12.196
Manu said.
That which, through the senses, was formerly experienced and whose qualities were attained, is remembered for a long time; when those senses are impaired later, that supreme nature, which is of the form of intellect, remains.
Just as a person cannot perceive all sense objects at once, and just as one moves according to one's strength, so too, the wise person alone is the supreme embodied being.
The soul, moving among passion, darkness, and goodness, then the third, goes to the various qualities of knowledge. In the same way, the embodied soul enters the senses, just as wind enters fire placed in fuel.
One does not perceive the form of the self with the eye, nor does one perceive touch through the senses. The mark of the ear is not an example in hearing; the Tathāgata is seen, but that perishes.
The senses such as the ear cannot perceive their own self by themselves. But the all-knower, the all-seer, the knower of the field, perceives them all.
Just as the sides and back of the Himalaya or the moon are never seen by men, so too, that does not exist to that extent.
Similarly, in beings, the self of beings is subtle, possessed of the knowledge-self; he is not seen before by the two eyes, nor is he absent by that (means).
Just as, even when seeing, one does not find the mark of the world in the moon, so too, whether this exists or not, neither is the ultimate goal.
The wise, absorbed in that, perceive with their intellect the movement of Savitṛ (the Sun) — how it possesses form from formlessness in its rising and setting.
Thus, the truly wise, by the lamp of intellect, seek to bring near what is distant—the knowable, endowed with knowledge.
Indeed, nothing is accomplished without proper means, just as aquatic beings catch fish with nets of string.
Just as animals are caught by animals, birds by birds, and elephants by elephants, in the same way, knowledge is attained only through knowledge.
Just as a serpent perceives only the feet of another serpent—this is the example. Similarly, that which is to be known and abides in forms is seen through knowledge in those forms.
Just as the senses are not able to know even the senses themselves, so here, the higher intellect does not perceive the supreme by means of intellect.
Just as the moon is not seen on the new moon night due to the absence of its visible form, yet it is not destroyed, so too, know the embodied soul to be the same.
Just as the moon does not shine on the new moon day when its sheath is diminished, in the same way, one who is embodied but deprived of form is not perceived.
Just as the moon, upon entering another sheath, shines again, so too does the embodied soul, upon entering another subtle body, shine again.
The birth, growth, and decline of this are directly observed; but that is only the manifestation of the moon, not of its actual substance (body).
Just as a being is regarded through origin, growth, and decline, so too, O Moon, you become embodied in this way at the time of the new moon.
Just as darkness is not seen either approaching or leaving the moon, so too, consider the embodied being in the same way—coming and going are only apparent.
Just as darkness is perceived when joined with the moon and sun, so too, the embodied soul is perceived as joined with the body.
Just as Rahu, when freed from the moon and sun, cannot be perceived, so too, when the soul is freed from the body, it cannot be perceived.
Just as the moon, after departing on the new moon night, is united with the stars, so too, one who has left the body is united with the results of his actions.
