Now the disciple asks that ‘how does one practice (to experience
the soul)?’ Here the methods of practicing are asked. So those are described
here. Undertaking an activity is known as practice- this is known quite well.
How should be the place for the same and what rules should be followed ? These
are all told. Further the experience of the soul is also described.
36. One whose mind is not perturbed ( i.e. he does not have
corruption pertaining to raga-dwesha in the mind) and the one who knows the
nature of reality (soul) very well, such Yogi should carefully, (discarding
laziness, sleep etc.) in a lonely place, practice the nature of the own soul.
Meaning: Firstly the mind has to be made perturbation free of all
types of raga-dwesha, like a waves free ocean. Then make effort for self
realization thinking of teachings of Guru etc.
in an isolated place.
Here the disciple enquires, ‘ Bhagwan! How does one know that
the experience being attained is in accordance with the characteristics of the
soul? How does the Yogi find it out ? Further how does he know that every
moment he is progressing ?’ Acharya says ‘ O wise one! Listen I shall describe
the characteristics of it ‘.:
37. From the moment the highest Tatva (soul) is being experienced,
from that moment , the Yogi does not cherish the sensual objects which are
easily attainable.
Meaning: Once the Jiva experiences his own soul, his interests in worldly
pleasures keeps waning and do not attract him any more. Even food is not enjoyable.
He wishes to experience the soul more and more.
Therefore the lack of interest in sensual subjects itself
denotes the increase of experience of
the Yogi within his own self. Further:
38. From the moment the easily attainable sensual pleasures are
observed as not enjoyable , from that moment, the manifestation of the
experience of own soul keeps progressing
continuously.
Meaning: The lack of desires is indicative of the attainment of pure
nature of soul to self. Here Acharya quotes Samayasar kalash 34 that ‘just give
6 months and see if you cannot attain such pure soul’.
“O vatsa! With the increase of experience of the soul what all
starts happening , listen to them’:
39. The Yogi views the entire world as a great illusion. His desire
is to attain the nature of the soul. If he gets involved in some other activities , then he regrets it.
Meaning: One who experiences the soul, starts feeling world to be
illusionary and meaningless. He does not have desire for worldly pleasures and
wishes to experience the soul more and more. Even if due to fruition of
previously bonded karmas he indulges in some activities, he immediately regrets
it later.
Other features of one
experiencing the soul are :
40. He has respect only for solitude; such Yogi wants to remain in
isolation only. Due to requirements of his own, he may need to talk to others
but immediately he forgets it.
Meaning: To avoid the contact of worldly people who are interested
only in selfish talks, the yogi wants to stay in solitude for experiencing the
self. Even if he may come to town due to dependence on food, he talks very
little.
Further:
41. The one who has become stationary within the nature of the soul
, he does not speak even while speaking, does not walk even while walking and
does not see even while seeing.
Meaning: The yogi remains immersed within his own soul and even if he
is required to preach, he does not indulge in it whole heartedly thus even when
speaking he does not speak. Other activities of body are also undertaken with
lack of interest hence they can be treated as not carried out.
More :
42. The Yogi engaged in contemplation of the self does not think of
‘what is this?’, ‘ How is it?’, ‘Whose is it?’, ‘Why is it?’ ‘Where is it?’ ;
thus without engaging in such different contemplations he does not even know
his own body (does not care for his own body).
Meaning: The yogi, while experiencing the soul, does not think of
various aspects of soul as dravya i.e. ‘what is this?’, ‘how is it?’ etc. and
enjoys just the experience of the soul with equanimity. At that moment he does
not even think of his own body.
Here the disciple says, “ Bhagwan! It is a matter of great
surprise! How is possible to have such a different state ?” Guru says “ O wise
one! understand “. :
43. The one who starts staying in some place, he develops attachment
with it and then he does not go to a different place.
Meaning: Just as a person develops attachment for his own town,
village etc. and does not want to leave it; in the same way the Yogi immersed
within his own soul enjoys it so much that he does not wish to look elsewhere.
All external objects and enjoyments appear full of misery to him.
When he does not move elsewhere then what happens? Acharya
describes further:
44. Immersed in his own self,
the yogi does not indulge in any other activity and does not care for the
beauty or ugliness and other dharmas of the body. When he does not even know
these specifics, then he does not accrue bondage and rather gets released.
Meaning: stationary within himself, the Yogi is not bothered about the
beauty etc. of the body and does not have any raga or dwesha towards it. Hence
he does not accrue karmas. In fact his pure manifestation results in Nirjara
while even the conduct of fasting etc. results in asrava-bandh being shubha
raga.
Further:
45. Other is other one only, hence is a cause for misery. Soul is
soul only and gives bliss only. Hence Mahatmas have made all efforts for attaining
the soul.
Meaning: Here other stands for body, family etc. Believing them to be own
causes misery only since they can never be soul form. Their
conjunction-separation always causes pain. Soul remains as soul and can never
be body etc. form hence Tirthankaras etc. have made efforts to remain in the
soul form only by means of Nishchaya Tapa.
What is the harm in having attachment towards other dravyas?
This is described:
46. The unwise one who does not realise what is beneficial Tatva and
what is non beneficial Tatva, believes
body etc. form pudgala dravya to be his own and himself. Then that pudgala does
not leave company of the jiva in all the four gatis(births) of Narak etc. i.e.
in all the transmigrations the pudgala dravya remains bonded to the jiva. He
cannot get rid of it.
Meaning: Those who believe body etc. form pudgala to be his
own always remain with it and cannot get rid of it in all the four states of
transmigrations. Pudgala dravya always remain with him.
Disciple enquires,’ what benefit does the one who remains steady
within his own self accrue?’ Guru says:
47. Immersed within his own soul away from body etc., keeping
distant from vyavahar of the characteristics of engagements, such yogi
derives some indescribable pleasure from the contemplation of the soul.
Meaning: Withdrawing the attention from all external objects
and vyavahara of their activities, when
Yogi immerses within his own self the he gets an indescribable blissful
experience.
What that pleasure does ? That is told:
48. The pleasure generated within the soul , burns away the eternal
mass of karmas like fire burns the wood, such that the chain of karmas
reproduction is broken. Then that blissful yogi becomes insensitive and
indifferent to all the external calamities and distresses , thus does not
suffer them.
Meaning: Just as fire burns away the fuel, in the same way the
blissful experience of the soul destroys the mass of karmas. Subsequently he
remains indifferent to external calamities etc.
Therefore :
49. The great flame of knowledge removes all the ignorance.
Mumukshus ( people desirous of Moksha) should ask about that subject only,
desire that only and experience that only.
Meaning: Such flame is called Vidya (knowledge) which should
only be the subject of interest to Mumukshus. They should enquire with Gurus
regarding it only and discuss this only amongst themselves.
Thus explaining in detail to the disciple, Acharya now wishes
with great compassion to explain the same subject in brief to the pupil so as
to implant it in his memory and says,” O wise one! What is the point in talking
too much! The beneficial and non beneficial Tatvas can be implanted in brief
also in the hearts of the intelligent people!”. :
50. “Jiva is different and Pudgala is different”. Just this alone is
the essence of the description of Tatva. It encompasses everything. Beyond that
whatever is described, it forms the detail of the same.
Meaning: Jiva and pudgala are two different entities wherein one does not do anything to the other. The
summary of Tatva is to identify the soul by means of differentiating knowledge
and remain within the same. Rest is all detail.
Now Acharya describes the benefits of studying this scripture
immediately and over a period of time.:
51. In this manner, studying ‘Ishtopadesha’ properly and
contemplating upon it, getting wise to examine the beneficial non-beneficial,
the Bhavya with his knowledge of the
self, who has developed equanimity towards honour and dishonor, staying within
the forest or the city appropriately, acquires the incomparable wealth of
Moskha.
Meaning: Moksha is ‘Isht’= desirable and ‘Upadesha’= Preachment which
is that of contemplation of the soul . Thus this granth describes the procedure
for attaining Moksha by means for meditation of the soul.
Thus completes the Ishtopadesha Granth written by Pujyapad
Swamy.
The End
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