Special Descriptions of Men

Vyasa said

Sanatkumara, omniscient, excellent one, there are men full of devotion to Shiva. Please tell me the destination they reach, from which they do not return.

Sanatkumara said

Son of Parashara, Vyasa, hear with affection of that auspicious destination and of the vow kept by pure devotees and pure ascetics. There are those who do pure rites for Shiva and those pure in austerity, and they constantly worship him; they must always be revered in every way. One who has not tormented himself with austerities cannot go to Shiva's disease-free world. Great sage, Shiva's favour is gained by austerities, and by them hosts of gods are seen rejoicing in heaven, and rishis and sages too. Know my words are true. By austerities everything unbearable becomes bearable and everything uncrossable becomes crossable, and what is impossible to achieve becomes easy. Brahma, Vishnu and Hara are constantly engaged in austerities. By austerities gods and goddesses have gained fruits hard to gain. In this world, without doubt, if one does austerities, according to what one does and one's feelings, one reaches the goal. Vyasa, know that austerities are the means to everything and are said to be of three kinds: sattvika, rajasika and tamasika. Sattvika austerities are done by gods and mendicants who hold up their seed, rajasika by danavas and humans, tamasika by rakshasas and cruel men. Sages who see the truth accordingly speak of three kinds of fruit. Know that sattvika austerities are japa, meditation, worship of the gods and auspicious devotion, which lead to unlimited fruit for the practitioner and are in this world the means to achieve what the mind wants. Rajasika austerities are those done for a specific desired fruit, where a person tortures and dries up his body, very hard to bear. Tamasika austerities are those taken up as a means to gain anything the mind wants.

Sattvika austerities are best, full of knowledge of dharma and done with unwavering intelligence. They include bathing, worship, japa, oblations, purity and cleanliness, non-violence, vows and fasting, silence, restraint of the senses, intelligence and learning, truth, freedom from anger, giving, forgiveness, self-control, compassion, cheerful visualisation, building tanks, wells and lakes, hardships like the chandrayana, sacrifices, visiting tirthas, hermitages and places linked with dharma, pleasing learned people, keeping supreme dharma that leads to devotion to Shiva, engaging in yoga and nada at the time of the sun's equinox crossing, meditation at the three times of day and concentration on the light, the three kinds of breath-control called rechaka, puraka and kumbhaka, knowledge of the course of the veins, and withdrawal and restraint. The mind turns toward the fourth state and the eight siddhis beginning with anima. If one has first been properly instructed these are the means to supreme knowledge. Different states are said to arise in this: as if one were a block of wood, as if dead, as if seized. All these experiences destroy all sins. There are five signs of prosperity of royal power: women, beds, drinks, garments with incense and unguents, and chewing betel. There are different kinds of enjoyment: burdens of gold and copper, jewels and cattle in the house, learning in the Vedas and texts, singing, dancing and ornaments, conch shells, veenas and drums, and large elephants, umbrellas and whisks. The incapable are attached to these. Sage, through his attachment a person does not realise they are like images in a mirror. He is crushed like sesame seeds, and with pleasure overwhelming his mind his knowledge is deluded. Though he knows, he is whirled round in samsara like an instrument for measuring time.

Suffering, he is born as different species and as moving and unmoving things, whirled round in turn as different species. Under time's sway he finally gains a human birth, very hard to gain. If the merit is sufficiently honoured, human birth may even come early. The course of karma is called wonderful, heavy and light. Becoming human is a means to heaven and liberation. If he does not do what is good for himself he will soon die and repent. Even for all the gods and asuras human birth is extremely rare. Having gained it one should act so as not to go to hell. If one does not strive for heaven and liberation, human birth, so rare, has been wasted. Human birth is said to be the foundation of all four aims of life. Vyasa, having gained it one should act to follow dharma. The foundation of human birth is dharma, and having gained it one should use every means to strive for the aim. For one's own gain one must make efforts to protect the foundation. Birth as a brahmana is extremely rare among men, and having gained it, if one does not strive for what is good, who else can be called senseless? Among all the dvipas this is called the land of action, where one can earn heaven and liberation. A person who gains human birth in this country, Bharatavarsha, and does not do what is good for himself certainly deceives his own self. Brahmana, this is called the land of action and of reaping fruits, and any karma done here is enjoyed in heaven. As long as the body is healthy one must follow dharma. When a person is ill, even if urged by others, he has no enterprise to do anything. If one uses the impermanent body and does not strive for the permanent, one strays from the permanent and loses the impermanent too. Before one's eyes pieces of the lifespan fall off. Why does one not understand what is taught day and night? No one knows when death will come or to whom. Since death can be sudden, how can one be patient? Giving up everything, one will certainly depart alone. Why not give one's wealth, which can be provisions for the journey? By giving, a person gets provisions and goes happily to Yama's abode; otherwise a living being suffers and gets none on the road. Kaleya, if a person's store of merit is complete he gains at every step and goes to the region called heaven. Knowing this a man should do good deeds and avoid wicked ones. Good deeds lead to the state of a god and bad deeds to hell. If a person's mind is such that he takes refuge in Shiva, lord of the gods, he does not see terrible Yama or terrible hell. But there are those who sin from great delusion; by Shiva's wishes they stay some time in hell and are then born as humans, and after that gain a destination with Shiva. There are also those who in every way take refuge in Maheshvara, and, like water on a lotus leaf, are not touched by sin. Supreme sage, those who say "O Shiva, O Hara, take away my sins" suffer no fear of hell or Yama. Those words are provisions for the next world, the ailment-free means to liberation. The two syllables of the name "Shiva" are like a store of merit, and Shiva's name calms the great disease of samsara; I see nothing else that can calm it. Earlier a Pulkasa committed the sin of killing thousands of brahmanas, but, hearing Shiva's bright name, was freed. So a learned person must constantly increase his devotion to Shiva, wise one, for through devotion to Shiva one gains enjoyment and liberation.