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The Discourse Divine
[ 2012
hardships have to be faced by the aspirant. If these are cheerfully borne, the goal of freedom and bliss is reached speedily, and the soul becomes a pure and perfected God. The destruction of desire, therefore, is the key to the situation, and the acharya points out that those who preserve equanimity of mind in the midst of trials and temptations speedily attain to the Supreme Status by the stoppage of the fresh inflow and the destruction of the existing karmas.
कटस्य कर्ताहमिति, संबंधः स्याद् द्वयोर्द्वयोः ।
ध्यानं ध्येयं यदात्मैव, संबंधः कीदृशस्तदा ॥२५॥ In a statement such as 'I am the maker of the mat', two objects are implied; but where the soul itself is the instrument as well as the object of contemplation; how can there be duality in that state ?
Note: This sloka is intended to further elucidate the nature of selfcontem plation which is non dual. There are in that state no two separate objects like a mat and the man who made it; but the object of contemplation is the same as he who contemplates. The soul in reality only contemplates its own inherent glory, so as to realize its hidden divinity. Hence acharya points out that there is no room for duality in the process of pure self-contemplation.
बध्यते मच्यते जीवः, सममो निर्ममः क्रमात ।
तस्मात्सर्व प्रयत्नेन, निर्ममत्वं विचितयेत् ॥२६॥ The soul involved in the delusion of egoity is enmeshed in the bondage of karmas; he who is free from delusion of egoity is freed from the bondage of karma, this is the order of things; such being the law, one should try in all possible ways to attain to pure self-contemplation, devoid of the delusion of egoity.
Note:-We have already seen that desire is the root of bondage. Here the acharya takes us a step further towards the analysis of desire, which is rooted in the delusion of identity with the body. The ordinary man only knows himself as the physical personality and naturally remains absorbed in the gratifications of the bodily cravings and wants. This is the delusion which the acharya warns us against
एकोऽहं निर्ममः शुद्धो, ज्ञानी योगीन्द्रगोचरः ।
बाह्याः संयोगजा भावा मत्तः सर्वेऽपि सर्वथा ॥२७॥ I am one, I am without delusion, I am the knower of things, I am knowable by Master Ascetics; all other conditions that arise by the union of the not-self are foreign to my nature in every way !
Note: The soul is here described from what is known as the nish chaya
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