12.212

Bhīṣma said.

Janaka, also called Janadeva, having been informed by the supreme sage, again asked about existence and non-existence in the hereafter.

O Lord, if after death this consciousness arises for anyone, then what use is ignorance or knowledge?

Everything is ultimately destined for destruction; observe this, O best of Brāhmaṇas. Whether one is careful or careless, what difference does it make?

Is there truly any certainty, by rule, for anyone here—whether there is association or non-association among beings, or among the perishable? Who can truly determine this in reality?

The sage Pañcaśikha, seeing cleverness covered by darkness and appearing confused, again soothed with words and spoke.

Here, neither the doctrine of annihilation nor that of eternal existence is found. Indeed, this aggregate of body, senses, and minds exists, functioning both separately and interdependently in actions.

The elements, which are of five kinds—space, air, fire, water, and earth—exist and separate from each other by their own inherent nature.

The body is composed of a fivefold combination: ether, air, heat, moisture, and earth. This is not of a single kind. The collection of actions is threefold: knowledge, heat, and air.

Here, the senses, their objects, innate nature, consciousness, mind, vital breath and apāna, modifications, and elements have arisen.

Hearing, touch, tongue, sight, and nose—these five senses, thus, are qualities preceded by the mind.

There, the threefold sensation, always associated with consciousness, is said to be of three kinds: 'pleasure and pain', and also 'not pain' and 'not pleasure'.

Sound, touch, form, taste, smell, and form—these five and six qualities, indeed, from deathlessness, are for the accomplishment of knowledge.

Among these, the natural tendency towards action and the determination of the meaning of all principles—this is called the supreme, pure, imperishable, and great intellect.

When one sees this aggregate of qualities as the self, due to improper perceptions, endless suffering does not cease.

And whatever is perceived as 'not-self', when one regards it as 'I am not, nor is it mine', then what foundation remains for the continued chain of suffering to persist?

There, the unsurpassed treatise on renunciation called 'Proper Mind'—listen, for what is being explained will be for your liberation.

Renunciation alone, even of all prescribed actions, is always considered to bring affliction and sorrow to those who act wrongly.

When wealth is renounced, actions remain; when enjoyment is renounced, vows remain; when pleasure is renounced, austerity remains; when everything is renounced, there is completion.

This non-dual path of complete renunciation has been shown for him. Otherwise, for the abandonment of suffering, there would indeed be an evil state.

Having described the five sense organs and the mind as the sixth among them, I will now explain the mind as the sixth and the five organs of action.

The two hands are known as the organ of action; the two feet as the organ of movement. The phallus is the organ of generation and pleasure; the anus is the organ of excretion.

For the purpose of speech, the wise recognized the course endowed with five elements for the specific meaning of words. In this way, by intellect, one should indeed release these eleven courses of the mind.

The ears, sound, and mind—these three constitute the faculty of hearing; similarly, the same applies to touch, form, and likewise to taste and smell.

Thus, these fivefold qualities exist for the attainment of that. By which, whichever threefold state arises in succession.

There are three types: sattvika, rajasika, and tamasika. In these three, all means of sensation arise.

Great joy, affection, bliss, happiness, and a completely calmed mind—whether arising from nowhere or somewhere, from the mind—are qualities of sattva.

Discontent, distress, sorrow, greed, and impatience—these are the signs of rajas; they are observed with or without cause.

Non-discrimination, delusion, negligence, sleep, and drowsiness are various qualities born of tamas that exist in different ways.

Wherever there is a state joined with delight in the body or mind, that is to be considered a sattvic state; thus, it should be regarded as such.

But whatever action is undertaken that is joined with affliction and causes displeasure to oneself, that should be understood as arising from passion; thus, one should reflect upon it.

Now, whatever is associated with delusion, whether in the body or in the mind, which cannot be reasoned or known, that is to be understood as darkness.

That which has the ear as its support is called sound, and the ear is that which resorts to it. In the cognition of sound, neither both (sound and ear) nor the cognition of the other (object) is present.

Thus, the skin, eyes, tongue, nose, and the fifth (ear), in relation to touch, form, taste, and smell—these are the senses, and the mind is that (which perceives them).

The state of one's own actions exists simultaneously in these ten; know the mind as the eleventh, and the intellect is considered the twelfth.

For them, when simultaneity is absent, the destruction of darkness does not occur; when simultaneity is present, that transaction is considered worldly.

Even after abandoning the senses, having seen the earlier scriptural tradition, and contemplating, he repeatedly pursues it, being endowed with the three qualities.

That happiness which arises when the mind, overpowered by darkness, quickly becomes unstable and ceases to function, is called tāmasic happiness.

Whatever is associated with tradition does not completely cease; then, even there, it takes on darkness, appearing as if it were untruth.

Thus, this quality, distinctly recognized as arising from one's own actions, sometimes exists properly for some, or does not exist at all for others.

Thus, those who contemplate on the self say that the collection is the field. The state that is established in the mind is indeed called the knower of the field.

Given this, how could there be either destruction or eternality? In all existing beings, everything arises from inherent nature and causality.

Just as rivers, upon entering the ocean, abandon their distinct forms and names but do not lose their own essence, so is the dissolution of beings.

Thus, under these circumstances, how could a designation arise again after death? When the living being is thoroughly mixed and grasped from the midst.

But whoever knows this intellect of liberation, seeks his own self, and remains vigilant, is not affected by undesirable results of actions, just as a lotus leaf is not tainted by water.

When one is freed from many strong bonds, both those arising from beings and from divine powers, and when he abandons pleasure and pain, then, liberated, he attains the supreme state, without any distinguishing mark. Supported by the auspiciousness of scriptural authority and tradition, he rests, having gone beyond the fear of old age and death.

When merit is exhausted and sin has departed, and when the fruit (of actions) that arises without cause is destroyed, those who are unattached, like the unstained and formless sky, perceive the Supreme by not resorting to anything, being absorbed in great meditation.

Just as a spider, when its thread is exhausted, remains falling, so too, the liberated one abandons suffering, which is destroyed like a clod of earth striking a mountain.

Just as a deer leaves behind its old horn, or a serpent sheds its skin and moves on without looking back, so too does the liberated person abandon suffering and move forward.

Just as a bird, having abandoned a tree or water, flies away unattached when they fall, so too, one who has left behind pleasure and pain, being liberated, attains the supreme, unmanifest state.

Indeed, it is said that the king himself said this: "Even when the city was set on fire by fire, not even my chaff here was burned," as spoken by the Maithila (Janaka).

King Janaka of Videha, having listened here himself to the explanation of the immortal state by Pañcaśikha, after thoroughly examining and ascertaining its meaning, moved about supremely happy and free from sorrow.

Whoever recites this teaching on the certainty of liberation does not fall, always remains vigilant, does not experience troubles, and, being free from sorrow, is liberated like Kapila, O man of Mithila.