Spiritual Enlightenment

Author(s): Yogindu Deva, A N Upadhye
Publisher: Radiant Publishers

Page 26

12
Spiritual Enlightenment
written primarily from the nishchaya (real or ideal) point of view, it does not completely neglect or omit the vyavahara (practical) point of view. The author makes a distinction between practical and the ideal and he aims to subordinate the practical to the ideal though he never ridicules the former. The author does not take merely spiritualistic flights in ideal realms but he knows the general run of the mass to whom also he has to say something. Thus, Yogindu exhorts his saint disciple, Prabhakara Bhatta, to salute, bow before Jina with devotion (I.6) and observes: "Gifts have not been given to saints, the great Jina is not worshipped and the five great teachers are not saluted: then how can the liberation be attained (shivalabha)?” (II.168). But worship, etc. are relevant and serve some purpose only so long as Atman does not become Paramatman. When the mind and Parmeshvara(supreme soul) have become identical, nay one, where is the question of worship? (1.123*2). We are likely to feel that the author is sometimes self-conflicting (e.g. compare verses II.61 and 65 with II.168), but that conflict is only apparent as the statements are made sometimes from phenomenal and sometimes from noumenal points of view.
Since the subject matter of Yogindu's writings is not sectarian, but pure spiritualism, it has universal appeal. “This work,” observes A.N. Upadhye, “leaving aside a few groups of verses that give technical details of Jaina metaphysics, can be read with devotion by all students of mysticism who want to raise their individuality to a higher place of divinity."10 In fact, the spiritual ideas of Yogindu hold good for all time, all people and all places. They are most pertinent for the peace, well-being and happiness of human beings in the conflictprone materialistic society of modern times.
Yogindu and Gita
On comparison one finds many similarities between Yogindu's P.-Prakash and the Gita. To give only a few instances: P.-Prakash verse II.46*1 and shloka 2.69 of the Gita convey