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PHILOSOPHY OF SOUL
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attachment for attire, utensils etc. (4) Bhatta-Pan-Vyutsarga which means relinquishing food and water. This state of living without food and water is technically called 'SANTHARO'.
Bhava-Vyutsarga has three varieties : (1) Kashaya-Vyutsarga. This means renouncing completely passions. (2) Sansara-Vyutsarga which means renouncing the worldly affairs. (3) KarmaVyutsarga which means renouncing all the eight forms of Karmas.
In these varieties of penances, Sharira-Vyutsarga (renouncing attachment for body) is particularly emphasised. In this penance, body, speech and mind are to be controlled by sitting in one posture, by observing silence and by contemplating respectively.
SOME INSTRUCTIONS
Penance is the chief means of destruction of Karmas and therefore, it should be practised merely for destroying Karmas. Of course, by means of penances one can acquire some mystical powers and can acquire other advantages also. But penance should not be practised with such sort of purpose in view.
One should perform penance according to one's ability and should proceed further gradually. If penances weaken our abilities and if faith in penances is destroyed thereby, then one should not practise penances which are beyond one's capacity. This is the reason why one should observe penances under the instruction of an accomplished preceptor. Performance of penances contrary to the instructions of the preceptor gives rise to adverse results.
Whatever manly endeavour is to be made by the soul for acquisition of knowledge, intuition and righteous conduct, is to be made in the same manner of twelve forms of penances; as destruction of Karmas and purifications of soul are being effected thereby ; and as the ultimate result, some day annihilation of all the Karmas takes place, transforming the soul as pure enlightened and blotless. Here ends the series of discourses on “Karma" and now we shall proceed with the discussion of Karma at the proper occasion.
