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|| Om Arhate Namah ||
3. Third Light:
Discussion of Gunavratas:
After discussing Anuvratas in detail, now we have the opportunity to explain Gunavratas. First, we will explain the nature of the first Gunavrata.
|| 172 || Dasasvapi krta dikshu, yatra seema na langhyate. Khyatam digviratiriti pratham tat gunavratam ||1||
The vow in which the boundary (limit) set for going and coming in all ten directions is not violated; that is called the first Gunavrata, known as Digvirati. ||1||
Meaning:
Explanation: East, Southeast, South, Southwest, West, Northwest, North, Northeast, Upward and Downward are the ten directions. To set a limit for going and coming in these directions and to accept rules accordingly; this is the first Gunavrata. It is also called Gunavrata because it is in the form of Uttaraguna. Or, because it is beneficial (helpful) in protecting Anuvratas, it is the famous Gunavrata called Digvirati. ||1||
Here the question arises that Anuvratas are said to be in the form of cessation from sins like violence, etc.; this is fine; but in Digvirati, from which sin is there cessation, which makes it a vow? In answer to this, it is said - in this vow too, there is cessation from sins like violence, etc. This is explained further.
|| 173 || Chara charaananam jeevaananam vimardanani vartanaat. Tapta ayogola kalpasya, sadvratam grihino api adah ||2||
Meaning: By limiting the area in all four directions, there is cessation from the destruction of movable and immovable beings in the form of violence, etc. Therefore, this vow is considered auspicious even for a householder, who is like a heated iron ball. ||2||
Explanation: Char means two-sense beings, etc., and Achar means one-sense beings, etc., immovable beings. By going and coming outside the limited boundary in different directions, there is violence towards the movable and immovable beings living there; but by this Gunavrata, by setting a limit for going and coming in the said ten directions, one becomes completely free from violence towards the beings living outside. By cessation from violence, the prohibition of violence is achieved. For this reason, this is a good vow for a householder. Cessation from other sins like falsehood, etc., also occurs, similar to the prohibition of violence. Here there is a doubt that in this way, the need for setting a limit on directions will also arise for a monk; in answer to this, it is said; this is not correct. A monk is completely free from initial possessions, a householder is bound by initial possessions, so he will go, come, sit, stand, eat, drink, sleep, or do any work; there he will commit violence towards beings like a heated iron ball. Therefore, it is said - wherever a heated iron ball goes, it will not remain without burning beings; similarly, a careless and Gunavrata-less householder can also commit sins everywhere like a heated iron ball. But a monk is endowed with samiti-gupti and is a Mahavrata-holder; therefore, he is not affected by this defect of a heated iron ball. Therefore, he does not need to take the Digvirati vow. ||2||
In addition to this, this vow is also for cessation from the sin of greed. This is stated in the next verse.
|| 174 || Jagda kramanamanasya, prasaral lobha varidheh. Skhalanam vidadhe tena, yena digvirati krta ||3||
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