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Contribution of Haribhadra to the Yoga-vidya
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eternal revelation of the truth like the Mimāṁsakas and the Vedāntins, or, in its revelation by a Supreme Divinity like the Nyāya-vaiseşikas and the Patañjali-yoga. Only rare souls known as Tîrthařkaras, who have acquired potency of revealing the truth and preaching it to the world by their moral and virtuous activities can also help in arousing us from moral slumber. The centrifugal tendency of soul to run away from the fetters of world existence is thwarted by a centripetal force of attachment (raga ), repulsion (dveşa )1 and perverted attitude ( mithyātva ). However, the soul, when it achieves purification feel uneasiness with the worldly existence and shows manifestation of energy known as Yathāpravsttakarana for the spiritual advancement. But the struggle between the two-fold processes, centrifugal and the centripetal2 continues unless the soul develops such spiritual strength as is destined to lead it to final emancipation by reducing the duration and intensity and also the mass of Karmic-matter through the triple processes of Yathāpravsttakarana, apūrvakaraṇa and anivșttikarana.3 The soul then starts climbing up the spiritual ladders of Upaśamaśreņi ( ladder of subsidence ) and Kșapakaśreni ( ladder of annihilation ) upto the final fourteenth stage of absolute motionlessness.
Haribhadra's style of describing the fourteen stages of spiritual development through the process of Yoga is original and illuminating. While discussing, he has mentioned the names of many Yogist and treatises on Yoga. A crucial
1. Viśeşāvaśyaka-bhäşya, Yaśovijaya Jaina Granthamala
No. 35, Gātha 1194. 2. Ibid, Gathā 1204-1217. 3. (a) Tattvärtha-raja-várttika of Bhațța Akalarika, Kaśī,
1935, p. 327. (6) Labdhisara of Nemicandra, R. J. S., No. 8, Nirnaya
Sagar Press, 1916, p. 35. 4. Gopendra ( Yoga-bindu, Verse 200 ), Kālātīta ( Yoga
bindu, Verse 300 ); Patañjali, Bhandanta Bhaskarabandhu,
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