16-Moksha or liberation does not mean to be exiled or to be banished from this world. This is such a special state that can not be explained in words. Yes ! People who practice meditation in the company (satsang) of some accomplished saint can experience it, which happens most often.
17-Upasana means to sit in front and meditate on one’s guru. In this stage it feels like God is there in front in an illuminated state and all the senses get
concentrated on him. One loses the awareness of his surrounding or self, and immerses in immense joy. This is a deep meditative state which is experienced early by some practitioners and some experience it late.
18- When the heart is illuminated with the consciousness of his guru while doing upasana, true knowledge is attained at that time. The world seems to be an illusionary one that is changing all the time. The experience at that time is that the cosmic spirit is present everywhere in all the living or non living things. Lust and attachment is destroyed and the seeker experiences an immense peace at that time. This is called ‘Moksha’, ‘Mukti’ or Liberation. It is said that this is result of true knowledge.
19- Every spiritual pursuit has seamless and steady progress attained through different stages. They are from karma to upasana, upasana to gyan and from gyan to liberation. They are all important and related. None of them is meaningless.
20 -People who start preaching others without practicing upasana themselves are stuck in their own karma. Their knowledge and deeds are considered to be very little help rather useless. They can neither achieve such high state themselves nor can help others achieve those states.
21- Three modes of Gunas or propensities work in this world all the time and is widespread in every living being and they are called Satoguna, Rajoguna and Tamoguna. Creation or something happens from Rajoguna, where there is movement all the time. In Satoguna, the movement stops leading to peace and harmony and finally, there is destruction or catastrophe in Tamoguna.
22 – You see! An object was created, it lived or stayed and then it was destroyed. All these happens due to Rajoguna, Satoguna and Tamoguna.
23- Ayurveda identifies that the body is healthy when the three doshas in the body ie vata, pitta and kapha stays in balance. And if there is imbalance due to increase in any one of them, the body suffers from sickness or diseases. In the same way, when these three qualities or propensities of mind (Sat,Raj, Tam) are in balance and equilibrium, the mind is in a state of sublime peace. But when one becomes dominant over the other, disorder in the mind begins to arise. It is the main duty of the practitioner to overcome these disorders and bring them to equilibrium.
24 – This equilibrium is called ‘Turiyavastha‘ or the state of equilibrium between the three and when someone transcends even beyond this deep state, it is known as ‘Turiyetit‘. Saints names Turiya as the
‘Fourth verse’ and Turiyetit as the fifth and final state. This is the ‘Seat of power’ for the final abode for the saints and is called ‘Dayaldesh‘.
25- Laziness, sleep, frustration, anger, and attachment and such other states are symptoms and manifestation of the increase in tamogun. This is when ignorance and darkness envelop the consciousness of the heart and the mind. The intellect is not able to understand any way out, or when the power of the mind is destroyed due to anger or frustration, and when the seeker doesn’t want to do anything, it is said to be under the influence of tamogun.
26 – When new desires keep arising and linger in the mind all the time leading to the tendency of fidgeting and the mind is not able to concentrate, when new dreams arise constantly one after another and the mind doesn’t believe in god or Guru, and is driven more towards worldly things, these are signs of Rajoguna.
27- There are times when there is apathy from world in the mind along with quietness and detachment. A strong connection with God is felt, and one is drawn towards good karma all the time. Unconditional love towards god and fellowmen is overflowing in the heart.
He feels attracted and inclined towards God with a quiet mind, disinterested or repelled from inauspicious deeds and actions. A sense of happiness pervades at the time of meditation, the heart gets illuminated and we start gaining the true knowledge about what is the goal of our life, how did we get trapped in this ocean of grief and how could we get rid of this bonding. With faith and trust in God or Guru we start thinking about our duties with peace and happiness in mind, and without any craving for worldly things, we are said to be under the influence of satoguna.
28-Practitioners should always keep checking their state of mind. And if they find that Raja and Tama is prevailing then overcome them with the help of practice and satsang and try to migrate to satoguni state and further to Satogun they should reach Turiya and Turiyatit state and from there they should merge in the true consciousness and be face to face with God.
29-Rajoguni and Tamoguni state sometimes comes and goes for a while, but sometimes stays for many days and months, and does not disappear in any way. In such situations, the practitioner should meet his guru at an early date and convey to him the state of mind and being. If you can not go to him for some reason, then write and explain all your conditions. By doing this the state of mind can be corrected. Because capable Guru can enable the practitioners to migrate to any state anytime he wants.
30-The practitioner should keep meeting and connecting with his guru and guide, with whom the relationship is established, on a regular basis because this advancement and progress is attained only through regular interaction.
Translated From Guru Maharaj’s book “ Abhyasio ke Kartavya” which means Duties of Practitioners.
