________________
Samadhi Shataka
79
must have an acute and subtle knowledge that the soul is sentiant, conscious, unperishable and its realization is subject to the self knowledge or self-reflection and never to any physical process; and on the opposite end the body is material, inert, inceletial and perishable. Keeping this distinction in mind through the apparatus of self-knowing process if we observe religious austerities and undergo rigorous penance and follow up the ascetic way streneously we can relieve ourselves from the samsar and can achieve the salvation, the moksha. The ignorant people mislead and misguide themselves by coming under a wrong impression that asceticity and penance mean to put the body under a heavy labour and thereby to bring great injury upon it; but this is wrong and bears no fruits. All their meditations, contemplations, holding attention on etc. are barren and unaccomplishing The penance stood upon the warmth of self-knowing process is the very cause of salvation, the Nirvana.
