Bilva is the bael tree. Its fruit, flowers and leaves are all sacred to Íiva, liberation's summit. Planting Aegle marmelos trees around home or temple is sanctifying, as is worshiping a Li–ga with bilva leaves and water. Aum.

What Are the Four Stages on the Path?

SHLOKA 36

The path of enlightenment is divided naturally into four stages: charya, virtue and selfless service; kriya, worshipful sadhanas; yoga, meditation under a guru's guidance; and jnana, the wisdom state of the realized soul. Aum.

BHASHYA

Charya, kriya, yoga and jnana are the sequence of the soul's evolutionary process, much like the natural development of a butterfly from egg to larvae, from larvae to pupa, from pupa to caterpillar, and then the final metamorphosis from caterpillar to butterfly. These are four padas, or stages, through which each human soul must pass, through many births, in order to attain its final goal. Before entering this path, the soul is immersed in the lower nature, bound in fear and lust, hurtful rage, jealousy, confusion, selfishness, consciencelessness and malice. Then it awakens into charya, unselfish religious service, or karma yoga. Once matured in charya, it enters kriya, devotion or bhakti yoga, and finally blossoms into kundalini yoga. Jnana is the state of enlightened wisdom reached toward the path's end as a result of Self Realization. The four padas are not alternative ways, but progressive, cumulative phases of a one path, San Marga. The Tirumantiram affirms, "Being the Life of life is splendrous jnana worship. Beholding the Light of life is great yoga worship. Giving life by invocation is external worship. Expressing adoration is charya." Aum Namah Sivaya.

What Is the Nature of the Charya Pada?

SHLOKA 37

Charya is the performance of altruistic religious service and living according to traditional ethical conduct and culture, by which the outer nature is purified. It is the stage of overcoming basic instinctive patterns. Aum.

BHASHYA

Charya, literally "conduct," is the first stage of religiousness and the foundation for the next three stages. It is also called the dasa marga, meaning "path of servitude," for here the soul relates to God as servant to master. The disciplines of charya include humble service, attending the temple, performing one's duty to community and family, honoring holy men, respecting elders, atoning for misdeeds and fulfilling the ten classical restraints called yamas. Within a strong society, one performs charya whether he wants to or not. Young or rebellious souls often resist and resent, whereas mature souls fulfill these obligations most naturally. Right behavior and self-sacrificing service are never outgrown. The keynote of charya, or karma yoga, is seva, religious service given without the least thought of reward, which has the magical effect of softening the ego and bringing forth the soul's innate devotion. The Tirumantiram explains, "The simple temple duties, lighting the lamps, picking flowers, lovingly polishing the floors, sweeping, singing the Lord's praise, ringing the bell and fetching ceremonial water--these constitute the dasa marga." Aum Namah Sivaya.

What Is the Nature of the Kriya Pada?

SHLOKA 38

Kriya is joyous and regular worship, both internal and external, in the home and temple. It includes puja, japa, penance, fasting and scriptural learning, by which our understanding and love of God and Gods deepen. Aum.

BHASHYA

Hinduism demands deep devotion through bhakti yoga in the kriya pada, softening the intellect and unfolding love. In kriya, the second stage of religiousness, our sadhana, which was mostly external in charya, is now also internal. Kriya, literally "action or rite," is a stirring of the soul in awareness of the Divine, overcoming the obstinacy of the instinctive-intellectual mind. We now look upon the Deity image not just as carved stone, but as the living presence of the God. We perform ritual and puja not because we have to but because we want to. We are drawn to the temple to satisfy our longing. We sing joyfully. We absorb and intuit the wisdom of the Vedas and agamas. We perform pilgrimage and fulfill the sacraments. We practice diligently the ten classical observances called niyamas. Our relationship with God in kriya is as a son to his parents and thus this stage is called the satputra marga. The Tirumantiram instructs, "Puja, reading the scriptures, singing hymns, performing japa and unsullied austerity, truthfulness, restraint of envy, and offering of food--these and other self-purifying acts constitute the flawless satputra marga." Aum Namah Sivaya.

What Is the Nature of the Yoga Pada?

SHLOKA 39

Yoga is internalized worship which leads to union with God. It is the regular practice of meditation, detachment and austerities under the guidance of a satguru through whose grace we attain the realization of Parashiva. Aum.

BHASHYA

Yoga, "union," is the process of uniting with God within oneself, a stage arrived at through perfecting charya and kriya. As God is now like a friend to us, yoga is known as the sakha marga. This system of inner discovery begins with asana--sitting quietly in yogic posture--and pranayama, breath control. Pratyahara, sense withdrawal, brings awareness into dharana, concentration, then into dhyana, meditation. Over the years, under ideal conditions, the kundalini fire of consciousness ascends to the higher chakras, burning the dross of ignorance and past karmas. Dhyana finally leads to enstasy--first to savikalpa samadhi, "the contemplative experience of Satchidananda, and ultimately to nirvikalpa samadhi, Parashiva. Truly a living satguru is needed as a steady guide to traverse this path. When yoga is practiced by one perfected in kriya, the Gods receive the yogi into their midst through his awakened, fiery kundalini. The Vedas enjoin the yogi, "With earnest effort hold the senses in check. Controlling the breath, regulate the vital activities. As a charioteer holds back his restive horses, so does a persevering aspirant restrain his mind." Aum Namah Sivaya.

What Is the Nature of the Jnana Pada?

SHLOKA 40

Jnana is divine wisdom emanating from an enlightened being, a soul in its maturity, immersed in Sivaness, the blessed realization of God, while living out earthly karma. Jnana is the fruition of yoga tapas. Aum Namah Sivaya.

BHASHYA

The instinctive mind in the young soul is firm and well-knit together. The intellectual mind in the adolescent soul is complicated, and he sees the physical world as his only reality. The subsuperconscious mind in the mystically inclined soul well perfected in kriya longs for realization of Siva's two perfections, Satchidananda and Parashiva. Through yoga he bursts into the superconscious mind, experiencing bliss, all-knowingness and perfect silence. It is when the yogi's intellect is shattered that he soars into Parashiva and comes out a jnani. Each time he enters that unspeakable nirvikalpa samadhi, he returns to consciousness more and more the knower. He is the liberated one, the jivanmukta, the epitome of kaivalya--perfect freedom--far-seeing, filled with light, filled with love. One does not become a jnani simply by reading and understanding philosophy. The state of jnana lies in the realm of intuition, beyond the intellect. The Vedas say, "Having realized the Self, the rishis, perfected souls, satisfied with their knowledge, passion-free, tranquil--those wise beings, having attained the omnipresent on all sides--enter into the All itself." Aum Namah Sivaya.

Scriptures Speak on Liberation

Like the household fire, devotees seek the glory of the Lord even from afar and enshrine it in their inner chamber for enlightenment. The glory of our Lord is full of splendor, all-illuminative and worthy to be honored in every heart.
Rig Veda

For the great-souled, the surest way to liberation is the conviction that "I am Brahman." The two terms, what leads to bondage and what leads to liberation, are the sense of mineness and the absence of the sense of mineness.
Yajur Veda

When the nets of dispositions (good and bad) are dissolved without any residue, when the accumulated deeds virtuous and vicious are completely destroyed to the very roots, the past and the future alike, owing to the removal of all impediments, bring about the direct and immediate perception (of Brahman) as of the amalaka fruit on the palm of the hand, then (the knower of Brahman) becomes one liberated while in life.
Yajur Veda

He remains aloof, but not aloof, in the body, but not in the body; his inmost Self becomes the All-Pervading. Having purified his heart and accomplished his perfect thinking, the yogin sees: I am the All, the Highest Bliss.
Yajur Veda

When the yogin unites his breath with Aum or is united with the All in manifold ways, it is called yoga. This oneness of breath, mind and senses, the renunciation of all existence--this is termed yoga.
Yajur Veda

When cease the five (sense) knowledges, together with

the mind, and the intellect stirs not--that, they say, is the highest course.
Yajur Veda

It should be known that effort for yogic realization by yogis must proceed in eight steps: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi.
Suprabheda Agama

He alone is learned, he alone is fortunate and successful, whose mind is no longer unstable as air, but is held firm. That is the way to liberation, that is the highest virtue, that is wisdom, that is strength and that is the merit of those who seek.
Devikalottara Agama

Never does a man attain moksha by his own skill; by no means other than the grace of Siva, the dispeller of evil, is such an attainment possible.
Paushkara Agama

To see him, to adore him, to meditate on him, to touch him, to sing of him, to bear his holy feet on humbled head--they that render devotion to guru in diverse ways thus--they indeed walk the San Marga that to liberation leads.
Tirumantiram

Self-control will place a man among the Gods, but the lack of it will lead him into deepest darkness.
Tirukural

The One Entity--blissful, entire and all-pervading--alone exists, and nothing else; he who constantly realizes this knowledge is freed from death and the sorrow of the world-wheel.
Siva Samhita

Listen while I tell you the path to liberation: truth, patience, calmness and discipline of self, discrimination between the eternal and the passing, devotion to the humble servants of the Lord, rising in the early morning and bathing before daybreak, repeating in the way prescribed the flawless Letters Five, worshiping the guru's feet, applying holy ash, eating but when hungry, with the whole heart giving praise.
Natchintanai

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Index of Contents

Mandala Nine: The Three Worlds