ज्ञानविज्ञानतृप्तात्मा कूटस्थो विजितेन्द्रिय: | युक्त इत्युच्यते योगी समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चन: || 8 || |
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“That yogi who is absorbed in knowledge and realization remains serene and united in God. As conqueror of his senses, he sees everything – earth, stone, and gold – as same”
Commentary:
In all circumstances, the renunciant knows that the greatest treasure he has and that needs to be protected is peace. Devotion in heart and discrimination in mind can flow only from a peaceful heart and mind, Devotion can co-exist with impersonal desires to please God alone and not with personal desires.
God has implanted a unique potential in everyone to be victorious over his or her limited ‘myself’ – body, mind and heart. The one who conquers his ‘self’ by deliberate effort will become peaceful, devoted to God and will rise above all physical, mental and emotional dualities and uncertainties. Jnana is knowledge that comes from a Guru and Vignāna is the wisdom gained from experiencing the knowledge. One who has both is said to be a completely satisfied and peaceful soul.
There is no end to the acquisition of material possessions. Life is short and only about 40 years of active work life (~20 to 60 yrs of age) exists to acquire necessary comforts for family and retirement. Acquiring more wealth for the next two or three generations is not really needed whether your children are good or bad. If your son is good, he will anyway earn money and if he is bad, he will anyway burn your money. Moral values and spiritual principles of Dharma give a strong foundation to children which will enable them to boldly face the world.
One can become a completely contented soul (tṛiptātmā) only in union with God. Swami Adi Shankara drank molten liquid to teach his disciples when they doubted him for eating meat at a devotee’s home. In his experience, he saw the meat, molten liquid and his body as the same. The essence of all matter is advaitam (non-duality) but its manifestation is dvaitam (duality). When self-realization is achieved, all matter is seen as manifestations of one Spirit.