Then this Prakarana, having in all 5 stories, ends with those of Dhasoora and Kacha wherein it is sought to explain the position that, though the universe appears to be real in itself in this stage, it is nothing but Atmic Sankalpa or a mode of the consciousness of Atma. It is in this Prakarana that the three modes of Ahankara engendered are mentioned. The first is the stage where the man identifies himself with the physical body which is the lowest of Ahankaras and ought to be shunned. The second is where one identifies himself with a thread-like small wire. In the third stage, he finds he is all this universe. These three stages correspond to the gross, subtle and causal bodies of man and are the intelligences presiding over them. Beyond these is Turya, the 4th stage where one is above the universe and identifies himself with the Spirit itself.
UPASANTI OR UPASAMA PRAKARANA.
This is the section which deals with the quiescence of the mind after its sport in the universe. This Prakarana rejoices in nine stories wherein it is stated that the quiescence of mind can be obtained only after many births. To develop this state, many means are given out, such as the Lord s grace through Bhakti or devotion, the direct knowledge of Maya, Yoga, Atma-Vicha ra or Atmic enquiry, and Chitta- Nirodha or the control of mind, Prnayama, &c. King Janaka sees all as ChidAnada and reaches a higher state. Punnya and PAvana reach the goal after the lapse of many births. Bali of the Trivikrama Avatar did his actions in a Nishkama manner without reference to their fruits. Prahlada was ever worshipping the lotus feet of Eswara. Gadhi, the father of Vi6wa~mitra had a direct perception of Mdya and thence of God, since the Absolute cannot be seen without overcoming MAya. Atma-Vichdra or Atmic enquiry was the ceaseless means adopted by UddhaMaka and Suraghu. BhAsa and VilSsa put an end to all their pains through the same course. Veethahavya resorted to Prnayama or the control of breath for the subjugation of his mind. The story of Gadhi is worthy of being reproduced here.
Having been daily engaged in meditation in water, he one day wished to know the nature of Maya and was blessed by Vishnu the Higher Self, here represented as a dark blue cloud with the boon of seeing Maya directly and of over coming it. Some days after, as he was passing to the waters of a tank, his mind recurred to the boon of Vishnu ; and when he stepped into the tank, he was entranced and vividly remem bered, in his normal state, all the lives he had led during his Samadhi, as a Brahmin and as a Chandala (out-caste). Not knowing the reason why these visions arose, he returned home where he met with a guest who uttered some words which went to prove that his dream in the tank was a reality. So in order to verify the same, he went to the many places pointed out by the guest and found all the events of his dream realized as an actuality in the waking state. This story illus trates the fact that the many lives we are going through in our present state of Ajnana are like so many dream lives which, though they may appear as true like our waking states, are yet not so, when a high stage of spiritual development arises.
In the story of Veethahavya with which this Praka- rana winds up, the different stages of his development on the uttering of the sacred word, Pranava, are described. To pro duce a control of the mind, two things are essential, Prana* Nirodha and Sanga-Tyaga, viz., the control of Prana and renunciation of Sanga or association. By the latter is meant not disassociation with the world but only with the longing after, or the attraction towards, the objects of the world. By Prana-Nirodha, the author expressly .states that he does not mean it in the Hata-Yogic form but only in the Raja-Yogic way. This last section has 14 stories in it. The ego in this stage reaches the Turya or fourth state, after the developed one has crossed “the three Halls” and is able to have a commanding view of the lower stages. This Prakarana begins with the story ofBhusunda, the great Yogi. Busunda, meaning a crow, ty- ptfies a great spiritual power existing from a very remote period through marvellous Yoga strength and, according to his own version, had witnessed Vasishtas born 8 times, Hiranyakshas diving with the earth down into Patala thrice, Daksha, the Prajapati losing the sacrifice twice and other mysteries. Then comes the story of Deva-Pujah.
Here is stated the true ra tionale of the Pujah or worship of God now conducted by the Hindus. All the form worships are intended for the men in the lower stages alone. Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra,&c., are developed entities only. Jnana alone is the true God and the flowers, &c., with which God has to be worshipped are equal vision over all, contentment of mind, spiritual wisdom, &c. Of course this is likely to disturb the equilibrium of our orthodox men ; but facts cannot be gainsaid and should be given out. After some stories are passed, the story of Arjuna comes in where in Karmas are asked to be performed without caring for their fruits. But the best story of all in this Prakarana is the story of $ikhidwaja. Some years ago it came out in “The Theo- sophist” in a series of articles. The author impresses, through this story upon a disciple, the necessity of a Guru, an adept and not an ordinary teacher in order to lead him on into the higher pursuits of occult mysteries. Otherwise the disciple will only be, like the blind led by the blind. He is asked to place implicit faith in the words of such a Guru. The Master Jean well impress his thoughts upon the student s mind only when it is rendered passive to that of the teacher, Other wise no real progress in occultism in possible. But the Hindus of modern days have degraded it to such an extent as to exact the same kind of obedience from an ordinary student towards an ordinary teacher. Then some other points have also to be noticed in this story.
True renunciation lies not in immuring one self in a closet or going to a forest but in per forming one s Karmas with a mental abnegation. One should neither court fresh Karmas nor shirk the old ones that are peculiarly his. This should be the position of a true Jnani. True renunciation or Sannyasa is finely illustrated in this story. King &ikhidwaja after leaving his kingdom, retires into the forest. There his wife, herself an adept, visits him in her Mayavi Rupa or double, assuming a male physical form and passing by the name of Kumbha-Muni. When the king found that this supposed Muni was a personage of great powers, he took him up as his Guru ; he consenting to the two conditions imposed upon him as in other cases of initiation, w #., implicit faith in, and acting up to, the words of the Guru and repeated efforts to be made for the entire control of the mind. Then the Muni remarks that the King s pains were caused by want of true Sannydsa or renunciation in him. The King replies that he gave up his kingdom, wealth, wife, &c., and retired into the forest and wishes to know if that is not true renunciation.
No, the Muni replies. Then the King gives up his love for the forest in which he is and asks if that does not constitute true renunciation. Again did the same negative word come out of the lips of the Muni. Then the King consigns the bowl, cloth, &c., which alone he has, into the fire and wishes to know if that is not Sannydsa. Again was the same negative reply given out. Then the King ruminates over his situation ; it is sin on his part to gainsay his Master s words and hence he dives into himself and finds that the last cum-brance in him is his body which he wants to dispose of by ascending a high cliff and precipitating it down the same, when the Muni prevents him from doing so and remarks that !true renunciation lies in the mind and not in the external things such as body, &c. Then the Muni sets the King aright by going into the origin of pains.