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Introduction
23
on the highest reality. The pleasures of senses last for a couple of days only, and then again follows the stream of misery; one should not be deluded, and one should not flourish the axe on one's neck, That man mands respect who gives up pleasures though they are at his disposal; the bald-headed fellow has his head shaved by destiny (for which he deserves no credit). By capturing the leader, viz., the mind, all others, (l.e., the senses) are captured: the roots being pulled out the leaves necessarily wither. A lot of time is spent in enjoying the pleasures of senses; therefore steady concentration on Śiva, (i.e., Paramātman) is necessary whereby liberation is reached. Those who are engrossed in the concentration on Paramātman are never seen to suffer miseries. Time has no beginning, the soul is eternal, and the round of rebirths has no end; the soul has not secured two : the teacher, Jina and the religious virtue, Right faith. (128-143)
Family-life is full of sin; it is indeed a steady net decorated with death. When the body does not belong to oneself, there is no propriety in claiming other things by neglecting the concentration on Paramātman (called Śiva). Concentration on anything other than siva will not lead one to the bliss of liberation. Apparently the body looks nice; but (as to its real nature) it gets rotten when buried, and it is reduced to ashes when burnt. Anointing, decorating and sumptuously feeding the body serve no purpose like obligations bestowed on the wicked. This body is like a delapidated Naraka-gsha (filth-house) full of filth, and as such it deserves no attachment. As if with vengeance the fate has fashioned this body out of all that is miserable. sinful and filthy. It is shameful to enjoy the loathsome body; the wise should take delight in Dharma purifying their selves. The saints should not be attached to this body which brings no good to them: they should realise Ātman which is an embodiment of knowledge separate from the body. Attachment can never bring eternal happiness. (144-153)
One should be satisfied with that happiness which entirely depends on one's self; pleasures from external accessories will never remove (further) desires. Ātman should be realized as essentially constituted of knowledge, and there should be no attachment for anything else. If the mental waters are not disturbed by pleasures and passions, the Ātman immediately becomes pure. Of no avail is that Yoga which does not separate the self from others after suppressing or curbing the mind at once. Omniscience cannot be attained by meditating on anything other than the self, the embodiment of knowledge. The saints who meditate on Śünya-pada (a point of meditation devoid of disturbances), who do not identify themselves with anything foreign, who have neither Punya nor Papa and who populate the (so far) deserted (attitude) and desert the (so far) inhabited (attitude), deserve all respect. (154-160)
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