MODE OF THE INTERNAL WORSHIP OF THE DEITY.
Argument.--The inward form in which, He is worshipped in spirit.
The God resumed:--I will now relate to you, the form of the inward
worship of the spirit in spirit; which is reckoned as the holy of
holies, and dispeller of all darkness.
2. This mode of worship depends also on mental meditation, and is
conducted in every state of life, whether when one is sitting or
walking, or waking or sleeping.
3. It requires the supreme Siva, who is always situated in the body
of man; and who is the cause of the perception of all things, to be
worshipped in spirit and in the spirit of man.
4. Whether you think him, as sleeping or rising, walking or sitting; or
whether conceive him touching or intangible contact with any thing, or
quite unconnected and aloof from every thing about him.
5. Or whether you take him as enjoying the gross objects, or shunning
them all by his spiritual nature; or as the maker of all outward
objects, and the ordainer of all forms of action.--
6. Or whether you consider him as remaining quiescent in all material
bodies, or that he is quite apart from all substantial forms; you may
worship him in whatever form your understanding presents him to you, or
what you can best conceive of him in your consciousness.
7. Whoever has fallen in and is carried away by the current of his
desires and who is purified from his worldliness by the sacred ablution
of his good sense; should worship the _Siva lingam_ as the emblem of
understanding with the offering of his knowledge of it. (The Lingam is
the type of unity, represented by the figure, as the syllable om is the
type of trinity expressed by its three letters).
8. He may be contemplated in the form of the sun, shining brightly in
the sky; as also in that of the moon, which cools the sky with its
benign moon beams. (Because the sun and moon are included under the
eight forms of [God] as we see in the Prologue to Sakuntala. [Sanskrit:
ye he kálah vidharttah] etc.).
9. He is always conscious in himself of all sensible objects, which are
ever brought under his cognizance by means of his senses, as the breath
brings fragrance to the nostrils.
10. He gives flavour to all sweets, and enjoys the sweetness of his
felicity (ánanda) in himself; and employs the breathings as his horses,
and borne in the car of respiration, sleeps in the cell of the heart.
11. Siva is the witness of all sights, and actor of all actions; he
enjoys all enjoyments, and remembers all what is known.
12. He is well acquainted with all the members of his body, and knows
all that is in existence and inexistence; he is brighter than all
luminous objects, and is to be thought upon as the all-pervading spirit.
13. He is without parts and the totality of all parts, and being
situated in the body, he resides in the vacuity of the heart; he is
colourless himself and yet paints all things in their variegated
colours, and is the sensation of every member of the body.
14. He dwells in the faculty of the mind, and breathes in the
respirations of the beings; he resides within the heart, throat and
palate of the mouth, and has his seat amidst the eyebrows and nostrils
(as intelligence and breath of life).
15. He is situated beyond the limit of the thirty six categories of the
saiva sástras, as also of the ten saktis ([Sanskrit: dashamahávidyá])
that are known to the saktas; he moves the heart and gives articulation
to sounds, and makes the mind to fly about as a bird of the air.
16. He resides both in equivocal and alterative words, and is situated
in all things as the oil in sesame seeds.
17. He is without the blemish of parts (being a complete whole in
himself), and is compact with all the parts of the world taken
together. He is situated alike in a part of the lotus-like heart of the
wise, as well as in all bodies in general.
18. He is as clear as the pure and spotless intellect, and the
imputation of parts to him is the work of mere imagination only. He is
as palpably seen in everything at all places, as he is perceptible to
us in our inward perception of him.
19. Though originally of the nature of universal intelligence yet he
appears in the form of the individual soul according to the desire
of men; and residing in every individual, he is divided into endless
dualities (of universal and particular souls).
20. Then this God (the intelligent individual soul) thinks himself as
an embodied being, endued with hands and legs, and the other parts and
members of the body, with its hairs, nails, and teeth.
21. He thinks of being possest of manifold and various powers and
faculties, and is employed in a variety of actions according to the
desires of the mind. He feels glad on being served by his wives and
servants (and thinking himself as their master).
22. He thinks the mind as a porter at the gate, and conductor of the
information of the three worlds unto him; and his thoughts are as the
chambermaids, waiting at his door with their pure attires.
23. He believes his knowledge of egoism as his greatest power and
consort (sakti), and his power of action as his mistress; he thinks his
knowledge of various lores to be his decorations only.
24. He knows his organs of sense and action to be the doors of the
abode of his body, and is conscious of his being the infinite soul and
inseparable from the same.
25. He knows himself to be full of the universal spirit; filled by and
filling others with the same; and bears his admirable figure of the
body, by his dependance on the Divine spirit.
26. That he is filled with the god-head within him, and is therefore no
contemptible soul himself. He never rises nor sets nor is he glad or
displeased at any time. (But enjoys the serenity of the Eternal soul).
27. He never feels himself satiate or hungry, nor longs after nor
forsakes anything; he is ever the same and of an even tenor, temper and
conduct and form at all times.
28. He retains the gracefulness of his person, the clearness of his
mind, and the calmness of his views at all times; he is ever the same
since his birth, and the equanimity of his soul never forsakes him at
any time.
29. He is devoted to the adoration of his God, for longsome days and
nights, and the mind abstracted from his body, becomes the object of
his worship. (The gloss explains it otherwise, and makes the mindless
body the worshipped object).
30. This God is worshipped with whatever offerings are available by the
devotee, and with all the powers of the understanding, employed in the
adoration of the sole Intellectual spirit.
31. He is to be worshipped with all things agreeably to the received
ritual, and no attempt is to be made to make any offering, which was
never made at any time before.
32. Man being endued with the body, should worship the Lord with his
bodily actions (as prostration, genuflexion &c.); and with all things
that conduce to bodily enjoyment.
33. So is Siva to be worshipped with eatables and victuals, food and
drink of the best and richest kind; and with beddings and seats and
vehicles as one may afford to offer.
34. Men must also entertain their souls, which are the abodes of the
Divine spirit in their bodies; with all kinds of things that they think
pleasurable to themselves; such as excellent food and drink and all
things affording enjoyment and pleasure.
35. They must diligently serve the supreme soul in their souls, under
any calamity, difficulty, danger or disease that may befall on them, as
also when they are overtaken by illusions of their understandings.
36. The ends of all the attempts of mankind in this world, being no
more than life, death and sleep, they are all to be employed in the
service of the soul of nature.
37. Whether reduced to poverty or elevated to royalty, or carried by
the currents of casualty; men must always serve their souls, with the
flowers of their best endeavours.
38. Whether overwhelmed by broils, or buffeting in the waves of
mishaps, whether undergoing the troubles or enjoying the comforts of
domestic life, men must serve their souls at all times.
39. When the gentle beams of fellow feeling, overspread the breast of
kind hearted men, and when the sweet influence of sympathy melts the
heart, it is then must meet to serve the soul seated in it.
40. When a man has restrained the turbulent passions of his breast, by
the power of his right judgment; and spread the vest of soft tenderness
and sweet content over his heart and mind; let him then worship in its
serene aspect within himself.
41. Let men worship the soul, on the sudden changes of their fortunes;
both when they come to the possession, or loss of their enjoyments.
(Because the Lord gave and the Lord hath taken them away).
42. The soul should be adhered to and adored, both when you lose or
abandon your legal or illegal possession and enjoyment, of anything on
earth.
43. Isha--the lord of wealth is to be worshipped with relinquishment of
all wealth, which one may have got by his own exertion or otherwise.
(Give your all to the giver of all).
44. Regret not for what is lost, and make use of what you have got; and
adore the supreme soul without any inconstancy in your mind and soul.
45. Retain your constancy amidst the scene of the wicked pursuits of
men, and maintain your vow of the holy devotion of the supreme spirit
at all times.
46. Every thing appears as good in the sight of the Godly, who view all
things in God; and they all seem to be mixed with good and evil to the
worshipper of God and Mammon. Therefore look on all things as situated
in the divine spirit, and continue in your vow of the adoration of the
supreme soul.
47. Things which appear as pleasant or unpleasant at first sight, are
all to be taken in an equal light, by those that are firm in their vow
of the adoration of the one universal soul.
48. Give up thinking yourself as such or not such a one, forsake all
particularities, and knowing that all is the universal One, continue in
your vow of adoring the supreme soul.
49. Worship the supreme spirit as it always resides in all things, in
their various forms and multifarious changes, and that it is all and
all in their modifications also.
50. Forsake both your pursuit after or avoidance of any thing, and
remaining in your indifference of both extremes, continue in your
adoration of the soul at all times.
51. Neither seek nor forsake any thing, but receive what comes to thee
of itself or by thy own lot; and enjoy all things as the sea does the
streams of water, which fall to it of their own accord.
52. Fallen (placed) in this wide world of misery, man should take no
heed of the lesser or greater sights of woe, that incessantly present
themselves to his view. They are as the fleeting tincts and hues that
paint the vacuous vault of the skies, and soon vanish into nothing.
53. All good and evil betide us by turns at the junction of their
proper time, place and action; therefore take them with unconcern to
you, and serve your own soul. (Which is same with the soul of souls).
54. Whatever things are mentioned as fit offerings of the service of
the supreme spirit, it is the equanimity of your soul which is deemed
the best and fittest offering. (A contrite spirit is most acceptable
unto the Lord).
55. Things of different tastes, as the sour, bitter, acid, sharp and
pungent, are useless in the service of the spirit; it is the calm and
sweet composure of the soul, which is delectable to the holy spirit.
56. Equanimity is sweet to taste, and has the supernatural power of
transforming every thing to ambrosia. (The man of an even mind, enjoys
the sweetness of contentment in every state of life).
57. Whatever a man thinks upon with the ambrosial sweetness of his
disposition, the same is immediately changed to ambrosia, as the
nectarious dew drops under the moon beams.
58. Equanimity expands the soul, and gladdens the minds, as the
sunlight fills the vault of heaven; and it is the unchangeable
sedateness of the mind, which is reckoned as the highest devotion.
59. The mind of man must shine with an even lustre, as the bright moon
beams in their fullness, and it must blaze with the transparent light
of the intellect, as a bright crystal in the sunlight.
60. He who is employed in his outward actions of life, with his mind as
bright as the clear sky; and which is freed from the mist of worldly
affections, is said to be the full knowing devotee.
61. The true devotee shines as brightly, as the clear autumnal sky,
when the worldly impressions are quite effaced from the heart, and are
not seen even in dream, when the cloud of ignorance is cleared away,
and the fog of egoism is utterly scattered.
62. Let your mind be as clear as the moon, and as spotless as the
blazing sun; let it hide the thoughts, of the measurer and measured
(_i.e._ of the creator and created) in it; let it have the simple
consciousness of itself, like a newborn child (without its innate
ideas); and perceiving only the steady light of the intellect the seed
of all intelligence; you will then come to attain the state of highest
perfection in your life time.
63. Living amidst the fluctuations of pain and pleasure, attending on
the lot of all living beings, and occurring at their fixed times and
places and actions of man, do you remain in the steady service of your
soul--the leader of your body, by tranquilizing all the passions and
desires of your heart and mind.