it oneself by the aid of faith.  By churning the wealth that is contained in all religious works and in all discourses based on truth, as also the ten thousand Richs, this nectar hath been raised.  As butter from curds and fire from wood, even hath this been raised for the sake of my son,—­this that constituteth the knowledge of all truly wise men.  This discourse, O son, fraught with solid instruction, is intended for delivery unto Snatakas.[1040] It should never be imparted to one that is not of tranquil soul, or one that is not self-restrained, or one that hath not undergone penances.  It should not be communicated to one that is not conversant with the Vedas, or one that doth not humbly wait upon one’s preceptor, or one that is not free from malice, or one that is not possessed of sincerity and candour, or one that is of reckless behaviour.  It should never be communicated to one whose intellect hath been consumed by the science of disputation, or one that is vile or low.  Unto that person, however, who is possessed of fame, or who deserveth applause (for his virtues), or who is of tranquil soul, or possessed of ascetic merit, unto a Brahmana who is such, unto one’s son or dutiful disciple, this discourse containing the very essence of duties should be communicated, but on no account should it be communicated to others.  If any person makes a gift of the whole earth with all her treasures, unto one conversant with truth, the latter would still regard the gift of this knowledge to be very much superior to that gift.  I shall now discourse to thee on a subject that is a greater mystery than this, a subject that is connected with the Soul, that transcends the ordinary understandings of human beings, that has been beheld by the foremost of Rishis, that has been treated in the Upanishads, and that forms the topic of thy inquiry.  Tell me what, after this is in thy mind?  Tell me in what thou has still any doubt?  Listen, for here I am, O son, faces turned towards all directions.  The Sun and the Moon are thy two seated before thee!  Upon what indeed, shall I once more speak to thee?’”

SECTION CCXLVII

“Suka said, ’O illustrious one, O foremost of Rishis, once again discourse to me on Adhyatma more elaborately.  Tell me what, indeed, is Adhyatma and whence does it come?’[1041]

“Vyasa said, ’That, O son, which is regarded as Adhyatma with reference to human beings, I shall now mention to thee, and listen to the explanation I give (of Adhyatma).  Earth, water, light, wind, and space, are the great entities that form the component parts of all creatures, and, though really one, are yet regarded different like the waves of the ocean (which though identical with respect to their constituent substance are yet counted as different from one another).  Like a tortoise stretching out its limbs and withdrawing them again, the great entities (already named), by dwelling in numberless small forms, undergo transformations