English
Future obstacle is in this wise :—On the subject of the rising of knowledge in Bauprva, it has been said, the presence of fructescent works, for the next or another incar~ nation, is called future obstacle, It was exhausted in him by enjoying during his sojourn in one incarnation, but BHARaT had to enjoy them in three successive re-incarnations, before they were exhausted. 46. A person who has failed in Yoga, or been deprived of it, exhausts his obstacle by the practices of several incarnations, Inasmuch as there can never be an undoing of the results of discussion and analysis, To this end Karsuwa says to Arjuna (Gite, Chapt. 6., V. 41.) as follows :— 47 “From the meritorious actions of prior life, after having inherited the blissful abode of heaven, etc., he is born from the force of Self-knowledge, in a noble family, with wealth and rank, as best he wishes. 48. “Or, from the strength of that virtue, and discussion of Baauma, he is born in the family of an intellectual Yogt fros-from any desire, but this is extremely rare: PANCHADASt. 49, ‘ Because, in that life, after having been re-possessed : of his previous knowledge and connected with intellect, he again follows the path that leads to knowledge of Branma, 50. ‘Attracted by the impression of former practices — which bave well nigh from disuse become deadened, his at- tachment to them grows strong; in thia manner, after having © passed through severa! re-incarnations and realised the fruits of knowledge, ultimately merges into the Absolute, and is freed.” 5x. Even with a desire of acquiring the abode of Brahma being present, when a person restrains it, and enquires into the Supreme Self with due discrimination, he does not get a direct knowledge of the Supreme Brauma, visibly, It is true: sa. But after having ascertained it, in the manner latd down in the Vedanta, he goes tothe abode of Brakmd, to enjoy felicity for a time, ultimately in the end of Zalpa* to be freed with Brahma. 53. In some, knowledge of a previous life, acquired by the help of the arguments used in the Vedanta, is concluded by falling into the practice of works, inasmuch as some are unable even to hear the reality of Supreme Self being talked of or read; and some fail to comprehend its import even after having heard it. 54. But either from dullness of intellect or want of purity of mind, when a person is incapacitated from ascertaining self by the help of supporting arguments, it is proper for him to be constantly engaged in the worship of the Supremz BRaAHMA in the invisible manner, As “ Branma is.” 55. To worship the Impersonal Branwa in the above manner [invisible form] is not inconsistent; as in the personal method, the flow of the mental function is directed towards him, so here also, there is a likelihood of his faith in the A day and night of Brakmd—a period of 4,320,000,000 —_ -sidereal years, 0 a PANCHADAS!. ¢iiimtence of Buanma being confirmed end thus invisible know. 1 Wedge resulting (ultimately). 56. If it be asked since the form of Braxma is beyond the teach of word and mind, how then it is possible to worship Him invisibly? In that case, iet there be no visible krowledge produced. 57. if*you know Him to be beyond the reach of word and mind, why not admit his invisible worship in that manner? §8. If you say :—To acknowledge Bratima as an object of worship wiil reduce him to a Pe:sonal [God], possessing atiribuies? But then how can youdo away with it in his Visible knowledge? Therefore worship him invisibly by Todicative Indications. 59. Inthe Srusf occurs the passage ‘* What is beyond the reach of word and mind, know that to be Branma.” And * Whom peuple worship is not Branma, 60. If you admit the above, then as “ Brauma is distinct from the known and unknown” (Srufi}: this passage would necessarily make us refuse his visible knowledge ;—for, as his worship is interdictible so is his knowableness equally. 61, If you regard Brana to be unknowable, what pre- vents you from acknowledging BRauma to be not worshippable ? inasmuch as knowledge and worship are equally functions of the internal organ and pervaded by it. 62. If you ask, why am I so fond of worship as to main- tain its practice and explain it? I may stop to enquire, why, are you go averse to it? to say proofs are wanting for im- personal worship is quite inconsistent. 63. For proofs to that effect abound in the Uéfar Tapniya, Prathna, Kotho and Mandukya Upanishads, 64. The method of its practice has been mentioned in connection with quintuplication, if you admit it to be a means for the acquisition of knowledge, I bave no objection, 6s. If yousay, no one has ever practised the invisible PANCHAPASE * 23%. worship of the Surzemz Beanma: the reply is that docs not indicate any defect in the worship, but it is the faultof the person who does not practise it. 66. For, no matter whether an ignorant person be en- gtged in the recantation of the formule for making a person submissive, considering it to be easier than worship, or the stupid considering cultivation to be easier still, be engaged in it accordingly, that does not imply any fault in worship. 67, So far as the inclination of the dull and ignorant are concerned, though there may be other points of discussion, it is proper to judge becomingly as to the superiority of the Impersonal worship; owing to the unity of all the ordained knowledges tn the Vedanéa, the well-known attributes, over and over declared in all Branches of the Vedas, are in the end centred in the Invisibly to be worshipped PARABRAHMA. 68. Bliss, etc., are all centred in PagsBranma, in the end, by Vyas in the 11 Swéra of the 3rd Sect, Chapt., IIL, of the Shoriraka. 69. In the 33rd Sufra of the same work, Vyas describes Brauma in the end as neither gross nor diminutive—qualitics which ace fit for being excluded. 70 If therefore any one were to contend :——to attribute qualities to the Impersonal Brauma is unreasonable and in- consistent, that remark applies 10 Vyas who wrote so, and not to us. 71. Ifyou say, since there is no mention of Mirasya- hesha, Hiranyashashru, Sun ot othee forms by way of illus tration, [admit the above worship to be Impersonal. The reply is, be you content with that. 72. Then again, if to enquire into the attributes, you say to be purposeless though admitting the desirability of knowing Brauma by Indication, be you engaged in that form of Ita worship. 73- That self who is indicated by blissfulness, or who is not groas (¢. ¢.,<subtle), is one Impartite with the Supreme 232. PANCHADAS!. Self. And “ That am I:” this is the way by which you should worship him. 74. If it be asked what is the distinction between kuow- ledge and worship? The reply is:—There is particular dis- tinction between them, knowledge ia dependent on the subs- tence that is to be known, while worship is dependent on indi- vidual desire. 75. From discrimination or exercise of judgment is pro- duced knowledge ; when that has once been confirmed, in spite of disinclination on the part of the person, it cannot be pre- vented. With knowledge, illasion of the reality of phenomena Js at once destroyed. 76. Thusa theosophist is successful in accomplishing what he was about, and attains perfect contentment. He is “delivered in life” waiting only for the consummation of his fructeacent works. 77. A person of faith believing on the Reality of inatrac, tion received from a preceptor, should always with due disrimi- nation and judgment enquire after, and become one with it, by concentrating his mind with earnest attention. 78. So long as he knows not self to be non-distinct from Panapranma, he should constantly give himself up to meditas tion; and when that non-duality haa been firmly established, there is no more necessity for thinking : he will then be freed from death. 79. A Brakmachori worshipper of non-distinction from self with Branma, keeps that non-duality constantly in mind and is engaged in begging for his daily bread. 80. To worship in this way, ot not to worship, or to do ft in any other manner, proceeds from a person’s desire which is its extraordinary cause, ao that to remove that want of desire will make the current of the internal organ constantly assume the modification of Branma. 81. Asa person studying the Vedas, from the. habit of Constant study bereft of all doubta and mistakes, in dream PANCHADAS!. . ags" alo is engaged in that study ; or like one engaged in repeating the sacred texts from desire, s worshipper, from the force of {practice ia engaged tn meditation while in dream, 832, When contending knowledge is cored, and a person is always engaged in thinking of self, in dream also he ac- quires the habit of meditation, 83. Even during the consummation of fractescent works, from a good deal of faith, one is able to meditate constantly, and no doubts remain on that subject: 84. Like a woman fond of associating with her lover, though engaged in the performance of her household duties, is ever thinking of tasting the sweets of that illicit intercourse. 85. And though ber household works are not managed quite irregularly yet they are only done ina perfunctory man- ner. 86, Like a house-wife busy with her household work, that other woman desirous of courting her lover’s embrace can never show a similar attention or order and regularity im performing her duties, for she is wanting in earnestness ; 87. So is a person engaged in meditation able to keep up @ trace of the ordinary popular practices, and a theosophist ts quite able to keep up with them, as they cannot destroy or affect his knowledge in any way. 88. The world is illusory and self is intelligence: in this knowledge there is no antagonism to popular practice. 89.