Prose-section 56
In plain words
‘The best of the knowers of Brahman knows this Self alone. He is free of bondage, content in the taste of unbroken bliss, and what he is cannot be known by others. Toward things outside, pleasant or unpleasant, he feels no joy or grief, no hope or disappointment. Whatever comes to him by others’ wish he takes as a child would. As a child lost in play forgets hunger, thirst and the aches of the body and is happy, he lives with no “mine” and no ego, always playing in himself and happy in himself. ‘Riding in the body as in a carriage, he dwells in the undivided space of awareness. Without worry or any sense of want, he eats what he is given as alms and drinks from rivers and pools. He wears a cloth never washed and dried, or bark, or goes clothed in the directions. Free, bound by no rule, he may roam the earth like a child, a madman or one possessed, and yet he walks the road of Vedānta. The earth is his mattress; he sleeps without fear in forest or burning-ground or anywhere, and always his play is in Brahman. Being the Self of all, he takes on form after form as he pleases and goes through experience after experience: here a fool, there a scholar, here bewildered, there calm, here a great king, there living like the python that waits for what comes, here honoured, there despised. He is one and the same, going everywhere, known by no one. ‘He has nothing, yet he is always in bliss; he has no helper, yet he is very strong; he does not eat, yet he is always satisfied. Among things unequal he sees equally. He acts and does not act; he enjoys and does not enjoy. He has a body and is bodiless; he seems limited and is complete.’
Word for word
‘The foremost knower of Brahman recognises this Self alone, is free from bondage and satisfied by the experience of uninterrupted bliss. His nature cannot be determined by others. Without elation, grief, desire or disappointment towards favourable or unfavourable external objects, he experiences like children whatever comes through others’ wishes. As a child absorbed in play happily forgets hunger, thirst and bodily discomfort, he remains without “mine” or ego, always playing and delighting in himself. ‘Mounted in the bodily vehicle, he abides in the indivisible space of consciousness. Without worry or a sense of abjection, he eats alms and drinks water from rivers and the like. He wears unwashed and undried cloth or bark, or is clothed in the directions. Independent, without a fixed rule, though roaming the earth like a child, a mad person or a spirit, he travels the path of Vedānta. He lies on the earth as a bed and sleeps fearlessly anywhere—in forest, cremation ground or elsewhere—always delighting in Brahman. Being the Self of all, he assumes many appearances and experiences many things as he wishes: in one place seemingly ignorant, elsewhere learned, confused, peaceful, a great king, one following the python’s manner, revered or reviled. The same one wanders everywhere, unknown to anyone. ‘Though without wealth, he is always blissful; though without help, immensely strong; though not eating, ever content. He sees equally amid inequalities; does yet does not do, enjoys yet does not enjoy; though embodied, he is bodiless; though apparently limited, complete.’