) ;

VISHNU, THE ALL-PERVADING PRINCIPLE

by SHRI SVAMI HARIHARANAND SARASWATI (KARPATRI-JI) >

The word Vishnu- comes from the root meaning ’to pervade’
hence, the all-pervading Supreme Principle and Supreme Self is called
Vishnu, the Pervader.^ The Eternal Wisdom tells us that it is the
Principle, the Brahman,
WT ^ sncTrf^ i

’’whence all these elements have come forth, by which once born
they exist, which they enter and dissolve.”
into
This implies that, in the Energy which gives rise to the thou-

sands of Universes, there must already potentially exist the particularisa-

tion of an ascending tendency ( sattva whose nature is illumination.

1. Abridged translatiou and noies by kfhiva bharan (Alain Danielou) witbi permission from

‘'Siddhant” (Benares)
English revised with Ethel Merston.
2i The Sanskrit alphabet represents a complete phonetic systenii This characteristic is not preserved

In the method of transliteration generally accepted.

Preserving the usual system of transliteration, we have, in an attempt to facilitate a more accurate
pronunciation, here adopted the following additional signs :

(a) Letters added are underlined, e, g, : h, i in chandra, Rik,

(b) An apostrophe replaces the suppressed double of a consonant, c. g. kach’hii instead of

kaojjohu or kacchu.
(c) Mute vowels bear a ^short’ accent, e g. t ‘bhiva* which should be pronounced almost as if

written *6tive\ (The final short ‘a’ is, in classical Sanskrit, practically mute.)
3. (Mahabharata, Udyoga parva 70. 13)
“That which goes everywhere, [pervades all], is Vishnu.’*

The method of transliteration adopted in the present article has been devised by Mr, Danielou.
It is not being followed In the other articles published in the Journal of the Indian
Society of Oriental

Art.

The pronunciation indicated here of the final short 'a’ agrees with current practice in Bonai'C'5. [Ed.]
136

an expanding tendency ( rajas ) whose nature is motion, and a descending

tendency ( taraas whose nature is obstruction ( or obscuration ).
According to the relative predominance of these three fundamental ten-
dencies or qualities ( gunas ), the Principle, the Brahman, when qualified
by the expanding tendency from which arises creative energy, becomes
the Creator, Brahma when qualified by the descending tendency from
;

which arises destructive energy, becomes the Destroyer, the Lord of Tears,
Rudra ^ ( Shiva ) and, when qualified by the ascending tendency, from
;

which arises sustaining energy, becomes the Sustainer, the Pervader,

Vishnu.
Rudra, Lord of Tears, as the personification of the totality of causal-
manifestation (^wfs siq^T^nTRt) is called the ’Non-Evolved’ ( Avya-
krlta ) ;
Vishnu the Pervader, as the personification of the totality of
subtle-manifestation, is called the ‘Embryo-of-Splendour’ ( HiranySgarbhaf )

while Brahma the Creator, as the personification of the totality of gross-

manifestation, is called the ‘Glorious’ ( Virat ).
It is the Regent, the Ruler-within of the Unmanifest who
is called Rudra, Vishnu or Brahma. But, wherever for some particular
worship, [
Rudra. Vishnu or ] Brahma are spoken of as if they were living
entities ( jiva ), we have to understand that this cannot refer to the
Ruler-within as such but only to His personification (sifwiTsft).

Such Revealed Utterances as ?! ^ “He being alone could

not enjoy”, or “He
where we hear of fear or enjoyment
feared”,
as taking place within the ‘Embryo-of-Splendour’, imply, of necessity,
the idea of a living entity personifying the ‘Embryo-of-Splendour’
the existence in the Supreme Self of fear or enjoyment being ever
an impossibility. Yet, although the personification may be a living
entity, the Ruler-within is ever Supreme Divinity ( Parameshvara ).
In the Ancient Scripture, the Puranas, we read of numberless Uni-
verses this implies that, since there must be for each Universe an entity
;

representing the aggregate of gross forms, and an entity representing the

1. ?lfTt inn; (Vi^hnuSahasraNSma, 26).

‘‘At the time of clo^tructiou, He destroys the living beings and makes them cry ; hence He i®

Rudra, Lord-of-Tcars/’
 137

aggregate of subtle states, there must exist numberless ‘Glorious’ Virat

(

and numberless ‘Embryo-of-Splendour’ ( Hiranyagarbha ). It is therefore

evident that, regarded as Creator, Sustainer and Destroyer, the Brahmas,
Vishnus and l^hivSs are countless but, as the Ruler-within, the Supreme
;

Divinity is all.

From this point of view the ‘Glorious’ ( Virat ) of the metaphysical

‘Nearest Approach’, the Upanishads, is seen to correspond with the
‘Arch-Glorious’ ( Maha-Virat ) Ancient Scripture, the Puranas. It
of the
is the Ruler-within, alone personified in the whole gross-manifestation
of the countless thousands of Universes, who is that ‘Glorious’ spoken
of in the Upanishads. And the same can be said of the ‘Embryo-of-
Splendour’ and the ‘Non-Evolved’.
Hence, of the total spatial Universe ( vishva ) \ made of numberless
thousands of egg-shaped worlds ( Brahmanda ), the Creator, Brahma, the
Sustainer, Vishnu, and the Destroyer, Rudra, are but one, sometimes
called the Arch-Creator ( Maha-Brahma ), sometimes the Arch-Pervader
( Maha-Vishnu ) and sometimes the Arch-Lord-of-Tears ( Maha-Rudra ).
Just as but one farmer sows, cares for and cuts his corn, so also the
Creator, Sustainer and Destroyer of the spatial Universe is one. Were
it otherwise, who could destroy a world protected by the all-powerful
Supreme Self, the Pervader, Vishnu ? And were the All-Destroyer, the
Lord-of -Tears, Rudra, to be accepted as supreme, who could protect a
world bound for destruction ? Were Vishnu distinct from Rudra, the time
would come when Vishnu would be destroyed by Rudra. But no des-
troyer can destroy his own inner self, and thus the Pervader, because He
is the very Self of the All-Destroyer, can never be destroyed. To admit

1. The Universe, according to the aspect envisaged; is spoken of under different names.
1. Vishva— that in which one enters’— refers to the space-aspect. We translate it ‘the spatial

Universe.
to the motion-aspect. We translate it as ‘the moving
S. Jagat— ‘that which moves’— refers
Universe.'
8. 8anaara —‘that which changes’— refers to the time-aspect. We translate it as ‘the transient

Universe*.

i. Prapano^— 'that which expands*— refers to the manifestation-aspect. We translate it as 'the

manifest Universe.’
Each universe, as a unit, is spoken of as a ‘Priucipial egg’ (Brahmandaj, W c are translating it

^egg-shaped universe’.

35
 ,

138

of several Supreme Divinities is against logic because, if cvct two of tbem

were to disagree or have distinct wills, both could not be supreme or, ;

were their two opposing wills equal neither could produce any effect, and
neither could be supreme alone can be Supreme Divinity whose will
;

predominates. Therefore, the Creator, the Sustainer and the Destroyer of

the world are, of necessity, but one Supreme Being, whatever the names
given to Him. The Eternal Wisdom, the VedS, —of itself its own proof
calls Him the Cause of the Universe, the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful.
Sometimes spoken of as ‘the Pervader’, sometimes as the ‘Lord-of-Tears
sometimes as the Creator, this Supreme Divinity is even called ‘Ether’
( akasha ),
or any other term that may be used to represent the causal
principle of the Universe.

THE TRIPLE UNITY

The Arch-Energy which dwells in the Principle, the Brahman, and

causes the rise, continuance and dissolution of the numberless millions
of Universes, from which spread ] all the inconceivable,
is the centre [

innumerable energies by means of which countless Universes take form.

Amongst the energies of each Universe, those energies in which the
descending tendency ( tamas ) predominates are the origin of the world
of physical forms sng). In these aspects of existence ruled by the
descending tendency, some elements of the ascending ( sattv2 ) and of the
expanding ( rajas ) tendencies are, however, also found. From this ascen-
ding element are formed the inner-faculties(3f^JWi:w) * and the senses ^ of

1. The inner faculties arc four :

(a) 3Iind (mauas) the nature of which is deliberation.

(b) Intellect (buddhi) the nature of which is to choose or decide.
(c) The Mental substance (chitta), upon which is imprinted memory.
(d) I-ness, or I-conceit (ahaihkara).

2. There are five senses of perception and five senses of action corresponding to the five elements
(ether, air, fire, water and earth ),

The senses of perception have for their organs :

f ^ I

**ear, skin, eyes, tongue and the fifth, the nostril.”

While the corresponding senses of action (order inverted) have for organs :

‘‘anus, sex, feet, hands and .speech, knowh frem the scripture as the tenth.*'
 13^

perception from the expanding element arise life-breath (pran2)

;

and the senses of action from the descending element, physical

bodies ate formed. Hence, from the mainly descending aspect
of Universal Energy ?rfe) the perceptible world springs forth.

Similarly, in each Universe, there are energies in which the ascend^

tendency predominates, — though with traces o. expanaing a. .

tendencies. From both these traces springs Ignorance ( avidy^ ) ;

whue,
from the traces of expanding tendency only, springs Sapience (vidya^, that
is Illusion (maya). The mixing of the ascending tendency with the other
tendencies being of endless diversity, the aspects of Ignorance are
numberless ; and so, too, the living beings who are forms of the
[Universal] Conscious reflected within Ignorance. Those who would like

to consider Ignorance as of one kind only, would also have to accept that
there is only one kind of living-being.
Vishnu, the Pervader, is manifested from the ascending element
of the predominantly ascending Sapience Brahma, the Creator, from its ;

expanding element, and Rudra, the Lord- of -Tears, from its descending

element. The divisions of the subsidiary energies are necessarily implied

in theArch-Energy, hence from the mainly descending aspect of the Arch-

Energy is manifested the insentient world (5T5 )
from the impure ^ ;

ascending aspect, the sentient world ) and

from the almost
pure ascending aspect Arch-Divinity.
The (Brahman) qualified by Arch-Energy, is but one
Principle
Arch-Divinity
therefore, the sentient world, the insentient world and
must be understood as forms of the manifestation of one Principle.
Multiplicity may exist in the enjoyed insentient world, or the
enjoying sentient world, but never in Arch-Divinity.
envisaged
The cause of rise-continuance-dissolution is one, but,
separately, the causes of rise, continuance and dissolution are spoken of

as Brahma, Vishnu and RudrS. j u u

particularize
Immanent causation exists in Consciousness ^
and efficient
Energy in which the descending tendency predominates,
*^kno%vlcdgc circiumbcribed by mental
1. Vidy^ Sapience, is defined ai :

Imprint Word’*
>
, » , p ‘'knowledge circumscribed by ;

Wisom
while Veda, 'Eternal

and the Brahman, the Principle,

,
Is

is
^ ^
“knowledge
^ ^
j u
circumscribed by its object ,
140

causation in Consciousness particularized by Sapience-Energy in which the

ascending tendency predominates ; yet, the one Principle, the Brahman,
without plurality (»fr«TT?«f) particularized by Root-Nature (q55
becomes simultaneously both the immanent and the efficient cause of the •

moving universe.
There is, of necessity, in the immanent cause, a likeness to its

effect ; hence, because of this conformity to the inanimate world,

immanence necessatily exists in Consciousness particularized by that
Energy in which the descending tendency predominates. In the efficient
cause a particularisation arises due to the repercussion of the effect upon
that cause hence a maker of pots takes his name from his work.
;

Amongst all, he is the most powerful who can destroy all he ;

alone can protect ; it is he, too, who is the creator. This all-powerful
Lord, who rules over the endless Universe, hymned as
is the Pervader,
Vishnu in the Vishnu Purana and the PadmS PuranS, RamS,
etc, as
Krishna, etc., in the Ramayana, and Mahabharata, etc., as ‘the Lord of

Sleep’ (Shiva)^ or the ‘Lord of Tears’ (Rudra) in the Shiv3 PuranS and
Skanda PuranS.
In those Ancient-Scriptures (PuranSs) which glorify ShivS, it often
seems as if Vishnu were minimised, but this is because the Vishnu there
envisaged is but an ‘acting Vishnu,’ that is, the Vishnu of
but one of the countless universes. Similarly, in the Ancient-Scriptures,
where the Pervader, Vishnu, is glorified, the Lord of Sleep, ShivS, is
only considered in an acting or local aspect
There is nothing contradictory in conceiving the extent of the power
of the Ruler of but one universe as the lesserwhen compared with the
power of the Ruler of countless universes. Thus, under many shapes and
names this Supreme
is Principle, Supreme Self, the Ruler of the
numberless universes sung in the Scripture of Eternal Wisdom (VedS),
in the Epics (RamayanS, Mahabharata), land in the Ancient Scriptures
(Puranas), etc.. This all powerful Lord, ever glorified, is the Pervader
V ishnu.

1. The Word ‘6hiva’ comes from the root — ‘to sleep’.

'‘All go to sleep in Him, hence He u bhiva.” ( Siddhantii Kaumudi )

 )

141

THE DIVINE ICON

He in whom is found all power, all righteousness, all riches, all

glory, all knowledge, all detachment, is called the All-Powerful (Bhagavan).

He alone understands the rise and dissolution, the going ( ) and
coming ( 3n*I% ), the knowledge and ignorance of living beings.^ The
work of the protector of the world is to make it everywhere flower and

bear fruit and fill it with all splendours. To sustain the universe, supreme
might ( ) is necessary. Hence, in the all-powerful Pervader, Vishnu,
absolute might exists.
The Arch-Pervader, for purposes of worship, is conceived of with
forms and limbs ;
wherefore we hear of his feet, of his vehicle ‘Wings of
Speech’, (Garuda)h his discus ‘Beauteous Sight’ (Sudarshana), his jewel
‘Treasure of the Ocean’ (Kaustubha )."

Within the ‘Aggregate of sensible forms’ (the Arch-Glorious, Maha-

Virat) are included sixteen ‘evolved aspects’ ( fq<fK ) i Illusion (Maya),
Linking-Self (Sutratman), ‘First Principle of Existence’ (Mahat-Intellect-
totality), ‘Principle of Individual Existence’ (Ahamkara), the five ‘Spheres

^ ^ II

^^ ii

’TW. II
(Vifhnu Purina VI. 5.74-76.

The six powers : absolute might (

aishvarya ), righteousness ( dharma ), glory (yahsa), fortune

(vairagya) are called ‘Bhaga’. All beings dwell in 'the

(shri ), knowledge ( gnana )
and non-attachment
this Changeless One is represented by the syllable ‘va’.
Self of all that exists’, and he himself in all beings ;

represent the In-dwelling Divinity, Shri

0 Maitreya ! thus docs this Great word ‘Bhaga-van’ truly
VasudevS ( Vi^h^u ) and none other.*’

Also : >

II
(id., VI. 5. 78)
dissolution, the coming and going, the sapience and ignorance of all
“He who knows the rise and
beings should be called 'Bhagavan***'
1. The word Garu<Ja comes from the root t

= speech -t to fly ( see Upadisiitras 4.166).

2 - „ „
which surrounds the earth) is KaustubhS.
That which is born from the ocean (kustubha -that

36
142

of Perception’ (Tanmatras), the eleven senses, and the five ‘Primal

Elements’ (Maha- bhutas).
Within this Conscious shape of the All-Powerful, the Universal-Man
(Purusha), the three worlds appear the earthly-world (Bhu LokS)
:

supporting all, is called his feet ;

because highest, the sky-world (Dyau loks)
is his head ; the intermediary- world, because of its depth, is his navel.

The Sun, the giver of vision is his eye, air his nostril, the directions
his ears. The Lord of Life (Prajapati) is his organ of generation, and
the Lord of Death (Yama) his brow, destruction his anus. The world’s
Guardians (Loka-pala, the Regents of the eight directions) are his arms,
the moon his mind. Shame is his upper lip, because it looks down-
ward like a man ashamed ; and greed is his lower lip moonlight is his ;

teeth. Illusion his smile, all that grows upon the earth his bodily hairs ;

the clouds the hairs of his head.

“his body is of seven spans’’.^
The shape of ‘the Arch-Glorious’ which forms [the body of the
Universe] worshipped because it
is springs from Supreme Divinity hence, ;

in both the Purusha Sukta and the Ancient Scripture, the PuranSs, all

his limbs and parts are spoken of as if they were the limbs of the all-

powerful Pervader, Vishnu himself. Although he is indivisible, this

all-powerful Pervader, for the sake of his faithful ones, incarnates into
visible bodies ( ) the substance of which is Consciousness and
Joy. These incarnations are the qualified shapes of the Lord, likened to
the blue of the flax, to sombre fresh rain-clouds, to the glow of a dark
lotus. These shapes are said to be sometimes bright like the throat of a
peacock, sometimes dark ss the ebon tree. Just as pure water exposed
to cold becomes clear ice so the Principle of Consciousness and BUss
appears, qualified, under the shape of the Pervader Vishnu.
The shapeless, abysmal ether is said by those who know the
secret nature of things ( ) to be dark in colour ; similarly, the
formless, changeless, abysmal pervading principle Vishnu, is spoken of
in the Scripture of ‘Original Revelation’ (Shruti) as dark in colour.
But black is the colour of the Ruler of Darkness, the all-powerful

1. A man’s length is equal to seven of his own span* ( the widest stretch fron^ the tip of the
thumb to that of the little finger),
 143
Lord of Sleep, Shiv3, whose quality is the descending tendency, Obscuration.
Ceaselessly meditating upon Shiva, Vishnu becomes dark,
whereas his
natural fairness appears in Shiva, the Propitious (^hankara), who is
constantly meditating upon Vishnu. Both are ever attracted by, and are
the Selves of, the other.
The All-Powerful, to guide men, human shape to
has to take a ;

guide the different Ages, He also takes corresponding shapes. In the

Lord, Himself formless, shapes appear by contact with attributes.
In the first, the [Golden Age or Age of Accomplishment] (Kiita
yuga), the ascending tendency is predominant and the Lord appears
white ; in the second, the [Age of Equilibrium] of the three [fundamental
qualities] (Treta yuga), a mixture of the ascending and expanding tendencies
predominates and the Lord appears red in the third [or Age of Uncertainty]
;

(Dvapara yuga), the expanding tendency predominates and the Lord

appears yellow, while in the fourth [the Age of Darkness or strife] (Kali
yug3), the descending tendency predominates and the Lord appears black.

“White, then
^ red,
qlrTJ

then yellow. He
»tct;

is now become black.”

Upon his breast the Lord wears the divine attribute, the Jewel
‘Treasure-of-the-Ocean’, which represents all the supersensible brilliance
that is Conscious in living beings (
the ). According to the
‘End of Wisdom’ (the Vedanta), the collective Consciousness of living
being shelters in the one, limitless Divinity, Hence the living being is
truly the jewel of the Lord.
The devotee who has attained to the Lord is a marvellous ornament
shining on His breast, and the envy of all. [In the Love play of Krishna

we hear that]
srd |

5! ^ ^ \\

“When and pearls and precious stones (or, in other

the flowers
words, the angels, and those who have attained liberation, and those who
have attained union with the changeless Principle) ever cling to the
‘Remover of pain’ once they have reached His breast, how could the
cowherd women, possessed by Love, ever abandon Him !”
On the right breast of the Lord is a white lock of hair, curled to
the right and looking like the fibre of a lotus stem ; it is called ‘Darling-
l44

of-Fortune’ (shri-vats5). This lock of hair represents the light of the

jewel ‘Treasure-of-the-Ocean’. On His left breast is a lock of golden
hair, leftwards coiled, the mark of the Divinity of Fortune, Lakshmi.
Hence, the essence ( 5TR of that which enjoys and the essence of
that which is enjoyed both shine gloriously in the shape of Fortune
and the Darling-of-Fortune upon the breast of the All-powerful.
The Arch-Energy which presides over all the Divine glory )

is Lakshmi, who is Fortune. The essence of the individual Conscious

( sftw

through the operation

^ ) born from
of the
the mystery
Supreme Self
of
is
Fortune made pregnant
the Darling-of-Fortune.
Between Fortune and Darling-of-Fortune is the foot-print of Bhrigu to ^

show that both are obtained by honouring the priestly lotus feet.
Encircling the neck of the Lord is the Garland-of-the-Forest
which represents Illusion ( maya ). The substance of Illusion is of many
qualities although the three fundamental ones are its essence
Composed of the holy basil ( tulasi ) and jasmine, of the
celestial datura and parijata and of the lake-born lotus ^ the
blossoms,
flowers of this Garland of marvellous fragrance and wonderful hues
represent the enchantments of Nature ( Prakriti ) which arise from the
three fundamental qualities.
The Yellow Veil ( pitambara) of the Lord represents the Vedic
rythms, or metres ( chhandas ). Just as, through the transparence of the
Yellow Veil, shines the form of the Divine body, so, through the Vedic
metres, shines Divine Reality. This Yellow Veil is also said to be the
Enchanting Illusion ( Mohani Maya ) whose shimmering folds cover the
form of the Principle, the Brahman, just as the yellow veil protects the
blessed limbs of the Lord. He alone who is not attracted or influenced
by the glamour of Illusion can know the real shape of God only by going ;

behind the brilliance of the veil can the divine shape be reached.
The sacred Thread worn by the Lord is formed by the triple lettered
Syllable of Obeisance, AUM.‘
1. The sage Bhrigu, trying to find out who waa the greatest of the Gods, hit the sleeping Viffinu on
the chest with his foot.
2. The parijata is one of the five trees of India's paradise.
3* Baroruha, 'that which arises from the lake’.

l ( Vi§hnu Sahasnl Nama )

‘‘Eternal Wisdom’ teaches : Thus one bows down, saying AUM

 145

The sea-monster makara ) shaped ear-rings are respectively the

(

point of views of Cosmology ( sahkhya ) and Re-integration ( yoga ).

The diadem ( mukuta ) of the Lord is the ‘Supremely August stage’
( "TnSssi ).

The serpent called ‘the Limitless’ ( Ananta ) which forms the

throne of the Lord represents the ‘Non-evolved ( avyakrita ) and is the
embodiment of the Total Conscious ( chaitanya ), the Universal causal
stage ( ). This serpent is also called ‘the Remainder’
( shesha ) because it alone remains when the manifestation is dissolved.
That the pervading Lord should be seated on this limitless Remainder
shows that beyond the ‘Non-Evolved’, beyond all cause and effect, is
yet another fourth stage ( turiya ).

The four hands of the Lord represent the four scriptures of Eternal
'Wisdom ( the four Veda* ), the four Ages, the four aims of hfe, and
[ all that is symbolized by ] the square.
In one hand is held a lotus symbol of the ascending tendency from
which springs Eternal Law ( dharma ), Knowledge ( gnana ), etc,. In
this ascending tendency, substance of Eternal Law, just as in the lotus
flower, is beauty, softness, savour and fragrance.
In an other hand, the Lord holds the mace ( gada ) which represents
the ‘principle of Vital Energy’ ( prana tattva ) upon which depends
virility, force, etc.

discus
In his
‘Beauteous
two other hands,
Sight’ (
the Lord
Sudarshana ),
holds the
representing
conch (
^
respectively
and the
the
Watery ( jala tattva ) and the Fiery (tejas tattva) principles.
His sword, shield and bow ( sharnga ) represent Ether, Darkness
and Time, his quiver ( Nishahga ) actions, while the arrows which stand
in His quiver are the senses.

X, It is also said that :

holds the conch named ‘Born of Five’ is the [ tamas, gross, descending)
part of I-ness, the origin of physical existence.”
Hence, the conch ia said to correspond to water, the first compact element.
Further,

“He has a bow called ^Siharhga’, which represents the rajas, subtle, expanding part of I-ness, origin of

sensorial perception.’*
Hence the bow is said to represent the fiery principle, i. e. Supersensible radiance.

37
146

His chariot is the mind with its power of action ( fifim 5?^ ) ; it

manifests the five spheres of perception (tanmatras), speech, etc., origin

of the senses. The All-Powerful,
on the mind in which the power riding
of action dwells, fits the senses to the bow of Time and takes aim at their
objects. His hands, granting boons and dispelling fears, show the ways
of achieving the aims of existence.
The hand of the All-Powerful (Bhaga-
lotus held for play in the divine
van), is sometimes taken to represent the six supernatural powers known
as ‘bhaga’. In this case the symbolism of the previously mentioned
lotus is represented by the lotus supporting the throne.
The whisk (chamarS) and the fan, waving above the Lord, are
Righteousness (dharma) and Sacrifice (yagna).
The parasol is the Land of No-Hindrance (vaikunth3)‘, the heaven
of Vishnu, the Land-where-is-no-fear JTO).

As the embodiment of the ritual sacrifice, the Lord has for His
vehicle the bird ‘Wings-of-Speech’ (Garuda), made of the three main
aspects of Eternal Wisdom, ( the three VedSs ) Rythm (Rik), Sound :

(SamS) and Substance (Yajuh), which are the instruments of the ritual
sacrifice. The Pervader, Vishnu, moves enthroned upon it.
The chief of the attendants ‘All Conqueror’ (Vishvak-sen3) repre-
sents the Terrestrial Scripture (agama)^ which defines the technique
of divine worship, as for example the [ ritual of the ] ‘Five Nights’
(Pancha-ratri). The eight superhuman powers (Vibhuti)^ are the other
attendants of the Lord, called Happiness, Delight, etc..

1. H I

'‘To know no hindrance ( kuntha )

to one’s motion is to be un-hindered ( vikuntbd ). That
which is unhinderd is the ‘Un- Hindered’ (vaikuntha ).

2. “A-gama’* (whereto it- has-come ), represents the Scripture of Eternal Wisdom in its aspect as
applied to the practical needs of earthly worship. It is therefore called 'Terrestrial Scripture’, in opposition
to the “Ni-gama” (Whcnce-it-has-come ) representing the Scripture of Eternal Wisdom in its universal
aspect, i. e. the Vedd, or Solar Scripture’.
There are eight superhuman powers or faculties called vibhutis or siddhis.
3. Generally considered
as attributes of 6hiva, they are obtained at a certain stage of yoga.
They are :

nin I

^ ^ ffCTT J|

a. To decome small as an atom { animan )

b, To have no weight { Laghiman )

 ) )

147

Vasudeva (the In-dwelling Divinity) SankSrshana (the Resorber),

Pradyumna (the and Aniruddha (the Unopposed)\ are
All-Possessor),
the four arrays, or arrangements of Vishnu corresponding respectively to
[the Four stages of the macrocosm], ‘the Glorious’ [gross body of the
Universe], the ‘Embryo of Splendour’ [subtle body of the Universe], the
‘Non-Evolved’ [causal body of the Universe], and the ‘Fourth Stage’
[Universal Principle beyond all cause and effect]. [ In the microcosm ]
these four arrays or icons correspond to ‘The Dwelling’ ( Vishva
[
individual gross body ], ‘Supersensible Radiance’ ( taijas ) [ individual
supersensible body ], ‘Awareness’ (pragha) [individual causal body], and
the ‘Fourth Stage’ (Turiya) [the Principle beyond cause and effect
which is identical in both the Universal and Individual].
The all-powerful Lord, in his four arrays, is the cause of even
‘Eternal Wisdom’, the Veda. He is and self-
self-seeing
contained in his greatness ^). Although ultimately without
any sort of differentiation, the All-Powerful, through His intrinsic Power
(shakti), Illusion, creates, sustains and dissolves the spatial Universe.

c. To have the power of obtaining anything (prapti)

d. To have irresistible will {
prakamya )

e. To have the power to become immensely large ( mahiman )

f. To have the power of supremacy ( Ishitvam or iphita)

g. To have the power to bring under ones control or to fascinate anything or anyone (vasihtvam )

h. To have the power of unrestrained enjoyment ( kamavasayita )

1. cfa I

wtg ^^ ll (
vi.jhnu Purana G. 5. 80

1, “In this supreme Self all existing things dwell, and this Universal Self in all things that exist ;

hence, the Exposition of Eternal Wisdom, the Traditional Scripture, calls him Vasudeva, In- Dwelling
Divinity.”

I ( Sahasra nama )

*‘At the time of dissolution he draws in all creatures, hence he is Sahkar&hana, “the Resorber.”

l ( Vifhnu Sahasra nama )

“Because his wealth is greatest, or because he is the soul of the four arrays, he is called'’thc All

Possesor, Pradyumna.
^ m l ( Vijbiii Sahasra namS )

“Of the four arrays he is the fourth ;

no opponent ever opposes him, hence he is the Unopposed

Aniruddha )".
(
 — ,

148

THE MEANINGS OF THE WORD 'NIbIYA.NA’ ,*

The Arch-Pervader, Maha-Vishnu, beyond Creative Illusion, beyond

quality, is the Principial Essence ( BrahmS-tattva ) without beginning,
middle or end, limitless, unrivalled, indivisible, self-sufficient. He verily

is ‘the Principle in Whom dwells and who dwells in all existence’

( Narayana-tattva The word Narayana has several meanings.

).

1. Because he dwells in all humans as giver of existence (d^l) and

vibration )
^
the Arch-Pervader is called NarayanS.

“the collection of men ( nara ) is humanity ( naram ), and He of whom

the collection of human beings is the dwelling ( ayana ) [ is
NarayanS ].

3. 2. iRT^ 5fTcn5 Jfra: am: (‘amt t ^

ciwfjf’ am aim I

“He whose dwelling is the Waters apah or the Principles of the

( )

elements ( tattvas ) [
both ] called ‘Narah’ because sprung from [ the
‘Embryo of Splendour’ the Universal subtle body spoken of as ] ‘NarS
[is Narayana]. Manu ( 1, 10 ) says that “the waters are born of Nara ,

while Vedic runes mantras reveal that “the five Principles of the
( )

elements sprang from Nara”.

Because, as a witness, either he
jm* 3Ri^ 5TR7% ^ i

“enters, knows ‘all NarS ), ( animate or inanimate ) or, he

that exists’ (

causes to move, impels,” he is Narayana ( the In-Dweller ).

4. Leaving the supreme Heaven, the Un-Hindered world, he comes
down into the mortal world and is called ‘He who has come into man’
( Narayana ).

SRMT I

“the assembly of men ( Nara ), of his devotees, is NarS, (humanity) he ;

fares forth towards it and moves to fulfill its desires (3T^5l?TO

5. —
The living being, the Conscious circumscribed by Ignorance, is —
called NarS ( man ). The animate or inanimate manifestation, which is
the object of man’s experience, conceived by him in the Principle, the
limitless Conscious, is spoken of as the ‘water’ and called ‘NarS’ [ the

1. Vibration, i. c. manifestation.
 149

field of human experience ]. Its dwelling, its support ( adhishthanS, is

called the ‘Universal abode’ ( NarayanS ).

Hence, because He gives existence and vibration (
( ) ) to
the manifest world ( ) conceived within Himself by the living
being, the Causal Principle ( ) is called ‘Universal Abode’
(Narayana).
( 6)
“Nar3 is the human herd, wherefore it has motion, direction, is 'the
Way of Humanity’ (Narayana)”.

THE FOUR-LEGGED PRINCIPLE

The non-dual Indwelling-Essence, (Narayana-tattvg) the nature of

which is supreme Joy, without second, eter-
Being-Consciousness-Bliss, is

nal, pure, ancient, ever free, true, formless and beyond any of the
means
.
of proof. It is spoken of as the Four-Legged Principle, the Chatushpat
Brahman.
The four legs are Ignorance, True Sapience (su-vidya), Joy and the
Fourth Stage. The last three of these legs are ever present, pervading all
things, and some speak of them as the three-legged Principle, the Tri-PadS-
Brahman. (The last of these three) the Fourth Stage, although one of the
four legs, is also beyond them ( ). This last aspect is however not
envisaged here.
Ignorance (sthuIS avidya), which corresponds to the Arch-Glorious,
the body of the Universe, is the first leg of the All-Powerful subtle mani- ;

festation is True Sapience

the second leg. ; the seed (bija) [the causal stage
whence the Unmanifest becomes manifest] is the third leg, Joy ; and the
pure Principle supporting all is the fourth leg.

Although the first leg is said to be the first, this is not really so,
since the three-legged Principle ever undifferentiated, there is no possi-
is

bility of a triple distinction within it. And even within the first leg,
created from Ignorance, the four legs already exist.

Since Ignorance predominates in the first leg, this leg is said to be

spotted with Ignorance ( ). Although the all-supporting Cons-
cious is basically everywhere present, it appears here as if eclipsed In the
38
150

three other legs, the Conscious predominates and Ignorance is secondary.

Because of the predominance of the Conscious-element, these higher legs
are considered to be made of transcendent, supernatural joy, haying for
intrinsic form the scintillating mass of all that is fiery. They are beyond
Word with but one flavour, that of indivisible, absolute Bliss.
ineflfable,

In the middle region of the middle leg, like a stream of boundless

light, the Supreme Heaven, the Un-hindered World gloriously shines,
resplendent with unsurpassed, undifferentiated joy, like an icon of Prin-
cipial Bliss (Brahmananda). In this supreme land of the Arch-Pervader,
within the mass of the limitless, all-pervading, divine light of indivisible
joy, shines, like the urn of ambrosia in the ocean of milk, a boundless
sphere.
There in the midst of the divine glow gleams the Person (purushS)
of ‘Beauteous-Sight’ ( ). Like the In-dweller of the Sun, Surya-
Narayana, who shines within the solar orb, the non-dual Initial In-Dweller,
Adi-Narayana, can be seen, in the midst of the boundless mass of the light
of supreme joy. This Initial In-Dweller is the Fourth Stage Principle
(Turiya Brahman) and He is even beyond the Fourth Stage. He is verily

the Pervader, Vishnu, the Total Principle of ( ), the Meaning all

and the Word, the supreme Light, beyond Illusion, beyond quality, beyond
time, beyond all action He is supreme Divinity without attributes, the
;

supreme Person without beginning or end, eternal.

It is meaningless to picture an All-conqueror (VishvaksenS) or an

Un-Hindered World in a stage beyond qualities. It must, therefore, be

understood that all the above description can only refer to the qualified.

THE RAISING OP THE EYE-LID

At the raising and lowering of the eye-lid of the non-dual Initial

In-Dweller Ignorance with its result, the whole manifest Universe,
arises, endures and disappears. When the self-content All-Powerful
at his own pleasure raises his eye-lid, then, within the potential stage,
that is the universal causal stage, the Causal Root ( ), that is

the Unmanifest (Avyakta) springs forth. From this Unmanifest arises

Creative Illusion and all that proceeds from it. Energy inwardly
 151

directed is the Unmanifest, outwardly directed, it is Root-Ignorance.

By contact with this Root-Ignorance, the Supreme Principle, (Para-
Brahman) becomes, as if spotted throughout ( ) by Ignorance. From
Ignorance is manifested the ‘Great Principle’ (Mahat, Universal Intellect),
and from the ‘Great Principle’ springs I-hood ( ) ; from I-hood
spring the five ‘Spheres of Perception’ (tanmatras), from the five Spheres
of Perception the five primal elements (maha bhutSs), and from the five
primal elements, the Universe. And, within the Universe, gloriously resi-
ding, is the all-powerful In-Dweller, the Lord ( NarayanS ).

The Glorious, the Person (Purusha) with a thousand heads and a

thousand eyes, who personifies the physical Universe, is the [outward]
form of this In-Dweller. His transcendent aspect, the In-Dweller is
In
without quality, yet, in contact with Illusion, He appears to have qualities
(gun2s), i.e. appears in the form of supersensible Radiance (tejas). Energy of
Knowledge, Might and Glory, whose shape is the multiform, mysterious,
endless moving-Universe.
In each of His pores stand innumerable millions of egg-shaped Uni-
verses with their shells. In each one of these universes dwells an
incarnation, an avatarS, of the In-Dweller, NarayanS, from whom are
born all Celestial Beings (devas) and the world of sensible forms ( WU9 ).
The all-powerful Pervader, the Lord Vishnu, and His Heavenly
Worlds, constitute that manifestation which is of Sapience, the play
of Consciousness, and is eternal Joy. The substance of the

rest of manifestation is Ignorance.

THE lowering OF THE EYE-LID

Each night and day of Brahma the Creator, lasts four thousand
Ages. Within one day of Brahma, all the Worlds below the World-of-
Truth (SatyS LokS, the seventh Heaven) arise, and are dissolved. Fifteen
of these days make a fortnight (W).
two fortnights a month, two months
half-year, two half-years a year and
a season, three seasons an equinoxial
of the Creator’s life. In the end, the Glorious
a hundred years the length
dissolves itself into the Embryo of
Person, [the body of the Universe,]
Splendour [the totality of all supersensible states] which, in turn, is
.132

merged into its cause, the Supreme Self. For a hundred years all

remains dissolved. During that time, all the living individuaUties (jivSs)

are asleep within Nature (Prakriti).

The whole duration between the appearance and disappearance of

the Creator, Brahma, is but one day and night of the Arch-Pervader,
Malm- Vishnu ; these days and nights again form fortnights, months, sea-
sons, half-years and years. For one thousand million years the Arch-Per-
vader remains, after which He dissolves Himself into the Initial -Glorious-
Person, [totality of all Universes] ; and the one Universe with its shell
then disappears and remains dissolved for a billion years.
Again, the duration between the appearance and disappearance of
the Arch-Pervader constitutes one day and night of the Initial-Glorious-
Person, whose life, in terms of these new fortnights, etc, is a billion years.
At the end of them, the Initial-Glorious resorbs Himself into the Initial-
In-Dweller, The existence of the Initial-Glorious is one day and night

of the Initial-In-Dweller who, in turn, remains for one billion years. At

the end of His existence, at the pleasure of the Three-Legged, Al-
mighty In-Dweller (Tripad-vibhuti-Narayan2 [the ultimate Vishnu princi-
ple]), the eye-lid is lowered.
This is the end. The egg of Root-Ignorance with its shell dissolves.
Then Root-Ignorance with all its display disappears into the Unmanifest
(Avyakta), which returns to the Principle, the Brahman ; then the Initial
In-Dweller comes back to His own intrinsic nature (svasvarupa), which-
is‘Whole Consciousness’ (chitmatrS). All living individualities (jivas) arc
also resorbed into ‘Whole Consciousness’.
Thus, like the crystal which appears red near the rose but colourless
and pure away from it, the Principle, the Brahman, in contact with the
attributes of Illusion, appears to have qualities and limitations but when ;

Illusion ceases to be, it is quality-less, limit-less.

The Three-Legged Ultimate Essence, beyond form and change, beyond
all qualification, ever Is.

Ill
THE DIVINE JOURNEY
When the Initial-In-Dweller looks inwards. He contemplates His
own inner form : it is the ‘lowering of the eye-lid’ (nimeshs) ; when the
 153

Initial-In-Dweller looks outwards, He contemplates His own outer form ;

it is the ‘raising of the eye-lid’ (unmesha). The eye-lid raised, Ignorance

arises ; the eye-lid lowered, all dissolves. From the resultant-attributes
which are inner-faculties ( ), intellect, etc, the living individua-
lities issue ; and from the causal-attribute, which is Illusion, issues Divinity

(Ishwara).
Like frogs, that are destroyed in the hot weather but appear again
when the rains come. Ignorance, dissolved when the eye-lid of Supreme
Divinity is Because of the desire for evil action
lowered, again arises.

acquired, during innumerable worthless births, the living being, experi-

encing the dream-like, illusory enjoyment of material things, and living
in the error (
sgn ) of “I am a living individuality’ (jiva), ‘I am a form of
pain’ ( ), errs, in his greed for endless tempting things, insatiable.

To him, the desirable appears undesirable, the undesirable desirable. Bound

by the power of ‘not-knowing’ (agnana), he has no thought for Liberation
and feels no desire to experience unbounding principial happiness (BrahmS-
sukha).
only through the great influence of good done birth after
It is

birth, that the living being obtains the privilege of coming into contact
with saints and of discerning right from wrong he feels a leaning to- ;

wards right-behaviour, and, gradually, as the burden of sin decreases, his

become purified.
inner-faculties
Then, upon a merciful glance from the True-Guide (sat-guru), all
obstacles disappear and Reality is perceived. An inclination to hear and
ponder Divine tales arises, and, in the heart, the knots of evil desires are
loosened. Then, in the centre of the heart’s lotus, the Supreme Lord
appears. From fervent devotion detachment arises, and by constant striv-
ing towards knowledge realisation matures. And, together with desire,
all past actions are destroyed.
The In-Dweller appears shining in all things, and it seems as if,

everywhere, nothing but He alone exists.

Further, when unwavering knowledge of the essence of things has

been acquired, nothing remains but a non- particularized Knower ( ),

identified with the Principle.

But, if knowledge is not unwavering and some desire to see other

worlds lingers, at the moment of leaving' the body, the attendants of the

39
 154

Lord come to rescue the living being, who, contemplating with great love
the inner Self established in the lotus of his heart, sheds the physical
body, the greatest obstacle of the mind, and dives into the River of Im-
mortality (amara-nadi) which springs from the toe of the lotus foot of ‘the
Limitless’ (Ananta- Vishnu).
The living being then takes the path ethereal, and, leaving on cither
hand the worlds of merits (
jn?! ), enters into the world of Truth
(Satya Loka).
Having there worshipped Brahma the Creator and been honoured by
all the inmates, the Approacher enters the blcssM World of ^hiva. Lord
of Sleep.
Thence, crossing the sphere of the Great Seers (Maha-^his) and
piercing through the sphere of Moon and Sun, he has a vision of the
axial point, the unmoving polar star.
He next enters the sphere of the porpoise^ after which he again
ascends and bathes in the River of Passionless-ness ( fifOIT ) ; then he once
more immerses himself, and, meditating upon the All-Powerful, abandons
the subtle body, the causal instrument of the yet unseparated five ele-
ments. He now puts on the mental body of spell ( ) which
is with the Pervadcr, and, having worshipped Him, enters
‘likeness of form’^
into the ‘Unhindered World of the Principial Substance’ ( HUm ).

Bowing to its inhabitants, he sees before him the incomparable,

flawless ‘mountain of Principial Joy’ ( ). This mountain
glitters magnificently with its high peaks, its innumerable ramparts, palaces,
arches, gardensand flying chariots ( ). On the highest peak glows
an intense light which is Sublime Joy. Within this joy sparkles the
‘Joy of Pure Knowing’ (shuddS-bodhS-ananda)’ within which, is an altar
made of Consciousness, and, within, again, an altar made of Bliss adorned
with a forest of joy yet further, is that intense, boundless light in
;

which stands the throne of Supreme Felicity ( ).

1. ^hiBhumara efeakra, the outermost shell of the potpolso-shaped physical tJuirerse.

2. Likeness of form is the third stage of Re-integration (yogti). The first is ‘salokyS’ ‘to dwell in the
same world ;
the second is ‘samipyS* ‘to be near’ ; the third^s ‘sSrupyd’ ‘to have the same shape’
and t)ie fourth is 'sayujya* 'complete fusioa’.
 155
The Approacher then passes through five Unhindered Worlds and
reaches the Beatitude of the Glorious (Virat
kaivalyS). Now, having
pierced through the shell of the Egg-shaped Universe, he
can see its shape
and becomes in essence, through Principal Cognition (Brahma gnan5), of
the very nature of ‘the Glorious’ himself. He now perceives the World
of
Liberation ( ), the manifestation which is beyond the egg-
shape. Like the egg of a wood-cock, this Universe’s egg, sum of all that
is superlative, most vast, shines like molten gold, brilliant as ten million
suns. It is surrounded by the
five primal elements (maha-bhutSs) by I-hood,
by and by Root-Nature (mul2 Prakriti). This egg-
Intellect-totality (mahat)
shaped Universe, two hundred thousand million leagues in all four direc-
tions, rests on the ‘Arch-Frog’ (maha-manduka)^ and other boundless
Energies, and is the play-ball of the All-powerful In-Dweller. Unseen,
unheard, characterized by innumerable particularities, it rotates like an
atom in the pores of the All-Powerful,

“On all sides of this egg-shaped Universe,

countless millions of similar Universes stand
glittering within their shells.”

In all these Egg-shaped Universes dwell Pervaders, Arch-Divinities

( MaheshvarS-Shiva ), etc., four-faced, six-faced, seven-faced, eight-faced,
. up to one thousand faced, all aspects of the In-Dweller, NarayanS. Just
as in the waters of the great flood
( maha-jala-angha ) wander innumerable

fishesand bubbles so, too, these Egg-shaped Universes, countless in

number, move within the Arch-Pervader. In each of His pores these
Universes glitter, like the buckets of a turning water-wheel.
The Approacher now knows all the inward and outward mysteries
of the Universes, understands all their strange, attributes, and, passing
through the groups of Universes, crossing the shoreless ocean of aby-
all

smal darkness, he comes within sight of the Citadel of Ignorance. There

he obtains the vision of Ignorance-Fortune clad in all the delights of
Arch-Illusion, adorned with all the magic of boundless, divine, splendours
which are the forms of the total Energies of Arch-Illusion. She, the

1, The Universe rests upon the serpent ‘Remainder’ (^heffeS nagd) which itself stands upon a
boar
(vatftliS), which in turn stands upon the Divine Energy called Arch-Frog (maha-map(Jukd)»
 156

‘Arch-Illusion of the Pervader’ (Vaishnavi Maha Maya), is the genitrix of

the totality of all Universes. Having worshipped her, the Seeker (Sadhaka),
by her grace, ascends and attains to the state of ‘the Arch-Glorious’, the
Maha Virat (totality of all Universes).
The Arch-Glorious is described in many a rune ;

“He has, verily, eyes on all sides, mouths on all sides, arms on all

sides and feet on all sides. He, the Progenitor, the only Lord, upholds
with his arms the falling Heaven and Earth.’’
The Approacher now sees, in her Divine City, the Arch-Integrant-
Illusion ( Maha-yoga-Maya ), comparable only to the Ocean of Marvels
adorned with all the deceptive magic which hides the intrinsic
form of the Absolute, the Supreme- Principle. Above shines the Un-
Hindered City of limitless magnificence, where dwell the eternally Liberated
(nitySi mukta).
Within is a divine throne of Consciousness ; there, in the heart of a
lotus, shines a divine light of incomparable intensity wherein dwells the
All-Powerful, the Initial In-Dweller, the Lord Adi-NarayanS.' Having
contemplated and worshipped Him, the Seeker breaks through the shell
of the Egg of Ignorance and, passing beyond Ignorance, reaches the
confluence of Knowing and Unknowing and sees the Un-Hindered City
of the All-Conqueror.
Radiant splendour envelops the City which is filled with the arrays
of the endless joy of Knowing Numberless mountains of Joy
adorn it. Amongst them is the mountain of Felicity and, on it,
the flying chariot of pure Joy. In the chariot stands another auspicious,
divine throne, within which, also on the heart of a lotus, is the Protector

), the All-Conqueror of undaunted valour, who is

of all Realization
the intrinsic nature of the Arch-Pervader. Having adored Him, the
Seeker, crossing the boundless oceans of Sapience, reaches the waters of

1. The nature of the Supersensible or subtle world, corresponding to the state of dream, is fiery
visibility being its specific quality ;hence, the Realisation of Yi^hnu,— who, from the cosmological
point of view, corresponds to the ‘Embryo of splendour’ (HiranySgarbha), the aggregate of all supersensible
states. — is always spoken of in terms of light.

<
 157

Principial Sapience, the he bathes therein and, the mind

Brahma-vidya ;

steady in its contemplation of the All-Powerful, he again plunges into

the current. He, then, abandons the mental body of spell (mantr2-may5-
sharira) and entering an immortal spiritual-body made of the Joy of
Sapience, he attains ‘likeness of form’ with the In-Dweller, Narayana. The
Approacher now can see the Un-Hindered World of Principial Sapience,
and is welcomed by all its for-ever liberated inhabitants. There, from the
midst of never ending Principial Forests (Brahma-vana) of consciousness, of
which fragrance is the nature innumerable mountains of pleasure
rise, beautiful with rivers of knowledge in which flows the sap of
Joy. Inside the City, before the vast and towering Palace ‘Joy of Knowing’
(Bodha-ananda), stands the flying chariot which is the syllable of Obeisance
AUM. Enthroned upon it is the ruling deity ( adhi-devata ) of this
Treasure Empire of Principial Sapience, the Infinite Fortune, Lakshmi,
who, with her never-failing glance, dissolves beginningless root-ignorance.
The Approacher, worshipping her with many diflferent rites (OT^TR:),
proceeds ever upwards through the waves of Principial Sapience from
shore to shore crossing all the Oceans of unlimited Joy and ranges of
;

supreme Felicity (TO? and approaching the Principial Forests, he

attains to the flying chariot of the Joy of Knowing. He now has sight of
the heavenly Un-Hindered City of the sacred Basil (Tulasi) which stands on
the mountain of Unlimited Knowing (aifjRT surrounded by the blessed
waves of the Ocean of Joy of Knowing which is Bliss unsurpassed. In the
City, he sees the presiding deity, the sacred Tulasi. This sacred TulSsi is
the incomparable beauty and charm which muses in all the limbs of the
Lord Pervader. Thus, having crossed, from coast to coast, the ocean of
supreme Joy, and seen the innumerable Worlds of the Joy of Knowing,
the Approacher, welcomed by a hail of flowers, the Joy of Divine
Fragrance, sees the Principial Forest above which towers the mountain of
Divine Felicity.

IV
THE SUPREME STAGE
The thronged with flying chariots and unending
Principial Forest is

forms of impenetrable radiance, oceans of nectar of unsurpassed Joy.

Gradually reaching the confluence of Knowledge and Joy, and breast-
40
158

ing the flood of the never-ceasing waves, the Approacher enters the Forest.
Flowers of Immortality ever rain down uponrivers of Bliss spread every-
it,

where, and mountains of the Joy of Pleasure (KridS-anandS) add gloriously

to its beauty. In the midst of this forest is the Un-Hindered dwelling of
the Joy of Knowing, around it are the resplendent ramparts of the
Thousand Joys.There are the gorgeous palaces of Knowing, picturesque
with their countless halls of pleasure beautified with parasols, whisks,
pennants, canopies (ftaT*!) and arches. Having entered this Un-Hindered
World, the Approacher sees, shining on the top of the mountain of Supreme
Joy, the chariot of integral Knowledge. In it is a throne of Consciousness,
and upon the throne the fiery sphere of integral Joy. Within the sphere
is the Initial In-Dweller, and the Approacher, having done worship to Him

and made an offering of a handful of flowers, is stabilised in his intrinsic

nature
The All-Powerful then makes him on the throne, and, with the
sit

help of the inhabitants of this Un-Hindered World, proceeds to consecrate

him as the ruler of the whole empire of the Liberated. Celestial and
blessed arch-instruments now play before him the All-Powerful then
;

anoints him from the urns of Joy, bows before him, and, presenting him
with different offerings, gives him His own insignia, saying “Thou art :

the Principle, I am the Principle, between us is no difference, thou I am,

I thou art.” Having thus spoken, the Initial In-Dweller disappears.
The Approacher has now attained the majesty ( ) of Ptincipial

Joy and sees, everywhere established, countless Un-Hindered Worlds of

Joy riding on immortal ‘Wings of Speech’, protected by ‘Beauteous Sight’
;

and the All-Conqueror, he sees the countless flowers of Self-delight

( sHTcJIRni ). He crosses again innumerable oceans of Joy in which bathe
vibrant forests and peaks of divine radiance and he experiences the multi-
;

form, sublime totality of the majesty of Supreme Existence

THE VISION OF BEAUTEOUS SIGHT

Now comes the vision of the City of Beauteous-Sight.

Thousands
of ever auspicious ‘ramparts of Joy’ towering proudly surround the city and
within are thousands of vaults (f%) and immense shining domes (^<<^11^).
 159

In the centre of the City is the Arch- Wheel, the great discus Beauteous-
Sight. Sum of unlimited divine weapons which are the divine powers,
and embodiment of the impulse (SR^) of the Arch-Pervader whom
nothing can hinder, ornamented by innumerable tongues of fire the great
Wheel of the Arch-Discus, cause of all divine Felicity, shines forth. In
its centre glows a massive orb of intense divine light. In its middle is the
wheel of a thousand spokes which has the shape of a sphere of indivisible
divine radiance and dazzles like the concentrated lightning of Supreme
Joy. Within again is the wheel of six hundred spokes ; the impenetrable,
massive, form of Transcendental Knowledge (vignana), it is the special seat
of the display of boundless Supreme Radiance. Within this wheel of six

hundred spokes is the wheel of the three hundred spokes, sum of the
innumerable Suns of Consciousness, it represents the volupty of Supreme
Felicity. Again, one within the other, are the wheels of one hundred
spokes, of sixty spokes, and, within these, a hexagonal wheel appearing as
an unbounded mass of divine radiance. Within it, again, is the stage of
Arch-Joy, in the heart of which is the sphere of Consciousness of Sun,
Moon and Fire. Here, blazing forth like millions of newly arisen suns,
dwells the Person of Beauteous-Sight ( SudarshanS Purusha ), the true
Arch-Pervader. He who by means of the Arch-Utterances ( Mahavakya )
such as “That thou art” is perceived indeed to be one’s own Self,
*

is called ‘Beauteous-Sight’.
Because the Fourth-Stage-Principle ( turiya Brahman ) has the power
of cutting off heads of demons ( asuras ), that is, of Ignorance, it is

represented by the Arch-discus ‘Beauteous-Sight.’ It can also be said that

the hermetic Utterance of the Arch-Indweller ( Maha-Narayan3 mantrS )
which is the means of attaining to the Fourth Stage is symbolised by
‘Beauteous-Sight’. In the following hermetic Utterance he is described
as :

In the hierarchy of manifestation, immediately after the Prinoipial Word, which is the syllable
1,

AUM> are manifesed the arch-utterances which represent the essence of Eternal Wisdom ( Veda ). These
arch-utterances are sometimes aiid to be four, sometimes ten in number, two of
them are :

1
• ‘'That thou art.”

WW Principle, the Brahman, is all ‘this’ [the Universe.] *•

and 1
•
160

qfer chi a^wrifii i

^ qfMN 5^5f ^ 8T^q mHHiifd -i

*
er^ ii

vsim qyqr ^ITit ^ l[«ITg ||

“the impeller, pure, vast, ancient, through whom evil actions can be

overcome. Being purified by Him, the pure and clean, we can pass beyond
the enemy, extreme sinfulness. He is the world’s doorway, flaming, pure,
luminous, resplendent, mighty. May this impeller suckling us with the
many streams of ambrosia, give us wisdom in this world.”
He is the basis from which can be refuted ignorance, knowledge and
joy when they are impure and limited ; hence, He is pure (qfw) and vast
; being everlasting, he is called ‘the Ancient’ (jOW). When purified

by Him, the living being can pass beyond all evil action. May we, too,
be purified by this pure, clean knowledge and by Transcendent Know-
ledge (ITH-fq^TR) and pass beyond the enemy who is the greatest
of sins. Ignorance and its result the illusion of existence OT). It is

this cognition of the Fourth-Stage which is the gateway of the world of

one’s own Self («5illc*lc4t*l).

Inwardly flaming ), Beauteous-Sight is pure ;

outwardly
resplendent (5qtf?rqi^), it is luminous (JjrailH). In its Principial aspect,
ever identical to its inner form, it is mighty May this Fourth-

Stage, brimming us with the streams of Principial Joy, make us freed

in life.

THE THRONE OP THE NON-DUAL

The Approaches having worshipped the Arch-Person Beauteous
Sight and passing through the strange and marvellous splendours of the
Volupty of Consciousness (chit-vilasS) crosses the endless deeps of
unsurpassed joy, and gradually approaches the throne of the Non-Dual,
This throne of the Non-Dual is void of all particularities pertaining
to difference of kind, but has for attributes only sueh particularities as arc
inherent in singleness of kind. Here are no parts, no relativity, no change,
but only the cloud totality of unlimited, undisguised ( ) Principial
 161

Joy* Total form of the Volupty of Supreme Consciousness, infinitely pure,

each of its particles glitters like millions of suns. The main purpose of the
many teachings of ‘Nearest Approach’ (the Upanishads), is to describe this
throne. It exists beyond all proof, beyond perception of mind and words,
subtler than the subtle, greater than the great. It is indefinable, unchanging,
permanent. everywhere, within and without, all-pervasive. The
It exists
mountain ‘Consciousness of limitless Joy’ rises even within it upon it ;

stands resplendent the ever-living, auspicious temple of indivisible Supreme

Bliss. It is as if the substance of Consciousness had been churned and this
throne were its extracted essence ( ), a sea of endless wonder
graced by currents of joy of an incomparable, ever-lasting, blemishless, time-
less,unsurpassed, sublime brilliance. This mountain is covered with
thousands of beautiful objects, adorned with palaces of pure knowing,
with myriads of divine gardens upon which falls an unceasing rain of
flowers. Here is the Un-Hindered abode of Supreme Beatitude (kaivalya)
of the Three-Legged Majesty ; here dwells unobstructed the supreme Essence
which is impenetrable-Being, impenetrable-Consciousness, impenetrable-
joy ;
here dwells the spiritual ( ) form of the Principial
Conscious (Brahma-chaitanyS) ; and here is the sphere of pleasure in which
resides the non-dual Principle, the Para-Brahman. This abode is the
supreme icon, the total sphere of the boundless Volupty of Knowing.
This peak of unlimited Knowing has for base the mountains of boundless
joy, which themselves rest on mystic diagrams (yantra) such as the
‘Splendid Haired One’ (KeshavSy.
There, covering untold millions of leagues, stands a towering castle
built of Consciousness. In its centre lies the ocean of wonder, surrounded
by a magic world of gardens which stand for the meaning of the numberless
teachings of ‘Nearest Approach’ it resounds with the songs of swans,
;

the songs (SamSs) of ‘Eternal Wisdom’. Inside the Castle, more brilliant
than the glare of countless millions of suns, stands the flying chariot of

1. These 'splendid hairs' are explained as:

VlRt ^ ^ l (Mahabharata. Shanti ParvS 341-48)

''those rays of mine which give light are called 'hairs'
Or,
^
B’ftrcTft (Vi§^u Sahasra nama, comm, on 82)
'the names of the Energies called Brahma, Vishnu and ^hiva are the 'hairs'.”

41
 )

162

the ‘Syllable of Obeisance.' Further within, on the mountain of the Joy of

Knowing Bodha-anand2 ), is the Hall of the Eight Letters (
(

in the centre of which stands an altar and above the altar is an intense ;

radiance within which stands the throne built of Consciousness and

adorned with the lotus of the ‘Eight Letters’. Upon the Syllable of
Obeisance, which is the heart of the lotus, is the sphere of consciousness
of Sun, Moon and Fire, in which stands, most auspicious, the throne of
the Serpent without end ( AnantS Naga ). Above this throne is the
arch-mystic-diagram ( Maha yantra ) within which lies the In-Dweller’s
hermetic Utterance whose substance is the supreme Beatitude of the
undisguised Supreme Principle ; within this again lies the Supreme Essence
( ). the All-Powerful support of all. The visible form of this
All-Powerful, is an ocean of beauty. The glory of His divinely auspicious
body is made of delight- bearing waves. A troup of incarnate Supreme
Felicities ( ) rejoice in attending upon Him. His body is

bedecked with divine jewels, sparkling like countless suns. The curl.
Darling of Fortune, the jewel. Treasure of the Ocean, the Garland of the
Forest, all adorn His breast He i§ attended by ‘Beauteous-Sight,’ the ccnch
‘Born-of-Five’, the lotus, mace, sword, bow, club ( ), pitcher ( qRtJ ),

and other attributes all made of Consciousness. Supreme joy flows in a

constant stream of flowers of immortality from the forest of the Creator’s
Age (BrahmS-kalpa), and from countless Felicities filled with Principial Joy.
The beauty form of the all-powerful Lord is further enhanced by the
of
vast umbrella made from the ten thousand hoods of ‘the Remainder,’
^hesha the glittering jewels on these hoods heighten the brilliance of
;

His body still more and, under the cataracts of radiance falling from his
;

limbs. His appearance grows dazzling beyond words. Sublime shape of

the totality of Principial Fragrance ), resplendent with garlands
(
of sacred basil, and of countless other flowers the
substance of which is
the Joy of Consciousness, the body of the All-Powerful ever glistens with
cascading streams of brilliance and vortices of amazing light. Surrounded
with incense and sanctuary lights and with rare whisks, in the grandeur
of his divine chariot, his umbrella, his pennant,
the splendour of the
All-Powerful is beyond all wonders.

«
 THE ICON OE BENEDICTION

The lustre soothing and delicious, of the marvellous beauty of

this Icon of Benediction ( ) of the All-Powerful has been
compared with the light of the moon. The supernatural beauty of
the All-Powerful can never be compared with natural moonlight yet, ;

since no supernatural object can be visualized by natural beings, and

nothing in nature attracts their imagination more than the full moon,
moonlight is used for comparison. But the light from one moon alone
is not enough, countless millions of moons have to be pictured, and then

this ocean of moonlight churned and its essence extracted and this ;

essence again churned for its subtler essence to emerge, and so, churning
one hundred times, the last essence can be compared to the divine Icon
of Benediction. It is the dazzling radiance of which the Gita says :

(Bhag. Gita II. 12)

“Ifthousand suns, simultaneously risen, blazed in the heavens,

a
their splendour might approach the brilliancy of this Arch-Self.”
But there is one blemish in the moon She waxes and wains. :

Whereas the essence of essences of lunar substance is spot-less and

changeless ;
it is endeared to the Mystics ( ), who love it ever
more and more. It is of such marvellous beauty that he who drank but
one drop of its nectar will evermore thirst for it. If but a single hair of
the All-Powerful is perceived by sight or mind, it so enthralls by its

loveliness that even the unstable divinity of Fortune, Lakshml, is motion-

less before it.

The All-Powerful is not only likened to the light of the moon, but
also to impenetrable darkness. But this darkness is not physical obscurity,
but a darkness comparable only to the royal black saphire ( irfil ),

the extreme brilliance of which is of a strange night-blue, which shines so

brightly that it would put to shame the light of countless moons. In the
blue, lotus-like, divinely radiating visible form of the Lord is such
delicacy that the divine Lakshmi, who embodies all the tenderness
existing within the numberless universes, feels anxious, when she touches
 ;

164

his feet, lest the hardness of her hands should hurt these tender feet.

This cool, this beautiful, this tender Lord is in colour so deep, that the
depth of the blue lotus bud intensified unendingly, could not come near to
its reality.

It is not only the face of the All-Powerful which can be compared

with the light of the moon, but every one of his limbs. His colour is

dark ( ), yet it glows not obscurely —rather it is, like brilliance

springing from the womb of darkness, and although dark, the Lord’s divine,
auspicious visible appearance, puts to shame the light of untold moons.
The duskiness of the flax too, shimmering in the distance under the
tender rays of an infant sun, enchants the mind, and if this duskiness
could be imagined intensified a million-fold it might come somewhat
near to the divine auspicious darkness of the visible Icon of the All-
Powerful,
But these are only material comparisons through them no true ;

knowledge can be had, yet, to approach knowledge no other means exist

it is through natural elements that the supernatural can be conceived.
All qualities are to be found in the All-Powerful, but multiplied an
infinity of times. To imagine the immensity of the beauty and other
qualities of the divine Icon of Benediction, the mind has to dwell upon
the most divine things in Nature, and, multiplying their qualities count-
lessly, become gradually purer ;
then, by the grace of the All-Powerful,
His true shape appears in the cleansed heart.

THE DIVINE VISAGE

The Lord’s face forms a marvellous open Lotus-wheel. Bright as
moonlight, this lotus-face has perfect proportions. Its beauty seems the
most divine moonbeam-essence trying to hide in the heart of a black
lotus it disappears, and comes again.
:

The smile of the All-Powerful is :

“The moonlight of the smile revealing the moon which dwells in the
heart and is called ‘mercy’.’’
The soothing rays of this moon of mercy give confidence to the
mystic. A divine hope, driving out weariness and pain, helps him
to go
further. The tie of hope is the root of the way of
devotion (Bhakti
 165

MargS). This hope — this thirst for being near to Divinity is purchased at
the price of even supreme beatitude (Kaivalya). The dear smile of the
Lord “gives courage and dries up even the
ocean of tears.” And, when upon His lotus-face the divine smile appears.
His teeth, like buds of jasmine, seem a row of pearls. In the purity of
His pearly laughter there is the blush of a rose for, just as the crystal ;

will reflect the red of a near-by China-rose, so do the pearly teeth reflect
the ruby of His lips.

His cheek and chin, heralding their

own beauty, seem to say “See ! :

the ultimate source from which the beauty of numberless Universes is

derived see the fount of the ambrosia of inconceivable beauty, one
;

molecule of which alone will fill Beneath the caress

countless universes.”
of the rays of the infant sun, the blue of the blue-lotus grows more
intense as it nears the stamens in its heart, so does the intense brilliance
of the cheek and chin of the All-Powerful grow under the divine radiance
of the ghttering diadem sparkling on his brow.
A mystic poem ( ) speaks of red lotuses as the divine eyes of the
Lord, in them red and transparency unite, showing that, through the expan-
ding tendency which is red, the All-Powerful creates all that his faithful
ones ( *115^ ) through the ascending tendency which is trans-
desire, and,
parence, he protects that which he has created. Their proportion is such
that, where mental inclinations, like compassion and attachment, manifest
themselves, 1:he red is where the happiness of passionless-
intensified, and,
ness appears, white transparency predominates. Such burning emotions
as anger greatly increase the red, which become like fire. Slanting almost
to the ears, these large eyes of the All-Powerful, are “red as the womb
of a lotus” ; yet the pupil in the centre remains always black.
The aquiline nose rises high, beautiful as a parrot’s beak, resplendent
like the cheeks. In one nostril, charmingly set, is the rarest of pearls.
The ruby lips reflect the pure divine teeth, the row of Jasmine buds,
as the pure teeth reflect the ruby lips. Nowhere is beauty so glorious
as —
upon these lips, these divine lips of nectar of the All-Powerful.
The two shining earrings are glowing gold, wherein many gems
of a
are set,shaped like the sea-monster, the emblem of Kam2 (Eros), as if to
fight and conquer him.
Such is the lotus-face of the All-Powerful, with its tender smile and
42
166

laughing glances, delicious resting place for the eyes of those who possess

power to see.
It is the All-Powerful

lOTRi
a t Rqrg wt ^k»irt
e qyrgirq. ||

“whose breast is the dwelling place of Fortune, whose face is the chalice
whence the seers drink, whose arms are the world’s guardians qi55),

and whose lotus feet [are the sublime melody] of those who hymn the
essence [of all existence] (

His eyebrows and eyes are arched like the bow of Kama. On the
broad forehead two auspicious lines are drawn with sandal paste, saflFfon

and amber. They appear two which have renounced

streaks of lightening
their fugitiveness to rest upon the cloud of the divine forehead, or two
arrows ready to be shot from the bow of the divine brow.
On the cheeks of the All-Powerful languidly rests a lovely curl. This
raven lock seems to have been born from a black snake by the lust of a
divine moon. The raven blue hairs are the companies of the ever-liberated
sages (muni), Sanaka and others, delighting in the sweetness of the All-
Powerful. So, too, the rows of pearls in the diadem are the ranks of the
infinitely pure, the liberated supreme-swans.^
Every element of the Icon of Benediction is divine, not one pertains
to the Natural World. Thus, the earrings are the sciences of Cosmology
(Sahkhya) and Re-integration (Yog2), the Garland-of-the-Forest is Creative
Illusion (maya-tattva) the yellow scarf is Rhythm (chhanda), the diadem
the supreme stage, the pearl the liberated being.
In this mystery play (Ilia), the liberated beings changed into bees have
themselves become integral parts of the Icon of Benediction. These bees,
attracted by the fragrance of the divine face, approach, but, unable to bear
the tremendous brilliance, rush away to return again, so irrevocable is the
attraction of the lotus-face.

1. The mythical swan is said to be able to extract and drink the pure milk of divine knowledge
which was mixed with water (the world of forms). The word haijas^ (swan) signifies Aha ah am He*'
the hermetic utterance of supreme identification.
 167

THE DIVINE BODY

Upon every limb of this divine Icon of Benediction a beautiful

ointment of yellow sandal and saflfron is spread like the light of the moon
over a mountain of black saphire. From this divine body rises an exquisite
eight-fold fragrance. Beyond the reach of the Gods themselves, it is the
privilege ofsupreme mystics alone to experience this perfume.
Upon the arms of the All-Powerful round as the trunk of the young
elephant, and on other parts of His body, a divine paste of sandal, saflfron
and musk is spread in it the glowing red-gold of the brilliant
;

bangles and armlets is reflected. These arms, with the five fingers of the
hands, seem the five-headed serpents of a heavenly world, and the finger-
nails shine like the jewels set in the serpents’ heads. The back of the
hand is of a dazzling blue-black like the rest of the body, and the red of
the palms is delicate as a red lotus. When the All-Powerful blows His
conch clasped in these red palms, the purity of the mother-of-pearl is

reddened and it is as if, between two halves of a lotus, a swan sang its

tender, melodious lay.

Upon the divine lotus face /of the all-powerful Lord, upon His
forehead, His cheeks. His chin and upon His hands the mystics, with
yellow sandal, saflfron and musk draw many strange designs. Be a mere
glance at the palms of these divine hands obtained, and all the world’s
happiness, born from the womb of sorrow, fades to nought.
The arms two and four. Clasped in-
of the All-Powerful are both
the divine hands are the conch, the discus, the mace and the lotus.
The conch is the watery elemental principle ( ) the mace ;

‘Stupefier of the mind’ (Kaumodaki)^ is the principle of physical vigour ;

the discus ‘Beauteous-Sight’ is the fiery principle, and the sword is the
principle of space [ether] ( ).

In the region of the navel of the All-Powerful are three lovely lines,
and between them, as in the dark waters of some pool of the black Jumna, a
whirlpool of prodigious force of attraction miraculously appears. From it,
the whole Universe sprang.

Eaumodaki is that which inebriates the mind.

 168

On the divine loins is a many Loins to ankle are

stringed girdle.
wrapped in a fine yellow veil ;
the dark brilliance of the body clearly
shines through it The thighs of the All-Powerful, likened to the stems
which have the intense blue of flax, beautifully rest
of a plantain tree,
upon the back of the blessed “Wings of Speech” ; “Wings of Speech” is,
verily, the Word Principle (^habdS-Brahman), whose shape is the triple

Wisdom, the Vedas, of Rhythm, Sound and Substances (Rik, SamS and
Yajuh). Above it, beyond word, beyond the general and the particular,
stands, indestructible, the Supreme Principle, the Supreme Self.

qft*

‘‘The triple VcdS, said to be a bird, bears the Person of the

sacrifice.”*

1, The sacrifice as the Boar shape of

t (Tai. Sanx< I 7. 8.) z “The sacrifice is VijhDiu.*’

*r*rninxw ifn

(Vijhnu Sahasrii n&a^ 90.)

“Baoanse He is the intrinsic shape of all sacrifices, or, because under the form of the ritual sacrifice,
yagna. He satisfies all the gods, He Himself is called the sacrifice.”

i
»r?T?niT; h

g?ra»at 1 witrsfrerwr jpnfwi n

(Harivamshfi, III. 34, 34-41)

“The Vedas are His feet, the sacrificial post His teeth, the offering His hand, the pyre (f^)
(^rg;)
His mouth, fire His tongue, the sacred grass His hair His head
; Brahmi ) and
is the Priestly order ( the
His penance is great. He is supernatural, with day and night tor eyes, the six 'appendices of Htemal
Wisdom’ (V'edanga) for ear-rings ghee is His nose, the sacrificial ladle His snout, the Samd Vedd U hia
;

powerful cry. Made of Eternal Law and Truth, possessor of

aU riches. His good deeds are hierarchy and
order. His nails are penitence ( iPlftcl ), He is fearful.
His knees are those of an animal, His arms ate
long. The Beciter is His entrails, the oblation
His penis ; seeds and herbs are His great fruit. Ait is
His inner hermetic utterances His skin, somS sap His blood, great is
self,
His stride. The altar is His
shoulder, the offering to gods and ancestors is His smeU.
His speed is great. His body is the sacrificial rest-
house ; brilliant, He is honoured by many initiatory
ceremonies, he is the great Yogi, whose heart is the
wealth given, whose substance is the sacrificial session.
His lips and teeth are the preliminaries to the Spring
saenflees. He is adorned with curly bodily hairs
which are the preliminaries to the Somd sacrifice. The
many Vedic metres are His way in an out. The most secret teachings of the
‘Nearest Approach’ are Hia
seat. His body is tall as the peak of Mount
Meru ; He is enthroned with His wife who is Chhfiyft (Shadow).”
 ,

169

From the left shoulder of the All-Powerful, below His right arm down
to the swelling of the hip, gleams a yellow triple sacred-thread. This
principial thread (.Brahma-sutra) is the one ‘syllable of obeisance’ AUM,
the fundamental thread on which are strung the countless Universes.

THE DIVINE FEET

The two knees of the All-Powerful are caressed by the wonderfully soft
hands of the Arch-Divinity of Fortune. On his ankles are many ornaments
and anklets set with gems whose tinkle gladdens the three worlds. From
the dark glowing throat embellished hy the jewel ‘Treasure-of-the-Ocean,’
down to the ankles, yet allowing the dark feet to be seen, the brilliant
yellow veil shimmers on both sides like streamers of lightning ; and its
hem, set with precious stories, adds to the multicoloured glow of incom-
parable richness. Gazing and gazing at it, the mystic hopes to satisfy
the desire of his eyes, but the splendour of this divine Icon of Benediction
endless yet always new, only increases the thirst for the sap of its nectar
of beauty.
On the lotus-feet of the all-powerful Lord are many exquisite
designs drawn with sandal paste. The toe-nails are like pearls one glimpse;

of the light of their moon extinguishes all the fires that rage in the heart.
These lotus-feet are the ultimate object of love of the adorers. Bees,
which are the minds of the peers among sages (3^) shelter in these
water-blossom feet, the feet sung by the sublime swans. When the breeze,
caresser of these lotus-feet, entered, fragrant with sacred basil, into the heart
of Sanaka and other great sages, their bodies, their minds, their life-breath
even became frantic, and in them arose a passionate attachment to the feet
of the All-Powerful. From this divine agitation sprang the eight purifying
(sattvikS) emotions (JTT^). Not one of the other limbs of the All-Powerful

made the lords among sages so drunk as did His feet. It was as if they had
sold themselves for the divinely fragrant beauty. They prayed : ‘May our
minds, like drunken bees, enraptured by Thy lotus-feet, ever continue
savouring this divine honey.’
The soles of the feet beautifully rest upon a divine lotus.
The lines on these feet are intrinsic beauty. He who has once seen

these lines, for ever keeps his eyes fixed upon them ; ever gazing at them,
devotees of the All-Powerful are able to destroy lust and other passions*
According to some of the traditional Teachers (acharySs), these lines are
fifteen, but other Teachers say sixteen and yet others nineteen.
Upon the right big-toe is a mark like a divine wheel (chakr3). By
meditating upon this wheel, the knot of Consciousness is loosened, while
by meditating upon a barley-corn mark, which is on the joint of the toe,
happiness and wealth are obtained. From between the first and second
toes a line rises to the arch of the foot. Below the wheel, on the big-toe,
are three marks —at the joint a barley-corn, at the root a circle, and,
beyond, a parasol to protect from heat. At the root of the middle toe is

amost lovely lotus which intoxicates the bee-mind of him who meditates.
Below this lotus is a flag by seeing which all evils are destroyed. At
the root of the little- toe is a fork of lightning ;
the devotees, concentra-
ting their minds upon it, see the mountain of their sins destroyed. Below
the heel is an elephant-driving hook which brings under control that
mad elephant, the intellect of the devotee.
The measurement of the right foot of the all-powerful Lord is four-
teen finger-breadths in length and six in breadth. In a space four fingers
broad, in the middle of the foot, is a fourfold chalice ( ) with four
rose-apples (jambu) on its sides ; below is the mark of a two day-old
crescent moon, an auspicious sign for the faithful, bringing to them ever-
increasing happiness. Below the moon is the hoof-mark of a cow, which
represents the Ocean of existence ( ). This is to show that
those who take Ocean of existence without
refuge in Divinity cross the
efifort, as mere
if it were
hoof-mark.a At the root of the big toe of the
left foot is a conch. Meditating upon it, physicality ( mf&W 315^ ) is
removed, all dirt flies to dust and all the Sapience which represents the
purest mental tendencies begins, under the forms of Rhythms (^k). Sounds
(SamS) and Substance (Yajuh), to vibrate within the purified inner-
faculties and, just as happened to the unchanging DhruvS, when the
;

conch touched his cheek, he who meditates finds himself, in one instant,
knowing all sciences (vidyas).
The middle toe of the left foot is connected with the Ether (AmbarS)*
1. The word ‘ambara’— ‘the support of sound’ is equivalent to Aka.j^a’, 'that which gives space'
both being properties of Ether.
ff I
“Amba is Word, that which support®
:
it.**
Ether is dibsociate boc^usc it never absociates with the other elements which it supportSi
 )

171

Ether is dissociate (a-sahga) ; hence, in him who meditates, the mind,

concentrating upon ether, becomes dissociate, that is freed from attach-
ment, and moulds itself upon the form of the all-pervading Supreme
Principle, Upon the left lotus-foot are four svastikSs, symbols of all that
is auspicious. Between the svastikSs is an octagonal figure ; some believe
it to be the giver of the eight supernatural powers, or siddhis, while
others say they represent the eight world-guardians, regents of the eight
directions, which here wait upon the devotees.
On the little toe of the left foot is the sign of the solar principle
cRqf ) ; by gazing at it, every kind of obscurity ( >1^1551=

disappears.
On the left an image (
lotus-foot of the stringless bow of
is

the King of Heaven, Indra. Behind the bow are four amphoras (^555r),
between them a triangle suggesting the qualification for ruling the three
worlds. To obtain supremacy over the three worlds, the way of the
triangle must be followed.
But those whose whole love is for the All-
Powerful can never leave Him to run after these three worlds. Another
interpretation calls the triangle that which is subject to the three
:

fundamental qualities.
The triangle also suggests the
obtaining of that essence which can
be reached through the triple Eternal Wisdom.
The All-Powerful is to be bowed down to in mind, in word and in
body. He, the One, is to be honoured in this triple way. His colour and
shape may be conceived of according to one’s inclination ( ). In His
qualified form, the Lord is not free, but -dependant upon the wishes
of his devotees, for it is to fulfill these wishes that He manifests
himself.
The Creator, Brahma, praising the All-Powerful, said ;

^ 5^53? spiral
I
ii

“O Thou who deserve worship ! In whichever form in their minds

they like to conceive of Thee, that form, .Thou, with true mercy,
taketh.”
The All-Powerful is the slave of those who love Him ; His own
wish is His substance, hence is He dependant upon those who are
His own.
qqr : “As He is worshipped, so He becomes,”
172

There is too, a well-known saying in both the Scripture of Eternal

Wisdom (Veda) and the Gita :

^TOT*Tt “In the way they approach me,

in that way do I welcome them."
The primary cause of the millions of Universes is in the Lord, and
the primary cause of the Lord is in the devotee hence, the Ruler of the ;

moving Universe is really the devotee. If it please him to change something

in the marks on the divine feet, he is free to do so. Whatever he
imagines becomes true. It is because these imaginings are truth itself that
the All-Powerful ever appears under new shapes. It is the nature of the
human mind ever to wish for new things, and it is therefore a necessity
for the mystics ever to invent anew. Not only the shape of the All-
Powerful, but also the divine stories take ever new forms for the adorers
of the Lord.
The imagining of ever new Icons of Benediction, the inventing of
new ornaments, new raiment for the All-Powerful, is a necessity for the
worship of His manifest aspects. Some, therefore, liken His yellow veil
to lightning, others see in it the glow of the stamen of the Kadamb3
blossoms [which open at the roar of thunder], others, again, compare it to
the sun’s lays. So, likewise, the jewel-nails are sometimes said to be rows
of pearls,sometimes imagined as a divine blend of blue, red and transpa-
rence, to which again is sometimes added the brilliance of rings. From the
orb of these jev;el-nails light is seen shooting upwards. Yet even SanakS
and the other sages have been unable to express these qualities ; so preg-
nant with beauty are these divine, shapes of the All-Powerful, that they
remain ever beyond words.

THE FOUETH-STAGE

The all-powerful Lord, in His shape as the Fourth-Stage or beyond

the Fourth-Stage, is quality-less, actionless, un-sullied, faultless,
. art-less,
shape-less, support-less, un-surpassed, non-dual intrinsic supreme Joy.
The question will arise as to how in the pure, non-dual, absolute
principle of supreme Joy, diversity can have arisen,
how could even any un-
Hindered world with palaces, ramparts, flying chariots, etc., come into cxis-
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6nce. And if all these are real, how can unparticularized non-duality be spoken
of ? The answer may be found example of pure gold in which arise
in the
differentiation into bangles, diadems, armlets or of sea-water in which
;

arises differentiation into crests and troughs, ripples or foam, or, again,
the earth from which arise mountains, trees, grass, creepers, etc. Similarly
within the non-dual, supreme Principle arises the Un-Hindered and many
other worlds. Everything is a form of the All-Powerful, nothing can
exist outside the divine essence.

“Everything is my form, outside me there is not even one atom.”

Now the Approacher, reaching the supreme
Un-Hindered world,
and concentrating his mind upon the All-Powerful, becomes himself the
intrinsic form of unsurpassed; non-dual supreme Joy, and stands with
absolute awareness within the process of non-dual reintegration (AdvaitS
Yogs). Coming towards non-dual supreme and becoming the intrinsic
joy,

form of the pure joy of knowing, he mutters the Arch-Utterance and,

understanding that his own self is the very Principle, the Brahman, and
that the Brahman is his own self, he pours himself into the Brahman like
a ritual offering ( ). Then, through the notion ‘I, the Principle’ he
becomes identified with the waveless, non-dual beyondless, unsurpassed
Principle which is Being-Consciousness-Joy.
The beautiful description in the scripture of ‘Nearest Approach’
of the three-legged Majesty, the Arch-In-Dweller
has only been given briefly here in its main points.
In contact with the Energy which pure ascending tendency, there
is

appear, within the essence which is Consciousness and Joy, all the endless
hierarchies of the Un-Hindered worlds. The Essence beyond Energy is

ever without shape, changeless, unparticularized. Because Energy is

ineffable, thatwhich is touched by Energy ( ) is truly ever, and

in every way, aloof from all that has place or time or substance. Yet it is
all things, nowhere is anything distinct from it.

It is from this point of view that the divine Worlds and forms are

spoken of in the Ancient Scripture. In the blessed BhagavatS it is said

that amongst the glories displayed by Lord Krishna before the Creator,
BrahmS, were innumerable Vishnus said to be worshipped by the embodied
twenty-four principles of existence. These were
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srfq II

“The icons of the one sap of Truth, Knowledge and limitless Joy,
beyond possibility of contact for the highest spirituality, even that of the
seers of the ‘Nearest Approach.’”
Verily, no-one can know, in its entirety, the limitless spiritual
immensities of the All-Powerful ! Since they have no end, the All-
Powerful Himself cannot reach their -limit.