Shanti Parva 303.20
Rahular Itihasa / M. N. Dutt · Shanti Parva Chapter 303 · Verse 20
Sanskrit Original
निरयाच्चापि मानुष्यं कालेनैष्याम्यहं पुनः मनुष्यत्वाच्च देवत्वं देवत्वात् पौरुषं पुनः॥ मनुष्यत्वाच्च निरयं पर्यायेणोपगच्छति। य एवं वेत्ति नित्यं वै निरात्माऽऽत्मगुणैर्वृतः॥ तेन देवमनुष्येषु निरये चोपपद्यते। ममत्वेनावृतो नित्यं तत्रैव परिवर्तते।॥
From hell, it will take many long years before I can return to the status of humanity. From humanity I shall attain of the status of the gods. From that superior status I shall have to return to humanity and thence to sink into hell once more.—One who always consider this combination of the principal elements and the senses, with the reflection of consciousness in it, to be thus invested with the characteristics of the Soul, has again and again to walk among gods and human beings and to sink into hell. Being always invested with the idea of mineness, Individual Soul has to go through a round of such births.