Page 123 - Journey to Infinity

bodies are in Brahman, they are in the individual soul too.
When the living creatures and animals were born out of the union of Brahman and Maya, they too were of the form of this same veil. In the gross human body, the ether-element settled in the throat; the air-element in the heart; the fire-element in the navel; the water-element in the genital organ; and the earth-element in the anus. This body too is formed from the mixture of these elements in a certain proportion (Pancheekaran). Just as sound, touch, form, taste and smell are found to dwell in the subtle body (heart) of man so also they are found in Antaryami or Avyakrit. And just as these five phases lie in a withdrawn state in the causal body of man, they are found in Hiranyagarbha also.
Time creates, and Time alone kills. This is the inevitable law of Time. Let us first understand about the dissolution of the individual soul or Jiva.
When death comes, first of all the element of earth is withdrawn from the Basic plexus or Mooladhara chakra and it comes to the Hypogastric plexus or Swadhistan chakra — the place of water element. The earth-element is then converted into water. Hands and feet become cold. This is the dissolution of water. Then, water is withdrawn from the Hypogastric plexus or Swadhistan chakra and is accumulated in the solar plexus, in the region of the navel called Nabhi chakra. It then becomes fire. The region above the navel becomes warm. This is the dissolution of fire. Then, fire is gradually withdrawn from the Solar plexus to the Cardiac plexus or Anahat or Hruday chakra, and it becomes air, mixing with the breath (air) of the heart region. Then the whole body begins to tremble. This is the dissolution of the air-element. After that, the air of the Cardiac plexus is withdrawn to the ether element of the Pharyngeal plexus or Vishuddhi charka, assuming the form of ether. A sound is produced in the throat and this is the dissolution of the ether-element. The lower portion of the body is dead (and dissolved) and now only the part above the eyes is alive. Now the element of Brahman, which is found in the indi¬vidual soul, is withdrawn. Eyes are turned back and are merged in the Virat element. This Virat principle merges itself in the Antaryami principle which, in turn, merges itself in the Hiranyagarbha. This is the dis¬solution of the Brahman (Brahma pralaya), the speci¬men of which is Sushupti.
Then all the three bodies of the Brahman merge in the element of Time or Kalatattva. This is the dissolution of the Time element. Time, again in its turn, merges in the whirl — cave of the First Maya (Adi-maya), the giver of momentum. There is no withdra¬wal beyond. It lies there alone, withdrawn and shrunk. This is called the dissolution of Mahakal or Great Time. The Supreme Base which is the substratum and which has a wonderful form is never dissolved. It remains as it is.