, the Law by which the worlds
were builded, the Law by which they are mainAll lives can only be supported by absorbing other lives sfr^r sffa^ *ft^T1 a ll forms can only
be preserved by absorbing other forms. Sacrifice
tained.

permeates

religion as

all

Says Shrt Krishna

it

permeates the universe.

jwir

"

This world

then the other

I^TB u

5*3'-

not for the non-sacrificer

is

best of the

Kurus

how

!"

The Sanatana Dharma has incorporated

Law
it

into

all

the

the

very essence
Smritis inculcate

its

Itihasa

round

it

are

full

of

it

it

the Six Darshanas

to

be trodden ere

shall

see in Part II

pathway

this

the Shrutis declare

all

the Puranas and

the

Shadangas

lay

it

down

circle

as

the

knowledge can be

gained.

We

the whole
l

life

of the true

Bhagavad-Gitfr,

iv, 31.

how

sacrifices

Aryan we
;

pervade

are here con-

125

the general principle, not

cerned with

with the

specific applications.

Creation began with sacrifice

Om

The dawn

verily

(is)

the head of the

sacrificial horse."

The dawn

Day

is explained as the beginning of the

of Brahma, the day of creation. Then is the

great horse sacrifice, the horse, whose body is the

universe, the sacrifice of The One who carries the

Many Devas, Gandharvas, Asuras, Men as the

next shloka says. And then the Upanishat goes
on to describe the beyond, when there was not
anything, and the building of the universe.

So

Rigveda the splendid Purusha

the
sacrificial slaying of Purusha 2
Sukta describing
tells how all creatures were formed by one-fourth of
also in the

up as

"

victim

"

"

that great general

three-fourths
sacrifice,"
remaining in heaven as the

Him,

offered

in

Eternal Life.

The

great sacrifice involved in creation is beaudescribed

in the Shatapatha Btdhmana.
tifully
1

Brihaddranyakoj)
dt. X*. 90.

* JLoc>

I. i,

1,

126

f fir

"Brahma, the
*

all living

myself in living things and

Then having sacrificed

things

and

all

living

things

he acquired greatness, self-effulgence

in himself,

and

living

there

tapas

things in myself/
all

performed tapas.
is
no infinity.

Self-existent,

He considered
In
Come let me sacrifice
himself in

lordship."

Manu
iEnrra^l

declares

also

that

Brahm&

"the eternal sacrifice" ere

created

He drew

forth

the Veda.

This profound teaching, that fshvara sacrificed

Himself in order to create His universe, means that

He

limited Himself in matter,

His

technically died

might produce and sustain

a multiplicity of separate lives. Every life in His
universe is a part of His life, *r*Hrhj: a portion of
in order that

life

({

Without

Myself."
could not

come

this

sacrifice,

As

into existence.

the

universe

a fourth part

only of PurusJia is said to suffice for the bringing

forth of all beings, so Shri Krishna says
:

LOG, cit. XIII.

Bhagarad-

vii. 1.

Loc,

cit.

22.

127

n
"

Having pervaded

tion of Myself,

fshvara

is

far

universe with a

all this

more than His

universe, but

wholly contained in Him,lives in His

posed of His substance.
Shri Krishna

por-

remain."

tells

life,

is

how Praj^pati H53UT: JT3TP

it

is

com-

*JfT,

"

having emanated mankind together with sacrifice,"

bade man find in sacrifice his K^madhuk, the cow

whence each could milk the objects he desired.

action

is

essentially rooted in sacrifice

g^HftnnRKr fiWf 5i4trfir<r:

The pouring out which caused the
beings is called Karma."
:

"

"

The pouring out"

is

is

that

birth of

the pouring out of

which alone enabled separate beings

this pouring out

So

same

to live,

life,

and

described in

sacrifice

So thoroughly has this been

that
Karma
has become the general
recognised
name for sacrifices, and Karma-k&nda is the name
the PurusJha Sukta.

which covers

all sacrificial rites.

The

essential idea of sacrifice, then, is the pourout

of
life for the benefit of others
such pouring
out
is
which
the
law
life
it is imevolves
ing
by
;

x, 42,

Bhagavad-Gtta.

Hi. 10,

Hid,

yiii,

3,

128

posed on the lower creation by

combats
is

strife

and continual

its

voluntary acceptance by self-sacrifice

the crowning glory of man.
Hence all man's
:

higher evolution is marked out by self-sacrifice, by

sacrificing himself and all his actions to the Sup-

reme man obtains

"

Whatsoever thou
whatsoever

cst,

liberation.

givest,

doest,

thou

whatsoever thou eat-

offerest,

whatsoever thou

whatsoever thou doest of austerity,

Kaun-

teya, do thou that as an offering unto Me.

"

Thus thou

shalt be liberated

action, (yielding)

good and

Let us see how the

from the bonds of

evil fruits."

Law

of Sacrifice

is

seen in

the physical world.

The

Life in the mineral

mineral forms in which

it

kingdom evolves

as the

dwells are broken up to

kind. The mineral forms

nourish plants of every

perish to feed the Life in the vegetable kingdom,
and the Life in the mineral forms has grown more

complex and developed by

The

this sacrifice.

Life in the vegetable kingdom evolves by

the sacrifice of the lower plants to nourish the
1

Bhagaiad-Gtt&.

ix. 27, 28,

129

the countless annual plants perishing to

enrich the soil in which trees grow. Myriads of
higher,

others are eaten by animals, and their forms go to

build up animal bodies, in which the Life has fuller
scope.

The
by the

Life in part of the animal

kingdom evolves

again of the lower forms to the

and
also
to
the maintenance of the human
higher,
kingdom, within which also the weak are devoured
sacrifice

by the strong

in the savage state. But here

gradualwith
ly,
increasing development of the animals to
keen sensibility, and with the
development of con-

science and

sympathy

law appears, and

in

man, another form of the

man

begins to refuse to sacrifice to

the support of his own life those who share
witk
him the feelings of pleasure and
He first
pain.

revolts against cannibalism

eating his

own kind

and then against eating his weaker brothers in the

animal kingdom.
He realises that the divine
nature in him developes
by sacrifice of himself to
and
not
the
others,
sacrifice of others to himself.
by

He

lessens as

much

lives of others,

own

as he can his demands on the

and increases as much as he can his

sacrifices for

himself with his

them.

So long

as a

man identifies

body, he is always trying to

take, to absorb, because the
body continues only
by such taking and absorbing. When he identifies

130

himself as the Self, he

is

always trying to give, to

pour out, because the joy of the Self is in forthOn the Pravritti M^rga he takes on the
pouring.
;

M&rga he

Nivritti

gives.

Thus evolves

the

life

of man.

The alphabet
taught to man by
Aryan

race in

its

men the
down
laid
merely
to teach

of
the

the lesson of sacrifice was

Rihis who watched over the

infancy.
full

They

did not attempt

lesson of self-surrender, but

them a system of sacrifices, in

which they should sacrifice some of their possessfor

ions with a view to their large increase in the future;

the firm grasp with which a man grips the objects

on the maintenance of which his life in the body

depends was slowly loosened by the

some of them, the

sacrifice of

return for this not being

imme-

diate but lying in the future.

"

Kings

Indra, Varuna, to this our sacrifice

.........
be ye turned by offerings and homage
"
O Indra, Varuna, plenteous wealth and focd
:

............
and blessing give us
"
This my song may it reach Indra, Varuna,
and by its force bring rons and offspring."
:

1 Rigreda. VII. Ixxxiv.

1,

4, 5.

Such prayers are found on every page of the

Samhitas, and thus were men taught to
what they valued for a future gain.

sacrifice

By these sacrifices they were also taught to see

that man is part of a great whole, and related to all
and that as his own life was mainaround him
;

tained by the sacrifice of other lives, so he must

repay that debt by sacrificing to others some of his
possessions, sacrificing to the Devas in the fire
which was " the mouth of the Gods," or s?$rrf
'

the eater of food," and to men by charitable gifts.

In this way the sense of obligation was impressed

41

on them, and the interdependence of lives.

The next step was to train them to sacrifice
these same possessions, immediately valuable, for
happiness on the other side of death, a far-off
invisible

made

reward.

*3TF^Rf 3%rT

"
;

were

Sacrifices

to gain Svarga."

"Whoever works

(sacrifices),

pouring libations

into the shining of these [the seven flames previous

1

Brihd&ranyakop. I. iv.
Munddkop, I. ii, 5, 6.

6.

132

him these sunLord of the Devas.

ly mentioned], at the proper time,

rays lead where dwells the one

Saying to him

'

Come, come,' these resplendent

carry the sacrificer by the sun-ray, worThis
shipping him and saying the sweet words
libations

'

is

your pure well-deserved Brahma-world.

A great step forward was made in this

'

"

sacrific-

ing of the visible to the invisible, of the present ta

But the object of this training in

was no more the enjoyment of Svarga
than the enjoyment of wealth on earth. They had
a far-off future.

sacrifices

learned to curb their greed for possessions by the

practice of giving, and to recognise themselves as.

owing their lives to the larger life around them

they were thus prepared for the third stage, that of
sacrifice as duty, for which no reward should be
sought.

Men now began

to see that the sacrifice of the

lower to the higher was "right," a duty that was

owed

in

body

also

return for the perpetual sacrifice of the

higher to the lower, of the life of fshvara for the
maintenance of His children and further that the
;

supported

owed a debt
it,

that ought to be paid

serving them in turn.

the lesson

to the lower

creatures

who

by helping and

Then they were ready

for

133

fl

"

with

Thy

with the action only, never

not the fruit of action be thy

business

its fruits

is

let

motive, nor be thou to inaction attached.

"

Perform action, O Dhananjaya, established

Yoga, having renounced attachment"

The wheel

of

which

in

ever turning, this

lives, being thoroughly underas an obvious duty to help in the
life

is

Interdependence of
stood,

men

turning,

see

it

and readily see the unworthiness of

doing their share of work

ing to live without

try

"

He who

on earth does not follow the wheel

thus revolving, sinful of

senses, he,

Partha

This practised

life

and rejoicing

in the

liveth in vain."

for long, led

up

to the last lesson,

the complete self-surrender of the man to Ishvara,

recognising himself only as -an instrument of the

Divine Will carrying out

purposes of that will.
l
JBhagavad-Ctttd.
4 Ibid. vi. 16,

ii,

47, 48.

in the physical

world the

"

134

Merge Manas in Me, be

My devotee, sacrifice to

Me, worship Me, thou shalt come to Me

thee My troth
thou art dear to Me.

all

doning
shelter/

alone for

Thenceforth the whole

the

Me

Dharmas, come unto

pledge

Aban-

man

lives

he abandons

life

is

a sacrifice, and

only to do the Divine Will.

Dharmas

Hence

as

Dharmas,
separate
him no binding force. He has but
the one Dharma, of carrying out the Divine Will,
and if he fulfils all family and other relationships
more perfectly than he ever did before, it is not
all

as having over

because they in themselves bind him, but because

Ishvara having placed him amid these surroundings as part of Himself, as His representative, he

must

fully

meet

all

the necessities of the case in

this representative character.

long training, men were gradually

led to see that outer sacrifices of wealth were less

During

this

valuable than inner sacrifices of virtue, and that

the purification

of the heart and

id. xviii. 65, 66.

mind were of

135

more real importance than the external purifications.

While these should not be neglected, the neglect
of the other was fatal.

"

He who

has the forty-two

Samskras, but

has not the eight virtues of the Self, will not obtain Brahman, nor will he go to Brahmaloka.

But he who has only a part of the forty-two

but

Samskras,
Self,

he

has

will attain to

the

of

eight virtues

Brahman and go

the

to Brah-

raaloka."

The

object of sacrifice

is

purification,

and

has been insisted on over and over again.

Shrt Krishna

Gautama Dharma Sutra,

Bhzgamd

ait&.

ii.

viii.

42, 44,

24, 26.

this

Says

136

"

Flowery speech

is

uttered by the foolish, re-

joicing in the letter of the

1

There
"

is

naught but

With Kama

Vedas,

Prtha, saying

this.

with Svarga for goal,

they offer rebirth as the fruit of action, and prescribe many and various ceremonies for the attain-

ment

for

of pleasure

Self,

and

lordship.

For those who cling to pleasure and lordship

whose minds are captivated by such, is not de11

signed this determinate reason, on

Samdhi

steadi-

ly bent"

And

again

n l

"

Better than the sacrifice of any objects

sacrifice of wisdom,
Parantapa ..........

is

the

Verily there

is

no

purifier in

this

world like

wisdom/'

Bhishma speaking of truth, and declaring

be sacrifice of a high order, says

u 2
1

Ibid.iv. 33, 38.

Mahalhdrata. Sh$nti Parva.

clxii. 26.

it

to

137

Once on a time a thousand horse-sacrifices

nd truth were weighed against each other in the
Truth weighed heavier than a thousand
balance.
11

horse-sacrifices."

With regard
says

from cruelty he

"Gifts

ed

abstention

to

made

in all sacred

in

all

sacrifices, ablutions

waters,

perform-

and the merit acquired by

making all the possible kinds of gifts all these

do not come up to abstention from cruelty. The
penances of a
inexhaustible.

ty

is

man that abstains from cruelty are

The man who abstains from cruel-

regarded as always performing

sacrifices/'

To destroy the sense of separateness is to gain

the ultimate fruit of all sacrifices purification and
union with the Supreme. This is the road along
which the great Rihis have led the true followers
of the San^tana Dharma.

The
I.

points to be

The world was

by a Divine
1

Ibid.

remembered are
created and

Sacrifice.

Anushasana Parva.

cxvi. 40-41,

is

maintained

[
2.

3.

in

Sacrifice

is

Sacrifice

is

'38

essentially giving, pouring forth.

the law of evolution

the lower kingdoms,

sory
in the human.
4.

Man

rises

by

compul-

becoming voluntary

definite stages from

Vaidika

sacrifices to self-sacrifice.
5.

Sacrifices of virtue

and wisdom are more

effective than the sacrifices of external

objects.

-10:-

CHAPTER
"HE

VI.

WORLDS VISIBLE AND

We

have followed the

and have seen the laws of

Jivtm

his evolution,

his growth, the unfolding

We

of his consciousness.

in

INVISIBLE.

have now to consider

the upadhis in which he dwells, and the worlds that

he inhabits during his long pilgrimage. These
pdhis are related to the worlds, and by them the

Jiv^tma comes into contact with these worlds, and

able to gain experience from them and to act in

is

them.

The Upadhis

are only brought into exis-

tence to serve the purposes of the Jiv^tma, moved

by desire to taste these worlds. That the Jiv&tma's

own

desire

is

embodiment

at the root of his

is

very

plainly stated in the Chh&ndogyopani$hat.

First

"

comes the statement

Maghavan,

this

by death. It
tal bodiless Atma."

trolled

VIII.

is

body

truly

is

mortal, con-

the dwelling of the

xii. I,

immor-

140

Then

Atm&

the wish to experience

form organs

to

is

for receiving

to himself the experiences.

said to lead the

and transmitting

His wish

lies at

the

root of each, and matter obeys his impulse, and

obediently moulds itself into a form suitable for the
exercise of the life-function. (Science, in these later
days, proves over and over again that an organ is

formed under the pressure of the

function in a particular way. )

"

seeking to

life

He who

has the consciousness, may I smell/

he, the Atma, in order to smell, ( makes ) the organ
he who has the consciousness, may I
of smell
*

speak/ he, the Atma, in order to speak, (makes

he who has the consciousness, may

the voice

hear/ he, the Atma, in order to hear, ( makes ) the

he who has the consciousness,
organ of hearing
;

may

think/ he, the

Atma,

makes

the mind,

his divine eye/'

is by this subtle
organ, the mind, that he
and enjoys, for the grosser matter cannot affect

It

sees

his fine essence

Hid,

4, 6.

the Shruti proceeds

HI

"

He,

verily, this

is,

),

and enjoys these

the mind, sees

Here

Atma

at once, the

divine eye,

this

by

desires."

psychology and physiology

connected with the Jivatma.

He

is

a conscious

external exbeing, and that consciousness, seeking

senses and sense-organs for
fashions
periences,

contact with the outer worlds, and a mind of nature

more akin to itself as a bridge between the outer

and the

inner.

It is

they are related, that

these and the worlds to which

we have now

to study.

Shri Krishna speaks on exactly the same lines,

reminding us further of the essential identity be-

tween the Jivatma and the Supreme Ishvara

*ffa<*r%

^T^H: SRHT^
M

"

of

life (

portion of Myself, transformed in the world

into ) an immortal Jiva, draws, round itself

the senses with

Manas

as the sixth, placed in Pra-

kriti ........ ....

"

Enshrined

in the ear, the eye,

touch, taste and smell, and the mind,

the objects of the senses.'

o

xy, 7 r 9,

the organs of

he enjoyeth

142

There are three worlds in which the JivAtmi

round on the wheel of births and deaths.

circles

These are Vt?r^ Bhulokah or Bhurloka, the phy:

sical earth

physical,

g^qpr: Bhuvarlokah, the world next the

to it, but of finer matter;

and closely related

fWfar Svarlokah, or Svarga, the heavenly world.

Beyond these are four other worlds, belonging to the
higher evolution of the Jiv^tm^:

*Tf3??f?;

Maharlokah,

3R?*repJanalokah, rRRRf: Tapolokah, and

T*HN:
Satyalokah. The first three Lokas, or worlds, perish
at the end of a Day of Creation, a Day of Brahma,

and are reborn

The

others

dawn of the succeeding Day.

but as Maharloka is rendered

at the

persist,

untenable and deserted by all its inhabitants, four

Lokas may be regarded as perishing at the Night
of Brahm&, while three Janalaka, Tapoloka, and

Sattyaloka remain.

All these seven

within the

Brahm&nda

and Goloka,

lie

beyond

it,

two

others,

Lokas are
Vaikuntha

but can be reached from

it.

Other Lokas

such as Indraloka, SOryaloka,

are special regions situated within

these seven great Lokas, as countries make up a

Pitriloka, etc.

continent.

There are seven other worlds, usually called

Talas, literally surfaces, which have to do with rel

See Vishnu Purdna*

1> iii*

143

gions "within" the earth, that is of grosser matter

The student may remember that

than the earth.

the sons of Sagara, after hunting all over the surface of the earth for the stolen horse, penetrated the

lower regions, and came to Rasatala. l The names

of these are
TTrUn Patalam
*rerafi Mahatalam
:

wra?* Ras&talam
lam \33rt Vitalam

?n*rrn*

Talatalam

g<ra Sutacorres-

and sJcR Atalam. They

Lokas, as an image corresponds to an

object, and are on a descending scale, as the Lokas
are on an ascending.

pond

to the

These lokas mark the stages of evolution of

the consciousness of the Jivatma as his powers unfold, he becomes conscious of these Lokas one after the other, and becomes able to feel, think, and
act in Upadhis made out of the WFTrnr Bhutani,
;

the BhOtas or elements, which correspond to these

stages of consciousness. Each Loka, as a state, represents a form of the consciousness of fshvara ;
and, as a place, represents a modification of PrakriAs the
ti, expressing that state of consciousness.
is of the nature of fshvara, he is
capable
of realising these seven states of consciousness, and
of thus living in touch with the seven worlds, or

Jivatma

modifications of Prakfiti, which correspond to them.

1

See Ramayana*

I. ad. 212.

144

Brahm&nthe world Egg, within which the creative work

These seven, as
da,

of

Brahm&

said above,

make up

proceeds.

"From
Brahm^nda.

P4t^la to Brahmaloka

Then beyond

the Brahmanda.
over

the

is

fifty crores of Yojanas.

the nature of truth.

is

called

the

Vaikuntha, outside

is

Yet beyond

Goloka, extending
It is eternal

Whatever Krishna

is,

and of
such

is

it.

"
1

Above

the earth

is

Bhtirloka, then Bhuvarloka

Devi Bh&gavata, IX. 8-10, 12-16.

in the Vithnu BK&gavata, III. x.

similar statement

7-9, xi. 28-31

'45

Then next

beyond.
beyond.

yond

Yet beyond

Svarloka, and Janaloka

Tapoloka, and again be-

is

is

Then beyond

Satyaloka.

is

like

Brahmaloka,

burning gold,
"

that

All this

is

made, one within the other when

All this col*
perish, O N&rada
;

perishes,

all

lective universe

is

like

a water-bubble, transient

Goloka and Vaikuntha are called

unmade."

everlasting, ever-

Here" Patla" is made to cover the seven Talas,

and Maharloka is omitted, Brahmaloka being added at the end to make up the seven,
Let us examine these words more

The

first

three, Bhfir,

closely.

Bhuvar and Svar Lokas,

are those in which the J!vcitm& lives during his

long evolution, in which he dwells while on the

wheel of births and deaths.

The Brihaddranyakop-

nishat says:
3T*r 3T3T

"

Now

^re

%3H

H&VHW Rrf^r^r^^i* fr%

x
\

verily there are three worlds, the world

of men, the world of the Pitps, the world of the

Devas."

These three are

called

the

PrMf

Trilokt, the

three worlds.

Each of
1

Loc,

these worlds

cit. I. v.

10

16'

is

a definite region,

mark-

146

ed off by the nature of the matter of which it fss

The Tattva that predominates in*
composed.
Bhftrloka, or Prithvi> the earth r is the Prithvi Tattva there are seven modifications of it, Prithvi,,
;

Vyu, Aksha solid, liquid, gaseous,

radiant matter,, etheric, super-etheric and atomic.
In all the combinations which make up these mo-

Apah, Agni,

dification of Prakriti, the various aggregations

the Arm, the Prithvi Tattva

In Bhuvarloka the

is

of

predominant.

Apah Tattva

is

predominant

and in the seven corresponding modifications there

the aggregations of the Anu of that world, this

Apah

Tattva,

is

the most prominent characteristic.

In Svarloka the Agni Tattva is the ruling

power, and all the combinations bear the stamp of
this fiery

Anu.

longing to

All the bodies of the beings beare flashing and lumi-

that region

HOUS, and from this comes the

name

of Deva, the

Shining.

We

then come to Maharloka, in which also the

is predominant, a world composed

Agni Tattva

only of the three finest and subtlest aggregations

of the fiery Anm

The

higher Lokas, Jana- Tapa- and

are
not reached by the Jiv^tma till he
Satya-lokas,
is

three

very highly evolved,

In Janaloka and Tapoloka

H7

Vyu

Tattva predominates, hence all the combinations interpenetrate each other without any
the

difficulty,

as gases

do down

here,

and the sense of

unity predominates over the sense of separateness,

In Satyaloka the

Akasha Tattva predominates,

and the Jivatma here attains the Shabda-Brahmaand is on the threshold of mukti. He has

world,

reached the limit of the

Brahmnda.

Beyond

it lis

Vaikuntha and Goloka, composed of the two highest Tattvas, the

Mahat-Tattva

sometimes called

Anupadaka, because it has as yet no upadaka, receptacle or holder and the Adi-Tattva, the root
of

all.

These seven Lokas correspond to seven states

of consciousness of the Jivatma. The life in man
which is consciousness is that of the Self; it is
'

written

"

Of Atma

this life

is

born."

And
"

From

this these

seven flames become/'

Again, in the Muqdakopanishat, the seven

worlds are connected with the seven flames, and
l Prashnop.

iii,

Z.

% Ibid, 5,

48

these flames take the departed soul to the heavenly

worlds. 1

And

"

Devt Bhdgavata says

the

From whom

the seven

PrAna-flames, and also

the seven fuels, the seven sacrifices and worlds

to that All-Self

The

we bow/'

seven Prnas,or life-breaths, of the body are

the representatives of the seven great Pranas, the

true life-breaths, of the Self, consciousness sevenfold divided in

This

is

man.

plainly stated in the Chh&nd&gyopani-

where

out
it is said that there are five gates
of the heart which lead to heaven, the five Pr^nas,
or life-breaths, each of these leading to a special
hat,

to which each belongs. Thus Prana

the
chief
itself,
life-breath, leads to the Sun, here
for
the chief, or highest Loka, Satyaloka.
standing

region, that

Vyana, leading southwards,

carries to the

Moon

here to the dark side of the moon, connected with

Bhuvarloka. Ap^na leads to the Fire Region, Maharloka,

and Samana,

Svarloka.
IJLoc. cit.

Ud&na
I. ii.

3 6.
5

"

which

is

the mind," to

leads to the Air Region, that of

2

Luc.

tit.

VII. xxxiii. 49.

*49

V&yu, which Includes

The

and Tapoloka
man correspond to the kosmic Praman is related to, and reflects in every
Janaloka

Pranas in
for

nas,

part, the

image of fshvara and His universe.

In the Mandukyopantehat, the Self

have four

he

states, the

called

is

Jagrat, waking, in

3TR^

Vaishvanara

said to

which
8

the^e^: "dreaming'
in which he is called Taijasa; the third ^pff* Suhuptih, "well sleeping," in which he is called Prajfia;
is

and the

fourth, that

which

Brahman. These three

is

states belong to the seven Lokas, as will be clearly

seen,

if

we now consider

the

Dehafa, bodies, in

f^r:

which the aspects of consciousness are manifested*

We

of consciousness

shall return to the aspects

when we

consider

them

material

their several

in

sheaths,

There are three chief bodies which the

uses as Upidhis : (i)
sense or gross body

Vaishvanara

this

is

consciousness,

Sukshmashariram, subtle body

of the Taijasa consciousness,

the
(2)
;

Upadhi of the

The

this

(3)

is

of the Prajfia consciousness.

*J$*rer?re**,

the

The

Karanashariram, or causal body; this

AtmA

The ^g^^'kl Sthulashariram,

is

the

Upadhf

"

AtmS,

in the

K^rana

is

PrAjfta

He

is

Taijasa

Stikshma body in the SthOladeha he

named Vishva. Threefold he is thus called/
in the

is

"

The Lord

also

is

thus spoken of as threefold,

by the names Isha, Stitra and Vir^t The first

(Jivas) is the distributive form, while the Collective Self

As

is

every

them

uses

the Supreme."

man

has,

then, three

Up^dhis and

as the organs of three different forms of

consciousness, the Lord has three Dehas, Upadhis,

and three different forms of universal consciousness
:

these are called fsha, Sfttra and Virit respectively,

corresponding to the three human forms of conPr^jna, Taijasa, and VaishvAnara.

sciousness

These Upadhis may be considered

as expres-

sions in matter of the three aspects of the Self: Will/

Wisdom and

Activity,

The

Sthfilasharira

is

the

organ of Activity the Stikshmasharira is the organ

of Wisdom; the K^ranasharirais the organ of Will.
;

And

just as these three aspects express themselves

in higher

and lower

and Desire,
I

states of consciousness

Wisdom and Knowledge,

Devt Bh&gavata. VII. xxxii. 47,49.

Will

Creation

t
-and Generation

made up

so are the Shariras

of

Sheaths, composed of differing densities of matter,

according to the subdivision of the consciousness

working

in

The

The

each sheath.

related to the seven

Lokas

Sthtilasharlra

is

three Shariras are

as follows

the

Upadhi

in Bhtirloka.

/ BhArloka.

The Sukshmasharira,,.

,...

.,.

Maharloka.
'

Janaloka.

The

Kiranasharira

Tapoloka.

Satyaloka,
The Shariras, as said above, are made up of
sheaths, and here the Ved^ntin division of the five
.

^rqr

Koshah, sheaths,

The

first

kosha

particles of food,

and

is
is

is

very helpful.

that which
therefore

Annamayakoshah, food-sheath.

is

built of the

named
This

is

identical

with the Sthulasharira, the dense body, and is

composed of solids, liquids, and gases, in which the
Prith|ivi

Tattva predominates.

Here the outer

expressions of the Karmendriyas, the organs of

action
hands, feet, voice, generation and evacuation

have their place.

with

its

central

Here

is

the nervous system,

organ, the brain, through

which

Vaishvnara, the waking consciousness, acts, and

comes into touch with Bhurloka.

The

second, third

and

fourth

ko$has the
JTPPW^ffT- pranamayakoshah, life-breath sheath
the *R?TsrefRi manomayako$hah, mind sheath and
;

the rwrw^^TTT'

make up

sheath

vijfianamayakohah, knowledge
the Sukshmasharira > the subtle

body.

"

The
is

JMnendriyas, the

five

Karmendriyas,

Pr&nas,. and Manas with Vijfiana^

the Sukshmasharira^ which is called my

and the
this

five

five

Type."

The student must Ivere notice the word " Kar*

The absolute organs hands, feet,.
mendriyas."
belong obviously to the Sthiilasharlra, but the
centres which govern them,, the true motor centres,,

etc.

are in the Sukshmasharira, as are the sense centres

which have as

their organs in the Sthtilashaiira the

and skia. Each Indriya is

in the Sukshmasharira,.
a
subtle
centre
essentially
and has an organ in the SthQlasharira. If this be
eye, ear, nose, tongue

grasped, the student will not be puzzled by the

verbal contradictions that he may meet with in his
reading.
1

Devi JBhdgavata* VII. xxxii, 41* 42.

153

The Sftkshmasharira

connected with Bhffr-

is

see above table

loka

by that part of it which is

the Prinamayakosha this ko^ha is composed of the subtle ethers of the physical world y
Bhurloka, and the Pranas move in this etheric
called

sheath, the

which carry on all the

of these there are five at

life-currents

functions of the

body

work

the remaining two being latent

are: sn^ Pr^nah, the outgoing breath

and these
;

srfRr Apa-

nah, the incoming breath SSIR* Vy&nah, the heldin breath ^FT
Udanah, the ascending breath;
;

*RR: Samnah, the equalising

breath, which distri-

butes the digested food throughout the body. In

these Pranas the magnetic energies of the body
exist,

and

all

bodily energies are modifications of

these.

"

indeed > fivefold dividing myself, by

port maintain this (body)/
I,

my

sup*

"

From

whatever

limb

Praaa departs, that

indeed becomes dried up/*

And,

as

we

shall

leaves the body, the

asks

when Prana
For the Purusjia

presently see y

body

dies.

154

"

Who

staying

is it

whose going

in

shall stay ?

Modern

science,

it

to the conclusion that

He
may

shall go,

in

whose

created Pr^na."

be remarked, has come

these energies are movethis ether, as said above,

all

ments in ether, and it is

which forms that Prnamayako>ha.

The

part of the Sukshmasharira connecting it

is the Manomaya-

with Bhuvarloka and Svarloka

kosha, or mind-sheath. This Manomayakoha

composed of matter from these two worlds, and
the Upadhi of the lower mind,

Manas

is

is

affected by,

mingled with, Kma. This mind, which is never

separated from desires, has in this sheath matter
of Bhuvarloka, in which desires work, and matter

from Svarloka,

in

which thoughts work-

Lastly,, the Sfikshmasharira,

by

its finest

parti-

connected with Maharloka, to which pure

cles,
Manas, Manas free from Kama, belongs, and these
particles, of the matter of Maharloka, form the
is

Vijfianamayakosha,
This body, it will be seen, is a very complicated
one, yet it is necessary to understand it, if the path
of the

man

Up^dhi
*

after

death

is

to be followed.

It

is

the

of the Taijasa consciousness, in which the

Prwhnop.

yi, 3,

US

Self comes into touch with the permanent invisible

worlds, the consciousness spoken of sometimes as
that of dream.
is

indicated

for

by

by

It includes,

however, far more than

the modern use of the word dream,

includes the high states of trance, attainable

Yoga, in which a man may reach Maharloka.
it

The

third Sharira, the K^ranasharira, is comof

the matter of the three higher and relaposed
tively

permanent Lokas, Jana-, Tapo-, and Satya-

lokas/

The Anandamayakosjia

of the Ved^ntins

is

the

same as this Karanasharira, and this is composed

of the materials of the three Lokas just named.

The name

covers the three

three sheaths under one

as

name

there are really

in the bodies of

the dwellers in Janaloka, the material of that world

predominates and wisdom specially characterises

them, that world being the abode of the Kumras,

whose pure wisdom is untouched by

In the Tapoloka the great ascetics
any
and devotees live, and in their bodies the materials

the Beings
desire.

of Tapoloka predominate, cinanda being their chief

characteristic.
Satya or Brahmaloka is the home

of those whose peculiar functions are in activity,

closely allied to the nature of Brahma.
In this third Sharira the Pr^jna consciousness

works, not affecting the lower bodies

the

beyond this
and
the
Brahm^nda,
Atma, rising
;

beyond
beyond it, unites with fshvara.
is

Consciousness, in the Annamayako$ha, works

and is concerned with external activi-

in the brain
ties

uses at the

it

same time the Prnamayakha,

to carry on the life-functions of the body, and affects, by this, all the objects with which it comes
into contact

these two

of themselves on

cles

and the

kohas
all

leave minute parti-

the objects they touch,

rules of physical purity are based

on

this

fact.

Consciousness, in the waking state, also uses

the

all

by which it desires and

and these three sheaths are active during

Manomayakoha,

thinks,

waking consciousness.

deep thinker, a phi-

losopher or metaphysician, also uses the VijfiSnamayakosha in working out his thoughts, but ordinary men do not get beyond the Manomayakoha.

When

the time of death comes, the

Pr^namaya-

kosha separates from the Annamayakoha, and

leaves the latter inert and helpless, fit only for the
Its elements are scattered, and go
burning-ghat.
back into the general store. The presence of Prna is necessary for its life,

157

c *TPTT ^rerrlt

^r^rf rsp

l
t

"As long as Pr^na dwells in the body, so long life."

This same Upanihat describes a dying man,
and tells how all the powers of the waking
consciousness are gathered up in Pr^na, so that
when Prna goes out all these accompany it, and
the man, the Self, going out,
with him.

He

is

all

then in the K^rana and

these

powers go

Sukshma

Shariras.

The Prnamayakoha, the part of the subtle

body made of ethers, soon drops away, and the

man

enters the Pretaloka,

ed, a special region in

the world of the departif he has been a

Bhuvarloka

bad man, the coarser part of the Manomayakosha

is

^rfK, Dhruvam Shariram,

rearranged to form the
the strong body, 2 called also the Ytanci Sharira,
if
in which he suffers the results of his evil deeds
;

he be a good man, these coarser particles gradually

drop away, and in the partially purified Manomayakoha he goes to the peaceful Pitjriloka, the "watery
world,"

still

a region

Manomayakoha
particles,

is

he goes on

in

Bhuvarloka.

When

allotted to the departed, sometimes called the

1

KausMtaki Br, Up.

Maw.

*ii.

16,

the

quite freed from its desire

into the division of Svarga,

iii,

2.

Moon.

158

"

They who depart from

Moon ...... The Moon

to the

this world,
is

they

all

go

the gate of Svarga."

And

again we read in the Btihad&ranyakopa*

ni$hat that the departed go to

"

PitriloKa,

from Pitriloka to the Moon/'

The Manomayakos.ha
and, as we shall see in

is

called the lunar

a moment,

is

body,

also called

Soma, the moon.

This path, from the earth to Pitriloka, from
or the part of Svafga allotbetween death and birth

Pitriloka to the

Moon,

ted to ordinary

men

other than Indraloka, SOryaloka, etc., divisions of

Svarga gained by special merits is called PitriyAaa,

the

path of

Pitcis. 3

the

From

this

Moon

they return to the earth, the first stage being that

which a new Manomayakosjia is obtained this

in

the Somarrja, brought out of the Fire-Region

Svarga by the Devas. Then the Devas put the

is

Soma-r&j into the fire of Prajannya, the "watery

world " once more, and the watery particles are
1

KauthftaU Br. Up,

Loo.

cit.

VI.

ii.

i.

2.

16.

See Ibid. 2; Prathnop.

I. 9.

and Chhfadtgyop, V.

x. 4,

159

built into the Manomayakos.ha, those belonging to>

K&ma, to desire. This is brought down to Bhftr-

where the Prctiiamaya and Annamayakoshas^

are formed, and so rebirth is gamed. 1
loka,

The Devayana, the path of the Devas, is only

who do not compulsorily return

trodden by those

to the earth during this Kalpa.

do the

others, but they pass

They depart

as

on from the Moon,,

casting off the

Manomayakosha, to the Deva-vvorld,,

and from that to the Sun and the Lightning, toBrahmaloka
::

"

In those Brahma- worlds they dwell

immemo-

riil years."

Shaftkara remarks that these are not absolutely

from transmigration, but that they will not

free

be reborn within

whom

the

Kalpa.

These are they of

Vishnu Pnt&na says that they dwell

in the higher

One

this

Lokas while Brahma

sleeps.

importance remains
and the seven Lokas.
with
bodies
man's
connection
other matter of

a man may, during his life-time, separate

himself from his lower sheaths and rise into the

By Yoga,
1

Chhdndogyop. V.

iv-viii.

* Brihad&ranyakvp. VI,
* LOG,,

eit, l,.iiu

ii,

15*

and aee Chhctndogyop. Y.

x, 2t

160

't

higher worlds and, far more, he

which liberates.
;

T:

"
is

may

reach the

l
\

Now

within this

a minute

Brahmapura

lotus-like

(the body) there

chamber, and within

it

minute inner space."

Therein dwells the

nary men

"

Atm,

unobserved by ordi-

As

those ignorant of the nature of the field

over
a hidden gold-mine and do not find it
pass
so all men daily go to this Brahmaloka and do not
;

find

it."

Leaving the body in sleep, they as it were, walk

over it, but do not know it. But he who knows it,
daily retires to this region in the heart, and

"

Having

This
1

is

the

from this body, he attains a

and dwells in his own fo^m.

risen

splendid body of

light,

Atma."

Chh&ndogyop. VIIJ.
id. iii. 2.

i.

1.

J Ibid. 4.

By Yoga
written

this

separation

is

effected,

and

it is

tf tKf

"

That

own body
from

its

This

Puruha

let

him draw out from

his

with self-possession, like a grass-stalk

sheaths."

Yoga.

not the place to enter into details as to

Enough to know that such high possibili-

ties are

within the reach of man, and

is

may be

by knowledge and by love.

The following points should be remembered

lised

by

1.

rea-

purity,

The Jiv&tma, seeking

experience,

forms

bodies.
2.

He

dwells in three worlds, during the cycle

of births and deaths.

3.

There are seven Lokas within the Brah-

manda, and seven Talas.

There are three great Shariras, corresponding
4.
to three main states of consciousness, and these
are subdivided into seven, corresponding to the

seven Lokas.
5.

At and

after death, the

Jiv&tm& throws off

the lower kohas, dwelling finally in Svarga in the

Manomayakoha, after leaving Pitriloka.

The Jiv&tm& may, by Yoga, free himself
from the lower kohas during physical life.
purified
6.

Kathop.

II. vi, 17,

II

162

PQ PQ

OQ

a
1
GQ

I 3
jl-l
^

,4

<cS

a %
3
e Jj

T3

<c8

fe-l

<*

PART

II.

GENERAL HINDU RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS AND RITES,

CHAPTER

I.

THE SAMSKARAS.
Certain general principles pervade all religious
ceremonies, and these principles must be clearly

grasped, otherwise these ceremonies will be unintelligible, and the mind will, sooner or later, revolt
igainst them.

These principles are

1,

Man

is a composite
Being, a Jiv^tma
enclosed in various sheaths ; each sheath

is

related to one of the visible or invisible

worlds, and therefore also to

He

its

inhabitants.

thus in touch with these worlds, and

in continual relations with them.
2.

is

The Jiv^tma and

Prakriti are in a state of

unceasing vibration

in rapidity, regularity
3.

The

these vibrations vary

and complexity.

vibrations of the Jivatma are rapid

regular,

and
more
and
more
combecoming

plicated as he unfolds his powers.

4,

The

vibrations of the matter of the sheaths

are continuously affected by those of the

166

Jivatmft,

and

non-continuously

by the

various vibrations which reach each from

the world to which

In addition, each

belong.

continuously
the fundamental vibration

according to
of its world.
5.

materials

its

vibrates

to impose his own

sheaths, so that they

The Jivtma endeavours

vibrations on

his

respond to him, and work harmoniously with him.

may

6.

He
by

constantly frustrated in these attempts

the vibrations that reach his sheaths
is

from outside, and

set

up vibrations

in

them

that are independent of him.

7.

He may

be very much assisted

in his labour

by the setting up of vibrations which are

in harmony with his own efforts.
These

principles

must be studied

carefully

and

thoroughly understood*

Then we come
ledge of which

to certain special facts, a know-

is also

necessary

mantra is a sequence of sounds, and these

sounds are vibrations, so that the chanting, loud or
low, or the silent repetition, of a mantra sets up a
certain series of vibrations.

Now

a sound gives

i6 7

rfse to

a definite form, and a series of pictures is

successive musical notes these may be

made by
rendered

visible,

if

suitable scientific

means are

taken to preserve a record of the vibrations set up

by the sounds. Thus the forms created by a

mantra depend on the notes on which the mantra

is

chanted

the mantra, as

it is

chanted, gives rise

The nature

to a series of forms in subtle matter.

of the vibrations

that

is

their general

character,

whether constructive or destructive, whether stimulating love, energy, or other emotions

depends
on the words of the mantra. The force with
which the mantra can

affect outside objects

visible or invisible worlds

in the

depends on the purity,

devotion, knowledge and will-power of the utterer.

Such vibrations are included among the " various
vibrations

"

mentioned

affecting the sheaths,

under Principle

The

under

and

Principle

are also

4 as

referred to

7.

repeated recitation of a mantra, that

is,

the

repeated setting up of certain vibrations, gradually

dominates the vibrations going on in the sheaths,

and reduces them

all

to a regular rhythm, corres-

Hence

the feeling of peace

its own.
ponding
and calm which follows on the recitation of a
to

mantra,

168

The name

of a Deva, or other Being, mentioned

in a mantra, sets up vibrations similar to those
present in the Deva and his sheaths, and, as the

repeated many times with cumulative

or of any hearer
effect, the sheaths of the utterer
these
vibrations
with everrepeat
gradually

mantra

is

increasing force.

"

Whatever the Devata concerned with a manthe mantra of the Deva

is the form of it

tra, his
is

said to be the Deva."

the

Pingala, the writer on Vaidik mantras, divides

metres according to the seven fundamental

vibrations,

and gives the name of the DevatS,

cor-

responding to each vibration.

As the matter of the sheaths thus vibrates,

it

becomes easily penetrable by the influence of the

Deva, and very impervious to other influences.

Hence

the Deva's influence reaches the Jivatma,

and other influences are shut

If

the sheaths

which cannot vibrate

contain
in

out.

much

coarse

matter

answer to the subtle and

rapid vibrations set up by the mantra, the repetition

of the mantra may cause pain, disease, death. It is
l

Yogi Ydjnamlkya, quoted in the Aknika-Sutr&cali,

p. 13.

therefore dangerous for an impure person to

recite

a mantra, or to listen to the recitation of a mantra,

or even

for a

mantra to be inaudibly

recited in his

presence.
If

sheaths contain

the

some coarse matter,

and some pure, the coarse matter will be shaken

out, as the sheaths vibrate in answer to the mantra,
and pure matter will be drawn in to replace that
which

is

shaken out.

must be remembered,
a mantra, the sound and rhythm are all-

But one important

since, in

fact

important:

"When
Varna,

the mantra

himself as

Svara or

defective in

and does not declare

lightning- word (then reacts

incorrectly directed

it is

the true meaning.

upon and

is

)
(

slays

the

That

the performer

word

of the sacrifice

Indra-Shatru

'

for fault of

Svara ( slew Vrittra, the performer of the sacrifice,

and the enemy of Indra, instead of slaying Indra
the

enemy

of Vrittra, as intended

necessary.
l

)."

good knowledge of Samskrit

Vydkarana

Mahdbfidshya.

I. i.

1.

is

therefore

170

The magnetic

properties of objects are also

important in this matter of vibrations. All objects
are always vibrating, and thus affect the sheaths of

other objects near them.

To

affect the

sheaths

in any particular way, it is necessary to choose

objects which have the desired vibrations.

All rites and ceremonies ordained by Seers and

Sages are based on these principles and facts,

which govern the mantras and the objects used

with them. They are all intended to aid the Jiv-

atma

in

reducing his sheaths to obedience, in puri-

fying them, and in making them strong against

or else to shape external conditions to man's
evil
;

benefit, protection
If

and support.

these principles and facts are

understood,

the student will see clearly the reason of

many

injunctions and prohibitions which he finds in the

Vaidika Dharma as to by whom and in whose

presence mantras may be recited, what substances

should be used in different ceremonies, what offerInstead of a
ings should be made, and so on.

meaningless

labyrinth

of

ceremonies,

sounds,

objects and gestures, he will see an ordered system,

intended to help the Jivatma to unfold his powers

more

rapidly,

his way.

and

to

overcome the obstacles

in

The ^ffRT', Samskarah, are variously given,

some lists enumerating only ten, others rising to a
higher and higher number up to fifty-two. Among
those which are specially called the ten Samskaras,
stages of a man's life up

some mark the important

to and including his marriage

ceremonies which
special

the remainder are

may be performed

on
some of

daily or

occasions, or are subsidiary to

the Ten. 1

The Ten
Samskaras

principal

are

and

generally recognised

2.

5^f^t

Garbhadhanam.
Pumsavanam.

3.

gTre^rsfgH

Simantonnayanam.

4.

5Tra3re

Jatakarma.

5.

TrTWn

6.

3T?T*IT^C

7.

grfrerc^T

Annaprashanam.
Chudakaranam.

8.

S<T^FT

Upanayanam.

9.

irW^fa

1.

TvfNr^T

Namakaranam.

Samavartanam.
Vivahah.

u
l

In the Introduction to Mandlik'fc edition of the Ydjnavalkya

are given, pp xxx x

Si'triti several lists

Manusmriti,

ii.

26.

"With

172

sacred Vaidika rites should be performed

the Samskciras of the body, namely, Nisheka and

the rest, of the twice-born, which purify here and
here-after,"

The whole

life

of the Aryan

is

thus guarded

from conception to cremation.

The Garbhadh&nam

sanctifies the creative act,

not to be undertaken carelessly, lightly nor during

the presence of any evil emotion in the mind of

husband or
but

ment,

wife,

nor for the sake of mere enjoypurpose of exercising the

with the

divine power of creation, the creating of a

body. The husband prays that a child

human

may

be

Thus the first dawning of the new life is

amid the vibration of a mantra (Rigveda. X, Ixxxv.

conceived.

21, 22).

The Annamayakosha and Prnamayakosha are

being formed within the mother's womb, and in
the third month the Pumsavanam is performed with
V. xxxvii. 2
III. iv. 9
child.
male
of
a
forming

mantras

Rigveda.

II. Hi.

for the

I. i.

At the seventh month takes place the Simantonnayanam, or parting of the hair of the mother, at
which the Rigveda mantras, X. cxxL 10 clxxxiv.
i
II. xxxii. 4
8, are recited, guarding her from
evil influences, and bringing to bear on the grow;

173

Sng sheaths the most harmonious and health-giving

vibrations.

These three Samskaras protect both mother and

child, and to the latter bring all helpful vibrations
The occult knowto shape the developing body.
ledge,

which was thus

utilised

for

and

the health

beauty of the evolving form, having disappeared

for the most
part, these useful and beautiful
ceremonies have fallen into desuetude, to the great

and vigour of the race.

The next Samskara, the ceremony performed
at birth, is the Jatakarma, the father welcoming his
new-born child, praying for its long life, intelliloss in health

gence, wisdom, ajid well-being, and feeding

it

with

honey and butter.

Sh^nkhayana Grihya Sutras (I. 24), AshvalSya.
na Grihya Sfitras (i, 15), and Apastamba Grihya
*

gold,

Sdtras(i. 15) refer to this ceremony. AshvaUyana

gives Rigveda* II. xxi. 6. a,nd III. XXXVK 10. to be
recited

at the conclusion of the

Jatakarma

cere-

mony.

When
tenth

or

the child

naming ceremony,
mantra,

I.

xci.

cording to caste
\

eleven days old, or on the

day, the N^makaranam, the

is

twelfth

Manusmriti*

ii.

is

29

performed, with the

Rigveda

The name given should be

7.

ac-

174

Tt

Rrercr*?
1

"Let a Br^hmana's be

auspicious,

a Kshat-

of power, a Vaishya's connected

and
a Shudra's with lowliness.
wealth,

triya's full

"

A Brahmana's implying happiness

protection

triya's,

Vaishya's,

with

a Kshat-

prosperity

ShQdra's, service.

"Women's easily pronounceable, not harsh,

with a clear meaning, pleasing, auspicious, ending
in a long vowel (soft), like the utterance of a benediction."

the

In the sixth month comes the Annapr&shanam,

first feeding with solid food, with the Rigveda

mantras, IV. xii. 4, 5 IX. Ixvi. 19 and I. xxii. 15.

In the first or third year or, according to the
Gjrihya Stitras, in the fifth for a Kshattriya and the
;

seventh for a Vaishya the ChQdakaranam, the

tonsure, or shaving of the head, is performed.

The Karnavedha,
performed
i

Ibid,

at

3133.

the

or ear-piercing ceremony, is
or seventh year, or even

fifth

175

In Southern India

later.

ed on the twelfth day

the

year, or

first

it is

sometimes perform-

after birth or at the close of

with the Chtidakaranam.

not mentioned in the authoritative

kras, but in modern Indian

life it is

lists

of

It

is

Sams-

regularly per-

formed. 1

By

these ceremonies the

stantly harmonised

valkya

"

young body

is

con-

and guarded, and says Yjfia-

Thus

is

the sin (hereditary defect) arising from

defect of seed and

embryo

allayed."

These Samskaras belong to the child-stage of

With the

life.

of youth

may be

next, the

Upanayanam, the stage

The lad is now to

said to begin.

put away the toys of childhood, and is to begin

life of study which is to fit him to take his

the

place in the world.

The Upanayanam
vestiture

which

is

the ceremony of the inthe initiation

with the sacred thread,

the "second birth", given by the AchSrya,

and which constitutes the boy a nfsp, Dvijah, twiceis

born.
l

See Ptiraskara Grihya-Sutra. II,

thereon.
2

Loc

cit.

i,

13.

i,

and Gadadhara-Bh&shya

176

Pfar
rff

u1

"

That the father and mother give

from mutual

so that he

desire,

womb, let this be known as

"But that birth which

birth to

him

born from the

is

his physical birth.

is given
according to
the ordinance through the Sclvitri, by the preceptor
who has mastered the Vedas, that is the true birth,

the unaging and immortal.

"

The word Upan^yana

Upanayana, means

or

bringing near bringing near to the preceptor, who

initiates the boy, by giving him the sacred mantra
2

called TT^fr, Gayatrl.

Sh^nkh^yana, Ashval^yana
and Apastamba agree with Yjnavalkya in their

age

Manu gives the age at the fifth year

Brhmana, the sixth for a Kshattriya and

limits.

for a

the eighth for a Vaishya,

which

initiation

making the

limit

up

to

be given, the sixteenth, twen-

may

ty-second and twenty-fourth years respectively. 5

Yajnavalkya puts the lower limit at the eighth,
eleventh $nd twelfth years, and the higher at the

same ages
1
2

as

Manu.

Mwnusmriti. ii. 147. 148.

So named because it protects him
Loc.

cit. ii. 37, 38.

* Loc. cit,

i.

who
U.

chants

37,

it

177

The boy is dressed in a kauptna, and then in

new garment, and wears a girdle of Mufija grass,
if a Brahmana
of a bowstring, if a Kshattriya ;
of woollen thread, if a Vaishya.
The A chary a
a

puts on him according to his caste an antelope skin,

a spotted deer skin, or a cow skin, and knots the
1
He then invests him with the
girdle round him.
sf^nwrir,

Yajfiopavttam, the sacrificial thread, and

and answers he sprinkles

him with water, recites certain formulas and mantras, and, placing his hand on the pupil's heart, he
after certain questions

"

says

Under my will 1 take thy heart my mind

thy mind follow in my word thou shalt re;

shall

joice with all thy heart

to me."

He

may

Brihaspati join thee

then teaches him the Gyatri, and

the length and the wood of which

2
vary according to the caste of the boy.

gives

him a

staff,

The whole ceremony

birth of the Arya,

As

spirits

are

and

sexless,

represents the spiritual,

parts are significant

all its

the

kaupina symbolically

makes him sexless, and being such the Brahmachari

The
is bound to lead a life of chastity or celibacy.
new garment represents the new body. The girdle
is wound round thrice to show that the boy has to
1

In

These significant symbols have been dropped

and all castes wear the same.

in

modern

Iia ;

2 See t for full details, the

12

Skdnkhdyana Grihya Sutra.

II.

vi,

178

study the Samhit^s, the Br&hmanas and the Upa-

The

nishats.

skin

the ascetic

represents

life

he

should lead.

The

thread consists of three threads,

knotted together, and signifies the various triads
which exist in the universe the triple nature of
sacrificial

Spirit,
ter,

Sat-Chit-Ananda the
;

Sattva, Rajas,

Tamas

triple nature of

Jivatma, Jnana-Ichchha-Kriya

mat-

the triple
the three worlds,

the Trimurti

mind, speech and body, each

and so
divided
into
three as regards action
again
on.
And he who wears the thread should exercise

Bhuh, Bhuvah, Svah

a triple control, over his mind, speech and body. 1

The staff represents, as a rod, like the triple

wand

of the Sannyasi- the control that a student

should exercise over thoughts, words and actions.

r:
*'

The

2
Rrftr Rr^rB^ft- u

rod that rules the voice, the rod that

mind, the rod that rules the acts, he in
whose Buddhi these are maintained is called a
rules

the

Tridandi,
1

See Manusmriti^

xii.

2 Manusmrlti^ii. 10, 11,

]\.

The man who

179

exercises this triple rod in

pect to all creatures, controlling desire

res-

and anger,

he attains perfection.
Then came the end of the student stage, the

Sam^vartanam
with a

the pupil presented his teacher

and received permission to take the

gift,

formal bath, which marked the close of his pupilage.

"

n1

To

for, let

the teacher having given what is wished

him bathe with his permission, having com-

pleted the Vedas, the Vratas, or both."

Then he returned home and performed

the

He was

Sam^vartanam, the returning ceremony.

then called a Sn^taka, and was ready to marry and
enter the household state.

n2
<(

Having bathed, with the permission of his

and having become Samavritta (returned)

teacher,

according to

rule, let a

twice-born

man marry

a
1

endowed with auspicious marks.'

Thus closed the student stage, and with the

wife of his caste,

Vivaha, the marriage, the

^

i,

51.

life

of the householder

Manwmriti.

iii,

4,

i8o

Now

he was to take up his duties as man,

and begin the payment of his debts by sacrifice, by

began.

study and by begetting children.

The ceremonies accompanying marriage vary
much with local custom, and the simple and digni-

ceremony has become much overlaid

and
show
pomp. The Vaidika mantras show
by

fied original

the spirit in which marriage should be undertaken,

and it is these which the true Aryan should lay
stress on, not the

The Sukta

modern

glitter

and show.

of Surya's bridal gives a picture of

the marriage ceremony.

fro

u1
"

Go

to the house as the house's mistress

as

speak thou to the household folk.

Here be thou beloved with thy children in
this house be vigilant to rule thy household.
With
ruler,
"

this

man, thy husband, be productive

your household-folk

The

of years."
bridegroom speaks to the bride

speak ye to

full

2
I

Rigcedq. X. Ixxxv.

26, 27,

2 Ibid. 36,

grow

take thy hand for good fortune

They walk round water and

hand-in -hand, and the bride

praying

fire,

"

mayst thou

old with me, thy husband."

the sacred

fire

sacrifices grains in the

May my husband

live

long

may my

kinsfolk

Increase."

Agni
he who

said to give the bride to the bridegroom,

ever the Lord of the Hearth.

is

is

The SOkta
new home

prays,

when the

bride goes to her

"

Here dwell ye, be not parted enjoy full age.

Flay and rejoice with sons and grandsons in your
;

own

house.

And

"

prays that the bride, lovely and gentlehearted, may bring bliss to the home, to men and
animals, ruling the home, pious, mother of heroes.
it

The law

of marriage

is

Sh&nkhyana's GriJiya Sutras.

given by

I.

xiv.

1,

Manu

Rigieda, X. Ixxxv. 42.

182

5
5frRhroif

% firs^iftsfcrrc* u

"

Let there be faithfulness to each other until

death
this, in short, should be known as the
;

highest duty of husband and wife.

"

So

let

husband and wife ever

their duties, that they

other,

wander away to

may

not,

doing all
each
from
parting
strive,

others."

Such was the Aryan

ideal

of marriage, perfect

death, and Aryan literature

shows how nobly that ideal was fulfilled. Let the
student look on marriage in the old light, and we
faith of

may

each to each

see

till

men and women

again of the old type.

Thus, in the ancient days, was the young man

launched into manhood, with mantras and with
prayers; but Gautama's saying already quoted
must ever be laid to heart

"

He who

has the forty-two Samskaras, but has

eight virtues of the self, will not obtain
Brahman, nor will he go to Brahmaloka. But he
not the

who has only

a part of the forty-two Samskaras but

has the eight virtues of the self, he will attain to

Brahman and go
1

Manusmriti.

a P. 135.

to

Brahmaloka."

ix. 101, 102.

CHAPTER

II.

SHRADDHA.

The longer lists of Samskaras

include the various

ceremonies performed on behalf of those who have

departed from the physical world, the ceremonies

under the general name oftrr3T*,Shraddham.

The Aryan has never felt the presence of a thick

that

fall

barrier

between the

visible

and

between the "living" and the

invisible
"

dead."

worlds,

All his

religion brings the invisible worlds into continual

contact with the visible, the Devas are as real as the

men.

And

he recognises the continued existence

of the Jivatma so vividly that the death of the body
is not to him a matter of terror and
anxiety, but a
habitual thought, and "the dead" are never regarded
as dead, but merely as living elsewhere.
The habit-

of transmigration, linking life with

reduces any particular death to a mere incident in an indefinite series, and the Jivatma, not
the body, assumes predominant importance. Still
ual thought

Hie,

more

this idea

that the Jivatma is the

on
the
minds
of Aryans by the
impressed
in
which
the continued existrecurring Shraddhas,
ence of those who have left the physical world is

man

vividly

is

brought before the eyes of the present dwellers

upon

earth.

The

duties an Aryan owes to the dead comfrom

mence
the moment the life departs, and are
divided into two classes Preta-kriya and Pitri-

kriya or ShrSddha

The dead is

nies.

ed,

the Sapindikarana

till

becomes a

and ancestral ceremo-

funeral

called the jfrp Pretab, the depart-

performed, when he

is

Pitri.

At death

the man, clothed in the

Prnamaya-

Annamayako$ha, and as all the

Vaidika Samsk^ras have been framed to help the
koha,

leaves the

is intended ta
processes of nature, the Preta-kriy
neutralise the tendency of the Pranamayakoha ta

hang about the Annamayakoha as long as the

latter is whole, and thus to retain the real man in
Bhftrloka after the normal
quires

him

The
troy the
mation.

ni$hat

"

first

course of nature re-

it.

important thing to be done

Annamayakoha, and
In

the words

of

this

the

is

is

to des-

done by cre-

Chhdndogyopa-

They

to the

to leave

fire

i V. ix. 2.

carry him who has departed, as ordained,,

whence he came, whence he was barn."

Before the

applied to the corpse, the

celebrant walks three times round the
spot where
it is laid, and
water
it
on
with
the verse
sprinkles

Rigveda X.

fire

xiv.

*f?rf

is

fire

"
away, withdraw, and depart from here.
While the body is burning, Rigveda X. xiv. 7

"Go

"

Go

on,

go on, on the ancient paths

"

is

to be

recited.

On

the third

day

after the

cremation the rem-

nantsof the bones are gathered and buried, or thrown

into running water, thus completing the disintegration of the

Annamayako^ha.

The Prnamaya-

kosha then rapidly disintegrates.

The next work to be done is to help to disintegrate the lowest part of the Manomayakoha and
thus change the Preta, the departed, into the Pitri,
the ancestor.

For this purpose have been framed the Ekoddishta-shr^ddha and the Sapindana-shrddha. The
Ekoddishta-shr&ddha

is

one directed to a single dead

person, whereas a Shr^ddha proper

is

directed to

186

three generations of Pitris or to all Pitris. The

offerings connected with it are intended to be offer-

ed during a whole year.

No

avahana, inviting,

takes place in this ceremony, nor the putting of food

into the fire, nor do the Vishvedevas take part
in

it.

The Ekoddishta-shr^ddhas

are completed

by

the performance of the Sapindikarana, the reception of the Preta, into the community of

According to Sh&nkhyana, the celebrant fills four water-pots with sesamum, scents,
and water three for the fathers, one for the newly
the Pitris,

dead person and pours the pot that belongs to the

newly dead person into the pots of the Pitris with
the two verses, Vdjasaneya SamhitA. xix. 45, 46.2

ceremonies should be

If these

properly permade
of
the
offerings
parts
till
he
their
feed
deceased
the
during
performance
formed, the

subtle

goes to Pitriloka. The mantras facilitate his passage

thereto and he takes his place among the Pitris.

Then
monies

"

the fourth

"
is

dropped

the

i.

e.

in

of the

the cere-

deceased

great-grandfather
not invoked, the deceased, his father and
grandfather forming the three Pitris.

person

is

Sh&nkhdyana's Griliya Sutras

2 Ib. iv. 3.

iv. 2, 5,

187

The numerous
performed
Shraddhas.
to

deities

to

ceremonies that are

proper are technically

a Shr^ddha the Pitris are the

the

At

whom

Brahmanas who
fire.

periodical

Pitris

the

sacrifice

are fed represent

is

offered

the

the

Ahavaniya

The Abhyudayika-shr^ddhas

or

Nndi

shrad-

are performed on the occasions of rejoicsuch

as the birth ot a son, the marriings,
or daughter, nSmakarana, jatakarma,
of
a
son
age

dhas

chudkarma etc. In this ceremony the Ncindimukha Pitris, glad-faced ancestors, those that have
gone to the Svarga Loka, are invoked, and an even

number of Br^hmanas

Of
are

are fed in the forenoon.

the ancient ceremonies, Shraddhas alone

performed with any appreciable degree of

all

still

religious

fervour and

it is

hoped that an

intelligent

understanding of the rational basis of them will

increase the Shraddhci, faith, without which a

Shraddha cannot properly deserve the name.

We
rifices

studying the Five Daily SacChapter IV. that the Pitri-Yajfta has its

shall see, in

On the new-moon day this is

place among them.
followed by the monthly Shr^ddha ceremony, called
the frTRTTOZAF, Pind^nv^h^ryakam, and
X

Apastamba's

Dharma

Sutras, II.

vii.

16 (3).

Pirvana-shr^ddham,

188

one of the

seven

Pakayajftah, or sacrifices with baked offerings.

Sacrifices to the Pitris are offered in the after*
noon, facing south, and the ground should slope
2
southwards.
On the new moon-day, Kusha or

Darbha grass is arranged

number of Br^hmanas are

for

and an odd

seats,

Great stress

invited.

is

on the character and learning of these Br&h-

laid

manas.

"

As

the sower, having sown seed in barren soil,

obtains no harvest, so the giver, having given
sacrificial

tains

food to one ignorant of the Richas, ob-

no harvest."

4
II

"

The

offerings of ignorant

Pitris perish,

being

Br&hmanas who

gifts

men

to

are ashes."

srrr
U5
1

Apastamba's Yajna Paribhdska.

2 A/anutmriti.

iii.

i. iii.

206.
97.

Devas and

from deluded givers to

3 Ibid.

Siitra

LX.

H2.
5 Ibid. 168.

89

Brahmana who

is ignorant is like a grass

out
to
that goes
him sacrificial food ought not
to be given offerings are not poured into ashes."
'

fire

Brahmanas
be
must
Shraddha
pure and versed

So, also, Hiranyakeshin says that the

invited to the

in the mantras, 1

Having

these

gathered

and

prepared the

materials for the sacrifice, and offered

Dakshinagni, the sacrificer

Havih

calls to the

in the

Pitris,

and

According to Manu, he should

sprinkles water.
make three cakes, offering them to his father,
grandfather and great-grandfather, pour out water
near the cakes, and give to the Brahmanas very
small portions of them after this the Brahmanas
;

should be fed

Sdttas
fed,

it is

the afternoon.

in

directed that the

In the Grihya
are first

Brahmanas

and that then the offerings are to be made to

the

Pitris.

The domestic

Bali

offerings

should

follow the Shraddha. 3

Similar ceremonies may be performed in the

dark fortnight, and the Ashtaka ceremony is
sometimes offered to the Pitris.
It

must

Pretaloka, or

ioka

remembered that

be

Yamaloka,

see Part

I.

ch. vi.

Grihya Sutras.

II. iv. 10.

ManusmfUi,

208237,

iii.

Pitriloka

and

are both regions in Bhuvar)

and influence from the

earth, Bhurloka, reaches

both of these.

The

in-

fluence of Pinda offerings reaches throughout Preta-

the three higher generations (fourth, fifth and

sixth) are affected by offerings of remnants of

loka

food.
Including the offerer, only seven generations
can mutually influence each other by the giving

and receiving of

food.

Three generations beyond

these can receive only libations of water.

from below can go no further,

man

for

by

Influence

that time an

supposed to have passed

Svarga, and the whole object of Shr^ddha
facilitate his passage thither.
average

is

into
is

to

The

general principles of the Shr^ddha of a

person recently departed are adaptations of the
principles underlying all Samsk^ras.

Shr^ddhas may, generally speaking, be regarded

same purpose with reference to the
subtler bodies, as is served by the pre-natal and
natal Samsk^ras with reference to the gross phyas serving the

sical body.
Having helped the Jiv^tm^ going from
here to a fair birth in the other world, the human
helper has completed his duty, and cannot go any

further or give other help.

The agencies of the
other world thereafter take up the Jiv^tm& into
their own exclusive charge.

CHAPTER

III.

SHAUCHAM.
The

body are based on

the Annamaya and Pr^namaya-

rules for purifying the

scientific facts as to

kohas.

The Annamayakoha

is

composed of

solids,

liquids and gases, and infinitesimal particles of

these are constantly passing off from the body.

Apart altogether from the obvious daily losses susby the body in the excrements and sweat,
there is this ceaseless emission of minute particles,
tained

alike in night and day, whether the body is waking

or sleeping.
The body is like a fountain, throwing
off a constant spray.

Every physical object

this condition, stones, trees,

animals,

men

is

all

in

are

ceaselessly throwing off these tiny particles, invisible because of their extreme minuteness, and are,

as ceaselessly, receiving the rain of particles from

fills the air in which they live, and

others which

v/hich they breathe in with every breath.

con-

thus going on between all

physical bodies; no one can approach another without being sprinkled by the other, and sprinkling

tinual interchange

is

192

him

with particles from their respective

Everything a man goes near receives some

in turn,

bodies.

particles from his

retains a

face

body every object he touches

minute portion of his body on its sur-

his

clothes,

receive from
particles

him

his

this

house, his
furniture, all
of particles, and rain

rain

from themselves on him

in turn.

The Pranamayakosha, composed

ethers and animated

and

by the

of the physical

around

by

emitting or receiving particles, but

out,

it,

is

affected

affects

life-energies,

all

by

all

around

it,

not

by sending
and being played upon, by vibrations, which

cause waves, currents, in the etheric

matter.

The

life-waves, magnetism-waves, go out from each man

as ceaselessly as the fine rain of particles from his

And

Annamayakoha.

similar waves from others

play upon him, as ceaselessly as the fine rain of

particles from others falls on him.

Thus every man

is

affecting them,

is

being affected by others, and

in the

physical

world,

in

these

rain of particles given off from the

Annamayakoha, and by waves given off from the

two ways

by a

Pranamayakoha.

The object of the rules of Shaucham is to

make this inevitable influence of one person on
another a source of health instead of a source of

193

preserve and strengthen the

bodily and mental health of the performer. The
Annamayakosha is to be kept scrupulously clean,

and

disease,

to

also

send off a rain of health on everyone

and everything that is near it
and the Prana-

so that

may

it

mayakosha is

to be reached

by the mantra-produced

vibrations in the etheric matter which permeates

as etheric matter

the things used in the ceremonies

permeates everything

may

act beneficially

on

so
it,

that

these

and may

vibrations

cleanse and

purify it

The
and

rules affecting bodily cleanliness are definite

strict.

On

rising, the calls

of nature are

first

plenty of water being used for

cleansing purposes, and then the mouth and teeth
A man is to be
are to be washed, and a bath taken.
to be attended to,

careful that

dwelling

no unclean matters remain near

his

u2

"

his dwelling let him remove excrewater

the
used for washing his feet, far

Far from

ment,

far

194

Much

caused by the neglect of this

rule, the filthy surroundings of dwellings causing
In modern
ill-health and general loss of vigour.
disease

the

is

community takes on

this duty by
an organised system of drainage, but this should
be on the same principle of conveying noxious
and it
matters far away from all habitations

city

life,

part of the duty of a good citizen to see that

of cities are not
rivers in the neighbourhood

is

poisoned, nor filth allowed

injury of the public health.

A man

must wash,

in

to

accumulate to the

some

cases

bathe the

whole body, before taking part in any religious

ceremony, and sip water with appropriate mantras.

"

Being purified by sipping water, he shall always

daily worship in the two twilights with a collected
mind,

in a

pure place, performing Japa according

to rule."

He

must wash before and

after

moals

n2

"

Having washed, the twice-born should eat food

always with a collected mind having eaten, let
;

Manutmriti.

ii.

222.

Manusmrlti.

ii.

53,

195

him wash

well

with water, sprinkling the sense-

organs."
If a

man

has touched anything impure, a person

er an object,

5TPR
"

"

pure

by bathing he

By

SP-atfir

is

purified."

earth and water that whioh should be

made

is purified."

These are the two great purifiers, though alkalies

and acids may be used for cleaning copper, iron,
earthen vessels can
brass, pewter, tin and lead
;

be purified by burning, houses by sweeping, cowdung and whitewash other methods are given for
;

special substances.

So long

remains on an object

it is

as

any smell or

stain

not to be considered pure. 3

n4

"

Wisdom,

austerity,

fire,

food, earth, mind, water,

plastering, wind, rites, the sun and time, are the

purifiers of human beings."

But no body can be truly pure unless the mind

and heart be pure
:

Y, 85.

2 Ibid. 103.

md. 103127.

IUd

105.

ig6

u1
"

The body

by water, the mind by

truth, the soul by knowledge and austerity, the
reason by wisdom."
is

purified

Besides the impurities due to obvious causes,

the birth or death of Sapindas,. or of relatives not
Sapindas, causes impure magnetic currents in the

Pr^namayakosha and therefore

sullies the

Anna-

In the case of Sapindas, the impurity

mayako^ha.
lasts from ten days to one month according to the
caste of the parties concerned.

death of

little

In the case of the

children the impurity lasts for a very

short time.

The

relationship of Sapinda

ceases

with

the

seventh remove of relationship through males. In

the case of relations not Sapindas, the impurity
days, or less, decreasing according to
the remoteness of the relationship. During the

lasts

period of impurity sacrificial oblations, recitation

of mantras, and some other religious duties have

be given up.
touch, one impure.

to

No

one must eat the food of, or

But the customs vary much in

197

may be studied in the Smntis,

be
applied by the student to his own life,
may
in conformity with caste and family customs and
having regard to the changed conditions of life.
Further details

kinds run

where the
rules of individual purity are disregarded, and where
houses, clothes and articles in daily use are not
Infectious diseases of

all

riot

scrupulously cleaned. Modern science Is re-establishing, with infinite labour and pains, the facts on

which these ancient

rules were based,,

understanding of the

reason

will render obedience to

them

for

and a

clear

their imposition

willing

and

cheerful.

CHAPTER
THE FIVE DAILY
The

IV.

SACRIFICES,

application of the great Law of Sacrifice

life of the Aryan was made by the

to the daily

down

laying

of rules for making sacrifices, by which

he gradually learned to regard himself as part of a

connected whole, a whole of which the parts were
mutually interdependent, owing to each other's
mutual aid and support. When this lesson had
been thoroughly assimilated, then, and then only,

might the man lay aside these duties, entering on

the life of the Sanny^sf, who, having sacrificed all
his possessions and himself, had nothing left to
offer.

The

various bodies or vehicles of man are nourish-

ed and helped to grow severally, by the initial

energy received from parents, by food, by sympathy and help from his fellow-beings, by magnetic influences,

He

tion.

and

it

flourish,

ness

is

and by knowledge and illumina-

therefore owes a fivefold debt to nature;

but meet and proper that,

he should

and

do

his

fully

best

As

stated before, he

and

his

is

recognise
to

if

his

pay back

he would
indebtedhis

debt

not an isolated creature,

whole wellbeing depends upon

his co-opera-

tion with nature,

exaltation of

199

which works not so much

individuals as for the

for the

steady evolution

prescribed by Hindu
more than sn enumeration
of the duties which thus devolve on every man.
They embrace all the planes of his existence, and

of

all

creation.

The sacrifices

law-givers are nothing

are theiefore conducive to his highest growth.

There are thus

five

qfrqgp,

MahayajMh,

great

sacrifices,to be offered every day,and seven ^r^f^n

Pakayajnah, literally cooked sacrifices, occurring at
1

stated intervals.

fourteen

Shrauta

In addition to these, there are the

sacrifices, divided into

Haviryajfiah, offerings of grains,

SomayajMh, offerings of Soma.

etc.,

and

Some

of these are

of daily, others of occasional, obligation.

The
1.

five

great sacrifices are as follows

arSTOjcP

Brahmayajfiah, called also >^^t,

Vedayajnah, Sacrifice to Brahman

or the Vedas.
%^5-f:

Devayajnah, Sacrifice to Devas.

3-

K^5f:

Pitriyajnah, Sacrifice to Pitris.

4-

g*TO3T:

Bhutayajfiah, Sacrifice to Bhutas.

Tl^^fT: Manushyayajnah, Sacrifice to men.

2.

These are

laid

down by Manu among

of the householder.

the duties

200

f rf
f rfr

f|

"

is the Brahma sacrifice, Tarpana (the

of
offering
water) Is the Pftrf sacrifice, Homa (the
pouring into the fire) the Deva sacrifice, Bali (food)

is

Teaching

the

Bhuta

Manuhya
"

sacrifice,

hospitality

to

guests the

sacrifice.
call

They

the five sacrifices Ahuta, Huta, Pra.-

huta, Brahmya-huta^ and Prashita.

<(

Homa is

Huta, the Bali given

Japa

is

Ahuta,

to BhCitas

is

Prahuta, respectful

twice-born
is

is

reception of the

Brahmya-huta, and the Pitri-tarpana

Prashita.
"

Let a

man

ever engage in

the rites of the Devas

Veda

study, and in

engaged in the rites of the

he
movable and immovable
the
Devas,
supports
kingdoms."

And
l

again
Manutmriti.

iii.

70,

7375,

20!

"TheRishis,the Pitris,the Devas,the Bhutas and

guests expect (help) from the householders hence
:

he who knows should give to them,

"

Let him worship, according to the rule, the

Rihis with Veda study, the Devas with Homa, the
Pitris with Shraddha, men with food and the Bhutas
y

with Bali."

We

have here Very plainly indicated the nature

the sacrifice to
of the sacrifices to be offered
;

Vedas and the

and
this
is a duty every
Rihis,
teaching
study
man owes to the Supreme to cultivate his intelligence and to share his knowledge with others,
called also that of the

Brahman,
is

Every day the Aryan should devote a portion of

the

man who

first

of the great sacrifices,

without daily
study becomes frivolous and useless. This duty is

time to study

enjoined by the

lives

Then comes the sacrifice to the Devas the recognition of the debt due to those who guide nature,
and the
the

fire,
1

"

"

them by pouring ghee into

feeding
the Homa sacrifice. The Devas are nour-

Mamwtifiti,

iii.

80, 81,

202

ished

by exhalations

as

men by

food, their subtle

bodies needing no coarser sustenance.

The

sacrifice to the Pitris follows, consisting of

the offerings of cakes and water.

The Pitris are the
sons of Martchi and the ]ii$his produced by Manu,
and are of many classes, the progenitors of the
various divine and

human races. From the Somasad

Pitris the Sadhyas and pure BrShmanas are descended, and from the Agnishv&tta Pitris the Devas

and also some Brahmanas.

The

Daityas, Danavas,

Yakshas, Gandharvas, Uragas, Rikshasas, Suparnas

and Kinnaras descend from the Barhishad Pitris,
as

do

also

some Brihmanas.

The

Pitris of

Kshat-

triyas are the

Havirbhuks, of Vaishyas the Ajyapas,

ofShfidras the SukHlins. Countless descendants

become associated with them, so

may

be said to be to ancestors.

that the sacrifice

In this a

man

is

taught to remember the immense debt he owes the

past, and to regard with loving gratitude those

whose labours have bequeathed

to

him the accu-

mulated stores of wealth, learning and civilisation.

He is reminded also of the time when he will pass
into the great ancestral host,

hand down

and of

his

duty to

to posterity the legacy he has received,

not
enriched,
diminished, by his life. The full
of
descent
from Pitris is ascertainable only
meaning

by study of occult

science,

The

203

sacrifice to Bhfttas consists of Bali, or offer-

ings of food placed on the ground in all directions, intended for various beings of the invisible

worlds, and also for stray animals of

all

kinds and

The

wandering outcasts and diseased persons.

junction as to this should be

remembered

in-

u1

"

Let him gently place on the ground (food) for

dogs, outcasts, Shvapachas, those diseased from
sins, crows and insects."
It is

not to be thrown

down

carelessly

and con-

temptuously, but put there gently, so that it may

not be soiled or injured. It is a sacrifice, to be reverently performed, the recognition of duty to in-

however degraded.
Lastly comes the sacrifice

feriors,

to men, the feeding of

or
of
the poor the giving of food
guests
generally
to the houseless and the student
:

flrw
"

The

Bali offering made, let

and let him give

beggar and a student."
guest,

In this
his

man

is

him feed

Mflnusmriti,

the

taught his duty to his brother-men,

duty of brotherly help and kindness.

1

first

food, according to rule, to a

iii,

92,

3 Ibid,

iii,

94,

He

feeds

tvumanity

and

in feeding

204

some of its poorer member^

and compassion. The giving

learns tenderness

of food

is

illustrative of all

supply of

human

needs.

Manushyayajna includes all philanthropic actions.

As in the old days, want of food was the chief want
of man, that is mentioned prominently. The com*
plexities of

have given

life

But they are

all

rise to

other wants now.

included in the Manushyayajna,

provided they are legitimate wants, and it becomes

the duty of each man to remove them, so far as lies
in his power.

Thus
duty

these five great sacrifices embrace man's

round him and the man who

to all the beings

truly performs them,

day by day,
of

life

and

in spirit as well as

letter,

turning the wheel

for
a happy future.
himself
preparing

is

is

doing his share

in.

We

may

The

Pakayajfias are seven in

glance briefly at the other

sacrifices.

number

1.

f^psrre

Pitrishraddham.

2.

qnrn**r^r

P^rvana Shr^ddham.

3-

*TE3F?r

Ashtaka.

4.

W**ft

Sravani.

5.

ST^ffsf:

Ashvayujih.

6.

8Tra?R<fir

Agrah^yanL

%<3fr

Chaitri.

7.

The

in

first

two of these are ceremonies

in

honour

of the Pitris, and have been dealt with fn Chapter

The remainder, except the

W. under Shraddha.
fourth, are

now

rarely

met

with.

The fourteen Shrauta sacrifices

The seven Haviryajfias

are as follows

1.

3T*^r>3

Agnyadheyam,

2.

3TP?rfpt

f^I^RF^

4.

3Trsra<JT

Agnihotram.
Darshapurnamasam,
Agrayanam,

^rgTfei

Chturmasyam,

6.

H^^TU^*^:

7.

^rwrPn

Nirudhapashubandha^i.
Sautramanih,

5.

In these milk, ghee, grains of various kinds, and

cakes were offered, and Manu says that a Brahmana

should daily offer the Agnihotra in the morning

and evening, the Darsha and Purnamasa at the
end of each fortnight, the Agrayana with ne\y
grain ^before which the new grain should not be
the Ch^turmAsya at the end of the three
1
3easons, the Nirudhapashubandha at the solstices.

used

The
I.

seven Somayajfias are

9fTP^TEr*r:

Agnishtomah.

206

5-

*T*tW

Vljapeyah.

6.

3TKTCPP

Atiratrah.

7-

srmrafa:

Aptoryamah.

Br^hmana priests must be emnumber varying with the sacrifice, the

man on whose behalf they are offered being called
the 3T5RPT5, Yajam^nah; the husband and wife light
In these sacrifices

ployed, the

the three sacred

the Ahavanlya fire on the

Devas the Dakshina fire

fires

east, for offerings to the

on*the south, for performing the duties to the Pitris

the Garhapatya fire on the west
sometimes a

fourth

mentioned, the Anvhlrya

not allowed to go out
this is the
is

and these are

Agnydh&na

All the Shrauta Sacrifices are offered in

ceremony.
these.

According to some authors the domestic or

household the Avasathya or Vaiv^hika fire is
lighted

by the student on

are

many

his

fire-.

description of the daily

in the

Ahnika

given
marised as follows
l

home when

is

are offered in the household

return

completed; but on this point there

varieties of custom.
The Pkayajftas

his pupilage

life

Sfitravali,

of a

Bnlhmana

is

and may be sum-

Edited by Pandit Yaidyauaratya^a Vitthala.

ERRATUM.
Insert on p. 2OJ line

body and of the Ved as. At the dawn he should

rise, follow the Shaucha rules, and take his bath,
then performing Sandhya. Then he should perform
the Agnihotra, and worship the Devas and the
Gurus (teacher and parents). After this he should

study the Vedas and Vedangas. Then he should

work for those dependent on him parents, guru,
wife,

and

children,

relatives,

friendless poor,

Then

he

should

friends, the, aged, infirm,

and those who have no means.

bathe, perform

Sandhya, feed the Pitris, Devas,

and take

his

own

PurSnas, ItihSsa,
talk

idle

and

meal.

the

mid-day

men and

After this

animals,

he should read

and Dharmashastras, avoiding

Then he should
discussion.

temples and friends, returning to his

evening Sandhy& and Agnihotra. After this he
should eat, attend to any family duties and retire

go

to

out,

visit

bed, after a brief leading of the Vedas.

special
itself;

Any

duty should be attended to when it presents

as to these no rule can be laid down.

The

general principle of this

is

that a man's

life

should be orderly, regulated, and balanced, due

time being given to each part of his duty, so that

none should be slighted or omitted,

and none

207

He

should wake up in the Brahmamuhfirta 1 and

think of Dharma and Artha, of the evils of the

allowed to monopolise his time. Above all he

should realise the idea that man has no separate
individual existence, but is indissolubly linked with
the universe, and his whole life must be a life of
sacrifice

and

being.

Such

the very law of his

deliberate regulation of life is wise

duties,if he

necessary, even,

if

is

to

the most

fulfil

is

to be

made

of

life

and conduces to peacefulness and absence of hurry.

In modern life the details cannot be carried out,
but the general principle of regularity, balance and
a sustained spirit of self-sacrifice and duty should

be maintained, so that all-round and harmonious

progress may be made.
l

There are thirty Muhurtas in 24 hours, a Muhurta being 43

minutes.

The Brahmamuhurta

quarter of the night.

is

the third Muhurta of the last

CHAPTER

V.

WORSHIP.

We have

already seen that the work of the

Devas was recognised and duly honoured among the

Aryans, and that the duty of sacrificing for their

support was regularly performed. But the truly
religious man's relations with the invisible Powers
are not confined to these regular and formal sacri-

Himself, the Supreme Lord, will

attract the heart of the thoughtful and pious man,
who sees, beyond these many ministers, the King
fshvara

fices.

Himself, the ruling Power of His universe, the life

and support of Devas and men alike, It is towards

Him

that love

human

spirit,

and devotion naturally rise the

is His offspring, a fragment of

who

Himself, seeking to rise and

Parent.

These

unite himself to his

feelings cannot find satisfaction in

Devas, connected as they are

with the outer worlds, with the Not-Self; they seek

sacrifices offered to

after the

inner,

the

remain cr.aying ami

II in.

jpa

deepest,
unsatisfied

the very
until

Self,

and

HK-V rest in

209

not only due from man to the source of h*s

but is a necessary stage in the evolution of all

and

is

life,

those higher qualities in the Jiv^tma which make

his union with the
possible his liberation and

Supreme. An Object of worship

sary to man.
the

is

therefore neces-

That Object will always be, to the worshipper,

Supreme Being. He will know intellectually

that the Object of his worship is a Form of manifestation of the Supreme,but emotionally that Form

Supreme as in truth it
Supreme includes and transcends
is

the

Now

Form

is,

although the

all

forms.

necessary for worship. The

Nirguna Brahman, the Absolute, the All, cannot be
an Object of worship. It is not an Object, but is

beyond

Subject and Object, including

all

separate.

"

But from

Words
freached."

Words

is

return

fall

all,

in-

THAT

with the mind,

into silence,

not having

mind disappears,

It is

all In all.

The Saguna Brahman may be

for those
1

14

the Object of

whose minds are of a metaphysical

Taittirtyop. II.

iv. 1.

nature,

and who

210

find rest

and peace

in the

contem-

plation of Brahman in His own nature as Sat-ChitAnanda, the Universal Self, the One, the Supreme.

Such contemplation
is

is

worship of a lofty kind, and

peculiarly congenial to philosophic

minds,

who

find in it the sense of peace, rest, unity, which they

cannot feel in any more limited conception. But
rise to Him through His
Lord and Life of His worlds,
or through one of the manifestations, as Mahadeva,
N^rayana, or more concrete yet, Shr! Rama or Shr!
Krishna, or other embodiment. These arouse in

to

most

easier

it is

to

manifestation as the

them the Bhakti, the love and devotion, which the

other conception fails to stir, and all the tendrils of
the human heart wind themselves round such an
image, and

lift

the heart into

Ananda,

into bliss

unspeakable.

Whether one of these two ways

the better

is

is

an

oft-disputed question, and the answerers on either

side are apt to be impatient with those on the other,
intolerant of the uncongenial way.
But the answer

has been given with perfect wisdom and all-embracing comprehension by Shri Krishna Himself.

Arjuna was troubled by the question, five thousand

years ago, and put it to his divine Teacher
:

211

"

Those Bhaktas, who, ever controlled, worship

Thee, and those also ( who worship ) the Indestructible, the

more
"
"

Unmanifested, of these which are the

skilled in

Yoga

The Blessed Lord

said

They who with Manas

fixed on

Me, ever con-

trolled, worship Me, with faith supreme endowed,

these I hold as best in Yoga.
"

They who worship

Ineffable, the

the

Indestructible,

Unthinkable, the Unchangeable, the

the Eternal,
1

the

Unmanifested, the Omnipresent, the

Bhagavad Gitd,

xii

17.

Immutable,

212

11

Renouncing and subduing the senses, everywhere equal-minded, in the welfare of all creatures
rejoicing, these also come unto Me.
**

the difficulty of those whose minds

for the path of the
9
Unmanifested is hard for the embodied to reach*

Greater

is

are set on the

Un manifested

"Those verily who, renouncing all actions in Me

and intent on Me, worship, meditating on Me with
whole-hearted Yoga,
*

These

speedily

This

is

the final

up from the ocean of

Pftrtha, their minds being

lift

death and existence,

fixed on Me/'

answer

both achieve, both

gain Mukti, but the worship of Ishvara in a Form

is easier than the worship of Him without a Form,
and escape from the cycle of rebirth is easier for
those

who

thus worship.

The

simplest form of worship is that generally

spoken of as PGj, in which an image representing some divine Form is used as the Object, and

the Being thus represented

is

adored

flowers

are

symbols of the heart-flowers of

water is sanctified with a
love and reverence
used, as beautiful

mantra, poured on the image, and sprinkled over the

worshipper a mantra, in which the name of the
;

Object of worship occurs,

is

repeated inaudibly a

213

certain

number of times, and the

invisible bodies

rendered

are thus
as

before

receptive of His influence,

explained { see p. 16*8 ), Then the

worshipper passes on according to his nature into

spontaneous praise or prayer, aspiration and
meditation, and becoming oblivious of the external
object, rising to the Osrae imaged in that object,

and

often feeling His presence, becomes suffused with peace and bliss. Such worship steadies
the mind, purifies and ennobles the emotions, and
stimulates the unfolding of the germinal spiritual
faculties,

The use of an image in such worship is often

found most helpful, and is well-nigh universal It
gives an object to which the mind can at first be
directed,

and thus steadiness

well chosen,

it

will attract

is

obtained.

If

it

be

the emotions, and the

symbols, always present in such an image, will direct

the mind to the characteristic properties of the

Object of worship,

Thus the Lingam

Pillar of Fire,

which

the symbol of the great

the most characteristic mani-

is

is

of Mahldeva, the destroying element

which consumes all dross but only purifies the
festation

The four-armed Vishnu

represents the proof

whose
arms uphold
the
tecting support
Deity,
and protect the four quarters, and the objects held

gold.

hands are symbols of His creative, ruling,

destroying, forces, and of the universe He governs.
in the

The Shalagrama

used in the household as the

is

symbol of Vishnu.

But all these arealready familiar.

When

the worshipper passes from the external

the internal, the image is reproduced
to
worship
mentally and carries him on into the invisible

world, where

it

may change into a living Form,

One it represents. Further, a

animated by the

properly prepared image sanctified by mantras

and by the daily renewed forces of the worshipbecomes
a
per's devotion
strong
magnetic
centre from which issue powerful vibrations,

which regularise and steady the invisible bodies

of the worshipper, and thus assist him rn gaining
the quiet and peaceful conditions necessary for
effective prayer

and meditation.

Apart from these

definite uses, the

Bhakta

feels

a pleasure in contemplating such an image, similar

in kind to, but greater in degree than, any one finds
in

having with him the picture of a beloved but

absent friend.

For all these reasons, no one should object to the

use of images in religious worship by those who
find them helpful ; nor should
any one try to force
their use on those who are not
helped by them.

215

Tolerance

in these

matters

is

the

mark of the

truly

religious man.

The

special

Form

to

which Puj&

is

addressed

is

Kuladevi, the family

or Devt, and sometimes is the one chosen for

sometimes the Kuladeva, or

Deva

the worshipper by his Guru, or chosen

as the one which most appeals to him.
is

the Ishtadeva, the

Deva

by himself
This

sacrified to, or

Form

desired.

Other forms of worship are generally classed

under the name Upasan&. Flowers are not employed, nor is an image necessary, though it is often
used, for

Sandhya

already given. The daily

a form of such worship in which all

the reasons
is

students should be

two

properly instructed.

It is

of

types, Vaidika and Tintrika, and varies accord-

ing to caste and family customs.

The complicated

as performed nowadays in various parts of India does not exactly represent the
oldest form of it, as taught in the Taittiriya Bt&h-

Sandhya ceremony

But the Arghyapra)nana> and the early Smritis.

to the Sun and the meditation on and recita-

dana

Gayatri, which form the heart of the

are
the oldest parts of it too.
Unless it
ceremony,
tion of the

is

performed at the proper Sanclhyas

of

much

profit to the performer.

it

cannot be

Sandhya

is

the

meeting point of two periods of time, great or small,

or of two different states of one and the same

216

the teaching of the ancient Rights

of India that at Sandhy^s there is always a special
subject.

It is

manifestation of force which vanishes

Sandhy&

is

past.

The broad
1.

when the

features are

Achamana and M^rjana,

purifying the

body

with water sanctified by a Mantra.

2.

Pr^n^y^ma, control of the breath.

A ghamarshana, expiatory of all

sins to

which

the Ego, not the Personality, is attached the worshipper goes back in mind to the time when there was
;

no manifestation and no

sins.

4.

GSyatri, either Vaidika or T^ntrika, followed

5.

Worship

by
of

the

Sun-God

Arghya and

Upasthana.
6.
Japa, recitation, a certain number of times,
of the Mantra of the Ishtadeva, including adoration

and salutation.

The Vaidic

sacrifices

and samsk^ras are mostly

out of use, but this Sandhy-Vandana is a living

thing, the last remnant, and the student must
it and must perform it every day.
Another kind of Up&san& is meditation, and the

jealously keep to

treatise of Patafijali, the

Pdtanjalasfitrdni> should

here be carefully studied, when the time for systematic meditation arrives. In student days the

due performance of SandhyS. and of some form of

Puj

may

but

suffice,

the

the practice of meditation

Patanjali

theoretical outline of

may

be given.

Says

"Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pr^n^y^ma, Praty^h^ra,

DhySna, Sam^dhi the eight limbs."
,

The first two of

do with conduct,

these,

Yama

and Niyama, have

without good conduct and

purity there can be no meditation.
to

for

"

Harmlessness, truth, honesty, chastity, absence

of greed (these are) Yamas."

"

Purity, contentment,

yearning- after fshvara

austerity,

Veda

study,

(these are) Niyamas."

These qualities acquired, a man may sit for mediThere are two preliminaries. Any posture
which is steady and pleasant is suitable

tation.

Op.

Git. ii.

X9.

2 Ibid. 30.

ziid. 32.

Hid.

40,

218

"

Firm, pleasant

(that

is)

Asana."

the regulation of the breath, and

this has to be learned from a teacher.

Pr^nay^ma

is

Then comes the immediate preparation,

the clos-

ing of the senses against external objects, and the

drawing of them and placing them in the mind
:

this

is

Praty^hara.

Now

follows meditation

three stages, Dharana,

"

The binding

proper,

consisting of

Dhyana and Samadhi.

of the

mind

to (one)

object

is

Dharana."
This

is

concentration, the steadying of the mind

in one place, so that it is fixed, one-

on one point,
pointed.

"

Only such a mind can pass on

The steady (and

this

is

Dhyana.

uninterrupted) flow of cogni-

tion towards that (object)

When

to

is

Dhy&na."

reached, the mind, fixing itself thus,

loses the consciousness of itself and remains identified with the object of thought,

and

this

Samadhi.

1 Ibid.

iii. 1.

2 Ibid, 2.

3 Ibid, 3.

state

is

"

That same (Dhy^na) showing the object only,

and devoid, as
Samadhi."

were, of self-consciousness,

it

These are the preparations

meditation.
this

this a

By

knowledge; by

in the

spiritual

possible.

Manu

has declared, after describing the

the Sannyasi

"

and the stages of

Without meditation no truly

of action.
life is

for

rises to

divine Being he worby this he disenages himself from the bonds

he loses himself

ships

man

(is)

All this that has here been

on meditation

Supreme

life

of

for

declared

depends
no one who does not know the

Self can fully enjoy the fruit of rites."

thing to be looked forward to

and every student who desires

It is therefore a

and prepared
the higher
practising

for,

life

Yama

should

begin his preparation by

and Niyama.

CHAPTER

FOUR ASHRAMASJ

/*FHE

The

VI.

have noticed the extremely

systematic and orderly arrangement of life which
It is in full
characterises the Sanitana Dharma.
student will

keeping with this, that the whole life should be

arranged on a definite system, designed to give
opportunity for the development of the different
sides of human activity, and assigning to each
period of life its due occupations and training.
Life was regarded as a school in which the powers
of the Jivcitma were to be evolved, and it was well
or
ill

spent according as this object was well or

achieved.
ill

The life was divided

that of the

bound

3Trer#,

to celibacy

into four stages,or

Brahmachari,

that of the IT^^T:,

Ashramas

the

student,

Grihasthah,

the householder; that of the ^RJTPT:, Vcinaprasthah,

that of the ^sTf^ff Sannyasl,

the forest-dweller

the ascetic, called also the qnf; Yatih, the controlled,

or the endeavourer.

Matiusmriti.

vi. 87.

221

"The

Student, the Householder, the Forestdweller, the Ascetic

these, the four separate orders,
spring from the Householder/'

man

should pass through these regularly, and

not enter any prematurely. Only when each had

been completed might he enter the next.

"

Having studied the Vedas, or two Vedas, or

even one Veda, in due order, without breaking
celibacy, let him dwell in the householder order/'

"

When

the householder sees

wrinkles (in his

skin) and whiteness (in his hair) and the son of his
son, then let him retire to the forest."

u3
"

Having passed the

:>rests, let

third portion of

life

in the

him, having abandoned attachments,

zander (as an ascetic)

$tje

fourth portion of

life/'

regarded as so important for

he due development of the Jiv^tm^, and the proper

This succession

DI

is

dering of society, that

I

Manvsmriti.

iii.

2.

Manu

2 Ifo4. vi. 2.

says

3 Ibid. 33*

222

X"HT^

/jKt
who

seeks

Moksha without

[^_A_tw1ce-born)man
A having
Vedas, without having produced
studied the

'^

and without having offered

downwards."
goeth
offspring,

The offering of sacrifices, we

duty of the forest-dweller, and
the Vanaprastha state.

shall see,

sacrifices,

is

therefore

the chief
indicates

In rare and exceptional cases a student was

allowed to became a Sannyasi, his debts to the
world having been fully paid in a previous birth
;

but these rare cases

the regular order unshaken.

even he was not called a
indeed,
Strictly speaking,
not
receive
did
the initiations of
and
Sannyasi,
left

Sannyasa proper; but was

Brahmachari,

The

like

called a Bala or Naishthika

Shuka and the Kumara Rihis.

great multiplication of

young Sannyasis found

modern days is directly contrary to the ancient

rules, and causes much trouble and impoverishment
in

of the country.

We

will

now

consider the

Ashramas

in order.

began, as we have seen, with the

Upanayana ceremony, the boy being then committed to the care of his teacher, with whom he

The

student

life

Manusniriti, 37.

His

lived while his pupilage continued.

life

there-

was simple and hardy, intended to make him

strong and healthy, independent of all soft and
luxurious living, abstemious and devoid of ostentaafter

He was

tion.

to

before

rise

and bathe,

sunrise

and then perform Sandhya during the morning

twilight till the sun rose if it rose while he was
still sleeping, he had to fast during the day, perform;

Then he went out to beg for food, which

was placed at his teacher's disposal, and was to take

ing Japa.

the portion assigned to

him cheerfully

ERR ffira
3

Let him ever honour

out contempt
pleased,
"

and

(his) food,

in

and eat

it

with-

him be glad and

it,
welcome
it,
every way

having seen

Food which

and nerve-vigour

let

honoured ever gives strength

eaten unhonoured, it destroys

is
;

both these."

The day was

to be spent in study

service of his teacher

n2

Manusmriti.

ii.

54. 55.

Hid.

191.

and

in

the

"

224

Directed or not directed by his teacher,

ever engage in study, and in

doing

let

him

benefits to his

preceptor."

At

sunset he was again to worship till the stars

appeared. Then the second meal was taken.

Between these two meals he was generally not to

eat, and he was enjoined to be temperate as to his
food.

"

Over-eating is against health, long

attainment of) heaven and merit, and

proved by the world therefore

;

The

rules laid

show how

down

let

life,

is

him avoid

(the

disapit."

as to his general conduct

frugality, simplicity

and hardiness were

so that the youth might grow into a

strong and vigorous man it was the training of a
nation of energetic, powerful, nobly-mannered and
enforced,

dignified men.

Manusmriti. 57.

225

ff SP

"Let him

refrain

garlands, tasty and

acids,

from wine, meat, perfumes,

savoury dishes, women,

and from injury to sentient

all

creatures.

the
unguents, collyrium to the eyes,
wearing of shoes and umbrellas, from lust, anger
and greed, dancing, singing and playing on musical instruments.

"From

"

Dice-playing, gossip, slander and untruth, from

and touching women, and from striking

staring at
others.
"

Let him always sleep alone, and let him not

waste his seed he who from lust wastes his seed,
destroys his vow.
;

"

twice-born Brahmachari

who

loses

seed in

sleep without lust, having bathed and worshipped

the sun, should repeat the rik, JT^R etc. three
times."

The

the injunctions of
quoted apply perfectly to the present
day, except the prohibition as to shoes and

student will see that

Hanu above
1

Manusmriti.

13

ii.

177

181.

all

umbrellas.

Changed

226

social conditions

make modi-

necessary on this point, as well as on

certain other matters not included in the quotation.

fications

The

great stress laid upon chastity and purity

during youth is due to the fact that the vigour and
strength of manhood, freedom from disease, heal-

thy children, and long life, depend more on this one

virtue of complete continence than on any other

one thing, self-abuse being the most fertile breeder

of disease and premature decay. The old legislators and teachers therefore made a vow of
celibacy part of the obligation of the student, and
the very name of the student, the Brahmachar^

has become synonymous with one

who

is

under a

of celibacy. The injunction quoted above, to

avoid dancing, singing, playing on musical instru-

vow

ments, dicing, gossip, staring at arid touching women, has as aim to keep the lad out of the com-

pany and the amusements that might lead him

and into temptations

into forgetfulness of his vow,

The simple food, the hard work,

for its breach,
the frugal living, all built up a robust body, and
inured it to hardships.
Over and over again Manu speaks on

Manusmriti,

ii,

88.

this

227

I
"

Let the wise

man

restraint of the senses,

exercise assiduity in the

wandering among alluring

objects, as the driver (restrains) the horses

it

."

"

Having brought into subjection all his senses,

and also regulated his mind, he may accomplish
all his objects by Yoga, without emaciating his
body."

The Chhandogyopanishat
forests,

that

are

the

declares

that

Yajna,

feeding of the poor, the dwelling in

Ishta, the

all

third

summed up in Brahmacharya, and

heaven of Brahm& is only thus ob-

tained. 2

The

and complete continence was rendered much more easy than it

would otherwise have been, by the care bestowed
practice of self-control

on the physical development and training of youth

by physical exercises and manly games of all kinds.
In the R Am Ay ana and the Mahdbharata, we read
which the youths were practised in
tie use of weapons, in riding and driving, in sports
and feats of skill. These physical exercises formed

of the

way

in

a definite part of their education, and contributed

to the building up of a vigorous and healthy frame.
l

Manusmriti* 100.

Lvc.

clt.

VIII.

iv.

3 and v.

14,

228

Having- thus fulfilled, in study and strict chasthe student period, the youth was to present

tity,

his teacher with a gift, according to his

ability,

return

home

to enter the household

and

life.

Then, and then only, he was to take a

wife,

and

the responsibilities of man's estate. After marriage, great temperance in sexual relations was
enjoined, marital connexion being only permissible
on any one of ten nights in a month (see Manu, iii.
45 49)- Women were to be honoured and loved*
else

no welfare could attend the home

it

*They must be honoured and adorned by

brothers, husbands

fathers,

and brothers-in-law, desiring

welfare.

"Where women are honoured, there verily the

Devas rejoice where they are not honoured, there
;

indeed

all rites

are fruitless.

"Where the female

relatives

grieve,

there the

family quickly perishes where they do not grieve,

that family always prospers."
;

iii,

5557.

229

"In the family in which the husband is contented

with his wife, and the wife with the husband, there
happiness

ever sure."

is

The Grihastha

the very heart of Aryan

every thing depends on him.
is

^ftaftr

life

'

**As all creatures

live supported by air, so the

other orders exist supported by the householder,"
:

f| H
^rrnt

all

Shruti,

these,

by the precepts of the Veda-

householder

the

called

is

the

best

he

verily supports the other three.

"As

streams and rivers flow to rest in the

all

ocean, so

all

the

Ashramas

flow to rest in the house-

holder."

Hence the householder

wealth
1

Is

the best of the orders,

He

has the duty of accumulating

in this the Vaishya is the typical house.

Mznuwriti.

60.

Md.

77.

3 Ibid*

89-90,

230

and of distributing it
one of his chief duties, and

holder

rightly.

Is

in this

Hospitality

he must never

fail

"Grasses, earth, water, the kind word, these four

are never lacking in the houses of the good."

He must ever feed first his guests, Br^hmanas,

and his servants, and then he and his

wife should eat, but even before these he should
his relatives

serve

brides,

women.

the

infants,

and

sick,

pregnant

The householder must duly offer the five great

and by Br^hmana householders the

sacrifices,

3
duty of the monthly Shr^ddhas should be observed.
The Br&hmana should maintain his studies, and not

follow occupations which prevent study, but earn

his living in some business that does not injure
others. 4 Careful rules are

which

will

be dealt with

laid

down

Part

in

1 1 1,

for

conduct,

as they* belong

general conduct of life, the householder

the
human being. His special
being
typical
virtues are hospitality, industry, truth, honesty,
to the

liberality, charity, purity of

food and

life.

He may

enjoy wealth and luxury, provided he give alms.

1

Manusmrfti

rtid. iv. 17.

* Ibid.

101.
4

Hid.

2.

114116.

The

householder

231

may

the household

quit

life,

and becomeaVnaprastha,going
as before said, he is growing old and has grandchildren,
His wife may go with him, or remain
with her sons, and he goes forth, taking with him
His
the sacred fire and sacrificial instruments.
and
to
it
the
world
is
to
now
duty
help
by prayer
to the forest, when,

sacrifice,

the five

and he

accordingly to continue to offer

daily sacrifices, together with the Agniis

new and full moon sacrifices and

The rule of his life is to be sacrifice, study,

the

hotra,
others.

austerity,

and kindness

to all

u1
in Veda study, conever a giver, not a

'Let him ever be engaged

collected

trolled,

friendly,

receiver,

compassionate to

This simple ascetic

given

all.

He

leads

no longer

his property

all

beings."

him on

of the Sannyasi, the

stage, that

nounced

life

all

to the last

man who

offers sacrifices,

away

he

Manusmriti*

vi. 8.

Hid,

43,

re-

having
with

lives alone,

tree for shelter, his life given to meditation.

has

"

Let him be without

him go

to

purpose, a

Then

for

village

Muni

fire,

for

without dwelling,

let

food, indifferent, firm of

of collected mind."

Let him not wish

life,

follows a beautiful description of the true

Sannyasi

"

232

let

him wait

for death, let

him not

wisfe

for the time, as a servant for

his wages.
"

Let him set down his foot guided by sight, let

h{m drink water strained through a cloth, let him
speak words purified by truth,

let

him

act

governed

by reason.
"

Let him endure harsh language, and let him

not insult any one ; nor for the support of his body
let him make an enemy of any one.
1

Manusmriti.

233

"

Let him not return anger to the angry,

bless

when cursed

let

him not

let

him

utter lying speech,

scattered at the seven gates.

"

Rejoicing in the Supreme Self, sitting indifferent, refraining from sensual delights, with himself
for his

only friend, he shall wander here, aiming at

liberation."

He

is

to meditate constantly on

transmigration

on the Supreme Self and Its presence

in high and low alike, to trace the Jivatma through
its many births, and to rest in Brahman alone.
Thus doing, he reaches Brahman,

and

suffering,

Such were the

designed
ends.

revived

four

for the

In

Ashramas of Sanatana Dharma,

training of

man

to the

highest

modern days they cannot be completely

in

their

letter,

but they might be revived

improvement of modern

in their spirit, to the great

The student period must now be passed in

school and college, for the most part, instead of in
the Ashrama of the Guru but the same principles

life.

-;

of frugal, hardy, simple living might be carried out,

and Brahmacharya might be universally enforced.

The

Grihastha. ideal,

commenced

at marriage,

might

sense of duty and

responsibility, in its discharge of religious obligations, in its balanced ordering of life, in its recogui*

be very largely followed in

its

tfon of

all

claims, of

could not be lived

fourth

Ashrama

234

all

debts.

The

third

Ashrama

by many, and the

beyond the reach of most in

in the forest
is

but the idea of the gradual withdrawal

from worldly life, of the surrender of the conduct of

these days

business into the hands of the younger generation,

of the making of meditation, study and worship

the main duties of life all this could be carried

And the presence of such aged and saintly

men would sanctify the whole community, and

out.

would serve as a constant reminder of the dignity

and reality of the religious life, setting up a noble
ideal,

and

raising,

by

their

example, the

level of

the whole society.

life

which

is

well-ordered

from beginning

what is implied in the phrase " The

Two of them namely that of
four Ashramas."
the student and that of the householder may be
to end

that

is

said to represent in the

life

of an

individual

that

outward-going energy which carries the Jtva into

the Pravritti Marga. The two later stages the
life of the Vanaprastha and that of the Sannyasi
these are the stages of withdrawal from the world,
and may be said to represent the Nivritti Marga
individual.
So wisely did the
mark out the road along which a man
should tread, that any man who takes this plan of
in the life of the

ancient ones

235

life,

divided into four stages, will find his

outgoing

and indrawing energies rightly balanced. First,

the student stage, properly lived and worthily
carried out

the householder stage, with all

every direction of worldly

then

in

busy activity

its

business
vity, the

then the gradual withdrawal from acti-

turning inward, the life of comparative seand of meditation, of the giving

clusion, of prayer

of wise counsel to the younger generation engaged

in

the

worldly activities
life

and then,

for

some

at least,

of complete renunciation.

the passing
It must not be forgotten that
through these Ashramas and the reaching of liberaas we may see from the
tion has for its object
stories of

Muktas

in the

Pur^nas and Itih^sas

the

helping on of the worlds, and the co-operating with

Ishvara in His benevolent administration, and His

guidance of evolution.

In

outward

the

life

of

Sannyasa the Jiv^tma learns detachment and indifference, but the highest Sannyasa is that of the
which a man,

inner,

not that of the outer

who

completely detached and indifferent, mingles

is

in the life of

men

life,

in

for their helping

and

uplifting.

n1
l

Bhagavad Gitd.

iv,

i.

t
r<

He who

performeth such action as is duty, independently of the fruit of action, he is a Sannyasi

and Yogi, not he that is without fire and rites."

Such & man

attachment and

is

lives

the midst of objects of

in

yet without attachment, regard-

ing nothing as his own though possessed of wealth.

He then becomes the ideal householder, whom the

Grihastha

reflects,

and

verifies

in

its

fullest

sense

the dictum of Manu, that the householder order is

the highest of all because it is the support of all.

And
man

the household

life is

only truly lived where a

high ideal of adminis-

sets before himself that

trator

rather

master of

all,

than

owner,

servant

rather

than

CHAPTER
THE FOUR

VII.

CASTES.

Just as the Four Ashramas serve as a school for

the unfolding of the Jiv&tm& during a single life,
so do the Four Castes serve as a similar school for

unfolding during a part of the whole period of

transmigrations. Looked at in the broadest
sense, they represent the complete period, but, as
its

its

an external system, the Jiv^tmsi

is

in

them only

for a portion
of his pilgrimage. The present
confusion of castes has largely neutralised the use

they once served.

In the ancient days thejivcitm^

was prepared for entrance into each caste through
a long preliminary stage outside India; then he

was born into India and passed into each caste to

receive its definite lessons; then was born away
from India to practice these lessons usually return;

ing to India, to the

highest of them, in the final

stages of his evolution.

necessary to see the great principles underlying the Caste System in order to estimate its
It is

advantages at their proper value;

and also

order to distinguish rightly between

these

in

funda-

238

mental principles and the numerous non-essential,

and in many cases mischievous, accretions which

have grown up around it, and have become

woven with it, in the course ol ages.

The

inter-

thing to understand is that the evolution of the Jlvatmcl is divided into four great stages,
first

this is true of every Jivatma, and is in no

sense peculiar, to those who, in their outer coverJivatmas pass into
ings, are Aryans and Hindus.

and that

and out of the Hindu Religion, but every Jivatm&

one or other of the four great stages. These
belong to no age and to no civilisation, to no race
is in

and no nation.

and of

They

are

universal,

of

all

times

ail races.

The

first

stage

is

that which embraces

the

in-

fancy, childhood and youth of the Jivatma, during

which he is in a state of pupilage, fit only for service

and study,

and

has scarcely any respon-

sibilities.

The second

stage

is

the

first

half of his

man-

on the ordinary
of houseburden
business of the world, bears the

hood, during which he

carries

hold responsibilities, so to say, the accumulation,

enjoyment and proper disposal of wealth, together

with the heavy duties of organising, training and

educating his youngers in all the duties of life.

239

The

third stage occupies the second half of his

manhood, during which he bears the burden of

the duty

of protecting,

guiding, ruling, others, and utterly

subordinating
good, even

national

responsibilities,

his individual interests to the

to the willing sacrifice of his

common
own

life for

the lives

around him.

The fourth stage is the old age of the JlvatmS,

when his accumulated experiences have taught
him

to see clearly the valuelessness of all

treasures,

and have made him

compassion, the

selfless friend

and counsellor of

These stages

all his

rich in

of

all,

earth's

wisdom and
the

teacher

youngers.

are, as said above, universal.

The

peculiarity of the San^tana Dharma is that these

four universal stages have been made the found-

ation of a social polity, and have been represented

by four definite external castes, or classes, the
characteristics laid

down as belonging

to each caste

being those which characterise the stage of the uni-

which the caste corresponds.

versal evolution to

The
caste,

and the
is

first

in

that

is

stage

which,

as

represented by the Shudra

shall see, the rules are few

we

one great duty

virtues are those which

responsibilities light.

of service

its

Its

should be evolved in the period of youth and pu-

obedience,
pilage
the like.

240

fidelity, reverence,

industry and

The second stage is represented by the Vaishya,

the typical householder, on whom the social life of
He comes under strict rules,
the nation depends.
designed to foster unselfishness and sense of responsibility, to nourish detachment in the midst of
possessions, and to make him feel the nation as
his household.
His virtues are diligence, caution,

prudence, discretion, charity, and the

like.

The

third stage is represented by the Kshatruler and warrior, on whom depends the
the
triya,
He also lives under
national order and safety.
strict rules, intended to draw out all the energy
and strength of his character and to turn them to
unselfish ends, and to make him feel that everything he possesses, even life itself, must be thrown
away at the call of duty. His virtues are gener-

osity, vigour, courage, strength,

control,

and the

power

to rule, self-

like.

The

fourth stage is represented by the Brahteacher and priest, who lives under the
the
mana,
of all directed to make him a centre of
rules
strictest
as well as morally
the love
have
outgrown
spiritually.
of wealth and power, to be devoted to study, learn-

purifying influence,

and

He

physically

is

to

ed and

He

wise.

24 I

to be the

is

refuge of

are

gentleness,

the

like,

all

crea-

His virtues

tures, their sure help in time of need.

patience, purity, self-sacrifice,

and

The JivatmS. who, in any nation, at any time,

shows out these types of virtues, belongs to the
stage of which his type is characteristic, and, if
born

in

India as a Hindu, should be born into the

corresponding caste. In this age one can only say

should be," as the castes are now confused and

"

the types are but rarely found. These characteris"

Dharma " of each caste, but
tic virtues form the

Dharmas

these

It is

classes

are now, unhappily, disregarded.

easy to see that the broad dividing lines of

everywhere follow these lines of caste.

The manual

labour class, the

the Western

term

the ShOdra stage.

merchants,
ists,

proletariat

to

use

should consist of Jiv^tm^s in

The organisers of industry, the

bankers,

financiers,

large

agricultur-

traders, should be Jivatm^s in the Vaishya

srage.

The

legislators, warriors,

the judicial

and

administrative services, the statesmen and rulers,

should be Jivatmas who are in the Kshattriya stage.

And

the teachers,

savants,

clergy,

the

spiritual

be Jivatmas in the Brahmana stage.

There are Jivatmas of the four types everywhere,
leaders, should

16

242

and there are social offices of the four kinds everywhere but now, in the Kali Yuga, the four types
;

of Jivatmcts and the four departments of national

life are mixed up in inextricable confusion, so that
nation presents a whirl of contending individuals, instead of an organised community moving
ever}''

in

harmony

in all its parts.

Another fundamental principle of caste was that

as the Jivatma advanced, his external liberty, as
seen above, became more and more circumscribed
and

his responsibilities heavier

and heavier.

The

life of the Shudra was easy and irresponsible, with

few restrictions as to food, amusement, place of
He could go anyresidence or form of livelihood.

where and do anything.

the

heavy

The Vaishya had

responsibilities

of mercantile

to bear
life,

to

support needful public institutions with unstinted

charity, to devote himself to business with the utmost
diligence

sacrifices,

in his

and he was required to study, to make

to be pure in his diet, and disciplined

life.

was worked
life,

The

Kshattriya, while wielding power,

and his laborious

to the fullest extent,

when he was

diligent

a monarch,

would alarm even a

king of the present day the property,

all, were guarded by the warrior caste,
;

the lives of

and any man's grievance unredressed was held to

dishonour the realm, Heaviest burden of all was

243

on the Brahmana, whose physical life was

who was bound by the
most minute rules to preserve his physical and
laid

austere and rigidly simple,

magnetic purity, and whose time was spent in study

and worship.
Thus the responsibility increased
with the superiority of the caste, and the individual
was expected to subordinate himself more and more

community. The rigid purity cf the Brahmana was far less for his own sake than for that

to the

of the nation.
health

his

by

purifying

all

He was

the source

of physical

scrupulous cleanliness, continually

the particles of matter that entered

body, and sending forth a pure stream to build

the bodies of others, for health and gladness are
contagious and infectious, for the same reasons as
his

disease and

sorrow.

The

rules

which bound him

were not intended to subserve pride and exclusiveness,

but to preserve him

physical as well as moral

purpose of the caste system

it

as

a purifying force,

The whole
misconceived, when

and mental.
is

regarded as setting up barriers which intepersonal pride, instead of imposing rules on the

is

sify

higher classes, designed to forward the good of the

whole community.

As Manu

said

snfsr

Mawwnriti.

ii.

162,

244

"Let the Br&hmana flee from homage

venom let him ever desire indignity as
:

as

from

nectar."

Let us now study some of the statements made

on this subject in the Shruti and Smriti.
general principle laid down above as to the
universality of the four great stages and as to their

The

being founded on natural divisions

Shri Krishna

is

enunciated by

"The

four castes were

different

distribution

know me

to

it

is

the land

it is

which marks out the

not, of course, confined to India.

in

be the author of them."

This distribution

and

emanated by me, by the

of the energies and actions

which

settled

the

first

castes,

But

in

family of the

stock, the Manu established a model polity

or social order, showing in miniature the course of

A'yan

evolution, and into this were born Jivatmas belonging to the different stages, who showed out the

and thus formed

"
a
model
This
state.
was
the
truly
golden age
of India, and the traditions of this still linger, the

characteristics of the several castes,

splendid background of her history.

\

fihayavad

Gita,. iv. 13.

245

When
when

humanity

the Ishvara

is
is

figured as a vast man, or

spoken of as emanating men,

then we have the following graphic picture of the

four castes

*nrfr

1
sT^rr^rr n

"The Brahmana was His mouth; the RcLjanya

His two thighs the
was made His two arms
;

Vaishya the Shftdra was born from His two feet."

;

The teacher is the mouth, and

arms
as

the ruling power the

the merchants are the pillars of the nation,

the

thighs

manual worker.
sities of social

of the body, while all rest on the

As we see the tacts and neces-

organisation,

we cannot but

nise the inevitableness of the division,

represented or not

The

recog-

whether

it

virtues that constitute

the four castes are

thus described by Shri Krishna:

it

X. XQ.

12.

be

by a system of four castes.

Bhagamd

GitoL. xviii.

4144.

246

"

Of Br^hmanas,

Kshattriyas, Vaishyas and

Shudras,
Parantapa the Karmas have been distributed according to the Gunas born of their own

natures.
"

Serenity, self-restraint,

austerity,

purity, for-

giveness, and also uprightness, wisdom, knowledge,

belief in God, are the Brahmana- karma, born of
his

own

nature.

"

Prowess, splendour, firmness, dexterity, and

also not flying in battle, generosity, rulership are
the Kshattriya-karma, born of his own nature.
"

Agriculture, protection of lune, and commerce

of his own nature*

are the Vaishya-karma, born

Action of the nature of service

is

the

Shudra-

karma, born of his own nature."

Thus
the

clearly

are outlined

the

Dharmas of

should be
castes^ the qualities which
in
each
of the four great stages of the
developed
pilgrimage of the Jivatm^ through Samsara.
four

Manu
clearly

explains the occupations of each caste very

247

JHJ

"He, the Resplendent,

all

this

creation,

for the

assigned

sake of protecting

separate

Karmas

those born of His mouth, arms, thighs and

to

feet.

"Teaching and studying the Veda, sacrificing

and also guiding others in offering sacrifices, gifts
and receiving of gifts, these He assigned to the
Brahmanas.

"The

protection of the people,

gifts, sacrificing,

and study of the Vedas, non-attachment amid the

objects of the senses,

these

He

prescribed to the

Kshattriyas.
**

The

protection of cattle,

gifts, sacrificing,

and

study of the Vedas. commerce, banking, and agriculture, to the Vaishyas.

"The Lord commanded one Karma only

to the

Shudras, to serve ungrudgingly these castes."

Thus

the

Brahmanas alone might teach the

Vedas, but the duty of studying them belonged

equally to the three twice-born castes.
1

Manusmriti.

i.

87

91.

A man
his caste

who

did not show forth the

Dharma

was not regarded as belonging

to

it,

of
ac-

We

cording to the teachers of the ancient days.

have already seen that ignorant Biahmanas were
mere ashes, unfit for the discharge of their duties,

and even more strongly Manu says

"As
is

wooden elephant,

an unlearned Brahmana

as a leathern deer, such

the three bear only

names.
"

The Brahmana who, not having

studied

Vedas, labors elsewhere, becomes a Shudra

that very life together with his descendants."

And

again

the
in

frff yi&uirTPTrrT 5rrgr*r!r?r

The Shddra becomes a Brahmana and a Br^hmana a ShQdra (by conduct). Know this same
(rule to apply) to him who is born of the Kshattriya
c<

or of the Vaishya."
i. ii.

157, 168.

IMd. x. 65

249

So

fundamental

the

also Yudhishthira, taught

distinctions, without the existence of which caste

becomes a mere name
:

1
II

"Truth,

ness, austerity,

forgiveness, good conduct, gentleand mercy, where these are seen,

gift,

king of serpents, he

is

called a

Brhmana.

"If these marks exist in a Shudra and are not

Shudra
Brahmana.

in a twice-born, the

Brahmana

"Where
called a

this

conduct

Brahmana

is

not a Shudra, nor the

shown,

is

where

this is

serpent, he

not,

is

serpent,

he should be regarded as a Shudra."

In the Vi$hnu-Bhagavata

we read

n2

"What

is

said as to the

cative of a man's caste,

in another, designate

if

marks of conduct

him by the caste of

(and not of his birth)."

1

MaJiCbbh&rata. Yanaparva. clxxx. 21, 25, 26.

VII. xi. 35,

2 Loo. cit.

indi-

those marks are found

his

marks

Commenting on
"

this

Brahmanas and others

by Shama and other

250

Shridhara Svami says

are to be chiefly recognised

and not by

qualities,

their birth

alone."

5wrr

sfrarar

f?: ^^rrcn

ff*r

TWI%

"

By Samskara

By birth every one is a ShQdra.

he becomes twiceborn."

we find that the preceptor Haridrumata

Gotama gotra, approached by Satyakama,

So

also

of the

desirous of becoming his pupil, asked him his gotra;

the boy answered that his mother did not know

he was born when she was engaged

on guests, and he could only go by her
he was therefore merely Satyakama, the

his gotra, for

in waiting

name

son of Jabala. Haridrumata declared that an answer so truthful was the answer of a Brahmana,

and he would therefore

Further

it

must be remembered

STr^ttCPT
"

initiate him. 1

T 3Tf5T

The Vedas do not

W*

2
I

purify

him who

is

devoid

of good conduct."

of

Much
a man

a single
1

question has arisen as to the possibility

passing from one caste to another during

life.

It

is,

Clihdndogyop. IV.

of course,
iv.

universally granted
Vasistha-Smfiti.

vi. 3.

251

that a

man

from one caste to another

raises himself

by good conduct, but it is generally considered that

the conduct bears fruit by birth into a higher caste
The texts quoted in supin the succeeding life.
one caste to another

port of passage from

will

mostly bear this interpretation, just as by degradaone caste to another rebirth in a lower

tion from

caste

But there are cases on

was generally meant.

record of such passage during a single life. The

history of Vishvamttra, a Kshattriya, becoming a

Brahmana

1
every one, but equally
familiar are the tremendous efforts he made ere he

familiar

is

to

a proof of the extreme difficulty

attained his object
of the change. Gargya, the son of Shini, and

Trayyaruni, Kavi and

Duritakshaya,
did

as

all

Kshattriyas,

Mudgala,

Kshattriya.

son

became Brahmanas,

Bharmyashva, also a
Kshattriya, was made a
whose Ashrama he had

of

Vitahavya, a

Br^hmana by Bhrigu,
taken refuge.

Pushkararuni, the sons of

in

The truth probably is that changes of caste

were made in the ancient days, but that they were
rare,

and that good conduct

Rdmdyana.

Balakarida.

Ivii

for the

-Ixv.

Vishnu JBhdgavata. IX.

Mahdbhdrata, Anushasanaparva. xxx.

xxi. 19, 20, 33.

most part took

in

effect

into

rebirth

famous shloka

higher caste.

Even the

u1

"

Not birth, nor Samskaras, nor study of the

Vedas, nor ancestry, are causes of Brahmanahood.
Conduct alone is verily the cause thereof," may
apply as well to rebirth into a higher caste as to
transference into
ate present

In ancient days the immedi-

it.

was not

as important as

it

is

now, the

Jivatma being far more

vividly kept in mind, and the workings of karmic
law more readily acquiesced in. Nor were the

continuing

life

of

the

divisions of castes then felt to be an injustice,

they

now

are

when the Dharmas of the

and high caste

as

castes are

accompanied by a
feeling of pride instead of by one of responsibility
and service,
neglected,

is

Innumerable subdivisions have arisen within the

great castes, which have no foundation in nature

and therefore no

much

stability

nor justification.

By

caused, and petty walls

of division are set up, jealousies and rivalries taking the place of the ancient co-operation for the

these

general
l

social friction

good.

The

is

circles

Mahabh&rata. Yanaparva,

of inter-marriage be-

cccxiii, 108.

253

come too

restricted,

customs become

and

and unimportant

local

fossilised

into

religious

obliga-

run in narrow grooves and

tions, making social
cramping limitations, tending to provoke rebellion
and exasperate feelings of irritation. Moreover,
life

purely
are

most binding are

in the South which

of the customs regarded as

many

local,

customs being

unknown

Hindus are

in the North,

vital

and

vice vetsd.

Hence

up into innumerable little bodies,

by a wall of its own, regarded as all-

split

each hedged

in

if not impossible,
to
It is difficult,
important.
create a national spirit from such inharmonious
materials, and to induce those who are accustomed

narrow horizons to take a broader view of

While a man of one of the four castes, in the

to such
life.

old

days,

nation, a

felt

man

himself to be an integral part of a

of a small sub-caste has no sense of

organic life, and tends to be a sectarian rather than

a patriot.

At

the present time a

man

of any caste takes

ip any occupation, and makes no

effort to cultivate

the characteristic virtues of his caste.

i

iner

Hence

the

and the outer no longer accord, and there

jangle instead of harmony.

No

caste offers to

is

in-

coming Jiv&tmas physical bodies and physical

environments fitted for one caste more than for
Bother, and the castes consequently

no longer

serve

254

as stages for the evolving

Hence

Jivims.

the great value of the Hindu system as a gradu-

ated school, into which Jtvatmas could

pass

for

definite training in each stage, has well-nigh ceased,

and the evolution of the human race

is

thereby

delayed.

The

caste system

when he goes out

difference

is

one on which the student,

into the world, will find great

of opinion

among

pious

and

highly

educated men, and he will have to make up his

own mind upon

ation.

It is

best for the

it,

after careful

study and deliberManu considered

the system which

fifth, or,

Aryan,

race,

the Panchajanas,

days ensured order, progress and

no other system has done. It
general happiness, as
those most disintegrating
under
into
has fallen
decay

and

in its early

forces

in

human

society

exclusiveness,

pride,

selfishness, the evil brood of Ahamkara wedded to

the personal self instead of to the Supreme Self.
Unless the abuses which are interwoven with
it

can be eliminated,

equally

certain

is

it,

its

that

doom
if

is

certain

but

those abuses could

be destroyed and the system itself maintained,

Hinduism would solve some of the social problems
which threaten to undermine Western civilisation,

and would
social state,

set

an example to the world of an

ideal

PART

III.

ETHICAL TEACHINGS.

CHAPTER

I.

ETHICAL SCIENCE, WHAT

Morality, or Ethic,

IT

is.

Science of Conduct,
the systematised principles on which a man should
act The conduct of man has reference to his surthe

is

roundings as well as to himself. We have to ascertain what is good in relation to those who form

our surroundings, as well as in relation to the time

and place of the actor and we may take a wider
;

and wider view of our surroundings, according to the

knowledge we possess. We have also to ascertain
what is good for ourselves and in relation to
What is good for one man may not be
ourselves.
for
another
man. What is good at one time,
good
and at one place, may not be good at another time,
and at another place.
Ethical Science
it

is

relative to

is

therefore a

the

man

relative

Science

himself and to his

surroundings.

The object of morality is to bring about happiness by establishing harmonious relations between
all the Jivatmas that belong to any special area

17

2S 3

harmonious relations between the members of a

harmonious relations between the families

family
harmonious relations
that make up a community
;

between the communities that make up a nation

harmonious relations between the nations that

make up humanity harmonious relations between

humanity and the other inhabitants of the earth
harmonious relations between the inhabitants of
the earth and those of other worlds of the system.
The great circle goes on spreading outwards indefinitely, and including larger and larger areas
;

within

its

circumference.

But

whether the

still,

"the principles of
we
have
Thus
relations."
harmonious
family moralarea be large or small, Ethic

is

morality, national morality, internationmorality, human morality, inter-world morality,

ity, social

al

With the yet wider

sweeps of the Science of Conduct we are not yet
concerned, but the basic principle is the same
and

all

these concern

us.

throughout.
It is obvious that the establishment of harmonious relations between a

man and

his

surround-

and remote, means happiness. We are

always suffering from the want of harmony, from
jarring wishes, from friction between ourselves and
others, from the lack of mutual support, mutual
ings, near

assistance,

mutual sympathy.

Where

there

is

har-

mony
mony

there

is

there

259

happiness
is

where there

unhappiness.

is

Morality,

disharthen,

in

establishing harmony establishes happiness, makes

families and communities and nations and humani-

ty and

all

dwellers in this and other worlds happy.

The

ultimate object of Morality, of Ethic, of the

Science of "Conduct, is to bring about Universal

Happiness, Universal Welfare, by uniting the separated selves with each other and with the Supreme
All the six Darsharias are agreed as to this
summum bonum of man,
Self,

The student must grasp

this

thought,

and

it very clearly.
Morality brings about UniHappiness at last. Let us pause for a moment on this word, " Happiness," Happiness does

realise

versal

mean

the transitory pleasures of the senses

nor even the more durable pleasures of the mind.

not

It

does not mean the satisfaction of the cravings

Upadhis, nor the joys which are tasted in

of the

the possession of outer objects.

Happiness means
the deep, inner, enduring bliss which is the satisfaction in the Self,
lasting peace.

It

means

Happiness

perfect

is

f^ra f^s? 3r*Rj^ir

harmony,

260

"

That in which the mind finds rest, quieted by

the practice of Yoga that in which he, seeing the
Self by the Self, in the Self is satisfied ;
;

"That in which he findeth the supreme delight

which the Buddhi can grasp beyond the senses,
wherein established, he moveth not from the Reality

"That which, having

there

is

blished,

obtained, he

thinketh

no greater gain beyond it wherein estahe is not shaken even by heavy sorrow."
;

Nothing

less

than this

is

Happiness, and this

is

the Happiness which Morality brings about. The

student must not allow his clear vision of this truth
to be clouded

seem to be

by

which

superficial appearances,

at variance with

it.

However difficult and

be to do right however
tiresome and burdensome obedience to moral pre-

painful

cepts

it

may sometimes

may sometimes

be

means

none the

and doing

long run, doing right

wrong means to be miserable.

"As

the cart follow the ox,"

the great

said

in the

less,

to be happy,

the wheels of

Indian

so misery follows sin/'

teacher, the Buddha,
also speak all the ShSstra.s.

Thus

261

inevitable, as

we

All this

is

shall see later on.

We

have spoken of harmony, of happiness, of

of
right,
wrong, and of the inhabitants of the earth
and those of other worlds of the system.

But

if

we are to go to the root of things, to first

we cannot but seek the help of Religion.

principles,

For

Religion gives us the ultimate data upon

which Ethical Science may be built. Morality has

only one basis, on which

is

built

on

its

foundation.

become crooked and

it

is

And

fall, if it

built up, as a

house

just as a house will

be built on a shaky
fall which is not

foundation, so will any morality

built on that sound basis.

CHAPTER

II.

THE FOUNDATION OF

ETHICS, AS GIVEN BY
RELIGION.

(i)

The first

we

thing

learn from

the Unity of all selves, and this

Ethics is built upon

of Ethics.

THE RECOGNITION

is

religion

is

the foundation

OF THE UNITY OP THE SELF AMID THE

DIVERSITY OF THE NOT-SELF.

There
selves are

is

One

but

srfair;

and

Self,

all

the separate

amshah, parts or reflections of the

One, are the One.

"As one

sun illuminates this whole world, so

the Lord of the Field illuminates the whole Field,

Bharata!"
SECT ***

"

One God

*ft*%3
is

*S*--

hidden

ding, the inmost Self of

One sun

is

shining,

spfcairft

^xafcww

in

beings,

all

all-perva-

all."

and

it

separate place, every separate

1

na

Jihagavad-GitA.

shines

into

enclosure.

xiii. 33.

2 Shvctdthvataroj}. vi. 11.

every

There

263

be a thousand gardens, separated from each

other by high walls, but the one sun shines into

may
all,

and the

light

and heat

in

each are from the

one sun, are parts of himself So the Jtvatmas in all

creatures, separated from each other by the walls
of Prakriti, the walls of their bodies, are rays from
the one Sun, sparks from the one Fire, portions of
cannot fully rethe one Atm^, the one Self.

We

alise this,

until

be conscious of

we have become

it

and

live

in

it

perfectly pure; but

always,

we can

one all-important
Fact,
recognise
in
as
and
we
Fact,
try to make our
proportion
conduct accord with this Fact, we shall become
it

We

as a

as

the

see, as we study morality, that

on this recognition of
are
founded
precepts
If there is only one Self,
the unity of the Self.
any act by which I injure my neighbour must in-

moral.

shall

all its

A man will not deliberately cut his hand,

jure me.
or his foot, or his face, because all these are parts
of his

own body, and though a

cut on his

hand

does not directly rnake his foot ache, he feels the

pain from any part of his body. The foot, being
ignorant and limited, is not conscious at once
of the wound made in the hand, but the man is
conscious of it, and will not let the foot carry his

body

Of

into a place

course

where the hand

will

be injured.

the foot ultimately suffers from the ge-

264

neral fever of the whole

body caused by a severe

any part of it, as ignorance of the unity

injury
of the body does not alter the fact of unity. And
to

so

man who

the

him and

believes that the Self

is

one, in

in all others, also necessarily believes that

in injuring

any part he

is

injuring himself, though,

being limited and ignorant, he

all
it; and he learns to look on

body, and

not then

may

feel

as parts of one
on his innermost Self as the One who

uses that one body, and lives and

we could

moves

in

all.

always, there
would be no need of any Science of Conduct, for
we should always act for the highest good of all
If

realise this,

feel

it

but as

we do

we need
this

not realise

it>

rules of conduct,

principle,

and

feel it

which are

very seldom,
based on

all

to prevent us from injuring others

and ourselves, and to help us to do good to others

and ourselves.
The great Rishis, knowing the supreme Fact
that the Self of all beings is one, based on this all
their precepts,

and on

morality they taught.

this

The

rock they built the

authoritative declara-

on general morality are final

because based on this fact, and they can be defended by reason, and shown to be of binding and

tions of the Shruti

universal obligation.

All the laws of nature are expressions of the

Divine Nature, and, as one of the aspects of that

Nature is Chit, the Reason can grasp and verify
them.
They are supremely rational, nay Reason

itself,

and Reason

in

man

is

fitly

concerned

with their study. Now " the Reason " must not be
confused with the process of reasoning the passing from one link of an argument to another by
logical sequence.

This process

functions of the Reason, and

is

is

only one of the

called the

ratiocia-

native faculty, and belongs to the concrete Reason,

the lower mind.
"The Reason" is Chit, and

includes all mental

processes,

concrete and

ab-

the perception in the higher as well as

the lower worlds, direct clear vision of truths
as of objects.
As knowledge is the rightful
stract,

in

source of authority, and as the knowledge of the

was the product of their Reason, working in

E,i$his

assonance with the Divine

Reason,

the

Shruti,

given to the Hindus through the Rishis, are authoritative.

Their authority is thus based on

Reason, on the Divine

Wisdom

primarily,

and on

human Reason secondarily. The

we saw in the Introduction, have modi-

the illuminated
Rishis, as
fied

the

Shruti

to

meet the needs of

special ages,

precepts useful at one time are not useful at

another.
It is further possible by the use of the

'for

Reason

to distinguish

between precepts of univer-

266

sal

and those of

The

system

and temporary obligation.

local

of

morality

Dharma may

Sanitaria

inculcated

in

the

therefore be said to be au-

founded on the recognition

of the Unity of the Self, and drawing its precepts
and its sanctions from that supreme Fact, it is cathoritative

for being

pable of appealing to and being verified by the

Reason, and a perfect harmony can be established

between the commands of the Shruti and

the

dictates of the Reason.

This harmony has prevented the arising in

India of independent ethical schools, such as have
arisen

in

the West, the doctrines of which

familiar to students

in

their

studies

in

become
Western

Moral Philosophy.

The

Scriptures of other nations, which have not

stated clearly the Unity of the Self, have necessarily

been unable to state clearly the highest sanction

and have directed reliance mainly to

for morality,

a Divine authority, the source of which is not universally seen as identical in nature with the Spirit

(Jtv&tm&) in

man.

Hence a

certain divorce be-

tween Authority and Reason, injurious to both,

and this divorce has led to the growth of two ethical schools, that stand in
tive, i.e., scriptural

to each other.

opposition

morality, and also

to authoritain opposition

267

One

of these schools, the intuitional, finds its

basis for morality in intuition, in the dictates of the
conscience, but fails to escape from the difficulties
involved in the variations of conscience with racial

and national

traditions,

social customs,

vidual development
The second, the utilitarian, has
"

in

fails

its

and

ethical

indi-

basis

the greatest good of the greatest number," but

to justify the exclusion of the minority from

canon, and to supply a sanction of sufficiently

"
the
Besides, what constitutes
binding force.
its

"

greatest good of the greatest number

"
a debatable point ; hence the " canon

is

always

is

useless

as a practical guide.

The student can study these systems in the works

of their exponents, and he will do well to understand that the reconciliation of these schools lies in
the recognition of the Unity of the Self, and the
consequent completion of the partial truths on

which these are based.

He

will

then see that this

principle affords to the teachings of the scriptural

school their proper support in Reason ; that this

supplies the intuitionalist with the explanation of
the variations of conscience, 1 which

is

the voice of

the Jivatma, and depends on the stage of evolution

reached and the experiences assimilated that this
;

There

is

no exact Sanaskrit equivalent for the word

"

shows to the

268

utilitarian that there

no ultimate

is

any which is not also good for all, that

there is no question of majority and minority, but
of unity, and that the sanction of morality lies in

good

for

this very unity of interestSj this identity of nature.

We

have, then, as the basis of morality in the

the recognition of the Unity of

San A tana Dharma,

the Self, and therefore the establishment of mutually helpful relations

between

all

separated selves.

Every moral precept finds its sanction in this Unity,

and we shall presently see that the Universal Love,
which

is

the expression of the Unity, is the root of

as its opposite is the root of all vices.

all virtues,

Universal Brotherhood has

its

basis in the Unity;

men

are divided by their Up^dhis, both dense and

subtle, but they are all rooted in the one Self. Only
this teaching,

when generally

realised,

can put an

and serve as a foundation for peace.

This alone can eradicate racial and national hatreds,
put an end to mutual contempt and suspicion, and

end

to wars,

draw

all

men

into

one human family,

in

which there

are elders and youngers, indeed, but no aliens.

Nor, indeed, can the Brotherhood based on the

Unity of the Self be limited to the human family.
It

must include

all

things within

its circle, for all,

without exception, are rooted in the

Self.

In the

loth

AdhyAya

declares

11

am

heart of

of the

Bhagavad-GttA Shrl

the

all

Gudakesha, seated

am

the beginning, the middle,

Self,

beings;

in the

and also the end of beings."

He then names Himself as many objects, as sun

and moon, as mountain and tree, as horse and cow,
as bird and serpent, and many others, and sums
in

up

"

one all-embracing declaration

the seed of all beings that am I,

there aught, moving or unniovexist bereft of Me."

Whatsoever

Arjuna

ing, that

nor

may

is

is

Over and over again He insists on the all-importance of this recognition of the Unity of the Self
a ad of the presence of the Self in each and all,

*
l

Bhagavad-6U%.

ss^rnt
*
x. 20.

nm ^rRr TO
*

Ibid. 39,

"

Seated equally

in

all

beings, the

Supreme

fshvara, indestructible within the destructible

who

he

thus seeth, he seeth.

"

Seeing, indeed, everywhere the same, fshvara

equally dwelling, he doth not destroy the Self by
the

self,

and thus reacheth the supreme

"

When

goal.

he seeth the diversified

existence of

beings as rooted in One, and proceeding from

It, then he reacheth Brahman."
All
as

human

relations exist because of this Unity,

Yjfiavalkya explained to

when she prayed of him

fsror

M
is

^m

his

wife

Maitreyl,
the secret of immortality.

2
i

Behold

not indeed for the love of the husband

the husband dear

for the love of the Self

is

the

husband dear."

And
and

so with wife, sons, property, friends, worlds,

even the Devas themselves. All are dear

because the

One

Self

Bhagai-ad'Gtta.

Brihaddranyaliop. IV.

is

in

xiii. 27, 28,

iv. 5.

all.

30.

11

Behold

not for the love of the

all

dear, but for the love of the Self verily

the

all is

the

all is

dear."

ii

Having known the Auspicious, the exceedingly

subtle, hidden in all beings, like cream in butter,
'

having known the Supreme God, the one Pervader

of the universe, he is freed from bonds."

But

it

is

when the

useless to multiply texts,

In this
Shruti at every step proclaim the truth.
and in this alone is the sure Basis of Morality, for
this Unity of the Self is the real cause and expla-

Love One Self, embodied in many forms,

ever seeking to draw the forms together in order

nation of
is

to again

realise Its

recognition of the

own

unity.

Unity of

This

the

is

Self

why

the

by

the

Reason, which is Wisdom, shows itself in a world of

separate forms as Love. So also the many-ness of
the Not-Self

is

the cause and explanation of Hate,

each separate form setting

The

full

itself up against others.

significance of this will be seen by the

student on maturer study

fact
1

which

will

Sbvctdt\vatar0p,

become
iv, 16.

but he should grasp the

clearer as

we proceed

that

all virtue, all

that

272
is

good,

is

the immediate

pure Love which springs from recogthe

Unity of the Self, and that all vice, all
nising

result of the

that

is evil,

truth,

similarly arises from disregard of this

and from the

feeling

that the Self

one, but many, as the bodies are many.

is

not

CHAPTER

III.

RIGHT AND WRONG.

student will remember the description of
the Trilokt in Part I. At the beginning of a new

The

life-evolution

Triloki,

all

evolution

three worlds, but

Earth.

our

to

This

begins.

the

takes place
confine ourselves
in

First

we may
the

life

forms appear The Puranas speak in veiled words

as to how sheath after sheath encloses the life
;

under the influence of the

five

forms of Avidya

(AvidyA, Asmita, Raga, Dvesha and Abhinivesha)

the process of manifestation, till we find all

we have

the forms

During
verns

of creation

this

all

manifested

on our Earth,

of multiplying goThis idea breaks through the in-

process, the idea

beings.

nate inertia, the remnant of pralayic tendency, with

which all beings start.
This idea becomes refined

end

is

then

desire for objects

the world

M&rga, the Path- of

Beings become

"

going

strong.

i^orld in himself,

18

is

and

the

then on the Pravritti

forth."

materialised,

consciously separate their

become very

or Inclination,

called Pravritti,

and as they become

self-seeking tendencies

Every such being forms a

tries to

exclude others.

Men

live for

274

enjoyment, and they care

for the present

of
idea
only.
separateness developes intellect,
which works from the standpoint of individuality.

The

is necessary in man in order, to

his
out
individual
faculties, and to cultivate
bring
them in such a way as will make the intellectual

This element

development

fairly

complete.

But the idea of separateness becomes after a

while a drawback to further progress. Man has
gradually to transcend it. He has to recognise the
Unity of all selves, and, in practice, to do everything
that helps to strengthen the recognition of that
Unity, and at last makes that recognition a part of
his

life.

This

tual evolution,

may be called
and man is

the process of spirithen on the Nivritti

Marga, the Path of Return.

Lastly,

Pralaya comes and the end of

the

Brahmanda.
During

all

but the latest stages of the Prathat which favours separateness

Marga
RIGHT, and that which goes
vritti

Then

against

it is

follows a transition stage, preparing

to enter on the Nivritti

Marga

is

WRONG.
man

during that, and

on the Nivritti M&rga, that which favours the tendency towards Unity is RIGHT, and that which
goes against

it is

WRONG.

275

When
it

helps

the
will

time of Pralaya comes, all that

be RIGHT, all that opposes it

WRONG.
Speaking generally, that which is suitable to the
stage of evolution which the world has reached, that
which helps it onwards, is RIGHT; that which oband hinders evolution

structs

is

WRONG.

For the

of Ishvara points steadfastly to the highest

will

good, and guides His universe towards good. To

work with this will is to be in harmony with the
great

be

of the world-system, and thus to

the stream of evolution

movement

carried

on

with

while to go against

an overwhelming

it

is

current,

like

beating against
which dashes us a-

To do
gainst the rocks, bruises and wounds us.
right is to be at peace with ourselves and with
God, and is therefore happiness to do wrong is to
be at war with ourselves and with God, and is
therefore misery.
Hence bad people tend to be;

after

come,

time, discontented,

irritable,

un-

however outwardly favourable may be

circumstances
while the good are in-

satisfied,

their

wardly

at peace

and contented, even when

their

outer circumstances are very unfavourable.

Here
again the essential fact is the same, for the will
of fshvara, being guided by the highest

and

love, ever

necessarily

wisdom

and constantly points

to the highest

276
the

good

more and more

perfect

Unity of the Self amid the endless

diversity of forms.

realisation of the

Let us look further into

question

For

is

this

this

matter, as the

all-important.

purpose we have to refer back again

This
before.

to the nature of evolution described

evolution of the Jiva gives rise to that variety

of relations and situations between Jiva and Jiva,

out of which the actions arise to which the epithets

and "wrong" become applicable and there"

"
and " wrong " depends
right
upon the nature of the scheme of evolution to which
the Jivas concerned belong, and cannot be de-

"right"

fore the nature of

scribed independently of that scheme.

We

have gathered from the first part of this

work what evolution means. Generally speaking,
a world -system has a life in the same way as a
single

grows

human being
in

physical

and as a single human being

life for

the

first

half of his

life-

time and decreases in respect thereof during the

second half, so too a world-system, a Brahmarda,

grows more and more material during the first

half of its life, the Purvrdha or Prathama Parardha
of the Kalpa, and more and more spiritual during
the second half or Dvitiya Parardha thereof.

This

277

process from birth to death, from death to a higher

birth, from that to a deeper death and thence

again to a still higher birth repeated endlessly is

In our
the general plan of life and evolution.
the
takes
the
own world-system,
shape
process
of a gradual descent of Spirit into the dense matter
of the mineral kingdom and a reascent therefrom

through the Arvaksrotas or the vegetable kingdom,

the Tiryaksrotas or the animal kingdom, the
Urdhvasrotas or men, and higher forms, into the
Coming into still minuter

realised union of Mukti.

detail

we

find

reappears" as

that

amongst men the process

the primeval and

the descent of

simple-minded childlike human races, governed

and guided by divine beings, through growth of
materialism and the sense of separateness, and
consequent selfishness and exclusiveness in the
appropriation of the stores of nature and the gifts
of Providence, into the condition of ever-warring
Then a slow reascent therefrom, through
tribes.

and military government, to constitumonarchy and organised society, to reach at

last those distant and happy times of universal
brotherhood when unselfishness and altruism shall
despotic

tional

reign

supreme, and men will see their common

more than their separateness from each

unity far
other.

Finally, in the individual Jiva,

we

see that

278

evolution, or the life-process, appears as the gather-

ing of experience and information in the first

years after birth, then the utilisation of that experience for the

founding of a family, then the

instruction of the

new generation and

of

them

to take

up the

life

the helping
of the householder

themselves, and ultimately retirement from life

into Sannydsa and the peace of renunciation and

of a happy death.
Such being the general order of evolution, that
course of conduct which helps it on is Right all
;

we have to go to a certain place,

then all appliances that make the journey easier
and help us to move forward in that direction are
all obstacles that make it more difficult
good
and retard our progress are evil. If we had
a different goal, if we were desirous of going to a
else is

Wrong.

If

place in the exactly opposite direction, then the

first-mentioned appliances, which would be taking

away from our new goal, would become evil

So long then as we are on the line of our present

us

evolution, the actions that help us forward on

good and right, and the opposite ones

wrong. And in order to find out what
conduct
ation,

and what

is

we must' judge

is

arc

and
right

any particular situaccording to its condu-

wrong
it

it

evil

in

civeness or otherwise to the particular end in view,

279

and judge the particular end again with reference to

its

congruity with

evolution.
to say

the

what

is

Is

human

it is

impossible
wrong. With such

reference,

and what

right

of

general goal

Without such

on the other hand, we may map out easily

the details of our path in life and through evolution,
and then we shall have at every step a standard

reference,

of right and wrong by which to guide our actions.

These

details have been supplied to us, out of

knowledge and compassion, by the ancient
Sages and Seers. They have left to us a complete

their

outline of the

scheme of evolution of our world-sys-

tem, and have also

dealing with our

not only of the

left to

us general

rules

for

so

own life and the lives of others,

human but also of the lower king-

doms, that the advance of

all Jivas through the

of
evolution, mineral, vegetable,
stages
animal, human, celestial, &c., shall be made as easy
as possible. These general facts and rules are out-

various

lined in the various parts of this work.

For instance, the

and

dictated
evolution

rules of the four

laws

Ashramas

individual
by the facts
and the rules of the four Castes by the

and laws of human evolution at large,

middle stage of law-governed state and
organisation and division of labour.
facts

are

of

in the

social

280

The conditions of the four Castes and the four

Ashramas exhaust all possible situations in the
whole

life

of the

present-day humanity, and

the

San^tana Dharma therefore provides general rules

for all such situations, grouping them into general
classes.

The

casual observer might think that because

there are no expressly recognised Castes and Ashra-

mas amongst many

nations of modern

therefore general conditions are

for different nations

but

this

humanity,

radically different
is

not

so.

Though

not expressly recognised, the divisions themselves

are to be found everywhere, under other names

and forms

it

present day

may
;

is in

cognised
venience and
cally

be,

but

still

in all the races of the

and that they are not expressly

re-

some

respects productive of inconwaste of time and trouble, economi-

speaking,

to

those

nations, even as over-

recognition and exaggeration are productive of

inconvenience and mischief here in India.

The

natural conditions of the present evolution

unavoidably force upon humanity the relations of

teacher and student, ruler and ruled, producer

and consumer, master and servant, parent and son,
husband and wife, brother and sister, worker and
pensioner, employer and employed, soldier and
civilian,

agriculturist

and tradesman, layman and

281

householder and recluse.

priest,

The

Sanitaria

Dharma, instead of leaving these relations to

vague and groping experiments, rationally orders
and systematises them, and teaches generally
the duties and virtues proper to each relation
and

situation, with

the

injunction that the duties

and virtues of two different relations and situations

should never be mixed up together indiscriminately,
for thus great

"

danger and confusion

result:

Better to die in (the performance of) one's

the duty of another is full of danger.

own duty
If a

king, in the exercise of his office,

come

to

behave as a merchant, and instead of exercising

the king's virtues exhibit those of the tradesman
if a judge, in the decision of a case, instead of being
;

guided by the virtue of justice, show active physical fighting as a soldier, or

compassion as a priest
if a priest, in his ministrations, behave as an execuif one who should be a Brahmachari or a
tioner

Grihastha in the ordinary course, should, without

good

special reason,

become a Vanaprastha

or

Sannyasi, or vice- versa if one who is fitted by nature to be a soldier should become a merchant, or
;

one
1

fitted for

study only should take up the work

Bhagavad-GU&.

iii.

35,

282

of agriculture-- then the whole economy of the

state and the nation would be more or less disturbed.

What
in

right then in one situation

is

another

is

not right

and the most general definition that

can be given of right and wrong is, that right

conduct is that which helps on a known scheme
of evolution to its recognised goal, and wrong

conduct

is

the opposite.

For an instance of how the epithets right and

wrong may be applied to the very same action
looked at from different points of view, take this
case.
Two men come together one confines the
other in a closed house by force, takes away all
liberty of movement from him, and also all move;

able property he may have about him, and places

in the possession of others who help and obey
him. This act taken by itself, without any refer-

it

ence to previous

it hinders the life

facts, is wrong
and evolution of the man confined and that of his
;

family and dependants in fact it amounts to robbery with wrongful confinement of an aggravated
;

character.

had

But suppose that the man confined

forcibly deprived a third person of

perty,

and the man who ordered

his

some

pro-

confinement

was a judge, and the closed house a public jail,

then the same act becomes the rightful imprison-

283

ment

of a thief,

and the removal of property from

a necessary act of prison-discipline, all

his

person
of which is perfectly right and even necessary, for
thereby the evolution of society and of the thief

himself

is

generally helped.

But yet again,

the

if

imprisoned man had

forcibly deprived the other

of property not belonging to that other but to
himself, property which that other had stolen, then

the action of the judge becomes wrong again, and

his order reversible on appeal to a higher judge.
It is the same on a larger scale in the larger life

The Pur anas say that in the beginof

the
ing
world, when the immediate object was
to multiply the human population and engage it in
the life of the household, Daksha Prajapati created
of the world.

certain

classes

of children, the

The Rihi Narada, whose duty

world,

promote the

commenced

his

evil forces and genof renunciation in our

good and

certain adjustmentsof
erally to

it

Haryashvas, &c.
is to bring about

life

work too soon, and persuaded

the Haryashvas to avoid the life of the household

and take up the life of the recluse. His action,

because of

its

inopportuneness, was found

to

be

wrong, and he was punished by a curse under

which he himself had to be born in the animal and

human kingdoms and

hold with other Jivas.
I

lead the

life

of the house-

So, again, in the earliest

days

284

worship of Brahm&, the embodiment of Rajas and action, the cause of Sarga,
Later on, the worship of
creation, was enjoined.

of

the

the

race,

Vishnu, the embodiment of Sattva, Knowledge

and Love, the cause of Sthiti, maintenance, becomes

In the last days of a cycle, the worappropriate.

of
Shiva, the embodiment of Tamas, Vair^gya
ship
or Self-Sacrifice and Renunciation, the cause of the
Pralaya, the dissolution of the material world, finds
place.

Thus we

see that right

and wrong are always

I fit
relative to the surrounding circumstances.
were necessary to define them generally, without
such reference, then the nearest approach to accu-

racy

to be

is

on the

found in the Samskrit verse which

lips of

all

TOTYT*
"

of

Vyasa has

the

other

is

said but two

eighteen

Punya,

Puranas:

things

not,

the law

that

in

the whole

Doing good

(right); causing injury to

Papa (wrong)."
As a general rule, when one Jiva
makes him happy, whether he wish
or

is

Samskrit-knowing Indians:

to an-

another

helps

is

another,

it

consciously
happiness comes back to him by

of action

and reaction;

this is

expressed

rule that

by the
similar

is

The
and

Punya

brings happiness.

Exactly

the case as regards misery and Pipa.

three processes of creation, preservation

have

which

dissolution

just

been describ-

ed are based upon the three fundamental attributes

of the matter side of Nature, or Prakriti
Sattva,

To

Rajas and Tamas.

inertia

begin with,

due to Tamas

influencing

Intellect.

activity,

This

pralayic
the matter, or

Then we have kamic and

pr&kritic, side of Jivas.

m^nasic

we have

developing the Emotions and the

is

due

to

the prevalence of Rajas,

Lastly we
acting on the pr^kritic basis of Jivas.
have a tendency to free ourselves from distraction,
from desires for objects, from selfish pursuits, and
to attain calm, peace

surroundings at

any

and

bliss,

whatever be the outer

time. This spiritual evolution

brought about by the prevalence of Sattva in us.

Then, on the eve of Pralaya, Tamas overtakes us
once again.

is

Every man has in him a predominance of Sattva,

cr Rajas, or Tamas, and his development depends
upon the relative proportions of each of these attriWhen a man is predominantly tmasic,
butes.
dull
Le is
and ignorant,
indolent,
inactive,

He

requires

at

first

that draws

Anything
and makes him

him

active,

is

rajasic
out,

development

attracts

good and

curiosity,

right for him.

286

The constant
in

gets

rebuffs

his active

and touches of joy that he

life,

the accumulation of painful

and pleasurable experiences, develop

Under

rajasic

predominance, a

in material pursuits, his

intellect

his intellect.

man

soars

is

eager

high and

spreads wide, he goes backwards and forwards,

his cravings ever increasing, and his efforts to sa-

them take him through different intellectual

channels.
Action becomes the rule of his nature,
self, the personal self, becomes the centre of all his
actions, like (Raga) and dislike (Dvesha) are the
motive powers which drive him in his actions.
tisfy

When Sattva asserts itself, man begins to realise

the littleness of efforts directed towards the personal
self,

the transitoriness of worldly aspirations, the un-

rest

takes

and disquietude attending all actions.

a calm and broad view of all
things.

He
He

discriminates between the real and the unreal, the

lasting and the fleeting, the bliss eternal and the
He loves peace, calm,
pleasures of the moment.

and quietude.

Every man has thus his own evolutionary

which is generally indicated by the circumstances attending his birth, but more
precisely
by the attributes which characterise him. Though

stage,

particular rules

may

be laid

down

for the particu-

28;

lar stages of

development of a man, such as the

Varna and Ashram a

rules of

for

yet

old,

the

average civilised man in general, some rules of

conduct may also be laid down, and these form
the general rules of Ethics.

We

have now to see how on the basis above

sketched a Science of Conduct

is

built up, a Science

which cannot be overrated as to

For

this

sidering

its

Science of Conduct
relations to

important study

in

human

and

attention

human

its

is,

importance.
in

truth,

happiness, the most

that can engage

one which, to the youth,
bearing on his own future.

many ways
it is

all-important in its
For character is that which tells most in

is

and on

con-

human

chiefly depend both inner happiness

life,
and outer success. We have already seen that

and happiness are bound up together, and,

of the world, character is that on which

virtue
in

the

life

success depends.

lasting

may carry
man of bad

all

tellect

to be a
trust

it

him and he

A man

of a brilliant in-

before him, but

if

he be found

character, his fellows

falls

into discredit.

cease to
In every

the thing most sought

after and most trusted, and a man of good charac-

walk of

life,

character

ter is respected

The time

is

and admired everywhere,

of youth

is

the

time for improving

288

when the germs of vices can

be
eradicated, and the germs of virtues
easily
can most easily be cultivated.
character,

the time

most

Each comes into the world with a character

made by his past, and he must work upon this
character, his self-created friend

or

foe.

He

can

advantage if he understand clearly what he should aim at, and by what

means his aim can be reached. He needs to un-

work on

it

at the greatest

derstand the roots of virtues and vices, to learn

how to distinguish one from the other, to learn

how

to

cultivate

virtues

and how

to

eradicate

vices, as a gardener cultivates flowers and eradiFor each man has a garden in himcates weeds.
self,

and should learn

to be a skilful gardener.

CHAPTER

IV,

THE STANDARD OF

We have

ETHICS.

already seen that the measure used in

Ethics at the present stage of evolution,

by which

the Tightness or wrongness of an action is decided,

is the tendency of the action to promote or to

hinder Union.

The whole tendency

stage

is

of evolution at the present

towards the assertion of the Unity of

all selves, is to

seek the one Life amidst the diverse

forms of

and thus

leads

to

life,

Union

i.

The standard

e.

follow the path

the path of Truth.

that

to

of Ethics

is

in

other words

to

and not to divide. We can unite by the

establishment of harmonious relations between all
unite

the Jivatmas.
It

may now

be seen

chapter that the

about

happiness

why

it is

said in the

object of morality

by

establishing

is

first

to bring

harmonious

relations.

The "establishment of harmonious

which

now

is

said

seen to be the leading of the

19

relations,"

above to be the work of Ethic,

different

is

parts

of the great

human body

each other.

It is

to

no mere

work

in

harmony with

figure of speech that

all

nations, make up one great Man ;

Puruha," the Inner Man, the Self,
is indeed Puruhottama, the Lord, fshvara Himself.
But there is also the Puru^ha which is His body,
and this is Humanity as a whole, and each se-

races of men,
it is

a fact

parate being

all

"

is

cell in

All

that vast body.

the

which make us unhappy, the wars between nations and the quarrels between individuals, the poverty and starvation, the competition
troubles

and the crushing of the weak, and the countless

evils round us, are all diseases of this great body,
due to the parts of it getting out of order, and
working separately and competitively without a

common

object, instead

unity for the

of working together as a

good of the whole.

The moral

tendencies of

man were

classified

by Shri Krishna under two broad divisions Divine qualities (Daivl Sampat) and infernal qualities
(Asuri Sampat).

Under Daivi Sampat, Shri Krishna placed the

virtues

nious

that go towards bringing about

feelings

amongst

all

harmo-

beings, towards

ac-

centuating a feeling of unity and friendliness, to-

wards securing peace and calm,

in

fact

towards

29t

carrying out the law of evolution in

its

entirety,

n1

"

Fearlessness, sattvic purity, steadfast pursuit

of wisdom, charity, control of the senses,

sacrifice,

study, austerity, uprightness,

"

Harmlessness, truthfulness, absence of anger,

resignation, peace of mind, avoidance of calumny,
pity

for

all

beings,

absence of greed, gentleness,

modesty, absence of restlessness,

"

dom

Energy, forgiveness, endurance, purity, freefrom hatred and from pride these are his

who is born to the divine qualities, O Bharata."

Under Asuri Sampat He placed all the opposite
vices

all

to divide the Jiv^tmas, and

the feeling of Egotism, of the sepaHe described as asuric those qualities

that tends

to accentuate

rated

self.

which have their root

in

and grow out of the

delusion of separateness.

Bhagavad-GM.

xvi. 1-3.

Ibid. xvi.

"

also

who

292

Hypocrisy, arrogance and conceit, wrath and

harshness and unwisdom, are his, O P^rtha,
is born to the eisuric qualities."

*
fit

"

Self-important, obstinate,

filled

with the pride

and intoxication of wealth, they perform

ostentation, contrary to

fices for

lip-sacri-

scriptural

ordi-

nance.
"

Given over to egotism, violence, insolence, lust

and wrath, these malicious ones ever hate Me in
the bodies of others and in their own,
*
"

Triple

the Self

is

lust,

the gate of this hell,

destructive

of

wrath and greed

therefore let

man renounce these three."

The whole of Chapter XVI

of the Bhagavad-*
GitA should be carefully pondered by the student in
this connection.
5

JM.

17, 18, 21.

CHAPTER

V.

VIRTUES AND THEIR FOUNDATION,

The

establishment of

harmonious

relations

means mutual sacrifice of the personal selves. It

means that all beings should realise that they form
component parts of one Being, and that they must
subordinate themselves to the

all

life

of that

One

the
Just as there are innumerable
body, but each cell-life subordinates itself to the
one life that pervades the whole body, so the life
cells in

Being.

of every being is to be subordinated to the life of

the fshvara of the Universe. Different cells have
different functions to perform, but each function

is

a part of the general function of the whole body.

As each cell has its fixed place in the body, so
each being has a definite place in the universe.

There

is

one general

life-current that pervades all

beings, and the life of each individual has to conform to the One Life, the life of the One Self, fshvara.

This

and
all

is

the limitation

under which we

all

work,

the law of our very being

are
beings
mutually linked to one another, and
this limitation

is

the links impose mutual

relations

and mutual

294

All beings are dependent on one anand they are all dependent on the one great
This law of interdependence, of mutual sacri-

sacrifices.

other,
Life,
fice,

known

is

explained

as Yajna,

in Parts

and

and has already been

II.

Whatever actions we do, we ought to do them for

the sake of Yajna, Thus only can we follow the Great
Law. If a man lives for self, and makes an independent centre in himself, overlooking the one great
centre of the Universe, he creates bonds for himself

and

suffers therefrom.
\

w\ Sri^

tsNfts^ 3i*HhFT*

U1

"The world is bound by action, other than action

done for the sake of sacrifice with such object,
free from attachment, O son of Kunti, perform thou
;

action/' 1

We

have seen that the

different classes of beings

linked together in this universe are five: theDevas,

the Pitris, the Ri$his, men and animals, and that
these classes are a duty, which every
performing actions is bound to discharge.

sacrifices to

man

For when

sacrifice is

obligation to perform

becomes a duty.
1

Bhagacad-GUcl.

iii.

9.

imposed by law, there is an

it. and hence the performance

295

exact ethical sense duty means an action

due, which ought to be done, which is

In

its

which

is

owed

it is

is

an obligation to be discharged. Nature

ever restoring disturbed equilibrium, and the

Karma, of action and re-action, is

universal law of

the

statement of

full

balancing her accounts.

owes

this

fact.

She

is

always
Duties are the debts a man

to his fellows, paid to discharge the obligations

under which he

While

lies for benefits received.

five duties are

mentioned

for the

purpo-

ses of the five Daily Sacrifices, three of these are

called the debts in a special and larger sense, as

permeating the man's whole life. They are the

Rishi Rinam, the debt to the Ri$his the
Pitri
Rinam, the debt to the Ancestors ;
t
;

the

^
"

SIPT,

Deva Rinam,

the debt to the Devas.

Having studied the Vedas according

to

the

rules, having begotten sons according to righteous-

ness,
let

having offered

him turn

The

his

sacrifice

mind

according to his power,

to moksha."

three twice-born Castes were directed to

pay

these debts by passing through the three Ashramas,

Brahmacharya, Garhasthya and Vanaprastha, each

vi.

36.

of which,

it

2 96

be seen, answers to one of the above

The debt to the Ri^his was paid by

will

three duties.

ar33% adhyayanam

f
(including 3T^nT?r) studying
the Vedas, serving the teacher in the Brahmacharya-Ashrama and by teaching others; the debt to the

Ancestors was paid by rearing a family and discharging the duties of G^rhasthya, including ^rnr,
danam, charitable gifts ; the debt to the Devas was
paid by 35F4, yajanam, sacrifice, chiefty in Vnaprastha.
Sannysa, the fourth Ashrama, sums up the
three others
caste, the

on the highest

level.

Shftdra, only ^psror? shushruha, service,

was prescribed, as summing up

Looked

word.

For the youngest

all

duties in a single

at truly, service of the world inclu-

duties for the highest Sannyasi, for he has

nothing left to gain for himself. Thus the duty of

des

all

the youngest becomes also the duty of the eldest,

but in the latter case on a much higher level.
may illustrate the idea of duty by the rela-

We

tion

of father and son.

his childhood protection

The

father received in

and care from

parents, and thus incurred a debt

as parental duty to his son, to

whom

his

own

he pays this
he, in turn, has
;

given a physical body, which requires from him

the fostering care bestowed on his own in his in-

fancy and childhood. The son, having received

his body from the father, has the duty of serving

297

him with that body, and

during

own

his helpless years to

is

also incurring a debt

be paid

in

time to his

children.

Now

the quality which dictates the fulfilment

of a duty is called a Virtue; that which prompts

the non-fulfilment, or violation of

Vice.

Happiness

in

any

relation

it,

is

called a

depends on the

parties to the relation fulfilling their duties to each

other ; that is, on their practising the virtues which

are the

fulfilment

of the duties of the relation.

Unhappiness
any relation results if one or both
the parties do not fulfil their duties to each other
in

that

is, if

fulfilment

they practise the vices which are the nonof

the duties of the relation.

father

and son are happy with each other

shows the virtues of tenderness, protection, care for
the well-being of the son, and the son shows the virif

the father

tues of obedience, reverence and serviceableness.

father

and son are unhappy

if

the father shows the

vices of harshness, oppression, neglect, and the son

shows the vices of disobedience, disrespect and

careless disregard.

If father

and son love each

other, the virtues of that relation will be practised

if

they hate each other, the vices of that relation

will appear. Virtues grow out of love regularised

and controlled by the righteous intelligence, that
sees more the unity of the Self than the divershy

398

Not-Self; vices grow out of hate strengthened and intensified by the unenlightened intelli-

of the

gence, that sees more the separateness of the bodies

than the oneness of the Self.

Speaking of virtues and vices, of right and

wrong, of good conduct and bad conduct, we must
not forget, that in whatever
expressions in

human

way they may

conduct, they are

all

find

based

on Truth, which embodies the Law itself. Sacrifice

and Duty follow the Law the Law itself is an
expression of Truth. In fact fshvara Himself is
Truth. The Devas adoring the Divine Lord, when
;

He

appeared as Shri Krishna, broke forth

"O True of promise, True of purpose, triply True,

the Fount of Truth and dwelling in the True, the
Truth of Truth, the Eye of Right and Truth,
of Truth, refuge we seek

in

Spirit

Thee."

Thus Virtues have been called forms of Truth.

Bhqfhma describes them as follows
:

hdgavatapura,na X.

ii.

26,

299

WTT
u1
"

Truthfulness, equability, self-control, absence

of self-display,

forgiveness, modesty, endurance,

absence of envy, charity, a noble well-wishing
towards others, self-possession, compassion, and
harmlessness surely these are the thirteen forms

of Truth."

Truth

that which

is

IS.

As Bhi^hma

says

u2
"

Truth

is

Brahman

the eternal

Every-

thing rests on Truth."

i.

All the laws of nature are expressions of Truth,

they are the methods, the expressions of

the nature

of

That

which

IS,

of

the

Truth,

Reality, Being, the Self or PuruSha manifesting

amidst the limitations of the Not-Self, Untruth,

Non-Being, or Mulaprakriti.
fore

with

justice

undeviating

and

They work

accuracy,

precision.

To be

with
true

there-

absolute
is

to

be

accord with these laws, and to have nature's

in

constructive energies on our side and working with

It is to be working with Ishvara.
us.
The intellect
1

has the power of discerning what

MahdbhArata. Shanti Parva.

clxii. 8,9.

is

from what

2 Ibid. 5.

is not,

the power of discrimination, of seeing the

Recognising the Real as

Real and the Unreal

stable and permanent, it seeks to grasp it, and thus

cultivates the virtues which are the forms of truth.

Untruth

is

that which IS NOT.

All vices are forms of Untruth, even as all virtues

Hence the overwhelming im-

are forms of Truth.

portance of Truth, which is thus the foundation and

essential constituent of all virtues, rather than a
separate virtue to be taken by

itself.

Truthfulness was, in ancient days, the leading

Aryan, and is constantly alluded

characteristic of the

to as a constituent in the heroic character.

when about

to revive the

Shrl Krishna says

"O

Uttar^

Thus,
dead child of Abhimanyu,

speak not

falsely,

Mahfohdrata. Ashvamedha Parva.

and

this shall

Iziz. 18, 19, 21. 22.

come

truly

child
"

As

play, -as

may
"

so

may

beings behold

revive this

it.

have never uttered an untruth, even in

I have never turned back from battle, so

As

have never known dispute with Arjuna,

may this dead babe revive.

that truth

As

truth and

Dharma ever dwell in Me, so

Abhimanyu live."
repeatedly make the same state-

the dead child of

Other heroes
ment:
Shri

this infant live.

by
"

Even now do

about.

let all

30i

"

My

lips

have never uttered an untruth."

Rma goes into exile for fourteen years in order

that his father's promise may remain unbroken.

Yudhihthira refuses to struggle for his kingdom

before due time, because he has promised to remain

in exile.

The

effect of these continually

repeated precepts

ana examples was to work into the Aryan character

a profound love of truth, and this has repeatedly
been noticed as a predominating feature of Hindu
character,

must never be forgotten that no character can

be virtuous which has not truth for its basis, and
that no character can be base when truth is preIt

served unsullied,

It is the root

of

all

true manli-

302

glory of the hero, the crown of the virtuous, the preserver of the family, the protection of
the State.
Falsehood undermines alike the home
ness, the

and the nation, poisons the springs of virtue,

degrades and pollutes the character. The liar is
always weak and always despicable; scorn and contempt follow him. For the building up of character,

truth

is

the only sure foundation.

Here, again, we come back to our basis of morality,

if it

will

and see why Truth

is

so all-important.

For

be carefully traced back, every untruth uttered

be found to be ultimately connected with the

desire

for a separate

hence to

arise

and exclusive existence, and

from repulsion, separateness, hate,

while every truth uttered is ultimately connected

with the desire for the common and united life of
the one Self, the Real, whence

all

love proceeds.

CHAPTER
BLISS

The

life

AND EMOTIONS.

of f shvara

itself as

VI.

permeates

all

beings and

consciousness and

bliss, through
expresses
the bodily limitation of these beings. The body
becomes more and more complex, the organs be-

come developed, so that the imprisoned life may

assert itself more and more.
It is the force of life
It is
that directs the development of all being.
that force that breaks through the t&masic inertia

of the mineral form, and makes the mineral matter-

more and more

plastic

and capable of receiving imIt is that force which

pressions from the outside.

eventually makes a centre of Self in all beings, and

developes faculties that digest the outside impres-

and work them out into tendencies that form

Ideas of virtues and vices
thus arise, ideas of right and wrong, of good and
sions

the character of man.

bad.

The
ing

force works itself out by impulses seekand by the direction of the guiding intelliWe need not, in this treatise, go further

life

bliss,

gence.

back than the human stage of development.

The

304

impulses of man lead him indiscriminately to various objects in pursuit of pleasure. But the rebuffs
of pain
this

make him

happens

in

Over and over

stop and think.
Over and over again the imover and over again intelligence

life.

pulses propel
checks. The impulses are thus restrained, directed,
;

and

Bliss

refined.

and intelligence act and react on

each other and constantly press

man

onward.

becomes known as Emotion, the other as

One

Intellect.

A man may

progress continually: he may no longer

require a brain, he may no longer require the help
of propelling emotions, he may no longer require

some

forms of intelligence and bliss;

but intelligence and bliss themselves form part
f his life
they are aspects of the fshvaric life,
particular

which he assimilates and

calls his

own, and they

are inseparable from him,

Emotions lead a man outwards and make him

identify himself with the things he sees around him.

But

intellect

forms a centre

of

the centre

I-ness,

of a small circle of personality, forces

all experiences to that centre, and judges all things from the
standpoint of that centre. Intellect forms the bar-

rier

of selfishness, which separates

man from man,

by wider and wider knowledge, by

knowledge embracing the whole universe, the barritill

&

at

is

last

swept away,

all

mankind, nay

all

beings,

305

field, one circle ; but the centre is then

and
becomes the great centre of the Uniremoved,

form one

verse,

the centre of fshvaric existence

etbore the

Ahamkra

the limited

sense of

man

rises

tattva, the tattva that causes

I

He

-ness.

plunges

into

Mahat, or the great tattva, and becomes the possessor of universal knowledge.

The emotions of
personal

The

self,

a man, bound

find expression

down

to

the

through the indriyas.

indriyas rush out and bring back their experi-

The experiences
cause harmonious vibrations are recorded by
the intellect as pleasurable, and those that produce

ences to the intellect of man.

that

opposite vibrations are recorded as painful. The

register is made in the memory of man, and intellect

proceeds to discriminate between

what

is

pleasurable and what is painful in the long run.

Emotions thus become trained. Likes and dislikes
become the natural expressions of the emotions,
under the guidance of intellect which has develop-

ed Discrimination,

The

senses

become thus

indissolubly

wedded

to

the mind, the emotions to the intellect, the indriyas

and man becomes normally EmotionalThis is essentially

Intellectual, or K^ma-M^nasic.

to Mahat,

necessary at this stage of his progress,

20

306

the beginning whatever

But
is bitter.
whatever
is sweet, and dislikes
of a sweet
experience tells him that too much
bitter
a
bad
as
is
as
Temperance in
thing.
thing

Thus

man

likes

in

time becomes a normal emotion in a developed

man.

What

is

sweet in the beginning becomes somewhat is apparently sweet

times bitter in the end

is

sometimes really

bitter.

l
\\

"

end

That which
is

as nectar

born of the

at first
;

is

as

that pleasure

blissful

venom, but
is

In

said to be s^ttvic,

knowledge of the Self.

"That which from the union of

the senses with

end

their objects at first is as nectar, but in the

like

venom, that pleasure" is accounted r^jasic.

As

the

these experiences are repeated,

man

is

11

learns

prudence, and prudence becomes a normal^ emotion in

To

man.
rush out to do a thing on the

sometimes brings on disastrous

1

fihagavad GMd.

xviii, 37, 38.

first

results,

impulse

To

lose

307

temper brings more disharmonious than harmonious

Forbearance,
Toleration,
experiences.
thus normal emotions in man.

are

become

Emotions, rightly directed by the intelligence,

In the culture of emotions lies the
virtues.

formation of a man's character, his ethical development. Emotional culture is the highest culture of

man, and the training of

likes

and

dislikes

his

is

The man of cultured emotions is

them
to do what he thinks right
he
by
propelled
becomes patriotic, he becomes philanthropic, he
becomes compassionate, he becomes friendly to all
best evolution.

beings.

His emotions become predominantly those

of Love, and he takes an ever wider and wider

range in the manifestation of that Love. And

when the barrier of

when the ahamkaric
the reflection of the

is

swept away,
Manas, or
Universal Mind, the emotions
personality

mind becomes

also break through the barrier of indriyas and

ascend to Buddhi, and reflect the life of fshvara
within.
Verily then the Trinity of Atma, Buddhi

and Manas

man

Ethical Science

is

becomes a Unity, and

the

Jivanmukta.

We

now understand why

particularly

concerned with

hence with the

the

emotions,

bliss aspect of fshvara.

and

308

There are many ways

ol

showing why happiness should follow right conduct, and unhappiness

wrong conduct, but they are all modifications of the
one essential reason,
in

all,

that, as there

to hurt or help another

or help oneself.
It is written in the Shruti

is

Brahman

knowledge and

is

Over and over again the

spoken of, and bliss is said
fact the threefold nature of

"

One

Self

virtually to hurt

gl
*'

but

is

bliss."

bliss of

Brahman"

to be His nature.

fshvara, of the

fs

In

Saguna

expressed in the epithet, Sat-ChitBliss is thus the very nature of the

Brahman,
Ananda,

is

Jiv&tm& y since his nature is that of Brahman he,

too, is bliss, But we learn further that the Saguna
;

Brahman

ft^r spotless, and 5^, pure. 2 Therefore

only the pure, the good, is of His nature, and is
So then must the
compatible with His bliss.
is

essence of the Jiv&tm& be purity, and

of

it

"

Let him know

.

Mundahop.

II.

ii,

over again.
*

it

is

written

Zathoy.

II. vi. 7.

it,

V.
9.

pure and immortal."

ix-

28.

The statement

is

repeated orer and

309

Thus

purity and bliss are of the nature of the

and are inseparable, for unity is purity,
and the feeling of unity is the feeling of bliss.

Each JivAtm& being of the nature of the one

Self It is ever, when embodied in a separate torm,
seeking union with the Self in other forms. This
search for unity, for the bliss of union, is instinctive,

and

results,

when

the union

is

found, in perfect hap-

piness. In this everyone is alike. Men differ in most

things, but in their longing for happiness they are all
alike.

Every man, woman, boy and

wants to be

girl

happy. They seek happiness in many different

ways, but they all seek happiness. The JivAtmA,
blinded by his body, chooses the wrong things very
often, but the motive of his choice

the desire to be happy.

same,
be happy, and he
nature.

is

always the
nature to

It is his

always trying to express that

the whole of his long pilgrimage

is

Through

searching for happiness. This is his rootIf

motive, the object at which he invariably aims.
he does a painful thing, it is in order to gain a
lie

is

greater happiness. If he endures toil and discomfort,

because the result of the toil and discomfort

it is

be happiness. Happiness

is his end
everything
only means to that end. A life of austerity
and continued self-denial and suffering is embraced

will

else

is

in the belief that

it

will lead to

supreme

bliss.

The

whole of evolution
11

may be

described in the words

search for happiness." Continually disappointed, with unwearying perseverance man returns

again and again to the search, until at last he recognises that purity, wisdom, bliss, are one and inThen he goes to Peace.
divisible.

For

purity,

Ananda,

wisdom and

are the

bliss, Sat,

Chit and

very nature of Ishvara, His

own

Self.

Thus Ethics
the realisation

leads us to the highest religion, to

of the highest truths, and when

Ethics reaches its goal, the barrier between Ethics

and Religion vanishes away. Ethics becomes Religion and Religion Ethics. The goal of both is
This is why the Hindu
Ishvara and Ishvaric life.
ethical system is a branch of the Hindu Religion,
and why one cannot be separated from the other.

CHAPTER VIL
"SELF-REGARDING" VIRTUES.

We

have already seen that Ethics has as its

object the establishment of harmonious relations.
These relations are concerned with the surroundings of a
also with

man
his own

his

home,

body.

city,

Now

the

nation, etc

and

body of a man,

according to the scriptural teachings, is, as we have

seen, a complex one, consisting of several sheaths,
or kohas.

we have

It is

the

functions, the

remember here that

sheath, in which Prana

enough

physical

to

sheath of the indriyas or senses

(the sensuous or kamic sheath), the mental sheath

and the buddhic sheath. Ethics concerns itself
physical, the kmic, and the
For when the buddhic sheath
reached, man becomes divine, and the present

at present with
mental sheaths.
is

the

limit of ethical teachings

is

crossed.

Ethical teachings have therefore reference to the

lower sheaths of a man'.s body, and to the different
classes of beings, who form his surroundings.
The
different classes of beings, as

we have already

are the Devas, the Pitris,the Ri$bis,

and the lower animals,

e.

men

seen,

in general,

beings both higher and

312

lower than man, as well as the whole of

We

have thus, in the

mankind

place, duties

first

which

we owe

to the sheaths of our own? body, and in the

place> duties that we owe to Devas, Pitris

next

Rihis, mankind and the lower animals.

When

the body becomes entirely harmonious

with the Self within, it becomes a true and subdued vehicle of the life of Atm&,. which is an aspect

of the

life

of fshvara.

When the surrounding universe becomes harmonious with the Self within, the life of fshvara
flows out to the universe from the centre of the
Man then becomes fully an expression of
Self.
the Law, the voice of Ishvara,, the sacred

Towards

Pranava.

and

that goal we should

must lead us.

word

all strive,

to that goal ethics

Now

let

us turn to our body, or bodies^

if

the

term be preferred.
First, the

SthAla Sharzra. The physical body must

be kept clean and healthy.

mean harmony and order.

Cleanliness and health

Man

is

better able to

do

work with a clean and healthy body. He remains

The diseased man cannot
cheerful and bright.
give

attention

to work.

The disharmony and

react

He

is

uneasy

in

mind.

disorder of one sheath also

on the other sheaths of the man.

The body should be kept up by means of sttvic food.

For the food retains

its

essential

mag-

conversion into blood,

and produces corresponding effects on the indriyas
and the mind. The Bhagavad-Gitd says
properties after

netic

its

2%
"The
life,

foods

dear to

the Sattvic,

energy, strength, health, joy

are those that are

full

increasing

and cheerfulness,

of juice, oleaginous, non-

and heart-strengthening.

volatile

Those dear to the R^jasic, causing pain,

depression and sickness, are the bitter, acid, saline,
over-hot, pungent, dry and burning.
c

"

and

Stale and

putrid and corrupt, leavings

unclean (things), are the food loved by the
flat,

Tamasic."

We

have already seen that the higher evolution

brought about by the predominance of Sattva,

and that Sattva means harmony.

is

Loc.

cit. xvii. 8, 9, 10.

Secondly, the

314

SAkshma

Shattra.

The

Jndriyas,

through the heredity of our past existence, are largely guided by animal appetites, which are distinctly

We

rajasic.

We may

should therefore subdue our indriyas.

smell, taste and touch, but
see, hear,

we should not

ascribe our

likes

and

dislikes

to

We

the objects of the senses.

must sense as a
matter of course, but the sensing must not be vitiated
by personal likes and dislikes, which form a barrier

between ourselves and the external

world

and

make harmonious relations impossible.

Every
man makes a world to himself, by means of
and dislikes.
Thus many worlds are
each different from the other, and all
different from the world as it is, the world of

his

likes

formed

Ishvara.

Men

are jaundiced

by the

tint

and

taint of their personalities and, blinded

tractions of Rajas, they

word of I shvara.

Therefore our

by the disdo not see the Law, the

mind should not be guided by

the indriyas, but the mind should be guided by

its own
discriminative faculty, and should then

subdue the senses.

The

indriyas are divided

into

organs of per-

ception and organs of action (the latter belonging

to the Sthula Sharira).
There is no harm done

by the perception of

objects, if the

perception

315

be not followed by

Dvesha

and

own

RAga and

dislikes.

helplessly

for their

karmendriyas

"

likes

us

drive

along,

the

using

satisfaction.

Affection and aversion for the objects of sense

let none come under the

abide in the senses

dominion of these two

they are the obstructors of

his way."

Affection and aversion,

the desire-nature of man.

Raga and Dvesha, form

universal love.
in

personal

Dvesha

is

in

relations,

emotional in

This,

origin, has to be controlled.

ture has to be purified.
Raga

The emotional
to

is

expand

its

nainto

to be eliminated entirely
relations

between

man

and man, between one being and another being,

and is to be retained only as an abstract dislike
for

anything that goes against the law, against

the will of Ishvara.

not at

It

is

his

purity,

in

should

dislike

only to

make

rejection of
evil

ways,

The mind, when wedded

comes
1

abstract dislike

this

is

to interfere with the universal love of all

all

beings.

But

rajasic.

Bhagavad-Gtt&.

When
iii.

34.

man

strong in his

that

is

all

but
to

wedded

not

He

evil.

evil

men.

the indriyas, beto

Buddhi,

it

becomes

s^ttvic.

normally

make

The mind

r^jasic at the

efforts to

of an average

He

present day.

is

should

to sAttvic.

it

change

man

We

have already said that the mind should give

up personal likes and dislikes, Rga and Dvesha.
RAga and Dvesha form the impurities of the mind,

and when they are given up the mind becomes

purified.

There

another do$ha, or

is

It gets distracted.

It

of outside objects.

It

to that matter,

and

it

of the mind.

applies itself to a

number

away from this matter

can with very great difficulty
runs

be tied down to one.

The mind

is compared to a
drawn
constantly being
away in ten
directions by ten horses, which are the

chariot, which

different

fault,

is

This Vikshepa, or distraction of the

has
to
be
checked. The mind has to be
mind,
ten indriyas.

concentrated, to be

When
mind

distraction of the

becomes s^ttvic. Then it

removed,
the Self within, and causes harmony and

reflects

This

mony

one-pointed.

the impurities and

are

bliss.

made

it

is

harmony with

with the Divine

the Universe, or har-

Law

as manifested in the

Universe.

The
deal

first

step towards removing distraction

is

to

with abstractions more than with concrete

objects

317

we must generalise truths, and come

at last

to the highest Truth, the one Reality, fshvara,

grasp

Him firmly. Then

as His manifestation, all

laws as His law.

fade away.

The

all

works as His action,

Varieties disappear.

Harmony

and

the Universe appears

all

Diversities

prevails.

training of the

mind

is

man's most im-

portant duty, and next to this follows the control

of speech and actions. At the same time he must

not neglect his physical body. All the vehicles

forming his body must be controlled and made

harmonious with each

The

other.

tenfold law, as laid

some of the

characteristics

down by Manu,
needed

u
"

Endurance, patience,

truth,

self-control,

purity, restraint of the senses,

gives

integrity,

wisdom, learning,

absence of anger, are the ten signs of virtue."

In briefer form

Harmlessness, truth, integrity, purity, control

of the senses, saith Manu, is the summarised law
'

for the tour castes."

1

Manusmriti.

8 Ibid,

x. 63,

vi,

92.

|J

In

the Bhagavad-GttA

these general characteristics

"

an exhaustive
is

given

list

of

Fearlessness, clean-living, steadfastness In ths

Yoga
fice,

of wisdom, almsgiving, self-restraint, sacristudy of the Shastras, austerity, straightfor-

wardness,
"

Harmlessness, truth, absence of wrath, renunciation, peacefulness, absence of crookedness, compassion to living beings, uncovetousness, mildness,

modesty, steadfastness,
"

Energy, patience, fortitude, purity, absence of

envy and pride these are his who is born with the
divine qualities,

Some

Bharata."

of these virtues would

fall

into

one or

other of the three classes already spoken of, but for

the most part they belong to the Jlvatma as his
general expression of the love-emotion, and as the

balance of his

own

nature, the due control of his

energies.
1

Bhagavad-Gttd.

xvi.

15.

319

The essential importance of Truth has already

been dwelt upon. As a general virtue it appears as
Its
Truthfulness, Honesty, Integtity, Uprightness.
utter indispensability is concentrated by the wis-

dom and
as:

"

experience of ages into short sayings, such

"

Honesty
Truth alone

The
tioned

"

the best policy," ctHR? wiff

prevails, not falsehood."
is

Wpt

virtue of Self-control, or Self-restraint,

each of the above quotations,

in

general

reining-in

of

all

"

men-

is

the

the energies of the mind,

desire-nature, and physical body, the holding of

them all in due submission, so that each is allowed
It imor refused exercise at the will of the man.

the

that

plies

man

is

conscious of the difference

lower upadhis, and no

more indentifies himself with his lower nature than

between himself and

his

a rider identifies himself with the horse on

he

is sitting.

led

man and

like

the

The

which

contrast between an uncontrol-

man is very much

a bad rider on an un-

a self-controlled

contrast between

broken horse, and a good rider on a well-broken

horse.

In the

first case,

the

horse rushes about,

carrying his helpless rider, plunges violently, and

in the other case, the man
gives his rider a bad fall
;

sits easily,

guiding the docile steed in any direction,

galloping or standing still, leaping or walking,

every motion of the rider obeyed by the horse,

320

So necessary

is self-control, that the teachers of

are
morality
continually recurring to it, and enforcit.
Manu dwells on its necessity, and
ing

explains

that action has

three

and that control of

roots,

each generator of action must be gained.

"

Action

Each

is

born of mind, speech and body."

of these, mind, speech, and body,

must be
brought under complete control, and then success
is sure.

s*r

f^r

farter

"

He

is

fa3rtfffir

called the holder

of the Tri-danda in

whose reason these are fixed

-control of speech,

control of mind, control of body.

:<

The man who

lays this triple rule (over

self)

amidst

desire

and wrath, and goes

Of these
important,
the mind.

to perfection."

three, control of the

as

mind

says again

8
i

Manusmriti.

is

the most

speech and action alike depend on

Manu

S Ibid. 10, 11.

him-

creatures, he verily dominates

all

xii.'3.

"

Let the mind be known as the instigator."

Once
and

321

let

mind be brought under

the

all else follows,

but here

control,

the great difficulto

the
extreme
restlessness
of the mind.
ty, owing

Arjuna placed

this difficulty

5,000 years ago

before

Shri Krishna

"

lies

15 WT

Verily the mind

is restless,

tuous, strong, difficult to

to curb, like the wind."

bend

O
I

Krishna, impe-

deem

it

very hard

And no answer can be given to this, save the

answer given by the Divine Teacher
:

i^fr

"

Without doubt,
hard to curb and
Kunti,

it

may

mighty-armed, the mind is

restless
yet verily, O son of
;

be curbed by constant practice and

dispassion.

Only long-continued

effort

and perseverance

can bring under control this restless vigorous mind,

and yet without this control man can never be
happy.
1 Bhaffai'ad-Gttc*. vi. 34.
2 Tbid. 35.

21

322

"

As

often

the restless and unstable

as

goeth forth, so often reining it

under the control of the Self."
If this

much

in, let

be done, then happiness

so that Shri Krishna

mind

him place
is

it

secured, so

makes happiness part

mind

of the successful austerity of the

u 2

"Mental happiness, equanimity,

control, purity of nature
terity of the mind."

this

silence,

self-

called the aus-

is

But the most disturbing part of man's nature

his desires, ever-craving,

the

more they are

never

satisfied.

gratified, the fiercer

n
"

Desire

is

verily never

ment of objects of
-as fire

desire

In

is

fact

they grow,

quenched by the enjoyit

only increases further

with butter."

To

bring the senses under control the mind must

be used, else will a man ever be restless and uneasy.
1

BJiagarad'GUob.

Pnd.

xvii. 16.

vi. 26.

Manusmriti.

ii.

94.

323

He must
for

mind to control his senses,

come his chief temptations.

learn to use his

through the senses

And every

sense must be brought under control;

for one uncontrolled sense may play havoc with the

mind

ft

s^rs^mr^

^r^r

f^ri^kPT^RRf
"

That one of the roving senses which the mind

yieldeth

to,

that

hurries

away the understanding,

as a gale (hurries away) a ship on the 'waters.

Manu

"

on the danger of allowing

away from control, using a

also lays stress

even one sense to

slip

very graphic symbol

n2

"If one sense of

the senses leaks, then under-

all

standing leaks through

it,

as water from the leg of

the water-skin."

One open passage is enough to allow all the

water to pour out from the water-skin of the watercarrier
and so one uncontrolled sense is opening
;

enough

for

man's understanding to flow away from

him.

The mind,

then,

1.Bhagavad-6rit&.

ii.

to be brought

is

67.

Ufanusmriti.

ii,

under control,

99,

and

is

to

324

be used to control the senses.

In the

Kathopanishat) the mind is therefore compared to

the reins with which a driver pulls in, guides and
controls his horses, the horses being

compared

to

away with the body and

dwells in the body

the senses, which run

the Jiv&tmci,

who

fife

*rfri

w*re 3

rs

<{

body

TO

Know

the Self as the occupant of the car, the

Know indeed the reason
verily as the car.

as the charioteer, the

mind

as the reins.

"The senses are said to be

of the senses the

field for

the horses, the objects

them.

the senses and the mind,

is

The

Self,

the enjoyer

joined to
so say the

wise.

"

He who

is

unwise, with
Kajhop.

iii.

36,

the
9.

mind ever unap~

325

plied, of

him

the senses

bad horses of the

"

He who

of him

is

are uncontrolled, like the

charioteer.

with the mind ever applied^

wise,

the senses

are

like

controlled,

the good

horses of the charioteer.

*

#
'

The man whose

charioteer

is

wise,

whose mind-

reins are used, he only travels to the end

road, to the highest abode of Vishnu."

ATanu uses the same imagery

"

of the

The wise man should make

effort to control

the senses running amid the alluring objects of

sense, as the driver the horses."
five organs of sense and the five
Manu
of
declares that the .control of
action,
organs
the mind includes the control of these

Recounting the

"Mind
by

be known as the eleventh, belonging

nature to both
in conquering this, the two

its

is

to

sets of five
1

become conquered."

Mamismriti. H. 88.

Hid.

92.

326

The

control of speech consists in making it respectful to superiors, courteous to equals, gentle to

inferiors, and we shall return to this in studying
the special virtues. For the moment we may leave
it with the general description of right
speech
:

*fff TO

"

Speech causing no annoyance, truthful, pleasant and beneficial, and the repetition of the Vedas,
this is called the austerity of speech."

And Manu
fr

remarks

ntarern srt

fr^"

^rfs^r ^rP^-^rrr:

^T

s^^?nc

%t

All things are governed by speech speech is

the root, from speech they originate
that man
verily who is dishonest in speech, he is dishonest
:

in all."

Thus important is speech said to be.

The control of the body is similarly summed up
by Shri Krishna

<(

Worship of the Devas, the twice-born, the

gurus and the wise, purity, straightforwardness,
i

Bhagavad-Gita.

xvii. 15-

BUagai-ad-Gitci. xvii. 14.

Mann

*"'

r'di. iv.

256.

327

and harmlessness, are called the austerity

of the body."
Control such as this produces a balancing of the
mind, calmness, quiet and contentment.

chastity,

The

secret of self-control has been

(see ante p.

321) to be

Abhyasa and

"constant practice and dispassion."

word

is

especially

said

above

Vairagya,
The second

and the whole

significant,

statement should be studied in the light of the

shlokas quoted from the Kathopanishat. Buddhi,
the Pure Reason,

is

there said to be the charioteer,

whose one hand are grasped the many-branching

Buddhi is, as has been said, the
reins of Manas.

in

faculty which recognises and realises the Unity of

the Self, as Manas is that which cognises the
many-ness of sense-objects. The owner of the car,

the Jivatma, should make sure that Buddhi drives

and then the reins and the horses will be

his car,

well

managed.

Now

the

student

who

wishes that Buddhi

should thus drive his car, should constantly dwell

on the fact of the Unity of the Self.

^r

ftrnr^ft

n
n
1 Blianai-ad-GUcL. vi.
25, 26.

323

"

Little by little let him gain tranquillity by

means of Buddhi controlled by steadiness having
made Manas abide in the Self, let him not think of
;

anything.
"

As

Manas

often as the wavering and unsteady

goeth forth, so often, reining

under the control of the

This

is

Abhyasa

the

it in,

let

him bring

it

Self."

Abhyasa

that

he

This

needs.

naturally strengthen Vairagya, the

for personal and selfish ends.

will

absence of desire

Whenever he

sees

a desire for such personal

and

ends rising up within himself, he should at

once call up before his mental view the injury

selfish

that

he

is

likely to inflict

on others by

its

indul-

gence, the evil consequences to himself in increasing

selfishness, and the whole series of disturbances

which

will flow

from his selfishness to the

common

of the society to which he belongs. By picturing to himself the consequences of selfishness in

life

his

own

life

and

them given in
gradually strengthen his power

the illustrations of
will

and

and by studying
the Pur Anas, he

in those of others,

will establish

of self-control,

himself in that constant

righteousness and performance of duty

ceasingly inculcated in the sacred books.

mood
so

of

un-

For that Righteousness, and righteousness only,

should be followed

is

329

and again

reiterated again

u1
c<

The man who

unrighteous, or he who (gains)

wealth by falsehood, or he who ever delights in
injuring, never obtains happiness in this world.
is

suffering from righteousness, let

"Although

him

not turn his mind to

unrighteousness he will behold the speedy overthrow of the unrighteous, of
;

the sinners.
"

Unrighteousness, practised
not bear fruit at once like a cow
it

in this
;

world, does

slowly re-acting,

cuts off the very roots of the doer."

In a sense, righteousness is truth its special significance may be said to be the desire to do what
;

is

right, the desire to give

sire

to

always

it

and act according

rather than according to anything else.

To do
that

every one his due, the de-

to find out the truth

never

righteousness
fails

is

to

gain a companion
all else deserts

man, and when

him, this faithful companion will remain, will cling

1

Manusmriti.

iv.

170172.

to
in
011

330

him through death, and clothe him with glory

the world beyond the grave.
Manu writes hereas follows

f|

f?

rTTOF

"

build
that
"

Giving no pain to any creatures, let him slowly

up righteousness like white ants their hill,

it

be to him a companion in the world beyond.

father, nor mother, nor son, nor wife,

Nor

nor kinsfolk remain to accompany him to the

next world righteousness alone remains.
;

"

Alone each being is born; alone verily he dies

alone also the evil.
alone he enjoys good deeds

"Leaving the dead body on the ground

averted faces

like a

the relatives depart, with

righteousness alone follows him.

log or a clod of earth,

Manns mr it i.

iv.

238243.

"

Therefore, to gain an unfailing friend let him

ever gather righteousness ; with righteousness as
-companion he will cross over the. darkness, difficult
to cross.

"It rapidly leadeth the man who is devoted

to righteousness and has destroyed his sins by
austerity, to the world beyond, radiant and clad
in a celestial body."

This insistance on

way
is

to

characteristic of the

very heart

is

duty,

unalterable law

its

as the only
world or in any other

righteousness

happiness in this
as

Sanatana Dharma, whose

justice is its key-note and

A man

life-breath.

obtains

every thing that he has duly earned, neither more

nor less every debt must be paid every cause
must be followed by its effect.
;

The

virtue of Content springs from a full recog-

nition of this fact,

and

it is itself

the root of happi-

ness, a virtue which every student should

vour to work into his character

endea-

"

Let one who desires happiness be controlled

and take refuge

1

in

perfect

Manusmrltl.

content
iv.

12.

content

is

332

verily the root of happiness, the opposite

is

the root

of sorrow."

The contented man

is

happy under the most

unfavourable circumstances, the root of his happi-

whereas the discontented

ness being in himself
man finds food for his discontent, however favour;

able his circumstances

There are always

position to, more wealthy,

may

be.

some who are superior in

more fortunate than ourselves, and hence reasons
for discontent

To be

satisfied

our due

is

found by the unwise.

with what we have because we have

may

ever be

true wisdom, and

all

dissatisfaction

is

folly.

We have spoken of virtues as bringing about

harmonious relations between J ivatmas, but it must
not be thought that this excludes the above virtues,
which at the first glance seem chiefly to concern their
possessor,

For,

when

that these

the

and

to

aid his

own

carefully considered,

so-called

happiness

of

personal
others,

immediately apparent.

evolution.

general
it

will

virtues

though

be found

react

in a

upon

way not

Life, evolution, virtue

and

duty all these things would be impossible

with only a single Jivatma in existence. The
idea of a community is inseparable from the ideas
of these. A so-called duty to self, or a personal
vice,

virtue,

is

also ultimately a duty to another, a giving

333

of some help or a saving of some inconvenience

we are

we inevitably make our neighbours uncomfortable when we

come into contact with them. When a man says to
"
another: " You owe it to yourself to do so and so, he
"
You owe this to the
really and instinctively means:
For instance

toothers.

if

unclean,

evolution of humanity generally as connected, by

the unity of the Self, with the evolution of your

For the evolution of one Jiva

inseparable from that of other Jivas, and helping

individual
is

self."

or hindering our own progress is also directly

or indirectly helping or hindering the progress
of others. An unclean or slovenly man injures

himself primarily and his fellows secondarily, by

lowering the general ideal and influencing their
lives indirectly if

not actively.

The duties to Devas, Pitris, Rihis, men and

animals were mentioned in Parts I and II, and we
need only add, ere turning to our duties to human
beings, that our general attitude should be that of
Harmlessness.

"

Harmlessness

is

the highest duty/' taught Bhi$h-

ma.
I

Maltdbharata,

Anusliasana Parva.

cxiv.

334

Manu

also says

n1
"

For the twice-born man from

arises to

whom

freed from

living creatures, for him,

any

no fear

the body, there will be no fear from any."

Ishvara

by none.

among

is just,

and the harmless man

harmed

is

The Yogi can wander without danger

animals, because his heart

wild

love and he

is

a source of danger

again says Bhishma

"
:

The

slayer

is

is full

slain,"

of

Once

none.

to

but the

man who

slays none will himself be slain of none.

For the harmless man, full of love to all creatures,
sees the Self in each and regards each as part of
his
all

own body, and such

creatures",

and

is

man

is

the

"

friend

of

safe wherever he goes.

We

have seen that by sacrifice only we can

establish harmonious relation amongst all beings,

and the establishment of harmonious

relations, as

we have seen, the very essence of our evolution.

Man cannot be selfish. The world is not for one
is

man

alone.

act in his

He may

own way.

think

But

if

in

his

own way and

he does not conform

himself to the Lord, the word of Ishvara, the sacred

Pranava, woe
lot.

falls

on him and misery becomes

his

Through the repeated teachings of misery

1 'hlnusamritl. vi,

40.

335

removed, and he becomes harmonised with the whole universe.

his obstinate selfishness

is

Let the student bear

firmly and
stand what

steadfastly,
is

this

and he

principle
will

in

mind

easily under-

said in the next chapter.

CHAPTER

VIII.

VIRTUES AND VICES IN HUMAN RELATIONS.

THOSE

IN RELATION TO SUPERIORS.

We may study the

virtues

and

growths from love and hate.

make

to

vices as the out-

Love prompts us

to

to

restrict

ourselves,

to subordinate ourselves to the

common

well-being.

sacrifices,

limit,

This love emanates from the Self within, is an

aspect of Bliss, and makes our duty a work of
love, our sacrifice a pleasure.

Emotions

in their early rushings forth transgress

is not known.
But when the
known and realised, when Chit and Ananda
combine, when the emotion proceeds from a
discriminating Self-centre, when still later, the

the law, for the law

law

is

Self-centre

becomes a

emotion becomes a

virtue,

universal

centre,

every
every emotion becomes

a voice of the divine.

As

love underlies every virtue, so hate underlies

every vice. For union is law, separation is against

the law harmony is evolution, disharmony is the
;

opposite of evolution.

337

If love

turally

prompts our mutual

and readily make

harmonious and

relations

Now

in

we

relations,

sacrifices to

na-

render those

blissful.

considering virtues and vices in human

classify them as tho.^ called out

we may

relations

in relation to

Superiors, in relation to Equals, and

in relation to Inferiors,

The

natural superiors of a

Sovereign

Parents

man

Teachers

God

are:

the

the Aged. 1

There may be what may be called "accidental

superiors"
persons who are on a level with a man's
and
teachers, and persons above him in
parents
intelligence

and morality, towards

exercise modified

considered.

But

whom

forms of the virtues

he would

now

to be

such

adaptations are readily

and
need
not
made,
change our classification.

The love-emotion
itself as

directed to

the virtue of

highest degree.

This

Reverence^

God

will

carried

show
to

will

its

itself

primarily express
worship, and secondarily in treating with respect all ideas about God, all things connected with
His worship, sacred places and sacred objects.
in

Reverence being due to a sense of

superiority,
t

There

is

attracting love by virtue

no order

give different orders.

22

His

infinite

of His

of superiority intended here

sup-

the Sh&stras

333

reme wisdom and compassion,

it

will naturally

be

accompanied by Humility the willing recognition

t

of

comparative

and

coupled

unassociated with pain,

readiness to submit to

littleness,

with the

in, and therefore Submission to,

guidance
His wisdom; and by Devotion and Gratitude responding to His compassion, leading to complete
Self-Sacrifice in His service. The steady culti;

vation
to

by Faith

of these

virtues,the

God, comprise our duty

fruits

of love directed

Him

to

Reverence,

Humility, Faith, Submission, Devotion, Gratitude,

Self-Sacrifice.

the

There are many examples of great devotees in

Hindu books, men who showed out these virtues

to the fullest extent, and have set

God which should be studied in

be imitated. Bhishma's noble

examples of love to

order that they

hymn

may

to Shri Krishna,

uttered as he lay wounded on the battle-field, and

which drew Shri Krishna to his side, should be
carefully read and thought over.

Prahlada, triumphant by devotion over all at"

In all the thousand births through

tacks, prayed:

be doomed to pass, may my faith in

Thee, Achyuta, never know decay. May passion,
as fixed as that which the worldly minded feel for

which

may

Mahdbhdrata. Shanti Parva,

339

sensual pleasures, ever animate

devoted unto Thee.

Of such

"

My

my

heart,

always

" 1

devotees ohri Krishna says:

Verily the Mah^tmas,

Fartha, sheltered in

divine Prakriti, worship with unwavering

having known Me,

the

mind

imperishable source of

beings.
1'vle,
strenuous, firm in
"Always magnify'
vows, prostrating themselves before Me, they worship Me with devotion, ever harmonised.
,

"Others

also,

sacrificing

Me

wisdom, worship

as the

with the sacrifice of

One and

the Manifold

everywhere present:'

And

again

TT

^ ^--^

TT

Pur an

i.

sx.

BJwujamd-Gtt&.ix, 13-15.

340

"I

am

the Generator of

all

evolves from

all

understanding thus, the wise adore

Me

in

Me

rapt

devotion.

"Mindful of Me, their life hidden in me, illumining each other, ever conversing about Me, they are
content and joyful,

"To
love,

ever

these,

give the

harmonious,

worshipping

in

Buddhi Yoga by which they come

unto Me."

The

cultivation

of devotion

is

by meditating
by worshipping Him,
by reading about Him, and by listening to,talking
to and associating with those who are superior in

on the Object

devotion.

of

In this

devotion,

way

devotion increases.

"Those verily who, renouncing all actions in

Me, and intent on Me, worship meditating on me
with whole-hearted Yoga,
Bliagavad-G$t&.

x.

810.

2 I lid

x ii.

67.

341

"These

speedily

death and existence,

fixed on Me."

up from the ocean of

Partha, their minds being-

lift

Submission to the divine Will grows easily jat

of devotion, for

we always

readily desire to yield

love the superior. Wisdom

where we recognise and

and compassion invite submission, for the wisdom
will choose the best, and the compassion the least
suffering, path for us.

Where wisdom and compas-

sion are perfect, as in God, complete submission is

the natural answer; and when all the events of

under His guidance, they can be

accepted cheerfully and contentedly. The attitude
of man in this respect to God should be that of a
loving child to a wise and tender Father, carried
life

are seen

as

to a far higher degree.

"

am

the Father of this universe, the Mother,

the Supporter, the Grandsire, the Husband,

Shelter, Lover."

Towards such

One

Home,

gratitude springs up,

ever

increasing with increasing knowledge and self-surrender, self-sacrifice, is but the culmination of
;

By

reverence.
i

daily

offering

Bh-iga,cad-Gti&. ix,

of

1713.

all

our acts to

342

God, the spirit of self-sacrifice is cultivated, and as

it becomes perfect the lower self is
conquered and
the Supreme Self

"

is

seen.

Whatsoe\'er thou doest, whatsoever thou eatest,

whatsoever thou offerest, whatsoever thou givest,

whatsoever thou doest of austerity, O Kaunteya,
do thou that as an offering unto Me."

As

these virtues are the branches of

Revere n

springing from love, so do corresponding branches

of vices grow out of Fear, which springs from hate
in the presence of a superior.

constant attempt

him down
we may no longer have
reason to fear him. For when \ve are in face of a
superior whom we regard as an enemy, we are
is

made to
own

to our

naturally

belittle the

superior, to pull

level, so that

inclined

to

dread the exercise of his

power, which we feel ourselves unable to resist,

and we long to lessen this hostile power, or to

escape from its reach.

The hate-emotion directed to

God shows

itself in

attempts to lessen the feeling of His greatness,

to

diminish the recognition of His powers. Irreverence

is the commonest vice of this class, flippant careless
,

ix 27,

343

speech and manner about sacred objects and sacred

places, foolish jokes and idle laughter in speaking
of the religious beliefs of others. This passes on
the vice of Profanity in coarse natures, and

into

both are destructive of the

emotions

finer

and

be sedulously guarded against. This dullof

the finer emotions leads on to complete
ing
alienation from religion, for God can only be

should

reached through these finer emotions and by the

virtues we have seen to be the offspring of love; and
as a man is driven further and further away by the
repellent action of hate,

he loses

all

sense of the

divine Presence, and often lapses into entire ethical

unbelief, which leads to evil living.

"

The

universe

is

without truth, without basis,

without God, they say."

Reverence to the Sovereign, the

Head

of the

Reverence to God, the

State, comes naturally
representative of whose power, justice, and protection he is on earth, if he be a true King, intent on
after

the welfare of his subjects, always subordinating

and sacrificing his own personal comforts and
interests

divine

to those of his people, as did the

Kings,

who
l

give us the

ancie

ideal of Kingship.

BJtagarad-Gitd. xvi,

8.

344

The

above should be repeated,

virtues spoken of

in a lesser degree, in a subject's relation to his

The

make

those which
of these

for

good

subject,

and the necessity

the prosperity of a nation

to

protect

the

particles taken from

Indra,

Yam a,

Vayu,

As

A^ni,
to shower benefits on his kingdom
that

all

goes on

as

Yama,

as

his

couise on the duties of

;

the

King

is

people.

ings

Itihasaare

as

to

full

is

Vayu, to

Agni

Bhihma's

stand as

be

to

punish the

King and subjects

people, he being their protector

of all. 2

The

Surya,

Indra, he

to give joy to his subjects

Soma,

Kubera, to support
instructive

made

to control his

as Surya to take taxes

as
subjects
full of brilliant energy
as Varuna, to

wicked

strongly

world, and was made of

Varura, Soma and Kubera.

know

is

Maiui says that the King was

insisted on.

by God

King.

and Obedience are

virtues of Loyalty, Fidelity

God

is

as

dis-

most

to his

and the guardian

of statements as to the bless-

enjoyed by a loyal people ruled over by a

good King.

As

loyalty is insisted on, so are the corresponof Disloyalty, Treason and Rebellion

ding vices
2

Manusmf.ti. vii. 3, 4, and ix. 803-311.

Mah&bh&rata. Shanti Parca. Ivi-xci.

345

condemned, and the miseries are described of king-

doms

that are a prey to anarchy.

Closely attached to the virtue of loyalty is that

of Patriotism, in which the country is thought of
as a collective whole, a living individual, to

service

is

due.

The King,

in fact, is the

whom

embodied

Majesty of the Nation, and loyalty to him grew

out of patriotism of the purest kind. Patriotism
a virtue that has its roots in several emotions
;

is
it

grows out of veneration for the past of the country,

admiration of its saints, heroes and \varriors, its
great

men

of every kind, of

its

strength,

power and

identifies itself with the

country by
splendour
sympathy, feeling its joys and sorrows, its successes
and reverses, its prosperity and adversity, as its
own it loves its natural beauties, and rejoices
;

it

in

its

artistic

motherland,
up to as an

and

the

The
triumphs.
a whole, is looked

mechanical
as

country
as an object of reverence, to

ideal,

be served and worked for above and

beyond

all

a whole, the country is greater

Though,
than the patriot, the patriot has the power of helping
as

else.

his

country by his service

:ase, comfort, wealth,

his country.

life

As a tender

of his family, so the

he gladly sacrifices
altar of
itself, on the
;

father seeks

the good

patriot seeks the good of his

346
land,

and puts

its

virtue of Public

patriotism,

man who

The
but another name for

interests before his own.

Spirit

and the

will

is

public-spirited

exert himself for a

man
public

even more earnestly and diligently than

The

vate one.

is

the

object

for a pri"

"

expression
public spirit
that
has been retruth
embodies
the
instinctively
ferred to so often as the very basis of morality
very

the Unity of all.

spirit, the spirit of

one
is

Public
all

in all the public

he who

spirit

is

the

common

the public, the spirit which

is

and the public-spirited man

consciously

or

unconsciously

the oneness of the Self in

all

the

realises

members of

that-

which he belongs; who feels that the good

and the evil of each are the good and the evil of all
the members of that public, and who acts accordingpublic to

ly,

endeavouring to ameliorate the conditions

for

all.

As

in the case

of life

of virtues and vices towards God,

so in the case of virtues and vices to the State and

its

Ruler,

can

it

must be born

in

mind that no man

from the duty of incessantly enhis mental attitude and his

to
base
deavouring
outer actions on the best reason he can reach up
to,

free himself

nor can he free himself from responsibility

for acquiesence in flagrant injustice, or for allowing

347-

himself to be carried away by any mere public

opinion which he knows to be wrong, or has not
taken the trouble to test, although feeling that its

accuracy is doubtful. There is a false loyalty

the lip-loyalty of the flatterer which is far more

dangerous and

sinful

than the apparent opposition

who gives unpleasant but

of the honest counsellor,

wholesome

advice,

that merely

truckles to the

and there

a false patriotism
prejudices of the igis

norant,

"

Easy

quit*

to find,

^r ^frrr ^r i<:

O King

are the

men

that always

speak the words that please. Difficult to find are

the men, both those that hear and those that

speak gently the words that are not pleasant but

wholesome."

These
directing

virtues

of patriotism

mind

the

to

and public

spirit,

ends beyond those of the

personal separated self, are enlarging and ennobling

to the character, and train the man to see a larger
Self,

and so

to

recognition
patriotic

man

of
is

make some progress towards the

The public-spirited
the ONE.
nearer to God than the man whose

interests are restricted within a narrower area,

gradually he

will

and

widen out from love of country

to love of humanity.

sons are patriotic; she

nations of the earth.

We

348

Happy
is

is

land whose

the

sure to rise high amid the

have now to consider the duties owed to

Parents and Teachers,

who

also stand as Superiors.

These will include those that are shown to God

and the King, and we may add to them the virtues
of Gentleness,
Trustfulness and Teachableness*
Perhaps no virtues are more strongly insisted on
than those that a child owes to his parents and
teachers, and down to the present time none are

more

characterisiic of the true

Aryan.

349

nrar SPJJTT irafrfiraf?^

m-

*
>& ft

in

"

The

endure

suffciiug

which the mother and father

in the birth of children

sated, even in a

Let him do always what

<f

two, and also to the acharya

these three
"

The

all

cannot be compen-

hundred years.
is

pleasant to these

in the satisfaction of

(the fruit of) austerity

service of these three

is

is

obtained.

called the highest

austerity without the permission of these

not perform other duties.
;

let

him

"

For

verily these are the thiee worlds and the

are said to be the three

Ashramas these also

Vedas and the three fires.

three

*
"

The householder who

neglects nottthese three

conquer the three worlds, and in a shining

will rejoice, as a Deva, in heaven.

will

body he

by him who honours

him who does not honour these

All duties are honoured

<{

these

three

all rites
i

for

are fruitless.

Manwmfiti.

ii.

227230,

232, 234, 235, 237.

350

'As long as these three live, so long let him not

do ought else; let him ever do service to them, intent on

what

is

pleasant and beneficial.,

"In (honouring) these three all is achieved that

should be done by man; this is plainly the highest
duty; all other is called a lesser duty."

Teachableness and obedience to the teacher

are insisted

on,

and many

rules

were given intend-

ed to impress on the student the duty he owed to

He was to be ever serviceable and
his preceptor.
careful not to offend,

regarding the guru as his

father in the highest sense.

:

firm

"Of the progenitor and the giver of the knowledge of Brahman, the giver of the knowledge of
Brahman is the more venerable father; for the
birth of the Brahman in the Brahmana is verily
eternal, both here

Only

and

after death."

to the dutiful pupil

was knowledge given:

l.

ii,

206 207.

"As a man by digging with a spade obtains

water, so he who does service obtains the wisdom
enshrined in his guru."

The

vices

which grow out of hate

in

relation

parents and teachers include, as clo the virtues,

those named under the relation to God and the
to

King, and we
ness,

them those of SuspiciousCowardice, Falsehood, and Insolence. Where

may add

to

one stronger than ourselves, suspicion inevitably arises, the expectation that he will
use his power for our injury and not for our bene-

there

fit.

is

fear of

There

perhaps no greater poisoner of human

is

relations than constant suspiciousness

cious

nature

-for

it

casts a false

the

suspi-

appearance over

everything, distorts and

supplies evil

suspicious

exaggerates actions, and

motives to the most harmless acts.

nature sees hidden- malevolence every-

where, and is always miserable because always

Cowardice engenders falsehood, the putafraid.
of
a false appearance for the sake of proon
ting
tection against a dreaded exercise of hostile power*

When we come

to study the reaction of the emoone person on those of another, we shall

see that oppression on the part of the strong leads

tions of

to the

growth of

that these are

these,

vices

in

the

weak, and

the vices characteristic of the slave

and the down-trodden.

Arrogance and superciliousness are attempts of

the inferior to diminish the distance between himself and the superior, and are the reverse of the

and teachableness. They render

any
happy and mutually beneficial relaimpossible
tion between parents and children, between teachvirtues of humility

and

ers

The sweet

pupils.

natural ties which

grow

out of the love-emotion are violently disrupted by

these evil growths of the hate-emotion, and they
destroy the peace and happiness of families, as, when
destroy the pros-

carried to a higher degree, they

perity of States and the influence of religion.

The general attitude of the inferior to the supesummed up by Manu as being that which is

rior is

shown

"

to the teacher

Such

also constantly his conduct

of learning, relatives,

ers

him back

from

among

unrighteousness

among teach
who hold

those

and give him

counsel.
"

Among

his superiors let

same behaviour

him ever follow the

as with his teacher."

In cultivating

the virtues and weeding out the

vices above mentioned, the young

1

Manusmrltl.

ii.

man

206, 201.

should not

353

His parents
forget one important consideration.
are given to him by his prarabdha karma, while
this

is

not completely the case with his teacher, the

element of present choice entering also into the

While therefore
latterrelation for the most part.
the duty of reverence and trust and submission
without reserve, short of what involves the commission of a positive sin, is desirable towards parents,,
even if they are not as loving and considerate as
parents ought to be, that duty is influenced by certain other considerations in the case of the teacher.

The

is chosen either by the parents for the

the days of youth, or by himself when
he reaches years of discretion. In the first case,

teacher

student

in

the authority of the teacher

parents, delegated to
arises

the

in

is

the authority of the

him by them.

mind of the student

If

any doubt

as to whether

that authority has been duly exercised, the student

should at once consult his parents and abide by

In the second case, should such a
their decision.
his own judgment, as
he
chose
the teacher, and if teacher
he did
and student duly understand their respective duties

doubt

arise,

he must exercise

when

first

and most useful course is for the

student to say clearly and respectfully to his
"
teacher
Sir, there is such and such a doubt in
mind
kindly remove it ;" and for the teacher
rny
then

wisest

the

23

doubt either by

remove the

to

35*

convincing the

student of the tightness of the course

altering that course,

by

The above

if

important to bear

is

adopted, or

indefensible.
in

mind, as the

abuse of authority and the misplacing of trust are

In
unfortunately but too common in the world.
India especially,

where the

teachers

having come down from

is

strong,

spirit

of devotion to

when

the teacher was a true teacher, there

tional

danger of the misplacing of faith,

quently there is exceptional need

balance of mind and for rejecting

the time
is

excep-

and conse-

for preserving

false

claims.

To

the aged Respect is the virtue which should

be shown by the young, and they should
ever be regarded and treated as superiors.
ever

PTST

"He, should not take the same bed or the seat belonging to a superior; and he who is occupying a
bed or seat should rise and salute him.
l

Manutmfdi,

ii.

110121.

old

355

"A young man's prnas rise upwards when aa

man approaches rising, and saluting, he again
;

recovers them.

"He who

ever salutes and

shows reverence to

the aged, obtains an increase of four things

life*

fame and strength."

intelligence,

And

so again

let him give them his

them
with folded hands,
by
him walk behind when they leave."

"Let him salute the aged,

own
let

seat, let

him

sit

the most
is one of
and
manhood, and one
youth
wins love and approval from all. It

This reverence to the aged

.gracious virtues of

who shows
is

it

naturally accompanied with Modesty^

is a lesser degree of humility.

a virtue

which

That obeisance
beneficial to the

to the

aged

young man

is

is

evfcn

physically
hinted in the second

of the shlokas above quoted. By one of the laws

of nature there is always a tendency towards
equilibrium; as heat radiates from the warmer to
the cooler, so strength and
the stronger to the weaker.
l

Manusmrltl,

iv.

154

vitality
It

go out from

has been proved

by

356

ordinary medical Science that invalids draw vitality

from the vigorous, the feeble draw life from the
healthier and

cures effected

and a large portion of the

by magnetism are due to this fact.
stronger,

In accordance with

this

the

law,

pr^nas of the

young move out towards the old and the feeble

but when the young man rises and makes obeisance,

he

once creates

at

mood
and

in the

mind of the

elder the

of benevolence and of giving instead of taking,

this

mood

sends back

those pranas to the

younger man.

Good manners

superior involve respect,

modesty, truthfulness, readiness to render service,
an absence of fear, suspicion and conceit.
youth
a

to

who shows
favour,

and

those
will

virtues

many opportunities of imcompany of his elders and supe-

provement
Such a youth
riors.
him, and

always meet with

enjoy

in the

elders will

will

always welcome, and his

take pleasure in helping and guiding

in

is

giving him the benefit of their .experi-

ence.

The

vices

which shew themselves

in relation

to the aged include those noted in connection with

the other classes of superiors, and Disrespect and

Conceit may be added. The latter vice is peculiarly likely to arise, because the strength

and vigour

357

the youthful body give it a physical superiority

over the body of the aged> more obvious than the

-of

and ripeness of judgment*

inferiority in experience

another vice that shows

itself in

this

connection, the swift activity of youth being

to chafe against the slowness of the aged.

apt

Impatience

No
than

is

virtues need cultivation

those dealt

with in

more

in

modern

life

this chapter, for in the

rush and hurry of the present day, and the selfassertiveness that flourishes in a competitive civilisation, these are the virtues most likely to disappear.

Religious virtues have decayed with the growth

of misunderstood scientific facts, and reverence and

towards God have been depreciated as weakness and credulity. But religious virtues are the
foundation-stones of a strong and manly character,
and are found in history in heroes and not in base
faith

-and degenerate men.

Still

more,

high-minded

perhaps,
loyalty

to

is

the

patriotic fidelity to the State.

will learn

to

decay of a
Monarch, and a

visible the

This, as the student

from the careful study of history,

is

due

internal

organic reasons, mainly the failure in

to
each
other first of Rulers and then of the
duty

Ruled, after the divine dynasties of Kings were

withdrawn, in order that humanity might be left

35S

by painful experience how to stand on its

own feet, with many falls and struggles, like an
to learn

The spread

of general though superficial

knowledge, the growth, through bitter conflicts, of
democratic institutions, and the passing of author-

infant.

hands of a majority in the absence

wise and experienced, or because of their

ity into the

of

the

inability to take

true rights
less

up

their duties

have hidden the

and duties of the Sovereign from

The

eyes and minds.

one-sided

care-

exaggera-

ation of the instruments of administration

cabin-

parliaments, republican senates and

has veiled the Governor, the King him-

ets, councils,

congresses
In the course of these experiments of huma-

self,

nity, there

have

arisen, in

consequence of the mis-

takes due to inexperience and selfishness, increasing

poverty and distress, the strife of labour and capithe growing disorganisation of society.
The
remedy for these lies in restoring right feeling
tal,

between King and Ministers and SabhA. and People,

in restoring right feeling between all the limbs and
organs of the State, and in each and all performing
their respective duties of protecting and ruling,
advising, administering, and helping with loyalty,
in restoring, in fact, the
fidelity and obedience
ancient system on a higher level, with fuller know;

ledge, according to the law of cyclic

growth.

Per-

359

haps it may be for Aryan youths, trained up in

the ancient virtues, to restore to modern life the
ideal of the true citizen, and to set again the example
of the true gentleman, pious to his God and loyal to
his

King and Country.

That this may be so,

it

will

be well to begin with

the cultivation of these virtues in the family, where

the Father and the Mother represent the superiors.

The decay
ableness

of reverence, obedience, respect, servicethem is only too patent in modern

to

Here every youth can at once begin

to copy the old ideals, and to restore in his own
home the ideal of the perfect son. Eager attention
to their wants, prompt and cheerful obedience to
Indian

their

life.

wishes,

frank

reliance

trustful

on

confidence in their good-will,

their

deliberate

judgment

these virtues will lay the foundation of the strong,

dutiful, orderly character that will make a good
citizen

and a

patriot.

In his relations to his teachers also, the student

should strive to practise the appropriate virtues

and

different as are the

modern conditions between

teacher and pupil from the ancient ones, yet the

appropriate virtues might be cultivated, and the
relation

would then gradually again take on the

affectionate intimacy of the older time.

To

36o

the aged also, the Indian youth should

unvarying respect, consideration and

show

readiness to

his physical

advantages to supply
their weaknesses, looking on aged men as his
fathers, on aged women as his mothers, and showserve,

utilising

ing ever to
Let,

them the loving duty of

then,

the

and build them into

effort, earnest,

young man study these virtues,

his own character by repeated

deliberate and well-reasoned thought,

and with reliance on the Divine

own

a son.

Self.

Then

shall

be useful and honorable, and his motherland the better for his work.

his

life

CHAPTER

IX.

VIRTUES AND VICES IN RELATION TO EQUALS.

We

have now to consider how love and hate

work ouMn the relations that arise between equals

in .the family and in society, binding them together
or driving them apart accordingly as love or hate
The relations between husband and wife,
prevails.
brothers and sisters, and between relatives of the
same generation, those between friends, aquaintances and members of a society of similar age and
standing, give rise to emotions which are rendered
permanent as virtues and vices, constantly active
in the family

The
of the

and

in the

community.

virtues belonging to the family

same

among

generation are those which

those

gradually

lead the JivatmS. to reccgnise his unity with others,

and so prepare him

for the recognition of the

One

all.
He finds himself surrounded by a small
band of Jivatm^s whose conditions, interests, hopes
and fears are much the same as his own, with whom

Self in

he enjoys and

suffers, rises

and unsuccessful, from

not be disjoined.

and

whom

As he

falls,

his

own

is

prosperous

interests can-

practises the family virtues

362

and sees the happiness ensured by the practice, or

falls into the family vices and sees the sorrow

as he

and discomfort
learns that

to

from them, he gradually

about
bring
general happiness he
arising

must treat all men as his brothers, as members of

one family, and that the miseries that afflict humanity

all

have their root

in the neglect of the prac-

tice of brotheriiness.

Affection, or love

between equals,

the love-emotion here to

show

It

will-

Kindness of thought, speech and

Kindness of thought is at the root of

itself

action.

the form of

is

be cultivated.

in

kindness of speech and of action, and one who

guards himself against all harshness of thought
will not err in speech or in act.
We have already

Manu

seen what great stress

on control of

lays

speech, and sweetness, gentleness, of speech should

be cultivated in all family relations as well as in

those of the outer world

r*3Hp%

*nhrcn%Rr ^srota^er
sfir

tflfr

^5

f Tc#r?^^ft:

BTWT
"

=qr

1
?rrgtfw?i n

He whose

speech and mind are pure and ever

carefully guarded, he obtains all the fruit that is
1

Manusmriti.

ii.

160, 161.

363

obtained by means of the Vedanta.

"Let

him

not,

even though distressed, cut

another to the quick (by his speech) nor meditate

acts of hostility to others
let him never utter the
,

malignant word that disturbs (the mind of the

hearer)."

This injunction, addressed primarily to superiors in their intercourse with inferiors, covers all

human

intercourse,

needed than

and

is,

perhaps, nowhere more

family relations, where close knowledge of the weakness of each is apt to barb the
in

tongue to cutting speech.

relations are well sketched

Again the right family

in the followin

"Let him not be aimlessly restless with

hands and feet, nor with his eyes, nor crooked

his
(in

his conduct), nor

aimlessly restless with his tongue,.

nor meditate acts of hostility to others.

364

"With the Ritvik, Purohit, Acharya, maternal

children,

uncle, guest, dependant,

physician, kinsfolk,

the

aged,

connexions by marriage,

sick,

rela-

tives,

"Mother, father, female

wife, daughter,

relative,

servant-folk, let

brother,

him not enter

son,

into

altercation."

And, after recounting the different worlds with

which the persons above-named are connected, as
representing in the organisation of human society
the position of the worlds in the organisation of
the Brahm^nda, so that

them he

is

at

if

man be

at

peace with these worlds,

peace with
con-

Manu

cludes:

wi
^rr

"The

eldtr brother

is

the

wife and the son are one's

same

as the father, the

own body,

"The servant-folk are one's shadow, the daughter

most deserving of compassion; therefore, though
slighted by these, let a man bear it ever undisis

turbed."

The
l

right relation

Manusmriti,

between husband and

iv. 177, 179, ISO, 1.54,

185.

wife,

365

between father and sons, and between brothers,

beautifully

and

shown

in the

RdmAyana,

Sita, the four divine sons

the four brothers, Shri

in Shri

is

Rama

and Dasharatha, and

Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata

These are the models a youth

before himself, and he should shape his

and Shatrughna.
should set

conduct on these.

Of

Shri

the good wife,

There

is

who

says:

no difference whatsoever between

(the Devi

the house,

Manu

Prosperity) and the wife in

the mother of the children, who

of
is

brings good fortune,

light of the home.

who

"Of the bearing of

is

worthy of worship, the

children,

the protection of

those born, the continuance ot the world process,

5s evidently the only source.

woman

Manv.swriti.

xi.

2626.

366

"Children, religions ceremonies, service, marital

happiness,

heaven

depend on the

for one's ancestors

and

oneself,

wife.

"She who, ruling her mind, speech and body,

wrongs not her husband, she obtains the (heavenly)
world with her husband and is called by the
virtuous a Sadhvi."

firarr

"This

snp

the extent of the man, his wife, himself

and his children; Brahmanas thus declare that the
is

husband and wife are known as the same."

This view of a family as a unit, as really one
foundlife, is the view which alone gives a sure
ation for the family virtues, and the indissolubility
of the marriage tie among Aryans grows out of
this

idea.

Father, mother and

and each should love the other

pleases one should please all
should sadden

children are one>

as himself; what

what saddens one

All the virtues can be practised

in the family, which is a little world in itself; the
parents represent the superiors, the children among
all.

each other the equals, the children to the parents

the inferiors.

youth who cultivates the virtues

367

in his

home

wider

field

will be ready to show them out in the

of the world, and will be equipped for
He can practise there
the duties of a good citizen.
all

that

he

clevelope

faithful

all

will

the

friend,

require

in

qualities

an

his

which

honourable,

manhood, and
will

make him

courteous and

upright gentleman, a brave and unselfish patriot

Tender affection between brothers and sisters
lies at

the root of family prosperity, and

we may

Pandavas how
and
raised them
adversity

consoled

see in the story of the

this

them

finally to the

in

height of prosperity.
Courtesy and Consideration for the feelings of
others are enjoined as general principles of conduct,

and noble bearing and manners have ever been

held

to

be

characteristic

Thus speech must be

of

the

true

Aryan.

true, but also pleasing:

"Let him speak the true, let him speak the

pleasing, let him not speak an ^n pleasing truth,
nor speak a pleasing falsehood this is the ancient
;

law,"

Of course,

there are occasions

when

the plain
ind positive duty of the person concerned to tell the
it is

363

be unpleasant, as when a person

In authority rebukes or corrects a subordinate,
But even in such cases he should speak gently,
truth even though

it

and snHi instances of

special duty

do not

justify

uncalled-for and rude language or sharpness, which

only mar the due effect of the rebuke and prevent

its

entering into the heart of the reproved.

Good manners are very apt to be undervalued

modern times, partly because of the hurry and
rush of modern civilisation, and partly from ignor-

in

ance.

But

this

undervaluing

is

a mistake.

Good

manners spring from a good heart and a gentle

nature, and show kindness and refinement of
character.
They imply self-control and a sense of
self-respect and dignity, and many difficult social
situations, which cause quarrels among ill-mannered
people, are passed through without any trouble or
ruffle by the nobly mannered.
Soft words,courteous
gestures, pleasant smiles, dignified bearing, make
social intercourse refreshing and a source of enjoy-

ment, and the young

Hindu should sedulously

manners of the elder generation,

and thus sweeten the tone of modern society. Even
gold becomes more beautiful by being refined, and
a noble and strong character is beautified by
cultivate the noble

courtly bearing.

369

.[

Hospitality is a virtue on which great stress is

lakl, and the guest must ever be honoured as a Deva.

sra

4k

Let him

who has come

guest

water and

seat,

power, in
"

the

to

offer

^r^

rf%^i5

food, hospitably according

accordance with rule.

Grass

kind word

to his-

room, water, and, fourthly, a

these are never wanting in the houses

for seat

),

of the good.
"

The

guest sent in the evening by the (setting)

sun must not be sent away by the householder

whether arrived

a convenient or

at

must not remain

time, he

in

inconvenient

house

the

unenter-

tained."

That

much

was as

there

travel,

with

beneficent results, in ancient India as there

is

its

now,

the means of locomotion were not so easy

and rapid as they are to-day, was due solely to the
general prevalence of this virtue, and the regarding

when

of hospitality as an essential part of religion.

1

24

Mi

it

//*/,/

>t

( .

\ i

01

05.

The

3/0

continuous pilgrimages from shrine to shrine and

from city to city with all their educative effects

broadening men's minds and experience, nnd in

promoting affection and good-will between different
1

in

and distant communities, by bringing them irito

were only
familiar intercourse with each other

made
of

rest,

scale,

>-*i'>le by tho g^neroim provision of houses

and of food and clothing, on an immenes

by the voluntary

hospitality and charity of

the well-to-do.
Uprightness, Fair Dealing,

Trust,

Honour,

Straiglitfonvardncss, Urbanity Fidelity, Fortitude,

these are virtues which
r

Endurance, Co-operation

happy and prosperous social life*

these are found, the life of a community or
of a nation is peaceful and contented, and men who
show out these virtues in their characters make
good citizens and lead happy lives.
are necessary for

Where

Readiness

to forgive inJunes

for peaceful living, for

to another,

moved by

all,

is

a virtue necessary

at times,

do some wrong

passion, or envy, or

some other

emotion.

Readiness to forgive such wrong is

a sign of a noble disposition, and Llagnanintity

evil

includes this readiness, as well as the large-heartedness which makes allowance for the weaknesses of
others,

and

and takes

actions.

generous view of their motives

Toleration
tised

is

an allied virtue that

towards equals or

rc-r.ognn:.::! th

'

the

towards

may

be practhe

inferiors

Golf erpre-Ges itself in

many

ways, and that none should seek to force on another

Tolerance has
his own views or his own methods.

always been a characteristic of Hinduism, which

has never sought to convert men from their cwn
nor to impose on those within
any special form of intellectual belief.
of philosophic views embraced within
faith,

own pale
The variety

its

its circle,

as

shown in the six Darshanas, testifies to the tolerance

and wide-mindeclness which have ever marked
it.

Self,

This tolerance

based on the belief in the

is

and the reverent acceptance of the

variety of

infinite

Hence

manifestations.

Its intellectual

Hinduism has ever been permeated by the

heaiieu

toleration

fshvara

all

God

lead to

quarters

which

opposite directions, so
in

large-

spirit

of

all

reach the same

ing God, meet

the very

paths by which men seek

as men walking from opposite

are His

Him

is

One

cit}',

men from

Him

childish, then, to quarrel

at

last.

though walking
all

It is foolish an'd

about the ways.

a-#-Wt&'

iv. 11.

in

quarters, seek-

372

However men approach Me, even

%<

accept them,
is

Mine,

for

men

the path

so

do

take from every side

r&rtha."

Even when want of sufficient growth and knowledge keeps men away from the higher and attached to the lower manifestations of Deity, even then
it is

One

the

fshvara

who

inspires their faith in the

lower forms suited to their undeveloped intelligence,

and it is He who gives the perishable fruit on

which

their desires are fixed.

f^rar.

u
l
I

%<

They whose wisdom hath been

desires

go

external

forth to other

observances,

rent

Devas resorting

compelled

b)*

away by

to various.
their

own

natures.
"

faith

Any

devotee

any such

who

aspect,

seeketh to worship with

verily bestow the unswerv-

ing faith of that man.

.

Tii.

2023.

"

3/3

He, endowed with that

ship of such a one, and from

desires,
"

who

faith,

seeketh the wor-

him he obtaineth

his

verily decreeing the benefits.

Finite indeed the fruit; that

belongeth to those
are of small intelligence."

3?t ft
*T <J

"

Even

*TRPT*fRf?rT

<f^rra*^rfar

If

the devotees of other Devas

II

who

worship,
they also worship Me, O son of
Kuntl, though contrary to the ancient rule.
of faith,

full

"

am

the enjoyer of all sacrifices, and

also the Lord, but they know Me not in essence,
I

verily

and hence they

Such

is

ism, and

it

slip."

the noble and liberal teaching of Hindushould shape the thoughts of every true

Aryan, so that

he

may

never

or injure

trying to belittle
Let him
the world.
tolerant,

and thus

set a

fall

into the error of

any of the

religions of

be tolerant even to the in-

good example.

This tolerance of the religious beliefs, views,

\ncl bona fide opinions of others should not be mis-

understood to mean toleration of and acquiescence

in

the active infliction of

l

wrong by the wicked on

nhdfjacad'ttftd.. ix.

2321.

374

the righteous and the innocent.

A good man,,
while forgiving as far as possible wrong done to
himself, should endeavour to set right
by gentle

means

at

first,

and,

if

these do not succeed, then by

stern ones in accordance with the law of the land

all

wrong

inflicted

on

others,

Such

is

the

duty

that Shri Krishna expressly laid upon Arjuna, with

the whole weight of the wisdom embodied in the

Bhagavad-Gita. Nor should any action be mistaken for intolerance which is only of the nature of
counselling

or

education,

even though

it

be

the education of public opinion, or constitutional

nnd sober endeavour to wean men from injurious

ways, or a thoughtful discussion with the express

object of eliciting truth. What is condemned is
only the bigoted pride which imagines itself to be
in sole possession of Truth, and would visit with

punishment the slightest deviation from the course

laid down by itself.

The vices which grow out of the hate-emotion

when it prevails among equals correspond on the
side of evil to the virtues we have been studying

may almost shock the

common faults of character

on the side of good.

student to see very

It

classed as the fruits of the hate-emotion, and yet if

he thinks a little he will see that they have the

375

marks of

that

men

emotion, as they drive

apart

from each other, separating them and setting them

in antagonism to each other, and that is clearly the
result of the repellent force,

which

is

Hate and not

Love.

The

opposite of Kindness is Harshness, which

shows itself but too often in the family as Moroseness, Sullenness, Irritability and Peevishness
very

common

failings,

and peace.

tion

and the destroyers of family affecThese faults bring dark shadows

family circle, in strong contrast to the

light spread by the kind and sunny temper, and
are but forms of Anger, one of the root manifestathe

into

tions of the hate-emotion.

harshness

avoided

"

and

among

Manu

classes anger

and

the sins which are to be specially

Let him avoid unbelief, censure of the Vedas

slighting of the Devas, hatred, obstimcy, pride,

And

this

is

natural, for these are sins

which are

especial
productive of misery, and probably most
of the daily troubles of life which cause harassment
7

I)

and worry are due

1

to

anger

Manusmriti.

iv.

in

one fonn

o*

another.

3/6

It is classed

1
by Shri Krishna, with

as forming part of the triple gate of hell

The mind confused

cisuric characteristics. 2

of the

and greed
and as one

lust

by anger
easily hurried into other sins, and it is
one of the chief roots of crime. Impatience is one
is

of

intent

form of

his great

his character should

enemy.

kind

with,

patient

from

who

smaller manifestations, and the student

its

on improving
his watch against even
is

be on

comparatively minor
effort to be

this

The steady

to, all, will

his character the fault of

gradually eradicate

Anger.

Harsh Fault-finding, Backbiting, Slander and

Abuse are the opposites of Magnanimity. They
proceed from the same source as Irreverence,

The way

to correct these faults

whether the defect

another

is

not

for

is

always to

which we wish to condemn

present in ourselves.

says to Dhritarashtra

etc.

examine

As Vidura

ii

"

Thou

small

seest

the

holes

the mustard-grain,

as

that are large

as

of another,

the Bel-fruit,

King

though
own,

.'thine

even seeing thou

"
!

Rudeness, Churlishness of bearing, a rough man1

h(f(j(U'(id-(ft((l. xvi.

21.

2 Ibid.

4.

the faults which are the opposites of cour-

are

ner,

377

They are exceedingly comtesy and consideration.

mon in modern clays, and are spreading in modern
India.

They

which

and vulgar nature

own power and of the re-

are signs of a coarse

uncertain of

spect of others
to force itself

its

by loudness and
others, and it is

tries to assert itself

on the attention of

thus always a mark oi weakness. The gentle courteous bearing of a man conscious of his own strength

and position contrasts with the rough rude manner

of a weak man, unfit for the position he is in and
trying to cover his unfitness by self-assertion.
Crookedness, Unfairness, Deceit, Infidelity, QuarFickleness, Instability, are other com-

relsomeness,

mon

which appear in the relations between

and
cause
equals,
many troubles alike in family and
faults

social

life.

They

all

help

to

disintegrate

families

and nations, and men who have these vices are bad
citizens, and sooner or later fall into well-deserved
contempt and

distrust.

Vindictiveness and Revengefnlness

posite

of the

seen

a part of magnanimity,

is

readiness to forgive,

troubles, keeping

by

forgetful ness.

them

alive

The wish

and

are

the op-

which we have
7

the) perpetuate

when they might

to

an injury

return

suffered by miiicling an injury in return

die

is

a sign of

3/8

complete ignorance of the working of the law. A

suffers an injury should think that he has

man who
inflicted

own

his

inflicted

But

if

an injury on another in the past, and that

to him in the injury now
Thus he closes the account,

comes back

fault

on himself.

he revenges himself now, he

will in the future

again suffer the equivalent of the revenge he takes

on his enemy. For that enemy will not be likely
to think that he has been justly punished, and will

nurse revenge again, and so the chain of claim and

counter-claim will continue endlessly. The only
to

way

get

rid of

vengefulness stores
will

inevitably

him

an

enemy

up

trouble for the future, which

come

is

to forgive

to the revengeful person,

re-

and

we suffer now are only our own revengeto ourselves.

home
No one can wound us
coming
unless our own past places a weapon in his hands.
the injuries

Let a student remember this when some one injures

let him pay his debt like an honest man, and*

him

have done with

Intolerance

destruction

in

it.

is

a vice which has caused

the world, especially in

immense-

modern

times.

Endless wars have been caused by men of one religion wishing to impose their faith on men of another creed, and torrents of

shed

in the

name

of God.

human blood have

Persecutions slain

page of history with blood and

tears,

beei>

the

and we may

379

see a striking

example of national

ruin caused

by

case of Spain, once the

religious persecution
greatest of Western Powers, whose decay dates from
in the

the clays when she slew by thousands the Je\vs and

the Moors, and finally expelled the survivors be-

cause their faiths differed from her own.

Sectarianism,
is

when

it is

and quarrelsome,
modern India this

bitter

form of intolerance, and

in

enemy of leligion is undermining the ancient

noble toleration of Hinduism. Sectarian bigotry

subtle

divides

Hindu from Hindu, and

magnifying

blinds

them by

unessential differences to the essential

unity in which they are rooted.

As men

lose the

spirit of religion and cling chiefly to its forms, caring only for the external ceremony and not even

understanding its meaning and the objects it is

intended to bring about, they become more and

more bigoted and intolerant, and split up into more

and more numerous parties. Thus religion, which

men together, is changed

into
a disintegrating force.
bigotry

should bind

The remarks which apply

11

ice

apply

in

India

with

to

by intolerant

religious

intoler-

even greater force to

social conventions in India as well as elsewhere. In

India they have a special application because of the

inseparable faterblending of social custom^ with
religious, so that the paltriest

and most

trifling cus-

toms, having their origin in some temporary need

on some special occasion, rapidly assume a deeply
religious and permanent importance.

The

Aryan must avoid

true

intolerance

and

he would avoid poison, and should rebigotry

member that it is utterly alien from the spirit of his
as

ancestral

He must

religion.

sects as

members of

quarrel

with

or to

look on

all

Hindu

own

family, and refuse to

And he must
antagonise any.
his

look outside the pale of Hinduism, and see in the

other religions that surround him rays of the same
Spiritual

Sun

in

which he himself

thus spread peace over India, and

her a united national existence.

watchword
the Self

is

be

One.

"

Include,"

not

is

basking,

make

and

possible for

Let his religious

Exclude," since

CHATTER X
VIRTUES AND VICES TOWARDS INFERIORS.

To complete the outline of the virtues and vices

in human relations, \ve must consider those

evolved

which

arise in

accordingly as he

man's relation to his

is

ruled

by the hate-emotion.

come under
will to

name

the vices

of Pride, the

to look

The virtues in this case will

name of Benevolence, the
those who are weaker than
will come under the general
sentiment which causes a man

the general

do good to

ourselves

inferiors,

the love-emotion or

by

down on

others,

and

to

do them

injury,

according to the activity of the hate-emotion in him.

Love showing

itself

to

an

inferior

takes the form of Benevolence, and

form

its

inevitably

commonest

that of Compassion and Pity.

Weakness,
ignorance, folly, arouse in the man ruled by the
is

love- emotion the desire

to

help the person

who

is

by bestowing on him strength,

knowledge, wisdom. Compassion at once springs
up in him, as by Sympathy he feels the weakness,
ignorance, and folly as though they were his own,

at such disadvantage,

and thus becomes anxious

the sufferer above them.

to

remove them,

From

to raise

these virtues springs

the

Beneficence,

do good,

the

the good-will

carrying out of the will to

performance of actions expressive of
active

frit.

we
The weak-

In the conduct of parents to their children

see these virtues brightly

shown

forth.

ness of the Child, its dependence and helplessness,

awaken the tenderness of the parent, and he becomes filled with compassion and pity for the little

creature that
itself.

These

is

so

unable to protect and support

virtues express themselves in softness

of language, caressing gestures, encouraging looks

and smiles, so that the child may lose the feeling

of its own littleness and feebleness, and may in
effect share

and direct the strength and

skill

of

its

Comelders, and thus supply its own deficiencies.

passion and pity seek, as does all love, to lessen
the distance between

itself

and

its

object, to raise

It allays the apprehension

object towards itself.
which might arise in the inferior, in presence of

its

strength greater than his own, by gracious aspect

of Kindliness, expressing in every way that there
is no reason for fear.
Where it sees timidity and
in
the weak, it increases the outward
shrinking
manifestations of Gentleness^ Softness and Sweetness, becoming the more gentle as the object of

compassion

The

is

the

more

stronger, the

fearful

older,

and hesitating

those

who

are in a

way

superior, .should always

remember

to

practise

these gentle virtues towards the weaker, the youngthe inferior in any way, and. should especially

er,

bear

mind

iii

when

UUIL uicir cxctcibc

is

iuc

ini-i a

needed

the inferior shows any of the manifestations

of fear, of the idea that the superior is a hostile

power, likely to inflict injury on him. IVu.-r is so

constantly used to oppress and to injure, that the

first feeling of the inferior in the presence of his

apt to be one of fear, and it is necessary

to remove this by a manifestation of love.
superior

is

Compassion and Pity readily give rise to Protecweak, whenever they are threatened by
those stronger than themselves, and in protecting

tion of the

them Heroism appears, the

self for the

who

sake of a weaker.

risks his life for the

cheerful risking of one-

The Hero

the

is

good of another who

grudging the cost.

man
is

in

need of help, without

The
name is most often given to the warrior who gives
his life

for

his

martyr who

dies

King and
for

equally by man}* an

his

country, or to the

his
faith

but

it is

deserved

unknown man and woman, who

ordinary human circumstances sacrifices life or

health for others
the physician or nurse, who dies,
worn out by strenuous exertions in aid of the plaguein

stricken

the

mother,

who

rescues

a child from

death by ceaseless tendance, careless of her

life

and

health, caring only

the babe needs
the
;

exhausted

by

3*4
to

everything that
bread-winner, who hex >mes

excessive

supply
toil,

sacrificing

leisure,

strength, health, that the weaker ones dependent on

him may not feel the pinch of starvation. The heroic
virtues

the

Courage, Valour, Endurance,

most part

their root in

have for

etc.

Compassion and

in a

sense of duty to the weak, a sympathy with them

and a desire to remove these

sufferings
they arc most readily evoked in presence of the inferior in need of help.
In fact,
in

their

sufferings
;

when they appear

equals,

these

it is

in the relations to superiors

always

in

and

connexion with the need of

and the man showing the heroic

something to give of which they are in
may be a King who, though occupying

persons,

virtues has

want.

It

the position of a superior to his soldiers individually,

needs their help for the protection of his crown or
;

a brother who, normally

has a deficiency
which his brother can supply at the moment and
equal,

so on.

It still

remains that the Hero

is

always

the giver, and leaves in his debt those for whom

he pours out his life or his possessions. Compassion,

Heroism, arc virtues that especially

befit Kings and Rulers.
Liberality is a virtue, again, which is called
Protection,

out by the presence of inferiors, and the readiness

3*5

to give, the virtue of Charity

',

placed by Hinduism

in the

is

one which has been

very

first

rank.

$R*fc,

has always been an essential part of every

sacrifice, and the feeding of Brahma nas has been
gift,

no

By

less essential.

these rules

men were

trained

to sacrifice part of their wealth for the benefit of

others, and thus were led onwards to a true un-

derstanding and acceptance of the great -Law of

Sacrifice.

Manu

"

says

Let him diligently

tions' with faith

these,

offer sacrifices
if

and obla-

performed with faith

and with rightly earned wealth, become unperishing.

"

Let him always observe the duty of charity,

connected with sacrifices and oblations, with a
contented mind, having sought with diligence a

worthy
"

recipient.

Something

verily

ought to be given ungrndg-

llaniismriti. iv,

25

226228.

ingly by him

386

who has been

arise who

recipient will surely

asked, for a worthy

will save him from

all."

The way

in

clearly laid

which charity should be done

down by

Shri Krishna,

who

is

divi-

very
des gifts, according to their nature, into s&ttvic,
rajasic

"

and t&masic.

That

gift

given to one

who does nothing

in

'

It ought to be given, at right

saying,
to a worthy recipient, that gift
and
time
and
place
is accounted sSttvic.

return,

"

That

verily

which

receiving in return,

is given for the sake of

or again with a view to fruit,

or grudgingly, that gift

is

accounted

rajasic.

"

That gift which is given at unfit place and

time and to unworthy recipients, disrespectfully
and contemptuously, that is declared Umasic."

That charity should be done with courtesy

and gentle kindliness is a rule on which much
1

Bhagaiad*Git&.

xvii.

2022.

We

is laid.

stress

tions to

show

337

often read in the Itihasa direc-

careful respect in the

making of gifts;

for even a trace of

charity should ever be gracious,

contempt or disrespect makes

it,

as above said,

iartiasic.

of showing to weakness the same

courtesy that is extended to rank and superiority,
a tender deference and consideration, comes out

The

idea

shloka
strongly in the following

n
"

for

Way

should be

one who

person, for one

a SnStaka,

is

made

for a

man

above ninety years

who

in a carriage,

old, for a sick

carries a burden, for a

woman,,

a king and a bridegroom."

Similarly we find, when directions are being laid

as to the giving of food to people in the due

down

order of their position, preference over

to the weak

"

all is

given

Let him, without making distinctions, feed

newly-married women, young maidens, the

pregnant women, even before his guests."

sick,

and

Another virtue which should be cultivated

1

Manusmriti.

ii.

138,

Ibid.

iii.

114.

in

383

is what may, for lack of a better

called
be
term,
Appreciativeness, the full recognition of all that is best in them.
This recognition,

relation to inferiors

generously expressed, has a most encouraging effect,

and stimulates them to put out all their energies.

The

sense of weakness, of littleness, of inferiority,

tends to paralyse, and many a man fails simply by

own

word of
powers.
the
hearty appreciation gives
encouragement needed, and acts like sunshine on a flower, causing the
lack of confidence in his

whole nature to expand -and glow.

Patience is also most necessary in all dealings
with inferiors lesser ability generally implies less
quickness of understanding, less power to grasp or
to perform, and the superior needs to practise
;

order not to confuse and bewilder the

patience in
inferior.

With

children and

servants

this

virtue

has special opportunity for exercise, and its existence in the elders is peculiarly helpful and peace-

making in the family. Strength should be used to

help and support weakness, not to crush and terrify
"
"
It, and
patience sweet that naught can ruffle is
a sign of a truly great and strong nature.
Appreciativeness

and Patience are specially needed

in

parents and teachers.

The

vices that spring out of the hate-emotion to

inferiors are

of the nature of Pride, the sense of

389

superiority in the

those below

it,

The

separated Self, looking

and desiring to

make

them, in order to

marked.

purpose

and
"

shall

gain

this also shall

me
;

superiority

man

filled

more

with pride
:

s
s^rr sf*?r

This to-day by

down on

further lower

by Shii Krihna

Rwr

nrifr

still

own

its

character of a

is graphically described

"

hath been obtained, that

wealth is mine already,

this

be mine in future.

This enemy hath been slain by me, and these

I
shall also slay.
I am fshvara, I am the

others

enjoyer,
"

am

there that
give,

am

perfect, powerful,

happy,

what other is
wealthy and well-born
like unto me ?
1 will sacrifice, I will
;

is

will rejoice."

Such a man, looking down on his inferiors, seeking only his own gain and his own advantage,
will see in them only persons to be used for his own
purpose. To them he will show the vices of Scotn,
Contempt, Arrogance, Disdain, expressing in words
.

xvi. 13

16.

39Q

and

actions his

self

and them.

sense of the distance between him-

His own bearing

will

be marked

by Aggressiveness Self-assertion Oveibearingnessr

>

Implanting

and hatred

dislike

in those with

whom

he comes into contact, unless they are thoroughl}'

dominated by the love-emotion. If his inferiors
possess anything which he desires, and he is able to
deprive them of it without danger to himself, he

may

fall

into robbery

and murder, and

he^will use

his superiority to oppress and enslave.

The characters of many such men may be studied in history
tyrants, oppressors, causing widespread destruction

and

tfiisery,

and thus sowing

oppressed the seeds of

up

in the breasts of the

evil passions

which sprang

a crop of revolt, bloodshed and anarchy.

sternly condemns the Kings that fail in the

into

Manu

duty of protection

The king that punishes the innocent and punishes .not the criminal, he goeth into infamy and
In smaller fashion these evils are reproduced in
the family and in society, where the superiors
show out the fruits of hate instead of love. The
1

Manusmrlti.

viii.

128.

391

tyrannical father or master implants and fosters in

and servants the vices of the oppressed,

his children

and creates the

evils

which he

later

endeavours

in

vain to destroy.

Hauteur>HaughtincsS) Reserve^ are subtler forms

of this same emotion, and work much mischief
when they appear between those between svhom
cordiality, affection

and openness alone should pre-

They should be very carefully guarded against

by the student, when he comes to deal with those

vail,

who

are younger

than he, or those towards

nature or circumstances place him

whom

in the position of

He should ever remember

superior to inferior.
that the duty of the superior is to bring the inferior
up

own

to his

keep him

level so far as is possible,

inferior

and not to

and constantly remind him of

may be between them. If

any
he make the mistake of following the latter course,
distance that there

the probable, nay the certain, result will be that he

will drive the inferior either into a slavish cringing
and timidity and nervousness, on the oue hand, or

and contempt upon the other. But

he behave otherwise, and treat his inferior as his
is
equal, then the probability, almost the certainty,

rebellion, pride
if

that the inferior will readily

and
is

treat

they

see his superiority,

It
reverence.

him with due respect and

who

selflessly

help others to rise that are

honoured, not they

themselves.

392

who

desire aggrandisement for

Let the student then remember

in all his rela-

with his inferiors to cultivate sympathy and

compassion and active beneficence. If in the

tions

family he shows these virtues to the younger and

to the servants, in his later life in society and in
the nation these virtues will
ter,

and he

will

nefactor of his

become a

still

mark

his charac-

true philanthropist, a be-

community and of his country.

CHAPTER

XI

THE REACTION OF VIRTUES AND VICES ON EACH

OTHER.
In order that a youth may understand how to improve his own character and meet the difficulties

and temptations which surround him,

tant that he should

know how

of people react on each other.

this,

evil

it is

impor-

the virtues and vices

By

understanding

know how to be on his watch against

reactions, and how to promote the good both
he

will

in himself

The

and

in others.

general

law

virtue or the vice that

is

that an emotion

is its

and the

when

permanent mood

exhibited by one person to another, provokes in

An

that other a similar emotion, virtue or vice.

of love calls out love in response an

exhibition of hate is answered by hate.
Anger
exhibition

produces anger ; irritation causes irritation gentleness brings out gentleness

patience is responded to by patience. If the student will observe
;

himself and his neighbours, he will soon discover for

himself the reality of this law, and will see how the

moods of people

are

affected

by the moods they

394

meet with in others. One ill-tempered man will set

a whole company jangling
one sweet-tempered
;

man

will

This

keep everybody

at peace.

the general law, working among average

people who are equals, in whom the love-emotion and
the hate-emotion are both present and are about
is

equally balanced. When the people are not equals,

but one is inferior to the other, the emotion, virtue
or vice shown by one will also produce in the other

one similar

but corresponding to the one

first shown, not identical with it
Thus an exhibi*
tion of love to an inferior will produce in him love,
in

kind,

but the nature of the love

inferiority,

ness,

and

and so

gratitude,

will

on.

will

be governed by his

be reverence,

Benevolence

trust, serviceable-

will

and pity by confidence.

be answered by

An

exhibition of

hate to an inferior will produce in him hate, but

the nature of the hate, again, will be governed by

and will be fear, deceit, treacherous

and
so
on.
revenge,
Oppression will be met with
sullenness> and cruelty with silent vindictiveness.
his inferiority,

The good

produce good, and the evil, evil,

the
according
general law but the particular
nature of the good or evil shown will be governed
will

to

by the

relative

positions

of the individuals con-

cerned.

When we come

to study

exceptional people,

395

law comes

another

man

is

If

in,

observed, one in

an exceptionally good

whom

the love-emotion

is

dominant, then it will be seen that he does not

answer anger with anger, but that when anyone

shows the vice of anger

to him, he

meets

it

with

man shows him

the opposite virtue^ kindness;

if

the vice of pride, he meets

it

with the opposite

virtue, humility; if
irritation,

he meets

man shows him

it

the vice of

with the opposite virtue,

result is that the vice is

The

patience; and so on.

checked, and very often the person who showed it

is led, by the exhibition of the opposite virtue, to
himself imitate that instead.

In the case of an exceptionally bad man, one

who

is

dominated by the hate-emotion, there

is

but too often an exhibition of vice in answer to

an exhibition of virtue. A man showing humility
to such a one
insult

We
1.

met by pride

; gentleness provokes
patience stimulates oppression.

have thus two laws

Among
and

2.

is

ordinary persons, emotions, virtues

vices

provoke their own likenesses,

or correspondences.
In persons who are definitely dominated by
love or hate, emotions, virtues and vices

provoke
their

the

appropriate

subdivision

own dominant emotion.

of

396

Let us consider instances.

Two ordinary men, equals, meet, and one, in a

bad temper, speaks angrily the other flares up
;

the first retorts, yet

answering angrily
more angrily and so it goes on, each getting more

5n reply,

and more angry,

How often have
beginning

Two

until

there

is

a furious quarrel.

friends been parted

by a quarrel

in the ill-temper of one.

men

other

speaks angrily

meet, and one, in a bad temper,

the other answers

softly,

with a

the anger
pleasant smile and friendly gesture
of the first, finding no fuel, dies down, and the
;

words and smile awaken an answering smile,

is gone, and the two walk off arm-in-arm.

soft

the anger

man

in

whom

the hate-emotion predominates,

superior to another, treats the latter with insolence

and

The

threat, trying to force him to yield to his will.

meets this exhibition of evil emotion

inferior

fear, distrust and sullen submission, and in his

heart springs up the desire for revenge, which he
nourishes until an opportunity occurs to injure the
The latter, seeing the fear and sullen subsuperior.

with

mission, shows yet

more insolence and

scorn, the

sight of the fear increasing the original contempt

for the inferiority of the other.
This again leads to

increased fear and distrust and more slavish sub'mission, with growing longing for revenge,

and thus

the vicious cycle

is

whom
and

repeated over and over again.

superior man, in

dominates, comes

397

whom

the love-emotion pre-

into contact with an inferior, in

the very sight of his superiority arouses fear

The exhibition of these vices moves

distrust.

him

to

fear

and

pity and compassion, and he answers the

distrust by increased kindness of manner

and softness of language.

The

inferior thus

met

is

soothed and encouraged, and his fear diminishes to

slight timidity of

approach this in its turn disand

is
appears,
replaced by trust and confidence in the good-will of the superior. Thus in his
heart the love-emotion

is

aroused, and the seeds of

virtue are implanted instead of those of vice,

the relation

established

is

and

one which conduces to

the happiness of each of the persons concerned.

The
of

ItihSsa

and Puranas have many instances

interplay of emotions, of the effects of the

exhibition of virtues and vices reacting on each
this

Bhima's scornful laughter over the blunders

other.
of Duryodhana awakens hatred and the desire for
revenge in the bosom of the latter, and the hatred

grows into one of the causes of the destructive war

between the Pandavas and the Kurus. Kaushaly^'s
angry reproaches as to the treatment of Rama are
met by Dasharatha with gentle humility, and she is
quickly moved to repentance and shows loving

398

humility in return. Arjuna's fear at the sight of

the Virt-riipa is allayed by Shil Krishna's gentle
words and re-assumption of His ordinary form.

These stones are

told for our instruction, that we may

how we should meet and conquer

learn

not

by

it,

fire is

it

has fuel thrown into

and

evil,

but by exhibiting the opposite emotion.

easily put out at the beginning, but when

imitating

grows and increases,

which it comes into

it, it

at last destroys all with

contact.

The student will now understand the scientific

command addressed to their followers

nature of the

by

the great Teachers, never to return evil with

but always with good.
can understand

all

evil,

We

now why and how

others as

it

has ever been said:

you would they should do

Do

unto

to you.

^rwrrft

This

is

the

because the
yourself.

"

"

summary of the Science of Conduct,

others

"

Says Manu

are

in

very truth

"

you

"

Let him not be angry again with the angry

1

Mahabh&rata. Sh&nti Parva. Ixxxvi.

2 Mamtfmriti. ti. 48.

399

man

being

addressed,

harshly

let

him speak

softly."

The Sdma- Veda

says

"

Cross the passes so difficult to cross. (Conquer) wrath with peace untruth with truth."
;

Says the
"

Buddha

Hatred ceases not by hatred at any time

hatred ceases by love."

And
"

again

the man that causelessly injures me, I will

the
return
protection of my ungruding love the
more evil comes from him, the more good^shall flow

To

from me."

And again
"
He who bears
;

ill-will

can never become pure

will

ill-will pacifies

those

who

who bear illbut he who feels no

to those
;

hate...... Overcome

anger

overcome evil by good

by not being angered
overcome avarice by liberality overcome falsehood
by truth."

Says Lao-tze
"

To

those

those

who
l

who

are good,

are not good,

am

Aranya-gdiia. Arka-parca,

am good

also

good

and to
and thus
;

400

get to be good. To those who are sincere, I am

and to those who are not sincere, I am alsosincere ; and thus all get to be sincere."
all

sincere

Says Jesus Christ

"

Love your enemies, bless them that curse you,

do good to them that hate you, aud pray for them
which despitefully use you and persecute you."
only perpetuated when it is returned, the
\vrong emotion growing ever stronger as it is fed
with fuel of its own nature but as water poured on
Evil

is

love poured on hate.

Happiness can only
be gained as the fires of hatred are quenched, and
fire

this

is

can only be done by

love,

generously and free-

ly outpoured.

This is the general law, and in the strictest

sense this the last method of finally changing an evil
nature into a good one. But, in dealing with limit*
ed times and spaces, it becomes the duty of those

occupying special positions or

office in the

com-

munity, or finding themselves in special situations

created by the exceptionally evil, to apply the law
of justice and punishment rather than that of
The Sovereign and the judge representing
charity.

the aspect of nature embodied in the law of equilibrium, find it their special duty to punish the evil-

doer and suppress the disturbances caused by crime,

401

Apart from
restoring the equilibrium of society.
this special modification, the general law holds good.
Further, understanding the nature of virtues and
vices,

and

their relations to

and re-actions upon each

now be in a position

other, the student will

to cultivate
deliberately

the

love-emotion

in

own

nature, with the virtues which are its permanent moods, and he will learn also to awaken

his

and stimulate these

in his

own

in others

by exhibiting them

conduct.

In his superiors

he

will

awaken benevolence,

compassion, tenderness, by showing to them reverence, service, dutifulness and obedience ; and if he

meets a superior who shows any harshness or pride,

he will check in himself the feeling of fear which
springs up, and by showing a frank humility and a
confidence in his good-will, he will awaken the
love-emotion, and will thus turn the harshness into

kindness and the pride into compassion.

In his equals he will ever seek to arouse affec-

by showing it himself, to win them to kindness

by showing kindness, to courtesy by showing
courtesy, to uprightness by showing uprightness.
When they show any of the vices of the hate-emo-

tion

tion to him, he will

restrain the similar emotion

that leaps up in himself in answer, and will deliber-

ately

show the opposite

virtue that belongs to the

love-emotion, and will oppose kindness to unkind-

courtesy to rudeness, uprightness to deceit

will not only avoid increasing the miscaused
chief
by others but in those others themness,

Thus he

they be exceptionaliy evil, he will

arouse right emotion and help them to improve.
In his inferiors he will try to plant the seeds of
selves, unless

and confidence, encouraging them by his gentleness and patience, and eradicating all suspicion

trust

and

When

fear.

vices,

he

he finds an inferior showing these

himself to give way to scorn

will not allow

and contempt, but

own gentleness

will increase his

and patience, and gradually lead the weaker into

the love- relation with himself that will

make

their

relations mutually pleasant.

human

If these principles ruled

relations in the

family, the community, the nation, how changed

would be the aspect of the world. How quickly
would discord change to peace, storm to calm,

misery to happiness.
action, so that

To

use knowledge to guide

right action

may

spring from right

knowledge, should be the aim of every student of

the Science of Ethics.
Only thus can character be
builded, and

motherland.
of to-morrow.

noble

life.

India's sons

The student

May

right

become worthy of
of to-day

is

the

instruction lead

their

citizen

him to

"I

am

minds,

in

cow

403

giving you complete union of hearts and

Even as
ill-feeling finds no place.

which

pleased with the new-born calf, so let

one be pleased with another. Let the son follow

the

is

his father

and be of one mind with

his

mother.

in peace with the husband and

sweet
words
to him. Let not the brother
speak
bear malice towards brother or sister. Let all

Let the wife remain

become harmonious with each

other,

treat each other well."

PEACE TO ALL BEINGS.

and

let all

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