Chapter LXXXVII - Analecta of the celestial spheres

Argument:—The Spiritual body or soul, is not destroyed by destruction of the material Body.

The sol said:—

1. [Sanskrit available]
O great father of creation! thus did these venerable Brahmans, remain at that spot, occupied with these various thoughts (of existence) and their several actions in their minds for a long time. (This sort of yoga meditation is called Sarupya, or approximation of one to the divine attribute, of thinking on the States and functions of all things in the world in one's self).

2. [Sanskrit available]
They remained in this state (of abstraction), until their bodies were dried up by exposure to the sun and air, and dropped down in time like the withered leaves of trees. (This is called the Samadhi yoga or absorption in meditation, until one's final extinction or Euthanasia in the Spirit).

3. [Sanskrit available]
Their dead bodies were devoured by the voracious beasts of the forest, or tossed about as some ripe fruits by the monkeys on the hills, (to be food for greedy vultures and hungry dogs).

4. [Sanskrit available]
These Brahmans, having their thoughts distracted from outward objects, and concentrated in Brahmahood, continued in the enjoyment of divine felicity in their Spirits, until the close of the kalpa age at the end of the four yugas. (The duration of a day of Brahma extends over a kalpa age composed of four yugas, followed by his night of kalpanta, when he becomes extinct in his death-like sleep, the twin brother of death. Ho hupnos esti didumos adelphos thanatou).

5. [Sanskrit available]
At the end of the kalpa, there is an utter extinction of the solar light, by the incessant rains poured down by the heavy Pushkara and Avartaka clouds at the great deluge (when the doors of heaven were laid open to rain in floods on earth. Genesis).

6. [Sanskrit available]
When the hurricane of desolation blew on all sides, and buried all beings under the Universal ocean (which covered the face of the earth).

7. [Sanskrit available]
It was then thy dark night, and the previous creation slept as in their yoga-nidra or hypnotic trance in thy sleeping self. Thus thou continuing in thy spirit, didst contain all things in thee in their spiritual forms. (Darkness reigned on the deep, and the spirit of God viewed everything in itself).

8. [Sanskrit available]
Upon thy waking this day with thy desire of creation, all these things are exhibited to thy view, as a copy of all that was in thy inmost mind or Spirit already. (So it is upon our waking from sleep, we come to see a fac-simile of all that lay dormant in the sleeping mind).

9. [Sanskrit available]
I have thus related to you O Brahma! how these ten Brahmans were personified as so many Brahmas; these have become the ten bright orbs situated in the vacuous sphere of thy mind. (An English poet has expressed the holy soul to appear as a luminary in heaven).

10. [Sanskrit available]
I am the one eldest among them, consecrated in this temple of the sky, and appointed by thee, O lord of all! to regulate the portions of time on earthly beings.

11. [Sanskrit available]
Now I have given you a full account of the ten orbs of heaven, which are no other than the ten persons united in the mind of Brahma, and now appearing as detached from him. (Mentally viewed, everything is found situated in the mind, but when seen with open eyes, it seems to be set apart from us. Have therefore your thoughts or your sights as you may choose).

12. [Sanskrit available]
This beautiful world that you behold, appearing to your view, with all its wonderful structures, spread out in the skies, serves at best as a snare to entrap your senses, and delude your understanding, by taking the unrealities as realities in your mind. (Brahma the Demiurgus, being but architect of the world, and a person next to or an emanation of the mind of God, had not the intelligence of the soul, to discern the innate ideas, which represented themselves in the outer creation).