Kriya Yoga and Idol Worship
Skandha XI. Chap. 27
(The details will not be interesting to the general reader).
Jnâna Yoga
Skandha XI. Chap. 28
“Do not either praise or blame other men and their actions. Look upon all as one, pervaded by the same Prakriti and the same Purusha. By criticising others, the mind is directed to a false channel and it deviates from the right path. What is good or what is bad of Dvaita? By direct perception, reasoning, self intuition, and scriptural teachings, know every thing in this manifested Universe to have a beginning and an end and to be thus unreal. Therefore free yourself from all attachments. (The ways of acquiring discriminative knowledge are then given in eloquent terms for which read the original).
“Clearing up all doubts by discrimination, the sage should be fixed in the bliss of self, having abstained from every thing else.
“The body of gross matter is not Âtmâ. The Indriyas, their guiding Devas, Manas, Buddhi, Chitta and Ahankâra are not Âtmâ. The Bhûtas, the Tanmatras and Prakriti are not Âtmâ. These do not affect the seer. Whether the clouds gather or disperse, what is that to the Sun.
“Akâsa is not affected by the attributes of air, fire, water and earth nor by the changes of seasons.
“The immutable is not affected by the impurities of Satva, Rajas and Tamas, however often they may cause the birth and rebirth of the Ahan principle.
“But still (the unliberated sage) should avoid contact with the Gunas. He should by firm devotion to Me, cast off all attachments and all passions. When the disease is not properly treated, it gives trouble again and again. So when attachments are not completely removed and Karma is not counteracted they trouble the imperfect Yogi.
“The yogis that deviate from the path on account of obstacles that are spread out for them by the Devas through men (For the Sruti says: — “The Devas do not like that men should know all this.” Śridhara) are re-united to the path of Yoga in a better birth through the practices of their former birth.
“The immature Yogi may be overpowered by diseases and other grievances of the body. He should overcome some of them by Yoga concentration (by concentration on the Moon, the Sun and others he should overcome heat cold &c., Śridhara), others by prescribed postures accompanied by retention of breath (diseases caused by gaseous derangement are to be overcome by postures, accompanied by retention of breath), and some others by Tapas, Mantra and medicine. He should overcome some evils by meditating on Me, by taking My name, and by making rehearsals about Me. He should overcome other evils by following the lords of Yoga.
“Some practise these to keep themselves young and free from diseases, solely with the object of attaining some Siddhis. This is not approved of by good people. The effort is fruitless. The body has an end. True in following the path of Yoga, the body sometimes becomes free from diseases and infirmities. But the Yogi should put no faith on these Siddhis.
“When the Yogi gives up all desires, becomes fixed in self-bliss, and makes Me his all in all, he is not overcome by obstacles.”