21. Having studied in the prescribed manner all (scripture) and experienced all (vicissitudes of) life he is the ascetic due to Jnana and dispassion who has his body alone left to him by meditation on the nature of the Self due to Jnana and dispassion and then renounces and becomes unclad (as he was when born).
22. Having completed the period of celibate studentship, becoming a house-holder and then embracing the stage of forest life (Vanaprastha), he, who renounces (the world) only in order to observe the order of the stages of life even though without dispassion,
is the ascetic who renounces action.
23. Renunciation is of six kinds: (and the ascetics are called) Kutichaka, Bahudaka, Hamsa, Paramahamsa, Turiyatita and Avadhuta.
24. The Kutichaka ascetic has tuft and sacred thread, bears a staff and water vessel, wears a loin-cloth and patched garment, is devoted to the service of father, mother and preceptor, is equipped with a vessel, spade, sling, etc., alone, is addicted to eating food in one place, wears on the forehead a perpendicular mark of white sandal and holds a threefold (emblematic) staff.
25. The Bahudaka ascetic wears tuft, etc., patched garment and three (horizontal) lines of holy ash on his forehead and is similar in all respects to the Kutichaka ascetic (except) that he subsists on eight mouthfuls of food gathered (as alms from eight houses), as a bee (does honey).
26. The Hamsa ascetic wears matter hair, puts on the forehead the mark of either the horizontal lines of holy ash or the perpendicular one of sandal, subsists on food gathered as alms without restriction and wears a piece of loin-cloth.
27. The Paramahamsa ascetic is devoid of tuft and sacred thread, receives alms in the vessel of his hands, wears a single loin-cloth, has a single (patched) garment, one bamboo staff, either wears a single garment or is smeared with holy ashes and has
discarded all (possessions and attachments).
28. The Turiyatita ascetic subsists of fruits receiving them in his mouth like a cow; if he eats cooked rice (he receives them as alms) from three houses. He has his body alone left to him (without any possessions and attachment), is unclad (dressed by the points of the compass) and treats his body as if it were a corpse.
29. The Avadhuta ascetic has no fixed rules. He eats food like a python as and when he gets it, from persons of all castes except those who are fallen or accursed and is ever intent on meditation on the nature of the Self.
30. I am not surely of this world consisting of trees, grass and mountains. How can I, the supreme Being, be this external (phenomenon) which is intensely inert ? I am not the body which is non-sentient and perishable in a short time.
31. I am not the sound which is non-sentient, coming from void and of the form of void and which remains for a short period grasped by the inert cavity of the ear.
32. I am not the touch which is non-sentient but which has life granted to it by the favour of consciousness and which can be experienced by skin of momentary existence and in no other way.
33. I am not the taste which is non-sentient, dependent on matter and of short duration, insignificant and brought into existence by the fickle tongue aided by the fickle mind.
34. I am not the form (rupa) which is non-sentient, non-existent in the sole Witness (Brahman), perishable and which rests on sight and the object of sight which have but momentary existence.
35. I am not the smell which is non-sentient, subtle and of indefinable form and brought into existence by the perishable nose which is dead to smell.
36. I am pure consciousness alone which is devoid of parts, ‘mine-ness’ and thought and which is quiescent and beyond the delusions of the five senses.
37. I am consciousness alone, devoid of a place of worship, and am illuminator, omnipresent (externally and internally), devoid of parts and stain, the light of distinctionless consciousness, all-pervading and one alone.
38. It is only by me, the consciousness, that all things such as pots and garments up to the sun are illumined by self-effulgence as by a lamp.
39. It is only by me, with my inwardly shining effulgence, that the various senses are active just as the mass of sparks shine due to fire which is blazing within.
40. This pure eye of consciousness, which enjoys endless bliss and which shines even when all others are extinct, is victoriously present in all eyes.
41. Salutation, salutation to myself alone who am present in all other beings and consist of consciousness free from (the restriction of) an object to be known and am of the form of the individual Self (consciousness).
42. The various clearly seen powers (such as those of earth, etc.,) are (really) rendered variegated by consciousness which is free of change, one whole and free from the limitation of time and parts (kala).
43. Of consciousness which is beyond the three durations (of past, present and future), is devoid of the restriction of perceivability of objects and which discards individuality of the soul, there remains the oneness alone (of the Self and Brahman).
44. Indeed the same (consciousness), being beyond the reach of words, seems to remain as having reached the state of the conclusion of Selfishness, (i.e. the state of non-duality), as if it were eternal non-existence.
45. The same consciousness, slightly encompassed by impurities of desires and non-desires, is unable to rise high like a female bird bound by a string.
46. People (overcome) by the delusion (caused by) the pairs (of opposites), which is born of desire and hatred, become similar to worms which are sunk in the cavities of the earth.
47. Salutation to the Atman, to you, who are non-different from consciousness. I am now seized (of the truth), I am awakened, I have risen (above delusion).
48. I am lifted up from doubts; I am what I am; salutation to you, to your and to me, the eternal; to you and to me consisting of consciousness.
49. Salutation to you, the supreme God and salutation to me, the Shiva. Though seated (the Atman) is not seated, though going he does not go. Though quiescent he is engaged in activities, though performing action he is not tainted.
50. He is eminently accessible, he is easily known like a close kinsman; he is the bee in the interior of the lotus of the body of all.
51. I have no desire for the state of enjoyment nor for abandoning enjoyment. Let come what may, let go what may.
52. When the mind is quelled in itself and has become free of egotism and when ideation is dissolved in itself I remain, alone, happy.
53. My enemy (duality) remains (i.e. is absorbed) in the pure Atman of vibration alone, without ideation, egotism, mind and desire.
54. Breaking the bonds of intense desires from the cage of my body I know not where the female bird of non-ego has flown up and gone.
55. He who has no egotism, whose intellect is not tainted, and who is equanimous to all beings – his life shines bright.
56. He who looks at this (phenomenal world) like (an impartial) witness with his mind, being cool within, is freed of love and hatred, has his life blessed.
57. He who, understanding correctly, abandons both the undesirables and the desirables and places his mind in its quiescence, has his life blessed.
58. When the connecting link between the object and the person (who grasps it) has vanished peace comes well into being. When peace has established itself, it is called liberation.
59. Like parched seeds there is no more sprouting of worldly birth; the latent desires become pure in the heart of those who are liberated while living.
60. (Latent desire of a realized soul) is purifying, highly proper, falls within the scope of pure nature, consists of meditation on the Atman and is eternal; it remains as if in deep sleep.
61. Understanding without the mind is indeed said to be the individual consciousness. As it is of the nature of the quiescent mind there is not the impurity of comprehension (of distinctions).
62. Where the mind is rendered quiescent, there is truth and auspiciousness; its is the true state; it is omniscience and it is indeed complete satisfaction.
63. When speaking, giving, taking, opening and closing the eyes, I am purely consciousness, the bliss (that comes of) discarded thinking process.
64. Having discarded the impurity of things to be known, rendering the mind thoroughly quiescent and cutting off the fire of the bond of desire, I am pure consciousness alone.
65. I have set at rest thoughts good and bad, am without worry, rid of ideation of the pleasant and the unpleasant; I am pure consciousness alone.
66. Discarding the idea of oneself and another, taking no sides in worldly happenings and clinging to the Atman, as an adamantine pillar I am steady.
67. I remain in my consciousness which is pure and without hopes, freed from desires and non-desires and devoid of both the undesirable and the desirables.
68. When shall I get the inward joy while remaining in the state of self-luminosity ? When shall I be in a mountain cave with my mind quiescent ?
69. When shall I attain similarity to a stone by (practising) distinctionless deep meditation (Nirvikalpa-Samadhi) when, while remaining dumb by the peace of partless meditation, birds of the forest will build their leafy nests on my head ?
70. Having cut the trees of ideation and the creepers of intense desire of the forest of the mind and having reached the broad plains (of spiritual wisdom), I enjoy life happily.
