Dashak 9 · Samāsa 6

As ākāśa is nirākāra, such is the Brahma-consideration. / There, the vikāra of vāyu — such is mūla-māyā.

This is spoken in Dasbodh; made clear in the jñāna-daśaka. / In mūla-māyā was shown — the pañca-bhūtika.

There knowing is sattva-guṇa; middle is rajo-guṇa; / not-knowing is tamo-guṇa — let listeners know.

You may say: 'whence knowing there?' — then hear its purport. / In piṇḍa, mahā-kāraṇa-deha has sarva-sākṣiṇī (all-witnessing) state.

Likewise, mūla-prakṛti of brahmāṇḍa — true mahā-kāraṇa-deha. / Therefore knowing has its foundation there.

So let it be — within mūla-māyā, the three guṇas reside hidden. / Clear at the junction — know as guṇa-kṣobhiṇī by the discerning.

As a grass-bundle, later untied, is released; / likewise mūla-māyā easily begets the guṇas.

Mūla-māyā is vāyu-svarūpa; hear the form of guṇa-kṣobhiṇī. / When guṇa-vikāra becomes slight, [it] is called guṇa-kṣobhiṇī.

Next, knowing is the central; not-knowing mixed — svabhāva proceeds. / There, mātṛkā finds a place; śabda arises.

That śabda-guṇa is of ākāśa — such is the purport here. / By śabda alone, the form of Veda-śāstra arose.

The five elements are tri-guṇa-shaped; all is vāyu-vikāra. / The consideration of knowing/not-knowing is vāyu-doing.

Without vāyu, whence knowing? Without knowing, whence not-knowing? / Knowing and not-knowing have their place — by vāyu's guṇa.

Where there is no motion at the root, there whence the mark of knowing? / Therefore, the guṇa of vāyu — must be known rigorously.

One thing arising from one — this appears uncovered. / Svarūpa was at root impressed — of tri-guṇa-bhūtas.

Such is the original mire (kardama); ahead is the sequence of clarification. / On telling — one from one, origin — this too is true.

Vāyu itself is called kardama; from it fire arose. / That too, on looking, is seen — kardama.

From fire arose water — that too kardama-form; / from water, the form of earth — that too kardama-form.

Here a doubt arose: 'where is knowing seen in elements?' / — 'knowing in elements' — this saying is unheard.

Knowing means knowing-motion — that is the mark of vāyu. / In the body of vāyu all guṇas reside — said before.

Therefore knowing-and-not-knowing mixed, all the pañca-bhūtas proceed. / Therefore in elements, knowing exists.

Somewhere seen, somewhere not — yet it pervades the elements. / Sharp buddhi reveals it — subtle and gross.

Pañca-bhūtas took form; elements churned within elements. / Yet on looking they appear — some gross, some subtle. / Wind-stopped, vāyu does not appear; likewise knowing is not seen. / Not seen, yet it is — in element-form.

In wood, fire is not seen; wind-in-restraint is not apparent; / knowing too is not targetted — at the instant.

Elements appear separate; on looking they appear one. / With much astuteness, pratīti — should be recognized.

From Brahma, mūla-māyā; from mūla-māyā, guṇa-māyā. / From guṇa-māyā, the guṇas had their birth.

From guṇas, elements reached — the clear state. / Of these the forms, all — have been explained.

'Ākāśa arose from guṇa' — this has never happened. / Ākāśa was imagined vain — for the śabda-guṇa.

Telling one, one imagines another; uselessly makes entanglement. / Of such a fool, the untangling — who should do?

Taught, he does not grasp; made to understand, he does not understand; / even by analogy, he does not reason — the dull-formed.

'Elements arise from elements' — this consideration too was shown. / But who is the elder-independent — of elements?

Where mūla-māyā is pañca-bhūtika, there what vivek remains? / Beyond mūla-māyā is One — Nirguṇa Brahma.

In Brahma, mūla-māyā arose; its play (līlā) was examined. / Then it spilled out purely — the tri-guṇas of elements.

The four elements are vikāra-bearing; ākāśa on looking is nirvikāra. / 'Ākāśa is a bhūta' — this consideration is due to upādhi.

Pervading piṇḍa, hence jīva; pervading brahmāṇḍa, hence Śiva. / Similarly is the purport — of ākāśa.

Caught within upādhi, on subtle looking it appeared. / By just this, ākāśa became element-form.

Ākāśa-avakāśa is merely space; para-brahma is nirābhāsa. / Without upādhi, the ākāśa — that itself is Brahma.

Knowing, not-knowing, medium — that is the measure of guṇas. / Here the three guṇas have been expounded — along with their forms.

Prakṛti reached expansion; ahead, of one, one happens. / Vikāra-bearing alone — [where is] the rule?

Mixing black and white — it becomes truly gray. / Mixing black and yellow — it becomes green.

Such colours, in various ways, on mixing produce change. / Likewise this dṛśya is vikāra-laden — vikāra-full.

From one water, various colours — waves begin to appear. / The momentum of change — how much should be seen?

One water's vikāras — on looking appear endless. / The expansion of the five elements — 84-lakh yonis.

Of various bodies, the seed is water; from water, all people. / Insects, ants, beasts etc. — arise from water.

White-liquid, red-liquid means nīra (water); of that nīra is this body. / Nails, teeth, bones-matter — arise from water.

The fine rootlets of roots — through which water fills; / by that water alone, trees expand.

Mango-tree bears blossom — all due to water. / With fruits and flowers, it is laden — leisurely.

Splitting the trunk, looking for mangoes — they are not seen at all. / Splitting the branches, [you find] only moist fibres.

From root to tip, no fruit is [directly] there. / Water-form fruit — let the discerning know by vivek.

That same water ascends to the top; then the tree is laden. / Of one, only one arises — in this way.

Leaves, flowers, fruits, divisions — how much should be expounded? / By subtle vision, it is becoming clear.

The vikāras of elements — how much to tell? They change moment by moment. / Of one, one arises — in various colours.

The patter-and-rattle of tri-guṇa-bhūtas — on examining is commotion. / Many forms, many changes — how much to tell?

This prakṛti's nirāsa (negation) should be carefully countered by vivek. / Then paramātmā, Pareśa — should be worshipped with ananya-bhāva.