Translation:Avadhuta Gita/Chapter 2

by Dattatreya

[2]	अथ द्वितीयोऽध्यायः	atha prathamo'dhyāyaḥ
	Thus begins Chapter Two

[2:1]	बालस्य वा विषयभोगरतस्य वापि	bālasya vā viṣayabhogaratasya vāpi
	मूर्खस्य सेवकजनस्य गृहस्थितस्य ।	mūrkhasya sevakajanasya gṛhasthitasya /
	एतद्गुरोः किमपि नैव न चिन्तनीयं	etadguroḥ kimapi naiva na cintanīyaṁ
	रत्नं कथं त्यजति कोऽप्यशुचौ प्रविष्टम् ।। १।।	ratnaṁ kathaṁ tyajati ko'pyaśucau praviṣṭam //1//
	Of the teacher- even if they be young illiterate, or addicted to the enjoyment of sense objects, even if they be a servant or a householder - none of these should be considered. Does anyone shun a gem that has fallen in an impure place?
	I wrote out gendered masculine pronominal. Illiterate here refers to one who is not versed in the scriptures. Addicted (apparently so.). This is key for my story. Outwardly I may be viewed as being licentious with my sexual freedom but I have never been predatory, I have made love and fulfilled the desire of others. This has been key to my renunciation and healing.

[2:2]	नैवात्र काव्यगुण एव तु चिन्तनीयो	naivātra kāvyaguṇa eva tu cintanīyo
	ग्राह्यः परं गुणवता खलु सार एव ।	grāhyaḥ paraṁ guṇavatā khalu sāra eva /
	सिन्दूरचित्ररहिता भुवि रूपशून्या	sindūracitrarahitā bhuvi rūpaśūnyā
	पारं न किं नयति नौरिह गन्तुकामान् ।। २।।	pāraṁ na kiṁ nayati nauriha gantukāmān //2//
	In such a case one should not consider even the quality of scholarship. A worldly person should recognize only the essence. Does not a boat. though devoid of beauty and vermilion paint nevertheless ferry passengers?
	Essence,etc. - The essential qualification of the teacher is not intellectual immanence, but capacity to impart spiritual illumination.

[2:3]	प्रयत्नेन विना येन निश्चलेन चलाचलम् ।	prayatnena vinā yena niścalena calācalam /
	ग्रस्तं स्वभावतः शान्तं चैतन्यं गगनोपमम् ।। ३।।	grastaṁ svabhāvataḥ śāntaṁ caitanyaṁ gaganopamam //3//
	The unmoving One, who without effort possesses all that is movable and immovable, is consciousness, naturally calm, like the sky.
	I feel it important to mention the etymology of 'caitanya' and also w:Caitanya whose intimate associate w:Nityananda was known as an Avadhuta. Chaitanya may be referred to as an Avadhuta in primary or secondary literature but I have not encountered this yet, but I would not be surprised, indeed I expect it. Though, I know that Nityananda is referred to as an Avadhuta in Chaitanya Charitamrita.

[2:4]	अयत्नाछालयेद्यस्तु एकमेव चराचरम् ।	ayatnāchālayedyastu ekameva carācaram /
	सर्वगं तत्कथं भिन्नमद्वैतं वर्तते मम ।। ४।।	sarvagaṁ tatkathaṁ bhinnamadvaitaṁ vartate mama //4//
	How can He, the One and All-pervading, who moves effortlessly all that is movable and immovable, be differentiated! To me He is nondual.

[2:5]	अहमेव परं यस्मात्सारात्सारतरं शिवम् ।	ahameva paraṁ yasmātsārātsārataraṁ śivam /
	गमागमविनिर्मुक्तं निर्विकल्पं निराकुलम् ।। ५।।	gamāgamavinirmuktaṁ nirvikalpaṁ nirākulam //5//
	I am verily supreme since I am the Absolute, more essential than all essences, since I am free from birth and death, calm and undifferentiated.

[2:6]	सर्वावयवनिर्मुक्तं तथाहं त्रिदशार्चितम् ।	sarvāvayavanirmuktaṁ tathāhaṁ tridaśārcitam /
	संपूर्णत्वान्न गृह्णामि विभागं त्रिदशादिकम् ।। ६।।	saṁpūrṇatvānna gṛhṇāmi vibhāgaṁ tridaśādikam //6//
	Thus I, free from all components, am worshipped by the gods, but being full and perfect, I do not recognize any distinctions such as gods and the like.
	Free, etc.-not made up of parts; indivisible. Worshipped, etc. -because the true Self is the highest Divinity. Recognize, etc.-In the highest spiritual realization no distinctions and differences are perceived.

[2:7]	प्रमादेन न सन्देहः किं करिष्यामि वृत्तिमान् ।	pramādena na sandehaḥ kiṁ kariṣyāmi vṛttimān /
	उत्पद्यन्ते विलीयन्ते बुद्बुदाश्च यथा जले ।। ७।।	utpadyante vilīyante budbudāśca yathā jale //7//
	Ignorance does not create any doubt. What shall I do, being endowed with modifications of the mind? They rise and dissolve like bubbles in water.
	Ignorance, etc.-The man of the highest spiritual perception, after realizing his Divine identity, may live on the relative plane and thus appear enveloped by ignorance, but even then he is never unaware of his Divinity. What, etc.- Thought the man of highest spiritual perception appears to think, will, etc., yet, as the pure witness, he remains completely separate from mental activities.

[2:8]	महदादीनि भूतानि समाप्यैवं सदैव हि ।	mahadādīni bhūtāni samāpyaivaṁ sadaiva hi /
	मृदुद्रव्येषु तीक्ष्णेषु गुडेषु कटुकेषु च ।। ८।।	mṛdudravyeṣu tīkśṇeṣu guḍeṣu kaṭukeṣu ca //8//
	Thus am I ever pervading all existence beginning with cosmic intelligence-pervading soft, hard, sweet, and pungent substances.
	This verse uses the rasa dietetic language of the Ayurveda.

[2:9]	कटुत्वं चैव शैत्यत्वं मृदुत्वं च यथा जले ।	kaṭutvaṁ caiva śaityatvaṁ mṛdutvaṁ ca yathā jale /
	प्रकृतिः पुरुषस्तद्वदभिन्नं प्रतिभाति मे ।। ९।।	prakṛtiḥ puruṣastadvadabhinnaṁ pratibhāti me //9//
	As pungency, coldness, or softness is nondifferent from water, so prakrti is nondifferent from purusa-thus it appears to me.
	Prakrti-nature; relative existence. Purusa-spirit, the Absolute.

[2:10]	सर्वाख्यारहितं यद्यत्सूक्ष्मात्सूक्ष्मतरं परम् ।	sarvākhyārahitaṁ yadyatsūkśmātsūkśmataraṁ param /
	मनोबुद्धीन्द्रियातीतमकलङ्कं जगत्पतिम् ।। १०।।	manobuddhīndriyātītamakalaṅkaṁ jagatpatim //10//
	The Lord of the universe is devoid of all names. He is subtler than the subtlest, supreme, He is spotless, beyond the senses, mind, and intellect.
	Lord, etc.-the Self.

[2:11]	ईदृशं सहजं यत्र अहं तत्र कथं भवेत् ।	īdṛśaṁ sahajaṁ yatra ahaṁ tatra kathaṁ bhavet /
	त्वमेव हि कथं तत्र कथं तत्र चराचरम् ।। ११।।	tvameva hi kathaṁ tatra kathaṁ tatra carācaram //11//
	Where there is such a natural Being, how can there be "I", how can there be even "you", how can there be the world?
	Natural-existing in its natural (i.e., pure) state.

[2:12]	गगनोपमं तु यत्प्रोक्तं तदेव गगनोपमम् ।	gaganopamaṁ tu yatproktaṁ tadeva gaganopamam /
	चैतन्यं दोषहीनं च सर्वज्ञं पूर्णमेव च ।। १२।।	caitanyaṁ doṣahīnaṁ ca sarvajñaṁ pūrṇameva ca //12//
	That which has been described as being like ether is indeed Like ether. That is Consciousness-blameless, omniscient, and perfect.

[2:13]	पृथिव्यां चरितं नैव मारुतेन च वाहितम् ।	pṛthivyāṁ caritaṁ naiva mārutena ca vāhitam /
	वरिणा पिहितं नैव तेजोमध्ये व्यवस्थितम् ।। १३।।	variṇā pihitaṁ naiva tejomadhye vyavasthitam //13//
	It does not move about on the earth or dwell in fire. It is not blown by the wind or covered by water.

[2:14]	आकाशं तेन संव्याप्तं न तद्व्याप्तं च केनचित् ।	ākāśaṁ tena saṁvyāptaṁ na tadvyāptaṁ ca kenacit /
	स बाह्याभ्यन्तरं तिष्ठत्यवच्छिन्नं निरन्तरम् ।। १४।।	sa bāhyābhyantaraṁ tiṣṭhatyavacchinnaṁ nirantaram //14//
	Space is pervaded by It, but It is not pervaded by anything. It is existing within and without. It is undivided and continuous.

[2:15]	सूक्ष्मत्वात्तददृश्यत्वान्निर्गुणत्वाच्च योगिभिः ।	sūkśmatvāttadadṛśyatvānnirguṇatvācca yogibhiḥ /
	आलम्बनादि यत्प्रोक्तं क्रमादालम्बनं भवेत् ।। १५।।	ālambanādi yatproktaṁ kramādālambanaṁ bhavet //15//
	One should successively take recourse to the objects of concentration, as mentioned by the yogis, in accordance with their subtlety, invisibility, and attributelessness.
	Take, etc.-In order to attain to the Absolute (or dissolution in the Absolute, as is said in the next verse), one has to reach the state of infinite and undifferentiated Consciousness by eliminating all mental differentiation or movements. The method of this elimination is to make consciousness dwell on one object continuously by obstructing its restless tendency to dwell on multifarious objects. But the object of concentration has to be chosen carefully. The beginner chooses a gross object. When he has dwelt on it continuously for some time, his consciousness becomes subtle and steady. He then chooses a subtle object to concentrate on. Gradually he reaches a high state of concentration, but some differentiations in his consciousness still remain-there is the consciousness of himself as the concentrator, of the object on which he is concentrating, and of the process of concentration. Next even these differentiations vanish. For the object of concentration dissolves, and there remains only the pure, undifferentiated Consciousness, the Absolute.

[2:16]	सतताऽभ्यासयुक्तस्तु निरालम्बो यदा भवेत् ।	satatā'bhyāsayuktastu nirālambo yadā bhavet /
	तल्लयाल्लीयते नान्तर्गुणदोषविवर्जितः ।। १६।।	tallayāllīyate nāntarguṇadoṣavivarjitaḥ //16//
	When through constant practice one's concentration becomes objectless, then, being divested of merits and demerits, one attains the state of complete dissolution in the Absolute through the dissolution of the object of concentration, but not before then.

[2:17]	विषविश्वस्य रौद्रस्य मोहमूर्च्छाप्रदस्य च ।	viṣaviśvasya raudrasya mohamūrcchāpradasya ca /
	एकमेव विनाशाय ह्यमोघं सहजामृतम् ।। १७।।	ekameva vināśāya hyamoghaṁ sahajāmṛtam //17//
	For the destruction of the terrible poisonous universe, which produces the unconsciousness of delusion, there is but one infallible remedy - the nectar of naturalness.
	Unconsciousness, etc. -delusion which makes one unconscious of the Divine Reality. Naturalness-the state of pure Existence; Divine Identity. This hypostasis(?) of amrita and sahaja is evocative.

[2:18]	भावगम्यं निराकारं साकारं दृष्टिगोचरम् ।	bhāvagamyaṁ nirākāraṁ sākāraṁ dṛṣṭigocaram /
	भावाभावविनिर्मुक्तमन्तरालं तदुच्यते ।। १८।।	bhāvābhāvavinirmuktamantarālaṁ taducyate //18//
	That which has form is visible to the eye, while the formless is perceived mentally. That (the Self), being beyond existence and non-existence, is called intermediate.
	Intermediate-neither material nor mental, i.e., beyond both.

[2:19]	बाह्यभावं भवेद्विश्वमन्तः प्रकृतिरुच्यते ।	bāhyabhāvaṁ bhavedviśvamantaḥ prakṛtirucyate /
	अन्तरादन्तरं ज्ञेयं नारिकेलफलाम्बुवत् ।। १९।।	antarādantaraṁ jñeyaṁ nārikelaphalāmbuvat //19//
	The external existence is the universe, the inner existence is called prakrti. One should try to know That which is more interior than the inner existence, That which is like water within the kernel of the coconut.
	Prakrti-in its subtle aspects: cosmic intelligence, cosmic mind, etc.

[2:20]	भ्रान्तिज्ञानं स्थितं बाह्यं सम्यग्ज्ञानं च मध्यगम् ।	bhrāntijñānaṁ sthitaṁ bāhyaṁ samyagjñānaṁ ca madhyagam /
	मध्यान्मध्यतरं ज्ञेयं नारिकेलफलाम्बुवत् ।। २०।।	madhyānmadhyataraṁ jñeyaṁ nārikelaphalāmbuvat //20//
	Illusory knowledge relates to what is outside, correct knowledge to what is inside. Try to know That which is more interior than the inside, That which is like water within the kernel of the coconut.

[2:21]	पौर्णमास्यां यथा चन्द्र एक एवातिनिर्मलः ।	paurṇamāsyāṁ yathā candra eka evātinirmalaḥ /
	तेन तत्सदृशं पश्येद्द्विधादृष्टिर्विपर्ययः ।। २१।।	tena tatsadṛśaṁ paśyeddvidhādṛṣṭirviparyayaḥ //21//
	There is only one very clear moon on the full moon night. One should perceive That (the Self) like the moon seeing duality is perversion.

[2:22]	अनेनैव प्रकारेण बुद्धिभेदो न सर्वगः ।	anenaiva prakāreṇa buddhibhedo na sarvagaḥ /
	दाता च धीरतामेति गीयते नामकोटिभिः ।। २२।।	dātā ca dhīratāmeti gīyate nāmakoṭibhiḥ //22//
	No duality can touch the conception of Brahman, because It is all-pervasive. The wise who teach this acquire boundless patience, and their disciples can never be too thankful to them.

[2:23]	गुरुप्रज्ञाप्रसादेन मूर्खो वा यदि पण्डितः ।	guruprajñāprasādena mūrkho vā yadi paṇḍitaḥ /
	यस्तु संबुध्यते तत्त्वं विरक्तो भवसागरात् ।। २३।।	yastu saṁbudhyate tattvaṁ virakto bhavasāgarāt //23//
	Whoever, whether he be ignorant or learned, attains to the full awareness of Truth through the grace of a teacher's wisdom, becomes detached from the ocean of worldliness.
	Ignorant-devoid of scholarship. (learned in the scriptures)

[2:24]	रागद्वेषविनिर्मुक्तः सर्वभूतहिते रतः ।	rāgadveṣavinirmuktaḥ sarvabhūtahite rataḥ /
	दृढबोधश्च धीरश्च स गच्छेत्परमं पदम् ।। २४।।	dṛḍhabodhaśca dhīraśca sa gacchetparamaṁ padam //24//
	He who is free from attachment and hatred, devoted to the good of all beings, fixed in knowledge and steady shall attain to the supreme state.

[2:25]	घटे भिन्ने घटाकाश आकाशे लीयते यथा ।	ghaṭe bhinne ghaṭākāśa ākāśe līyate yathā /
	देहाभावे तथा योगी स्वरूपे परमात्मनि ।। २५।।	dehābhāve tathā yogī svarūpe paramātmani //25//
	As the space within a pot dissolves in the universal space when the pot is broken, so a yogi, in the absence of the body, dissolves into the supreme Self, which is his true being.
	When I started this venture, encoding it in Wikisource the evening I commenced I was writing till the early hours of the morning. Mid-mording, circa 3am I heard a crash. I got from my bedroom and went to the bathroom and there is a possum sitting on the window sill. It had pushed a glazed ceramic plant bot from the sill to the floor. I gave the possum a playful talking to and it turned its back to me and looked out the window at the spacious view, whilst I cleaned up the earth, the ground. So when I later read this verse it was pointed. Especially since the metaphor of the pot in regards to the relationship of inner and outer space and interiority and extoriority is key to nondual traditions.

[2:26]	उक्तेयं कर्मयुक्तानां मतिर्यान्तेऽपि सा गतिः ।	ukteyaṁ karmayuktānāṁ matiryānte'pi sā gatiḥ /
	न चोक्ता योगयुक्तानां मतिर्यान्तेऽपि सा गतिः ।। २६।।	na coktā yogayuktānāṁ matiryānte'pi sā gatiḥ //26//
	It has been said that the destiny of those devoted to action is the same as their thought at the end, but it has not been said that the destiny of those established in yoga is the same as their thought at the end.
	End-the dying moment. The belief in India, clearly expressed in the Bagavad Gita, is that the last thought in the mind of the dying person indicates the nature of his future existence. This is not true, however, of one who has attained to the knowledge of the Self.

[2:27]	या गतिः कर्मयुक्तानां सा च वागिन्द्रियाद्वदेत् ।	yā gatiḥ karmayuktānāṁ sā ca vāgindriyādvadet /
	योगिनां या गतिः क्वापि ह्यकथ्या भवतोर्जिता ।। २७।।	yogināṁ yā gatiḥ kvāpi hyakathyā bhavatorjitā //27//
	One may express the destiny of those devoted to action with the organ of speech, but the destiny of the yogis can never be expressed, because it is transcendental.

[2:28]	एवं ज्ञात्वा त्वमुं मार्गं योगिनां नैव कल्पितम् ।	evaṁ jñātvā tvamuṁ mārgaṁ yogināṁ naiva kalpitam /
	विकल्पवर्जनं तेषां स्वयं सिद्धिः प्रवर्तते ।। २८।।	vikalpavarjanaṁ teṣāṁ svayaṁ siddhiḥ pravartate //28//
	Knowing this, one never says that the yogis have any particular path. For them it is the giving up of all duality, The supreme attainment comes of itself.
	Particular, etc.-Departing souls reach their destined worlds following either pitr-yana, the path of the fathers or deva-yana, the path of the gods. The yogi, after death, does not travel along any path having already attained the Highest, which has nothing to do with any particular place or time, he has no world to reach. Supreme, etc.- The supreme Truth which the yogi attains after transcending all duality is ever present, eternal, and absolute, so cannot be spoken of in terms of relative existence or relative truth. When the sense of duality is destroyed, this Truth at once reveals itself, even as the sun is seen shining when clouds disperse.

[2:29]	तीर्थे वान्त्यजगेहे वा यत्र कुत्र मृतोऽपि वा ।	tīrthe vāntyajagehe vā yatra kutra mṛto'pi vā /
	न योगी पश्यते गर्भं परे ब्रह्मणि लीयते ।। २९।।	na yogī paśyate garbhaṁ pare brahmaṇi līyate //29//
	The yogi, having died anywhere, in a holy place or in the house of an untouchable, does not see the mother's womb again-he is dissolved in the supreme Brahman.
	Untouchable-In India because of the cast system, there is a class of people called untouchable because they are considered impure. Does not, etc.-is not reborn.

[2:30]	सहजमजमचिन्त्यं यस्तु पश्येत्स्वरूपं	sahajamajamacintyaṁ yastu paśyetsvarūpaṁ
	घटति यदि यथेष्टं लिप्यते नैव दोषैः ।	ghaṭati yadi yatheṣṭaṁ lipyate naiva doṣaiḥ /
	सकृदपि तदभावात्कर्म किंचिन्नकुर्यात्	sakṛdapi tadabhāvātkarma kiṁcinnakuryāt
	तदपि न च विबद्धः संयमी वा तपस्वी ।। ३०।।	tadapi na ca vibaddhaḥ saṁyamī vā tapasvī //30//
	He who has seen his true Self, which is innate, unborn, and incomprehensible, does not, if anything desired happens to him, become tainted. Being free from taint, he never performs any action. The man of self-restraint or the ascetic, therefore, is never bound.
	Desired, etc.-only apparently desired by him who possesses Self-knowledge. When one has attained to the knowledge of the Self one may still continue to live in the body and appear to be actively seeking desired objects. This, however, is only in semblance. Being free from the taint of ignorance, which makes the average man seek desirable objects and avoid undesirable ones, he is really inactive.

[2:31]	निरामयं निष्प्रतिमं निराकृतिं	nirāmayaṁ niṣpratimaṁ nirākṛtiṁ
	निराश्रयं निर्वपुषं निराशिषम् ।	nirāśrayaṁ nirvapuṣaṁ nirāśiṣam /
	निर्द्वन्द्वनिर्मोहमलुप्तशक्तिकं	nirdvandvanirmohamaluptaśaktikaṁ
	तमीशमात्मानमुपैति शाश्वतम् ।। ३१।।	tamīśamātmānamupaiti śāśvatam //31//
	He attains to the supreme Self, who is eternal, pure, fearless, formless, and supportless, who is without body, without desire, beyond the pairs of opposites, free from illusion and of undiminished power.
	Pairs, etc.-such as heat and cold, pain and pleasure, ignorance and knowledge, life and death, which are all relative.

[2:32]	वेदो न दीक्षा न च मुण्डनक्रिया	vedo na dīkśā na ca muṇḍanakriyā
	गुरुर्न शिष्यो न च यन्त्रसम्पदः ।	gururna śiṣyo na ca yantrasampadaḥ /
	मुद्रादिकं चापि न यत्र भासते	mudrādikaṁ cāpi na yatra bhāsate
	तमीशमात्मानमुपैति शाश्वतम् ।। ३२।।	tamīśamātmānamupaiti śāśvatam //32//
	He attains to the supreme, eternal Self, in whom exists no Veda, no initiation, no tonsure, no teacher, no disciple, no perfection of symbolic figures, no hand-posture or anything else.
	Symbolic, etc.-In ritualistic worship geometrical figures drawn on metal, stone, etc., are sometimes used as symbols of Divinity. Hand-posture-called mudra, used as art of ritualistic worship.

[2:33]	न शाम्भवं शाक्तिकमानवं न वा	na śāmbhavaṁ śāktikamānavaṁ na vā
	पिण्डं च रूपं च पदादिकं न वा ।	piṇḍaṁ ca rūpaṁ ca padādikaṁ na vā /
	आरम्भनिष्पत्तिघटादिकं च नो	ārambhaniṣpattighaṭādikaṁ ca no
	तमीशमात्मानमुपैति शाश्वतम् ।। ३३।।	tamīśamātmānamupaiti śāśvatam //33//
	He attains to the supreme, eternal Self, in whom is neither sambhavi, nor sakti, nor anavi initiation; neither a sphere, nor an image, nor a foot, nor anything else; neither beginning, nor ending, nor a jar, etc.
	Sambhavi, etc. - Tantrika texts speak of three kinds of initiation. Sambhavi initiation, which is very rare, is that in which the teacher by a mere word, look, touch, or by will imparts the highest knowledge of God to the disciple instantly. Sakti initiation is that in which the teacher instills into the disciple a great spiritual power which will of itself, within a reasonable time, bring about the disciple's spiritual emancipation. The disciple does not have to exert himself for this realization. Such initiation also is exceptional. Anavi or mantri initiation is that in which the teacher, on an auspicious day, instructs the disciple concerning the method of spiritual practice he should follow, gives him a word or a phrase (called mantra) to repeat, and offers other necessary instructions. The disciple must practice according to these instructions to gain spiritual knowledge. Sphere -a round symbol made of stone, etc. Foot - Sometimes either an image of a foot or a footprint is used as a symbol of worship. Beginning, etc. - ceremonial beginning and ending of worship. Jar - Sometimes a jar filled with water is used as a symbol of the all-pervading Divinity.

[2:34]	यस्य स्वरूपात्सचराचरं जग-	yasya svarūpātsacarācaraṁ jaga-
	दुत्पद्यते तिष्ठति लीयतेऽपि वा ।	dutpadyate tiṣṭhati līyate'pi vā /
	पयोविकारादिव फेनबुद्बुदा-	payovikārādiva phenabudbudā-
	स्तमीशमात्मानमुपैति शाश्वतम् ।। ३४।।	stamīśamātmānamupaiti śāśvatam //34//
	He attains to the supreme, eternal Self, from whose essence the universe of movable and immovable objects is born, in whom it rests, and into whom it dissolves, even as foam and bubbles are born of the transformation of water.

[2:35]	नासानिरोधो न च दृष्टिरासनं	nāsānirodho na ca dṛṣṭirāsanaṁ
	बोधोऽप्यबोधोऽपि न यत्र भासते ।	bodho'pyabodho'pi na yatra bhāsate /
	नाडीप्रचारोऽपि न यत्र किञ्चि-	nāḍīpracāro'pi na yatra kiñci-
	त्तमीशमात्मानमुपैति शाश्वतम् ।। ३५।।	ttamīśamātmānamupaiti śāśvatam //35//
	He attains to the supreme, eternal Self, in whom is no closing of nostril nor gazing nor posture, and in whom is neither knowledge nor ignorance nor any nerve-current.
	Closing, etc.-In the practice of pranayama or breath control, each nostril in turn is closed with a finer in order to breathe only with the other nostril. Gazing-fixing the eyes on a certain point to induce concentration. Posture-a particular way of sitting which allows the body to be most comfortable and yet conduces to the practice of mental concentration. Nerve-current-The reference is to the three nerves mentioned in Yoga texts- ida, pingala and susumna along which thought-currents are made to flow in order to realize higher states of consciousness.

[2:36]	नानात्वमेकत्वमुभत्वमन्यता	nānātvamekatvamubhatvamanyatā
	अणुत्वदीर्घत्वमहत्त्वशून्यता ।	aṇutvadīrghatvamahattvaśūnyatā /
	मानत्वमेयत्वसमत्ववर्जितं	mānatvameyatvasamatvavarjitaṁ
	तमीशमात्मानमुपैति शाश्वतम् ।। ३६।।	tamīśamātmānamupaiti śāśvatam //36//
	He attains to the supreme, eternal Self, who is devoid of manifoldness, oneness, many-and-oneness, and otherness; who is devoid of minuteness, length, largeness, and nothingness; who is devoid of knowledge, knowableness, and sameness.

[2:37]	सुसंयमी वा यदि वा न संयमी	susaṁyamī vā yadi vā na saṁyamī
	सुसंग्रही वा यदि वा न संग्रही ।	susaṁgrahī vā yadi vā na saṁgrahī /
	निष्कर्मको वा यदि वा सकर्मक-	niṣkarmako vā yadi vā sakarmaka-
	स्तमीशमात्मानमुपैति शाश्वतम् ।। ३७।।	stamīśamātmānamupaiti śāśvatam // 37//
	He attains the supreme, eternal Self whether he has perfect self-control or not, whether he has withdrawn his senses well or not, whether he has gone beyond activity or is active.
	Has, etc.- whether he appears to have self-control or not.

[2:38]	मनो न बुद्धिर्न शरीरमिन्द्रियं	mano na buddhirna śarīramindriyaṁ
	तन्मात्रभूतानि न भूतपञ्चकम् ।	tanmātrabhūtāni na bhūtapañcakam /
	अहंकृतिश्चापि वियत्स्वरूपकं	ahaṁkṛtiścāpi viyatsvarūpakaṁ
	तमीशमात्मानमुपैति शाश्वतम् ।। ३८।।	tamīśamātmānamupaiti śāśvatam //38//
	He attains the supreme, eternal Self who is not mind, intelligence, body, senses, or egoism; who is neither the subtle elements nor the five gross elements nor of the nature of space.

[2:39]	विधौ निरोधे परमात्मतां गते	vidhau nirodhe paramātmatāṁ gate
	न योगिनश्चेतसि भेदवर्जिते ।	na yoginaścetasi bhedavarjite /
	शौचं न वाशौचमलिङ्गभावना	śaucaṁ na vāśaucamaliṅgabhāvanā
	सर्वं विधेयं यदि वा निषिध्यते ।। ३९।।	sarvaṁ vidheyaṁ yadi vā niṣidhyate // 39//
	When injunctions cease and the yogi attains to the supreme Self, his mind being void of differentiations, he has neither purity nor impurity; his contemplation is without distinguishing attributes; and even what is usually prohibited is permissible to him.
	Injunctions-prescriptions given by the scriptures to a spiritual aspirant in regard to what he should practice. The yogi who has attained to the Highest is beyond the need of such prescriptions. Contemplation, etc.-The spiritual aspirant is prohibited from doing certain things, just as he is enjoined to do other things; but upon attaining the Highest he goes beyond all injunctions and prohibitions. Realizing himself as the Absolute, he may act in even an apparently evil way, just as God does some apparently evil things in His creation.

[2:40]	मनो वचो यत्र न शक्तमीरितुं	mano vaco yatra na śaktamīrituṁ
	नूनं कथं तत्र गुरूपदेशता ।	nūnaṁ kathaṁ tatra gurūpadeśatā /
	इमां कथामुक्तवतो गुरोस्त-	imāṁ kathāmuktavato gurosta-
	द्युक्तस्य तत्त्वं हि समं प्रकाशते ।। ४०।।	dyuktasya tattvaṁ hi samaṁ prakāśate //40//
	Where mind and speech can utter nothing, how can there be instruction by a teacher? To the teacher-ever united with Brahman who has said these words, the homogeneous Truth shines out.

	इति द्वितीयोऽध्यायः ।।२।।	iti dvitīyo'dhyāyaḥ //2//
	Thus closes Chapter Two