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humility. Both the concept of prasāda and the concept of dāsõha aim at inculcating in the aspirant selflessness necessary for losing the sense of individuality (jīvatva-bhāva). A person who is less selfish and more equanimous is able to perform meditation (dhyāna). Dhyāna is the only way of acquiring true knowledge of oneself, which according to Lingayatism, is mokşa.
In a sense, the Șat-sthala-yoga does not really have six stages, as is generally believed. Bhakti (devotion ) may gradually intensify in different stages of one's life, but it includes the aids to bhakti, namely, utterance of mantra, selfless distribution of our earning, meditation, etc. in every stage. That is why the spiritual discipline is sometimes called Miśra-Şat-sthala. Just as we cannot offer God taste, smell, form, etc. of a fruit severally, but only collectively, so also, we cannot practise the different means to mokșa severally, but only collectively. That is why Basavanna and Cennabasavanna say that since we do not have an endless life, we cannot be bhakta, today, mahesa tomorrow, etc.; we must practise the essence of each sthala simultaneouslys.
REFERENCES
1. Dr.M.Shivakumara Swami (ed): Süksmägama, Ch.V. (Bangalore, Veerashaiva
Anusandhana Samsthana, 2001) vv 1-3. Other Agamas also begin with similar description of
Śiva. (The publisher of the remaining Agamas quoted in this article is same). 2. Dr.M.Shivakumara Swami (ed): Makutāgama (1998), Kriyāpäda, ch.V., v 23 and
Caryāpāda, ch. IX. vv.29-30, 52. 3. Dr.M.Shivakumara Swami (ed): Candrajñānāgama (2002), Uttarabhāga, Ch.XII, vv. 1,
3, 4, 8, 9, 12, 16. 4. Dr.M.Shivakumara Swami (ed): Parameśvarāgama (2000), Ch.V.vv.65-67 and ch.VII.
vy. 58-59. 5. Dr.M.Shivakumara Swami (ed): Pärameśvarāgama (2000), Ch.IV, Homavidhi
nirūpanam, vv. 32-37, 51-52, 82-85. 6. Dr.M.Shivakumara Swami (ed): Kāraṇāgama (1999), ch.l., vv. 134-136. 7. S.Shivanna (ed) Samagra-vacana-sampuța, vol. XI, v. 63. 8. ibid. 9. Dr.M.M.Kalburgi (ed): Samagra-vacana-samputa, vol.I (Kannada Pustaka Pradhikara,
Bangalore, 2001), v. 70. All Samagra-vacana-samputa, volumes are published by Kannada Pustaka Pradhikara, Bangalore, in 2001.
Bangalore, in 2001. 10. Ibid.: 1216 and B.V. Mallapur (ed): Samagra-vacana-samputa, vol. III, v. 64. 11. B.V.Mallapur (ed): Samagra-vacana-sampusa, vol. II v.971. 12. M..M.Kalburgi (ed): Samagra-vacana-samputa, vol. I, wv. 119, 136, 141; Veeranna Rajur
(ed): Samagra-vacana-samputa, vol. V, v.28 and B.R.Hiremath (ed): Samagra
vacana-sampuța, vol. VIII, v. 584. 13. B.R.Hiremath (ed): Samagra-vacana-sampuța, vol. IX, v.266 14. B.R.Hiremath (ed): Samagra-vacana-samputa, vol. VIII, v.1298.
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