The four means of Moksha. “ If the four sentinels that wait at the gates of Moksha (salvation) viz., Silnti (sweet patience or quiescence of mind), Vichara (Atmic enquiry), Santosha (contentment of mind) and Sadhu-Sanga (association with the wise) be befriended, then will there be any obstacle to the attainment of salvation ? (No). Like the waiters, posted at the gates of the palace of a king protecting the earth, who allow ingress to the visitors without to see the king within, the above four sentinels allow admittance within into Moksha.
Even if one of them be befriend ed, then he will introduce him (the new comer) to the the rest of his fellows. Therefore thou shouldst cease lessly endeavour to hold fast to one at least, throwing aside all obstacles that come in the way and associate with him inti mately. In order to put an end to the ephemeral re-births, we should, above all, develop our (spiritual) intelligence through association with the wise, enquiry into Atma Jnana books and deep Samadhi (or Meditation).
The venom of the pains of Samsara will be dispelled (and the man bitten will be cured of the poison) through the Garuda-Mantra called Jnana. Then (with the development of Jndna), even showers of arrows discharged at him will be (to him) like those of soft lily flowers ; a bed of flames will resemble to him a soft cushioned bed redolent of rosewater besprinkled in it; and the chopping off of his head will be like Sushupti (the dreamless sleeping state) wherein happiness is enjoyed. The ripping open of his stomach will be like the application of sandal over his body and the piercing in his breast of straight- pointed innumerable lancets will be like cool water sprinkled from a pump in the long summer season. The poisonous disease of sensual objects unfit to be associated with, can be avoided only by those who have developed the discrimina tive (spiritual) wisdom and not by any others.
“ It is not through a mere enquiry into Atma Jnana know ledge that Nirvanic bliss is attained ? If one should conduct himself in such a way as to assimilate” (as one), within him self, the knowledge derived from the three sources of his self- experience, the true significance of the holy sentences in the spiritual Books and the instructions of a wise Gtfru, then the inseparable Atmic wisdom will rise in him. The mere study of rare Jnana books by persons of petty intelligence will but breed Ajnana in their minds. Books treating of devotion and the performance of rituals will generate less Ajnana than the study of Jnana books (unaccompanied by the other two above mentioned). And it should be remembered that it is far better to lead a mendicant s life by begging for food at the doors of even outcastes with a bowl in hand than to pass a life of Ajnana. Immense wealth, friends, relatives, Benares and other sacred places, bathing in the Ganges and other waters, the hermitage of Munis, religious austerities afflicting the body and other like things are not the sure means of ever reaching the higher state ; but it is through the mind s efforts that the immacu- j late and supreme Seat can be attained.
8dnti. “Now listen, oh Rama, to the ineffaceable charac teristics of the four sentinels placed at the gate of Mok.sha. If the supreme “ sweet patience that nought can ruffle” be mastered, then all desires and sorrow will fly like gloom be fore the rising sun. Being confided in (and loved), like a mother, by the virtuous as well as the vicious, such persons of sweet patience will never be ruffled in mind, whether they get nectar to drink and enjoy the bliss of Lakshmi residing in the luxuriant lotus flower, or are engaged in great wars, entailing excessive carnage, or whether they are born or dead. They never rejoice or grieve through the enjoyment of plea sures or pains arising from sensual objects.
These pure men of sweet patience will shine aloft far higher than such persons as men of mere ripe intelligence, performers of sacri fices, men well versed in all departments of knowledge, puissant kings, virtuous men and others (not possessing this one attribute). Great men having quaffed this ambrosia of sweet patience which is rare for all intelligent men who long after it, have attained the glorious Moksha. Mayest thou too, oh Rima, act in this virtuous path.
Atma Vichdrana. “ If along with this, thou shouldst de velop fully Atmic enquiry through thy subtle pure intelligence after a study of the holy &astras, then such an incomparable intelligence will reach the Supreme Seat. It is this enquiry alone that enables one to differentiate causes from effects and constitutes the rare remedy for the cure of the disease of re births. Having cleared oneself of all doubts through this discriminative power which gets not blurred even in the midst of the intense darkness (of ignorance) shines with undiminished lustre even in the midst of any light and through which all things are visible, one should always be engaged, even when threatened by dangers, in the enquiry of whence am I ? Whence came this universe of Samsara ? And of whom is this universe an attribute ? Such an enquiry averts the dangerous disease called the gloom of Agyana.
Santoska. “ Now to noble contentment. It is the bliss arising from the enjoyment of objects, good or bad, without any longing or aversion and the non-grief (or indifference) shown towards objects not obtained. Should this incompar able ambrosia of contentment become permanently settled in one, then all enjoyment of objects will become a poison to him. Then the mind which was immersed in sensual objects raises up its eyes towards Atmic wisdom and sees not a distorted image as in a stained glass. Such a person of true contentment will be revered by the great Tapaswins and the chief of meo.
Sddhu Sangha. (To all those who wish to master this world of Maya, the association with the wise is the unfailing means. Like the Ganges which yields its fruits to those who bathe in its cool waters, the association with the wise expands the poor intellect of men, transmutes the acci dents arising out of material objects into a real wealth (for progress) and converts a mind, which is miserable amidst any objects, into one which sees happiness everywhere. To such, neither sacrificial fires, nor Tapas, nor bounteous gifts nor holy waters are indispensable. One should, at any cost, long- to approach those great personages replete with wisdom who are friendly to all, relieving them from bondage and form the ferry to cross the ocean of rebirths.
Thus are the four-fold means for getting rid of this oppres sive Samsara. Those who have intimately befriended these four have crossed the ocean of Samsara. OhRama of sweet patience and other qualities, please hearken to the stories (narrated in this book) which will relieve thy pining mind of its delusion. Atma Jnana, the end of all Vedas, will dawn of itself in one who probes into their underlying meaning without caring for their (surface) attributes or meaning. All delu sions, such as love and hatred, &c., will vanish ; the mind will become as pellucid as the waters of a pool in the autumnal season. Such persons of adamantine armor will never be pierced by the arrows of pains, such as poverty and others.
