'12. Those observers of religious rites who worship Prakriti alone (Prakriti or nature, who, though insensible, influenced by the Supreme Spirit, operates throughout the universe) shall enter into the dark region: and those practisers of religious ceremonies that are devoted to worship solely the prior operating sensitive particle, allegorically called Brahma, shall enter into a region much more dark than the former.

'13. It is said that one consequence may be attained by the worship of Brahma, and another by the adoration of Prakriti. Thus have we heard from learned men, who have distinctly explained the subject to us.

Footnotes

^311:1 Asury`a, Vag. Samhita; asurya, Upan. Asurya in the Upanishads in the sense of belonging to the Asuras, i. e. gods, is exceptional. I should prefer asurya, sunless, as we find asurye tamasi in the Rig-veda, V, 32, 6.

^311:2 Purvam arsat, Vag. Samh.; purvam arshat, Upan. Mahidhara suggests also arsat as a contraction of a-risat, not perishing.

^311:3 Apas is explained by karmani, acts, in which case it would be meant for apas, opus. But the Vag. Samhita accentuates apas, i.e. aquas, and Anandagiri explains that water stands for acts, because most sacrificial acts are performed with water.

^312:1 Tad v antike, Vag. Samh.; tadvad antike, Upan.

^312:2 Vikikitsati, Vag. Samh.; vigugupsate, Upan.

^312:3 Sankara takes the subject to be the Self, and explains the neuter adjectives as masculines. Mahidhara takes the subject to be the man who has acquired a knowledge of the Self, and who reaches the bright, incorporeal Brahman, &c. Mahidhara, however, likewise allows the former explanation.

^312:4 Cf. Talavak. Up. I, 4; vidyayah, avidyayah, Vag. Samh.; vidyaya, avidyaya, Upan.

^313:1 Mahidhara on verse 17: 'The face of the true (purusha in the sun) is covered by a golden disk.'

^313:2 Cf. Maitr. Up. VI, 35.

^313:3 Asau purushah should probably be omitted.

^313:4 These lines are supposed to be uttered by a man in the hour of death.

^313:5 The Vagasaneyi-samhita reads: Om, krato smara, klibe smara, kritam smara. Uvata holds that Agni, fire, who has been worshipped in youth and manhood, is here invoked in the form of mind, or that kratu is meant for sacrifice. 'Agni, remember me! Think of the world! Remember my deeds!'

^316:1 Uvata explains gigishivisheh for gigivishet as a purushavyatayah.

^318:1 Mahidhara decides in the end that vidya and amritam must here be taken in a limited or relative sense, tasmad vidyopasanamritam kapekshikam iti dik, and so agrees on the whole with Sankara, pp. 25-27.

^318:2 Shad anushtubhah, lokayatikah prastuyante yesham etad darsanam.

^318:3 Mritasya satah punah sambhavo nasti, atah sariragrahanad asmakam muktir eva.

^318:4 Samastasya gagatah sambhavaikahetu brahma.

^318:5 Vinasam vinasi ka vapuh sariram.