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Should a Jnani die while in this (last) state, he will remain in Swarga (Devachan), for a long time ;and after satiating him self with the enjoyments therein which perish on account of their Sankalpa, will reincarnate on earth again as a Jn£ni. After Ajn^na (ignorance of Truth) perishes through the de velopment of these three stages, the exalted Jn&na will dawn fully in his mind and settle itself firmly there as all- pervading and without beginning and end, like the light of a full moon. It is with this mind associated with Jnana that Yogis shine. Those who have reached the fourth stage will look sted- fastly and coolly upon all things in the universe with an equal eye and like a dream. Oh Rama, all the above three stages can be classified under the J£grata state, while the abovementioned fourth can be included under the Swdpana state. In this last stage, the mind will perish like the array of clouds in the autumnal season. Then it will remain in the transcendent Sat-Bhdva alone which survives all. With the destruction of the mind, all Vikalpas will notarise. Then passing over to the fifth stage which will come under Sushupti, he will remain in the absolute certitude of non- duality, when all the specialties of gun^s will disappear. Such a person will be with full Jnana shining in the heart and free from the gloom of duality. He will ever remain in the Sushupti state. He will always rejoice in the possession of the matchless introvision. Though engaged in external ac tions, he will ever be quiescent, as ifin a brown study. The sixth stage being reached, the Turya state ensues, in which he will be engaged in the practices appurtenant to that stage, being completely divested of all the regularly accrued Vasa- nas. Then he spends his time mindless as the Kevala (one) free from all ideas of differences or non-differences, Tor 'non- I') being or non-being. A Jiva in this state unaffected by the knot of Ahankara and being neither with the idea (of attain ing) Nirvana nor without it, will be within, like the steady THE CONCLUSION OF NIRVA'NA-PRAKARANA. 337 and unflickering light of a lamp. All the worldly creation having then no externals or internals, shines all-full both inside and outside through Brahmic vision, like a pot filled to the brim in the midst of the ocean seething with waves. This personage, though he, to all appearances, seems to have every thing is really with nothing. Having solitarily passed this sixth stage, the Jivanmukta reaches the seventh stage alone. It is in this seventh stage that disembodied salvation is attained. Thus is the extreme verge of the supreme Jn£na stages reached, of pure quiescence and beyond all power of speech. Having instituted nice enquiries into this seventh stage of Videha-mukti, diverse religionists ascribe different names to this stage, Some say it is Paramaaiva, some hold it to be a void ; some hold it to be Vijn&na ; some say it is kala (time) ; and some Prakriti. Others there are who find it an up-hill work for them, through their Vikalpas and firm idea of differentiation of objects in this world, to cognize and describe this disembodied (or formless) state which, being homogeneous, is beyond the power of speech. If these seven Jnana stages are crossed in a non-illusory manner, pains will not in the least come in contact with such a person. There is a mad rutting elephant with tusks, like unto a a white shell, which, showering rutting water as it goes, stalks with a beautiful gait with its long writhing proboscis spotted with white. If this animal which generates never-ceasing pains be slain, then mankind will cross with you all the various stages of the above mentioned Jndna. So long as this tremendous elephant oozing out rutting water be not slain through one's might, who will become a great warrior in the field of battle (in this universe) replete with pains? At these words of Vasishta, Rama of the form of grace accosted him thus — What is this powerful elephant you acquainted me with ? where is the field of battle ? how can it be annihilated ? what is the seat of its residence ? To which Vasishta replied thus— This grand elephant showering rutting water is no other than the pains-genera- ting desires that ever try to appropriate to " I" all the things of the universe and disports itself with great mirth and joy in the spacious forest of the body. It has as its young ones, 43 338 YOGA-VA'SISHTA. the dire Indryas (or organs) full of anger and greed. It will articulate through its sweet tongue and perform its actions by being merged into the forest of the mind. The terrific and dire twin Karmas (good and bad) are its two tusks. The Va"sanas are the rutting waters shed by it. It has a body which ranges everywhere and at all times. All the visible objects of Samsara are the battle field wherein the carnage takes place ; the powerful desires being no other, as said be fore, than the elephant. This rutting elephant of desires which again and again invests persons with victory or defeat, puts an end to the myriads of poor Jivas. All the firm Vasanas having their own modifications, existence, Manas, Buddhi, Sankalpa, desires and the rest pertain to Antah karana, the lower mind only. It is most conducive to the progress of a Jnani to conquer fearlessly by all means and as if in sport, this elephant of desires whicli is but a combination of all, through sheer might and the arrows of dauntless bravery. If through the imbecility of thy mind, it longs after things of the world, please hear from me the means of arresting it. So long as these desires exist in thee, so long will the poisonous disease of Samsara creep upon and affect thee. The mind which expands itself everywhere, thus enmeshing itself in bondage can be called the despicable Samsara itself. Its des truction alone is Moksha. Such is the fact. [f only a disciple whose mind is cleansed of all its illu sions which make it real is initiated into the sacred mysteries by a Guru, then it will get quiescence like a drop of oil over a glass surface. Through the illumination of Jnana. this mind which was originally of the form of the seed of desires gives up all the delusion of re-births ; and there arises in it nothing (of the worldly desires) through its Asamvedana (non-recepti vity). If the desires which bring in their train manifold mis chief arise at any time in you, you should destroy them at once through Asamvedana. Though a host of desires mani fest themselves in you in diverse ways, yet the Vasanas which are inseparably associated with body will never fail to be re moved by Asamvedana. Do not fall in love with your de sires but regard them in the light of a carcase to be loathed. When the mind, through the powerful Pratyahara* * One of the 8 parts of Yoga for restraining- the organs. THE* CONCLUSION OF NIRVA'NA-PRAKARANA, 339 mode, hankers not after desires which should be thought of as nothing but Vasanas, then the mind will remain still. This effort is called Asamvedana. The wise say that the ideas of " mine" and " thine" are only the foul creations of the mind. If all objects vanish through the contemplation of Jnana, the wise, oh stainless Prince, say that all the unreal illusions will disappear. The existence of Manas is itself Sankalpa ; but its non-exis tence is Siva itself (auspiciousness or bliss). The contempla tion of feeling and non-feeling after crossing all objects is the true one. May you, after abandoning all ideas of in telligence and non-intelligence and becoming oblivious of all things, remain stedfastly and firmly, like a decayed tree, with great Jnana and in a state unchanged. Now addressing the assembly, Vasishta said thus — In order that all persons in this hall may without exception un derstand the drift of what we say, we shall now, with our hands raised on high, proclaim to all thus — It is only Sankalpa destroyed beyond resurrection that constitutes the immaculate Brahmic seat. Why should not men then contemplate silent ly and secretly in their hearts upon the destruction of this Sankalpa ? Then it will so betide that even the throne of an Emperor, who sways his sceptre over the whole earth will be regarded by them as but a paltry bauble. This Brahmic seat is obtained by those only who observe Mouna (silence towards material pleasures).