You should, O grandfather, describe to me what is freed from duty and its reverse, what is freed from every doubt, what is above birth and death, as also virtue and sin, what is auspiciousness, what is eternal fearlessness, what is Eternal and Indestructible, and Immutable, what is always Pure, and what is ever free from exertion.

Bhishma said O Bharata, referring to this matter I shall recite to you the old discourse between Yajnavalkya and Janaka. Once on a time the famous king Daivarati of Janaka's race, truthfully understanding the meaning of all questions, put this question to Yajnavalkya, that foremost of Rishis.

Janaka said ( regenerate Rishi, how many kinds of senses are there? How many kinds also are there of Nature? What is the Unmanifest and highest Brahma? What is higher than Brahmana? What is Birth and what Death? What are the limits of Age? You should, O foremost of Brahmanas, describe all these subjects to me who seek your favour.

I am ignorant while you are an Ocean of knowledge. Hence, I ask you. Verily, I wish to hear you describe all these subject.

Hear, O king, what I say in answer to these questions of yours. I shall give you the high knowledge which Yogins prize, and especially that which is possessed by the Sankhyas.

Nothing is unknown to you. Still you ask me. One, however, who is questioned, should answer. This is the eternal practice.

Eight principles have been called by the name of Nature, while sixteen have been called changes. Of Manifest, there are seven. These are of views of those persons who are conversant with the spiritual science.

The Unmanifest, Greatness, Consciousness and the five subtile elements of Earth, Wind, Ether, water, and Light, these eight are known by the name of Nature. Listen now to the enumeration of those called changes. They are the ear, the skin, the eye, the tongue' and the nose; and sound, touch, form, taste, and scent, as also speech, the two arins, the two feet, the lower duct (within the body), and the organ of pleasure.

The ten commencing with sound, and originating from the five great principles, are called Vishesha. The five senses of knowledge are called Savishesha, O king of Mithila.

Persons conversant with the spiritual science consider the Mind as the sixteenth. This is agreeable to your own views as also to those of other learned men well acquainted with the truths about principles.

From the Unmanifest, O king, originates the Greatness. The learned say this to be the first creation relating to Nature.

From Greatness, O king of men, originates Consciousness. This has been designated the second creation having the Understanding for its essence.

From Consciousness has originated the Mind which is the essence of sound and the others that are the qualities of ether and the rest. This is the third creation, relating to Consciousness.

From Mind have originated the great elements, O king! This is the fourth creation called mental.

Persons conversant with the principal elements hold that Sound and Touch and Form and Taste and Scent are the fifth creation, relating to the Great elements.

The creation of the Ear, the Skin, the Eye, the Tongue, and the Scent, forms the sixth and is considered as having for its essence multiplicity of thought.

The senses that come after the Ear and the others then originate, O king. This is called seventh creation and relates to the senses of knowledge.

Then, O king, come the vital air that rises upwards and those that go downwards. This is the eighth creation and called Arjjva (straight).

Then come those vital airs which move transversely in the lower parts of the body and also that called Apana passing downwards. This, the ninth creation, is also called Arjjava, O king.

These nine kinds of creation, and these principles, O king, which are twenty-four in number, are described to you according to what has been laid down in the scriptures.

After this, O king, listen to me as I tell you the durations of time as said by the learned regarding these principles or attributes.