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impurities of the various kinds of Karmas and is therefore the object of meditation.
Umāsvāmi mentions that there are four types of meditation : according to the mental state : ärta, raudra, dharmya and sukla. 11 The first two are inauspicious.
Arta-dhyāna is contemplation in which the concentration is disturbed by thoughts of painful, sorrowful or disagreeable objects. Disagreeable objects are such as poison, prickly thorns, enemies and weapons. They cause pain and the individual's attention is disturbed by the thoughts of suffering and of the ways of getting rid of them. It is of four kinds : contemplation of the presence of an unpleasant object and the anxiety to get rid of it; contemplation of the loss of a pleasant object and the anxiety to regain it; constant thought of pain and disease and the desire to remove it; and the anxiety to enjoy unattained objects of pleasure. Every one has many experiences through his senses and they are pleasant or unpleasant; if they are unpleasant, the desire is to get rid of them; if they are pleasant, the desire is for their continued enjoyment. The concern to be free troubles the mind and disturbs the tranquility. The individual becomes distracted and continues to worry about the present as also the future. The individual may well suffer from the pains of various kinds like the headache, cold etc. He would be eager to get rid of them and anxious to find out remedies giving effective relief. One may have attachments to many things in life; there would be a strong desire to continue the association and anxiety not to be separated from them. It is average human nature to continue one's association with pleasant objects and experiences and he would be loath to part from them. There is also desire to obtain blessings and gifts from kings and gods by prayers with advantages here and hereafter. The individual hankers after many positions and amenities which he hopes to obtain by the grace of Indra and the lords of the earth. These four kinds of thoughts which disturb the mind are the consequences of passions, hatred and ignorance which are sure to increase attachment to the world rather than awaken his sense of other-worldliness.
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