This (goddess of) illusion (maya) has four crests [*+]. She is always fresh and therefore ever young. She is skilful, because she is an expert in accomplishing even the impossible. She is sweet-mouthed [*++] at the outset. Thus,

too, she veils the knowledge derivable from the upanishads. In her dwell, like two birds, the supreme self and the individual soul, for, they alone make all things manifest. (26)

Of these two, the former remains unattached, while the latter, on the other hand, falling into the ocean of ignorance and forgetting the real nature of the self, perceived the apparition of these various worlds. But no sooner has he turned his consciousness within himself than the unborn (maya), abandons him and he abandons her. There is, thus, One only. But the wise, somehow, render that One variously by their teachings. [**] (27)

The inner self neither comes in at the time of birth nor goes away at the time of death; for, it is infinite. But it is the mind with the subtle body that enters thus and goes forth afterwards. The mind does not reproduce in itself the leanness or the stoutness of the gross body. But it departs, taking with it the two sets [**] of tendencies (samskara) and the measures of light (tejo-matrah) [*+], and returns again to this world along with these very appendages. (28)

There was, of old, a venerable Brahmana, named Subandhu, who was the priest of (king) Sanati; he having died by the deceitful incantations of some Brahmanas, his mind went to (the abode of the god of) death, and his brother brought it back by means of Vedic hymns,--so says the Veda. It follows from this that the mind alone, as related to the self, goes forth and not the inner self in any case. (29)

The one motionless self moves with the wandering mind, remains in it, and is also both before and behind it. But although it is

thus present throughout, the eye and other senses know it not. Water, for instance, moves about with the rolling waves raised by the wind, is in them and before them and behind them; and when the waves are still, it is as it ever is. (30)

The inner self was, at first, by itself. Then it seeks objects of enjoyment one after another: "Let me have wife and and wealth to support them." For their sake the man works with very many difficulties even at the risk of his life and does not deem anything-else to be higher or greater than them. Even if any one of them is not gained, he feels himself to be incomplete and is as inactive as if he were dead; so, too, even if any one of them is lost, he feels he has entirely missed his purpose. (31)