Verse 15
नष्टमानसोत्कृष्टयोगिनः|
कृत्यमस्तिकिंस्वस्थितिंयतः||
naṣṭamānasotkṛṣṭayoginaḥ|
kṛtyamasti kiṁsvasthitiṁyataḥ||
For the exalted yogi, with mind destroyed,
Is there anything to be done, since his Self-abidance?
The Yogi who has destroyed his mind becomes
an Utkrishta Yogi. The one who remains unchanged after the Laya state
is called a NikrishtaYogi.
The main focus in this verse is the Utkrishta
Yogi, but before we describe more of him, let us see what the Nikrishta Yogi’s
life is like.
The Nikrishta Yogi:
In the Nikrishta Yogi, Ego is still not
conquered. On top of that, power is now heaped onto him, his access to
superhuman powers gives him some recognition in society and so a “divine power”
is also there.
Such a Yogi gets caught in the trap of
actions. He can use the Laya state to focus his mind on various Chakras in the
body and thus acquire Siddhis or super-sensory powers.
The Utkrishta Yogi:
This is the exemplary Yogi. For the sage who
has annihilated his mind, and realized that he is the Self, what is there for
him to be done? The answer implied in the verse is “Nothing!”
In this world, people do not like to see
anybody ‘doing nothing’, even if there is nothing to do! Worse still is the attitude
towards someone who has no duty. Such a person is criticized for being
irresponsible and not contributing to the progress of society. Let us therefore
see what this ‘nothing’ actually means.
Where does the drive to act come from? – From
discontent. The signature of discontent is Desire. In the ordinary
person, discontent makes him seek something fulfilling to quench it. It arises
from a sense of want, or incompleteness in life. Desire arises. In the hunt to
satisfy desire, arises the chain referred to earlier as the “Desire-lineage”. (Avidya-Kama-Karma)
In the Utkrishta Yogi, there is no
discontent, hence no desire to act to feel fulfilled or happy, because he is
already happy. He has found the fountain of Happiness. There is no urgency to
act to get happiness. There is no compulsion to DO anything.
He may if he chooses, help others to attain
the same state. He may even act to bring happiness to others. But these actions
are not done to find happiness, for happiness he has already found.
Such a Yogi is compared to an ocean which is
ever full. The Ocean does not depend upon the clouds or rivers for its
fullness. It does not overflow when rivers fall into it. It does not get
shallow if they do not.
“As the waters enter the ocean, which on
account of being full on all sides, remains undisturbed, likewise he, in whom
all objects merge themselves (without disturbing him) attains peace, not the
one who has desires for objects (in order to be happy)’
(B.Gita chapter II, 70)
Abidance in the Self brings one the greatest
happiness. It is the nature of the Self to be all-Bliss.
For one who is inherently good, free from
Raga and Dvesha, who is naturally upright, who is not sacred
but sacredness itself – what is the need for duty and rules?
The very breathing of such saints purifies
this earth.
Love.
