शिवज्ञानबोध (मेय्कण्डार - शैव सिद्धान्त का आधारभूत दार्शनिक सूत्र ग्रन्थ)

78 SIVAGNANA BOTHAM.
NOTES.
We have proved to ourselves the existence of the three cate-
gories or Padarthas, Pathi, Pasu, and Pasa in the first chapter. We
have learned to distinguish them further in the second chapter.
And now what is the use of all this knowledge ? All knowledge
and all philosophy will be utterly useless if it will not lead us to
believe that we have a better end to attain to and to action that will
bring about this end. The true end or Siddhantha is what
is treated of in Chapter IV and this chapter preceding it
is appropriately devoted to the treatment of the action or Sadana
or means of attaining the True End. Now in proceeding to begin
Sadana, if we begin as the author of Vichara Sagar begins, 'I
am God, I worship myself. Why should I worship any other ?'
we cannot achieve much. Unless we can distinguish ourselves
from God, we cannot attempt to become God. This Sutra there-
fore enjoins on the person beginning his practice a further
caution not to mistake himself for God, thereby distinguishing
between Sat, Asat and Satasat and showing also what becomes
of the lower planes when we pass on to the Higher. Asat has
already been explained to mean other than Sat. This word and
Sunyam do not mean non-existent and nonentity but also mean
non-apparent or non-luminous or non-distinguishable (விளங்கா
மை, பிரகாசியாமை). The Ganges pouring from its thousand
mouths into the broad sea preserves its taste and reddish colour
for miles and miles beyond, but as we proceed down, the water
gradually loses its taste and colour and finally, sure as anything,
we cannot find it. It is lost completely. No, it is not lost.
The great sea which is greater than the great Gauges has com-