Pahud Doha - IX

161. O yogi! Do not pluck the leaves and do not touch the fruits also. The reason you pluck them, that Shiva is here hence offer them here.

Meaning: Traditionally people offer different leaves and fruits for worship. Here such practice are abhorred since they harm the one sensed Jivas residing within them. Here it is told that one’s own self is the Shiva i.e. Paramatma  who can be made the offering rather than  anywhere else. It means contemplate and worship the lord within ourselves if one desires to make offering. No need to go anywhere else and make offerings.

162.  In the Devalaya (temple) stones exist, in Tirtha (pilgrimages) water is present and in all scriptures poems are there. Whatever is observed as developed and fully grown, will all become fuel .

Meaning: Here the emphasis is again laid on realizing the deva within ourselves rather than searching for the same in temples, pilgrimages or scriptures. One should realise and experience the own soul which is Paramatma by nature. Further it is told that whatever is seen to be developed and established will all become dust tomorrow. Nothing is permanent hence do not have attachment with anything.

163. Travelling from one pilgrimage to another, one did not get any benefit. Externally one got purified with water but what happened internally?

Meaning: People keep travelling to different pilgrimages thinking that by such visits they attain salvation but such practices are just like taking bath with water for purification. One cannot be purified internally with water, in the same way the pilgrimages do not serve any purpose. The only means of internal purification is the contemplation of self, discarding the bhavas of raga-dwesha-moha.

164. O fool! You have travelled from one pilgrimage to another and washed the leather of the body with water. But how will you wash the mind which is impure with pollution of pap ?

Meaning: One thinks that travelling to pilgrimages result in purification of soul. Here such notions are abhorred. Even washing of body is of no use since one has just cleaned the leather form body. In reality the mind has to be cleaned which is polluted with bhavas of raga-dwesha-moha. Then only one can contemplate of the purity of soul.

165. O yogi! In whose heart one Deva devoid of birth and death does not reside, how can he attain Paralok ( better birth )?

Meaning: If one has not realized the nature of own soul to be same as Paramatma who is permanent devoid of birth and death , then he does not have right belief and right knowledge. Once he is Mithya drishti (deluded) then he cannot hope to get better birth in future. On the other hand Samyak Drishti humans always take birth in heaven only.

166.  One who knows reality quite well but does not know anything else; the conduct of such person even Devas do not know. In reality, the one who experiences, he alone knows. Who can satisfy the enquiring public?

Meaning: Importance is laid on knowing the self and not other external objects. The one who has known and experienced the soul, his conduct cannot be known even to Devas (heavenly people) since they themselves have not known the self. Therefore  the one who has known the soul knows all. Others do not realise it. Actually nothing more needs to be known.

167. Which cannot be written, stated or enquired, which cannot be understood even when told; can be  followed in the mind only with the preaching of the Guru. It is immaterial where they are stationed.

Meaning: The subject of soul is not understood just by telling, writing or reading. It is a subject of experiencing. Only when explained by Guru who knows it himself, one can understand it. Then one can experience the soul himself, irrespective of where he is.

168. The waters of river are drawn in opposite direction when influenced by the sea. Very big and heavy ships are also pulled by the force of wind. In the same way when knowledge and malevolence conflict with each other then something else can happen.

Meaning: The force of sea and wind is so strong that it can pull the river or ships opposite to the direction they wish to traverse. Similarly the influence of fruition of karmas can overcome the intellect and do undesired things. Even if a person  does not wish to indulge in sensual pleasures, the fruition of charitra mohaniya karmas forces him to indulge.

169. Different types of sounds are heard in the sky and the ignorant one does not say anything in answer. When mind along with five senses are dissolved then, O fool! The supreme one clearly remains there.

Meaning: When someone tries to meditate then different kinds of distraction present themselves and the ignorant ones cannot do anything against them and are rather carried away by them. However when a wise person is able to overcome the five senses and mind, dissolving them such that they become insignificant in the background then the pure soul is available there and can be experienced.

170.  Since the delusion of mind has not been removed hence the mind remains active and the days continue to pass. Therefore the indestructible, pure, supreme state has not been attained so far.

Meaning: So long as the mind is deluded, it cannot be controlled also and keeps being drawn towards various sensual desires. Life goes on and one keeps taking one birth after another. For this reason the jiva has not been able to attain the Siddha state which is the permanent  supreme state of bliss.

171. O yogi! While entering into meditation state, block this mind of the form of  camel. Once the indestructible pure state is attained then the mind would be destroyed on its own.

Meaning: Mind is fickle like camel which keeps wandering from here to there. Prevent it from wandering while experiencing the soul. Once the state of blissful contemplation is attained then the mind would vanish on its own i.e. the activities of mind would not occur.

172.  Engage the mind in the indestructible, pure, supreme state and keep it there. The chain of transmigration would break. Do not have any doubt.

Meaning: Give up the thoughts of shubha or ashubha nature and contemplate  upon the Nirvikalpa state of the soul to experience it. This would automatically result in prevention of karmas causing an end to transmigration in this world.

173. In this manner making the mind stationary the soul is meditated upon. Destroying eight types of karmas, one proceeds towards the abode of Siddhas.

Meaning: Once the mind is engaged upon the contemplation of self, discarding all the distractions of shubha and ashubha nature, the eight types of karmas get destroyed and one proceeds on the path to salvation.

174. Continuously reading scriptures inked with letters, we have turned weak but we have not realized this great art that where the mind engages and where does it get dissolved.

Meaning:  We have been busy reading scriptures for long but still we have not learnt the art of controlling the mind. It is important to know where the mind gets engaged and how to withdraw from those engagements so as to contemplate upon the self.

175. The one who has removed the duality so that one has remained and prevented the creeper of mind to spread, I am the student of such Guru; do not desire anything else.

Meaning: In Vyavahara sense the mind keeps getting engaged in various dualities observed such as attachment of karmas with soul, engagement of soul in thoughts of raga-dwesha, different qualities of soul etc. But the Guru has preached that from aspect of Nishchaya soul is just one alone different from all, which is the subject of contemplation. I wish to remain his student only and there is no other desire.

176. Front or back, in all ten directions, wherever I see, that alone is seen. Hence all my doubts have vanished and nothing needs to be asked.

Meaning: Once one has realized the nature of soul and experienced it then he observes all Jivas in the form of soul of the same nature and not as one sensed, five sensed etc. The observations of sensory organs become irrelevant and he has no doubts remaining.

177.  Just as salt dissolves in water, in the same way if mind dissolves in the pure soul then the Jiva has attained equanimity. What else  is Samadhi (meditation)?

Meaning: The dissolution of mind in the own nature is the state of contemplation within self. No other activity of mind remains. This alone is Samadhi and nothing else.

178. If I attain the cherished then shall carry out extraordinary spectacle. Definitely with the exposure of one finger of the feet, all parts till the head are exposed.

Meaning: The doha appears to be erroneous due to copying mistake. However the implication is that once soul is experienced even though in small extent at lower gunasthana, gradually the experience broadens till complete purity is attained.

179.  Travelling from one pilgrimage to another only hurts the body. Contemplating of the soul within the soul, one should proceed on the path to Moksha.

Meaning: People think that visiting pilgrimages would give them Moksha but this is Mithyatva. In general it strains the body only. The only way to Nirvana is by meditating upon the soul within the soul.

180. O yogi! For sighting whom, you have been wandering from one pilgrimage to another, that Shiva was also travelling with you; still you could not attain him.

Meaning: People have been wandering to different pilgrimages for dharma sake. But the real beneficial was the own soul which was going along but never recognized. If one experiences his own soul within self then there is no need to wander.

Continued …..