Pahud Doha- VI

101. I am adorned with characteristics while my favorite is shapeless , without characteristics and unaccompanied. Although both stay in the same place, we have not touched each other.

Meaning: The mysticism continues here. My favorite is Paramatma which is my pure soul who does not have worldly characteristics, does not have definite shape and is not attracted to anything thus is  totally detached. On the other hand I am filled with worldly blemishes. Although myself and my favorite occupy the same body but we have no contact with each other i.e. myself has not been able to reach him.

102. O yogi! The one whose heart is not interested in the worldly desires, six types of tastes and five types of attractions, make him your friend.

Meaning: The yogi is told to give up company of worldly people who will be cause of his downfall. He is advised to  keep company of such Sadhus who are not interested in worldly matters, have no desire of tastes and not attracted to subjects of five senses.

103. Those, whose austerities involves body even to smallest extent, for them smallest fire of death is intolerable.

Meaning: The one practicing austerities should not have any attachment or oneness with the body since then the subject of death becomes painful. The message is that one should give up all attachment to others including body to practice austerity . Then only he would be unaffected by any calamities or disasters.

104. O fool! With the destruction of the body, the sensory knowledge, scriptural knowledge, attachments and objectives , all melt away. Such people are rare who remember the Deva on this occasion.

Meaning: So long as the body is there, the mind is busy with worldly objectives and related attachments. Once the body destroyed then all the worldly interests are lost and the body related subjects are valueless. Rare are such people who contemplate of the pure soul and are interested in attaining siddha-hood.

105. Tired of the material world, whose mind is stationary within himself, he acts according to his bhavas. For him neither the fear exists nor the world exists.

Meaning: People are attracted to the material world and without knowing the nature of the  soul, they are bonded with Mithyatva all the time. However once someone realizes the futility of this world and contemplates upon the nature of soul , his attitude changes. Then his activities are puritan in accordance with the bhavas i.e. the knowledge that all the jivas in this world are of the nature of Paramatma. Knowing the permanent nature of soul he is fearless, nor does he care about the worldly activities.

106. With the killing of Jivas, one attains birth in hell while with the protection of their lives, he accrues birth in heaven. Both of the activities are pertaining to continuity of the world. Hence whichever is to your liking, you take that path.

Meaning: People accrue karmas pertaining to Narak Gati (birth in hell) due to killing of other jivas while with saving their lives, they accrue Deva Gati ( birth in heaven). However all such activities result in  bondage of karmas and continuation of the worldly existence. Acharya says, you choose whichever path you want. ( In reality the Munis do not indulge in either activities remaining  unattached with equanimity).

107. Happiness lasts for two days and then the rule of miseries starts. Hence O heart ! I tell you to give attention to right path.

Meaning: The enjoyments of senses last for two days and after that there is a long tradition of miseries and sufferings. Knowing this reality one is advised to traverse the right path of detachment and contemplation of the soul.

108. O fool! Do not be attracted to the body. The body is not soul. Observe the knowledge form soul different from the body.

Meaning:   Since eternal times jivas have been believing body to be soul and remaining attached to it. This is false belief and cause of worldly transmigration. Realizing this one should experience the soul as different from the body and remain immersed in that.

109. O yogi! Just as body is a hutment for the life, in the same way lump of mud exists. The owner of life resides within it. Pay attention to him.

Meaning: Body is no different from a lump of mud (pudgala) which is constituted out of the fruition of Naam Karmas. One should not give undue attention to it and rather identify the owner of the body as the soul residing within it. Then he should contemplate of its nature.

110. O fool! Without touching the root, If someone  want to climb the branch; where does he have practice of the yoga? How can a cloth be made without churning the cotton?

Meaning: If someone wants to practice yoga without realizing the nature of soul and others then how can he meditate and practice dhyan? It would be like someone trying to reach the top branch of tree without touching the trunk. Just as without preparing cotton into right form, cloth cannot be made, same way without knowing the basics of right knowledge and right belief, there is no use practicing dhayan.

111. The ones who have lost all the vikalpas ( dilemmas) and are stationary within their conscious self, they immerse within themselves and not others. In reality they are said to be stationary within  pure dhyan.

Meaning: People keep contemplating various resolutions –dilemmas all the time which causes mental perturbation. Those who have realized the nature of self and are now contemplating upon their own nature without bothering about others, are said to be immersed in pure dhyan.

112. If you pay attention then today itself you can conquer the camel form mind. Mounting it, all the great Munis have attained liberation from transmigration.

Meaning: The mind has been called camel since it one cannot predict its posture  in sitting. In the same way the mind  keeps wandering in desires one after another. If one makes serious efforts to conquer the mind then it can be done and it can be restrained. Once it is done then like all other great Munis, one can attain salvation getting rid of endless transmigration in this world.

113. O camel ! Till such time that the unpleasant cycle of birth and deaths is not broken , you graze in the field of the form of rules of Jinendra kingdom. Creepers of the form of austerity are spread all over adequately.

Meaning: Here the mind of the form of camel is addressed to practice restraints and austerity following the path of Jinendra bhagwan , till  such time that the salvation can be  attained getting rid of birth and death cycles.

114. The reins are of the form of austerity and fasting; the saddle is made of tranquility; that mind of the form of camel, staying in house of the form of restraints being detached attains Nirvana.

Meaning: The same metaphor is elaborated. The mind is tranquilized by means of austerity and fasting. Staying within restraints  with detachment , the Jiva attains Nirvana.

115. On one hand, you do not know the way; on the other hand you do not ask anyone. Hence observe such people running and wandering  from one forest to another and on the hills.

Meaning: People do not know the path to salvation, nor do they have the right Guru. Hence they keep wandering in the maze of Mithyatva  following one path to another without peace. Only with right Guru, one can be guided towards Nirvana.

116.  The tree which has discarded all the leaves does not serve any purpose. Neither does it provide shade to the pilgrims, nor can they reach its fruits.

Meaning: Here by a metaphor of tree, comment is made upon a Muni who has discarded all the clothes and family but not given up his bhavas and desires. He is still corrupted by Mithyatva and therefore he cannot serve as Guru to others. Hence  his austerity does not serve any purpose. Neither he himself would attain Nirvana nor can he guide others.

117. Lost in the maze of six philosophies he did not resolve the confusion. One deva was divided into six types due to which he does not attain salvation.

Meaning: The six well known philosophies are Sankhya, Yog, Nyaya, Vaisheshik, Mimamsa and Vedanta which have been created by philosophers for running their business. All six claim to relieve one of ignorance and miseries providing salvation. Thus one Deva has been divided into six since the real path of salvation is one only.  This has created enough confusion and misguided the people. Truly the nature of reality is indivisible and will be one only. It’s not several.

118.  O Atman! Except for others, there are no other enemies of the soul. All these are bhavas of raga-dwesha-moha which  cause the bondage of karmas. The one who destroys all these ‘others’ only is the yati (Yogi).

Meaning: In reality the ignorance and delusion of the Jiva is his enemy which is cause for bhavas of raga-dwesha-moha. These bhavas result in accrual of new karmas and their bondage whose fruition cause generation of new ignorant bhavas. Without knowing his own nature Jiva continues in this manner. Only when he realizes his true nature and differentiates self from others then he can attain salvation. Then only he can be called a true Yati.

119.  Although I prevent the mind, still he indulges in others. It does not contemplate of the soul in the mind. Due to indulgence in sensual desires Jiva suffers the miseries of hells.

Meaning: The mind is always interested in others due to practice of eternal times. The desires are endless which prevent the mind to think about his own nature of the soul. As a result of these indulgences the jiva has been suffering in hells eternally but he has not contemplated about his own nature. Once he seriously makes efforts then he can realize himself.  

120. O Jiva! Do not believe that these sensory subjects would become mine. They are like the poisonous fruits which look beautiful but causes death upon eating. Hence they would cause miseries only.

Meaning: Jiva has been attracted to the sensual pleasures eternally and wishes to enjoy them more and more. Although he may think that after a certain desire is fulfilled he would have no more of those desires, it never happens in that way. These desires are like the beautiful poisonous fruit which results in death on consumption. Hence one is advised to give up attraction towards sensual subjects.

Continued………