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Ätmasiddhi
to concealing the omniscient state of the soul. The state, in which the true nature of the soul remains concealed due to bondage of Karma is known as Chhadmastha. This stanza relates to a situation where the disciple has gained omniscience, while the teacher still remains Chhadmastha, i.e., he is selfrealized but not omniscient. This has actually happened in several cases. For instance, Gautamswämi could not forgo his attachment for Lord Mahävir and hence did not gain omniscience during the Lord's lifetime. Many of his own pupils, however, gained it and Gautamswämi looked at them with due respect.
There is also the classic example of Chandanbälä and her pupil Mrugavati. On account of the illusion arising out of the Lord's aura, Mrugavati once stayed in the Lord's assembly beyond sunset. As she arrived late at her place, Chandanbälä reprimanded her for violating the code that forbids monks and nuns to stay out after sunset. Mrugävati felt very sorry for that lapse and went into deep remorse. Since the remorse had arisen from her heart, it resulted in destroying all of her Karma and she attained omniscience that very night. By virtue of that omniscience, she could notice, in the dark of the night, a serpent passing by the hand of Chandanbälä, who was fast asleep. Thereupon, Mrugavati lightly moved her hand aside. That caused Chandanbälä to wake up and she came to know of the pupil's omniscience. So she felt very sorry for reprimanding such an elevated soul. She too went into deep remorse and thereby attained omniscience.
Thus, reverence is of fundamental importance in spiritual pursuit. By resorting to that, one can make progress beyond imagination. The pupil, who gains omniscience before the preceptor, does not forsake the importance of modesty and continues to revere the teacher, under whose guidance he pursued the spiritual path and attained the omniscient state.
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