Sanyas / solitude

http://sacred-texts.com/hin/tmu/tmu23.htm

From the Narada Parivrajaka Upanishad :

When, in the mind, indifference to all objects arises, then men should long after sannyāsa, (that being the best time for it); otherwise they are fallen.


One who attains vairāgya should take sannyāsa

That Brāhmaṇa who is a celibate, who has under control his tongue, sexual organ, stomach, and hand may become a sannyāsin without undergoing the ceremony of marriage.

Having known samsāra as one without sāra (or essence) and not having undergone any marriage on account of the desire to know the sāra (or essence of God), they become sannyāsins on account of the practice of the supreme vairāgya




The characteristic of pravṛṭṭi (path) is the performance of karma;

 that of nivṛṭṭi is jñāna.



Therefore placing jñāna in the forefront, the wise man should take up sannyāsa.


When the reality of the eternal Parabrahman is understood, then he should take up one ḍaṇda (staff) and abandon the holy thread and tuft of hair.

Then he becomes fit to eat the alms-food (of sannyāsa), having become devoted to Paramāṭmā, indifferent to those that are not-Paramāṭmā and freed from all desires.

He becomes fit to be the eater of
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alms-food who preserves the same countenance when he is beaten, as when he is worshipped or prostrated to.

He becomes fit to be the eater of alms-food who is of the firm certitude that he is no other than the non-dual and indestructible Brahman, otherwise named Vāsuḍeva.

He in whom are existent śānṭi (control of the organs), śama (control of mind), purity (of mind and body), saṭya (truth), sanṭosha (contentment), ārjava (straightforwardness), poverty, and non-ostentatiousness should be in the order of life of kaivalya (sannyāsa).

Having become quiescent (through the control of the mind), having practised the ten kinds of ḍharmas, having, according to rules, studied veḍānṭa, and having paid the three debts (to ḍevas, ṛshis, and piṭṛs), one should take up sannyāsa.

Courage, fortitude, the control of the body, honesty, purity of (mind and body), control of the (inner) organs, shame, knowledge, truth, and absence of anger—these ten are the characteristics of ḍharma.

One who does not look back (with pleasure) upon past enjoyments, nor forward into the future, and one who does not rejoice in the present, is fit to become a sannyāsin.

One who is able to control within, the inner organs and without, the external organs, may be in the order of life of kaivalya.

One who while in life is not affected by pleasures and pains, as the body is unaffected by them after death, may be in the order of life of kaivalya.

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[paragraph continues] Having given up all faults, such as passion, anger, pride, desire, and delusion, the parivrāt (ascetic) should become one that owns nothing.

He is a muni who is devoid of love and hate, who regards equally a clod of earth, stone, or gold, who does no injury to any living creature, and is freed from all.

That ascetic reaches salvation who is associated with Āṭmajñāna, who is freed from ostentation and egoism, from doing injury and tale-bearing.

Through attraction to the senses, he becomes subject to fault, there is no doubt: through their control, he gains perfection. Lust when enjoyed is never gratified. Just as fire increases with the oblation (of ghee, etc., poured into it) so also lust waxes strong (with enjoyment). It should be known that that man who does not rejoice or grieve through hearing, touching, eating, seeing, or smelling is a jiṭenḍriya (conqueror of the organs). He whose speech and mind are well brought under control attains, completely and always, all the fruits of veḍānṭa.

All cruel words should be endured. None should be treated with disrespect. On account of bodily relationship, none should be made inimical. No anger should be directed in turn towards one who is angry. Soft words (only) should be spoken, even when (violently) pulled by another.

One desirous of bliss should dwell in this universe through the aid of Āṭmā alone, intent upon Āṭmā, free from desires, and without the desire of blessing (others).

He becomes fit for salvation through the control of the organs, the destruction of love and hate and non-injury to beings.

He should abandon (all identification with) this feeble, perishable, and impure body of five elements whereof the bones are the pillars, which is strung by the nerves, coated over with flesh and blood, covered up by the skin, is of bad odour, full of urine and fæces is ever haunted by dotage and miseries and is the seat of all ills.

If an ignorant man be fond of this body firmly knit together
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with flesh, blood, pus, fæces, and urine, nerves, fat, and bones, he would, a fortiori, be fond of hell.


That (identification of the body with the Self) is alone the seat of the Kālasūṭra hell. That is alone the Mahā-Vīchi-Vāgura (hell).

That is alone the Asipaṭravanaśreṇi (hell). Such an idea of the body being the Self should be strenuously abandoned, though all should perish.

That love of the body is not fit to be felt by one intent upon his welfare, just as a low-caste woman eating dog's flesh is unfit to be touched.

"One (fit to reach salvation), after leaving all meritorious actions to those dear to him and all sins to those not dear, attains the eternal Brahman through ḍhyāna-yoga.

Such a man, through the ordinances, gives up little by little all associations, and being freed from all pairs of opposites, remains in Brahman alone.

On account of the accomplishment (of salvation), he should be moving about alone and without any help.

He who having understood the effect of being alone never derogates from it, is never left in want.

The bowl, the foot of the tree, the tattered robe,. the state of being without help, the equality of vision in all these are the characteristics of the emancipated one.

"The ascetic should never in thought even think of others with the six (viz.,) love, hate, pride, deceit, treachery, and the illusion (of confounding them).

He should daily observe acts without sin, deceit, or falsehood. He who, having withdrawn the organs within, like a turtle its limbs (within its shell), is with the actions of the organs and the mind annihilated, without desires, without possessing any object as his own, without dualities, without prostrations, without the oblations to pity ḍevaṭās (they being with desires), without
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mine or I, without awaiting anything, without the desire to be happy, and living in places where men do not live—he alone is emancipated. There is no doubt of this.

The moment vairāgya arises in him, he may become an ascetic that moment, whether he is with vraṭa (religious observance) or not.

Is not agni, prāṇa?

The Śruṭis say that a knower of Āṭmā should be engaged in meditation upon Brahman, through the three manṭras tending to salvation."

To those whose śikhā (tuft of hair) is jñāna, whose holy thread is jñāna, and whose meditation is upon jñāna, jñāna alone is supreme. It is said that jñāna alone is able to purify.

The knowers of Brahman know that all Brāhmaṇya (the state of Brahman) accrues to him only that has the jñānamaya śikhā (knowledge-tuft of hair) and the ṭanmaya (That or Brahman-ful) upavīṭa (holy thread).

(Sam: ie. Knowledge superior..always)

"Having known it, a Brāhmaṇa should take up sannyāsa. Such a sannyāsin, should be, in order to bear the bodily afflictions, with one cloth, bald-headed and without having anything as being required (for his use); or according to rules, he may be (naked) as nature made his body, and should abandon his son, friend, wife, trustworthy relatives, etc., as well as all karmas and love for the universe, the loin-cloth, staff, and covering. Enduring all pairs of opposites without cold or heat, happiness or grief, fame or disgrace, without the six changes, I-ness, malice, pride, ostentation, jealousy, slander of others, love and hate, pleasure and pain, passion, anger, greed and
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delusion and regarding his body as a mere carcass, without thinking of all the things, internal and external, that are other than Self.

......after discarding in water the three-knotted staff, the stringed sling (bag), vessel, bowl, waist-string, loin-cloth, stick, and cloth. He should ever be engaged in Āṭmic deliberation.


-that one who ever utters Brahma-Praṇava, that "I am Brahman" alone, with the blissful and non-dual jñāna, and after rising above the three bodies (to Brahman), like the analogy of the wasp and the worm, 1 gives up the body as a

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sannyāsin, is said to have done all his work (in this world). Such is the Upanishaḍ."


Upadesha 4:

"One who after giving up the world, the Veḍas, the objects and the organs is in Āṭmā alone, attains the supreme abode.


"To the ascetics controlling their mind, the following are their svaḍharmas (own duties): Harmlessness, truth, honesty, celibacy, non-coveting, humility, high-spiritedness, clearness of mind, steadiness of mind, straightforwardness, non-attachment (to any), service to the guru, faith, patience, bodily restraint, mental restraint, indifference, firm and sweet words, endurance, compassion, shame, jñāna, vijñāna, yoga, moderate food, and
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courage

That paramahamsa of an ascetic in the order of life of a sannyāsin who is without dualities, always follows the pure saṭṭvaguṇa and sees all equally, is no other than the actual Nārāyaṇa Himself.

Though there is no difference between the women's secret parts that cannot be described by words and an (ever) oozing tubular wound, yet through the difference of the mind, (men are deluded). Such men are said to be without prāṇa, (viz., dead) though alive. Prostrations to those that sport in that piece of flesh which is rent in twain and tainted with the breaking of the wind, etc. What more revolting thing is there than this?

"To the wise, there is nothing to do, no sign (of identification). The muni who is without 'mine' and fear, with quiescence, without duality and eating leaf (alone), should ever be in meditation with either loin-cloth or no cloth.

A yogin who is thus in meditation becomes fit to be Brahman.

Though he may have some signs (of identification to pass under this order of life or that), such signs are useless for gaining moksha. The cause of salvation is jñāna alone.


He is a (true) brāhmaṇa who cannot be identified as saṭ (good person) or asaṭ, knower of religious books or not, follower of good conduct or bad conduct.

Therefore that learned man who is without signs, a knower of ḍharma, engaged in the actions of Brahman and a knower of the secret mysteries, should roam about, incognito

He should go about on this earth without any caste or order of life and without being (even) doubted (regarding his identity) by any beings, like the blind, the idiot, or the mute. Then (even) the angels become fond of him who has a quiescent mind. It is the dictate of the Veḍas that the sign (of non-identification) itself is Kaivalya."

Then Nāraḍa asked the Grandfather about the rules of sannyāsa. To which Brahma- assented and said: "Before either the āṭura or regular sannyāsa is taken, kṛchchhra penance should be done and then the eight śrāḍḍhas

Should he be a sannyāsin learned (in the Veḍas, etc.), he should get himself initiated into Praṇava from his teacher and go about at his own free will with the thought of there being none other but his Self, and feeding his body with fruits, leaves and water, live in mountains, forest and temples.

That lover of salvation who after sannyāsa roams about naked in all places with his heart full of the enjoyment of Āṭmic bliss, with the fruit of avoidance of karmas and maintaining his life with fruits, juice, barks, leaves, roots and water should abandon his body in mountain caves, uttering the Praṇava.

"To the āṭuras and kutīchakas, the world they attain is bhūrloka and bhuvarloka; to the bāhūḍakas, swargaloka; to the hamsas, ṭapoloka; to the paramahamsas, saṭyaloka. To the ṭurīyāṭīṭa and avaḍhūṭa, Kaivalya in Āṭmā according to the analogy of the wasp and the worm through the realisation of Reality.

To one that has attained jñāna-vairāgya, his salvation is in the Self, as there is no other observance for him

When (the presiding agent is) in the eyes, there is the waking state; in the throat, the dreaming state; in the heart, the dreamless sleeping state; and in the head, the ṭurya (or fourth) state. Knowing these and that the ṭurya is the indestructible, one should not hear or see anything in the waking state, as if he were in dreamless sleeping state, To such a one who does not apparently know them, even the dreaming state forms the same (dreamless sleeping) state. Such a one is termed Jīvanmukṭa. All the Veḍas say that there is salvation to such a one.

A man who practises the meditation upon Self in the dreaming state as in the waking is said to be the foremost and first of Brahmavāḍins.

He who after going to the forest dwells with jñāna as the sacrifice and the organs under his mastery and awaits his time (of death), is fit to be of the nature of Brahman.

That person who, having visited all sacred places, does not do any injury to any living creature and gets alms at the proper time, is fit to be of the nature of Brahman. He should not associate with a forester or householder

He should conduct himself in such manner as not to be known to others. He should not be glad of anything. He should roam about on earth like a worm, according to the direction pointed out by the sun. He should not do or cause to do works tending to (his) fame or pains or people's benefit. He should not be inclined towards vicious books. He should not live dependent upon any. He should give up all over-disputatious reasoning. He should not join any party (fighting with another). He should not take any disciples. He should not study many books. He should not discourse. Neither should he commence any works. Without any distinguishing characteristics and without letting others know his opinions, that wise man, or muni, ever intent upon the Brāhmic vision, should exhibit himself to people like an idiot, or a lad, or a mute person. He should neither do nor talk anything. He should not think of a good or bad thing. Rejoicing in

That within himself, the muni should go about like an idiot. He should roam about alone without associating with any, and
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with the senses under control.

A yogin who is slighted by people, attains a higher state in yoga. 

A yogin never goes against the actions of the virtuous. He is the same whether people slight him or do not desire his association. He should do all that is right through the actions of mind, speech and body to all beings born out of the embryo or the egg, etc.

He should harbour no malice against any and give up all clinging to things. The ascetic after giving up passion, anger, pride, desire, delusion and other faults should be without fear. Eating alms-food, preserving silence, ṭapas, special meditation, a good jñāna, and vairāgya—these are said, in the opinion (of the great), to be the ḍharma of the ascetic.

Till the mind becomes pure, the learned man should thus be moving about. Then when the mind is purified, he may be anywhere as a parivrājaka

Seeing Janārdaṇa in and out everywhere, preserving silence, being without stain like vāyu, roaming everywhere, being equal in happiness and pains, and with patience, eating whatever comes to hand, equally regarding without any hate brāhmaṇa, cow, horse, beasts and others, meditating through the mind upon Vishṇu that is Paramāṭmā and Īśvara, thinking ever of Brāhmic
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bliss and thinking himself to be Brahman alone—such a one having known thus, regarding the staff to be no other than the certitude of the mind as above, having no desire, being naked and having abandoned all samsāra through the actions ever done through the mind, speech, and body, attains salvation, according to the analogy of the wasp and the worm, through the practice of the realisation of Reality without ever seeing the universe. Such is the Upanishaḍ."

Having given up abhimāna and anger, being content with moderate food, having conquered the organs and having controlled the avenues (of the organs), one should make the mind enter into meditation. The yogin who has always controlled (his mind and organs) should ever diligently commence his meditation in empty places, caves and forests. The knower of yoga who is bent upon accomplishing the end should never be engaged in giving feasts to Brāhmaṇas, in śrāḍḍha sacrifices, etc., or in going to places of pilgrimages, festivals or crowds. The well-controlled yogin should go about as if people had treated him with disrespect. He should not go against the actions of the wise. That great ascetic is said to be a ṭriḍanḍin (or having a three-knotted staff) who holds firmly the three-ḍaṇda (control) of mind, speech, and body. That ascetic is said to be a supreme person who begs alms-food of worthy brāhmaṇas, when smoke has ceased and fire has been extinguished (in their houses)

He from whom all castes and orders of life slip away through Āṭmic vision, transcends them all and remains in Āṭmā alone.



Having attained indifference to all objects even up to Brahmā's seat, having destroyed (or done away with) all fondness for everything, as for son, relatives, wife, etc., and having faith in the path of salvation, and through love of veḍānṭa-jñāna, he should approach a guru who is a knower of Brahman with gift (in his hand). Having an equilibrated mind, he should satisfy the guru for a long time through service, etc., and learn with a steady firm mind the meaning of the sentences of the Veḍas. Then being devoid of 'I' and 'mine' and of all attractions, and having attained peace of mind, etc., he sees Āṭmā in himself. Through observing the faults of samsāra, there arises indifference.

There is no doubt that sannyāsa arises in one who becomes disgusted with samsāra. The aspirant after salvation who is called paramahamsa should, through the hearing, etc., of veḍānṭa, practise Brahma-jñāna, which is the direct and chief means of salvation. In order to attain Brahma-jñāna, the one named paramahamsa should possess the qualities of the control of mind and body, etc. He should always he a practiser of veḍānṭa, being master of the mind, the body
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and the organs, being without fear and egoism, with a firm mind, without the pairs (of opposites), without attaching himself to any, having a worn-out loin-cloth, and being bald-headed or naked. He should have the great intelligence of the knower of veḍānṭa, a yogin without 'I' and 'mine' and being equal and friendly to friends and other beings. That jñānī alone and none else is able to cross samsāra who has his mind at peace. With the grace of the guru towards him, he should live with him for one year. He should be careful to observe yama (restraint) and niyama (religious observance). At the end of that (year), he should attain the supreme jñāna-yoga, and roam about on this earth without going against ḍharma; (or) at the end of one year, he should give up the three orders of life and attain the chief āśrama (of sannyāsa), as well as the supreme jñāna-yoga. Then, taking leave of the guru, he should wander over the earth, having given up association (with wife, etc., as well as anger, and being content with moderate food and having controlled the senses.



Having attained wealth of vairāgya through the non-dissipated jñāna, and having deliberated within himself that there is none other than the Self, he should attain Jīvanmukṭi, having seen the Reality everywhere. Till prārabḍha karma is over, he should understand the four kinds of svarūpa 3 (in Ṭaṭṭvamasi) and should live in the realisation of Reality, till his body falls (a prey to death).

Thus the aspirant after salvation should ever be uttering the Praṇava which enables one to cross samsāra, and be living as a Jivanmukṭa. 

Thus the ascetic, according to each one's capacity, should ever be seeking the means to attain Kaivalya. Such is the Upanishaḍ."

"Omkāra that is Brahman is the vyashti (individual) and the samashti (cosmic).

O muni neither is it the trifling prajñā; nor is it the non-prajñā; nor is it the dual prajñā; nor is it the internal prajñā, though it is without prajñā; it is Prajñāna-ghana. It can never be known by the organs; nor it can be known by the reason; it cannot be grasped by the organs of action. It cannot be proved. It cannot be reached by thought. It cannot be proved by analogy.

It can be realised by Self-realisation alone.

Upaḍeśa IX

Nāraḍa asked: "Who is Brahma-swarūpa?" To which Brahma replied thus: "Brahma-swarūpa is thus: Those who know that 'he (Brahman) is one and I am another' are only paśus (animals). The real paśus (animals) are no animals. The wise man who knows Brahman thus (as himself, and himself
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as Brahman) escapes out of the mouth of death. There is no other path to salvation.


The knowers of Brahman having known Brahman within (the universe, etc.,) attain samāḍhi in Brahman and are absorbed in Brahman.

Whoever knows the Brahman that is threefold (as jīva, Īśvara and the universe) is released from bondage. It is praḍhāna alone that is destructible. It is Īśvara that is immortal and indestructible. The one Lord (Īśvara) ordains Praḍhāna and Purusha.

"The illusion of the universe disappears through meditation on union (or absorption) and saṭṭva-bhāva of Parameśvara always. Through knowing the Lord, aviḍyā and the rest are destroyed. Through the removal of such pains, there is freedom from birth and death. Through the meditation of that Parameśvara, the third body is acquired after this (physical) body, all wealth is enjoyed, and he attains whatever should be attained. He should know with certitude that all the three things (viz.,) the enjoyer, the enjoyed, and enjoyment are nothing but Brahman, and are of the nature of his own Self. There is none but It to be known.

All Āṭmic knowledge is through ṭapas (only).

That, Brahman contains in itself all excellence. Having known thus, whoever meditates upon the (Āṭmā-) svarūpa, to him where then is grief? Where then is delusion? Therefore the Virāt is the past, present, and future time, and is of indestructible nature.



One who has neither given up vicious actions, nor controlled his organs, nor mastered his mind, nor given up longing after fruits of actions though the mind is undisturbed, nor brought his mind to one state (or point), will not attain this Āṭmā.


This (Brahman) is neither internal nor external consciousness; is neither gross, nor jñāna, nor ajñāna; nor is it the state between the waking and the dreaming states. It cannot be cognised by the organs; is not subject to proof; is within. He who knows that which is by Itself alone is an emancipated person."

The Lord Brahma said that he becomes an emancipated person. He who knows Reality is a Parivrāt. Such a Parivrāt roams about alone. Through fear, he is like a terrified deer. He will not be opposed to going anywhere. Having given up all but his body, he will live like a bee, and without considering others as foreign to himself; ever meditating upon Reality, he attains liberation in himself.

 Such a Parivrāt will be without delusion, without action or causing others to act, being absolved from teacher, disciple, books, etc., and having abandoned all samsāra.

Such a Parivrāt roams about thus—without wealth, being happy, able to get wealth (if wanted), having crossed jñāna and ajñāna as well as happiness and grief, being Self-effulgence, being fit to be known by the Veḍas, having known all, able to confer siḍḍhis and remaining himself as Brahman, the Lord.

Such a Parivrāt attains the supreme abode of Vishṇu, from which a yogin that has gone to it does not return, and where the sun and the moon do not shine. He does not return. Such is Kaivalya. Such is the Upanishaḍ.




http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/tmu/tmu25.htm

"So I shall tell you the means of destroying (these) sins. How could jñāna capable of giving moksha arise certainly without yoga? And even yoga becomes powerless in (securing) moksha when it is devoid of jñāna. So the aspirant after emancipation should practise (firmly) both yoga and jñāna. The cycle of births and deaths comes only through ajñāna and perishes only through jñāna. Jñāna alone was originally. It should be known as the only means (of salvation). That is jñāna through which one cognises (in himself) the real nature of kaivalya as the supreme seat, the stainless, the partless, and of the nature of Sachchiḍānanḍa without birth, existence and death and without motion and jñāna.

"Place the left heel pressed on the anus, stretch the right leg and hold it firmly with both hands. Place the head on the breast and inhale the air slowly. Restrain the breath as long as you can and then slowly breathe out. After practising it with the left foot, practise it with the right. Place the foot that was stretched before on the thigh. This is mahābanḍha and should be practised on both sides. The yogin sitting in mahābanḍha and having inhaled the air with intent mind, should stop the course of vāyu (inside) by means of the throat-muḍrā, and occupying the two sides (of the throat) with speed. This is called mahāveḍha and is frequently practised by the siḍḍhas. With the tongue thrust

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into the interior cavity of the head (or throat) and with the eyes intent on the spot between the eyebrows, this is called khecharīmuḍrā. Contracting the muscles of the neck and placing the head with a firm will on the breast, this is called the jālanḍhara (banḍha) and is a lion to the elephant of death.

That banḍha by which prāṇa flies through Sushumnā is called uddiyāṇabaṇdha by the yogins.

Pressing the heel firmly against the anus, contracting the anus and drawing up the apāna, this is said to be yonibanḍha. Through mūlabanḍha, prāṇa and apāna as well as nāḍa and binḍu are united and gives success in yoga: there is no doubt about this. To one practising in a reversed manner (or on both sides) which destroys all diseases, the gastric fire is increased. Therefore a practitioner should collect a large quantity of provisions, (for) if he takes a small quantity of food, the fire (within) will consume his body in a moment.

"That breast from which one suckled before (in his previous birth) he now presses (in love) and obtains pleasure. He enjoys the same genital organ from which he was born before. She who was once his mother will now be wife and she who is now wife is (or will be) verily mother. He who is now father will be
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again son, and he who is now son will be again father. Thus are the egos of this world wandering in the womb of birth and death like a bucket in the wheel of a well and enjoying the worlds.

 There are the three worlds, three veḍas, three sanḍhyās, (morning, noon and evening), three svaras (sounds), three agnis, and guṇas, and all these are placed in the three letters (Om). He who understands that which is indestructible and is the meaning of the three (Om)—by him are all these worlds strung. This is the Truth, the supreme seat. As the smell in the flower, as the ghee in the milk, as the oil in the gingelly seed and as the gold in the quartz, so is the lotus situated in the heart. Its face is downwards and its stem upwards. Its binḍu is downwards and in its centre is situated manas. By the letter A, the lotus becomes expanded; by the letter U, it becomes split (or opened), by the letter M, it obtains nāḍa; and the arḍhamāṭrā (half-metre) is silence. The person engaged in yoga obtains the supreme seat, which is like a pure crystal, which is without parts and which destroys all sins. As a tortoise draws its hands and head within itself, so drawing in air thus and expelling it through the nine holes of the body, he breathes upwards and forwards. Like a lamp in an air-tight jar which is motionless, so that which is seen motionless through the process of yoga in the heart and which is free from turmoil, after having been drawn from the nine holes, is said to be Āṭmā alone."