Gita Rahasya -Tilak 246

Karma Yoga Sastra -Tilak

CHAPTER IX THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE ABSOLUTE SELF Therefore, this state is referred to as the- 'turiya (fourth) state, which is different from the ordinary dreaming (svapna), sleeping (susupti) or waking ( jagrti ) states ; and as the 'nirvikalpa' (i. e., in which there is not the slightest feeling of duality) form of meditation has been prescribed by the Patanjala Yoga as the principal means for reaching this state, it is stated in the Gita that one should spare no pains for acquiring by practice this 'nirvikalpa-samadhi-yoga' . This feeling of the identity of the Brahman and the Atman is the most complete state of Knowledge ; because, when the world becomes Brahmified (brahmarupa), that is, One in form, one has reached the climax of the process of knowledge which is described in the Gita by the words "avibhaktam vibhaktesu" — unifying that which is diverse — and it is not possible to get any further knowledge about anything. In the same way, when one has experienced this immortal Element which is beyond Name and Form, one automatically escapes the cycle of birth and death, since birth and death is included in the category of Name and Form, and such a man has gone beyond Name and Form . Therefore, Tukarama has referred to this state as "the death of death"  ; and Yajnavalkya has, for the same reason, referred to this state as the limit or climax of immortality. This is indeed the 'state of being released from birth' (jivan-muktavastha). It is stated in the Patanjala Yoga-Sutras, and also in other books, that ia this state of mind, a man acquires superhuman powers like levitation etc.  ; and, it is on this account that some persons take to Yoga practices. But, as has been stated by the author of the Yoga-Vasistha, the power of levitation etc. is neither an ideal, nor any part of the state of a Brahman-engrossed (brahma-nistha), and the man who is a. Birth-released (jivanmukta ) makes no attempt to acquire these powers, which very often are not to be seen in him . Therefore, not only are these powers not referred to in the Yoga-Vasistha, but one does not come across them anywhere even in the Gita. Vasistha has clearly said to Rama, that these wonderful powers are only tricks of Maya, and are not the science of the Brahman. They may be true ; I do not insist that they cannot be true, but in any case, they undoubtedly do not form part of the brahma-vidya (science of the Brahman). Therefore, the Brahma-Vidya science says that whether these powers are acquired or not, a man should pay no attention to them, nor entertain any hope or desire about them, but should exert himself only in such efforts as will be sufficient to enable him to reach the ultimate beatific Brahmified state, in which he feels that there is only one Atman in all created beings. Realisation of the Brahman is the purest state of Atman ; it is neither magic nor Mayic wonders ; and therefore, not only is the worth of the science of the Brahman not increased by such wonders, but they cannot be any proof of the worth of that science. Birds, or in these days even aeronauts, fly in the sky ; but, on that account no one considers them as knowers of the Brahman.