22. Chapter 22

श्रीदेव्युवाच । यथा स्वप्नपरिज्ञानात्स्वप्नदेहो न वास्तवः । अनुभूतोऽप्ययं तद्वद्वासनातानवादसन् ॥ १ ॥

śrīdevyuvāca | yathā svapnaparijñānātsvapnadeho na vāstavaḥ | anubhūto'pyayaṃ tadvadvāsanātānavādasan || 1 ||

The goddess continued:—As objects seen in a dream, prove to be false as the dream, on being roused from sleep and upon knowing them as fumes of fancy; so the belief in the reality of the body, becomes unfounded upon dissolution of our desires.

यथा स्वप्नपरिज्ञानात्स्वप्नदेहः प्रशाम्यति । वासनातानवात्तद्वज्जाग्रद्देहोऽपि शाम्यति ॥ २ ॥

yathā svapnaparijñānātsvapnadehaḥ praśāmyati | vāsanātānavāttadvajjāgraddeho'pi śāmyati || 2 ||

As the thing dreamt of disappears upon waking, so does the waking body disappear in sleep, when the desires lie dormant in the soul.

स्वप्नसंकल्पदेहान्ते देहोऽयं चेत्यते यथा । तथा जाग्रद्भावनान्ते उदेत्येवातिवाहिकः ॥ ३ ॥

svapnasaṃkalpadehānte deho'yaṃ cetyate yathā | tathā jāgradbhāvanānte udetyevātivāhikaḥ || 3 ||

As our corporeal bodies are awakened after the states of our dreaming and desiring, so is our spiritual body awakened after we cease to think of our corporeal states.

स्वप्ने निर्वासनाबीजे यथोदेति सुषुप्तता । जाग्रत्यवासनाबीजे तथोदेति विमुक्तता ॥ ४ ॥

svapne nirvāsanābīje yathodeti suṣuptatā | jāgratyavāsanābīje tathodeti vimuktatā || 4 ||

As a sound sleep succeeds the dormancy which is devoid of desires, (i. e. when we are unconscious of the actions and volition of our minds); so does the tranquillity of liberation follow the state of our inappetency even in our waking bodies.

येयं तु जीवन्मुक्तानां वासना सा न वासना । शुद्धसत्त्वाभिधानं तत्सत्तासामान्यमुच्यते ॥ ५ ॥

yeyaṃ tu jīvanmuktānāṃ vāsanā sā na vāsanā | śuddhasattvābhidhānaṃ tatsattāsāmānyamucyate || 5 ||

The desire of living-liberated men (jivan-muktas), is not properly any desire at all, since it is the pure desire relating to universal weal and happiness.

या सुप्तवासना निद्रा सा सुषुप्तिरिति स्मृता । यत्सुप्तवासनं जाग्रद्धनोऽसौ मोह उच्यते ॥ ६ ॥

yā suptavāsanā nidrā sā suṣuptiriti smṛtā | yatsuptavāsanaṃ jāgraddhano'sau moha ucyate || 6 ||

The sleep in which the will and wish are dormant, is called the sound sleep susupta, but the dormancy of desires in the waking state, is known as insensibility moha or murchha.

प्रक्षीणवासना निद्रा तुर्यशब्देन कथ्यते । जाग्रत्यपि भवत्येव विदिते परमे पदे ॥ ७ ॥

prakṣīṇavāsanā nidrā turyaśabdena kathyate | jāgratyapi bhavatyeva vidite parame pade || 7 ||

Again the sleep which is wholly devoid of desire, is designated the turiya or the fourth stage of yoga, and which in the waking state is called samadhi or union with Supreme.

प्रक्षीणवासना येह जीवतां जीवनस्थितिः । अमुक्तैरपरिज्ञाता सा जीवन्मुक्ततोच्यते ॥ ८ ॥

prakṣīṇavāsanā yeha jīvatāṃ jīvanasthitiḥ | amuktairaparijñātā sā jīvanmuktatocyate || 8 ||

The living man, whose life is freed from all desires in this world, is called the living liberated—jivan-mukta, a state which is unknown to them that are not liberated.

शुद्धसत्त्वानुपतितं चेतः प्रतनुवासनम् । आतिवाहिकतामेति हिमं तापादिवाम्बुताम् ॥ ९ ॥

śuddhasattvānupatitaṃ cetaḥ pratanuvāsanam | ātivāhikatāmeti himaṃ tāpādivāmbutām || 9 ||

When the mind becomes a pure essence (as in its samadhi), and its desires are weakened, it becomes spiritualised (ativahika), and then it glows and flows, as the snow melts to water by application of heat.

आतिवाहिकतां यातं बुद्धं चित्तान्तरैर्मनः । सर्गजन्मान्तरगतैः सिद्धैर्मिलति नेतरत् ॥ १० ॥

ātivāhikatāṃ yātaṃ buddhaṃ cittāntarairmanaḥ | sargajanmāntaragataiḥ siddhairmilati netarat || 10 ||

The spiritualised mind, being awakened (as if it were from its drowsiness or lethargy), mixes with the holy spirits of departed souls in the other world.

यदा तेऽयमहंभावः स्वभ्यासाच्छान्तिमेष्यति । तदोदेष्यति ते स्फारादृश्यान्ता बोधता स्वयम् ॥ ११ ॥

yadā te'yamahaṃbhāvaḥ svabhyāsācchāntimeṣyati | tadodeṣyati te sphārādṛśyāntā bodhatā svayam || 11 ||

When your egoism is moderated by your practice of yoga, then the perception of the invisible, will of itself rise clearly before your mind.

आतिवाहिकताज्ञानं स्थितिमेष्यति शाश्वतीम् । यदा तदा ह्यसंकल्पाँल्लोकान्द्रक्ष्यसि पावनान् ॥ १२ ॥

ātivāhikatājñānaṃ sthitimeṣyati śāśvatīm | yadā tadā hyasaṃkalpāṃllokāndrakṣyasi pāvanān || 12 ||

And when spiritual knowledge gains a firm footing in your mind, you will then behold the hallowed scenes of the other world more than your expectation.

वासनातानवे तस्मात्कुरु यत्नमनिन्दिते । तस्मिन्प्रौढिमुपायाते जीवन्मुक्ता भविष्यसि ॥ १३ ॥

vāsanātānave tasmātkuru yatnamanindite | tasminprauḍhimupāyāte jīvanmuktā bhaviṣyasi || 13 ||

Therefore O blameless lady! try your utmost to deaden your desires, and when you have gained sufficient strength in that practice, know yourself to be liberated in this life.

यावन्न पूरितस्त्वेष शीतलो बोधचन्द्रमाः । तावद्देहमवस्थाप्य लोकान्तरमवेक्ष्यताम् ॥ १४ ॥

yāvanna pūritastveṣa śītalo bodhacandramāḥ | tāvaddehamavasthāpya lokāntaramavekṣyatām || 14 ||

Until the moon of your intellectual knowledge, comes to shine forth fully with her cooling beams, so long you shall have to leave this body of yours here, in order to have a view of the other world.

मांसदेहो मांसदेहेनैव संश्लेषमेष्यति । नतु चित्तशरीरेण व्यवहारेषु कर्मसु ॥ १५ ॥

māṃsadeho māṃsadehenaiva saṃśleṣameṣyati | natu cittaśarīreṇa vyavahāreṣu karmasu || 15 ||

This fleshy body of yours, can have no tangible connection with one which is without flesh; nor can the intellectual body (lingadeha), perform any action of the corporeal system.

यथानुभव मे वैतद्यथास्थितमुदाहृतम् । आबालसिद्धसंसिद्धं न नाम वरशापवत् ॥ १६ ॥

yathānubhava me vaitadyathāsthitamudāhṛtam | ābālasiddhasaṃsiddhaṃ na nāma varaśāpavat || 16 ||

I have told you all this according to my best knowledge, and the state of things as they are: and my sayings are known even to boys, to be as efficacious as the curse or blessing of a deity.

अवबोधघनाभ्यासाद्देहस्यास्यैव जायते । संसारवासनाकार्श्ये नूनं चित्तशरीरता ॥ १७ ॥

avabodhaghanābhyāsāddehasyāsyaiva jāyate | saṃsāravāsanākārśye nūnaṃ cittaśarīratā || 17 ||

It is the habitual reliance of men in their gross bodies, and their fond attachment to them, that bind their souls down, and bring them back to the earth; while the weakening of earthly desires serve to clothe them with spiritual bodies.

उदेष्यन्ती च सैवात्र केनचिन्नोपलक्ष्यते । केवलं तु जनैर्देहो म्रियमाणोऽवलोक्यते ॥ १८ ॥

udeṣyantī ca saivātra kenacinnopalakṣyate | kevalaṃ tu janairdeho mriyamāṇo'valokyate || 18 ||

No body believes in his having a spiritual body here even at his death bed; but every one thinks the dying man to be dead with his body for ever.

देहस्त्वयं न म्रियते न च जीवति किंच ते । के किल स्वप्नसंकल्पभ्रान्तौ मरणजीविते ॥ १९ ॥

dehastvayaṃ na mriyate na ca jīvati kiṃca te | ke kila svapnasaṃkalpabhrāntau maraṇajīvite || 19 ||

This body however, neither dies, nor is it alive at any time; for both life and death are mere resemblances of aerial dreams and desires in all respects.

जीवितं मरणं चैव संकल्पपुरुषे यथा । असत्यमेव भात्येव तस्मिन्पुत्रि शरीरके ॥ २० ॥

jīvitaṃ maraṇaṃ caiva saṃkalpapuruṣe yathā | asatyameva bhātyeva tasminputri śarīrake || 20 ||

The life and death of beings here below, are as false as the appearances and disappearance of persons in imagination, (or a man in the moon), or of dolls in play or puppet shows.

लीलोवाच । तदेतदुपदिष्टं मे ज्ञानं देवि त्वयाऽमलम् । यस्मिञ्श्रुतिगते शान्तिमेति दृश्यविषूचिका ॥ २१ ॥

līlovāca | tadetadupadiṣṭaṃ me jñānaṃ devi tvayā'malam | yasmiñśrutigate śāntimeti dṛśyaviṣūcikā || 21 ||

Lila said:—The pure knowledge, O goddess! that thou hast imparted to me, serves on its being instilled into my ears, as a healing balm to the pain caused by the phenomenals.

अत्रोपकुरु मे ब्रूहि कोऽभ्यासः कीदृशोऽथवा । स कथं पोषमायाति पुष्टे तस्मिंश्च किं भवेत् ॥ २२ ॥

atropakuru me brūhi ko'bhyāsaḥ kīdṛśo'thavā | sa kathaṃ poṣamāyāti puṣṭe tasmiṃśca kiṃ bhavet || 22 ||

Now tell me the name and nature of the practice, that may be of use to Spiritualism, how it is to be perfected and what is the end of such perfection.

श्रीदेव्युवाच । यद्येन क्रियते किंचिद्येन येन यदा यदा । विनाभ्यासेन तन्नेह सिद्धिमेति कदाचन ॥ २३ ॥

śrīdevyuvāca | yadyena kriyate kiṃcidyena yena yadā yadā | vinābhyāsena tanneha siddhimeti kadācana || 23 ||

The goddess replied:—Whatever a man attempts to do here at any time, he can hardly ever effect its completion, without his painful practice of it to the utmost of his power.

तच्चिन्तनं तत्कथनमन्योन्यं तत्प्रबोधनम् । एतदेकपरत्वं च तदभ्यासं विदुर्बुधाः ॥ २४ ॥

taccintanaṃ tatkathanamanyonyaṃ tatprabodhanam | etadekaparatvaṃ ca tadabhyāsaṃ vidurbudhāḥ || 24 ||

Practice is said by the wise, to consist in the conference of the same thing with one another, in understanding it thoroughly, and in devoting one's self solely to his object.

ये विरक्ता महात्मानो भोगभावनतानवम् । भावयन्त्यभवायान्तर्भव्या भुवि जयन्ति ते ॥ २५ ॥

ye viraktā mahātmāno bhogabhāvanatānavam | bhāvayantyabhavāyāntarbhavyā bhuvi jayanti te || 25 ||

And those great souls become successful in this world, who are disgusted with the world, and are moderate in their enjoyments and desires, and do not think on the attainment of what they are in want of.

उदितौदार्यसौन्दर्यवैराग्यरसरञ्जिता । आनन्दस्पन्दिनी येषां मतिस्तेऽभ्यासिनः परे ॥ २६ ॥

uditaudāryasaundaryavairāgyarasarañjitā | ānandaspandinī yeṣāṃ matiste'bhyāsinaḥ pare || 26 ||

And those great minds are said to be best trained, which are graced with liberal views, and are delighted with the relish of unconcernedness with the world, and enraptured with the streams of heavenly felicity.

अत्यन्ताभावसंपत्तौ ज्ञातृज्ञेयस्य वस्तुनः । युक्त्या शास्त्रैर्यतन्ते ये ते ब्रह्माभ्यासिनः स्थिताः ॥ २७ ॥

atyantābhāvasaṃpattau jñātṛjñeyasya vastunaḥ | yuktyā śāstrairyatante ye te brahmābhyāsinaḥ sthitāḥ || 27 ||

Again they are called the best practised in divine knowledge, who are employed in preaching the absolute negation of the knower and knowables in this world, by the light of reasoning and Sastras.

सर्गादावेव नोत्पन्नं दृश्यं नास्त्येव तत्सदा । इदं जगदहं चेति बोधाभ्यास उदाहृतः ॥ २८ ॥

sargādāveva notpannaṃ dṛśyaṃ nāstyeva tatsadā | idaṃ jagadahaṃ ceti bodhābhyāsa udāhṛtaḥ || 28 ||

Also the knowledge, that there was nothing produced in the beginning, and that nothing which is visible, as this world or one's self, is true at any time, is called to be practical knowledge by some.

दृश्यासंभवबोधेन रागद्वेषादितानवे । रतिर्बलोदिता यासौ ब्रह्माभ्यास उदाहृतः ॥ २९ ॥

dṛśyāsaṃbhavabodhena rāgadveṣāditānave | ratirbaloditā yāsau brahmābhyāsa udāhṛtaḥ || 29 ||

The strong tendency of the soul towards the spirit of God, which results from a knowledge of the nihility of visibles, and subsidence of the passions, is said to be the effect of the practice of Yoga.

दृश्यासंभवबोधेन विना द्वेषादितानवम् । तप इत्युच्यते तस्मान्न ज्ञानं तच्च दुःखतत् ॥ ३० ॥

dṛśyāsaṃbhavabodhena vinā dveṣāditānavam | tapa ityucyate tasmānna jñānaṃ tacca duḥkhatat || 30 ||

But mere knowledge of the inexistence of the world, without subduing the passions, is known as knowledge without practice, and is of no good to its possessor.

दृश्यासंभवबोधो हि ज्ञानं ज्ञेयं च कथ्यते । तदभ्यासेन निर्वाणमित्यभ्यासो महोदयः ॥ ३१ ॥

dṛśyāsaṃbhavabodho hi jñānaṃ jñeyaṃ ca kathyate | tadabhyāsena nirvāṇamityabhyāso mahodayaḥ || 31 ||

Consciousness of the inexistence of the visible world, constitutes the true knowledge of the knowable. This habitude of the mind is called the practice of Yoga, and leads one to his final extinction—nirvana.

भवबहुलनिशानितान्तनिद्रासततविवेकविबोधवारिसेकैः । प्रगलति हिमशीतलैरशेषा शरदि महामिहिकेव चेतसीति ॥ ३२ ॥

bhavabahulaniśānitāntanidrāsatatavivekavibodhavārisekaiḥ | pragalati himaśītalairaśeṣā śaradi mahāmihikeva cetasīti || 32 ||

The mind thus prepared by practice of Yoga, awakens the intelligence which lay dormant in the dark night of this world, and which now sheds its cooling showers of reason, like dew drops in the frosty night of autumn.

इत्युक्तवत्यथ मुनौ दिवसो जगाम सायंतनाय विधयेऽस्तमिनो जगाम । स्नातुं सभा कृतनमस्करणा जगाम श्यामाक्षये रविकरैश्च सहाजगाम ॥ ३३ ॥

ityuktavatyatha munau divaso jagāma sāyaṃtanāya vidhaye'stamino jagāma | snātuṃ sabhā kṛtanamaskaraṇā jagāma śyāmākṣaye ravikaraiśca sahājagāma || 33 ||

As the sage was sermonizing in this manner, the day departed as to its evening service, and led the assembled train to their evening ablutions. They met again with their mutual greetings at the rising beams of the sun after the darkness of night was dispelled.