\\

B!L... !OTHEE<
der
lbeosoflsct1e Vereniglng

NA VA:1\ritrdar;
i

KAIV AL YA
..

c e Cream of Emancipation)
.,.
c:-:l>a ll ...

An ancient classic
By

TANDAV ARA Y A SW AMI

Translated into English by

SWAMI RAMANANANDA SARASWATHT

(Compiler of 'Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi ')

Published by :

T. N. VENKATARAMAN,
PRESIDENT,

SRI RAMANASRAMAM,
TIRUVANNAMALAI,
S. INDIA.
 :0 Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai.
First Edition- 1965

PUBLiSHER'S NOTE

We have great pleasure in offering to the devotees of

Sri Bhagavan and the students of Vedanta in general, a
valuable little classic. This was one of the works very
frequently referred to by the Maharshi.

ln the absence of any mention in earlier literature on

Vedanta in Tamil we can assume that 'Kaivalya Navaneeta'
was probably written at least five hundred years ago. It
Price R e. was translated into German and English by Dr. Charles
Graul DD of the Leipzig Lutheran Mission and we have in
(Postage Extra)
the Ramanasramam Library a book containing these
German and English translations and published in 1855,
both in Leipzig and London. We have not come across
any other English translation so far.

We are confident that this great little book will prove

to be of immense helo to all siidhaks.

The Publisher.

The Juoiter Press Private Ltd., Madras-18.

2 K\lVALYA .NAYANEETA

5. adore the feet of the

1 Master wl:o shines
forth tor ever as the wide which has no
or end or i n te rva l , and 1 proceed to tdl you the tnt< nature THE I<fRST SECTiON
of the Absolute Being, to e xpl ain bonda ge aud t:!-:.:ration
so t hat even those who are too dull to learn tlH.: THE EXPOSITION OF THE TRVfH
may understand. 1
8. The Sages say that there arc four prerequisites'
6. Ail the ancient sages Jrew from the boundk'' [or realisation of the Truth : (1) Viveka : discrimination
Ocean of milk, namely the Vedanta2 and filled th..:ir between the temporary ( the refore unreal phenomena) anJ
their wor ks . 3 l b oiled them all (on the fire ol the permanent (therefore the Reality, i.e., the noumenal) ;
the Master's words), churned them (with the churn o! (2) indifference to the enjoyment of pleasures here or
I present this
and cream of Emanci
i hereafter; (3) the group of six qualities and ( 41 the
patlon Kaivalya Nuvcmeeta to aiL longing for Liberation.
..I
Now. will those wh o have partaken of th is and 9 & l 0. The six qualities arc sama, dama, uparati,
satisfied their lunger, roam about eating the offal of titiksha, samiidhana and sraddhii. Of these, .mma is control
externals4 ? of mind ; dama is control of the senses ; uparati is ccssation
of actlvities (re lating to caste, creed, family, etc.) ; titiksfw
7. A fter adoring my Master, Venk a tes a Mukunda, is control of passions, and includes e n d u r ance ; samiidhiina
who is himself ever-fce, and who made me his own, I wr ite ,
a ccording to the sages the settling down of the mind
this Kaivalya Navaneeta divided into two pa rts , the first of to reflect on the Truth, as revealed (by the scriptures and
which contains a clear exposition of the Truth,5 and the the sages) ; sraddhii denotes faith in the master and the
second clears away all doubts ari:;ill!! from the former.'' scriptures ; such are the meanings of the six terms of th is
category.
( I I. No one can achieve anything in the world without
being properly e qui p ped for the task. For the same reason,
only those who are equip ped with these four categories of
prerequisites can gain illumination. A novice cannot get
it so readily. lf so gained, it follows that the person has
2
3
The UJ'anishads.
The sutras,. the ilihiisas, the ku, v yas and
t successively purified in countless incarnations in the
4 i.e., seek fulfilment of: th.:ir Jc,ire for 1
5 Tattva-vilakkam.
6 Sandchantelithal. 1 Siidhanas.
 \

4 KAIVALYA NAVANU. !A
THE EXPOSITION OF THE TRUTH 5
l 2. He alone is lit for Knowledge. who, suffering
from the three kinds of troubles rising from the self, the 1 7. Even if I, your servant, am unable to carry out

elements, and Providence {from hunger, thirst and so forth : your instructions, you can set me right by your grace. You

from heat, cold, rain, disease, and the like ; Jrum robbers, said just now " There is a means to put an end to your

wild animals, etc.) squirmed like a worm scorched by heat rehirths ! Kindly tell me it and save me, I pray."

and panted for a dip in the nectar of wisdom so as to put 18. 2Finding him self-subdued, the master looks at
an end to the series of rebirths.
the soul of the disciple, and begins to instruct him, so that
13. As the desire for Liberation grew, he became un" it may regain its true nature, as a wasp places a well-chosen
concerned about his wife, children and property, ran away caterpillar in its cell of earth. and then buzzes before it.

from them like an antelope which had extricated itself from

1 9 & 20. " Look here, my son ! He who has forgotten
the noose of a hunter, and sought a holy Master and res
his true nature is alternately born and dies, turning round
pected him with all his heart.
and round in the unceasing wheel of time, like a feather
14. After eagerly saluting his Master, he stood up and caught up in a whirlwind. until he realises the true nature
sobbed out his heart, saying "0 Lord! I have suffered of the Self. If he comes to sec the individual self and its

long the torture of worldly life, which is after all so false ! substratum, the Overself, then he becomes the substratum,
Gracious Master; save me by tearing off the cords which i.e., Brahman, and escapes rebirths. Should you know
bind me to the five sheaths. so that my heart may be at yourself no harm will befalJ you. As you asked 1 have
peace ! " rold you this."

NoTE : The teaching is complete at this point. and

t5. The Master lovingly considered him, like a tor
indeed in this verse.
toise its eggs ; looked at him. like a fish its eggs ; and
his hands over him, like a bird its wings over i ts eggs, an d
21. Disciple : " Lord, do you take me for a fool that
said, "There is a means to put an end to your rehirths.
you tell me so ? Can there be any in the world who arc
will tell you, and if you act upon it your rchirths will cease.'' 1 ignorant of the Self ? How then are they all caught up in
16. At the very sound of the wor.Js '' Your rebirths the cycle of births and deaths? Tell me the unerring
will cease "', his frame thrilling, his heart rejoicing as if Truth for I beseech you in full faith."
refreshed a f ter a bath in a spaciou:-. tank, tears of joy flow
22. Master : Only he is self-realised who knows what
like love welling forth. he held the holy feet of the
is body and who is embodied.
Master and prayed further :-
Disciple : "' Who else is embodied but this gross
J
This symbolises the three kind of initiation, by thought, by look On this, the Master smiled in pity, and spoke :
and by touch.
2 The change of tense i\ in the original text.
 \,'

n KAIVALYA NAVANEFfA THE FXPOSIT!ON OF TilE TRUTH 7

23. .. You say that you cannot find the embodied 29. If you ask how superimposition gives rise to crea
being as different from the gross body. Then tdl me who ti on (the answer is :-)
appeared as the subject in your dream ; or who experienced The beg.inningless5 jivas remain unmanifest in
the sleep in which even the pain of dream was absent ; or
A vyakta as in deep slumber. This state (is disturbed) hy
again what is this consciousness in the waking state ! " the g enerative thought of lswara otherwise called Time.
24. Disciple : " Every experience proves that the Then A vyakta c ea se s to be causa] (i.e. latent) and the three
experiencer in the waking state, or the experi en ccr ot gwws manifest

dreams when the waking consciousness is gone, or the

experiencer of deep slumber, must be different (from the
30. satva, rajas, and tamns, which are pure
white, respectively, or again, clear, turbid,
gross body). Yet it is not realised. lt just flashes in the
and dark. Though one of them will always pre-
mind, only to fade away at once. Please e x pla in this . "

dominate.
25. Just a s people pointing to a lrcc on the earth mark
the third day crescent moon, and pointing to other star 3 l. This i one Another is as follows :--
locate Arundhati. so also the sage began pointing to the
gross in order to _make known the subtle c au se.
The causal state which remains unmilnifest, later
expands as mahat tatva (the totality of the jivas) which
26. Master : "The Vedanta as a whole, mentions a manifests a lhc cgn wherein 1 he three gunas become
1he cause of bondage and release, supcr-imposition3 and its .:pparent.
effacement4, respectively. Bo nd ag e is caused by super
imposition ; Release by its effacement. 32. Ether-like C'hit is ret1ectcd in them. Of the th ree

Now listen as the former. satva is dear, and. is called Mliyii. Brahman reflected
in this is Iswara. the intelligent cause of the universe.
27. Superimposition 1 SLTIIlg om m another, a immanent in all. untainted by miiyd or by any of the gwws.
make for instance in :: ro1c, a 111an in a post, water in
or a blue canopy in the empty ;,ky. 3.3. This is the state of deep slumber, thL
tni'i.wi
, ;md of lswara. Rajogww
the blissful sheath
28. Similarly, the live kments <md their combina
1s avutya ( :.h>,ncc: of real knowledge). Chit n:ilcctcd in
tions se en in Brahman which is In:' from name and form,
this guna (which ) ,; not dear to its constanl a1ita-
one and sarnc without a c.:ond, self-conscious and
tion), gives rise to countless The _iiva in thi st:!l.c
are produc ts or ill uion. i' known <ts
= A.ropa crronct'H' knewlcde. false attribution, or illusion
""Apavada.
s Who<>e bcginninl' ctnnur he k llOh n.
R KAIVALYA NAVANEETA !'HE EXPOSITION OF fHE TRUTH l)

34. This is the blissful sheath, the state of deep sleep, bodies demons. human beings, and all
and the causal body of the jivas. I have so far described other
the causal stage of superimposition.
39. The jiva, united to such a body, is called
Hear me now explain its subtle phase. and lswara, under similar conditions, is known as Hiran.va
l?arbha. In both cases it is called the linga sharira or the
35. To provide the wherewithal of experience to t he subtle body which comprises the three sheaths (the vital.
jivas by the loving Grace of Iswara who has all the the mental and the intellectual). This is their dream-state.
wondrous powers of His inseparable Miiyii, the tanw;ww
then divides itself into its two aspects, namely : ( 1) dense 40. So much for the subtle body. Now hear me des
of Reality6 and (2) multiplicity of phenomena.7 cribe the process of superimposition of the gross body.

36. In the latter of these two, there appears ether ; Jswara, who is ever watchful, combined the five
from ether, air ; from air, fire ; from fire. water ; from elements so as to evolve gross hodies for the iivas. and
water. earth. All these five, in the nascent state, arc cail objects for experience.
ed elements. From these arise bodies suitable for
experiences. 41. Each of the five elements was divided into two
halves ; each half was subdivided into four quarters. Then
37. The three gunas permeate all these Jive elements. the major half of one clement was combined with one
In satva, which is. pure, there arise the jnanedriyas,8 of quarter subdivision of each of the other four. This process
individual function, and also the mind and intellect, of col gave rise to the gross elements from which the four classes
lective function. These seven products of satva form th:..: of beings,1 2 and their experiences, the universe and its
instruments of knowledge. worlds, were created.

38. Then in rajogww

there arise the vital airs,9 of 42. The jiva united with the gross body, is called
collective function, a.nd the karmeudriyas,10 of individual viswa ; and lswara under similar conditions, is known as
function. These seventeen11 fundamentals form the subtle virat. The gross body is the physical sheath,13 and their
waking state.
6 A.varana.
7 Vikshepa. Remember this brief statement regarding the gros
R The senses of hearing. sight, touch, taste and smelL
9 Pr{J.Ilu, ryiina, udiina and samana. body."
10 Hands. organs of speech, of excretion and of reproduc-
rion. 12(1) Foetus-born, t2) egg-born. (3) larva-born. and (4) seed
11 The ten pri n ciple s . mentioned here tml the seven contained horn.
in the previous stanza. 13 Annamaya-kosha. among the pancha koshas.
 THE EXPOS!TlO!'\ OF THE TRlJTB I 1
JO KAIVALY.-\ l'<AVAl\:EE'I A

43. Disciple : '' Master ! if these statcs14 be commo n 48. : "You have said that the tamoguna
Disciple
to both, how shall we know the ditferc mc between e.xalted um::tions in two aspects, nam ely veiling and multiplicity, of

lswara an d the ordinary jiva ? " which ym1 have explained the latter, which springs from

Master : "The jlva is t he ctlecl and lswara the desire.

cause. There is also a d ifferen c e as between units nnd thei r Tell me, my Lord, the result of the other aspect
to tality . veiling."

44. The trees form lhe units ; their aggregate i, the

49. Master : A varana16 veils the inner VISIOn of
forest. Generally speaking the mobile and immobile jivas except unexcelled Iswara and Self
beings
all embodied
lswara.
are the separate units ; their sum tota is This 1.,
realised jnlinis, in the shape of ' It is not lt does not
the difference between lswara and the jivas. same way as the dens e darkness of a
shine forth', in the
45. I have said thus far what superimposition is. Onl} w intry night hides the s ky, the earth and the directions from
he is a jnlini who knows beyond doubt that all th at is seen our view.
is only e phemeral like a dream.
50. Outwardly this altogether obstructs the distingui sh
Now, listen to the process of effacement of super
ing of Brahman who is Perfection, from His modifications
imposition, the way to wonderful mokslu.l15 which resembles
(as the world), and inwardly that o f the Self which is pure
the placid s ky when all th e clouds of wi nter dear away.
Consciousness, from Its modifications (as the inner facul
46. ( 1 ust as o ne examines and 1inds out t h at ) this i ties. i.e. the ego, the mind). lt is therefore the sole cause
n ot a sn ake but a rope, and this is not a thief but a thick of that c hronic disease. the endless series of births and
post, so also one makes out b e yond doubt. by the word oJ deaths.
ihe Master and the light of the scriptures. that the body.
the world and the elements :m only Br;1hman. i.e. u11
5 .1. The question then arises : Whereon does the

ch an gi n g Com ciousness . superimposition rest when the substratum is completely

hidden ? And how can there be any superimposition if the
Know this to be the cllacerw:nl
substratum is not hidden ? " (The ans wer i<> : ) The sub

47. Cause an d effect are the same. like cloth and yar n , s trat um js twofold, general and pa rticul a r , of which the
ornaments and u tensils and To resolve the bod y
general suhstratum remains con tinuous and unbroken
into its anteceden! Transient ;;uperimposition is particular.
cause. this into its. and so on. until
is traced as the root-cause {Jf all. is the method of
52. In the world. the common substratum This i

effacing superimposition.'
can nevtr be veiled :, but only the particular identity

14 The gross, subtle ;,nu caual Wtes whkh form the upli.dhis.
15 l.iberation. 16 i.e .. rhc veiling power.
 l2 KAIVALYA Ni\VANEETA THE EXPOSlTION OF THE TRUTH 13

' This is a rope '. Similarly with the jiva, ignorance17 does liberation gained by the aid of this false power must also be

not veil the substratum - ' 1 AM ' ; but it veils the specific equally fale. (The answer is :) A frightful dream, though
knowledge - ' l am Brahman '.'' unreaL ends in waking up the dreamer from sleep. Even so
Liberation is real.
53. Disciple : .. How does it happen, my Master,
that the power of veiling is censured for the doings of the 57. Just as poison is commonly antidoted with
power of multiplicity which arising as the five sheaths, the another poison, an iron spike is extracted with another
fiva and the world, obstructs pure Being from view ? " (piece of) iron, arrows arc turned aside by others, and dirt

Master :
is washed away with other dirt (e.g. fuller's earth), so
Listen to me in answer to this qucs-
ignorance which is weak in itself, can be eradicated
tion.''
methods which are themselves of the same Maya ; later this
54. Although the power of multiplicity is the direct also perishes like the pole used to tum a corpse that is
cause of the misery-laden cycle of births (and deaths) yet burnt.
it is of service to those who seek Liberation in earnest. Can
the darkness of night be of the same service for one's use 58. Through this Maya, jivas experience seven stages
ful activities as the light of d ay ? What more can I say of development as follows : ignorance, 18 veiling, 19 multi
to you ? Therefore, my son, the power of veiling is the plicity,:!O indirect knowledge,21 direct expericnce22 freedom
more harmful of the two. from misery, 23 and su preme Bliss.24

55. Has any one gained release from the cycle of 5lJ & 60. Of these, ignorance is to lose sight of the
subsequent births because the world was totally lost from fact that the inner self is no other than Brahman ; veiling
view in his deep sleep or in the Dissolution ? The power makes one say ' There is no Brahman. I do not see Him ' ;
of multiplicity can a1togcther bring about Liberation. but the multiplicity springs up as 'I am a man. I am a jiva ;
thick veil of ignorance is the sole cause of the present indirect knowledge is to know the nature of the Self by the
calamity. of the Master ; direct experience is to stay un
shaken as the unitary Being after enquiry into the Self ;
56. You may now argue thus : Since the power of freedom from misery is to end limitations and the
multiplicity is said to be a superimposition like the appear
IB avidra.
ance of silver in mother-of-pearl and is therefore false, the
19 avaran.
20 vikshepa.
17 The knowledge 'This is persists whether we see rope or :2 1 paroksha ptana.
nake : it b unbroken, continuous and genera[, whereas there is n<J 22 aparoksha
knowledge of rope when it is seen a snake, nor of snake when seen
23 dukha
as rope. Such knowledge is real when rope is recognised, and
24 sukha aviipti.
unreal when snake is presumed.
 14

sense ot doership,
KAlVALYA NAVANEETA

and Supreme Bliss is the final accom

plishment, i.e. release from bondage.
- -l 66.
THE EXPOSlTION OF THl. l'RUTH

In the mahiiviikya referred to, the word

stands for almighty I svara and ' thou ' stands for the jlva.
15

That

But ultimately they mean respectively Brahman, who is

61. J shall now relate to you a story to illustrate this : free from Maya, and the inner Self who is free from limita
Ten men fordcd a stream and, on reaching the oth..:r shon:, ,iions. They arc now mutually bound up like butter in
each of them counted nine others and omitted to count boiled milk. Just as the milk is churned and the butter
himself. They were all perplexed (because the tenth man separated, so also you should realise the Self and thus stand
was missing ) . apart.

62 & 63. Ignorance is want of right understamlin 67. Th e way to get rid of the trappings ( of the jiva)
which causes confusion. ' The tenth man is missing - not is to kill the present idea that I am the body, which is only
to be found ' - this thought is the veiling. Grief at the a corpse after all, for it is a mere assemblage of the five
loss of the companion is vikshepa. To heed the words of elements. Nor can you be the breath which moves through
a sympathetic passer-by who says ' The tenth man is among the nostrils like the blasts of air blown by bellows. It is
you ' is indirect knowledge. When the kindly man further simply a function of rajoguna.
makes one of them count the others and points to the teller
as the tenth man, the discovery of oneself as the mi s si n g 68. Can the Self be the intellect or the mind which
tenth man forms di rect experience. The cessation of grief stand to each other in the relation of agent and instru"
for the lost man is freedom from misery. The joy of ment? These two sheaths arc only modes of satva
indubitable ascertainment by oneself is Supreme Bliss. guna. Let not the unedifying bliss of deep sleep be mis
taken for the Self, for it is only a mode of tamoguna.
64. The disciple prayed : '' Lord, Master ! pray show
me my real Self so that I may know It clS truly as the tenth
69. Know 'thou', as the Self, to be Sat, Chit, .Ananda,
man did in the anecdote."
the even, unchanging, single, eternal and all-pervading

Master : "There is th e nwhiivclkya I hat Thou Witness and rid yourself of the trap of the five sheaths

Art'. The verb art' in it establish.:s the identity of the which arc of an opposite nature - false, insentient. pain

pronoun::; 'That ' and 'thou . in their ult imate meaning. r ful, etc."

shall explain how it does so. Hear me.

70. Discitlfe : When l dissociate myself from th.
65. Just as the ether though single ls fourfold, as the live sheaths and l01)k beyond, there remains only a blank.
wide expanse, the ether in tl1e clouds, the ether in the pot, J see nothing more than that. Am I to take this blank. for
and the reflection in water, so Chit, which is single, is called the supreme experience of the Self? Tel l me this truly.
the all--pervading Brahman, Isvara, the self, and the jiva. my Master."
 ---r

16 KAIVALYA NAVANEETA THE EXPOS I I IOr--1 OF THE TRUTH 17

71. On this request of the disciple, the Master funhct Brahman which is ne ver bound by limitations is the pri
said : In the anecdote the tenth man, of deluded intellect, mary meaning of 'that'. Their secondary meanings arc
after counting only nine men and not recognising himself the transient jlva and lswara respectively. Two sep arat e
as the tenth, was stupefied. Can such stupor be the tenth l'ntities can never be identical.
man '! Good son ! you arc the seer of all (blank and the
five sheaths). 77. 'The distinc tion s between lsM'ara and the jlva are
due to their names, localities, artificial limit ations , bodies
72. By the Lord under the sacred banyan tree! and capacities. They arc as far apart as the upper and the
speak the truth : You are the unchanging Witness of the nether regio ns . Th ei r iden tity is unthinkable with these
gross, subtle and (causal) ignorance, the waking, dream ; ;ssoci ations .
and sleep states, and the passage of time - past, present 78. When the conventional acc eptations of terms
and future, which endlessly rise and fall. like waves in the ;1ppear inconsistent the pandits of anc ient lore bring out
ocean of bliss. the true mea nings by employing three methods of exegesis :

disjunction. conjunction or the two combincd.26

7 3. Do not ask ' By what light shall l see mysdf who
am the all-seeing witness? ' Can there be a light to illumine 79. (I) 'The house (2) 'The
on the Ga nge s ' ; 27
the self-luminous Light? The tenth man knows himself as black remained and the red fled ';28 and( 3) ' This is that
such among the others. - Is there an eleventh man in Devadatta' are (respective) exam ples of t h e above. The
him? apparent contradictions in several scriptural passages arc

eliminated hy a judicious use of these I h ree exegetical

74. To argue that another knowledge is necessary to methods.
make knowledge known, is foolish, and leads to inter (Here only the last .is appl icable )
minable controversy. You are neither known nor un

known. Realise yourself as self-shining 80. In the ' This is that Devadatta ', the
man who was seen i n another pla ce and on another occa-
7 5. Is not the nature of sugar to he Wl'l't what makes and also known as Devadatta. is this man who is seen
the sweets sweet ? Realise yourself as 1 he meaning of 'I ', in this phtcc aud on this occasion. Although the time and
which makes known objects as ' this and 'that '25 and place arc diikn:nL a lii ! le consideration reveals the man to
Itself lies beyond them. he the sai!IL'.

76. The Self, as descri bed above, is the primary mean 6 Jc:that 1!1..-,!Jfo'Jur it!;ut !nJ..- .,/uJnti ;;.nd iulutt!uiolillt
ing of ' thou ' (in the mlihiiviikya : ' That thou art ') .
.!'.1eaning the hw,,,. ili:.' :,!.ore nf !he (,.,,,::c ll>l on lilt'
waters of the river.
25 Or ; ' the seen ' and ' the unseen . 2BMeaning the blac.k eo\\' rtm::incd ;,nd ilK rnl I" r":' lkd
2
 IR KAIVALYA NAVANELTA I !lL E:<.POSITI0:-.1 OF ; :H lRC !"H l 'i

o l. Similarly, in the words 'That' and thou , their

' feet of the Master. He rose up, came mund the Master

literal meanings excl u ded, the Consciousm:ss-Principle is and with folded hunds spoke to him :--
t<1ken as Brnhman and the Witness, whose unbroken iden
86. " Lord, you a re the Rca!ity remaining as my
tity is established by 'art'. so that Brahman iq the Self , i n mos t Self, ruling me during all my comtlcss incarnations '
<md the Se l f is Brahman. Glory to you who have put on :m cxh:rnai form in order to
instruct me ! I do not see how 1 can repay your Grace f<>r
82. The ether reflected in water in a pot, Jlld in tht holy lect ! '
hctving liberated me. Glory ! Glory tc' your
cloud s 29 are both of them circumsi.antial and thcR;'on:
,

unreal, whereas the space in U-.e pot und !he wide c;.;p;m:: 87. The Master beamed on him spoke, drew himas he

are t oge ther one and the same. S i rni larly all-pervading near and said very lovingly : ' the Self,
To stay lixcd in

Br ahm an nnd th e Witness in the i n d ivid ual being aru without the three kinds of obstacles obstructing your ex
together one and the same. You must experience it so perience, is the hi gh e s t return you can re n der me .
that you may remain fixc:d in t!1e realisation : I <nn l.h,:
88. " ! Can such realisatiPn as has trans
lvty Lord
Reality
cended the d u al perception of You and 1 :. and found
.
'

the Self to be entire and all-pervading, Jail me at any

83. On h e ar i ng this, the disciple, loyal to the ir,,;truc
time?"
tions of the master discarded the five sheaths and the blank,
The master replied : .. The truth that 1 am
realised tbc Sel f as l am B r ahman ', \Vent beyond !hat rtnd
the scr ipt u re s or by the Grace of
'

Brahman is realised from

remained as Perfect Being.
the Master but it c an not be tirm in t h e face of obstructions.

84. At the ghmce of the Master who was Grace incar 89. Ignorance, uncertainty and wrong knowledge, an-'
nate, the worthy di sci ple sauk into the Ocean of Bliss and obstacles resulting from long-standing habits in the innumer
merged as the undi vided \Vhok, as r;;m: C\m.ci,llL'r<c.-;s free able incarnations of the past which cause trouble and then
from body , organs and all c!:e, ,., !th mind ma:..io: perfect the fruits of realisation slip away. Therefore root them out
so that he became the true S:.:1L 1:n;1,m ,,l;i1L :1wake. hy hearing Truth, reasoning and mcditation.30

85. After the blessed di,;cip!c: h:1d rclrwincd .in tha t 90. ('he eked by incantations,21 fire will not scorch.

state for a long ti m e , his mind gc:ilt:y turned outward. 'I'hen Likewise ddcctive realisation will not put an end 1\l

llc saw his glorious l\1astsr txi"<.Yc :;:1. His eyes were fill bond a ge. Th:rc'forc devote yourself to hearing the Trutl'

ed with tears of joy. He was full ,)r love and feH at the reasoning and mcdiL<l:on and root out ignorance. unce;

t<:inty and wron.z knowledge.

29 The ether is invisible.
But the region in which the clouds
re, is marked off in our vision. 1t is therefore said to be the 30 SravaJZa, trUiiUi!U? and nididhvli..wuitL
.
cthl'r reilec<cd in the clouds. :n sthambluma.
20 .KAJVALYA NAVANEElA rHE EXPOSITION Or THE TRUTH 21

91. Ignorance vei1s the Truth that the Self is Brahman 96. Should passions rise up they disappear instantly
and shows forth m ultiplicity i nstead ; u n certainty is the and cannot taint the mind of the Brahmavids w h o l i v e i n
confusion resulting from 1ack of firm faith in the words of detached l ik e water o n a lotus kaf. Thev look
the Master ; the illusion that the evanascent world is a rea not showing forth their and remain mute
Jity and that the body i s the self is wrong k n owledge. So owing to i ntensity of inward Bliss.
say the sages .
07. Priirabda. i.e. karma w h ich is now bearing fruit,
92. Hearing the Truth is to revert the mi nd repeated Jitrcrs according to the actions of the persons in past incar

ly to the teaching : ' That thou art'. Reasoning is rational nations. Therefore their present pursuits also di1fer among
investigation of the meaning of the text, as already heard. illiinis who an: all however l iberated even here. They may

Meditat i o n is one-pointedness of m i n d . tapas ; or engage in trade and commerce , or

; or wander about as mendicants.
If every you do these. you will
liberation. 98. They would not t h i nk of the past or future ;
would partake of what comes unsolicited ; would not won
93. The practice must be kept up so long as the sense der if the sun turned into the moon or at any marvel. whe
or knower and knowledge persists. No effort is necessary ther the sky were to spread its shoots down like a banyan
thereafter. Remaining as pure, eternal consciousness un t ree or a corpse were to be revived ; nor would they dis
tainted like t h e ether and thus l iberated while alive, one tinguish good a n d bad, for they always remain as the un-
will live forever as That, after being disembodied also. Witncss of :::1 1 .

94. The wise, remaining like ether and liberated even 99. Among the other three c lasses. t h e vara and the
here, are of four classes. n a m ely Bralunmirl ( i.:. knowcr of l'arya remain settled in
Brahman) , vara, varya, and J'arisbta. in order of merit. The vara feels concern for the maintenance of the
hody ; the varya i s remin ded of it by others ; the varishta
95. The Brahmavids who hy s!cadfa;;t practice have
n..::v cr hceomes aware of the body either by himself or
gained clear realisation of Brahman, continue to perform through other-;.
even the hard duties32 of their caste alld stage in life.
exactly as prescribed by the siJstms. for the benefit of 1 00. Although there are distinguishing characteristic:>
<lthers, without themselves swc from their supremt' in the l ives of the diiTerent sages, who are themselves very
state. rare in the yet there is absolutely no difference in the

rurnii.1rwna ,/Jwrma. What can he the use of the hard won .\cllnildhi?
 0'
I RUTH -1
22 KAIVALYA :'-lt\VAFETA THF LXi>OSnlU::' OF T!H

The Bmhmavid who is ou twa rdly active, seem: corpse in due course ; then like a drop of water on red-hot
iron, the subtle body is dissolved in the Self which
under
sometimes to feel the misery of cala mi ties whereas t h e
others remain in u nbroken Bliss. lies these three bodies and remains entire all

I 0! .
Now if the Brahmavids live like the ignorant ho w 106. /\s soon as the entity of a pot is broken up the

ether in \he pot becomes indi<>tinguishab!e from the

i:!l!
arc they free from 1he cycle of births, and how is their
ignorance gone ? pervading ether. So also when th e limitatjon of the body is

The all-pervading Ether rt:mains uotaintcd by jil7anmukta reverts to the natural et ernal dis
gon::.', the
; the other four elcments are tained by contact embodied state of Liberation. free from beginning, middle
So it is with the Bnhmavid and the ignorant. or end and in or out.

107. seems to be
!02. The immemorial Vedas declare that single-minded Just
devotion to a holy sage is not only pleasing to Brahma. newly opened in a well which is newly dug, so Brahma n
and Siva together, but also secures the rewards of though yd appears as if realised afresh by
all the Vedic rites. and liberation from the cycle of enquiry into the self as taught by a master or the scriptures .
births. Therefore, 0 son. he at peace th at we are always the same
Now listen how liberation while alive persist.' limitless Being !
a fter disembodiment alw.
108. rhe whole universe is as vnreai as water h1 a
I 03. Manifold karma in :,tore, in many bi rth:, _ iilicr in mothcr-(lf-pearl, the city of Gandharvas in
is altogether burnt away in the fire like cotton in thl:' air, the dr>:amland ol' dream, the blue of the sky, the
a huge conflagration. in a mpc, th.: offsp:ing of a barren woman, the born
Further kmrna can n.. ver approadr of a ur 1he thief in a thick post. 0 Son ! Pure
the j1u!ni. Consciousness is alone real. Do not th0refore the

The k arma which i lr\ nlH_lt precnl Sdf Hi <mv moment.

is exhausted by ih fruits.

l 04. will the merits uHi tk;,;_; ;>;

How <tetions duri ng
Thu ,-mls tlle Hr,;t Section nf Na wm"ila.
his experience of prli:ra6da cca'"C ; ,, allcct him later on?
His detractors share the dcmui;, ,,rH.J his devotees the
merits.
I 05. The causal body oJ ignor:mce is reduced to ashes
in the lire of rare .fniina ; the visible gross body becomes a
 DOU B T S C t FARED A\VAY 2 \

ance has a1ready b ee n disrelled by your teaching, yet, s i r ,

seck m or e from y o u that I may be firmlv fixed i n the Self.

SECTION 1 1 r1 . You were pleased to say ' Know it fro m the

tures ( that the Self is Brah man ) , Non-dual Brahman cannot
DOU BTS CLEARED AWAY be reached by speech ( study or discu ssio n ) . l t m ust be
realised in the Heart. Self-shining Brah m an cannot be
I. J ust as men dig a hok, gently piant a l o ng
..
reac hed by the m iserabh.; mind. Th e<;e two doubts h ave
in i t , fill i n earth a nd ram i t in, to fix it l i nnly so too,
lrisen . please clear t h e m .
take t o clearing away do u bt s that your m ind which has
r eali sed the Self as being the Supreme Consciousness m a y Master .
7. As Brahman i s n o t a n object of the
re mai n unsh a k e n . . , -;enscs nor of i n fere n c e , and as there is no second to I t ,
it is beyond direct perception, i nfer.en cc o r aealogy.1 Also
2. T h e d isciple, pure minded and Self-realised, clung
know that being free from attributes, It cannot he expressed
to his master from t he time of wrong identification of the words.
self with the body to t he mo ment of u nmoded, u n emhodied
l i heration. Jike a y oung. monkcv to its mother. IS . Vedas which declare that B rahman lie
The
beyond w ord s also signify l t by t h e text (' That thou art )
3. Finding that the loving discipk keeps to him l i k e l f you ask w h i c h is right, know that both an.' right for the
h i s shadow, t h e Master asks h i m " Are you able to stay
: Vedas can never be u ntrue.
unshaken as a mere witness ? your doubts d is
H ave all
9. A girt says Not he . Not he ' o f all ot h e rs , and
a ppeare d ? Or, does .t h e sense of differentiation c re e p in
remain s shy a n d silent when her lover is pointed out. In
at times ? Tell me you r condition."
the same way, the Vedas clearly deny what i s not Brahman,

4. On t his the disciple bowed to the fed o f the as ' Not this,' ' Not this,' and indicate B rahman by silence.

M aster and said : " Father. dare t he phantoms of differcn

I 0. H avi ng a nswered the first part of your question,
tmtwn which can roam a bo u t only i n the darkness of proceed to a n swer the second.
ignorance, in the wi lderness of worl d l y life , appear to the The Heart governs the exte r n al senses, its facul
inner vision in the broad daylight of w i sdom after t he Sun ties play , i n te rnally and externally, as i n tellect and mind.
or your te ac h i ng has risen over the summi t of your Grace '.)
I I. A s your face is seen reflected i n a mirror, so t h e
5. Even after the de v i l is e x orcised, just as the p <::rson i m age of Pure Consciousness2 i s seen i n i n tellect. Along
who was pos sessed is further prote ct e d by a talisman
anum{ina and upamiina.
any return of the trouble, so also t h ou gh my ignor-
26 KAl V A I Y A N .'- \" A ?\ E E T A DO U H TS C L Ei\lZED A W AY 27

with this, mind proceeds to function, and 1 hi is called seven,] worlds in a trice . b e stilled so that it may rcm a m
k nowledge, my good son ! steady in the Self l i k e a flame p rot ec te d from draughts '!
Tell me k i ndly .. ,
1 2.As molten met a l takes the shapes uf the mould
i n to which it is pnurcd, so the mind assumes the shape: I 6. Master : The active m ind is composed o[ three
of the objects, and they are re v e al ed by the r e flected l ight . gunas : when on!; of them is uppermost, the other two lie
Without cycsiht and light. thing in dark ness cannot be cove rt. Wit !! .1at ;a guna. divine qu alities manifest :.-.vith
discov.:rcd:' rujOJ:illfW. t he tenden ci es pertaining to the worl d , the bod)
a n d the scislra.\ . 5 With wmogwza the: e v i ! n atu re 6 man ifest..
13. The aid of a burning lamp a nd dear eyesight arG

required to discowr an object in darkness. But to see the 1 7. Satva is the very nature ot the mind whereas the
Sun, eyesight alone will do. To see t h e manifest univero other two quaiities a re mere adjuncts and can therefore be
both moded mind4 and reflected consciousness are neces ba n i s h ed irom it.
sary. But to realise the Reality. modcd mind eager fm I f one holds shadily to one s divineness. raj(4S
realisation wil l alone serve. and wnws get strangled, so th at the internal stresses a n d
lhc external m anifold d i sappe ar. When this happens, your
1 4. The union of the moded m i n d and th-:- rellecteli
m i n d shines forth untainted an d becomes motionless and
self i s calied the m ind.
ubtlc like the ether. And then it mllura:ly becomes one
Bra h m a n can be reached by the mind for th
with B rah man, which is al ready o , and remains i n un
reason that the mode Of mind directed to ilself is necessar)
diifcrcnti<i! c d Fe;: cc ( ".iirvif, olpa ,\umiidhi ) .
for real i s a t ion . Brahman cannot be r each e d by that part
of the m i n d which i s reflected consci)usncss. Tlms recon- 1 8. When one stainless m i rror is pl aced in front of
ciling t iw mean ing, be free from doubt:" ;mother :similar one, the reflecting surfaces onewi.ll be
undistinguihablc whol e . Simi larly when the whi.:: h
mind
1 5. Dis. ip/e : '' \Vorthy m a st( of u r, l n \\ isJom. I
is clear has become one with t he Infinite, Sat, Chit, A nanda,
hav..:: u ndcrs:.ood yo u r teachin:; so t a r. Plc;J'' iet me as k
Brah rmm .. and re m a i n s tmt aintccl, how can t here he the
you a nother 'uestion : l<ree from nwn:me n L un b roke n .
m:mlfold (\r m O I'cnwnts i n the m i n d ? Tell me . ' '
perfec t . and tran sformed intoThut, is not :uch a state or
mi n d cal>cd Sanuldhi Yoga ( or ll n ion i n Peace ) ? How 1 9. Disciple : " How then can the wie. liberated
c a n thi mind ahvay; movin' l i ke : t w i ng, and raising u p
'V h i l c alive, ex h au st their priirabda if their J:J<i.nd has lost
3 Light remoVe>, darkn::: >.: :. but the o h: c c l m u:.t l.t: seen hy 1 11
it self in Brahnwn ;md hecomc one \Vith It ? h it nut done
c :, . Sin1iiarly thlo modes of m i nd arc ohjccL: v;hic.h ae i l l wnined
hv the rellec:cd l i "c:ht of th: rr,ind. .;) Loka v(isana) dcha L(i ( tNlu ;a;d \"ii.stnt \'{[ \'(!rla.
.
.J. Vrit lf. {l .1i \'U.''] \'r1!!lpllf.
2X KAIVA L YA N A V i\ N E E TA DOI.' HTS C L E A fi. ED /\ W A Y 29

experiencing its results '? Such e xperience would 22. On h ea ri n g that the whole period of activity i \
require the m i n d . There cannot be any kind of also the st:!le of peace, you may object, ' Does not
i n the absence of the mind. If the m i n d per action denote c h am!i n g mind, a n d on such does not
be s a id to be l i be ra te d ? l am con
Peace away ? '
Be p l e a se d t o clear this dou b t of mi n e ,
Juscd on t h i s point.
The state of the sage i s like that of a girl who
for I can not be liberated unless al l my doubts arc cleared
n ever ceases to thril l with love for her paramour even while
away . "
he at ten d s to her d u ti e s at home.''
20 . Master : The an n i h ilation of the m i nd i'i of t wo
Disciple l iberated w h i te alive,

23. : S h o u l d the sage,

grades : namely, of th e mind pattem7 a n d of the m ind
who has transcended the i ncidents of the
itself.s The former a pp l i es to sages l i berated w h i le ,dive .
sense of doe rsh io and the whole indivi d u a lity, and become
the latter to disem bodied sages.
one w i t h of pra-
E l i mination of rajas and tamas satva
leaving iw must also b e t h e doer. Can there be

cdone is t h e dissolution of the pattern of t h e m in d . 0 sin less to a perfect non-doer '!

one ! when satva yanishcs along with the subtle b od y , the Master who removes all m isery ! please eludd:!k
mind itself is said to have perished too. this point."
Master : ' Hear their g reat n e ss as Perfect Doer:-;,
21 . is pure and forms the very nature of the
Satva Perfect Enjoyers and Perfect Renounce rs.
mind ; when rajos a n d tamas ( w h ic h g i ve t h e p a tt e r n
to i t ) are des troyed ( by proper practice ) , the 24. A s a h i !! of lodestonc n e i t h er moves o f itself nor
of the term ' mind i s l ost . For. i n such a

in motion, a n d p i ece s of iron orient t h em -

sages will partake of what comes unsolicited to them ; not selves towards it, I n e i th er act by myself n o r actuate others,

think of the past or h1turc ; nor exalt in joy or l a m e nt in and t he whole world is active before me. Like the Sun
so rro w ; getting ove r t h e i r docrs h i p , hccu m i n g n o n-doers , I rem ain an u n concerned witn e ss of aH the functions of
witnessing the m e n t a l modes a n d l h L' t h ree states9 they ca n
i hc . cm:es, e tc . and also of the state of Peace resu l t

remain li be rated at t he same t i m e a-; they pass thr ough i ng from r iK merging o f the m i nd in B rahman. On.:
Priir<:bd!w . Th e re i s no cnn t radi..:tion i n i t . You need possessed of ! h i s f i rm e xpe ri ence i:.; the Perfect Doer.
have no dou bts on t h i s poi n t .
25. T h,, Pnkct is he w ho partake of a n )
without discriminat in:1 \ h ..: l h c r i t
7 Sarupa : lit., in its form. o r not, c k:an or u nch:an.
a A rupa : lit., ( the mind ) wlrich lws no form.
s The wak ing, dream and dreamles lecp states. 10 nle suhtle a nd t h c r">"' c:bll'" -"'CL"d and '" IHL
: o :K A l V A L Y ,\ -i AV,\N FTA DOU B TS C L EA R E D A\.VAY 3

. :.: a D l crbll)l fire consuming all that l ies in its way. H, ... :md masters) ; those who have doubts must cngag: in
whose m ind is crystal clear, unallectcd by passing reasoning ; thm;c who are in the grip of wrong
great or :-:mall, good or bad, his own or others', is the Per must meditation . Can there be anything
f<;-:t Renouncer. A liberated sage is strictly an exemplal
" for those who have become the r. al ethereal Being, Cons
or these three virtues ( :. i ousnes -P.Crfcction ? "
.,
o ,.
Disciple : " How can it be reckoned that the task
30. " Lord. hear me ! Can the wise alsu
of the sage is finishcdn jf Pftlrabda he liv..:c; on in a
suy like the did J saw - l ate and .I went ?
and teach i ng to suit others d esi ro us m : i be n
'

body
You say that knowledge. C:J n
tion ? 0 Master \Vl10 s o graciously re m o ved th c:1use '
realisation of is admit of such
my answer m . "
me on t h is
27. Occup atio ns of people arc o f t h ree:
},faster : "

kinds : pertai n ing to life, here or here after, arc

T ho1;e 31. .Master " A person v. ho wakes up from a dream
.

for the ignoran t, possessed by desire for enjoyment,12 sense of his cxpcdences in the dream. In the same way.
of ownership 13 and attachment to the body. Only those the Sdf-rc a !iscd sage though using the language of the
who long for deliverance turn to the learning o( the Truth , is not bound as the ego. A man who commit:;
etc. Is there anything to be by learning or ot he r himself to the names on the eve of his becoming an
similar actions for a person who is al l-perfect ? " immortal god is oi a a man, :mtil his body 1s
reduced to a';hcs. So alw. the c.:;o-frce sage a ppe ar s to
28. Disciple : " 0 Crest jewel among M as te rs ! hear function like otbcrs until he is disembodied."
me. .it is right that they al on e can true wisdom
who h ave deliberately di;can.lcd the joys of lif..: he r.: a n d
32. Disciple : ' H so, 0 J\1aster ! t hough t he objects
hereafter . Can those who have 1 U I nd away rmm worl dly are unreal, would not the transacti ons ( a ssociated with
:1ctivi tics and rituals to trcc:d tlr,: p:tth o f ! ever
them ) cause ? Can they bestow the Bliss of Know
turn hack to the oid methods ?
ledge '? H can be felt only in their abcnce. ls it not
Arc not heari n g . n:-:l:'{H 1 i m cmd m e di ta tio n neccs
neces;ary to he onc-pointed ? A nd i f the peron prac
sary to mah:.: the m i n t! l l r m ? TcH me trulv ! ''
tises it. cm h e be :>:1id to h ave finished his task ? "

29. Alaster : " Wise ;on . h,_:a r me. who do not

know must learn t1w Tr u ! h ( as by the 33. Master : .. S...: l f.r:alised son ! Activities e n d w h .n
priirabda end s . L :wt of "iwniidfti o r world
..

11 kritakritya.
ly work an ,f ( llL' m;nd ? Bcin_,! < l h.' with t h e
12 bhogeccha
13 mwnata. t ranscendent Self, c;m he do dilf,:rl' l l t from IT J
--r

KA!VALYA N A VAN E ETA

TXJlJ BTS CLF.\RED AWAY 33
32

h.: Look how the moon, who d c l i gh t 5 the w orl d , i s only one,
Should he be practis ing samiidh i.14 h e can not be :,aid to
whereas her reilected images are as many as there are
establis hed i n the Sel f . "

ponds, poo;s, tanks, streams, cisterns and p itchers of wate r .

34. Disciple : " Master suprem e ! How is it tht:n Where one of them is destroyed, the image is no longer
and have
t ha t some of those who are establis he d in the Self, reflected, hut i s rcabsorbed in its origi n al , namely the moon.
m edit a t i on s '?
noth i n g more to do. p racti se mind-re stra ining It c ann ot be so with the other refl ected i m age s . In the
Muster : " I h av e already told you that the s ages same manner, the jiva whose i i mitations are dest roy e d Is

l i be rate d while alive, app e a r to he active in m <Ln)' ways withdrawn into its somce, the Self, others not. ''
according to their prarabdu.
40. Disciple : " How can a jn r"in i be the same as
35. ' My good boy, hear me further. The activit ies oi Isvara, who is B rahma, Vishnu, and Siva, the Lords of
not
the sage are solely for the uplift of the world. H e does creation, p re se rva ti o n , and destruction of the universe ?
stand to l ose or g ai n anyth ing . The Al mi g ht y who is onl) Th e y can divine t h e thoughts of o t h e rs ; k now the past,
the sto re of Grace for the wo r l d , is not affected ny the preent15 and future ; and are i mmanent in alL 0 M aste r
merit or deme rit of the creation , etc . " of i m mense austerities ! I do not fin d even a trace of these
36. D isciple : " 0 M as ter , y o u who arc formless ( trans t} u al it ies in the jniini."

cendentally ) , functi on as lsvara ( cosm i ca lly ) , and appear

41. Muster : " The water in a tan k , and a powerf u l
i n human form ( here ) ! You speak of a fniini and lsvara
light, help the whole village whereas a pot of wa te r and a
as the same. How can they be so ? " tah lc-lamp hdp o n l y the family circk in a h ome 0 son .

Master : " Yes. Isvara and the jniini are the

in the c o m p any of th e wise ! Isvara and the jnilni do not
same becau se they are free from " l " Mine . The
and differ in their jnanaY' However,
"
associated with the
jnlini is himself Jsvara, the totality of the jivas. a n cl aho tlw limitation s of M(7yii, th ey art spoken of as superi or and
cosmos . " inferior.

37.
Disciple : ' ' Lord , if a s you S<lY he is all _ii vus
42. Lih the kings and the siddhas17 among men, the
when he is liberated, how can others remain bound ? H the
god:;,, o :Jch as N:irayana, have ome extrao rd ina ry powers
jlv as are s aid to be diverse, he c ann ot be al l . All-knowi ng.
Master ! please answer me t h is q u e sti on i n detail . 15 Even remote or h idden.
Hi W i ,,dum, namelv
the realisation ' I am Brahman .
' 17 Aclepts who h a v" <l t quin:d t he k nowledge of
38 & 39. Muster : ' ' The Self, which shines fort h :.J.s everything past.
and future, rcmo:.e o r hidden ; they divine tht: thoughts of others
impartite . But j/vas are a ;
l-I in al l , is P erfect an d gain the strength of an eleph;mt, the courage of a l
i on, and the
' '

diverse a s the l i mitations i n the form o f ego ( m ake them ) . :-;wiftnc.s3 of the wind ; fly in the air, float on water.
d ive into the
earth, contempla te all worlds at a f!l:mcc, and perform other
strange I
feats.
14 The re are said to be six kinds of somiidhis
3
 - ------- --------.,-

34 KAIVALYA NAVANEETA DOUBTS CLEARED AWAY 35

like anima, m etc., because of their extraordinary an tecedent tapas, 22 the former bestows the powers desired, and the

austeriti e s . A lthough men do not possess these powers and latter wisdom. Each can yie l d its alloted fruits only. That

therefore appear less, yet from the standpoint of Brahman is the law. The ancient sages had evi dently performed
there is not the least difference between them. both kinds of tapas.

43 . Disciple : "0 Master who has caused m y deli 46. " Sinless son, Janaka, Mahabati, B hagirata and

verance ! Although there have been many sages in the others got deliverance only. Did they display any siddhis ?

world who possessed these e xtraordinary powers like anima ( No ) . Some of the sages sought siddhis only ; others

( minuteness ) , etc . , you say these powers are lsvara's own, sought both siddhis and emancipation. These siddhis art;)

Please make the matter clear to m e . " simply for display and nothing more. They do not make for

Master : " Know t h a t the powers are the fruit:' liberation."

of their devotion to the Glorious Almighty Being, their 47. Disciple : " If emancipation be the sole outcome
austcrities19 and practices of ".:w of the realisation of identity of the individual self

. 44. Disciple : " 0 Siva in the form of my M aster ! H the Universal Self, how then did some of the sages23 who

these powers and Deliverance arc together the fruits of were liberated here and now, exert themselves for the

tapas, then a l l the sages should possess both , as the ancient attainment of siddhis? "

sages did. We have known that the ancient s ages h ad these Master : " Priirabda spends itself only after bes

siddhi.s and were also liberated at the same time. Why do towing its fruits, to be experienced ( as pain or pleasure ) .

not a l l jnanis possess such powers as well? " Therefore the siddhis gained by emancipated sages must b.;:
considered to be the results of priirahda only."
45. Master : " Of the two types of tapas, namely,
tapas for the fulfilment of one's desires,21 and dispassionate 48 & 49. Disciple : "0 Master who so graciously
answers all my questions with holy texts and reasoning, s o
IllThe powers are "'gm
I. A nima : Shrinking to a m i n u t e form. that my mind m a y r e m a i n unshaken, I a m n o w free from the
2. Mahimii. : Enlargement to a delusions of the mind, 24 and remain pure and clear. There
3. Lagl1imii : Levitating (e.g., :;l.mheam to
the solar orb) ;
is certainly no harm in cleaning a mirror25 a little more even
4. Priikiimya : Possessing unlimikd n:a<:h of th e organs (as though i t is a l ready clean.
touching the moon with the tip of a finger) ;
5. Garimii. : Irresistible will ( for i nstance, sinking into the 22 nioll k a m va.
earth as easily a:J in water) ;
23 e.g., Chitdii.la (vide Yoga Vasishta)
6. isitii : Dominion over aU animate or inanimate ;
24 The deftp,ions are of five kinds : ( I ) that the world is real,
7. Vasita : Faculty of course of nature ; and
(2) that I am the body, ( 3 ) that I am the doer and the e x pcricncer,
8. Prapti : Ability to accompt everything desired.
( 4) that I am separate from the Almighty, and ( 5 J that Pure
19 e.g., fasting, prayers, rituals.
Consciousness is not " I " but Siva.
20 Meditation with control of breath, in particular postures.
25 The ancient metallic mi rror is mea nt here .
21 sakii,mya.
 - -,---

36 KAIVALYA NAVANEETA
DOUBTS CLFARED A\VAY 37
0 Lord who has removed my misery ! Your words
are like nectar and do not satiate. Can the scriptures say falling into a ditch even with their eyes open, those of out

anything that is not absolutely true ? Gracious Master, how going mind look ior the fulfilment of their desires, fall into

can I reconcile the two statements : the karma of any per the con temptible sea of never ending rebirths and cannot
son wears away only after bestowing its fruits ; and : the gain Li be r ati on . ' '
fire of pure wisdom burns away the karma which is waiting
to bear fruits later on ? "26 54. Disciple : " Are not the good and bad actions
actuated by Isvara ? What can the {ivas do who are them
50. Master : " My son, the fivas are unlimited ( in
elves His creatures ? How are they to blame, worthy
number, capacity and kind ) , and their actions also arc
master ? "
similarly unlimited . In three sections27 the beneficent
Vedas prescribe according to the aptitudes of seekers, with Master : " My son, hear me ! These are words
preliminary views succeeded by final conclusions,23 like of illusion, worthy of fools ignorant of the dear meaning of
iiowers by fruits. the scriptures.

51. " Is it not true that sinners who must suffer in the
l1clls, can yet be saved from them by means of pious gifts,
55. The creations of the Almighty Lord and of the
mantras, austerities, yajna and the like ? He who has faith individual jlva are different. The Almighty's creation is cos
mic, and consists of all that is mobile and immobile. The
in the saying of the Vedas that the fire of jniina burns away
all karm a waiting to yield its results, attains Liberation."
unworthy j'iva's creation, which consists of attachment,
passions, desires and the like, pertains to the ego and is
52. Disciple : " Beloved Master who ever abide in certainly not of the A lmighty.
the tabernacle of my heart ! When true wisdom can root
out the karma which has been accumulated in m:my incar 56. The creations of the Almighty Lord, who func
nations, and l iberate the person, why do even the most tions threefold,30 may constitute the means for Liberation,
brilliant of men not profit by this wisdom, but faH into the whereas those of the j'ivas are the maladies which caust:
rut of karma and perish ? Please ex pl ain ! ,. them successive reincarnations. Liability to birth does not

53. Master : " My son, those of in-turned mind29 will

end for <my one, even if creation comes to an end, but it ends

realise the everlasting That. Like absent-minded walhrs on the giving up of one's p assions and the like.

26 Sanchita Karma. 57. Wh oeve r got free from rebirths at the time of the
27 Karma, up?isana and jniina. dissolution of the Lord's creation ? (No one ) . Despite the
23 siddhii nta.
29 i.e., thme who look on the diversity as an i llusory phe;m persistence of time, space and bodies,
people have been
menon, or thwe who consider Brahman to be the undivided Whole. liberated even here, by destroying the illusion of individual

so A'> the Creator, the Pre:,erver and the Destroyer.

 \-

DOUBTS CLEAR ED AWAY 39

38 KATVALYA N AVANEETA

6 1 . 0 son, whose fetters o f worldly life are broken I

creation, and gaining Knowledge. Therefore bondage and
the celestial tree,33 fire and water, protect those who seck
illusion are clearly of the jiva's own making and not of the
them , by fulfilling their desires, keeping them warm and
Lord's.
quenching their thirst. So also Isvara is kind to His devo
58. There is a tree, called the Asvattha and two birds tees and not so to others. Now think well and judge whose
live on it. One of them who is full of desires, enjoys the fault it is.
fruits, saying ' This is sweet - this is sweet '. The other,
62. Now, my son ! here is the vital point : Rebirths
who is highly esteemed, does not eat thereof. Un derstand
this parable by which the holy Veda describes the jlva and will be at an end for him who adopts with perseverance the

l svara.31 way to Del iverance shown by God in the scriptures, follows

t h e sages, gives up his evil propensities, discriminates the
59. Those fools head for disaster who in their ignor Real from the unreal , rejects the ill usion born af ignorance
ance attribute to God the six evils,32 which are of their own and gains Wisdom ( by realising the Self) . Then and then
making, but the wise will gain untainted deliverance who o n ly will rebirths be at an end for him . This is the Truth.
recognise the same evils to be of their own making and not
God's." 63. This Wisdom can be gained by a long course of
,
practice of unceasing enquiry into the Self. .
60. Disciple : " 0 Master, who are Bliss incarnate ! Disciple : " What is this enquiry ? ''
how is it that God who is impartial, advances a few and
.Haster : " E n q u i ry consits in pondering over
degrades others ? ''
the quelions : Who i s this l i n the body, including mind,
Master : " He is like the father who encourage
senses, etc. ? What is sentience ? What is insentience ?
his sons who are in the right way, and frowns on the other
What is their combination called hondage ? What is
sons who are in the wrong way. Know it to be very m ercy
Release ? "
to punish the erring and turn them to be righteous.
64. Disciple : '' The cumulative effect of all the
3 1 This parable is found in the Mcmdakopani5had. The body
is compared to a tree because it can be felled. Its roots are high meritorious actions of past births would confer jnlina on

in the holy Brahman and its branches are low, as the vital airs us. What is the ne:d for an enquiry into the Self ? ''
and the like. Its duration cannot be definitely ascertained and there
fore it is called A svattha (i.e., not dependable ) , the holy fig tree. Ata.1 rer : " Hear me ! The unselfish actions which
rts stay is coeval with ajnana and there fore indeterminate. The
\vere rendered unto God help to keep o ff impurities, and
Fivas require the body for experiencing the resu l ts of their karma.
Hence it is said to be the kshetra ( abode ) . In this dwelling place, make the mind pure. The mind which has thus been puri
there live the two birds, namely the ego and the Universal Self who fied begins to enquire into the Self, and gains Knowledge."
are respectively the experiencer and the unconcerned Witness.
32 viz., kiima, krodha, lobha, m oh a, mada & miit.carya (lmt,
33 Kalpaka vriksha.
anger, greed. delusion. conceit and jealousy ) .
 '

T \

40 KAIVALYA NAVA N E ETA DOO D TS C l. EA R H} 1\V, ;Y 41

65 . Disciple : " Holy Master ! is it not possible for stain on !he mirror. But to know that the bl ack i s a
rituals and other powerful actions which confer devotion, superimposition on the crystal, the mind alone will
dispassion, happiness in the other world, supernatural succeed .3"
powers, steadfastness in austerities, success in yoga, medi
tation and divine form, to give right knowledge which 70. Here also, non-being,3 insentience and misery are
removes illusion '? What need is there for en q uiry also ? " ail superimposed on Being-Consciousness-Bliss by ( the
play of ) Maya. They arc neither natural nor real. The
66. A1aster : Hear me, son ; if you want to identify
series of karma does not conflict with avidya ( ignorance)
'

the persons in a masquerade, you set about to discover their

though it is perishable ; on the contrary, it nourishes it.
nature, habits and traits which are now hidden. If on the
Jniina (Realisation) is the fire which burns away karma
other hand, you run about, jump, turn somersaults, climb
zmd ignorance.
posts, dance and fuss :Jbout, that will not help you to recog
nise them.
71. A man who has forgotten where he left his things
m the house cannot recover them by weeping even for a
67. Likewise enquiry alone can lead to the knowledge
hundred years. But he will get them only if he thinks the
revealed in the Vedas, w hich only point to Brahman
matter over and finds out. The Self is realised directly b y
in directly . Knowledge of the Self cannot be gained by a
Knowledge which destroys forgetfulness ( ignorance ) , the
study of the Vedas, feeding the hungry, performing austeri
root-cause of all misery, but it cannot be realised by any
ties, repe ating mantras, righteous conduct, sacrifices and
amount of h a rd worl,., though extended over several
what not."
aeons. ":l7

68. Disciple : 0 Master of crystal clear wisdom !

The stain34 on a shining mirror can be removed only by 72. Disciple : " Master ! why should the Veda, which
:1>ays that jniina is the sole means of Supreme Bliss, classify
rubbing it. Or has anyone made it stainless by knowledge
only ? Similarly the dirt of ignorance should be removed by karma, in the Karmakhanda, as merit, sin and a mixture

karma. How can it be done Qf the two which make the doers reincarnate as celestial
away with by Knowledge
which is only mental ? beings, animals ( be asts, birds, trees, insects and so on) and
Tell me.''
human being re:>pcctively and further prescribe special
69. Master : Son ! the stain on a ( metallic ) mirror duties for d i lirc nt castes and orders of men as conferring
is material and also natural to it. But the black is not happiness when p roperly done ? "
natural to the crystal ( quartz ) . It is only superimposed on ------ -- -

35 The master compares ignorance to the colour transmitted by

it. Appropriate work i s doubtless necessary t o re move the
a clear crystal hehind which a coloured foil is set.
36 Sunya : blank, void.
:14 The mi rror is metallic, and the stain is vcrcli gns. 37 Yugas.
f '
\

42 KAIVALYA NAVANEETA
DO U H T S CLEARED AWAY 43

73. Master : " Like t h e coaxing of a loving mother

other poessions ) '. Note further that complete renuncia
concerned with the sickness of h e r child who h as eaten
tion is not a slur on a sanyasin or a strict brahmachiiri.
earth, who offers it a tempting sweet in which a medicine
Understand the scheme as a whole, give up any desire for
is wrapped, the cheering statement of the Vedas ' Do your
action, and thus you will gain Beatitude.'
household duties - perform sacrifices - they are all
good ! ' means something different. rt is not understood by
77. Discip le : " 0 Master ! granting that actions sirn
seekers o f pleasures in heaven.
ply aid the ignorance which gives rise to the world, it
74. Look, it is only natural that pleasure-seek ers eat knowledge be inimical to ignorance which brings about this
what they and embrace whom they can. diversity, how can such ignorance co-exist with stainless
Would tlw
scriptures dictate what is after al l natural to every one " Knowledge l ike the soot in the moon and effect these crea
Do they not know so much ? No one need order : ' Cro\lt tions ? "
be black ! Fire burn ! Neem38 be bitter ! You fleet wind.
blow ! ' 78. '' 0 son ! Consciousnes s which is Itself
Master :
self-luminous has two aspects : pure Consciousness,41 and
75. When the Vedas enjoin : ' If you desire fermented modal consciousness.42 The former m anifests as the latter
drinks and meat, have them by performing sacrifices ; if and they are not therefore exclusive of each other. You
you have sexual impulse, embrace your wife ', the person is have known that pure Consciousness is not inimical to
expected to desist from other ways of satisfying his desires. ignorance in deep sleep. Modal Consciousne ss bums away
The Vedas aim at total renunci ation only." ignorance, which rests on pure Consciousness."

Disciple : " In that case, why should lhcre be

79. Disciple : " How can Miiyii which expands and
lhese commandments at all ? "
contracts like a bellows, remain unaffected by pure Con
Master : " They arc only prdi rninary7'9 and not but be burnt away by modal consciousness ? ''
finai.40
J\1aster : " See how the sun who shines over the
76.Note that the Vedas which advise thus : ' Drink
whole world and sustains it, yet becomes fire under a lens
the fermented juice - eat the meat ', say later on ' smell
and burns. So also, in samizdhi. modal consciousness can
it '. Note also the command ment : ' Desire sexual union
burn away
for the sake of a child ' . Note again (the command ment)
' Give up this also (i.e. sacrifice , marriage, wealth and 4 1 Svarima jndna . all-diffusive, static consciousness.
42 Vritti jna.na : directed or particularicd consciousness.
These
:m Margosa, or azadirachta indica. two can be compared to the latent energy in fuel and burning fire
39 p(.tnapaksha. which reduces it to ashes, or to electric current which remained
unmanifest in a live wire and the same current which manifests as
40 siddhiinta.
light in the filament of a bulb.

:.
-; -,
DO U B T S CLEARED AWAY 4S

44 KAJVALYA NAVANEETA That which i s heard from others will be wiped of1
heard .
the memory, b u t not that which is experienced. Therefore
80. Disciple : " Do not actions include all modes of
that W lit<1 is experienced is alone real, but not those things
mind, speech and body ? Is not modal consciousness ''
thal an. meditated. Know that knowledge hut not karma is
function of the inner faculty ? Then should we nat say that
the destroyer of ignorance at sight.
action ( a special mode of mind) des troys ignorance ? Why
is it marked off with the imposing tiiie of Knowledge ? 84. Do not doubt that unreal meditation can grant
Please explain me this." real iinal Deliverance. Hear me ! D u rlng meditation the
image meditated upon by hearsay is not real, but when i t
81. Master : " Modal consciousness is truly a mode oi
materialises a n d is s e e n face to face, i t becomes rcaL48
mind, but we h ave seen that the sons of the same mother
fight among themselves. 85. If you ask how unreal meditation leads to real and
everlasting Deliverance : Each one is reborn in accordance
Actions pertain to the doer, whereas knowledge
with the last thought of his previous life.49 Persons are
born of enquiry, does not pertain to the individual,43 b ut
pertains to the Thing in Itsel.44
reborn in the forms they meditated upon. But should one
meditate upon the Self in order to do away with any kind
82. The injunctions m a y be done, may not be done of rebirth, then one becomes the Self. This is sure and
or be done differently,4.> but Knowledge, which i s para certain."
mount, cannot be so.
86. Disciple : If those who meditate on attribute
Meditation ( as ' I am Brahman ' ) is certainly
less ( Le. tran scendental) Brahman,50 become That, 0 Master
different from Knowledge obtained by enquiry. To for
in human form ! where is the need for enquiry or for
m ulate one thing as another is forced yoga.45 Direct
k:p.owlcdge ?
knowledge47 can alone be true. Do not be deceived by
Master : " Meditation upon Brahman is based
fanciful ideas.
on hearsay ;51 however, it becomes a fact of experience in
83. Knowledge is the result of direct experience,
due cour<:c. This experience is called the everlasting
enquiry, k nowledge or jnana (which destroys ignorance ) ,
whereas meditation is mere mental i magery of something
or Del iv::nmce. This i s the final conclusion."52
43

45
Purusha tantra.
44 Vastu wntra..
Even the nirguna Brahma dhyiinn may be done as prescribed,
.
4S H fullu\; ..;that the ' I am Brahman ' of the co;1!emplative
stag. i ; no1 r_-;,1 hnt the: resulting experience ' I am Brahma n is
may be: omitted or may be done ut the sweet will of the person. fCll.
It is not intrinsic to the man as jniina is to the thing in Itself. 49 Vide S;inwd Bha;;avad Gita, Ch. VJJI.
4B There are different kinds of dhyiina. In one of them, Sali 50 Nirguna Brah man.
griim is meant to represent Vishnu, who is four armed, hold i ng a 51 Paroksha.
conch, a discus, a club and a lotu, . This dhy.(ir;a is forced but ycl 52 siddhiinta.
effective.
47 i.e., gained by expericm:e.
--,

-i6 KAIVALYA NAVAN E E TA

DOUBTS CLEARED AWAY 47
87 . Disciple : If modal consciousness53 ( after
hares,61 fought and stabbed each other. died together and
destroying ignorance) be left over in the all-perfect Self,54 turned into ghosts.
how can there be the experience of undivided being ? ''55
N o man o f sense will be excited on hearing this
Master : " Just as cleaning-nut 56 powder car story. 62
ries down the impurities57 in w ater, and settles down with
90. Since Maya itself is unreal, all its creation must
them, so also modal consciousness destroys ignorance and
likewise be unreal. Can the progeny be of a different
perishes with it."
species from the mother's ?63

RS. Disciple : " Well, what is the nature of the wise, Therefore, do not heed heaven or hell, good or

liberated here and now ? " bad ; but stay as the Self which is Sat-Chit-Ananda-Piirna
( Perfection ) ."
Master : " They are free from thoughts and
therefore live happy, like an undisputed suzerain of the 91. Disciple : " My Lord ! tll me, is it not blasphemy
whole world, or like a babe. The ideas of bondage and to deny as unreal, the lotus-seated Creator and the other
Release vanish for them altogether, so much so that they gods, the great men of the world , holy waters like the
laugh at those who speak of such things. For, are they not Ganges, the places of pilgrimage, the holy occasions, the
to be laughed at, who say that a mosquito took in the ether four Vedas with their six auxiliaries, 64 the mantras and
and vomited it forth ? austerities ? "

89. The son of a barren woman and the man seen in the 92. Master : " If it be sacrilege to deny dream

post58 wore flowers gathered in the sky, wrangled over the visions as false, it would be sacrilege too to deny the

price of the silver in mother-of-pearl, 59 in the city of the world65 which derives its existence from illusion. If on the

Gandharvas,60 armed themselves with the horns of other hand it is right to deny dream-visions, it is only right
to deny the world also which is derived from illusion.
53 Vritti jndna.
54 Paripurna. 93. If the Puriinas hold up as men of merit the
55 Aklzanda anublzava siddh i.
5 6 Strychnos potatorum. ignorant who regard the false as true, does any sastra attach
57 Lit. ' the mud '. censure to the jnani for calling the truth truth ?
ss In dim light, a thick post is m i taken for a man. Such an
illusory man is m ea nt here. In a s i m i l a r ' to r y Yoga Vasishta men
6 1 They arc no :1-existent.
tions the reflected image of a man in a mirror. 62 The otory s t a rts with two non-existent men and indulges in
59 The nacre of mother-of- pearl is mistaken for silver. This
mere fancy. The world and it3 activities are no more real t o t h u
fancied silver is meant.
jndni than this story is t o a n average man.
6 0 The Gandharvas are a class of celestial beings. At sunset,
63 e.g., can a m a rc bring forth a human b..:ing, :m elephant or
the clouds shine with gorgeous colours. In peculiar dispositions of
a bird ?
uch bright clouds, a fancy may sometime arise that it is the cheer
64 Such as chhandas. kalpa, jyotisha.
ful city of the happy Gandharvas.
65 With its contents.
l
48 KAIVALYA NAVANEETA
Miiyii, which appears as the elements a n d their
modifications with different names and forms, is false. Only
the Self which is all diffusive as Sat-Chit-Ananda, is the
Truth."
94. Disciple " 0 Master who an llke a typhoon in
;
dispersing the clouds of Maya I
(a) Of what nature i s Maya ?
( b ) Who are in its grip ?
(c) How did it come into being ?
(d) Why did it arise ?
(e) Duality is inevitable if Maya. is separate from
Brahman.
(f) If not separate, Brahman Itself is false (like
M aya)."
95. Master : " (a) Because its nature is
minable, Maya is said to be inexpressible.66
( b ) They are in its grip who think : " This is,
mine - I am the body - the world i s real."
(c) 0 Son , no one can ascertain how this myste
rious illusion came into being.
(d) As to why it arose, it is bcause of the
(person's ) want of vicluJra ( discerning enquiry ) .
96.( e ) and (f) A magician's unseen powers remain
unknown until hordes of illusory beings m ake their app e ar
ance in the show. Similarly the countless powers of Brahman
remain unknown, but they are inferred only after the m ani
festation of the elements.
GG A nirvaclwniya.
\jl
4()
DO U B TS C L FA R E D A W A Y
97. The magicia n who s t an ds on terra fimw a n d t h e
hordes ( conjured u p b y h i m ) an.. visi b le to t he onlookers.
But h i s wonde rf u l g e n i u s for m agic re m a i ns mysterious. So
also the h a ndi work of i l l u sion ( the world ) and the w ielder
of the i l l usion ( i . e . Brah m an ) arc visible, b u t not t he powe r
of illusion. Th e re are m an y powers d i st i n c t from A l migh t y
Bra h m a n and t h e world.
98. Th e p ower i s n ot apart from t h e w i e l de r. The
w i e l d e r of m agic is rea l , but t he appa r i t i o n s ( of magi c ) a re
not. Wise son. you can from t h i s i l l ustration ascert a i n the
t r u e nat u re of the .Re a l i t y which is the w i el de r of i l lusion
a n d which a1 t h, same time re m a i n s Whole a n d as the SelL
Th us, get elect r (of your d o u bts ) ....
99. Disciple ; Why sh o u l d the power which is un.
real , be sa id to e xi st ? "
not deter Master : " Good-n atured son ! look h o w the
grasses n n d t he i r l i ke w hi c h appear inse n t ien t , put forth
b l ossoms and bear c r ops . But for t he consciousness per"
va d ing them all. the mobile and i m m o b i l e be i n gs w o u l d lose
t h eir i m memorial n a ture.
l 00.. See the wo n d e r , how t he e m b ryos i n eggs develop
i n to b i rds of so m a n y h ue s ! B u t for th e governance of a n
unseen force, a l l ( t h e J a ws of nat u re ) would be blotted out,
l i ke a k i ngdom \Vi t h o u t a king. Fire wo u l d turn water ; <t
bitter thing t<tstc sweet ; even the degraded recite th e Vedas ;
t he i m movable mountain range$ !Joat l i k e clouds i n the a i r ;
a l l the oceans become andy w astes a n d there wo ul d he no
!ixit y
J0L Disciple : " 0 M as te r who a re the Transcenden t
Reality ! how can t h i s power of Consciousne ss ( i .e. Maya)
4
-,
KAIVA LYA N AVA I:' E TA DOU B TS CL F A R E D AWAY 5l
50

or expressed by a ny one 1 06. To the degree that you t u rn away from a t t ac h-

which can not be seen or know n
of diverse name s and m;;nts to the unreal your inner vision of Reality develops.
in word s, and form s the root- cause
how is Brah man to be lf by a steady practice of this kind, the mind comes under
forms , be roote d out ? Othe rwise
Reali ty, to gain Deliv er control and becomes aware as Consciousness-Self, you can
medit ated upon as the non-d ual
abide a the Ocean of B l iss though living in the bitter bod y . "
a n ce ? "
qua
I Moster : .. What becom es of the well-k nown
02. I 07. Disciple : 0 Master ! I do not s e e t h e p ropriety
they arc check ed by amule t
lities of a ir, water or tire when o f the statement that all beings are permeated by the single
If you stay as Sat-C hit-A nanda , free fro m
o r incan tation s ? non-dual Self w h ich is all--embracing as Being-Conscious
No other metho d
other thoug hts, Maya becor;:1es extinc t. ness-Bliss. The existence of the f"i vos is clear because they
wn be found in the whole
range of the Vedas . all say ' I ' ; Consciousness also is clear because of know
ledge which is obvious ; why does not B liss show forth i n
I 03 W h a t remains unmanifest i n clay, becomes mani
a similar w a y ? "
fest ( as a pot ) . For the practical purposes of life, the
word makes earth a pot and destroys it. To discard names
1 08 . Master : " Son, a lthough there are shape, frag
and forms and recognise the day, i s true knowledge. In
rance and softness together present in the same flower, each
the same m anner discard the fancied notions o f plurality of them is cognised by a separate sense on ly. Otherwise
of beings and realise the Self as p u re Consciousness." '
lhey are not perceived ; such is the l a w of nature. Simi

! 04. Disciple : " Though false, how can the persistent larly though t he beatific q u alities, Being, Consciousness and

appearance of non-being-insentience-misery i n the fulness Bliss together form the Self, yet the modes vary constantly

of Being-Consciousness-Bliss be wiped away ? " and give rise to the differences which appear as the world.

Master : " Though the reflection in the water

1 09 . My son ! the three q u aiities - Satva, Rajas and
appears head downwards and t remulous, yet w h en the
l'amas - give rise to the three modes - repose, agitation
figure on the ground is considered, which rem ai m upright
and ignorance respectively. Being, Con sciousness and Bliss
and steady, t h at worthless i mage i s o n l y unreal .
which arc themselves glorious, al ways remain a homoge.
effects.
l 0 5 . Knowledge is the cause, and objects the neous Whole yet appear different.

ss to discuss how the phanto ms of names and

I t is fruitle
l l 0. Bare e xistencc alone is noticed in plants, minerals
vanish .
forms came into being and how they will
and the earth wh ich look insentient and arc ignorant.
Worthy son ! not caring how this long-drawn out
dream of the world came into being or how
it is withdrawn There can be no happiness in the state of disturb
Conscio usness-- Self which is all ance caused by passions, such as lust, which act l i ke poison.
on ly remain aware as the
embrac ing. But Being and Consciousness arc evident in i t .
 I '\

r 52 KAI VA L Y A N A VA N E ET A DO U BTS C L E A R l D AW A Y 53

Consciousness and B liss together becom(\ pass away. Alw ays s u rvi v i m! the false i t i s but
manifest i n the state of Peace which is c haracterised by a to say that he is Sat.
stern detac h m e n t ( f rom externalities ) .
I 14. ln the dark ness cove ring deep sleep and n i ght,
Therefore Bliss becomes clear i n a mind
when there i s n o sun or lamp. h e i s u n m i s takably aware o l
rid of ignorance and agitation . "
d<trk ncss and objects, so he is Chit.
I I I. Disciple : " Lord who h a s appeared a s my m aster He is also An anda because h i s love never fade
i n the world ! I do not clea rly understand the character for the impo m p arably bea t i fic Self. fo r love man ifests
of Being-Consciousness-B l i s s ( Sat-Chit-Ananda ) . W h at i fo r an object of pleasure .
t h i s $'at '! What i s Ch it ? And w h a t is A nanda ? .,
1 5. Foo d . d ri n k a n d s o forth a r e dear t o a l l a l i ke
Master : " Sat ( Be i n g ) is that w h i ch does not
because pleas ure is d e ri ved f rom the m . The S e l f i s n o!
at any time past, present o r fut ure.
I i kewise a m e a n s to beat itud e . Should the Self described
Chit ( Conscious n e s s ) i s t h a t which cognises the above be cl assed along w i t h other mean,; of pleasu re , where
d i ffe re n t o bjects. is the pleas ure aoart or the e n iover th ere of '? Can the S e l t

A nanda ( Bl i ss ) arising out of the expc Le two '?

rience of b l i s s d u ri n g the of an ob iect of desire . ''

1 16 . Love for sensual p l e asure ] s evide nt, b u t the love
for the Self re m a i n s u nr i v alled. The love for sensu al plea
1 12 . Disciple : " 0 Maste r who like a n e lephant in rut.
s u res undc rg1cs cha nges whe reas the i n te nse Love for the
attacks a n d demolishes the forts of t h e sheaths67 although
Se l f rem a i ns u nc h a nging. Sensual pleasur e s can be
the mahiivakyas i n the four Vedas declare ' Thou art Sat
Chit-Ananda ' to the i ndwell e r in the mortal body , and
or rejected. but w h o i s the re to accept o r rej ec t the Sel f ?
Maste rs say Thou art Brah m a n ' , h o w c a n o n e expe-
The Sel f can reject a l l othe r pleasures b u t not reject i tsel f .
rie nce ' l a m Sat-Chit-A.nanda ' ? ' '
l 1 7 . I t is w rong t o i magine t h a t t h e Self k i l l s i t self
J 13. Master : " W hen it is said th at rebirths are the
and get rid of itself by committi n g s u ic ide in a bu rning
i nevita b l e resu l t s o[ p ast action s , does i t not follow that the
He who k i l l s the body c a nnot be the body gi ve n
Th e d i sgust i s for the bodv and never fo r the
person was ex istent in the past ? Again should heaven and
hel l be t h e rewards of present actions. does it not follow
that he w i l l continue to exist i n the fu ture ? A subtle body
1 1 8. Wealth is m uch sought after . but a son is cleare r
( s ui ted to h e aven or hel l ) , a celestial body, or a human
than wealth ; one's o w n body i s dearer t h a n a s o n ; th e
w hich are a l l the res ults of illu si o n . often ch amre and
senses are dcar c r t h a n the body ; the l ife b reath is dcare r

67 annamayakosa. etc. than the s e n se s and the Sell i s very m u c h cle a re r than l i fe
I \

DOU B T S C L EA t E D AWAY "i '-'

54 K A I YALYA NAYAN E E T A -

i tself. T h i s Self i s t h e essence and the other three sel w '-' H o w e v e r others say that there arc eight kinds ot
- the secondary68 ( viz. the son ) , the illusory69 ( the body ) Anande. T h e above three c o v e r t h e other fiv e ( of t h e

and the acting70 ones ( the ego ) successively increase in eight ) . I s h a l l nevertheles t e l l y o u a l l t hese eight. H ea r

i mportance . me.

1 1 9. At the time of one's death , the secondary se l f. 1 22. ( I ) Vis!W)'({ sukha71 th e p l e as u re of senHtll
namely the son, who succeeds to the father's estate, assumes e n j oy m e n t ;
prominence. At the time of nourishment, the ill usory self,
(2) Brohma sukha : the bliss of dream less sle e p ;
namely the body, is prominen t . When a happy future l ife
(3) Vasana .sukha : t he remembrance of the
is desired, the act ing self, i . e . , the ego, becomes prominen t .
above for a few m i nutes immediately after waking ;
Rut i n the state o f Liberation, the Self. t o wit pure Cons
ciousness. is paramount.
( 4 ) A una sukha : the h ap pi ne ss which ensues on
determinin that the Self is t h e deare s t of all dear th ings ;
1 20. Even a tiger becom e s a favourite when it i'
( :;; ) Mukhyo sukho : the bl iss of Swnildhi w h e n
obedient and a son is hated w h e n he thwarts one . l n t his t h e n::il ''t ignorance i ' completely l ifted ;
worl d . the things l i ke straw which are neither loved nor
(6) N ija suklw : the conte n t m e n t wh ich res u l ts
hated, arc treated with indift'eren cc. But under n o ci rcu m
from i n d i tference ;
stances does the love of the stainless Self diminish for
anyon e .
( 7 ) A d vitiyd sukha : Lhe h ap p i n e s s of hold i n g
on l o t h e Self to the excl usion o f d u a l ity ;
Therefore, my son , investigate your true nature
which is u n broken Bliss only and realise the Self ! ,. (X) Vidyll ,1 ukha : the h appi nes that res u l ts Jrom
the enquiry i n to t he Se l f i n accordance with the scriptural
121. Disciple : ' ' Worshipful Master ! How m any k in d <
texts .
of A nanda ( bliss ) are there ? "
A1aster : " There arc three : l 23. My son ! he a r me dL: s c ri b c their disti nguis h i n g
( 1 ) B rahmi'inandu ( wh i ch s h ines as P u re Cons characteri,tics. A man who is aiways exerting h i mse l f i n
c i ousness, e . g . i n sl e e p ) t he \\ :, k i n ;l state . ec ks r es t o n h i s hcd, o u t o f sh ee r exham
( 2) Vilsanananda ( wh i c h i s present i n r e m i tion. Thl n hi' m i n d is well 1 urncd i n w a rd s and in that
niscence ) ; ;md state i t rdkct" the i m age of the Bliss o f Consciousness
(3) Vi.lhaylinandll ( w h i ch i s the joy of gai n i n '
7 1 They ; , ,_. : ( I ) Ohjectivc delight, desc ri bed later in v . I 2 1 ;
the desired object. f 2 ) Delight in Hrahma, in v v . 1 24- 1 2 7 ; ( 3 ) Remi nicent del ight,
in v . 1 2 8 ; ( 4 1 Delight in Self, i n vv. 95- 1 07 and 1 64- 1 66 ; ( . )
5S Gaww iiznw. J>aramount dclig;1 t . i n v . 1 3 0 : ( 6 ) Natural delight. in v . I ::' 9 ;
{!9 l>1ithya ii tma. ( 7 } Non-dunli't d(;lighL in vv. I 1 4- 1 2 1 and l li7 ; f 8 ) Delight o f
70 Karta. l.nowledge, at the L' n d . Sukha i' a n rmda.
I \

56 KATVA L Y A NAVA N E E T A DO C B TS C L L\ !U ' D A\N,\Y 57

which s h i nes by Itse lf. The plca:; u rc w h i c h he then e x p e fhcy d i ffe r i n t h e i r ( l i mit ing ) t houghts. but n ot i n t he i r
riences, represen ts objective plasurc.72 ( intri n s i c J k nowledge. The i n tellectual s h e at h l i m ited by
the mind and active in the wak ing state, and t h e blissfu l
! 24. The person who, fee l i ng objective p l e a s u res poor
one made of the b l iss of pure Con sciousness which appears
!xcause th e y i n volve the p a i n fu l t r i ads ,73 keeps the m ind
w h en the p ai n fu l mind s u b s ides in deep s leep, a re not
i n repose and fa lls i nto sleep l i k e an eagle d ro p pi n g i n to
d i ffe re n t from e ac h oth e r , just l i ke rain -wate r and the water
Its nest, becomes one with t he l i m itless tnmscc ndcnt Be i n
stored i n a reservoir, o r l i ke sugar a n d syru p . "
d n d re m a i n s a s t h e B lissful Self. T h i s s u p reme state o f
B l iss i s unri v a l led Brahnu/n(mdu [see v. 1 22 - ( 2 ) ] .
1 28. DiM iple : I n that case, why s h o u l d a n y one l ose
1 25 . T h a t t h e Bl iss of deep J e ep i s Bralmu/nanda . is hold of t h a t ncm-d!!al B l i ss of B ra h m a n and come out o l
the state m e n t o f the s c r i pt u re s . That some persons t a ke it ? "
e l aborate c are to provide t he mselves w i th downy beds to !Vfltsler : ' He i s d r a w n out by th e force o f h i s
sleep o n , i s t h e fact wh i ch s u pports i t . T h a t in t h a t state, who has just w a kened f r o m d e ep
p a st k ar m a . The man
a l l sense of rig h t a n d w rong, of nEm or wo m an , o f in o t
" lcep, does not i m me d i ately lo'c the h a p p i ness of sleep fo r
uut, i s tot a l l y lost a s a t t h e t i m e o f the e m brace o f t h e he does not best i r h imself at once n o r forget the h a p p i ness .
beloved, is the e xperi ence which confirm-: it. So it is This short i ntcrv<ll of p e ace w h ic h is neither s l eep nor
Brahmiinonda . s me a n d c e rta i n . " w a k i n g. i s t he R l i ss o f re mem brance [sec v . 1 2 2 ( 3 ) ].
1 26 . Disciple : " 0 M a s t e r , adored e ven b y the god s !
You are a l l-k nowing a n d can k indly clear t h i s doubt ol
1 2LJ . A t t h e i ns t : m t t h e ' 1 -anHhc-hody ' i d e a sta rts, he

;n ine : In this world of c a u se a n d effect. the experie nce o! l oses h im s e l f i n t h e troubles of the w o rld a n d forge ts the
bliss. His past k a rm a bri ngs on pai n or pleasure. Pe a c e
u n e can n o t be fe l t by a n ot h e r . I n d eep sleep, the i n tc l lc c
lual sheath has subsided and t h e b l i ssful
results i n equi poise . Everyone h a s expe rie nced the s t ate
sheath ha t h e
e xperie nce of h appiness. i t is void of thoughts a n cl the p leasure conseq uent upon i t . This
righ t that this experience
should be re m e m b e red by the i n te l l e c t u a l heath wh ich
is Niji'inandll [ s e c v. 1 22 ( 6 ) [ .
e x presses it '? ' '
I 30. C ct n t h i s be th e B l i s s of swniidhi ? ( No ) . The
1 27 . Masrcr : " Know t h at these two ( s tand to each e xte rnal m o i l u rL' i:-, not t h e water contained within t h e p o t .
o lh e r i n the re l ationship of) mel ted ghee and solid i fl e cl ghee. T h i s h a p p i n c -; ( uf i n d iffe re nce ) i s o n l y t h e s h adow of t h e
B l is s of yog ! ;,; .1 wniidhi c as t upon t h e rising ego. W he n
72 A lW I Ilia ha:; a l ready been said to be t h e characteristic o l
.1111m uww which i s the state of re pos . Therefore any shade o l t h e ego s u bs itks c : n d .1omadlli resu l ts t h e re is the tate o f
llllilnda m ust be traced t o the m i nd w h i c h is free from agitat i o n .
Re pose in which t h e rn i n d i s not aware o f t h e e n v i ro n me n t s
e v e n sensual p leasure.
73 The cnjoyer, enjoyment and the object e njoyed. n o r a s l e e p and t h e body stays s titf l i k c a post.
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5H K A ! V A L Y A NAVA N E ETA DOL HTS CLEARED AWAY .) l)

J31. Of the happiness enjoyed by the sole sovereign o f from the pairs of ! telt m e . have you a n y more
t he world, the earthly Gandharvas and celestial Gan dhar doubt, '.1
vas .74 t he b rilliant pitris,75 the gods existing from creation
t he l a ter gods and celestial chiefs, I ndr a, n; Br.i haspati.71 1 34 . " 0 Master that has created and pre
Disciple :
serves Lord Subrahm anya. mvsel l' and the whole cosm
( or Virat or
or ( Brah m a ) ,7g
Hiranyagarbha os,

preceding on e . Yet
each is a h u n dred times as great as the hear me !
all are fragmenta ry and like froth and foa m in th e waters .4 nanda o f
Sat, Chit and
If each of the terms,
of the Del uge of Brahmiinanda .
w h ich y o u h ave spoken , has charact eristics of i ts own,
how

can t he mind which is already u nsteady be fixed ( on

1 3 2. Whosoever re m ai ns in the luriyamaso slate. the
sevcnth31 ( an d the h ighest) plane, his of Cons I do n ot see t h a t they are ditierent words with
?
t he same meaning . I pray you, kindly s how me how it is
ciousness-B liss i s the same as t h at of Narada, Su k a , Siva.
Vishnu, Bra h m a and such others, free from d u a lit y or sleep. all an ind ivisible, homoge neous whole like honey which is
uniform though gathered ( from different flowers ) by
the
May the dust of his holy feet settle on my ( h umble ) head !
bees.''
1 33. So far l have now told you of
of five kinds
ilnanda ; J sha l l later describe the B l i ss of Knowledge [see 1 35 . Master : ' Is water tripartite because of its cold
v. 1 22 ( 8 ) ] ; I h ave al ready described the B liss of the Self82 ness, and whiteness ( i . e . , transparency ) '? Or is
lluidity
as the dearest of all and the Bliss of the non-d ualist SeH8:; !ire tripartite because of its lig)1 t , heat and redness ?
Maya and Sat-Chit-Anand a . 0 Son fret' The Vedas have analysed and dismissed the
cosmos beginning with the ether as unsubsta ntial, insen
74 A class of celesti;!l beings who enjoy music, dancing. etc.
7 5 The elders of the gods because thev w n c lTCated before tien t and In con tradistinc tion to this and for
misery-la de n .
e asy understan ding they have described Brahman as Sat
t hem.
76
The k i n g: of the celesti a ! s .
77 Thepreceptor o f }ndra. C'hit-.-1 nm1dcfl4 which is One
78 The Creator of the gross world .
79 The Root of the Creation.
80 Lit . . beyond the four1h. The ! 36 . The r:edas describe Brahman in affirmativ e terms
dream a nd Male
are the: three whi;:h have their basis in Self. so i t is the as fol!ov. : r he Whole, Unique, the highest Truth,
fourth i n relation to the other three. Bu! when the Self is realised
t he S u p reme Brahman, the Reposi tory, or the Source,
as the Sole Reality comprising alL there is no duality and rela1cd
t hing. It i s the refore ab:;olute. Eve r-T rue. Ab{1l ute ( continuum of the Source.
ol The spiritllal are(l) states. and therefore) the Fourth, Conti,
tanmniinasi. (4 ) ( 5 ) asamsakti,
;md ( 7) turiyaga ( all. the iuht the Witness of all. Know-
tramcendcntal \late
whid1 indi rectly

 \
7

60 K AI V :\ L Y \ :N A VA C>; E L TA DOU BTS CLE A R E D AWAY 61

Vedas ) , I n dwcl l c r, the Reality , Ethe r. i n d i visi ble Real i ty . If you will f urt he r establish it
the ScJ L L i be ra t ion. the Lord, S u b tl e , and so on ; argu m e n t s . t h e t ru t h w i l l b e fixed i n m y m i n d l i ke an i ro n
kc d r i ve n i n to a l i ving tree . ''
37. i n n e gati ve terms as : the
I mmeasur a b l e . 14 1 . Master : " Being m ust itself be Consciousness,
s p ee ch , not insen tient, the Disc ascless, Uncontumi nateu, Should 1 h c Consciousness be d iffe r e n t from being, it must
I nc om p a r abl e , U n i nte rrupted, U n at t a i n a b le ( by the m i n d or be n o n-existen t. How then can t he bei ng be reve aled ?
' the senses ) . U n d ividcd, U nborn . I n t1nite, I nclcstructiblc Aga in , Consciousness m u s t itself be t h e be in g . If
which is ) wi thout U n d i vided. w i th out d iJrcrcnt from Consciousness, i t m u st be inse n tient. The
l i mbs or part s , Bcgi nning less. Cha ngeless. Non insentien t can not e x i s t b y itself. Thus Being a n d Conscious.
a n d so 011 . ness, bei ng i dent icaL it is a l so Rliss. This is the most
agree abl e argu me n t (lit. : ' se m i n al line of reasoning ' ) .
1 38. W h e n a l l t h e se q u a l i t i e s , a!lirmative or otherwise,
Otherwise bl iss will be n on -e xi st e n t and i nsen t ie nt and
a rc con s ide red together in the r i g h t way, they point to One
there ca n be no cxnericncc of bliss ( wh ich is absurd ) .
only and t h e re c a n be no o t he r . Many m a y be t h e words
to si gn i fy the same. T hus Brahman, sig ni fie d by Chit, I 42. 86 How is Sat which exists at a l l ti mes revealed ?
a nd Ananda i s One o n l y . Real ise t h i s u nity a n d re m a i 1 1 By i tself or by anoth er ?
a s o n e u n d i v ide d W hole .
A. Hy another.
1 39. Do n o t say : ' To describe B ra h m a n by Q. I s t h at other non-existent or exist e n t ?
ts l i ke of a barren m o t h e r . ' Can there be any A. Non-existent.
one so t al e n t ed as to u n derstan d the nature o f B ra h m a n Q. Fool ! Can the son of a ba rren woman
wit hout bci n l! t o l d ? W h a t t h e Vedas h a ve revealed o u t o 1 effect a n y th i ng ?fl7
k nowledge of Bra h m a n and l i b : ration i n A. Then let i t be some t h i n g e xis t i ng but different
a re o f Brahman b u t B r ahrmm Jtsc l f85 from the origi n a l Sat.
Q. How is its ex iste n ce revealed ? You mu st81
! 40. Disciple : 0 Lord ! L i ke m i l l i o n s of s u n s
b y anothe r . ' Will t h e re be an end t o
say ; '
, y o u h a v e come for t h as my M a s te r to this c h a i n o f e x i s t e n t thi ngs a n d t heir cog
the d a rkness of my ignorance ! Hear me aga i n . ' Your a n swcr is t he refore unten able.
n i s e rs ?
I n ac co rd a n c e with t h e s tatement o f t he srutis
so get r i d o f th is false re a son i ng .
have n ow u n d e rstood bevond doubt that my Se l f is the
116 Themaster frames t he questions a nd answers himelf.
8 :1
Truth i s acert<lined l'y three k i nd:i o f proofs, shruti, v uk!J 87 J t i s as absurd as the statement I am the son of a barren
and anuhha!'u. Of t hc,;c shmri i:, dea l t w i t h in vv. 1 3 0- 1 3'). vukli woman
from v v . 1 40- 1 43 , n n d wt11hlrol"ll in ,... 1 8!1 I n conformity with your previous answer.
I r
62 KAIV:\ L ! A :-i ,\VA:'< E E r A DOU BTS C L EARJ.o!J AWAY. 63

1.43. L i s te n t o experience agreeable to scripture ami l . lfiJa-jiigrat : state of

Since the bliss of profound sleep persists .a.s .., T ,-;__..n '
reason .
: the
memory, this bliss itself must be knowledge. There was
3 . Malui state
nothing besides it. Existing i n the dissolution and establ ished,
you witness the darkness of ignorance. Now
4. lilgrat-svapna : the state of day-dreaming,
the Heart abide as the all-perfect Self ! ''
castles in the
:: * * 5. Svapna : the dream state,

6. Svapna-jiigral : cogitation of the d ream afte r

44. I n accordance with the teachings of the master whn waking up from it, a n d
had himself realised the very essence of the several ,.,
} . dreamless
tmes, this d i sciple too realised that Being, Consciousness
and B l i ss arc but the same Real i ty, which i s homogeneou 1 47 & 1 48 . I . The state is the uncom-
like the honey that is gathered from different sources, and pounded consciousnes:> which ris4.'s up fresh from the un itary
was long fixed i n samiidhi. When he opened his eyes he state of being.
realised h i mself to be the screen on which moves the
k aleidoscopic picture composed of the mobile a n d i mmobi le
2 . The waking state contains the sprout of the
ego w h ich was previously absent from the germinal state. i !i
objects of the universe. 3. The sprout of the ' I ' a n d m ine ' which rises I
up with every birth, is the flnn1 waking state.
l45. Disciple : '' 0 worthy m aster after my own heart !
is there anything more for us to do than to have this
4. The fussy ego conjuring up visions i s the
wakeful state.
I
experience ? To think and speak of i t and to rem a i n soaked
with the experience, appears to be the only duty for sages,
Be gracious to make clear to m e h o w the previously men
5. To have uncontrolied visions while sleeping
a f te r a fuU meat is the state of dre a m .
i1
tioned ( sec v. 1 3 2 ) turiyiifita or seven t h plane of know 6 . To b e thinking o f th e dreams after waking up l i
ledge is the h igh est " from them. is the waking dream .
7 . The dense darkness of ignorance is the stale;
! 46. the elders say that there of deep slu mber.
arc seven stages of norance"" and seven degrees of know
Of them TJ>ce a r..: t he seven states of ignorance. I
first hear me mention the seven :;.. tates
of ignorance. The elders have n amed them thus :
now tell you the seven stages of knowledge which bestow
Li beration.
89 Ajnana saptabhumi.
90 lnana saptn bhumi. 91 Firm b.:cau;e it sow ilstlf a;, c,ften as it rises.
I \
64 K A IYALYA N A V A N E ET A DOUBTS C L EARED AWAY 65

1 49 . The elders have them a s : 1 52. T h e first three p l anes a r e said to be jiigrat ( i.e.,
the waking state ) because the world i s perceived ( in them
I . Subheccha : desire for
as e ver before ) .
2. Vicharana : i nvestigation i n to t h e Truth ,
The fourth p lane corresponds to dream ( because
3 . 1'anum(lnasi : pure and atte n u ated mind, the world is recognised to be dreamlike ) .
4 . Satvilpatti : the Rea lisation of the Truth.
Even the dim perception of the world gradually
5. A samsakti : a detached outlook on the u n i -, vanishes and therefore the fifth plane i s cal led the sleep
verse and its contents. state.
6. Paliiirthiibha vani : u n tainted awareness of Transce ndental Bliss prevails in the sixth which

7. the and i ndescribable state. is therefore called turiya (i.e., the fourth state relatively to
the
. t o wean f ro m u nedifying associations and seventh
_

desire of the Supreme i s the first plane cal led o n e which the Vedas i ndicate as sublime Silence ! ( i .e.,
1 ubheccha . turiyiitita) .
2. T o associate w i t h e n l ightened sages, l e arn from
1 53. Some sages consider the name turiya93 to be i n
them and reflect o n the Truth. i s called investigation.
conflict with the foregoing explanation o f turiyiitlta which,
3. To be free from desires by meditating on the
according to the m, will be the glorious Liberation after
Truth with faith, is t h e attenu ation of the m i n d .
disembodi ment. 94 I n such a scheme, the s i xth p lane is the
4 . T h e shining forth of the highest knowledge i n
the mind owing t o the development of the foregoi n g con
state of very deep s l u mber as compared with the dreamless
sleep of the fifth plane.
i s Realisation.
5. To be free from i ll usion by firm realisation of I sha l l further tel l you the pecul iarities of t hese

is the detached outlook on the u niverse.

6. The bliss of the non-dual Self. devoid of
54. Those w h o yet remain in the first three planes are
triads92 i s unt a i nted awarenes o f Self.
praetiscrs and not e m ancipated.
7. Sublime Sileme of the very nature of Self, i s
Bra h mavids are those who have gone i n to the
furiya.
fourth plane ; they are pure and l i berated.
Hear why this seven th plane ( v . 1 4Sl ) was said Those i n the next three planes arc respectively
to be turiyiit7ta ( i . e . beyond t h e turiya ) .
.
vara, varya, and varish ta, i . e . , the e m inent, the more emi-

92 Namely, t he: the object and their l i nk, i .e . , the cog 93 the fourth.
11isor. the cognised cognition. 94 Videha mukti.
5
I
DOUBTS CLEARED AWAY 67
66 KAIVALYA NAVANEETA

1 5 8. Master : " Son worthy of respect by the righteous !

nent and the most eminent among the knowers of Brahman.
Your doubt is right, hear me clear it . The renunciation
1 shall still further tell you the exce l lence of the planes of
which snaps domestic ties is of four k i n d s . They are : ( 1 )
the e n lightened.
Ku teeclwka, ( 2 ) Bahoodaka, ( 3 ) Hamsa and ( 4 ) Paruma
1 55. Those who have remained i n t h e first three p l a nes a l l of which are a panacea to the miseries of the

and died before they reached the fourth plane , go to the world . But detach ment and not the h abil iments ( ochre

happy regions ; then they reincarnate and gradually gain is the sole f'(Jili<;IH for such ren unciation.

Liberation . They do not surely go to the unedifving lower

1 5 9. Detachment is again of three according a s
planes.
i t i s d u l l , intense a n d very intense. That which is caused
0 son ! the first p l an e i tself is diffic u l t to by a shock, is impulsive and d u l l . Discarding home and
This gained, Liberation is a s good a s gained. wea lt h for life i s the intense form. Disgust for Brahmaloka
as bei n g i l l usory is the very intense.
1 5 6. If t h ey g a i n the first or second p l anes of e n l ighten
m e n t i n this world, even mlecchas95 a r e as good as e m anci 60 & 1 6 1 . Dull detachment does not qualify one for
pated. By the h ol y feet of m y Master, this i s true ! cursed sany,iis.97 I n tense detachment m a k e s the person eligible for
be they t h at deny it ! Doubt not the Ved as, com mo n to a l l . the first two orders of Sanyils. If strong and fit h e must
Strictly foll owing t h e indicated w a y , c learly realise ' 1 a m move about as a bahoodaka ; otherwise h e m ust stay ( at
Brahman ! " ' on e place ) as a kuteechaka.

Whe n detachment i s very i ntense, he can take to

1 57 . Disciple : '' 0 Lord w h o h as taken me l ike rice They say that the hamsa
the hamsa or paramahamsa order.
out of paddy l iable to sprout again ! You h av e just said cannot gain final l iberation u n l es s through Satyaloka91'.
that the p l anes of knowledge lead even contemptible whereas the paramahamsa can gain it here and now.
mlecchos to fina l Liberation. But some say that Liberation
The paramahamsa order which i s so efficient, is
cannot be g a i ne d unless the person re n o unces a l l domestic
aga in of two grades.
ties and retires a s a sanylisin.96 Please clear my confusion
on t h i s point." 1 62. A poranwhamsa may be one who desires to know
the T ruth or is a rea l ised
95 The mlecc/ws are thoe who deprecate the Vedas.
96 Here is t he i m pl i cation : sanyas is the fourth stage of l i fe The former i s a n intel ligent practiser i n the first
fo1 a l>ra/unin. He starts as a brahmachiiri and learns the V edas ,
t hen marries and becomes a grilwsta ; then retires as a v{inaprastha, three p l anes.
and lastly renou nces everything and becomes a sanyiisin . Some
say that the kslwtriyas are also eligible for sanyiis, e.g., Raghu 9 7 Because shock is t h e result o f past sins whereas sanyas is
.
Others say that the vaisya.1 too can take sanyiis, but not the sudras the fruit of virtue.
and the rest. 98 i.e., Brnhmaloka to which he goes after death.
I
68 KAIVALYA NAVANEETA DOUBTS CLEARED AWAY 69

The latter is a remarkable and pure sage who is 1 67 . T h e cosmos originated i n t h e i m agination of the
l iberated here and now. m in d . Reason shows that these worlds have their b e i n g i n
that Consciousness. I f t h e enq uiry is p u rsued into the self
The former class of paramahamsa is of two kinds.
as transcending all this and extending limitless, I remain as
Here m e speak of them also.
the one perfect Being."
1 63 . O f these one will give u p the ties o f home ( accord
1 68 . D isciple : " How should I re main, so that l may
ing to ritual ) formally enter the order of sanyiis and gain
experience what you have described a s Bliss ? "
Supreme Knowledge.
Master : " If you get rid of that mode of mind
The other kind remaining as b rahmins, kshatriyas,
which gives rise to the states of waking, dream and sleep,
vaisyas and sudras, gains Supreme Knowledge.
you will remain as your true being and also experience B l i s s .
Knowing it from the sastras an d in actual prac
tice , why do you still get confused ? You must clear your 1 69 . I f you a s k how to control th e activities of t h e min d ,
self by the authority of the srutis, your own reasoning and rising u p from its l atencies : Rule over t h e intellect and
immediate experience. senses as you r slaves. They will become extinct.

1 64. If birth be a fact, then death is inevitable . But 1 70. Also by gentle control of the breath which blows
am Brahman who i s never born. lf I be that which is like bellows, the activities of the mind cease. If you are
born, this ' I ' cannot surely be Brahman. Therefore I am not incl ined to practice this yoga, they will cease if you
that ' I ' which is birthless and deathless Brahman . " root out the m assive ignorance of the caus al body. Then
too the m i nd stops its activitie s . "
1 65 & 1 66 . Q . " If I am B rahman, h o w does i t happen
that I do not k now this ' I ' ? " 171. Disciple : " B y what m e a n s c a n 1 root o u t ignor
A . " Who says ' l ' now ? " ance, the causal body ? "

Q. " Th e intellect." Master : " The srutis can never mislead one.
How can there be ignorance i f you firmly fix their teaching
A . " Th e intellect gets lost in a swoon . That
in you r mind : ' I am the all-perfect being in whom the
which remains, never lost, as perfect Consciousness is ' I ' . "
worlds a p pear ' ? "
Q . " This state of perfection is not clear to m e .
H o w c a n I experience i t ? " 1 72. Disciple : " How can I remain so when I engage
A . " There is the experience of happiness in deep in worldly transactions, with wanderin g mind ? "
sleep, and it i s that. No happiness can be experienced Master : " There is nothing apart from Me.
anywhere when a want i s felt. Therefore the Self must be Whatever i s see n , i s of Me. I am I who i s consciousness
this perfection . This is the source of all . which sees all this a s fictitious as my dream.
 \

70 KAIVALYA NAVAN E ETA

DOUBTS CLEARED AWAY 71

1 73 . If you always remain aware that ' l ' a m perfect 1 80. Through the Grace of his Lord, Tandavesa has
Consciousness, what does it matter how much you t hi n k , or shown how, freeing oneself from interior and exterior, one
what yo u do ? A l l this i s u nreal l i k e dream v i sions after may be converted into the ONE ; and h aving been con
wak ing. l am all-Bliss ! " vinced that the intended sense of the Vedas, which are
beyond thought, is " 1 ", and that the body and such are
1 74- 1 77 . Disciple : " I h ad i n my countless past incar
but modes of Sound (Niida ) , one m ay become a l l eye and
nations m istaken the body for the self. High or low, seeing
sec everything within oneself.
all us a mirage, l have by the grace of my Master realised
the Self as ' I ' and been liberated.
1 81. Those who, without wavering, recognise the One
What meritorious work have I done '? I cannot
Witness of b l azing lustre TiriyiitUa which is perfected
describe my good fortune. 1 am blessed by the grace of
i n the mean i n g of those three most excellent words : ' That
my master, Narayana, of Nannilam ! In m y ecstasy I throw
thou art , will unravel the knot of ' differences ' and over
up my c l ot h in the air, and d an c e for joy !
coming every obstacle, will be themselves converted into
How noble have my parents been that they named the SELF.
me Tandava (Dancer ) as if they even then foresaw that
I would be overpowered by the joy of having realised the 1 82 . This i s the " delight of knowledge " spoken of by
Self and therefore dance i n ecstasy ! the Vedas. Those who worship the feet of Narayana, who
Before whom shall I pour forth this ecstatic B l iss has described it, are without b l emish ; those who, through
of mine ! It rises from w ithin, surges up, fil l s the whole t he teacher of t h i s pup i l app roach the stage i n which doubt
uni verse and flood s unbounded ! is fi n ished and steadily go forward to Perfection, will obtain
I bow to the lotus feet of the A l m ighty w h o was spotless Emancipation.
so gracious a s to bring me into contact with th e Master
who could teach me the Tru th according to the holy texts ! 1 83. The author has, through the two parts of t h i s
work, kindled the sublime light o f t h e Spirit, to the e n d that
* * *
* *
the c lernal darkness of Maya may perish and, clearing all
doubts rising from mental knowledge which is affected by
178 & 179. Such is Vidyananda. Those who study this
difference, h a s subjected the disciple to himself.
work with devotion will realise the high state of Repose
and be liberated here and now. I n order that a l l m ay u n der I &4. Pra ise, p raise to the author o f m y salvation ! He
stand clearly Vidyiinanda, the true spirit of the Holy boo k s , p l aced on his head the Foot of Narayana , the I n finite Lord,
in Nannilam M aster N arnyana appeared i n my samiidhi a n d who h ad made him his slave, and who, b y means of the
commanded m e to make this Kaivalya Navaneeta perfect i n process of negation had destroye d what through imposi
every detail, and free from defect. tion had arisen as a mere fictitious appearan ce, and p ut m
e
/I

72 KAIVALYA NAVANEETA

in such a condition that I, with eyes of Grace, can remain

for ever the Spectator.

1 85 . 1 ust as the refreshingly cool water from the holy

feet of one's wise Master sprinkled on one's head confers
all the merits obtained from all the holy p l aces of pi lgri
mage, so also the learners of this unique work acquire the
merits of all the holy books and live as sages in the world.
 APPENDIX I

No. The plane.1 of

I Scheme Remarks II Scheme Remarks
Enligh tenment

I.
I
Subhecchii liigrat (the waking Because the world is perceived
II. Vicharana state) among the in them as ever before.
IlL Tanu-Manasi J niina-bhumikas

IV. Satvapatti Svapna (dream ) Because the Reality underlying

the world is realised and the
world itself appears like a
phantom.

V. Asamsakti Sushupti (sleep) The darkness of ignorance is

totally lost and therefore it
corresponds to sleep in the
planes of enlightenment.

VI. Padarthii Dense Sushupti There i s no place for the cog Turiya. Because it is the
bhavani nisor, the cognised and cogni fourth in relation to the
tion. The person cannot him three previous states.
self wake up from this state
unless external influences draw
him out forcibly.

VII. Turiya Sublime Silence Existence as the Self only, Turiyatita. That which lies
whether manifest or unmani beyond the Turiya.
fest.

VIII. Turiyatita Videha Mukti The state of Liberation after Not taken into account
disembodiment. because there is nothing t o
speak of.
 APPENDIX II

Brahmachiiri Grihasta Vanaprasta Sanyasin

who is a bachelor, who marries and become who retires as a recluse Who has renounced the
learns the Vedas. a householder. He per for meditation and tapas world, and devotes him
forms the rituals such self to the spiritual quest
as Yajna, Yaga, etc. and realisation.
I

(1) (2) (3) (4)

Kuteechaka Bahoodaka Hamsa Paramahamsa
He is physically weak He is strong and able to He goes to Satyaloka
and therefore stays i n visit the holy places. after disembodiment from
some chosen place. He always moves about, this world and there
However, he is engaged all along keeping his gains Liberation.
in the qust of Truth. spiritual quest i n view.

( l ) (&) (2) These two orders are Jijniisu, i.e., one who is or a Jniini, i.e., a rea
for persons who are detached from the desirous of knowing the lised sage. He is libe
ties of hom e . Their detachment is of Truth. rated here and now.
the middling quality,

I I
a formal sanyiisi who an i nformal sanyiisi who
( 3 ) & ( 4) These two orders of sanyas observes rituals. He is is however highly deve
are only for them whose detachment is always a brahmin only. loped, and therefore
of the noblest kind, i.e., ingrained and does not care for rituals
true. They do not care for anything and formality. He may
but the Truth. be of any caste, or even
a mleccha.