Dashak 8 · Samāsa 4

The root of the earlier objection will now become clear; make the disposition pure — for one moment.

In Brahman, *mūla-māyā* arose; in her belly arose māyā; she then gave birth to qualities — therefore *guṇa-kṣobhiṇī* (agitator of qualities).

Next, from her — sattva, rajas, tamo-guṇa; from tamo-guṇa arose the five elements.

Thus the elements arose; next the tattvas expanded; thus from tamo-guṇa arose — the five great elements.

*Mūla-māyā* is beyond the guṇas; where would the elements be there? Such a doubt was taken by the listener.

And one more: 'within each one element, the five elements exist'; that state too will now be clarified.

The marvel of subtle sight: *mūla-māyā* is five-elemental; listeners, make pure discernment.

First the elements should be known; how to recognize forms; then examine with subtle sight.

If recognition is not within, how to recognize? Therefore the recognition of elements — let the discerning hear once.

What is heavy and hard — that is the sign of earth; what is soft and moist — is water.

What is hot and radiant — know as fire; now wind too, naturally — will be expounded.

Consciousness and fickleness — that is wind purely; void and unmoving sky — know as sky.

Such are the five great elements; recognition should be held by sign; now the five elements within each element — listen attentively.

What is beyond the three-guṇa — its subtle reasoning — for this, be extremely attentive and listen.

In subtle sky, how does earth exist? That first should be expounded; listeners, hold *dhāraṇā* here.

Sky means emptiness, void; void means ajñāna; ajñāna means solidity — that is earth.

Sky itself is soft — that itself is water, self-evident; now fire too clearly — will be shown.

The appearance caused by ajñāna — that itself is the light of fire; now wind leisurely — will be told completely.

Wind and sky have no difference; as still as sky; yet the restraint in the sky — is itself wind.

Sky mingling with sky — needs no saying; thus was expounded — the sky's five-elemental [nature].

Now the five elements within wind — listen with one-pointed mind; they are all spoken — in sequence.

Even a light flower is heavy; even a light wind is dense; when wind strikes with a crack — trees break.

Without weight, a tree cannot break; this never happens; that weight itself is — the earth-part in it.

Here the listeners take an objection: where were trees there [in subtle wind]? If trees were not — yet the capacity — is in hard-form.

A fire-spark, small — yet has some heat; so in subtlety, solidity — in subtle-form.

Softness itself is water; appearance is the form of fire; wind there is fickle-form — naturally.

Mingling with all is sky; naturally it is the space; the parts of the five elements — have been expounded in wind.

Now the sign of fire: the appearance-ness itself is hard; in fire, such recognition — of earth.

The appearance appearing feels soft; in fire, water — is evident thus; in fire, fire is self-evident — need not be told.

In fire, wind is fickle; in fire, sky is unmoving; in fire, the five elements all — have been expounded.

Now the sign of water: water itself is that softness; softness is the hard [property] — that is earth.

In water, water is there naturally; fire is by softness-appearance; wind is visible as stillness — in the softness.

Sky need not be said; it is pervading by nature; names of the five elements in water — have been expounded subtly.

Now the sign of earth: earth is itself the hard; softness in hardness — is itself water.

The appearance of hardness — is itself the light of fire; the restraint-part in hardness — is itself wind.

Sky is pervading to all — this is visible discernment; in sky itself some appearance — appears.

Sky cannot be cut; sky cannot be broken; sky cannot be moved aside — by a hair's breadth.

Enough — earth's end is reached; the convention of elements has been shown; within one element, the five elements — has been expounded.

But this is not grasped on cursory view; forced doubt falls in the belly; by delusion-form, pride arises — suddenly.

Looking with subtle sight, wind itself feels like truth; searching the subtle wind — the five elements appear.

Thus the wind is five-elemental; know itself as *mūla-māyā*; māyā and subtle three-guṇas — also are five-elemental.

Combining elements-and-qualities — is called the eight-fold (*aṣṭadhā*); know the eight-fold *prakṛti* as five-elemental.

Without examining and seeing, holding doubt is foolishness; its recognition — see by subtle sight.

From qualities came the elements; they reached the clear state; all came to grossness — the tattvas arose.

Next the tattva-investigation — the piṇḍa-brahmāṇḍa-tattva-composition — has been expounded to people visibly.

This elemental-mud has been spoken; shown by subtle convention; before that, the brahma-sphere was set up.

The affairs beyond this brahmāṇḍa — when the sṛṣṭi had not yet arisen; the *mūla-māyā* should be recognized by subtle sight.

The seven-sheathed brahmāṇḍa was not yet; the māyā-avidyā conflict — [is] on this side.

Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśvara — this is on-this-side reasoning; earth, Meru, seven oceans — on this side.

Many worlds, many stations; moon, sun, constellations; seven continents, fourteen bhuvanas — on this side.

Śeṣa, Kūrma, seven pātālas; twenty-one heavens, eight direction-rulers; thirty-three crore devas — on this side.

Twelve ādityas, eleven Rudras; nine nāgas, seven ṛṣīśvaras; many deva-incarnations — on this side.

Clouds, Manus, world-rulers; the origin of many jīvas; enough, how much can one describe the expansion?

The root of all expansion is *mūla-māyā* alone; earlier was expounded — all as five-elemental.

The subtle elements spoken of, next came to grossness; all that is spoken in the next samāsa.

The five elements in their separate forms will next be expounded in detail; for recognition, listeners attentively — should listen.

The brahma-sphere is five-elemental; by which clearly is understood — leaving the visible purely — the substance itself is attained.

The great gate should be crossed; then deva-darśana should be taken; so the visible — should be abandoned — knowing.

Therefore within the visible is the crowd of the five elements; as one they fit together — the visible and the five elements.

Thus the visible is entirely of the five elements; the sṛṣṭi is composed leisurely; listeners, making space — should listen.