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XII, 17.
TRANSMIGRATION.
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15. From his body innumerable forms go forth, which constantly impel the multiform creatures to action.
16. Another strong body, formed of particles (of the) five (elements and) destined to suffer the torments (in hell), is produced after death (in the case) of wicked men.
17. When (the evil-doers) by means of that body have suffered there the torments imposed by Yama, (its constituent parts) are united, each according to its class, with those very elements (from which they were taken).
individual and the Supreme Soul; united with the elements, i.e. residing in the body; the Great One, i. e. the Supreme Soul and the Knower of the Field; in the manifold, i.e. in the gross and in the subtile; him who is found, i.e. the field (kshetra), pervading they reside. The meaning is that the individual soul pervades the body and the Supreme Soul pervades the individual soul.'
15. From his body,' i.e. from nature or the form of the Supreme Soul (Paramâtman, Medh., När.) or from the body of Brahman which is endowed with the qualities' (Râgh.), like waves from the ocean or sparks from fire, in the manner mentioned in the Vedanta philosophy' (Gov., Kull.). Others,' mentioned by Medh., and Nand. explain the expression by from the root-evolvent or matter (prakriti) which is the body of the Supreme Soul.' Mārtayah, 'forms,' i.e.'Kshetragñas' (Gov., Kull., Nár.), or 'souls limited by subtile bodies' (Râgh.), or portions which are the causes of the production of forms' (Nand.).
16. Dhruvam, 'strong,' i.e. able to withstand the supernatural torments' (Medh., Kull., Ragh.). Gov. and Nand. read dridham.
17. The translation follows Medh., Gov., and Râgh., with whom Nâr. seems to agree, and it presupposes that the construction of the verse is ungrammatical. Kull. and Nand., who wish to show that Manu's text does not depart from the ordinary rules of grammar, assume that the subject of both clauses is dushkritino gîvâh, the evil-doing souls. The former says, "The evil-doing souls that are subtile, having suffered by means of that produced body those torments imposed by Yama, are individually dissolved on the disappearance of the gross body, in those very constituent portions of
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