Sat-darshana Bhashya (translation)

JNANA SIDDHI, NO INACTIVITY

D. — Can a man move about, act, and speak, who has attained the siddhi as is now described ?

M. — Why not? Do you mean to say that realisation of Self means to be like a stone or to become nothing ?

D. I do not know, but they say to withdraw from all sense activity, from all thoughts, all life-experiences i.e., to cease to be active, that is the highest state.

M. If so, what is the difference between this state and deep sleep? Besides if it is a state, however exalted it be, that appears and disappears and therefore, not natural and normal to the self, how can that represent the eternal presence of the supreme Self, which persists in all states and indeed survives them? It is true that there is such a state indispensable in the case of some. It is a temporary phase of the sadhana or a state that persists to the end of the life if that be the Divine will or the prarabdha. In any case you can’t call it the highest state. Great men, muktas, siddhas are said to have been very active and are indeed active; why, Ishwara, the Spirit who presides over this world directing activities is obviously not in this supremely inactive state. Then you will have to say God as well as the muktapurusas have not attained the highest state.

D. -. But you have always laid great stress on maunam silence..

M. Yes. I do. But silence does not mean negation of activity or a stagnant inertness. It is not a mere negation of thoughts but something very positive more than you can imagine.

D. If it is unthinkable, ..

M. Yes. As long as you run with the running mind you cannot have it. The silence of the Self is ever there. It is a supreme Peace, maunam, immutable like a rock that supports all your activities, in fact, all movements. It is in this maunam that God and the muktapurusas are rooted.