Radha Krishna - Chapter 5: Final Instructions to Mahârâja Parîkchit

(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'In this [narration] I have elaborately described the Supreme Lord Hari, the Soul of Everyone from whose grace Lord Brahmâ was born [3.8] from whose anger Lord S'iva [3.12: 7] took birth. (2) O King, you who think 'I am going to die', must give up this animalistic mentality; contrary to the body that didn't exist before and shall perish again you never took your birth nor will you ever be destroyed [see also B.G. 2: 12 & 2: 20]. (3) You will not get a new life as a child of yours or in the form of a grandchild the way a plant sprouts from its own seed; you differ from the body and what belongs to it as much as fire [differs from the wood in which it is found *].

(4) Because one, alike in a dream seeing one's head cut off, is the witness of one's own self composed of the five material elements, is therefore the body it's soul undoubtedly unborn and immortal [see also B.G. 2: 22]. (5) When a pot is broken the air in the pot remains the air as before; similarly returns, when the body is given up, the individual soul to his spiritual origin. (6) The physical bodies, qualities and actions of the spirit soul are the result of having a materially oriented mind; and it is mâyâ, the illusory potency of the Lord, that brings about the mind with the consequent material existence of an individual living being [through ahankâra, see also 2.5: 25, 3.26: 31-32, 3.27: 2-5]. (7) The combination of oil, a vessel, a wick and fire is what one sees together in the functioning of a lamp, similarly one finds, developed and destroyed by the action of the modes of passion, ignorance and goodness, the material existence of [an individual soul inhabiting] a functioning body. (8) The soul being different from the gross [deha] and the subtle [linga], is self-luminous, and constitutes, because it is as unchanging as the sky, the foundation [âdhâra] that is eternal and beyond comparison. (9) O prabhu, this way in meditation upon Vâsudeva engaging your intelligence for the sake of that what is true, you should carefully consider your essence that is covered by your physical frame. (10) Takshaka [the snake-bird] sent by the words of the brahmin [1.18] will not burn you; the messengers of death cannot supersede you who [now] have mastered the causes of death and death itself [see also 11.31: 12]. (11-12) 'I am the Original Supreme Spirit, the Abode of the Absolute and the Supreme Destination'; with this consideration placing yourself within the Supreme Self that is free from material designations, you will, with the entire world thus set apart from the self, not even notice Takshaka or your own body when he, licking his lips and with his mouth full of poison, bites your foot. (13) Dearest soul, is there anything more you want to know, o King, after all that I in response to your questions told you about the pastimes of the Lord?'