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## English Translation:
**631**
**[Verse 97]**
**Explanation of the Specific Form of the Upashamaka (44)**
**The Upashamaka is all-pervading and free from obstacles, and also a Niraasana.**
**The Niraasana is to be worshipped when the Upashamaka is present, but remains a Niraasana when it is exhausted.** ||17||
**Explanation:**
In the two and a half islands and oceans, in all the Vyantara Devas (hidden deities), in all the Jyotishka Devas (celestial deities), in all the Vimana-dwelling Devas from the Saudharma Kalpa to the Nava Graiveyaka, in the Vahan Devas (vehicle deities) who are engaged in the despicable karma of vehicles and other such things, and in the Kilvishika (inferior) and Parishedha (superior) Devas, who are different from them, there is a cessation of the Darshanamoha karma. ||16||
**Specific Explanation:**
Here, one might doubt that the Garbhaja (born from the womb) humans and animals, who are countless in number and have a lifespan of two and a half islands and oceans, are capable of generating the Prathamo-Upashama (first cessation) of Darshanamoha. But how is the cessation of Darshanamoha ordained in this verse even in the countless islands and oceans beyond the two and a half islands, where the existence of Trasa (tormenting) beings is said to be absent?
The solution is that those animals who were striving to generate the Prathamo-Upashama Samyaktva (first cessation of right faith) in the two and a half islands, if they were to be taken away by a Devata (deity) who was their enemy from a previous life and thrown into any of those countless islands or oceans, then those beings could still generate the Prathamo-Upashama Samyaktva there.
There is no island or ocean left from the past that has not witnessed the cessation of Darshanamoha of animals abducted by the Devas of their past lives. Therefore, the ordinance of the cessation of Darshanamoha is made in all islands and oceans, in anticipation of such abductions.
All beings who are Upashamaka (cessators) of Darshanamoha are free from obstacles and are Niraasana (non-possessors of the Saasadan guna-sthana). When the Darshanamoha is pacified, the Saasadan-bhava (state of being a Saasadan) is to be worshipped. But when it is exhausted, it remains a Niraasana. ||17||
**Specific Explanation:**
When a being who is a cessator of Darshanamoha attains the designation of "Upashamaka," from that point onwards, until the Darshanamoha is pacified, it remains free from obstacles. This means that even if it encounters all kinds of disturbances, afflictions, or even the most severe obstacles, its Darshanamoha will still be pacified. Once the A-purvakarana (non-initiation) and A-nivrittikarana (non-reversal) results begin, no power in the world can hinder its attainment of Samyaktva (right faith). It does not even die in that state.
Calling the Upashamaka a Niraasana means that while it is pacifying the Darshanamoha, it does not attain the Saasadan guna-sthana. But when the Darshanamoha is pacified, it is to be worshipped. This means that if there is some time left during the period of Upashama Samyaktva, it attains the Saasadan guna-sthana, otherwise not.
To clarify this, it is said that when the time of Upashama Samyaktva is exhausted, the Niraasana does not attain the Saasadan guna-sthana.