Pravachan 53 - Acharya Rajneesh (Osho)

This Pravachan was delivered on 3 Dec 1976

Pravachan Audio link – Soundcloud –

https://on.soundcloud.com/5uPSs

Pravachan Transcript link –

https://oshostsang.wordpress.com/2018/07/28/अष्%e2%80%8dटावक्र-महागीता-प्रव-53/

(Pravachan No 52 is a Question and Answer session. All even numbered pravachans are Q&A sessions. Therefore, these have been left out for the time being – these will be taken up, on completion of all expositions of Ashtavakra Gita)

ashTAvakra uvAca |

 sAnurAgaM striyaM dRshTvA mRtyuM vA samupasthitam |

avihlamanAH svasthO mukta Eva mahASayaH || 17 : 14 || 170 ||

 

sukhE duHkhE narE nAryAM sampatsu ca vipatsu ca |

viSEshO naiva dhIrasya sarvatrasamadarSinaH || 17 : 15 || 171 ||

 

na hiMsA naiva kAruNyaM nauddhatyaM na ca dInatA |

nAScaryaM naiva ca kshObhaH kshINasaMsaraNE(a)narE || 17 : 16 || 172 ||

 

na muktO vishayadvEshTA na vA vishayalOlupaH |

asaMsaktamanA nityaM prAptaM prAptamupASnutE || 17 : 17 || 173 ||

 

samAdhAnAsamAdhAnahitAhitavikalpanAH |

SUnyacittO na jAnAti kaivalyamiva saMsthitaH || 17 : 18 || 174 ||

 

nirmamO nirahankArO na kinciditi niScitaH |

antargalitasarvASaH kurvannapi karOti na || 17 : 19 || 175 ||

 

manaHprakASasammOhasvapnajADyavivarjitaH |

daSAM kAmapi saMprAptO bhavEdgalitamAnasaH || 17 : 20 || 176 ||

 

Variations -

17 : 16 - kshINasaMsaraNE(a)narE - kshINasaMsaraNE narE

17 : 17 - prAptaM prAptamupASnutE - prAptAprAptamupASnutE

17 : 18 - samAdhAnAsamAdhAnahitAhitavikalpanAH -

               samAdhAna samAdhAnahitAhitavikalpanAH

 

अष्टावक्र उवाच ।

सानुरागं स्त्रियं दृष्ट्वा मृत्युं वा समुपस्थितम् ।

अविह्लमनाः स्वस्थो मुक्त एव महाशयः ।। 17 : 14 ।। 170 ||

 

सुखे दुःखे नरे नार्यां सम्पत्सु च विपत्सु च ।

विशेषो नैव धीरस्य सर्वत्रसमदर्शिनः ।। 17 : 15 ।। 171 ||

 

न हिंसा नैव कारुण्यं नौद्धत्यं न च दीनता ।

नाश्चर्यं नैव च क्षोभः क्षीणसंसरणेऽनरे ।। 17 : 16 ।। 172 ||

 

न मुक्तो विषयद्वेष्टा न वा विषयलोलुपः ।

असंसक्तमना नित्यं प्राप्तं प्राप्तमुपाश्नुते ।। 17 : 17 ।। 173 ||

 

समाधानासमाधानहिताहितविकल्पनाः ।

शून्यचित्तो न जानाति कैवल्यमिव संस्थितः ।। 17 : 18 ।। 174 ||

 

निर्ममो निरहङ्कारो न किञ्चिदिति निश्चितः ।

अन्तर्गलितसर्वाशः कुर्वन्नपि करोति न ।। 17 : 19 ।। 175 ||

 

मनःप्रकाशसम्मोहस्वप्नजाड्यविवर्जितः ।

दशां कामपि संप्राप्तो भवेद्गलितमानसः ।। 17 : 20 ।। 176 ||

 

(In the book ‘Ashtavakra Samhita’ by Swami Nityaswarupananda, these 7 Slokas are given as Chapter 17 (14 – 20); but, according to the transcript of the Pravachan, all these are given sequentially (170 – 176) – without any chapters. Accordingly, both the systems of numbering have been adopted here.)

 Pravachan

First Sutra -

ashTAvakra uvAca |

 sAnurAgaM striyaM dRshTvA mRtyuM vA samupasthitam |

avihlamanAH svasthO mukta Eva mahASayaH || 17 : 14 || 170 ||

‘That Great Soul (mahASaya) who, seeing a loving (affectionate) (prIti-yukta) woman (strI), as also the imminent (standing close by) (samIpa upasthita) death (mRtyu), does not get perturbed (avicalamanA) and remains self-poised (svastha), he is indeed (certainly) (niScaya) liberated (mukta)’.

This is the definition of a liberated person – whom do we call liberated? There are two bondages (bandhan) of (in) life (jIvan). One is the bondage of desire (rAga), and the other is that of fear (bhaya). The handcuffs (hath-kaDI) and chains (bEDiyOn), in which you are bound (imprisoned), are two – desire and fear; desire for life, and fear of death. Both are two sides of the same coin (sikkA), because, we have desire for life, that is why we fear death. If desire for life – will to live (jIvEshaNaA) – goes away, then, fear of death is also gone. If the fear of death goes away, then, desire for life is also gone. Both are joined together. If you take this into consideration, the Sutra would become clear.

 We want to live. Why do we want to live, without knowing (the reason)? We want to live, even if there are a thousand problems (calamities) (vipadA), even if there is no substance in life; our ambition (AkAnkshA) to live, is very pronounced (prabal); it does not go away. Even if one loses his limbs, even if one becomes blind, even if the body is rotting, decaying, even if one is lying in a drain, and stinking, we still want to live, as if our condition makes no difference at all.

Have you ever wondered, looking at a beggar on the wayside? His limbs are broken, he is disabled, blind; he is dragging himself, begging for paisa; he is being abused (dutkAr). Why then, this person, still, would want to live? What will he get by being alive? What is there to get? He has lost his eyes, he has lost his limbs, his body is emaciated (kRSa), he lives a life of worms and insects (kIDE makODE), he is insulted (apamAn) everywhere, he is enduring plight (durdaSA) in every way; still he continues to live! Why he yearns to live? Has such a question ever arisen in your mind? But, then, place yourself in his position – if you are blind, if your limbs are broken, if you live by begging – would you still want to live, or, rather be dead? Do not conclude in a hurry; do not become harsh on that person. You also would like to live on. He is also a person like you.

Will to live (jIvEshaNA) is very pronounced; it is a strong, blind temptation, to live! We want to live, for no specific reason. Even if we do not get anything, at all, still, we want to live. Why is there such a hold (pakaD) on the life? What is the reason for that hold? We did not get anything in life; our hopes are pinned on tomorrow - maybe I get it, if there is a tomorrow. One never got anything till date – it was just empty; till date, our lives have been ashes (rAkh) only; no flower ever blossomed; we are living on one hope – maybe tomorrow it would blossom. Therefore, how to die?

Now, I shall tell you a paradox (virOdhAbhAs) – one who has lived his life, in the right earnest (ThIk), his will to live, goes away. Only he, who could not live his life, well, wants to live (more). The less a person lived (well) his life, the more he wants to live. One who has lived his life fully (in the right earnest), and who has seen the life, in totality, with his own eyes, becomes free of desires; if his death comes, just now, he would welcome it. He would get up, and be ready. He would say – ‘I was already prepared’. He would not hesitate, even for a moment; he would not seek time, to prepare himself. He would not even say – ‘I have some jobs left unfinished; let me finish them; I shall come in a minute’. There is nothing unfinished (in his life). One who has seen life, face to face, who has confronted life fully, would not hesitate. But, because of our hopes, our eyes are set somewhere else.

Yesterday night, I was reading a book; most of the people would agree with what he has written in it. The book was a best-seller. The name of the book is – ‘Hope for the Terminal Man’. On the cover page of the book, he has written – ‘man can live, without food, for forty days; without water, for three days; without breath, eight minutes, and without hope, not even a second’. Most of people would agree with this – how to live, even for a second, without hope (ASA). Hope revives (animates) (resuscitates) (jilA) you – (it says) ‘it has not happened so far, tomorrow it will happen! Live till tomorrow; manage till tomorrow. It is only a few moments of grief, spend them; it is night, and, it will (surely) dawn; someday it will happen’.

Death is more fearsome. What does death do? Death comes like a (drawn) sword (talvAr) and destroys tomorrow. There is no tomorrow after death; death leaves you with today only. In a single stroke (jhaTkA), it snaps the thread of tomorrow; it dissolves (visarjit) the future (bhavishya). Death does not kill you – it kills the future. Death does not kill you; it poisons the hope - no more hope. That is why, man has great conviction (Sraddha) in the doctrine (siddhAnta) of rebirth (punar-janma). We have searched out a new hope – ‘does not matter, if it did not happen, in this life; it would happen in the next life’. I am not saying, that the doctrine of rebirth is, either right or wrong – I am not saying anything (like that). I am just telling that, most of those, who believe in rebirth, are not doing so (believe), because they know the reason (for that belief). Their belief (mAnyatA) is just an expansion (vistAr) of (their) hope. Their doctrine falsifies (jhuThlAnA) even death. They say – ‘does not matter, even if death comes; the soul (AtmA) will remain; whatever could not be done now (in this birth), can be done in the next birth’.

Ambition for life means that, we have remained unfamiliar (aparicit) with life. Ambition for life means that, though we got life, we could not become familiar with it. You do not at all know, as to who you are. You have never asked, deeply (genuinely) (gahan) – ‘who am I?’ You have never made effort, to know about this life, which has passed so far – what is this (about), what is its meaning, what is its secret (rahasya), what is its use (prayOjan), what is lying hidden behind it? Getting up daily, taking food, hurrying for work, hurrying back from work, taking food again, then, quarrelling with wife, and then going to sleep again, and, then getting up again...... Whatever you have been doing (daily) – do you call this ‘life’? And, yet, you want to extend (lambAnA) it further? Probably, you have never awakened, and taken note of, how you are living. You are not living, at all; even then, there is hope for life. That is why, there is hope for life; that is why, there is a strong hold of (for) life. Do not worry about the blind beggar, as to why he is living.

 You might be surprised to know that, there is less suicides (Atma-hatyA) amongst the poor people (castes) (jAti), amongst poor nations. There is not, at all, any suicide amongst tribals living in forests; maybe, if someone is insane, he might kill himself. The number of suicides increases, as the well-being (samRddhi) of the society increases. Mostly, only well-to-do (dhanI), commit suicide – not poor. Have you ever heard of a beggar committing suicide? In fact, a beggar holds on to life, so strongly, that he would not even think of it (suicide), not even dream of it.

The less, one lived his life (well), the more strongly he holds on to it (life). If this becomes clear to you, then it will facilitate (ease) (suvidhA) your journey. You are also holding on to life, and, very strongly. It does not matter, even if you are holding on, to the doctrine of rebirth – ‘this life seems to be over; I trust in the next (birth)’. But, what is the basic (AdhAr-bhUta) reason for this trust – the hope of next birth? Only this, that you were not able to take a look at the life; had you only noticed (understood) it to be a mirage (mRga-marIcikA)!

The first Sutra says – ‘that person who remains unperturbed (avicalamanA), both, in life and death...’ - whose mind does not get perturbed, who remains self-poised (svastha) – it is alright, whether life comes or not, whether death comes or not; for whom, life and death do not make any difference (bhEda) – ‘only he is, certainly (niScaya) liberated (mukta)’.

 Here, there is a symbolic (pratIk) word, which is to be understood. ‘......seeing a loving (affectionate) (prIti-yukta) woman (strI), as also the imminent (standing close by) (samIpa upasthita) death (mRtyu)......’ You might be surprised, a little, regarding the reason to place (the words) ‘woman’ and ‘death’ in the same statement, the reason to weigh both (woman and death) in the same scale (tarAju). There is a reason (kAraNa).

In the East, the more we understood, in depth, the more it was revealed; certain things have, indeed, been revealed. One – if one gets life from a woman, then, surely, death also must be coming from her only, because, wherever birth comes from, death also should be coming from there only. If all the births are only from woman, then, death also should be coming from there (her) only. Wherever birth came from, it (birth) would also be pulled (khIncA) (back) from (through) there only.

Have you seen the image of Kali? We call Kali, a Mother – she is a symbol of motherhood (mAtRtva). In her neck, there is a garland of human skulls; in the hand, She holds a just-severed man’s head, wherefrom blood is dripping – ‘Kali, the skull-bowled (khapparwAlI)’. It is a terrifying, horrible form. Her face is beautiful (sundar), and her tongue is protruding out – terrible (bhayAvanI)! Have you seen her feet? She is dancing on the chest of her husband. Do you understand the meaning of it all? It means that she is both Mother and Death also. It is a poetical (kAvyAtmak) way of saying so – ‘Mother and also Death’. We call Kali, a Mother, and a collective symbol of entire Death also – terrible and also beautiful.

Woman (strI) is a symbol. By ‘woman’, do not understand a woman only, otherwise, you will miss the meaning of the Sutra. By ‘woman’, you understand this significant (mahatva-pUrNa) matter, that she is birth-giver (janma-dAtrI). From wherever the circle (vartul) begins, it (circle) will also end there. Understand thus – rains come from clouds; it rains in the mountains – in the Himalayas – the water flower down from Gangotri, it becomes Ganga, it flows down (in the plains) and meets the ocean (at the estuary). Then, again water evaporates and becomes cloud – the circle is complete – wherefrom it all started. The circle is complete, after it becomes, a cloud again.

In the East, we have seen everything as circular (vartulAkAr) only – everything comes back there itself. An old man becomes helpless like a child. A child is born, without teeth; similarly, an old man becomes toothless. A child is helpless – parents have to take care – wake up, make it sit, feed it; similar condition happens for an old man also; the circle is complete. All the motions (gati) of life are circular, round (maNDalAkAr). Birth is from a woman; in some deeper sense, death also should be coming from woman only. If you remove the word ‘woman’, things would be clearer, because, it is our conception – ‘woman is a woman’. We do not understand symbols; we do not understand the indication (sankEt) of literature (kAvya). Women might feel, that this statement (vacan) is anti-women. Man would think – ‘we already know it to be so; women are very dangerous’. Here, it has nothing to do with women – it has no relevance to your wife. This is only symbolic; it is a poetical symbolism; it is only an indication (sUcak) – something is being conveyed through this symbol.

It is conveyed that – birth takes place because of sexual urge (kAma); and death also happens because of sexual urge only – it is bound to be so. Desire (temptation) (vAsanA) is the cause for formation of the body; when that desire takes leave, body gets dissolved (visarjit). Desires (vAsanA) are, indeed, life (jIvan) only. When the energy (UrjA) of (for) desire gets depleted (kshINa), man meets death. What is the meaning of ‘old man’? It just means that the energy for desire has now depleted; now the river is drying (sUkh), and soon, the river would disappear (tirOhit). What is the meaning of childhood? It is Gangotri – river is born. Youth (javAnI) means, river is in flood. Old age means, the river is about to take leave (vidA); it is going to meet the ocean – now the river would become merged (vilIn).

Birth happens because of sexual urge (kAma vAsanA). In this Universe (jagat), whatever and wherever birth takes place – blossoming of flowers, chirping of birds, birth of babies, laying of eggs – (whatever) creation (sRjan) is happening (in the Universe), it is sex energy only. Therefore, as the sex energy, inside you, takes leave, your life will approach the end – death has come. What is death? Disappearance of sex energy is, indeed, death. Therefore, until death, man is obsessed with (afflicted by) (grasit) sexual urge, because, man does not want to die.

You will be surprised to know – there is a mention (ullEkh) in the literature (treatises) (ganth) of Taoism, which is very significant. No matter how old the emperor becomes, he should, always, keep marrying young girls. Reason? Because, when the emperor marries a young girl, an illusion (bhrAnti) is created, for some time, that he is (still) young. When the emperor becomes old, he should sleep in the bed, with two young girls, on both sides. Presence of young girls, does not allow the sex energy, inside him, to disappear; thus, death can be postponed, for long duration. There is some secret, some truth in this.      

Have you ever noticed? If your age is fifty, and if you fall in love with a twenty year old girl, suddenly, your movements become, as if your age has reduced by ten years; as if you become a little younger; as if an elation (thrill) (pulak) has come about; as if a surge of desire is billowing; as if new waves are arising. Even an old man, if he falls in love, his eyes do not seem, like that of an old man; desires start flourishing, as if the dirt of old age has cleared away. Such removal of dirt might be an illusion (dhOkhA), but it (dirt) clears off. A young man, if not in love with anyone, seems to become old, even in young age – at least, it appears so – that he is good-for-nothing (bEkAr), useless (vyartha). That is why, there is so much attraction towards love (prEm), and, man does not leave it off, till last breath, because, leaving it means, death. That is why, we remain afflicted by sexual urge till the end; our hopes lie in holding on to that edge (kinArA). If they cannot get women, they keep watching nude pictures; they would watch films for that; they would stand on the roadside; they would go to market place and indulge in bumping; it seems (to them) that they have got some momentum in life.

Mulla Nasruddin was sitting in his balcony (chajjA); suddenly, he told his servant – ‘quickly bring my (false) teeth’. When he came with the teeth, Mulla said – ‘it is too late’. His servant asked – ‘why did you feel the need for teeth suddenly? You are not having food now’. He said – ‘mad! A young girl was passing by; I wanted to whistle’. When an old man whistles, he forgets his age. He does not even realise that death is approaching. Decorate an old man like a groom, and make him sit on the horse; he would not seem to be an old man; his joint pain (gaThiyA) etc seem to have been cured, and he is able to walk; he does not seem to be afflicted by paralysis (lakvA); he who had been limping, does not limp anymore; (it looks) as if, a new life has been infused into the lamp of life; as if oil has been poured into the lamp.

Desire - sexual urge is life. Sex is synonymous (paryAy) with life (jIvan). Loss of sexual urge is death. Therefore, both these have been placed together. ‘That Great Soul (mahASaya) who, seeing a loving (affectionate) (prIti-yukta) woman (strI), as also the imminent (standing close by) (samIpa upasthita) death (mRtyu), does not get perturbed (avicalamanA) and remains self-poised (svastha), he is indeed (certainly) (niScaya) liberated (mukta)’. If a dying person, seeing a woman, becomes passionate, he would shudder at the death; if a dying person, sees a woman, as if she is nothing, (then) he would not fear even death. Whatever is true of man, with regard to a woman, is also true in respect of woman also, with regard to man. As all the books have been written by men, they did not bother to write about women; these (books) were not dedicated to (meant for) (nivEdit) women; therefore, they missed it. But, let me remind you – whatever is appropriate (sahi) for a man, is also appropriate for a woman. On the death bed, if a woman, seeing a loving (affectionate) (prIti-yukta) man - who is handsome, whose health is attractive, whose body is strong and healthy, whose shoulders and chest are inviting, who is full of love towards her – (if she) does not get perturbed, she would concede (svIkAr) even death.

The purport of saying this is, the day, you become unperturbed (avicalit) by sexual urge, that day itself, you become unperturbed, by death also. This Sutra is very important. Death can come at any time; we are not sure of it today; neither can you prepare for it, because death does not come, after any rehearsal; it would not warn you – ‘I will come after fifteen days; now, you get ready’. It comes suddenly; there is no intimation (sandESA), no notice of it – as received from Income Tax office – Notice No 1, No 2, No 3 - nothing like that. It comes all of a sudden, unexpectedly. A dying person does not have any suspicion, even a moment before, that he is going to die. Even a moment before, he was making plans for life; he was pondering – ‘after getting up from bed, what job is to be done, how to earn money, where to go’. A person, even in death bed, is busy making plans for life. Most of the people die, even while they are still making plans for life; they are not aware that death has already come.

Confrontation (face to face) (sAkshAtkAr) with death happens once only – abruptly (anAyAs), all of a sudden; it would stand at the door, like an uninvited guest. In the ancient scriptures (SAstra), death has been called a ‘guest’ (atithi), which means – one who comes without invitation (date) (appointment) (tithi) – death is (uninvited) guest. But, there is a device (upAya). That device is that of sexual urge (kAma vAsanA). If one becomes alert (sajag) towards sexual urge, if one gets rid of the hold of sexual urge, then, fear of death also is got ridden, to the same extent, as the hold of sexual urge has been got rid of. Therefore, you can prepare (taiyAr) for death, throughout the life. One who confronts death, without fear, becomes deathless (immortal) (amRta); then, there is no death for him.

You hear again and again, that the Self (soul) (AtmA) is immortal (amar). Do not think that it is about your Self (apnA). Right now, where is your Self? Self is there, only when desires cease. After desires cease, only consciousness (caitanya) remains inside you – that, indeed, is the Self. Your Self is so suppressed (dabI), that you cannot become aware of it, now. Now, whatever you consider to be your Self, is not at all the Self. Someone has considered his body (SarIra) to be the Self; someone has considered his mind to be the Self; someone, something else. You have not, as yet, confronted (come face to face with) Self. Self is lost in the fog (dhundh) of desires – it is not visible. The Sun of the Self could rise (reveal), only when the fog lifts; the flame (jyOti) of Self could reveal (pragaTa), only if the fog of desires goes off.

The Self is, certainly, immortal. But, do not think that, whatever, you now know (as Self), inside you, to be immortal. There is nothing immortal there. Now, you are not yet familiar with (have not recognised) (pahcAn) immortality. If you recognise immortality, you will not fear death, because, then, you will realise (jAnOgE) (and exclaim) – ‘what death! Whose death! I am not the one who dies!’ The body dies, because it (body) was born; the mind dies, because, mind is just a coincidence (samyOga). Whatever is beyond body and mind, which transcends (atikramaNa) both (body and mind), that witness would remain. But, (that is possible) only when you come to know the witness. (Translator’s note – ‘mind is a coincidence’ – this probably means that the mind has no separate existence, but, incidental to the body.)

There is a deepest of all experiments, for knowing the witness – that is, to become a witness, towards sexual urge, because, that is our greatest (strongest) hold. It is very difficult to get rid (out) of it (the hold of sexual urge). Its force is irrepressible (uncontrollable) (adamya), it has intense strength; it has encircled (ghErA) us on all sides. There is a reason for that encirclement. Your body has been made (constituted) (nirmit) by the zygote (female egg fertilised by sperm) (kAma aNu) – half that of father and half that of mother, donated (dAna) to make your body. By fusion of both these, your initial (reproductive) cell (aNu) was made. From that cell, more cells were reproduced. Scientists say that, now, there are about seventy million (seven crore) cells in your body. Your person (purusha) is hidden behind your body, made up of these seventy million cells. ‘purusha’ – that is, one who is resident of this town (pura) (nagar). You are, somewhere in this settlement (bastI) of seventy millions. You are encircled by these seventy million cells, on all sides; their hold is very strong. You are lost in that crowd. You are not able to recognise yourself – who am I - in the midst of this crowd. You do not remember yourself (apnA), now - what this crowd is, and who has encircled me. You are being dragged (pulled) (khInc) in the flow of this seventy million. Like strong horses pulling a chariot, your little flame (jyOti) of life is being pulled, by these seventy million strong cells, and you keep racing. These very cells would fall to death, because, they were made (created), at the time of birth, from the sexual urge. (Translator’s note – From a search of the web, I could gather that an adult body has about 37.2 trillion cells, and 80 to 300 million sperms are released per ejaculation.) Understand thus – whatever was made, through sexual urge, only that (they) dies (die) at death. You were there, before they were made (created), and you will be there, even after these are destroyed. But, this conviction (pratIti) would become clear to you, by knowing yourself (svayam), by awakening (to it) – not by listening to scriptures (SAstra).

sAnurAgaM striyaM dRshTvA mRtyuM vA samupasthitam | - If a woman – full of affection (prEm) (towards you), young, beautiful, oriented (anupAt) towards you, desiring you (rAga), intent (unmukh) on you, attracted (Akarshit) to you – is standing by your side, and death (mRtyu) also is standing before you, in between these two, if you remain unperturbed, without shaking even a little – like a flame that does not flicker even in a gust of wind – if you remain thus, unshaken, know that, then only, you have become liberated. This is the inner touch-stone (kasauTi) for living-liberated (jIvan-mukti).

People come and ask me – ‘how to understand, whether a person is liberated or not?’ There is no method of understanding another person, because, how would you understand another? There is scope of understanding yourself only. This very question, about the method for recognising a liberated person, is wrong. What is the use of it? How would you know from outside? Externally, one who is liberated, looks similar to you. If hungry, he takes food, like you; if feeling sleepy, he goes to sleep, exactly like you. But, there is, indeed, difference; but, that is internal; one cannot know about it, from outside. When he consumes food, he does so, with full consciousness (hOS-pUrvak). But, that consciousness, cannot be seen from outside. When he sleeps, even then, someone inside him is awake; but, you can know that, only when you get to your inside. As you have not gone, even in your own inside, forget about another person. That is not possible for you. Therefore, do not even ask the question, about the characteristics (lakshaNa) of a liberated person. If you want to ask about the characteristics, then ask about yourself. This Sutra is meant for you. Do not try to investigate (jAnc) another. Otherwise, you would say – ‘Krishna is not yet liberated. Look, his girl-friends are dancing, and Krishna is playing flute. They are all swaying (DOl). All of them seem to be unsteady (vicalit); that is why, they are swaying. Look at Krishna; he is swaying, like the sway of a snake, to the play of pungi (bIn); he seems to be unsteady; therefore he is not liberated.’ If the one, who is swaying, is indeed Krishna, then, what you say is correct; but, in the midst of all these sways, someone is standing (inside him) unswaying. This flute is playing, but, no flute is playing inside him. Amidst this dance, someone is (standing) totally tranquil (SAnta). Amidst all these waves, someone is completely silent (maun). But, how will you see that person? You can see Him, only if you had seen Him, in your inside. That very moment (tat-kshaNa), you would be able to behold that flame, that crown (lapaT) (of flame) inside Krishna also. Those who had recognised Krishna, they had, first, recognised themselves.

One day, someone asked Buddha – ‘how do we recognise you? We have heard your declaration (ghOshaNA), that you have attained Buddha-hood, that you have attained great wisdom, that you have become liberated, that you have attained solitude (alone-ness) (kaivalya). How should we recognise you? Please give us some proof (basis) (AdhAr)’. Buddha said – ‘if you proceed to recognise me, then you would go astray (bhaTak). You proceed to recognise yourself. The day you are able to recognise yourself, that very day – that very moment - you would recognise me.’

Do not apply these Sutras for others. Man is, indeed, very dishonest (bEimAn); if he does not understand anything, then, he misuses (abuses) (durupayOg) even his understanding. Then, he starts telling (commenting) – ‘then, so and so person has not yet attained liberation’. You keep secure (sambhAl) this touch-stone (kasauTI), inside yourself – when you are on the way, if a beautiful woman – (alternatively, a handsome man) – passes by, is there any quiver (shaking) (kampnA) inside you? If not, then, you can be glad (prasanna), that you got some taste of life – quiver free life. You have got out of smoke, a little. Celebrate, that you got something! Slowly, this practice (abhyAsa) will keep becoming stronger (intense) (saghan). Someday, death would come. The ultimate consequence (pariNAm) of sexual urge, is (leads to) death. As the body has been made through sexual urge, death is bound to come. If you had been vigilant (jAgtE) towards (with regard to) sexual urge, one day, you would be vigilant (awake) even towards death. One who dies, after awakening (while awake), does not return; he has no coming back (punarAgaman). You have heard, again and again – ‘how to eliminate (miT) coming and going (to and fro) (AvAgaman)? This is the path for eliminating ‘coming and going’.

Even while alive, you can become liberated. Living-liberated (jIvan-mukta) means – one who has become free of sexual urge, for whom there is no attraction of woman or man – all other attractions are smaller (minor). Attraction of wealth is minor (not significant) (gauNa), so is the attraction of status (position) (pada); but the attraction of sexual urge is very strong (deep) (gahrA). In fact (vastutaH), we desire wealth, so that it becomes easier (sugam) to satiate (tRpta) sexual urge; we desire even status (position), so that it becomes easier to satiate sexual urge.

Have you seen – kings had the facility of keeping thousands of women. Everyone has mind; and everyone’s mind is like that of a king. But, they cannot keep (thousands of women), because, even one (woman) becomes very dear (mahangA), it becomes difficult even with one (woman). You hear the stories of kings having thousands of women; they are not false. They had the facility, wealth, position, status (pratishThA); they could violate all the rules (nIti) of conduct (niyam) of society (samAj); they could trespass even decorum (maryAdA); who can harm them – none. (Sigmund) Freud has said – ‘people seek (khOj) wealth, position etc. But, what they, really, seek is – satiation of their sexual urge, with wealth and position. After that, they could do as they feel like. But, sexual urge is the deepest of all.’

avihlamanAH svasthO mukta Eva mahASayaH | - avihvalamanA – ‘.....one whose mind does not get perturbed (vihvala), does not waver (kamp) – whose mind has become unwavering (nishkamp)..’ Experiment (prayOg) with woman, experiment with man; life is an opportunity (occasion) (avasar) for the same (experimentation). By awakening, little by little, one day, supreme awakening will also come. By gathering effulgence (prakASa), little by little (particle by particle) (rattI), the Great Sun (mahA-sUrya) would also get revealed, one day.

Poem of Acharya –

साथ चलो तो मैं खड़ा चलने को तैयार

सन्नाटे के बीच सें—सन्नाटे के पार।

When you were born, you came from total calmness (sannATA); when you die, you will go back into that total calmness only. Zen Fakirs say – search for your, that face (cehrA), which was there, before your birth, and which would, again, be yours, after death. The face, in between (birth and death) is borrowed (udhAr), which, you got from your parents; it is not yours; it is not basic (original) (maulik) (face).

Therefore, all religions (dharma) are (meant for) practice (accomplishment) (sAdhanA) of calmness, (practice of) void (SUnya), silence (maun) and meditation (dhyAna).

तुमको चिंता राह की, मुझको चिंता और

यहीं न हमको रोक ले कोई मंजर—मौर।

Do not worry much about the path (rAh). All paths lead towards paramAtmA. Take care of only one thing – do not get stuck (aTak) at any obstacle (aTakAv), on the way; do not consider any halt (sojourn) (paDAv) to be the destination (manzil). All reach (the destination) if they keep going; if they stop (ruk), they get stuck. Do not stop for anything – wealth, position, fascination (mOha), greed or desire; do not stop anywhere; keep going; proceed awakening (jAgtE) (gradually).

चढ़ो न मन की पालकी चलो न अपनी छाव

बटमारों का देश है, नहीं सजन का गांव।

सबमें सबकी आत्मा, सबमें सबका योग

ऐसे भी थे दिन कभी, ऐसे भी थे लोग।

You could also become like that – whatever happened to Ashtavakra, can happen to you also; whatever happened to me, can happen to you also; if it happens to one, it can happen for all.

सबमें सबकी आत्मा, सबमें सबका योग

ऐसे भी थे दिन कभी, ऐसे भी थे लोग।

No, the matter has not come to close (samApta). It is not that, attainment of Buddha-hood has ceased; it never ceases. Wherever people are asleep, someone or other, sometimes, would keep awakening. In the sleep, the lotus of awakening is bound to blossom. Wherever sins (pApa) are, there, merit (puNya) also is bound to emerge (pragaT). Wherever there is night, it is bound to dawn (subah). If there is darkness (andhErA), illumination is bound to be close by, somewhere. Be not afraid.

गोरी अपने गांव में पनपा ऐसा रोग।

हमसे परिचय पूछते हमीं हमारे लोग।

A serious (bhArI) disease has spread; it is, only one – that one does not know about himself (apnA), as to who he is. When someone asks you – ‘who are you’, have you ever given an honest (imAndArI) response – ‘I do not know’? Whatever identity (address) (patA) you give, are all false, all are just passable (workable) (meant for practical purposes) (kAm-calAU). You say – ‘Ram or Rahim, staying in this or that village, living in this or that street (mohallA), so and so is my house number’. All these are alright, and yet, it is not alright. You do not, at all, know about yourself.

It is alright if others ask about you, but, you are also asking – ‘who am I?’ This is the life’s (janma) first (pahlI) inquisitiveness (jijnAsA), and, it is the last one also. Psychologists (manO-vaijnAnik) say, that this, indeed, is the very first question that arises in the mind of a child – ‘who am I’. It must be so, though, there is no proof for it, because the child cannot speak; it is very difficult to say, as to what the first question of child is. But, from all accounts, it seems, this would the (first) question that arises; this should be arising, before any other question arises – ‘who am I’. It might not be framed in so many words, but, at least it might be so, mentally. But, the child might be having an idea, as to who he is. Sometimes, children, do ask – ‘who am I; what am I, wherefrom I came, why I am like the way I am?’ But, we avoid (TAl) those questions – ‘wait; when you grow old, you will come to know’. But, even after growing up, you never come to know. No one comes to know, even after growing up. What is the connection between, growing up and coming to know? After growing up, it becomes even more difficult (to find out), because, a lot of trash (kUDA-karkaD) gets accumulated in your head (khOpaDI). The mind (intellect) (buddhi) of a child was, still, blemishless (nirmal); he was not, as yet, dishonest; but, after growing up, he would become dishonest.

Psychologists say that, in all seriousness (gahrA), this question – ‘who am I’ should be the very first question. Naturally, before other questions arise, this inquisitiveness is bound to arise – ‘who am I’. At the time of death also, this remains the last question; it should be so. Whatever is the first one (question), should be the last also. We reach the same place, from wherever we started the journey. Even at the time of death, this remains a question – ‘who am I’. ‘I endured whatever I got in life, be it happiness or suffering, success or failure. Now, everything has been reduced to dust. Now that I am going, I do not even know – ‘who I am’.

One, whose mind has become unperturbed (avicalamanA), gets answer to the question – ‘who am I’. Till the time, the mind remains perturbed, one does not come to know (the answer), because, due the perturbations, one is not able to perceive one’s true image (chavi). It is not that, the answer is found written, somewhere. If you become completely peaceful (tranquil) (SAnta), if no waves arise in the mind, then, in that unwavering (nistarang) state (daSA), whatever you perceive, whatever you come to know, verily, that you are; and, you would dance forth. It is not that, you can tell others, as to who you are; no, it is like the ‘dumb’s taste of jaggery’ (gungE kA guD). But, you would know. If someone sees you intensely (gaur), if he sits near you, if he flows with your stream, then, he also would get a little relish (ras) of it, he would also get a little fragrance of it; an unknown world would start pulling him also. But, throughout our lives, we spend our time, making sand castles (rEt kE ghar) only; we keep floating paper-boats only, throughout our lives. Whatever you call ‘life’, is it anything, other than making paper-boats?

Poem of Acharya –

कुछ अंधेरे रोशनी के साथ आते हैं

कुछ उजाले हैं कि साये छोड़ जाते हैं

एक वे हैं पांव कल की सीढ़ियों पर हैं

एक हम इतिहास पर जिल्दें चढ़ाते हैं

जो समय के साथ समझौता नहीं करते

एक उपजाऊ धरातल छोड़ जाते हैं

जिंदगी का अर्थ हमने यों लगाया है

हम नदी में रेत के टीले बनाते हैं

कुछ हवाएं हैं कि इतनी तेज चलती हैं

पत्थरों के आदमी भी थरथराते हैं

हम हजारों व्यक्तियों से मिल चुके होंगे

सब हथेली पर यहां सरसों उगाते हैं

यहां बड़े पागलपन में लोग उलझे हैं।

हम हजारों व्यक्तियों से मिल चुके होंगे

सब हथेली पर यहां सरसों उगाते हैं

जिंदगी का अर्थ हमने यों लगाया है

हम नदी में रेत के टीले बनाते हैं

At the time of death, you would feel, all that you did, have become undone (ankiyA); all that were made, get erased; you, yourself are being erased. Where, your own very existence is not assured, how can things, made by you, remain? What kind of symbols, as doer (kartA) and your doership (kartRtva), can remain, where, even you are being removed (haTA)?

Ashtavakra says – If you become unperturbed (avicalit), then, you can know Him, who is neither born nor dies; you can know Him, who is not a doer; who just ‘is’; sinking, in that ‘is-ness’, is supreme peace (SAnti), supreme freedom (mukti).

 

sukhE duHkhE narE nAryAM sampatsu ca vipatsu ca |

viSEshO naiva dhIrasya sarvatrasamadarSinaH || 17 : 15 || 171 ||

‘For that steady minded (dhIra), who is equanimous (equipoised) (sama-darSI), there is no difference (bhEda), anywhere, between happiness and misery, man and woman, and prosperity (sampatti) and adversity (vipatti)’.

sukhE-duHkhE – we see, happiness and misery, as two, because, we like happiness, and dislike misery. Because of our like and dislike, it becomes two. For once, leave off both - like and dislike - and then observe; suddenly, you will find that, the difference between happiness and misery has vanished, and, there is no difference between them. Our liking creates the boundary (sImA) (between happiness and misery). Understand this.

Sometimes, it happens so, that something, in which, you found misery, you did not like, just a moment before, you start liking it later, because you found happiness in it. If you make any non-smoker, to smoke cigarette, he gets tears in his eyes, he coughs, becomes frightened, and his face becomes red (tamtamA); he throws down the cigarette. He would say – ‘are you insane? I was hale and hearty, and what kind of problem you have created for me?’ He is miserable. But, if you coax him to practise smoking, saying – ‘this is a practice of Yoga; it is not accomplished just like that; you can accomplish it only if you practise; it is, indeed, very difficult, but, if you practise a little, you would be able to accomplish. Then, your body will get accustomed, and you will find happiness.’ (Translator’s note – the exhortation to smoke has been made very elaborately; in order to avoid repetition, the same has been shortened.) Have you ever tasted drinks (SarAb)? It will taste bitter, and bland (svAd-hIn). But, if you keep on drinking, all other tastes die out, leaving the taste of drink alone.

Mulla Nasruddin’s wife was fed up with him. Every day, he would come home, drunk. One day, after she had failed to make him understand, she reached the bar (madhu-SAlA), just to threaten him. Mulla was also afraid, because, she had never come there; she used to talk only at home. She came to the bar, and sat down across his table; she said – ‘today, I also have decided to start drinking; as you are not stopping (drinking), I shall also start drinking’. Mulla became frightened that, if she also starts drinking, she would also misbehave, in the same manner, as he was doing with her, at home. He was worried, as he could not tell her, not to drink, because, he had no face to do so; this is what his wife was making him understand. Before he could say anything, she poured drink in her glass, and had first gulp. Then, she banged the glass on the table; she shouted – ‘this is poison!’ - making faces. Mulla said – ‘see, you have been thinking that I am enjoying the drink; many a times, I told you that, this is very difficult thing (to consume drink); you were thinking that I am enjoying it.’

If you practise, that which seems miserable, might also look like happiness. If one develops liking (for anything), then, even misery becomes happiness. You might have noticed – a man likes a woman – or a woman likes a man. After they get married, and had lived together, the liking wears off. When there is no more liking, whatever seemed happy, is no longer so. Have you ever seen, any husband and wife, happy together? On the way, if you see a man and woman, coming happily, understand that they are not husband and wife.

I was travelling in a train; a woman was sitting in the opposite seat. One person would come to meet her – in every station; after that, he would go back to his compartment; then again, he would come, in the next station. He would also bring her, some soft drink, every time. I asked her – ‘he seems to be your husband’. She said – ‘yes’. I asked her – ‘for how long, you are married?’ She said – ‘seven years’. I said – ‘false; do not tell a lie. Seven years! You do not even seem to be married. Even after seven years of marriage, does any husband, come to meet his wife, at every station, and also bring something to drink – sometimes soft drink, sometimes tea, coffee or ice-cream? Have you ever heard so? Has it ever happened anywhere? At least, it is not so, in the Kali Yuga. There is no mention, in any ancient lore, that such things happened even in Sat Yuga. Do not tell a lie; tell me the truth; I shall not tell anyone’. She said – ‘how did you recognise? We are not married’. What is there to recognise? After seating the wife, if the husbands once goes off, then, he is not seen again, throughout the journey. Such a fortune is found very rarely (kabhI-kabhI). Have you seen – when husband and wife are seated together, how gloomy (udAs) and serious (gambhIr) they look? If some guest comes, both of them become jubilant (praphullit) that, someone has come, finally, and, it will be a little more interesting.

There is a friend of mine, a courageous person (himmatvar). One day, he was talking to me, casually. I asked him – ‘how long will you be running the business (dhandhA)? You have earned a lot.’ He said – ‘the day I attain forty-five years of age, I shall leave it off.’ He was, truly, a courageous person. After he attained forty-five years of age, he closed his business. Then, he asked me – ‘tell me, what to do now? I am spare (khAlI), now’. I said to him – ‘it would be better, if you go to some mountainous place; you have all kinds of facilities; now, live in peace.’ He said – ‘that is alright. But, see this also. I was married, when I was fifteen years of age; now, I have spent thirty years, with my wife. Now, if we are alone, immediately, there is crisis (sankaT). Will you come along with us, to live in the mountains? We need at least someone, so that there is some interest. We do not go on any journey also, without taking some friend along.’

Have you seen – when husband and wife are going anywhere, they want to take along, some friend or friend’s wife. Reason? If husband and wife are left alone, they become weary (ub) of each other, that’s all. Whatever is to be said, has been said, many times over; whatever is to be done, has been done, many times over; whatever is to be seen, has been seen, many times over. Now, only annoyance is left; there is no further scope (upAy) (for happiness); they do not derive any interest (pleasure) together. Probably, he was amorous for this woman, sometime; probably, she was amorous for this man, sometime. Now that they have united, everything has become quiet. Things become miserable.  

Haven’t you seen happiness turning into misery? The day you find out, that misery becomes happiness, and happiness becomes misery, that day, it will be clear to you, that both (happiness and misery) are not separate (alag). It is only your preference (like or dislike) that makes the difference (bhEda). Whether it is like or dislike – depending on your choice, the boundary between happiness and misery gets drawn. But, for one who has no preferences (like or dislike), both happiness and misery get dissolved (visarjit).

Ashtavakra says - sukhE duHkhE narE nAryAM sampatsu ca vipatsu ca | ‘....for such a person, there remains no difference (bhEda), between happiness and misery, man and woman, and prosperity (sampatti) and adversity (vipatti)’.

viSEshO naiva dhIrasya sarvatrasamadarSinaH || 17 : 15 || 171 || .....such a person, remains firm (sthir) in all places, with only one view (darSan), one outlook; he does not see any differences (bhEda). This does not mean that he does not see difference between a man and woman. He sees the difference, but that difference is only external; it is at the practical (functional) level (vyavahArik); there is no difference internally (Antarik). There is no internal difference in the bodies; it (internal difference) is only at the preferences (choices) (likes). When, sexual urge arises, internally, a woman looks different; and man looks different. When sexual urge subsides, then, man and woman are different externally; this (internal) difference (antar) does not remain. This does not mean that a woman does not look like a woman; a woman looks like woman, even now. But this difference is formal (aupacArik), social (sAmAjik), physical (SArIrik). This difference is not factual; one perceives distinctness (bhinnatA) - not difference. Both (man and woman) are made (created) in different manner. But, the One who is resident, in both of them, is same. The external structure (framework) is a little different; there is physical and chemical (rAsAyanik) distinctness; but, inside, the Self (AtmA) is same – neither a male nor female; all Self only. One who has realised the Self (who is established in the Self) (AtmavAn), perceives (darSan) Self (AtmA) everywhere.

 

na hiMsA naiva kAruNyaM nauddhatyaM na ca dInatA |

nAScaryaM naiva ca kshObhaH kshINasaMsaraNE(a)narE || 17 : 16 || 172 ||

kshINa saMsaraNE narE – one whose Worldly life has become exhausted (khINa). Remember – samsAra (World) does not mean, that which is spread out (phailA) all around you; this never gets exhausted. So many have attained wisdom (become wise people) (buddha purusha); but, this (World) continues. ‘World (samsAr) is exhausted’ means, inside whom, there remains no attraction (AkarshaNa) or repulsion (revulsion) (vikarshaNa) towards the World. It is alright, if it is there; it is also alright, if it is not there – just as it is; there is no desire (temptation) (vAsanA) to do something else (otherwise) (anyathA); it is alright, if it (World) vanishes (lost) (khO) today, or if it continues infinitely (ananta kAl). The external World would continue to remain, but the internal World vanishes (lost). Internal World means – the World of thoughts (vicAr), temptations (desires) (vAsanA). kshINa samsaraNE narE – one whose internal World has become quiet (SAnta).

na hiMsA naiva kAruNyaM - In that person, neither there is violence (himsA) nor mercy (kAruNya). This is to be understood. We say that Mahavir is very merciful (mahA-kAruNAvAn). It is our mistake (galtI). It looks alright from our angle. But, if we consider from the angle of Mahavir, it is wrong. One, whose anger (krOdha) has ceased, how can there be any mercy left in him? If one has no anger at all, of what avail (upAy), mercy for him? One, whose violence has ceased, how can there be any non-violence (ahimsA) in him? One, who does not intend to inflict suffering to another, how can he wish to bring comfort (happiness) (sukh) to another? For him, both - happiness and misery - have become equal (barAbar). One, who does not intend to kill another, how can he wish to save another? Because, now, he knows that neither one dies nor one is saved.

But, from our angle, it looks correct, because, we see that, anger has ceased in Mahavir, violence has ceased. Therefore, immediately we pronounce him – Non-violent (ahimsak), Very Merciful (mahA-karuNAvAn). These are our names (titles), and they are illusory (bhrAnta). We are under illusion; therefore, all our interpretations (vyAkhyA) would also be illusory. Looking from the angle of Mahavir, duality (dvandva) has ceased in him – violence – non-violence, love (prEm) – hatred (ghRNA), attachment (rAga) – aversion (hatred) (dvEsha) – all these (dualities) have ceased. Wherever there was duality, now, there is only a state (condition) (sthiti) of non-duality (nirdvandvatA). (Translator’s note – non-dualism (advaita) is different from non-duality (nirdvandvatA)).

na hiMsA naiva kAruNyaM nauddhatyaM na ca dInatA | This Sutra says – such a person has neither violence (himsA) nor mercy (karuNA), neither audacity (insolence) (uddaNDatA) nor humility (submissiveness) (dInatA). Such a person is neither egoistic (ahaMkArI) nor egoless (unassuming) (humble) (nirahaMkArI). Such a person is neither polite (vinamra) nor conceited (dambha). Therefore, it is very difficult to recognise (pahcAn) such a person. Such a person, neither suppresses (dabA) anyone, nor is suppressed (dabnA) by anyone.

You know two types of people – those who suppress (others) and those who are suppressed, obedient (AjnAkArI) and insolent (audacious) (uddaNDa), those who respect traditions (paramparA) and those who condemn (khaNDan) them, believers (theist) (Astik) and non-believers (atheist) (nAstik). You know two such types of people. Buddha and Mahavir are neither believers (theists) nor non-believers (atheists); they are, neither blind followers (anuyAyI) of traditions, nor revolutionaries (krAntikArI), they neither obey (mAn) rules (AjnA) of the society, nor they disobey (avajnA). All these talks have become useless (futile) (vyartha) for them. They live by their inner nature (spontaneity) (sahajtA). If you agree (if you are in sync) (mEl) with this spontaneity, then, it would appear to you, that they obey rules of the society; if not, then, it would appear to you, that they are disobeying (rules of) the society. But, these all are your notions (opinions) (dhAraNA). Such a person (Buddha, Mahavir) lives at his own pleasure (mauj) – self-willed (unbridled) (svacchanda) and spontaneously (by their inner nature) (sahaj). Their inspiration (impulse) (sphuraNa) is internal (Antarik). Many a times, these (impulses) may coincide with yours; many a times, it may not (coincide). But, neither they (persons like Buddha and Mahavir) are worried about being in sync (mEl biThAnA) with you nor to break the sync (tAlmEl tOD) with you. You must understand this difference (Fark).

Traditionalist (paramparAvAdi) is one, who always tries, that his conduct (cAl) should be exactly same, as that of all others – sheep (bhED) like - and, there should be no change in it; if it is anything other than that (anyathA), there are problems (obstacles) (aDcan), and people look shocked (caunk). (He thinks that) ‘I should wear clothes like all others, have same type of hair-cut, smoke same brand of cigarette, see the same films, read the same books; I should do whatever others do’. Otherwise, the crowd gets annoyed, that he is trying to become a (different) person (vyakti), special (viSEsh) person. Crowd does not like it. The crowd says that you be with them (crowd); crowd feels very comfortable (tRpti) that all are together. Crowd is (always) afraid. Have you seen, how the sheep move – all together? (Traditional) man also goes like that. If someone goes differently, the whole crowd becomes against him. This is one kind.

Then, there is another kind, who becomes afraid of this herd-mentality (bhED-cAl), and, as a reaction, does exactly the same, as what the crowd prohibits, for which there is opposition (from the crowd) - does exactly the opposite (viparIt). Bear in mind – this type also is same as that of the crowd only - influenced (prabhAvit) by the crowd, though they do the opposite of what the crowd says. Yet, they go according to the crowd only – not along, but against the crowd. The crowd says – ‘do not drink’ – he drinks; crowd says – ‘do not keep long hair’ – he grows long hair; crowd says – ‘take bath’ – he does not. Have you seen the Hippies? They have broken all the yardsticks (mAp-daND) of the crowd. They would live exactly the opposite of what the crowd says. But, even now, they are influenced by the crowd only; they get the command (AdES) from the crowd only. The crowd takes bath, and they do not; the crowd wears beautiful clothes, and they wear dirty clothes. I have also heard that, in America, such a shop has been opened, wherein they produce and sell dirty clothes, because there is such a demand from the Hippies. Hippie cannot wear new clothes, because, he would look fresh, clean and neat. Therefore, the shops make the clothes dirty, torn, looking old, and then sell. I have read advertisements from such shops. Then only, the Hippie would purchase these clothes – (looking) dirty, worn out and tattered.

I have a friend, who has a factory in Nepal. There, they do only one thing – to make new idols (mUrti), disfigure them, by pouring acid, and bury in the earth; after six months or one year, remove them from the earth, and sell, claiming that they are ancient (purAnA) – hundreds, thousands of years old. They sell them for a huge profit – a five rupee worth idol for five thousand rupees. It is their business. I was a guest in his house. I asked him, as to wherefrom, he is bringing those old idols. He said – ‘we do not bringing, we make them here’. I asked him – ‘how can you make old idols?’ He said – ‘you would not understand, it is a big secret. (After making the idol), we write the age (year of making) etc; we write in ancient scripts, ancient languages; then, pour acid on them; we disfigure them – break nose, hand etc – and then bury in the soil. After six months or so, (when they are taken out) they look very ancient. Only expert assayers can recognise them not to be ancient. Actually, these idols are sold for five rupees or so; but, we sell them as antiques for five thousand rupees. Its value has increased, because it is antique.

Hippie lives in the opposite way. But a wise (jnAnI) lives, neither according to the society, nor against it. He lives, according to, what is convenient to him (svAnukUl) – self-willed, according to one’s wish (svayam kE chand). If (his conduct) syncs with you, or does not sync – both are alright. He does not bother about you, he does not go in accordance (hisAb) with you. Therefore, you can neither say, that he (wise) is insolent (uddaND), nor humble (submissive) (dInatA). He is neither a traditionalist nor a revolutionary. A wise lives as per his Self-wisdom (Atma-bOdha).

nAScaryaM naiva ca kshObhaH | ‘....in his life, there is neither surprise (wonderment) (AScarya) nor agitation (perturbance) (kshObhaH)...’ This is very important. When one is agitated (kshObha)? You wanted to get ten thousand rupees; if you do not get, there is agitation. You did not have the hope of getting even ten rupees, but you got ten thousand rupees; then, you are surprised. One is surprised, if something, never anticipated (expected) happens; then, one’s mind is filled with surprise. If what you expected (anticipated) to happen, does not happen, then, there is great agitation (perturbance). When something against your anticipation (expectation) (apEkshA) happens, then we get agitated, we are worried. If a great fortune (chappar phADkar) of gold coins (svarNa-aSrafI) is rained, you become spellbound (gadgad).

In the life of a wise, neither there is surprise nor agitation. He does not desire anything, other than whatever happens; he never thinks of anything else; he never entertains any dream; he does not develop any opinion (notion) (dhAraNA) beforehand. He is happy, whether he gets five or fifty or fifty crores, or even if he does not get anything. It does not matter, even if, whatever he already has, is lost. In his life, no wave ever arises – surprise or agitation. A wise lives without thinking of future (atIta). Therefore, he does not have any scope for any evaluation (tulnA). You can neither agitate him nor surprise him. There is no such happening, by which he could become surprised, because he believes, that this Universe is so much full of secrets (rahasya-pUrNa), that there can be no surprise about anything surprising (for others). Please remember this – there is no surprise about anything surprising, because the whole Universe is full of surprises – every leaf is written with surprises; every flower is a story of secrets; here, everything is unknown – there is nothing surprising about anything.

If someone produces ashes (bhabhUt) in his hands, you become surprised. This infinite (expansive) (virAT) World is coming out of void (SUnya), and you are not surprised. If some magician (madAri) produces ashes in his hands, you become surprised, and, at once, you fall at that (so called) saint’s (bAbA) feet, considering it to be a miracle (camatkAr). Miracle is happening every moment. You sow a small seed, in the earth, and it grows into a huge tree. If you break open the seed, you find nothing there – neither there is tree, nor flower, nor fruit – nothing; it is empty (SUnya). From that emptiness, such a huge tree grows up. From that tree, millions of seeds are produced; from one, it becomes a million seeds. Botanists (vanaspati-SAsti) say that, one seed is enough to create a world full of forests – just one seed! And what else miracle you seek?  A child is born in your home – it is born to you; but, you do not consider it a miracle. (A child is born) to you – a corpse-like man! You should fall at your own feet – ‘thank you Baba! A living child is born to me – a corpse-like man’. No, you see miracles in petty (kshudra) things, because the miracle of Infinite (expanse) is not visible to you. You can find, in this life, even in a most gloomy person, paramAtmA is present, and, you find no miracle in that. Behind every tear (AnsU), a smile is lurking, and that miracle is not visible to you. Behind every life, death is standing, and you do not find any miracle therein.

Whatever happens here, is miraculous; there is nothing, here, in which, there is no miracle. Therefore, nothing surprises a wise, because, if everything is surprising, then, what is there to be surprised about? It is only surprise, that is happening (everywhere). Every moment, there is a shower of surprises. Because of this wisdom (bOdha), nothing surprises a wise. A wise does not get agitated by anything, because he knows – ‘nothing happens by my doing; I have no demand (mAng); I am just a witness; whatever happens, I shall be watching.’ His interest lies in only one thing – being witness – ‘whatever happens, I shall be watching’. Whatever happens, it makes no difference - it is of no avail; sometimes, it is misery, and, sometimes, happiness; sometimes, one gets wealth, and sometimes, there is poverty; sometimes, respect (sammAn), and sometimes, insult (apamAn) – He keeps watching. He has recognised the total substance (ras), by just watching. Now, he does not get agitated.

We go about, keeping an insane kind of account of the past and what lies ahead. At no moment, we are independent (free) (svatantra). We do not give any scope for paramAtmA – ‘be as you intend’. We always say - ‘do like this, be like this’. If it does not happen that way, we become miserable; if it happens, then we become jubilant. Bear in mind – whatever is to happen, shall happen; whatever was to happen, that happens; whatever happened, it was bound to happen. It makes no difference by your choice etc – not even a little difference. Unnecessarily, you become miserable or happy.

(Translator’s note – the following is an imaginary? description of a wrong number conversation, between two women.)

– hello.

- How are you?

- I am very upset; I have headache; having severe pain in my legs and back; all the things, in the house, are strewn here and there; the children have made me insane.

- Listen, today, you go late; I am coming to you; I shall prepare lunch; I shall clean the             house; I shall bathe children; you take rest for some time; what is Mahesh doing today?

-  Mahesh, who?

- Your husband.

- My husband’s name is not Mahesh. (A long sigh)

- It is a wrong number, then.

- (A long pause - in a gloomy voice) Then, you are not coming?    

 Man is ambitious (AkAnkshA) of even what is not possible. There is no reason for that woman to come; it was a wrong number. Yet, she is pinning her hope, that she would come, prepare food, clean up the house, and bathe children – ‘then you are not coming!’ Perturbance - you feel perturbed about what is not to happen, and we become, unnecessarily, joyful about that which is not bound to happen. Whatever is to happen, happens; whatever is not to happen, does not happen.

 

na muktO vishayadvEshTA na vA vishayalOlupaH |

asaMsaktamanA nityaM prAptaM prAptamupASnutE || 17 : 17 || 173 ||

‘A liberated (mukta) person, neither hates (dvEsha) sense objects (vishaya), nor craves (lOlupa) for them. He always remains with an unattached (Asakta) mind, and enjoys (upabhOga) that which is obtained (prApta) and unobtained (aprApta).’

This is very wonderful (adbhuta) – understand it. He neither hates anything, nor has craving for anything – no love (rAga) or hatred (dvEsha), no demand (mAng), no desire (AkAnkshA) to escape from anything, no ambition to secure anything. Another important factor is – he enjoys things obtained (prApta) and unobtained (aprApta). How would you understand this? Enjoying what is obtained, is understandable, but enjoy that which is not obtained? In order to understand this, one has to proceed from your angle (taraf).

Your condition is such that, you are miserable with what you got, and also what you did (could) not get. Whatever you got, gives pain (pIDA), so also whatever is not got. Then, you can understand the mind (condition) (sthiti) of a wise, which is the very opposite of it. Have you noticed – how much worried (cintA), disturbed (parESAnI) you are, with whatever you did (could) not get, with whatever did not happen? I have heard – there was a man, whose ship had sunk (dUb). He was a great architect. He landed on a forested island (TApU). No one was there. This architect was a Jew (yahUdi). Many years passed. He had no other job; there was a lot of wood, and stones. He made a house – what else would he do sitting alone? He knew only that art (kalA). He also made a road. After some twenty years, some ship landed there. Seeing that person (architect), they said – ‘you come with us; we shall take you back’. He said – ‘before you take me along, I invite all of you, to see what I had made, during the past twenty years. They all went to see, and they were very surprised. He had made a synagogue (Jewish Temple). He said – ‘this is the temple where I pray daily’. On the opposite side, there was also a Temple. They asked – ‘it is understandable that, since you are alone in the island, you made a synagogue, for prayer.  But, what is this other temple?’ He said – ‘this is the Temple, where I do not go’.

Going to your temple is nothing very unusual; but, it would be interesting, only if, there is a Mosque or a Church, where you do not go. He made synagogue for prayer; and, (he made) other temple for not going there. A temple for not going? It would appear futile - waste of money, waste of effort. But, you search your own mind. You also make such plans which you do not intend to carry out. You are involved not only in those things which are with you, but also those, which are not with you. You are involved with those things, which are with others also. You are interested in the car kept in the neighbour’s garage also – you have nothing to do with it; but, you are associated (juDA) with it also, you are connected with it also.

You become happy or miserable, for not having got (some) things. There was a friend of mine. He had a craze (pAgalpan) – solving (crossword) puzzle (pahEli). He ignored even his profession as a doctor, because, he was so busy in solving the puzzles. Slowly, patients stopped coming to him; but he was not bothered; he was worried only about the (possibility of) prize money. Though he was targeting the prize money – fifty thousand, one lakh – he never got any. Whenever I go to him, he would say that he would surely get the prize next month. I told him – ‘you have been hoping for prize money; but even after many years, you did not get any. Do one thing – you add my fortune (luck) (bhAgya) also to you; maybe you might get the prize’. He became very happy; he asked – ‘is there any such trick? You never said so, earlier; tell me now; I am not lucky, that is why, I am not getting the prize. How to add your luck with mine?’ I said – ‘how much can you donate from the prize money? Give that money to me; then, surely you will get it (prize)’. He became happy, and said – ‘I shall give half of it; one lakh is the possible prize. I shall donate fifty thousand from it’. I said – sure? You should not ask me as to what I did with that money; I shall be distributing that money to others, or it might be useful somewhere else. Therefore, my share is fifty thousand.’

After that, I went home. This was just a joke; but he came to me around 11 O’clock in the night. He knocked at the door. Those were summer days, and I was sleeping on the terrace. I looked down, and asked – ‘what is the matter?’ He said – ‘see, fifty thousand is too much; won’t twenty five do?’ He had not got anything so far. I told him – ‘think again; otherwise, you would wake me up again in the night. I agree for twenty five, but think twice’. He said – ‘in fact, I would be getting the prize, for the first time; even twenty five is too much.’ I said – ‘firmly decide, and let me know in the morning; I am agreeable to whatever amount you say; please go now’. Next day morning, when I was passing by his home, his wife told me – ‘he did not sleep throughout the night. He is now in a total disarray (udhEDbun). He was already worried about solving the puzzle, and, now you have added one more worry by joining your luck. He is not so much worried about solving the puzzle, but about how much money to give you. He was waking me up to ask my opinion’. I told him – ‘I free you from this; you keep your lakh all to yourself; but, my luck is detached. Now, it is your business.’ He said – ‘I shall join your luck next time. This time, it appears to me that I am going to get it.’

Man makes association with that which he has not got; his happiness and misery is associated with that also. The fun is that, an ignorant (ajnAnI) not only associates his happiness and misery with what he has got, but also with that which he has not got. The viewing angle of an ignorant is such that, he is creating misery in everything; he is never happy – he does not know the art of being happy.

 Ashtavakra is giving formula (sUtra) for the art of deriving bliss (Anand). He says – ‘he enjoys (upabhOga) that which he has; he is happy, not only with, whatever he has, but also with, that which he has not got. He is blissful in both (conditions)’. I have told you, again and again – one Sufi Fakir was saying daily – ‘O Lord (prabhu), thank you. You always fulfill my needs; I am indeed very blessed (anugrahIt)’. But, the disciples were not able to understand, because, on occasions, there was nothing to feel blessed. They thought that, it is an old habit; that is why, he keeps repeating. One day, it so happened that, the disciples could not contain themselves – he (Fakir) was hungry for three days; he was on Haj Pilgrimage, and there were none, on the way, to give him food. People of the village, through which he was passing, belonged to a different sect; they refused food; they did not even allow him to stay there. After remaining without food and shelter for three days, next day morning, they were seated underneath a tree; they were reading morning Namaz. The Fakir said – ‘O Lord, thank you; you always fulfill our needs’. He said it with the same usual spirit (praphullit). Then, the disciples could not contain themselves; they said – ‘stop it; there is a limit for everything. We are hungry for the past three days; we could get water, with great difficulty; we have not got shelter for sleep; we are dying in the Sun – it is very hot. In the night, we have to sleep in the forest; there is fear of wild animals. Now, what for, you are thanking Lord? We are languishing for three days as beggars, but you want to thank Him; and you say that He always fulfills our needs.’ That Fakir started laughing. He said – ‘you fools, for three days, that indeed was (would have been) my need – that I should remain without food, without water and without shelter. He always fulfills all my needs. Whatever he gives, that should have been my need. There is no difference, at all, between the two. If He had kept me hungry for three days, that should have, indeed, been my need; otherwise, why should He keep me so? How (else) should He keep me?’

Keep this in mind – such is the flavour (taste) (ras) that flows, in the deepest state (daSA) of wisdom (jnAna). Whatever is, that is ok; whatever is not, that is also ok. If one gets, it is ok; if one does not get, then also, it is ok. They (wise) enjoy in both situations; but we miss out (cUk), in both. Leave aside, what we have not got; but, we miss out, even on what we have got also. You are not able to relish, what is served in the plate, in front of you. A wise relishes, even that, which is never served. He relishes everything; he has learnt the art of relishing. He has the alchemy (kImiyA) (of relishing); he has got magic (jAdU) – a magic wand (chaDI). Whatever he touches, becomes gold; not only, whatever he has, becomes gold, but, also whatever is not there.

But, we keep on weeping for those things also, which we have left behind. Have you seen – someone abused you, some twenty years back; even now, that pinches (khaTak) you. Somebody insulted (apamAn) you – that also weighs on you, even now. Someone became angry with you – you cannot forget that face, it does not go away from your mind. Someone wanted to take revenge - even now, that wound is festering (mavAd), the injury is not healed. Even after many years, you look back, and refresh those (incidents) (wounds). You are anguished (kashTa) even now, about whatever is not there - which has become past. Maybe, your enemy is already dead, but you suffer the pain (of enmity), even now. About future (bhavishya) – you keep making thousands of calculations (gaNit) for things, which are not there, and also those things, for attaining which, there is no scope; then, you become distressed (bEcain). You are missing out on those things which are there, now, in the present.

Poem of Acharya –

छोड़ आये थे जिसे हम खेत में

पक गयी होगी सुनहली धान

महकती होगी हवा घर—गांव की हर देह

और हसियों को छुआ होगा कुंआरी उंगलियों का नेह

तोड़ आये थे जहां हम बांसुरी

सिसकती होगी अकेली तान

डबडबायी आंख में घुल गया होगा छोह

खंडहर—सी याद की पुर गयी होगी

सांवली मिट्टी तहा कर खोह

जोड़ आये थे जिन्हें हम नाम से

पुल हुए होंगे अचीन्हें बाण

तोड़ आये थे जहां हम बांसुरी

सिसकती होगी अकेली तान।

They are not flutes of the past, but, for you, it seems that, even now, some music is playing; there is nothing.

Zen Fakir Rinzai went to his guru. First thing, the guru asked him, was – ‘you are coming from which village?’ Rinzai told him the name of his village. Then guru asked him – ‘what is the price of rice there?’ Rinzai laughed, and said – ‘things I left behind, are gone for good; things that have not come yet, are not there (now); talk to me about the present’. Guru started laughing; he said – ‘you did right; if you tell me the price of rice, I would have shunted you out of the hermitage (ASram).’ What is the use of such a person, who remembers the price of rice in the village, which he has already left behind? The past is past; whatever happened, happened.

We should break the bridges; we should not carry the sobbing (sisaktI) tones (svara) of flute (bAnsuri) of the past. Nor should we appeal (Agraha) for the unborn (ajanma) future. Whatever is, is; whatever is, and also whatever is not – both. Whatever is present, and whatever is not present – both. A wise enjoys whatever is; he also enjoys whatever is not. The purpose of telling this is – wise enjoys (bhOga), and an ignorant, just keeps weeping – he whines (jhIkh). You might find it very contradictory (ulTi). You normally think that, the ignorant is called enjoyer (bhOgi), and a wise is called a renunciate (tyAgi). I want to say to you – the wise is a real enjoyer. Ignorant is not able to enjoy; why do you keep calling him ‘enjoyer’? It is futile. He aspires for enjoyments, but, where is the enjoyment?

Upanishads say – tEna tyaktEna bhunjItA (ISAvAsya Upanishad – verse 1). Those who gave up (chOD), enjoyed; only they, who gave up (tyAga), enjoyed. Mahavir enjoyed; Buddha enjoyed; Ashtavakra enjoyed; Mohammed enjoyed; Zarathustra enjoyed. Have pity (dayA) on those whom you call ‘enjoyers’; do not call them ‘enjoyers’. Where is enjoyment (for them)? There is no substance (flavour) (ras) in their lives – just a desert; everything is parched (sUkhA); there is no greenery anywhere; there is no song (gAn) anywhere; where is plucking (chiD) of lute (vINA)? Where is rising of any tune (rAga)? Where is dance? Just tears only. Do you call them ‘enjoyers’?

A person came to Ramakrishna (Paramahamsa); he said – ‘I have not understood; you talk in riddles (pahElI)’. Ramakrishna said – ‘I gave up the World (samsAra), and attained paramAtmA. You gave up paramAtmA, and got the World. Who is the enjoyer among us? Who is intelligent (hOSiyAr) among us? I enjoy the eternity (SAsvata), and you are languishing in the momentary (kshaNa-bhangura). Are you really enjoying? You have noose around your neck. Look at my appearance (Sakla) and yours. I am the enjoyer, and you are renunciate (tyAgI). You are sitting (glum), giving up paramAtmA; can you find any greater sacrifice than this, in the World - one who has sacrificed everything, for the sake of the petty (kshudra)?’.

asaMsaktamanA nityaM prAptaM prAptamupASnutE | - No, a wise knows the art of enjoyment; what is, and, what is not – he enjoys both.

 

samAdhAnAsamAdhAnahitAhitavikalpanAH |

SUnyacittO na jAnAti kaivalyamiva saMsthitaH || 17 : 18 || 174 ||\

‘An empty (vacant) (SUnya) minded person, does not know any alternatives (differentiation) (vikalpa), between contemplation (samAdhAn) and non-contemplation (asamAdhAn), and, between good (hita) and evil (ahita). He indeed, abides (sthita) in absolute (solitude) (kaivalya) like condition’. One who rests (Thahar), abides (sthita) in himself, has become free (liberated) (mukta), he has become empty (void). Only he, who has become empty, has, indeed, attained liberation (mOksha); he abides in a state like absoluteness (solitude) (kaivalya). Such a person does not know contemplation or non-contemplation; no questions or answers; no good or evil. He is like a mirror (darpaNa) which is just standing – no good or evil for it. It keeps glimpsing (jhalak) whatever happens; whether anything appears before it or not, it makes no difference.

Do you think that, a mirror becomes happy, when a beautiful woman stands before it, and, unhappy when an ugly woman stands before it? Mirror has nothing to do with that. It makes no difference to the mirror; it reflects both - whether beautiful or ugly. After both are gone, the mirror becomes empty again. The truth is – even when a reflection is made in the mirror, it remains empty. Nothing is ‘made’ in the reflection; it (reflection) is just an appearance (AbhAs). Mirror is in the mode of a witness – free, absolute (kaivalya), tranquil (peaceful) (SAnta). It keeps seeing whatever happens around it.

 

nirmamO nirahankArO na kinciditi niScitaH |

antargalitasarvASaH kurvannapi karOti na || 17 : 19 || 175 ||

‘Such a person, (purusha) whose ambitions have become dissolved (galit) inside (bhItar), who knows, with certainty (niScaya-pUrvak), that there is nothing, who is devoid of (feeling of) ‘I’ (ahankAr) and ‘mine’ (mamatA), even while performing actions, he does not (perform actions).’ Such a person, does everything; whatever paramAtmA makes him do, he keeps doing them. Whatever paramAtmA brings before the mirror, he keeps reflecting them; even though he does things, he is not a doer (kartA). Even though he does everything, he does nothing. kurvannapi karOti naH ..... | Even though he does, he does not have (the notion of) doership (kartRtva) – he is just instrumental (upakaraNa), just a cause (nimitta).

 

manaHprakASasammOhasvapnajADyavivarjitaH |

daSAM kAmapi saMprAptO bhavEdgalitamAnasaH || 17 : 20 || 176 ||

‘Such a person, whose mind is dissolved (galit), in whom, action (karma), fascination (mOha), dream (svapna) and dullness (inertness) (jaDtA) have come to end (samApta), what kind of (kaisI) an unspeakable (anirvacanIya) condition (avasthA) he attains (prApta)!’

galita mAnasaH - One whose mind is dissolved – in whom there are no ambitions (AkAnkshA), no desires (temptations) (vAsanA), no craving (longing) (wish) (kAmnA), who does not desire anything at all, who is completely satisfied (tRpta) with whatever he has – such a person’s mind has dissolved. Such a person attains mind-less (absence of mind) (a-man) state. Kabir calls it ‘amanI daSA’. For him, all fascinations (sammOhan), all dreams and entire dullness (jaDtA) come to end. Such a person does not dream.

The kind of blemishless (nirmal) state, that arises inside you, on the day, when all the dreams inside you – while awake or asleep – come to end, the kind absolute (kaivalya) state that would arise (utpanna) inside you, on the day, when no smoke of thoughts arise inside you, and the (mental) space (AkASa) remains bereft of any (such) clouds (of thought-smoke) – Ashtavakra wonders – then, what an unspeakable (anirvacanIya) state that person attains! There is no interpretation (nirvacan), no description (vyAkhyA), no words (Sabda) for that state – it transcends (atikramaNa) words; language is incapable (asamartha) of putting it across; speech (vANI) is impotent (napumsak) to reveal (pragaTa) it; that song (gIt) has never been sung. Much effort has been made (undertaken) to put it across, but could not be expressed. That could just ‘be’ (attained) (huA).

If you want to know, that unspeakable state, then get into witness mode (sAkshI-bhAva); you will know, only by relishing (svAd) it; it could be revealed, only through experience (anubhava) – you are entitled (hakdAr) for that experience; you have not, as yet, claimed (mAng) that right (right) (entitlement) (hak) – that is your responsibility. I see that mirror, inside you, taken out (nikAlE), just present (maujUd). Take a glimpse, in your inside – if that mirror, happens to be perceived by you also, you would suddenly (acAnak) find yourself, outside the World, while still remaining inside it (World); you would not only enjoy (bhOga) that, which you got (prApta), but also, that which is not got (aprAtpa); you would not only enjoy, that which is visible (perceived), but also that, which is not visible; the World is yours, no doubt, but even paramAtmA has become yours; everything becomes yours. But, everything can become yours, only when you become, totally dissolved, when you no longer remain.

This is the dilemma (duvidhA) that, till ‘you’ are, nothing is yours; when you are not, then everything is yours. That is an unspeakable state, towards which, upanishads point (iSArA); it is that song, which Gita sings; it is that, towards which, Quran beckons (ingit); it is that, towards which, Bible guides (mArga-darSik); it is that journey (yAtrA), to undertake which, all the wise had called (pukAr) you, challenged (cunautI) you. Do not consider that, the matter comes to close, by gathering some more knowledge (jAnkArI), from these Sutras of Ashtavakra. No, there should be advancement (baDE) in your life, advancement in your existence (reality) (astitiva) – not just knowledge; then only, you can consider that, you have indeed (really) heard (listened to) (sunA) them (Sutras of Ashtavakra). Your existence should expand (phail), you should become the expanse (grand) (virAT), you should get His memory (yAd), you should remember Him; the whole sky (space) (AkASa) is yours; you are an emperor. By attaining just this wisdom (bOdha), all your beggary (destitution) comes to end.

Poem of Acharya –

बीच जल में कंपकपाती हैं

लौह सांकल में बंधी नावें!

एक हमला रोज होता है

काठ की कमजोर पीठों पर

घेरता हर ओर से आ कर

एक अजनबी भंवर का डर

जल—महल में थरथराती हैं

पांव पायल में बंधी नावें!

नाव का तो धर्म है तिरना

है जिसे रुकना नहीं आता

रुक गयी तो कापती है खुद

चल पड़ी तो नीर थर्राता

मीन—सी अब छटपटाती हैं

जाल से जल में बंधी नावें!

You might have seen – if the boat is tied to the bank, with chain, when waves come, the boat trembles. Similar is your condition. You are tied to the bank of petty (kshudra), with the chain of desires (vAsanA). If only you get out (proceed), the expanse (virAT) is yours; if you happen to remain, tied to the bank, only penury (daridratA) is yours; if you proceed, the whole ocean is yours.

 नाव का तो धर्म है तिरना

है जिसे रुकना नहीं आता

रुक गयी तो कापती है खुद

चल पड़ी तो नीर थर्राता

If you stop, you yourself will be trembling. If you proceed, what to talk of your trembling, even if the whole existence (astitva) keeps trembling, you will stay put, without trembling. Your vitality (jIvantatA) is in your proceeding, in your motion (gati), in your dynamism (gatyAtmakatA). Accept the challenge (cunautI). This is a call (AvAhan) to touch the peak of the expanse. Until the Himalays - peaks of Himalyas - inside you, remain unconquered, all other victories are worthless; you must conquer that; you should become the conqueror of Self (Atma-vijEtA).

Hari OM Tatsat.