be known (to form) the triple Veda; he who knows them, (is called) learned in the Veda.

266. The initial triliteral Brahman on which the threefold (sacred science) is based, is another triple Veda which must be kept secret; he who knows that, (is called) learned in the Veda.

CHAPTER XII.

1. 'O sinless One, the whole sacred law, (applicable) to the four castes, has been declared by thee; communicate to us (now), according to the truth, the ultimate retribution for (their) deeds.'

2. To the great sages (who addressed him thus) righteous Bhrigu, sprung from Manu, answered, 'Hear the decision concerning this whole connexion with actions.'

3. Action, which springs from the mind, from speech, and from the body, produces either good or evil results; by action are caused the (various) conditions of men, the highest, the middling, and the lowest.

4. Know that the mind is the instigator here

Samhitâ, not those read in the Brâhmana or those recited according to the Samhitâpâ/ha, not those recited according to the Pada or Kramapâthas.' Gov. gives the first explanation only.

266. K. omits this verse, and inserts in its stead the following lines: esha vo vadita['bhihita]s sarvah prâyaskittavinirnayah | naihsreyasam karmavidhim viprasyaitam nibodhata ||

atah param pravakshyâmi samsâravidhim uttamam

Nand. gives the first two lines after verse 266, reading, however, ityeshâ(?)bhihitah.

XII. 1. Râgh. takes tattvatah parâm separately and explains the second line as follows: 'communicate to us (now) the retribution for (their) deeds (and) supreme (liberation, which springs) from (the recognition of) truth.'

4. Of three kinds,' i. e. 'good, middling, or bad.' 'Has three

below, even to that (action) which is connected with the body, (and) which is of three kinds, has three locations, and falls under ten heads.

5. Coveting the property of others, thinking in one's heart of what is undesirable, and adherence to false (doctrines), are the three kinds of (sinful) mental action.

6. Abusing (others, speaking) untruth, detracting from the merits of all men, and talking idly, shall be the four kinds of (evil) verbal action.

7. Taking what has not been given, injuring (creatures) without the sanction of the law, and holding criminal intercourse with another man's wife, are declared to be the three kinds of (wicked) bodily action.

8. (A man) obtains (the result of) a good or evil mental (act) in his mind, (that of) a verbal (act) in his speech, (that of) a bodily (act) in his body.

9. In consequence of (many) sinful acts committed with his body, a man becomes (in the next birth) something inanimate, in consequence (of sins) com

locations,' i. e. 'the mind, speech, and the body.' 'Falls under ten heads,' i. e. 'those mentioned in verses 5-7.' The mind, which is here called the instigator, is the internal organ, which has the faculty of samkalpa, 'volition.'

5. Thinking in one's heart what is undesirable,' means according to Medh. either 'thinking of or wishing anything that may be injurious to others or what is forbidden.' Gov. and Nâr. give the first explanation, the other commentators the second. Others mentioned by Medh. explained vitathâbhinivesam, adherence to false doctrines' (i. e. the denial of a future state, of the authority of the Vedas and so forth), by a constant deep hatred.' In their remarks on this verse and the next two, the commentators point out that the opposites of the acts mentioned are the different kinds of good actions.

5-9. Yâgñ. III, 131, 134–136.

mitted by speech, a bird, or a beast, and in consequence of mental (sins he is re-born in) a low caste.

10. That man is called a (true) tridandin in whose mind these three, the control over his speech (vâgdanda), the control over his thoughts (manodanda), and the control over his body (kâyadanda), are firmly fixed.

11. That man who keeps this threefold control (over himself) with respect to all created beings and wholly subdues desire and wrath, thereby assuredly gains complete success.

12. Him who impels this (corporeal) Self to action, they call the Kshetragña (the knower of the field); but him who does the acts, the wise name the Bhûtâtman (the Self consisting of the elements).

13. Another internal Self that is generated with all embodied (Kshetragñas) is called Giva, through which (the Kshetragña) becomes sensible of all pleasure and pain in (successive) births.

10. Usually an ascetic who wears three staves (danda) tied together, is called a tridandin. According to our verse this outward sign avails nothing. That man only deserves the name tridandin who keeps a threefold control (danda) over himself.

II. Complete success,' i. e. final liberation.'

12. This (corporeal) Self,' i. e. 'the body' (Medh., Gov., Kull.), or 'the gross visible body which includes the three sheaths' (Râgh., Nâr.). The Kshetraga (the knower of the field),' i. e. 'the individual Soul (Gîva),' (Medh. on verse 13, Nâr.), the Paramâtman (Nand.); Râgh. quotes, in explanation of the term 'the field,' Bhagavadgîtâ XIII, 5-6. The Bhûtâtman (the Self consisting of the elements),' i. e. the body which is composed of or a modification of the elements, i. e. of earth and so forth' (Medh., Gov., Kull., Râgh.), the Self which has the form of the non-sentient, the elements and so forth' (Nâr.), or 'the Gîva' (Nand.).

13. According to Medh. 'some' understand by the term Gîva 'the subtile body (linga sarîra) which is overspread by Mahat, the Great One,' because the individual soul, which is usually called

14. These two, the Great One and the Kshetragña, who are closely united with the elements, pervade him who resides in the multiform created beings.

Gîva, has been mentioned in verse 12 under the appellation Kshetragña. He adds that 'others' explain Gîva by the internal organ, which has the form of mind, intelligence, and egoism.' The former view is adopted by Râgh., while Gov., who paraphrases Gîva by manah, the mind,' and Kull. as well as Nâr., who render it by Mahat,' the Great One or intelligence,' lean towards the second. Nand. says, 'gîvasamgñah means "he who fully knows the Givas," i. e. the omniscient.' Sahagah, that is generated with,' means according to Medh. and Gov. that is associated with until the period of destruction (pralaya) or until final liberation is obtained.'

14. The term mahân, 'the Great One,' is referred by Medh., Gov., Kull., Nâr., Râgh. to the Gîva mentioned in the preceding verse, and hence is explained by each in accordance with the view expressed on verse 13. Bhûtasampriktau, 'closely united with the elements' (Medh., Gov., Kull.), or enveloped by the elements (Râgh.), means according to Nâr. 'united with the Bhûtâtman.' Sthitam tam vyâpya tish/hatah, 'pervade him who resides,' i. e. ' pervade' (Gov.), or 'rest on' (Kull.), or conceal through illusion (Nâr.) him, i. e. 'the Paramâtman, the Supreme Soul' (Gov., Kull., Nâr.), 'who resides in all created beings' (Gov., Nâr.) 'as the witness' (Kull., Nâr.). Gov. adds 'or (the expression vyâpya tish/hatah) 'they pervade" is used because the Supreme Soul pervades everything.' This latter explanation probably refers to Medh.'s rendering, according to which the verse must be translated 'Those two, the Great One and the Knower of the Field, who are closely united, rest on him who resides in the multiform created beings, pervading (them).' Medh. expressly declares that tishthatah is to be taken as a transitive verb (sarvakarmatvam [sakarmatvam] tishthater anekârthatvât). He explains him' by 'the Supreme Soul,' and adds that the expression 'rest on' is justified, because the Paramâtman is the cause of the whole world, and the product rests on its cause. Râgh. differs very much, and says, Those two, the Great One (i. e. the Intelligence and by implication the subtile body) and the Knower of the Field, i. e. the individual soul enveloped by the five elements (and) pervading him who is found in the manifold created beings, i. e. the gross bodies, and reside, i. e. there, as the enjoyers.' Nand. finally has the following explanation: Those two, i. e. the

15. From his body innumerable forms go forth, which constantly impel the multiform creatures to action.

16. Another strong body, formed of particles (of the) five (elements and) destined to suffer the torments (in hell), is produced after death (in the case) of wicked men.

17. When (the evil-doers) by means of that body have suffered there the torments imposed by Yama, (its constituent parts) are united, each according to its class, with those very elements (from which they were taken).

individual and the Supreme Soul; united with the elements, i. e. residing in the body; the Great One, i. e. the Supreme Soul and the Knower of the Field; in the manifold, i. e. in the gross and in the subtile; him who is found, i. e. the field (kshetra), pervading they reside. The meaning is that the individual soul pervades the body and the Supreme Soul pervades the individual soul.'

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15. From his body,' i. e. ' from nature or the form of the Supreme Soul (Paramâtman, Medh., Nâr.) or from the body of Brahman which is endowed with the qualities' (Râgh.), ‘like waves from the ocean or sparks from fire, in the manner mentioned in the Vedânta philosophy' (Gov., Kull.). Others,' mentioned by Medh., and Nand. explain the expression by 'from the root-evolvent or matter (prakriti) which is the body of the Supreme Soul.' Mûrtayah, 'forms,' i. e. 'Kshetragñas' (Gov., Kull., Nâr.), or 'souls limited by subtile bodies' (Râgh.), or 'portions which are the causes of the production of forms' (Nand.).

16. Dhruvam, strong,' i. e. able to withstand the supernatural torments' (Medh., Kull., Râgh.). Gov. and Nand. read dridham.

17. The translation follows Medh., Gov., and Râgh., with whom Nâr. seems to agree, and it presupposes that the construction of the verse is ungrammatical. Kull. and Nand., who wish to show that Manu's text does not depart from the ordinary rules of grammar, assume that the subject of both clauses is dushkritino gîvâh, 'the evil-doing souls.' The former says, 'The evil-doing souls that are subtile, having suffered by means of that produced body those torments imposed by Yama, are individually dissolved on the disappearance of the gross body, in those very constituent portions of