________________
(Vachanamrut # 651) that 'understanding means to know and experience the true nature of soul, as it is'. Such understanding changes the entire outlook. When the orientation turns to its true nature, one can stay tuned to it. There is thus enormous importance of an enlightened Guru in spiritual pursuit. It is therefore appropriate that Shrimad starts the work with homage to the graceful Guru, who explained the true nature of the soul.
This stanza can also be interpreted as covering all the six Fundamentals, which form the basis of Atmasiddhi Shästra. The soul undergoing suffering points to its existence; endless suffering signifies that the soul is everlasting; undergoing of the suffering in absence of understanding indicates that the soul has been acquiring Karmas and has been bearing its consequences; true nature of soul indicates the state of liberation; and explaining of that nature points to the means of attaining the same.
Vartamän Ä Kälamän, Mokshamärga Bahu Lop; Vichäravä Ätmärthine, Bhäkhyo Atra Agopya.
Currently, the path of liberation has been mostly lost. It is described here for contemplation of truth-seekers without any reservation. (2)
Explanation & Discussion:
The remaining two aspects of the composition are covered here. Path of liberation is Abhidheya (The subject matter of the composition) and contemplation for truth seekers is Prayojan (Purpose of the composition).
The worldly people stay deeply engrossed with material well being in the hope of gaining peace and happiness. We have been pursuing material comforts almost to the exclusion of spiritual objective. With that end in view we have embarked upon scientific exploration, which has provided the comforts and amenities that were unimaginable only a few years back. Has that, however, made us happy?
Shrimad wrote this more than a century before in light of the situation then prevailing. Since then the human race has made tremendous progress in the material field. It has split the atom, probed the psyche, spliced the gene and cloned the animals. It has invented radar, microwave and silicon chip. It has revolutionized the means of transport and communication by inventing automobiles, airplanes, rockets, satellites, telephones, televisions, computers, and internet. It has radically revised the prevalent theories in the areas of logic, learning, physics, chemistry, medicine, mathematics, space and time.
In the spiritual field, however, the mankind has made no progress. On the contrary, there has been evident regress. The material progress has not brought the lasting happiness. The true happiness lies in the state of liberation and the worldly soul needs to look to the path thereof, which it has consistently ignored. As that path has not been traversed since long, it has almost been lost sight of. The situation is thus deplorable.
The everlasting happiness can arise only from within. Shrimad, the enlightened Guru, is going to show that path without any reservation for the truth-seekers. This is being done out of innate compassion.
