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ASPIRANT'S GUIDE
Thus every aspirant has to put in great and firm effort in order to win over his original abode of equanimity. This equanimity is known by several names such as equality, quietude, Samadhi, Yoga, tranquility of mind, Nirvikalpa Samadhi, the state of self-experience, self-realization, and so on.
AN EQUANIMOUS PERSONALITY
The vision and speech of the person who has attained to equanimity undergo a basic and complete transformation. Consequently, divinity is reflected in him at all places, at all times and in all activities of his life. In his heart, he experiences that all living beings in the world are alike to his own self, and this feeling and experience of his life are reflected in all his day-to-day activities.
As he has realized his own self (Atma) to be the best and the highest, he experiences no attraction or attachment towards worldly objects. He might be garlanded with flowers or shoes, respected or insulted, given a gold or a copper coin, sandal or cow dung may be applied to his body with all these, he is neither pleased nor displeased. To him, a residence in a palace or a crematorium, forest or a magnificent house, are just the
same.
However he prefers to reside in a lonely place where his spirit of non-attachment remains undisturbed and intact. There he experiences constantly the proximity of his true and real self in the form of true knowledge and divine bliss. He experiences his supreme self repeatedly. The hard fact is that there are no words to describe the loftiness and greatness of this superhuman being with magnanimous and divine knowledge. However, his real personality is far beyond speech and mind.
These are grand ascetic persons endowed with equanimity, whose only resort is the soul and who are liberation (Mokhsha) incarnate. The land on which they place their foot-steps, verily becomes a land of austerity (Tapas) and therefore it becomes a place of pilgrimage.
Their presence is always surrounded by an atmosphere of peace, equanimity, friendship and sacredness. It becomes almost magical atmosphere surcharged with such holiness that even wicked persons and violent animals give up their wickedness
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