Mr. Venkata Rao, an Andhra gentleman, in the course of conversation with Sri Bhagavan, was told:
“Until you gain you cannot understand the state of a . There is no use asking about the work of Isvara and the rest. Some ask why Siva went naked in Daruka forest and spoiled the chastity of the Rishis’ wives. The Puranas which record this incident have also said that Siva had previously saved the Devas and the universe by consuming the poison Halahala at the time of churning the ocean of milk. He, who could save the world from the deadly poison and lead the sages to emancipation, had also wandered nude amongst their women. Their actions are incomprehensible to ordinary intellects. One must be a jnāni to understand a jnāni or Isvara.”
D.: Should we not learn the ways and imitate them?
M.: It is no use. are of four kinds: (1) Pure (Suddha), (2) Impure (Malina), (3) Mixed (Madya) and (4) Good (), according as the are the Supreme (Varishta), the best (Variya), better (Vara), and good (Vit). Their fruits are reaped in three ways: (1) of our own will (Swechha), and by others’ will (Parechha) and involuntarily (Anichha). There have been jnānis like Gautama, Vyāsa, Suka and Janaka.
D.: Was Vyasa also a ?
M.: Yes. Certainly.
D.: Why then did the bathing angels don clothes when he appeared before them, but not when Suka passed?
M.: That same Vyasa sent Suka to Janaka for instruction; Suka was tested by Janaka and finally he returned convinced of Vyasa’s greatness.
D.: Is the same as arudha?
M.: So it is.
D.: What is the relation between and ?
M.: Eternal, unbroken, natural state is . Does it not imply love of Self? Is it not ?
D.: Idol worship does not seem good. They worship the formless God in Islam.
M.: What is their conception of God?
D.: As Immanence, etc.
M.: Is not God even then endowed with attributes? Form is only one kind of attribute. One cannot worship God without some notions. Any premises a God with attributes (). Moreover, where is the use of discussing the form or formlessness of God? Find out if you have a form. You can then understand God.
D.: I admit I have no form.
M.: All right. You have no form in sleep, but in the waking state you identify yourself with a form. See which is your real state. That is understood to be without form on investigation. If you know your Self to be formless by your , should you not concede the same amount of jnāna to God and understand Him to be formless?
D.: But there is the world for God.
M.: How does the world apppear? How are we? Knowing this, you know God. You will know if He is Siva, or Vishnu or any other or all put together.
D.: Is Vaikuntha in Paramapada, i.e. in the transcended Self?
M.: Where is Paramapada or Vaikuntha unless in you?
D.: Vaikuntha, etc., appear involuntarily.
M.: Does this world appear voluntarily?
The questioner returned no answer.
M.: The self-evident ‘I’, ignoring the Self, goes about seeking to know the not-Self. How absurd!
D.: This is Sankhya Yoga. Being the culmination of all kinds of other yogas, how can it be understood to start with? Is not antecedent to it?
M.: Has not Sri Krishna started the “Gita” with Sankhya?
D.: Yes. I understand it now.