CHAPTER 7
CHARACTERISTIC OF SAMAADHI
After realising the Self as unmoded Consciousness in nirvikalpa samaadhi, self-realised beings keep on recollecting it deliberately;
this results in withdrawal by them in perfect repose; this by the wise is said to be their samaadhi. This is the secret of vijnaana: The
hatha yogis who have not realised the Self by sravana etc., fall into two groups; one of them is accomplished in the eight-fold yoga
of Patanjali; the other after gradually finishing the stage of pranayama (control of breath), practises it more and more so that the
kundalini is aroused to go up and open out the sushumnaa naadi. The former, before entering samadhi, resolves to avoid all thought
of the non-self, succeeds gradually in avoiding extraneous thoughts, then contemplates the absence of all thoughts and then,
released from contemplation as well, he is left as a residual being.
The other, with great effort makes the vital air enter the
sushumnaa; owing to the effort there is fatigue; however having entered the sushumnaa the fatigue vanishes; he feels refreshed like
a man relieved of a heavy burden. Then his mind remains as if stupefied.
Both these classes of sadhakas experience Bliss like that of deep sleep in their own time.
As for the jnaana yogis who have realised the unmoded knowledge – Self by sravana etc., – even before attaining samaadhi the veil of
ignorance is removed and unmoded Knowledge-Self is found always scintillating as the various objects like reflections in a mirror.
Not only this but also before samadhi, the modes of mind vanish leaving the residual mind as the witness of the disappearance of
the objects and he remains as unmoded knowledge only. The hatha yogis’ experience is not this.
Only to the jnaana-yogis does
ajnaana (ignorance) vanish altogether in samaadhi along with its veiling and projecting or confusing powers, whereas for the hatha
yogi, although the projecting power vanishes, the other power continues to veil the Self. To the jnana yogi the veiling aspect is done
away with in the process of contemplation of itself, leaving nothing of it in the culminating state of samaadhi.
Q.: What is then the difference between deep sleep and samadhi of a hatha yogi? A.: In his deep sleep the Self remains hidden by
the massive ignorance of darkness like the sun behind very heavy dark clouds; in the samadhi state, the Self, though revealed by
the satvic mind, will not yet be dear but be like the sun behind thin white clouds.
In the case of the Jnaani, his mind becomes satvic in toto, and thus dispels the veiling of ignorance, so that the Self shines perfectly
clear like the sun in a clear sky. The Self-realised know this to be the right Realisation of the Self. Jnaana Samaadhi is thus the true
samadhi (it means that in spite of the satvic mind developed by the hatha yogis, their aavarana i.e., veiling remains without being
dispelled).
CHAPTER 8
THE PRAARABDHA OF THE JNAANIS
The pleasures and pains of the individual are inferred to be the results of an invisible cause i.e., the past karma. Since it is noticed
that jnaanis also live like others, it is said that the praarabdha is not undone by one’s jnaana. This holds good for the lowest order of
jnaanis only, for they are seen to react to environment; it does not apply to the higher orders. The feeling of happiness affecting the
mind of the individual can be the effect of karma. The middle and the highest classes of jnaanis are not subject to fluctuations of
mind. You cannot dispute this point because such fluctuations are completely absent in samadhi. On arising from samadhi all the
non-self (i.e., the jagat) shines only as Pure Knowledge (i.e., the Self) just as the images are not distinct from the mirror reflecting
them; happiness etc., thus becoming one with the Self cannot then be felt as ‘my happiness’ etc.; it follows that the Self itself
cannot be said to be ‘effects’ and no corresponding karma can be postulated. Q.: Though his personal pleasures and pains are not
there, yet he sees others enjoy pleasures and suffer pains; his reaction must be due to praarabdha. A.: No. Others’ pleasures and
pains are not identified as ‘mine.’ But they are perceived as one perceives a pot; they cannot be the effects of praarabdha. Since
there is no pleasure or pain to be called ‘effects’ for him, the jnaani cannot be said to have residual karma.
As for the lowest order of jnaanis, when he engages himself in the daily routine of life, he is likely to forget that all is Self and takes
himself to be the enjoyer; since pleasure and pain seem to be ‘effects’ to him, he is certainly having the fruits of his past karma.
Some say that such knowledge as cannot stand the stress of daily life cannot have a lasting value. Others say otherwise.
Simultaneously with the rise of Supreme Knowledge, the veiling power of ignorance is at an end. Only the projecting power is
operative for some time, owing to praarabdha. It will quickly exhaust itself and no more karma will be left to cling to new bodies (by
rebirth); ignorance being at an end there, no fresh karma will accumulate; for the same reason there will not be any mode of mind,
for it vanishes like fire which has burnt up its fuel; hence no fresh bodies will attach to him. Therefore the Pure Being is left over and
thus liberation is inevitable. It is only too true that lapses from Knowledge do not constitute Knowledge in perfection. Hence the
sastras distinguish the jnaani from a jivanmukta i.e., one liberated while alive. Q.: According to the dictum that a man will be reborn
according to his last thought, that the jnaani of the lowest order will also be reborn because his praarabdha is not completely ended,
recollection of the non-self (by viparita smarana) must lead to rebirth. A.: No. Recollection of the non-self is unavoidable to the higher
order of jivanmukta also. The dictum you cited does not apply to jnaani of any sort. Simultaneous with the rise of Knowledge there is
complete loss of ignorance; therefore pleasures and pains no longer constitute ‘effects’ of karma; they are only transitory
phenomena; praarabdha is conjectured simply to explain this phenomenon; but praarabdha no longer remains for a jnaani of any
order and no recollection of non-self will arise in the last moment of his life.
Therefore the difference between a mere jnaani and a jivanmukta lies in their reaction to the pains and pleasures of life. It is said that
since liberation is simultaneous with the rise of Knowledge, it is immaterial when and how the jnaani dies, either near holy places or
in strange homes or other places, or taken unaware by death. If he knows perfectly even once the supreme state of Siva by means
of reflection or by sastras or by Guru’s grace, he is a self-realised man. And nothing more remains for him to do.
BLISS OF SELF
Cease thinking of the non-self; then blank prevails; the knower or the witness of this is pure knowledge without any modes; such is
the Supreme Knowledge (Paraa Samvit). This is full of Bliss and therefore the highest goal (purushaartha). This state is one of solid
Bliss. The reason is: Misery is the result of upaadhi which is totally absent in the Self. This samvit is the condensation of the sum
total of bliss, consequent on all the forms of enjoyment by all living beings put together. For samvit is desired by one and all living
beings. Q.: Is it not pleasure from objects that is thus desired? How can it take the form of the enjoyer? A.: Since it is desired by
all, the Self must be of the nature of Bliss. Otherwise it will not be desired by all equally. Q.: If it be the Self alone that is desired by
all, how can the desires be various e.g., for the body, wealth, woman, etc.? A.: The desire is not really for objects since it is for
one’s own sake. Hence those desirous of heaven etc., undergo fasts etc., and willingly leave their bodies etc. So the Self is never
that which is not desired. Therefore it must be Bliss itself. Q.: Pleasure is obvious in the enjoyment of objects, whereas the other
bliss cannot be proved to be; therefore the Self cannot be admitted to be Bliss. A.: The aagamas (holy texts) declare that all
sensual pleasures are but fractions of the Bliss of the Self. This means: Just as ether though not itself visible is yet known to yield
room for a pot etc., and thus seems divisible by other adjuncts such as actions etc., so also Chit though not visible yet appears
divided by objects seeming to be the source of sensual pleasure (which in reality are only fractions of the Bliss of the Self). Q.: Your
statements prove only the desire for pleasure by the self, and not itself being bliss. A.: Only the natural bliss of the Self prevails at
the instant of relief of one’s burden and in deep sleep. This means: As soon as one is relieved of one’s heavy load, one surely feels
refreshed; this cannot be denied: but here are no objects to give pleasure and how could it be felt unless it is from within, i.e., from
the Self? Q.: It is due to the strain of load being removed. A.: Removal is negative; how can a negation yield a positive result such
as pleasure? It must therefore be admitted to be of the Self. Q.: Relief from strain amounts to relief from pain. And this seems to be
pleasure to him. A.: But in deep sleep there is no strain to be removed and yet there is the bliss of sleep. This cannot be denied
because there is the recollection of the bliss of sleep after waking from it. This bliss cannot but of the Self. Q.: There is no such
bliss of deep sleep. A.: Why then do all beings desire to sleep and also prepare for it? Q.: If the Self be bliss, why is it not always
apparent? A.: Although there is noise constantly produced within the body, it is not usually heard; but if you plug your ears to
prevent the intrusion of external noises, the noise is distinctly heard from within. Similarly with the bliss of Self. It is at present
obstructed by the pains generated by the fire of desires and other latencies. These latencies lie dormant in their sources at the time
of deep sleep and then the bliss of the Self becomes apparent like the internal sound on plugging the ears. While bearing the load
the pain caused by it over-powers the common misery of current vasanas and thus predominates for the time being. As soon as the
load is thrown down, the pain relating to it disappears and in the short interval before the rise of the current vasanas, the bliss of Self
is felt. Similarly with the other sensual pleasures. Innumerable vasanas always remain in the heart pricking like thorns all the while.
With the rise of a desire for an object the force of it overpowers the other vaasanas which await their turn. When the desired object is
attained, the immediate pain of its desire is at an end; in the short interval before the other vasanas manifest, the bliss of Self
prevails. Hence it is said what always all desire is only the Bliss of the Self. Q.: How then do all not understand that the sought-for
pleasures are really only the Self? A.: Owing to their ignorance of the fact that only the bliss of the Self manifests as the pleasure of
sensual enjoyments, their attention being on the objects which are transitory; they believe that as the enjoyments are transitory,
their bliss also is co-eval with them.
