even here before death.[659] Whatever acts
are accomplished by means of the body, one enjoys the fruits thereof in a
state of physical existence. The body is, indeed, the framework to which
happiness inheres, as also the framework to which misery inheres.[660]
Whatever acts are accomplished by means of words, their fruits are to be
enjoyed in a state in which words can be spoken. Similarly, whatever acts
are accomplished by the mind, their fruits are enjoyed in a state in
which one is not freed from the mind.[661] Devoted to the fruits of acts,
whatever kind of acts (Sattwika or Rajasika or Tamasika) a person
covetous of fruits accomplishes, the fruits, good or bad, that he
actually enjoys partake of their character. Like fishes going against a
current of water, the acts of a past life come to the actor. The embodied
creature experiences happiness for his good acts, and misery for his evil
ones. Him from whom this universe hath sprung, Him by knowing whom
persons of cleansed souls transgress this world, Him who has not been
expressed by Vedic mantras and words, I will now indicate. Listen to me
as I speak of that highest of the high. Himself liberated from the
several kinds of taste and scent, and sound and touch and form, He is
incapable of being grasped by the senses, unmanifest, without colour, the
One, and He has created the five kinds of objects[662] for His creatures.
He is neither female, nor male, nor of the neuter sex. He is neither
existent, nor non-existent, nor existent-nonexistent.[663] Only those
that are acquainted with Brahma behold Him. He knoweth no direction.'"'"

SECTION CCII

"'"Manu said, 'From that eternal and undeteriorating One first sprang
Space; from space came Wind; from wind came Light; from light came Water;
from water sprang the Universe; and from the universe, all things that
occur in it. The bodies of all (earthly) things, (after dissolution),
first enter into water, thence to light or heat, thence to the wind, and
thence to space. They that seek Emancipation have not to return from
space. On the other hand, they attain to Brahma. The refuge of
Emancipation, viz., Brahma, is neither hot, nor cold, neither mild nor
fierce, neither sour nor astringent, neither sweet nor bitter. He is not
endued with sound, or scent, or form. He transcends all these and
everything, and is without dimensions.[664] The skin perceives touch; the
tongue, taste; the nose, scent; the ears, sounds; and the eye