669.  The analogy is thus explained.  Fire, when fed, bursts into flames.  When not fed, it dies out, but is not destroyed, for with new fuel the flames may be brought back.  The current of the wind ceases, but does not suffer extinction; for if it did, there would be no current again.  The same is the case with the rays of the Sun.  They die in the night, to reappear in the morning.  The rivers are dried up in summer and refilled during the rains.  The body, once dissolved, appears in another form.  It will be seen that the weakness of the reasoning is due only to incorrect notions about the objects referred to.

670.  Exists in its own nature, i.e., unaffected by attributes and qualities and accidents.

671.  Some of the Bengal texts read sumahan and subuddhih in the second line.  Of course, this is incorrect.  The true reading is samanah and sabuddhih, meaning ‘with mind and with understanding.’  In the Bombay edition occurs a misprint, viz., sumanah for samanah.  Nilakantha cites the correct readings.

672.  The Burdwan translator misunderstands the word Linga as used in both 14 and 15.  K.P.  Singha also wrongly renders that word as it occurs in 15.  The commentator rightly explains that Linga has no reference to Linga-sarira or the invisible body composed of the tanmatra of the primal elements, but simply means the gross body.  In 14, he says, Lingat sthuladehat, Lingam tadeva dehantaram.  In 15, anena Lingena Savibhutena.  Adristhah means alakshitah.  A little care would have removed such blunders.

673.  The commentator cites the Gita which furnishes a parallel passage, viz., Indriyani paranyahurindriyebhyah param manah, etc.

674.  This verse seems to show that the Rishis had knowledge of spectacles, and probably also, of microscopes.  The instrument that shewed minute objects must have been well known, otherwise some mention would have been made of it by name.  The commentator calls it upanetra.

675.  By death on sleep.

676.  Yugapat means simultaneous:  atulyakalam means differing in point of time in respect of occurrence:  kritsnam qualifies indriyartham; Vidwan means Sakshi; and ekah, independent and distinct.  What is intended to be said here is that when the soul, in a dream, musters together the occurrences and objects of different times and places, when, in fact, congruity in respect of both time and place does not apply to it, it must be regarded to have an existence that is distinct and independent of the senses and the body.

677.  The object of this is to show that the Soul has only knowledge of the pleasures and pains arising in consequence of Sattwa and Rajas and Tamas and in connection with the three states of the understanding due to the same three attributes.  The Soul, however, though knowing them, does not enjoy or suffer them.  He is only the silent and inactive Witness of everything.

678.  The object of the simile is to show that as wind is a separate entity although existing with the fire in a piece of wood, so the Soul, though existing with the senses is distinct from them.