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इष्टोपदेश
He who has acquired the discrimination between the Self and the notSelf, through the teachings of the preceptor, by repeated meditation on the nature of things, or by direct inner Self-perception, that great soul enjoys the happiness appertaining to salvation constantly !
Note:-Salvation and the happiness appertaining to it are obtained by self-contemplation, when the karmas are destroyed and the soul is left as a pure Spirit, omniscient, and blissful and immortal in its own nature.
स्वस्मिन्सदभिलाषित्वादभीष्टज्ञापकत्वतः ।
स्वयं हितप्रयोक्तृत्वादात्मैव गुरुरात्मनः ॥३४॥ Because of its internal longing for the attainment of the highest Ideal,
use of its understanding of that Ideal, and because of its engaging itself in the realisation of its Ideal, because of these the soul is its own preceptor !
Note:-The outside Teachers and guides are only helpful where the soul itself is ripe for advancement on the path; their word is of no avail where the hearer is not open to receive it. For this reason the real teacher and guide is the soul itself; and so far as exertion is implied in the realisation of the Ideal, it is the soul's own action which can ever lead to its advancement and progress on the path. Hence the statement that it is its own preceptor !
नाज्ञो विज्ञत्वमायाति विज्ञो नाज्ञत्वमृच्छति ।
निमित्तमात्रमन्यस्तु, गतेधर्मास्तिकायवत् ॥३५॥ Those not yet qualified for the acquisition of Truth cannot become the knowers of Truth; the knowers of Truth cannot become devoid of it; external Teachers are useful like Ether which is but helpful in the motion (of moving things)!
Note:-The charya here elucidates the nature of the teaching from an outside source. It is like ether which is helpful to the object in motion, but which does not push or move any one. Similarly an external Guide can help only the soul that has acquired a longing to proceed on the Path of Freedom; he cannot impart the impulse which is to initiate the proceeding !
अभवच्चित्तविक्षेप, एकांते तत्त्वसंस्थितः ।
अभ्यस्येदभियोगेन, योगी तत्त्वं निजात्मनः ॥३६॥ He in whose mind no disturbances occur and who is established in the knowledge of the Self,-such an ascetic should engage himself diligently in the contemplation of his soul, in a lonely place.
Note:-The one-pointedness of the mind which is necessary for steady meditation is exceedingly difficult in a place where there is even a likelihood of disturbance. Hence, it is pointed out here that self-contemplation should
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