15. From his body innumerable forms go forth, which constantly impel the multiform creatures to action.
16. Another strong body, formed of particles (of the) five (elements and) destined to suffer the torments (in hell), is produced after death (in the case) of wicked men.
17. When (the evil-doers) by means of that body have suffered there the torments imposed by Yama, (its constituent parts) are united, each according to its class, with those very elements (from which they were taken).
15. ' From his body,' i. e. 'from nature or the form of the Supreme Soul (Paramâtman, Medh., Nâr.) or from the body of Brahman which is endowed with the qualities' (Râgh.), 'like waves from the ocean or sparks from fire, in the manner mentioned in the Vedânta philosophy' (Gov., Kull.). 'Others,' mentioned by Medh., and Nand. explain the expression by 'from the root-evolvent or matter (prakriti) which is the body of the Supreme Soul.' Mûrtayah, 'forms,' i. e. 'Kshetragñas' (Gov., Kull., Nâr.), or 'souls limited by subtile bodies' (Râgh.), or 'portions which are the causes of the production of forms' (Nand.).
16. Dhruvam, 'strong,' i. e. 'able to withstand the supernatural torments' (Medh., Kull., Râgh.). Gov. and Nand. read dridham.
17. The translation follows Medh., Gov., and Râgh., with whom Nar. seems to agree, and it presupposes that the construction of the verse is ungrammatical. Kull. and Nand., who wish to show that Manu's text does not depart from the ordinary rules of grammar, assume that the subject of both clauses is dushkritino gîvâh, 'the evil-doing souls.' The former says, 'The evil-doing souls that are subtile, having suffered by means of that produced body those torments imposed by Yama, are individually dissolved on the disappearance of the gross body, in those very constituent portions of the elements;' the meaning is, 'they remain being united with them.' Nand's explanation is more intelligible. According to him the translation must be as follows: '(The individual souls) having suffered by means of that body the torments of Yama, are dissolved (on the termination of their sufferings, as far as that body is concerned), in those very (five) elements according to the proportion of their works' (vibhâgasas tatkarmavibhâgânurûpam). But it seems to me that these attempts to save the grammatical reputation of the author are useless.
