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Atma-Siddhi
175
does everything for own vanity, never deserves true knowledge, and does not obtain it. His desires remain unvanquished, inner renunciation is not achieved, simplicity of nature is not attained, and evenness of mind does not occur. A non-seeker of soul is very unfortunate. Those who keep company of such a person also flounder in the ocean of mundane existence.
Bhagavad-Gita also describes non-seekers and seekers of soul as people with demoniac and divine natures. As a comparison to the views expressed above, Lord Krishna explains to Arjuna' that people with demoniac nature suffer from pride, arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness, and ignorance. They do not know what are proper and improper behaviors and what are cleanliness and truth. They suffer from egotism, pride, false-prestige, illusions, lust, thousands of desires, and are sense-focused. They are complacent and impudent, disregard scriptural injunctions, and act according to own whims. They claim that world is unreal, there is no God, and all activities take place on their own. All their activities are destructive and such people do not attain happiness, perfection, or supreme destination. By contrast, qualities of people with divine nature are: fearlessness, purification of one's existence, cultivation of spiritual knowledge, charity, self-control, performance of sacrifice, study of the Vedas, simplicity, nonviolence, truthfulness, freedom from anger, renunciation, tranquility, aversion tu fault-finding, compassion for all living entities, freedom from covetousness, gentleness, modesty, steady determination vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness, and freedom from envy and passion for honor. Divine qualities lead to liberation and demoniac qualities to further bondage and suffering. Similar ideas have been expressed in these verses.
Soul-Seeker
(Verses 33-35) Soul-seeker considers finding association of a living true teacher as great gain and follows his advice in unison with the
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