Explanation for Verse 160 continues...
TCS describes in detail how, in the realized sage, each of the five avasthas - statesof the soul -- has been purified and transcended, being performed into what he calls Sutta Avasthai - Sanskrit Shuddha Avasthai - pure Avasthas. The five avasthas - states of the soul are Chakkiram, Sanskrit Jagrat, - the waking state; Swapnam, Sanskrit Svapna, - the dreaming state; Sushupti, Sanskrit, Sushupti - the state of deep sleep, complete unconsciousness; Turiyam, Sanskrit Turiya - the fourth state, and Turiyatitam, Sanskrit Turiyatitia - the state beyond the fourth state. (See also note to Verse 33 for information on the latter two states.)
In the purified soul these are called Chutha Avasthai, Sanskrit Shuddha Avastha,
and are termed Ninmala Sagram - pure waking state, Ninmala Swapnam - pure
dreaming state, and so on. The individual soul, or the Jiva, acquires this purity by freeing itself from the Tattvas which limit it in each of the these states of being, at which point it merges with Sivam, the Self the universal consciousness.
Just as no shadow is cast when the sun is directly overhead, the consciousness of the Jiva which is established in the heart center, fully illuminated by the light of the Self,'
does not become caught up in the illusory nature of the 'shadow' states of consciousness, waking, dream and deep sleep.
Verse 161:
The false appears to be real, but if one inquires into it, it will disappear, as when what
appears to be a snake turns out to be just an image painted on a wall. Otherwise,
Sir, if you perform rituals and austerities (to discover the real) it will be as if you
mistook a post for a thief, and beat a drum to scare it away. (161)
Verse 162.
On being informed that the world and the body, which are of the nature of Maya, are
unreal like a mirage, you should try to comprehend their true nature. Rather than that, do you expect to be able to eliminate them, shaking them off and obliterating
them completely? Similarly the way to escape from a fire that surrounds you in a dream, is simply to wake up.
Verse 163:
You say that it is the incontrovertible truth that the world is false. (If you fully
realize the truth of your words), is it necessary still to go for looking for 'the real'?
Why do you cast doubt upon this, repeatedly looking at the sun (of true knowledge)
that banished the black darkness (of ignorance), then blinking and turning away?
contd.,
Arunachala Siva.