Atmanushasan ( Discipline of soul)….13

 

After death friends are also foes

Those jivas who wish to eliminate the Moha form abscess, they should not feel  sorrow even for the dead relatives, this is told next:

Shloka 184: The one who makes us happy is friend and the one who makes us sad is foe. Hence those friends who after death are making us sad are our foes only. Therefore they are not eligible to be mourned.

Meaning: In the Lok the one who makes us happy is called friend and the one who makes us suffer is called foe. The one who was friend earlier and later becomes painful, then he too is called foe only and the foe is never mourned. Now the wife-son etc. whom you considered as friend have become painful after death, hence they are also enemies, therefore why should you grieve about them? Look! Just as recollection of foe causes pain, in the same way the memory of wife-son etc. also causes pain. Therefore according to  the logic of shastra, wife-son etc. are not very beneficial ; further upon their death mourning for them is great Moha. Those who wish to eliminate Moha should not grieve after the death of wife-son etc.

State of the one mourning the loss of favourite

What will be your state upon the death of wife-son-friend etc., is described next:

Shloka 185: Upon inevitable death of wife-son etc. who are different from self, the one who grieves with tears believing them to be his own, he grieves even more extensively  upon realising own death to be nearby – how would such foolish soul attain great fame and supreme parlok, achieved with fearless death? Surely not. Therefore wise Jivas should not grieve upon death of any one.

Meaning: Upon death of wife-son etc., the own relation with them gets visibly  dissolved, even then the Jiva who cries believing them to be own due to Moha, grieves; that jiva would surely grieve extensively on the occasion of own death, since  when loss of one favourite causes so much grief, then own death results in separation with everyone hence grief would be more extensive. Therefore the one who grieves the loss of son etc., he cannot attain Samadhi Maran free of fear of death. Therefore how can he attain the fame acquired by Samadhi Maran in this lok and the high status being conferred in Parlok? Therefore those Gyanis who reduce the Moha from beginning and do not grieve upon death of wife-son etc. believing them to be own ; they only are able to attain Samadhi Maran; which results in fame here and swarga-moksha etc. in future.

Inspiration for elimination of causes of grief and their results

Why does such a grief accrue and what is the result of the same, this is described next:

Shloka 186: With loss of favourite ones, grief accrues and that grief results in sorrow. With acquisition of favourite ones raga accrues and that raga is pleasant; therefore wise people remaining  free of grief even with the loss of favourite remain always happy.

Meaning: All Jivas desire happiness. The opponent of happiness is misery and this misery is caused by grief; this grief occurs with loss of favourite ones. The Gyanis consider that “ I believe the other substances to be favourite due to Moha, but they are not favourite and can never be mine, they do not stay with me, hence why should I grieve the loss of those other substances? “ – with such consideration those who do not grieve the loss of favourite ones , how can they have misery and without misery the happiness does not get eliminated. Therefore those Gyanis always remain happy only. Hence those who wish to remain happy, they should not grieve the loss of favourites. Some one makes efforts so as to not lose the favourites to remain happy but in this world something or other keeps getting lost, therefore not grieving for them is the only means for remaining happy.

Who is happy in Parlok and who is unhappy

Those who are happy here, how do they live in Parlok, is told next:

Shloka 187: Those who are happy in this Lok attain happiness in ParLok also, and those who are unhappy in this Lok, get unhappiness in ParLok also. Renunciation of other substances in all  possible ways is happiness while acceptance of other substances is unhappiness.

Meaning: Some people  have the delusion that relinquishing the present pleasures tolerating miseries provides happiness in ParLok. But the Parlok is virtual hence one does not know the scenario there. Hence relinquishing the pleasures here tolerating miseries is not worthwhile. To them Acharya says that don’t be under delusion that being unhappy here would provide happiness in ParLok. Those who are happy here only get happiness in ParLok and the one unhappy here gets the unhappiness in ParLok also.

Q: In the Shastras it is told that the one enjoying sensual  pleasures attains unhappiness and the one suffering the troubles of Tapa etc. attains pleasures. Then how do you say otherwise?

A: You believe the happiness-unhappiness are attained by means of external materials but  this is your delusion. Being perturbation free  in own manifestations is happiness and having perturbations is unhappiness. The cause of perturbations is accepting other dravyas with Moha. This Jiva acquires other substances which do not manifest in accordance with own wishes hence generate restlessness. Therefore renouncing  other dravyas being perturbation free is happiness- under this condition the Jiva attains pleasures in present also and as a result in future also attains great happiness. Accepting other dravyas causing perturbations only is unhappiness- under this state the Jiva suffers unhappiness in present and in future also its result is unhappiness.

In shastras also the result of sensual pleasures is declared as unhappiness. Hence engaging in sensual pleasures  generating perturbations with desires results in unhappiness only. The Jivas of BhogBhoomi and Indra etc. have several sensual pleasures but the desires are less hence they do not traverse to KuGatis (lower births) while poor people etc. do not attain sensual pleasures, still being perturbed with desires they traverse to Narak etc.

Where results of undergoing hardships of Tapa etc. is declared as happiness, there the practices of tapa etc. are external but internally there is no unhappiness due to sufferings, in that case the results of Tapa etc. are called happiness. If the practices of Tapa causes sufferings then the Art Dhyan would result in unhappiness only.

In this way those Jivas who feel happiness with reduction of Moha in present , they only attain happiness in future and those who feel unhappy due to increase of Moha, they attain unhappiness in future also. In Shastras the result of unhappiness, sorrow etc . has been declared as cause for bondage of Asata karma and fruition of Asata karma results in unhappiness only. Hence the result of unhappiness is happiness- with such delusion don’t be subverted from efforts of happiness in ParLok.

Just as the taste of crystal sugar is superior to that of jaggery, in the same way with experience of shant (peace) rasa, the Jiva finds sensual pleasures tasteless,  hence he does not engage in sensual pleasures. He does not mind renouncing sensual pleasures hence do not be afraid of relinquishing sensual pleasures. With right dharma practice presently also one gets happiness and in future also happiness is attained. Therefore one should engage accordingly.

The equivalence of birth with death

Here someone enquires that the death of son etc. results in sorrow and their birth causes happiness. What is the nature of this concept? This is answered next:

Shloka 188: In this world the attainment of one death resulting in another death of jivas with bodies is birth. Therefore those who are happy upon birth, them I consider as partial towards death scheduled later.

Meaning: In the Lok, the birth of son etc. is cause for happiness and their death is cause for unhappiness. However the birth is new death only since the completion of Ayu is death and the Ayu keeps reducing every moment, therefore the worldly jiva keeps dying every moment. Death of previous paryaya resulting in beginning of death of new paryaya only is birth. Those who celebrate on such birth, they are partial towards new death, i.e. they celebrate new death. Those who are partial towards death, how can they be considered as favourite relatives? In this way, with logic the practices of happiness-unhappiness upon birth-death of son etc. has been negated.

Negation of desires for benefit, fame etc.

The next two shlokas serve to preach Munis who have abandoned all company, have equanimity towards birth and death, knowledgeable of all shastras and practitioners of severe Tapa:

Shloka 189: With studies of all shastras and practices of severe tapa for long periods, if you desire fame and benefits in this Lok as a result, then being senseless you are damaging the flowers of tapa form tree itself; hence how would you attain swarga-moksha form great benefits of your tapa?

Meaning: Just as someone plants a tree then firstly it flowers and later the fruits grow; however if he plucks the flowers itself then he would not attain ripe sweet fruits. In the same way, if some Jiva studies shastras for long and practices severe tapa etc. then he attains fame, benefits etc. in the beginning i.e. the disciples fulfil his wishes or otherwise the miracles and powers are acquired on their own- these are the benefits and specific reverence is conferred- that is the holiness. In this way the benefits, pooja etc. are conferred  and later swarga-moksha form fruits are attained. Now if some jivas desiring pooja, benefits themselves accept it i.e. being greedy wish to gain benefits from disciples or accept the wealth etc. being offered to them, or desire miracles, powers etc. and are satisfied with them; being proud desire reverence, holiness for self then those jivas do not attain swarga-moksha form fruits which are acquired along with supreme bliss. Therefore it is preached that with the studies of shastras or practices of tapa etc. one should not desire for benefits, pooja etc.

The real benefit of tapa and shruta

Shloka 190: O Bhavya! Without joining with the worldly tradition of jivas, engage in study of shastras, thin your body with severe and harsh body practices, so as to overcome the unconquerable sensual subjects, passions form enemies, since great Munis have called Upasham Bhava only as studies of shastras and results of tapa.

Meaning: Only studies of shastras and practices of Tapa are not adequate. The real operative is Upasham Bhava. Those jivas who reduce the passions with tattva Gyan  after studying shastras and further eliminate the passions with practices of tapas in spite of getting favourable-unfavourable materials without engaging in raga-dwesha; their studies of shastras and practices of tapa is successful. However those jivas who utilise the studies of shastras and practices of tapa etc. for fulfilling desires of sensual subjects and passions i.e. engage in shastras and perform tapa for fame, food, wealth etc., those jivas are in the queue of worldly jivas. Just as other jivas engage in service-business for sensual subjects , in the same way they have adopted this means.

Q: In business etc. violence also occurs and in this practice such violence etc. are not there hence this means is better than business?

A: In business etc. external pap are specifically observed and in this means severe internal paps accrue.

Harm due to desires of sensual subjects

Here someone enquires that observing the lok with adornments, the Jivas also desire sensual subjects, hence what is the means for conquering them? This is replied next:

Shloka 191: O Bhavya! Why do you desire sensual subjects observing the people with adornments? Even small desires of sensual subjects is highly harmful to you. Just as consumption of milk-curd-ghee even in small quantity is improper practice for a patient which creates troubles for him which are not caused to other people. (The healthy person does not have this problem).

Meaning: Ignorant jivas observing the people with adornments etc. also desire sensual subjects, however you should not indulge since even small desire is cause for great misery for you. Just as consumption of oily food increases the sickness of patient to great extent; therefore he should not indulge in their consumption. In the same way the sensible people should not indulge in desire for sensual subjects.

Astonishment on  indulgence in sensual subjects in spite of knowing the harm

Every Jiva dislikes painful subjects, hence how is it right to desire these subjects giving pain in every birth. This is told next:

Shloka 192: Just as some person after listening to the story of the adultery of his favourite wife immediately abandons her, in the same way how can a  sensible person conscious of  the soul upliftment, observing the harm caused by sensual subjects in each birth indulge in them, just like indulgence in poisoned food,? Surely not.

Meaning: Just as some one has great affection towards his wife but if he hears about her adultery then he immediately abandons her, in the same way how can the Pandits, sensible people desirous of soul upliftment observing the harm due to sensual subjects in all the births be indulgent towards them? Surely not. Just as poisoned food tastes great but takes away life, in the same way these subjects appear enjoyable but become cause for infinite births.

Inspiration for conduct beneficial for the soul

How does the jiva indulgent in sensual subjects conduct and what is his state in renouncing them. This is described next:

Shloka 193: O Atman ! Indulging in sensual subjects, passions etc. which are destroyers of knowledge of soul, you have become immoral since long. Now when You adopt the own bhavas which are those of knowledge detachment etc. which are completely beneficial for the soul , then only you would be pure soul. Attaining the Paramatma state which only soul can acquire, becoming of the form of Keval Gyan, adorned with bliss of soul generated on its own, you shall remain immersed in pure soul bhavas in spiritual state.  

Meaning: So long as you are Bahiratma, till then you are immoral due to indulgence in sensual subjects. When you would conduct in knowledge detachment form which are completely benedictory, then being Antaratma you shall attain Paramatma state and becoming Keval Gyan form you shall remain stationary in infinite bliss.

Inspiration for External Tapa

It is the body which is the cause for misery for this jiva at all times, hence to eliminate it he should make efforts in a manner prescribed in shastras:

Shloka 194: O Jiva! Since eternal times, this body has made you traverse in this world like a slave, hence just as someone weakens the enemy available in his control , in the same way by fasting, limited food,  and with tapa using procedures of renunciation of rasa etc. sequentially, you weaken this body till death.

Meaning: This body has kept you like a slave and made you transmigrate since eternal times and you also suffered infinite miseries in connection with that. Hence just as someone weakens a captured enemy, in the same way with different types of tapas you weaken this body.

Body only is the cause for tradition of miseries

In this world whatever is the tradition of miseries, its root cause is this body ; hence performing Tapa as prescribed in shastras you weaken it. This is told next:

Shloka 195: From the beginning since when the body takes birth, these devilish senses generated at the same time, desire their subjects. These subjects cause damage to prestige, fame and become cause for great misery. They are means for generation of fear and pap, cause migration into gatis of Narak, Nigod etc.. Therefore this body only should be known  as  the root cause for the tradition of miseries.

Purpose of maintenance of body by the ignorant

What do the Agyanis do by maintaining this body, this is told next:

Shloka 196: Oh! What does the foolish jiva not do? He maintains the body and indulges in sensual subjects. The fools do not have any sense. They desire to live in poison. These insensible people are not afraid of Pap and there is no consideration. They carry out improper acts without any consideration.

Meaning: Those who are Pandit and sensible, they do not have much attachment to the body and do not try to maintain it with different materials. They do not indulge in sensual subjects and are afraid of improper activities. The foolish people maintain the bodies extremely; they indulge in sensual subjects and are not afraid to perform improper activities. Thus those who indulge in sensual subjects desire to live after consuming  poison.

Painful tendency of Saints in this kali-kaal

In spite of making the body suffer with tapa etc. the Munis, on account of the effect of kali-kaal abandoning the places of Kaya-klesha ( allowing body to suffer) like caves of mountain etc. they reside near the villages:  

Shloka 197: Just as a deer after roaming in the forest in day time, stays near the village at night time on  account of fear of lion etc.; in the same way in this Kali-kaal the Munis also after staying in the forest in daytime go near the village in night time. Oh! Oh! This is quite painful. The Munis are supposed to be highly fearless. How can they stay near the village like the deer.

Meaning: It is the nature of deer that they roam in the forest in day time and reside near the village in the night. In the same way Munis also reside near the village in the night in this painful fifth kaal. This is a great tragedy. Munis should stay in the caves on hill tops, dense forest, river banks etc. lonely places.

…..otherwise the house holder state is superior

In spite of performing Tapa those who are under influence  of the senses, compared to them the house holder state is superior. This is told next:

Shloka 198: Being looted of their property of detachment by means of the insinuating eyes of the women in this world and becoming pathetic and thus becoming cause for worldly stay – compared to such tapa the householder state is superior.

Meaning: In house holder state only the own wife is enjoyed, but those who have lost their detachment form wealth to the insinuating eyes of the women of the town- compared to tapa of  such saints, the householder state should be known as superior since such tapa is cause for the worldly stay only.

Inspiration for abandoning the attachment towards the body and woman

On account of this body you are attached to woman and havebecome miserable. But this body does not go with you for even one step hence give up affection towards the body- this is told next:

Shloka 199: O Bhavya Jiva! On account of this body, without considering your objective i.e. the benediction in the form of shuddhopayoga or the five great vows form Muni dharma or Anu Vrita form Shravak dharma, tolerating several insults you attained the company of women. This relation with women only is the cause for great misery for you.  Oh! You have relinquished shame and pride. Here term pride is used in the sense of forgoing the practice of supplication, in your objective for the sake of the body you have become shameless in the company of woman, there is no other pathetic state worse than this.

O Jiva! You have lost your objective for the sake of the body which does not travel even one step with you, hence why are you being cheated again and again by its affection? Hence now we tell you that if you are wise then do not have affection with the body.

Meaning: You take care of the body in several ways and in its company being attached to woman you are being shameless and pathetic. But this body does not travel even one step with you. Hence O bhavya! Give up the attachment to the body and forgo the affection towards woman-son etc. which are caused on account of body.

Continued…..