Yogsar Prabhrat - 14

Even small possession is harmful:

391. Non renunciation of even single Parigrah (possession) does not result in pure disposition and without purification of the mind, how can the Sadhu be free of karmas?

Comments: There are 14 types of internal and 10 types of external possessions. If even one of them is not discarded then the purity of mind is not attained and bondage is assured.

Status of Muni wearing loin cloth:

392. The Sanyami Muni ( Muni who has renounced all possessions) who says “ it is permitted in scriptures” and wears a piece of cloth, he can never be independent and violence free.

Comment: While for a shravak a loin cloth is acceptable, it is not so for a Muni. He cannot be possession free even if he wears a string.

Status of Sadhu possessing clothes-utensils:

393. How can the impurity of mind and culpability of Sadhu be prevented who accepts utensils, clothes and other (blanket etc.) possessions definitely?

Comment: All possessions are said to be detrimental to attainment of shuddhopayoga of higher order.

Possessions lead to instability of mind :

394. The sadhu who indulges in acceptance-possession, usage-protection, washing-drying  of clothes-utensils etc., the impurity of his mind cannot be eliminated.

The one obsessive of  possessions cannot worship the soul:

395. Managing the activities of clothes, utensils etc. how can the violence, non-restraints and attachment be prevented? It is not possible. Therefore how can the attainment of own soul be possible for the sadhu who is attached to other dravyas ? It is not possible.

Comment: So long as one believes other dravyas as beneficial and cause for comfort, the Jiva cannot achieve purity of mind expected at that level of Munihood.

Form of acceptable possessions:

396.   Knowing his own dravya, kshetra, kaal, bhava properly the Sadhu should indulge in those external possessions which do not cause any blemish on his conduct.

Comment: Two types of paths are described. The ideal one is remaining within shuddhopayoga called Utsarg Marg. The other is named Apavad Marg ( path with exceptions) in which four things are permitted as per Pravachansar gatha 225- The body, guru’s teachings, study of Shastra and obeisance towards other followers of same path.

Possessions not permitted:

397. The sadhu who is engaged in conduct beneficial to himself, should not accept any such item which may be detrimental to his sanyam, which may lead to thoughts pertaining to ownership or objects which are  desired by non sanyami continuously.

Form of Sadhu desirous of Moksha:

398. Those Sadhus desirous of only Moksha, are detached towards their own bodies also. Hence the Muniraj who practices the  possessionlessness mahavrita does not accept even a small external possession.

Question pertaining to the Jina ling for women:

399. The Veetrag Dharma which is preached by Jinendra does not involve doing anything with expectations of this loka or the other loka ( current birth or next birth), how come in that Jina dharma the women are required to keep possessions (clothes etc.) ?

Comment: In this Gatha a question has been asked that when dharma is practiced without expectations of this loka or next loka then how come the women have been asked to practice with possessions? This has been answered in next few gathas.

Since one does not attain salvation in  women form:

400. Since women cannot attain Moksha with  the birth in women form ; knowing this Jinendra deva has recommended conduct suitable for their gender.

Next reason –excessive Pramad in women:

401. Since women have excessive lack of control, they are declared to be Pramada. Due to this they cannot attain salvation.

Next reason-  presence of excessive Moha in women:

402. Since their minds are occupied with attachment, fear, jealousy, deceit, depression, sorrow etc. therefore they cannot attain salvation in this women birth.

Another reason- Definite presence of faults:

403.  Since women cannot be without some of the above described faults and further by nature their organs are uncovered hence it has been arranged to cover them with clothes.

Another reason- Inability to practice restraints:

404-405 . Further the bodies of women have weariness, menstruation, periods, fickle mindedness and in their organs- underarms, yoni, breasts birth of  minute Labdhi Aparyapta (incomplete)  humans keep taking place in large quantity due to which they cannot attain total restraints.

Inability to practice Digamber form:  

406. Those women who have attained Samyak darshan with purity like moon and are experts in proper conduct as per Jina ling  described in scriptures, they also undertake austerity  for purification of soul in dressed form (They cannot practice Digamber form).

Men worthy of accepting Jina Ling:

407. Those men who are peaceful, capable of undertaking austerity, free of all blemishes, having one of the three forms- Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya by birth, possessing  a healthy body free of diseases with proper and proportionate body parts; they are considered to be worthy of accepting Jina Ling.

Obstacles in acceptance of Jina Ling:

408. Inappropriate race, family, age , indulgence in wrong acts, poor intelligence , high degree of anger etc. are all obstructive for acceptance of Jina Ling. Opposite to these the proper race, family etc. are suitable for acceptance of the Ling.

Real form of obstacles:

409. In reality, the cause due to which the jewel trio form dharma  for attaining Moksha of a Sadhu gets destroyed, that is called obstruction. There is no other obstruction for attaining salvation separately.

Obstacles remain obstacles for ever:

410. Those practical obstructions which have been declared earlier for accepting Jina Ling do not become non-obstructions for acceptance of Sallekhana (Samadhi Maran).

Comment: The reasons due to which Jina ling was not accepted cannot be overruled at the time of death to accept Sallekhana.

Form of Shraman:

411. Those who do not have any expectations from the present loka and the next loka , who are equipped with appropriate conduct pertaining to food- movements and possess equanimity, those great people are Shramans (Munis).

Form of Apramatta Anahari Shraman:

412-413. Those who are disinterested in passions, gossip, sleep, ragas and sensual subjects; who retain equanimity in birth-death, friend-foe and happiness-unhappiness; who are always in search of their own soul ( for enhancement of purity); who are non-desirous of alms/food  and always remain composed; such Shraman Sadhus have been called “Anahari”.

Form of Sadhu having only body as possession:

414. Those who do not make any efforts for the maintenance of the body and without hiding their own capabilities, who are always engaged in austerity; those are Sadhus(Shramans) having possession of just the body only.

Form of food taken by Muniraj:

415. Those muniraj having just body as possession, undertake sustenance at an unknown residence as a rule. That sustenance is received as alms, undesired in nature, less than what is required, once in a day, without containing blemishes like meat or liquor etc., tasteless- without containing taste like sweet etc.

Fault in taking meat:

416-417. Whether the meat is raw or cooked or being cooked , Jinendra Deva has told of the continuous generation of Nigod jivas within it having the same class as that of the meat. Hence he who even touches this raw or cooked meat or eats it, he definitely is the cause for the death of millions of Jivas.  

The great fault in consuming honey:

418. Honey is by nature generated by death of several Jivas and that honey is also  place for birth-death of numerous jivas. Hence sadhus fearful of the restraints, give up consumption of honey with  mind-speech-body. 

Other non-consumable item:

419. Sadhus disinterested in food give up bulbs, roots, fruits, flowers, leaves, butter etc. inedible items and other nonacceptable food items with mind-speech-body and krita-kaarit-anumodana ( doing- getting it done- seconding the deed by others).

Food accepted in the hands of Muniraj cannot be given to others:  

420. Blemish-free food received by the Muniraj in the hands from the donors is not suitable for  being given to someone else. If the Muniraj gives the food received in the hands to someone else then he should not take any more food. If the Muniraj gives away the received food in hands  to someone else and continues to take more food himself then he is responsible for fault.

Comment: If they give away the food to someone else then they are guilty of having possession of food hence Aparigrah Vrita is violated. Further by giving food they become like a householder.

Continued…..