CHAPTER X.

PERFECTION.

Tenth Stanza of the Hymn.

Because the universality of Atman has thus been explained in this hymn, therefore by hearing it, by reflecting and meditating upon its teaching, and by reciting it, that Divine State which is endued with the mighty grandeur of being the Universal Self shall, of itself, come into being, as also that unimpeded Divine Power presenting itself in forms eight.

The Highest end.

1. To attain to the (natural) state of the Universal Ego, by giving up the casual state of the limited Ego, is declared (in the tenth stanza) to be the end of this hymn.

The Ego is, in Himself, one and universal. He becomes many and detached only by attachment to the bodies which are many and separate from one another. The aim of the hymn is to produce, in man, a conviction of this truth and thereby to reclaim the Ego from his present separate existence and life.

The meaning of the tenth stanza may be explained as follows:

2. Sons, grandsons, houses, lands, money, grain, all in plenty--these lower ends, too, accrue in svarga, in patala and on the earth.

Though the devotee will attain all things of desire by this hymn, yet the wise man should not resort to it for attaining such lower ends as these. He should ever aim at the highest object, nothing short of attaining to the state of Paramesvara Himself. That being achieved, everything else will have been attained as a matter of course.

3. As cold is warded off from him who is engaged in cooking, so by this hymn all gain will accrue to him incidentally.

4. Lordliness is in the very nature of Isvara, the Divine Being. It has, indeed, no separate existence from Him. Though man may be running, yet his shadow accompanies him.

5. Infinite Power is in the nature of Isvara, the Divine Being, and anima and the like are only a few drops that trickle down from it. When the devotee has himself become Isvara, they come to him of themselves.

6. Atman is none other than Sadasiva, and it is by drops of Atman's power that Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva shine so powerful.

7. By him who carries a flower, its odour is enjoyed without his seeking for By him who has realised. himself as I. the Universal Ego, the limited powers (of Brahma, etc.) are enjoyed.

The Eight Siddhis.

8. Anima (smallness), Mahima (vastness), Garima (heaviness), Laghima (lightness), Prapti (range of vision), Prakamya (freedom of will), Isitva (power to command), Vasitva (power to control)--these are the eight siddhis (powers).

9. The power called anima (smallness) consists in the all-pervading Paramatman entering into extremely small creatures as their Atman.

10. The power called mahima (vastness) consists in the group of the thirty-six principles, from Brahmanda to Siva, pervading every-where outside.