सङ्गीतरत्नाकर: प्रथम भाग (शार्ङ्गदेव - स्वरगताध्याय सविस्तार व्याख्या व अनुवाद सहित)

26 Treatment of Svara
(ii) The nature of jīva (individual being): 5d-8a
Its relative¹ manifestations called jīva-s, delimited by
the beginningless² nescience, are like the sparks of fire,
differentiated by the circumstances³ of wood etc. (5d-6c)
Here the author elucidates the essential nature of the individual
beings and their relationship with the source of all manifestation. As
the sparks are identical with fire in essence and yet have an individual
identity in form, so also the individual beings are limited manifesta-
tions of the unlimited Brahman, distinguishable from each other by the
exigencies of existence caused by the unawareness of the totality of
being, the substratum of individual existence. Thus the relationship
between the manifest individual and the unmanifest, unconditioned
reality is that of identity in difference. 'S' admits of another inter-
pretation as well. He lays emphasis on the word aṁśa of the text and
points out the fact that, since the individuals are conceived as parts and
are admitted to be many, their relationship with Brahman is the one
that subsists between the parts constituting the whole. 'K' interprets
aṁśa as mātrā, i.e., a partial manifestation.
However, aṁśa cannot be interpreted merely as a part, for the
concept of aṁśa implies an incomplete or partial manifestation of the
whole, i.e., it must be understood that the part in this context necessa-
rily implies the whole. So the part is not essentially different from the
whole, though a limited manifestation of the whole.

1. An aṁśa as explained above, is a partial manifestation of the
   whole, i.e., a relative entity. This in fact is a unique relation,
   and when actually comprehended, transcends every form of
   relationship. So each implies all.
2. 'Time' is a relative concept, and it is only in the relative
   existence that time has significance; in the absolute, time has
   no value, since it is timeless. Nescience is said to be beginn-
   ingless, i. e., causeless, since it has no real value in terms of
   being. Nescience is unawareness of the total being and is
   responsible for delimiting awareness in the consciousness of
   the individual, and thus bringing time into being. So being
   anterior to time, it can have no beginning in time.
3. Fire arising out of different kinds of wood gives rise to the
   sparks of a different colour or intensity; so, the sparks are not
   different from fire in so far as heat is the essence of both; but,
   yet, they are different with reference to the circumstance of
   their being due to the difference in the kind of wood that is
   the material cause of the fire. Thus the individuals differ in
   the form of their conditioning; but, are the same in so far as
   all are conditioned manifestations of awareness which by itself
   is unlimited.
   Section 2 : The Genesis of the Human Embodiment 27
   Governed by their beginningless actions⁴, virtuous as
   well as evil, productive of pleasure and pain, they (jīva-s)
   attain, in every⁵ birth, to a physical body associated with
   appropriate genus⁶, life-time and enjoyment, as a conse-
   quence of their unfructified⁷ accumulated action. (6d-8a).
   Here the author accounts for the variety in the form of individual
   beings so very characteristic of our creation. Nescience being the basis
   of individuation, action proceeding from it is also of the same order,
   i. e., beginningless. Since the nescience is itself the cause of time,
   individual differences cannot be accounted for in time, nor the differen-
   ces are caused by any divine agency for God, though conceived to be
   the substratum of the nescience, is, by that very reason, unaffected by
   it. So, the differences in individual beings are taken to be a given fact
   and explained by the law of karma. Karma is incomplete partial actiou
   which necessitates a process of time-space for its completion. A seed
   when sown takes time to grow into a tree and bear some fruit. Thus
   sowing of the seed is a part of the whole process of a fruit-bearing tree.
   Another implication of the statement is that, since the actions of the
   individuals are beginningless, the differences characterising their being
   must ultimately be traced to the nescience, which is impersonal and
   beginningless. Thus the problem of the origination of good and evil is
   shifted from the individual level to the universal level.
   This is a unique concept which avoids the problem of the origina-
   tion of evil, being attributed to divine authorship and also the indivi-
   duals are absolved from having good or evil as their inherent quality.
   Good and evil actions alike are the product of nescience, which is
   beginningless but not endless, since it can be ended by right knowledge
   or self-awareness Thus, nobody is eternally damned and everybody
   can hope for salvation.
4. Since the nescience, responsible for the sense of doership in
   the individual, is beginningless, the actions proceeding from
   that mentality are also spoken of as beginningless.
5. Many births are visualised for an individual; and this involves
   the theory of reincarnation. A thought body enduring till
   final emancipation is spoken of in the next verse. In every
   birth the individual is endowed with the suitable physical
   vehicle necessitated by his action.
6. The individual may be born in any kingdom, viz., vegetable
   kingdom, animal kingdom, etc. in their species, i. e. various
   animals, or among human beings, in different classes, occupied
   with different vocations, since the enjoyment of life is related
   to it.
7. The Skt. word karma is difficult to translate. The word
   is derived from the root kṛ meaning 'to do', and denotes action,
   work, vocation, etc., in general. But in the context of re-
   incarnation and the law of karma associated with it, karma is
   incomplete action, unspent force involving a time process for