ven this earthly body of his, attains to equality with the
spirits forming the attendants of Mahadeva. One becomes endued with
energy and fame, and cleansed of all sin (through the virtue of this
hymn). Neither Rakshasas, nor Pisachas, nor ghosts, nor Vinayakas, create
disturbances in his house where this hymn is recited. That woman, again,
who listens to this hymn with pious faith, observing the while the
practices of Brahmacharya, wins worship as a goddess in the family of her
sire and that of her husband.[1441] All the acts of that person become
always crowned with success who listens or recites with rapt attention to
the whole of this hymn. In consequence of the recitation of this hymn all
the wishes one forms in one's mind and all the wishes one clothes in
words become crowned with fruition. That man obtains all objects of
enjoyment and pleasure and all things that are wished for by him, who,
practising self-restraint, makes according to due rites offerings unto
Mahadeva, Guha, Uma, and Nandi, and after that utters their names without
delay, in proper order and with devotion. Such a man, departing from this
life, ascends to heaven, and has never to take birth among the
intermediate animals or birds. This was said even by the puissant Vyasa,
the son of Parasara."'"

SECTION CCLXXXVI

"'Yudhishthira said, "Tell me, O grandsire, what is Adhyatma with respect
to man and whence it arises."

"'Bhishma said, "Aided by the science of Adhyatma one may know everything.
It is, again, superior to all things. I shall, with the help of my
intelligence, explain to thee that Adhyatma about which thou askest me.
Listen, O son, to my explanation. Earth, Wind, Space, Water, and Light
forming the fifth, are the great essences. These are (the causes of) the
origin and the destruction of all creatures. The bodies of living
creatures (both subtile and gross), O bull of Bharata's race, are the
result of the combination of the virtues of these five. Those virtues
(whose combinations produce the bodies of creatures) repeatedly start
into existence and repeatedly merge into the original cause of all
things, viz., the Supreme Soul.[1442] From those five primal essences are
created all creatures, and into those five great elements all creatures
resolve themselves, repeatedly, like the infinite waves of the Ocean
rising from the Ocean and subsiding into that which causes them. As a
tortoise stretches forth its legs and withdraws them agai