Paramatma Prakash - 34

 

Further it is told that those who do not practice dharma, nor indulge in austerity, their human birth is meaningless:

Gatha 133-256: The one who acquired human body form leather tree, did not practice dharma nor austerity, his body would be eaten by old age form termites, thus dying he would land in hell.

Commentary: In the house holder state, who did not practice dharma applicable for house holders of the form of offerings, morality, pooja, fasting etc. having right belief; who did not accept dharmas pertaining to shravaks of the form of Darshan Pratima, Vrita Pratima etc. eleven Pratimas; who did not indulge in Anashan (fasting)etc. twelve kinds of tapa accepting muni dharma discarding all material desires; who did not continuously indulge in spirit of dhyan of pure soul by means of power of tapa; who did not practice dharmas of Yati or shravak after acquiring human body form leather tree ; then his body would be consumed by the old age form termites and he will proceed to hell.

Hence it is appropriate to the house holder to have faith in indivisible jewel trio, knowing own nature to be subject of attainment, follow the practices of shravak of the form of divisible jewel trio. For the yatis it is appropriate to remain in nishchaya jewel trio and practice severe tapa by the power of Vyavahara jewel trio. If he could not follow the practices of Yati or shravak , did not practice Anu Vrita also, then acquiring the extremely rare human body is of no use, it is meaningless.

Next shri guru preaches disciple to practice supreme bhakti of the lotus feet of Jineshwara:

Gatha 134-257: O Bhavya Jiva! You should practice bhakti of the lotus feet of Jina and should have affection towards Jina dharma described by Jineshwara. Renounce even the family members who are nimitta for the worldly pleasures, leave apart others. There is no use of even the highly adorable father who drops this jiva in to the worldly ocean.

Commentary: O Atmaram! The shuddhopayoga form Nishchaya dharma devoid of raga-dwesha-moha and shubhopayoga form vyavahara dharma which is described by Veetrag omniscient is extremely rare since eternal times. In that have affection towards  the dharma for yati comprising of six Avashyak (essentials) and dharma for shravak of the form of charity and pooja- these two are dharmas of the kind of auspicious conducts. If the  person belonging to same kula (family) as yours is against this dharma then discard him. On the other hand  if  a person belongs to different family has orientation  towards this dharma then  have affection towards him.

To summarize, the way this jiva has affection towards sensual pleasures, if he demonstrates the same towards Jina dharma then he would not wander in this world. Elsewhere also it is said, “ The way this jiva shows fondness towards the objects of enjoyments, if he shows the same towards Jina dharma then he would not wander in this world.”

Further it is told that one who did not practice tapa with purity of mind, he deceived his own soul :

Gatha 135-258: The Jiva who did not practice with totally pure mind,  the internal-external tapa, he deceived his own soul only, in spite of getting Manushya (human) gati.

Commentary: In spite of getting extremely rare Manushya body, who remained engaged in enjoyments-passions but did not practice  fasting etc. tapa with pure mind, experiencing the anger etc. free veetrag ever blissful nectar; he is suicidal, who is deceiving his own soul. Getting birth as Vikalendriya ( 2-4 sensed jiva) is rare from ekendriya (one sensed jiva) paryaya. From Vikalendriya getting Asainy Panchendriya ( five sensed without mind) is rare, getting Sainy (five sensed with mind) from Asainy Panchendriya is scarce, getting human birth from Sainy tiryanch is rare. Even in human birth, getting Arya Kshetra, higher kula (family), longevity, good company, opportunity of listening to dharma, accepting ordination and practicing it life-long are rare progressively. Getting knowledge of the soul is the most scarce which purifies the mind. Getting such extremely scarce human birth, embracing tapa, discarding ragas etc. by the power of nirvikalpa samadhi, one should purify his manifestations; the one who did not purify his mind, he has deceived his own soul.

Same thing is stated elsewhere, “With the bondage of mind the Jiva gets bonded with karmas. The one whose mind got detached from  possessions, separated from desires, they only attained salvation” – there is no doubt about it. This soul is by nature pure hence with corruption of soul it gets blemished. 

Now winning over of five senses is demonstrated:

Gatha 136- 259: These five senses form camels are obvious; do not let them graze as per their desire; since grazing all the objects of senses they make one fall into the world again.

Commentary: These five senses are opposite to the pleasure beyond senses experienced of the Paramatma. O ignorant jiva! Do not let them be uncontrolled by the spirit opposite to that of pure soul. Keep them in check. They will dump you into  the world, hence pull  them back from the sensual subjects. Opposite to the pure soul devoid of the world, these five senses form camels, uninhibitedly grazing the sensual forest, will dump the people of the world into the dravya, kshetra, kaal, bhav, bhava  form world; this is the message.

Next the difficulties of dhyan are described :

Gatha 137-260: O yogi! The attainment of dhyan is quite difficult. The mind form monkey is restless which does not allow the concentration into the own pure soul. The mind is believing the pleasures to exist in sensual subjects hence again and again it is diverted towards them.

Commentary: Devoid of the Veetrag supremely blissful form with spirit of equanimity and pleasure beyond senses, this worldly jiva’s mind is stationary  in spirit of  eternal ignorance, hence desirous of subjects of five senses. The attention of worldly jivas goes towards these pleasures again and again and not in their nature. Hence attainment of dhyan is quite tedious.

Now the additional Prakshepak dohas are told:

Prakshepak 5-8: Separating from the five senses, the dhyani contemplates of the own Paramatma savoring and protecting the jewel trio of darshan, gyan and charitra.

Commentary: Whose manifestations are immersed in right belief-knowledge-conduct of own pure soul substance form Nishchaya jewel trio; who has separated from the five senses which are destructor of the fifth gati form Moksha pleasure and devoid of the spirit of Panch Parameshthi – thus separated from five senses, He is yogi.

The term Yoga implies Veetrag nirvikalpa samadhi. Immersing/manifestation  in infinite knowledge etc. form own pure soul  is yoga. Concentrating the mind in consciousness is the yoga and the one engaged in it is Yogi. He is dhyani and Tapaswi , know this for sure.

Now the fragile nature of pleasures of five senses is described:

Gatha 138-261: Pleasures of the senses are for two days, subsequently they are convention of pain. Knowing this O humble Jiva ! Do not strike with axe on your own shoulder.

Commentary: These sensual pleasures are momentary; will cause suffering of poor gati again and again. Hence enjoyments of the senses is striking your own shoulder with axe i.e. drowning yourself in hell. Knowing this, discarding the pleasures of the senses, immersing in Veetrag supreme soul pleasure, one should always contemplate of Shuddhopayoga.

Next, the one who renounces the available sensual pleasures in the spirit of the soul , he is praised:

Gatha 139-262: The gyani who renounces the available pleasures, him I worship. The one who is bald, cannot be called tonsured since he is so by nature.

Commentary: The available subjects of sensual pleasures are like poisonous fruits which look ravishing. They are thieves of attainment of Veetrag pure soul substance form  Nishchaya dharma form jewel trio. The gyanis who abandons  them are  praised by Yogendu deva i.e. he reveals his obeisance  towards qualities. Those who renunciate the pleasures in spite of being available, they are praise worthy  by great people. In spite of riches being available , those who renounce them and worship the path of veetrag, they are always praise worthy by saints.  On the other hand those who do not have anything, but are miserable with thirst of pleasures, i.e. they do not have any available pleasures and are desirous of them; they are  highly deplorable.  

In fourth period, there was advent of devas in this bharat kshetra;  seeing them one used to be interested in dharma. On seeing the magnificence of great Munis having miraculous  powers, one used to gain knowledge and on seeing  other jivas to be adorned with Awadhi- Manah paryaya- keval gyan, people used to gain right belief. Served by  such great kings whose lotus feet were worshipped by several  crowned kings;  on seeing  such Bharat, Sagar, Ram, Pandava etc. several Chakravarty, BalaBhadra, Narayan etc. Mandalik kings being engaged in Jina dharma, the bhavya jivas used to get interested in Jina dharma. Then with the spirit of attainment of supreme soul substance, they used to renounce available subjects of pleasure. Till such time they were house holders, they used to engage in charity, pooja etc. like shubha activities and serve four types of Sangh. Therefore in earlier times, there were several opportunities for generation of knowledge and attainment of knowledge was not a surprise. But now in this fifth period, such opportunities do not exist.

It is also said ,” In this fifth period, the advent of Devas has stopped and no miracles  are seen.  This period is devoid of excellence of dharma and without generation of keval gyan. Further it is devoid of Haladhar, Chakravarty etc. special people.” In such difficult times, if Bhavya jivas accept the dharma and practice the vows of Yati-shravak etc., it is a great surprise. Those people are adorable, ever praiseworthy.

On conquering the mind, one conquers the senses. The one who conquered the mind, he conquered all the senses, this is stated next:  

Gatha 140-263: You should conquer the mind which is the owner of the five senses. When mind is controlled then the five senses are also under control. Just as with the destruction of roots of a tree, the leaves surely dry up.

Commentary: Contrary to five types of knowledges, the touch, taste, smell, eyes, ears- mind is the owner of these five senses. That mind is opposite to the spirit of Paramatma free of vikalpas of ragas etc. The mind is like a web of vikalpas of enjoyments seen, heard or experienced; full of perverse art and raudra dhyans of various desires. Control this fickle mind form elephant by the goad of the form of differentiating knowledge. By its control all the senses can be brought under control, just as with the destruction of roots of the tree all the leaves dry up.    

Here the essence is that for the spirit of own pure soul, the  mind should be conquered by whichever means. The same is stated elsewhere, “ The means by which it is possible to control the fickle mind, do not be dejected with that. Being pensive of the world, make efforts to conquer the mind.”

Next the jiva is sermonized that O Jiva! You have been wandering for eternal times being engrossed in sensual pleasures. Even now you are immersed in them. How long would you wander being engrossed in sensual desires. Make efforts for attainment of Moksha now :

Gatha 141-264: O ignorant jiva! How long would you spend being engrossed in sensual desires? Experience the pure soul in stationary form now, so as to get Moksha for sure.

Commentary: O ignorant! How long would you wander immersed in sensual subjects without the experience of the veetrag supremely bliss form indestructible happiness generated by the spirit of pure soul. You have already wandered for infinite times and still you are not tired. How long would you wander with such extrinsic manifestations ?

At least now, experience  your own pure soul of the form of Keval gyan- keval darshan. Relating yourselves with own bhavas, attain the dhyan of the soul stationary like the Sumeru mountain even under severe hardships and twenty two calamities. With their effect you shall surely attain Moksha. That Moksha substance is station of infinite knowledge, infinite vision, infinite bliss, infinite power etc. infinite qualities. With the renunciation of these sensual subjects you shall surely attain Moksha.

Continued…..