Fifth Canto Chapter Twelve

In this chapter King Rahūgana, whose doubts are not dispelled, further questioning Jadabharata and Jadabharata’s replies are addressed. King Rahūgaṇa enquired,

“Namo namaḥ kāraṇa-vigrahāya svarūpa-tucchīkṛta-vigrahāya Namo ’vadhūta dvija-bandhu-liṅga- nigūḍha-nityānubhavāya tubhyam

O Mahayogi! You are a kāraṇa janma (a master who takes birth for a purpose and not due to past karmas). With Self-knowledge you have given up differentiations. At all times and in all situations you remain established in the Self. However your Brahminical attire hides your supreme transcendental state. Again and again I offer obeisance to you.

Like fever-reducing medicine to a person afflicted by fever, like cold water to a person tormented by blazing heat, like Ganga waters to a sinner, your words are apt medicine for me, who am drowned in feelings of ‘I and mine’ towards this filthy body. This pride for the body has like a venomous poison destroyed my intelligence. In this state your nectarous words are like powerful medicine.

I will put forth some more doubts about this subject later. You have wonderfully preached to me the subjects pertaining to Spiritual path. My mind is desirous of learning more of the same. Therefore please explain to me the subject in a simple manner such that I can grasp it clearly.

O Mahāyogi! The results of past actions, which arise in the form of joys and sorrows that are experienced and which can be directly and inferentially proven, appear real. To this world which appears real, these experiences are the foundational root and they support its existence.

However you had said that the results of karma (karma phala) apply only to name, form and other transactions that arise purely out of illusion and that when seen from supreme angle they do not have a real existence. I have not fully understood this subject. Please clarify this”.

Jadabharata replied, “O king, this human body walks on earth with the aid of some support. Even then this body is nothing but a transformation undergone by earth. It is inert. In fact this body is made up of feet on which ankles, calf muscles, knees, thighs, waist, hips, chest, shoulders and neck rest. It is nothing but the combination of various limbs. Apart from this there is no independent entity known as the body.

On the shoulder rests the wooden palanquin. Within it is seated a name and form known as King of Souvira. In this name and form you are firmly filled with the feeling “I am the King of Souvira”. You are blinded by the pride that you are the king of Sindhu province.

These labourers who are putting in tremendous effort are in a pitiable condition. Shamelessly without any compassion you are paying them to carry your weight in the palanquin. Yet you boast that you protect all citizens. Self-conceited persons like you do not illumine in the assembly of great jnanis.

All moving and non-moving living entities are born from earth. They live on earth and they merge back into earth. In this state, when it is clear that all bodies are nothing but transformations undergone by earth, it is incorrect to state that there is a truth which is different from ‘name and form’.

Please understand carefully.

Even this earth will merge into those atoms and avyakta (unmanifest) from which it originated. Therefore it is incorrect to accept that there is a truth which is different from this ‘form’ known as ‘earth’.

All these atoms are created by the mind out of its ignorance. All of them gather together at one place and appear like a distinct visible illusory entity called earth. In this world which is full of dualities and differences, objects appear with differences such as thin, fat, small, huge, inanimate, animate, cause, effect etc. All these differences are illusory. Understand that akin to earth all these differences are nothing but ‘name and form’.

The illusory energy transforms into the five basic elements. It also makes itself visible in behavior of the various living entities, their samskaras, time, results of past actions etc. Although inherently they do not exist, it makes the person believe they exist.

Jñānaṁ viśuddhaṁ paramārtham ekam anantaraṁ tv abahir brahma satyam Pratyak praśāntaṁ bhagavac-chabda-saṁjñaṁ yad vāsudevaṁ kavayo vadanti

This diverse world i.e. this essence, itself is Parabrahma! It is the non-dual truth. It is free from the impurities such as ‘I am the doer’ ‘I am enjoyer’ etc. and hence is the supreme non-discriminatory knowledge.

Here it means the feelings of doership ‘I am the doer’ and feelings of ‘I am enjoying’ are absent in any task He undertakes. It is a form of illumination. It is free from differences such as within and without”.

Swamiji explains: In the beginning spiritual ignorance - its forms, how it exists, how it traps the Self etc. were detailed. Now supreme knowledge- its residence, its unattached nature etc. is being explained.

“That form which is extremely close to the individual; that which is devoid of transformations is Parabrahma. It is known as God. Supreme Mahatmas address it as Vāsudeva. O sadhaka! O King Rahūgaṇa! This Supreme Truth cannot be obtained through penance undertaken by standing in deep waters during harsh winters, through penance undertaken by standing amidst the five fires during peak summers, through Yagna, through annadāna and other charitable activities or through begetting progeny and completing other house-holder’s duties”.