38. दान्त्यादिपरिशोभितः Dāntyādi-pariśobhitaḥ

One perfectly adorned with the qualities starting with sense-control

Dānti (or dama) is restraint of the five senses, namely hearing, touch, vision, taste and smell. The term ādi (meaning ‘starting with’) in ‘dāntyādi’ expands what is meant here to cover a set of six attributes including dānti. This hexad is counted by the Śāstras as the third among the four pre-requisites for a spiritual aspirant, which are viveka (discrimination), vairagya (dispassion), śamādi-ṣaṭka-sampatti (hexad of qualities), and mumukṣutva (desire for liberation). This hexad of attributes is śama or mind-control, dama or sense-control, uparati or self-withdrawal from worldly activities, titikṣā or forbearance, śraddhā or faith and samādhāna or one-pointed concentration.

His Holiness is described here as ‘One who was pari-śobhitaḥ, perfectly adorned, with dāntyādi, the hexad of qualities. Bhagavatpāda states the position regarding the attributes of a jīvanmukta as follows: “Across the Adhyātma-śāstra (scriptural texts dealing with spirituality) the traits of the jīvanmukta are the very ones that are taught as the means for spiritual aspirants, for they can be accomplished through practice.”¹⁰¹ Clearly, this nāma serves as a description of His Holiness after His attainment of jīvanmukti, for He is described as having been adorned by the six traits as His embellishing characteristics.

In fact, interestingly, the compound word ‘dāntyādi-pariśobhitaḥ’ can also be split in a different way and interpreted to imply, ‘One because of whom the six attributes are exquisite ornaments’. Just as devotion itself obtained a celebrated status because of Lord Narasiṁha’s devotee, Prahlāda, this hexad of qualities attained the status of cherished ornaments because His Holiness possessed them.

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As described in the context of nāmas 10, 24 and 27, on 15^th December, 1935, His Holiness was awakened from nirvikalpa-samādhi by the senior Jagadguru to prevent Him from entering into the state irreversibly. The senior Jagadguru said to Him, “While You can now manage to perform Your routine activities, Your mind is still too introverted to engage in the serious study of the Tarka and other Śāstras…. Nothing of the world interests You at all. Such readily noticeable, rock-like imperturbability and disinterestedness in everything would be unexceptionable if You were an independent saṁnyāsin. On You, however, rests the future of this great pīṭha.”

This one description of His Holiness by His Guru fully demonstrates how His Holiness was adorned by the hexad of qualities. He had gone beyond this illusory world and was absolutely shorn of desires. The mind and senses were totally under His control; His renunciation was complete; His mind was in a state of perfect samādhāna. The bliss of the Ātman shone without any obstructing ignorance.

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