y said, the senses being able to apprehend it). Nobody
has seen the other side of the Himavat mountains, nor the reverse of the
moon's disc. Yet it cannot be said that these do not exist. Similarly,
though never apprehended by the senses, yet nobody can say that the Soul,
which dwells in all creatures, which is subtile, and which has knowledge
for its essence, does not exist. People see the world reflected on the
moon's disc in the form of spots. Though seeing, they do not know that it
is the world that is so reflected there. Even such is the knowledge of
the Soul. That knowledge must come of itself. The Soul depends upon the
Soul itself. Men of wisdom, reflecting on the formlessness of visible
objects before birth and after destruction, behold by the aid of
intelligence, the formlessness of objects that have apparent forms. So
also although the Sun's motion cannot be seen, yet persons, by watching
its rising and setting, conclude that the sun has motion.[680] Similarly,
those who are endued with wisdom and learning behold the Soul by the aid
of the lamp of intelligence, though it is at a great distance from them,
and seek to merge the fivefold elements, which are near, into
Brahma.[681] Verily, an object cannot be accomplished without the
application of means. Fishermen catch fish by means of nets made of
strings. Animals are captured by employing animals as are the means.
Birds are caught by employing birds as the means. Elephants are taken by
employing elephants. In this way, the Soul may be apprehended by the
principle of knowledge. We have heard that only a snake can see a snake's
legs. After the same manner one beholds, through Knowledge, the Soul
encased in subtile form and dwelling within the gross body. People
cannot, through their senses, know the senses. Similarly, mere
Intelligence at its highest cannot behold the Soul which is supreme. The
moon, on the fifteenth day of the dark fortnight, cannot be seen in
consequence of its form being hid. It cannot be said, however, that
destruction overtakes it. Even such is the case with the Soul dwelling in
the body. On the fifteenth day of the dark fortnight, the gross body of
the moon becomes invisible. After the same manner, the Soul, when
liberated from the body, cannot be apprehended. As the moon, gaining
another point in the firmament begins to shine once more, similarly, the
Soul obtaining a new body, begins to manifest itself once more. The
birth, growth and disa