Translation from Sabhapatti Svāmī’s English book into German by Franz Hartmann, M.D.[1]

Translation from the German by Robert Hutwohl

[Aus der Philosophie und Wissenschaft des Vedānta und Raja-Yoga. Von Mahātmā Jñāna Guru Yogi Sabhapatti Svāmā.]

Preliminary note of the translator. “Yoga” (from yuj — to connect) is the union of the human soul with God [the Monad], and the teachings of Yoga are the scientific basis on which this union rests. Man’s union with God is the ultimate purpose of human existence, and the way to this is taught in all religious systems. It is the way of dominating the outward, mortal man by the power of his indwelling, immortal, divine spirit. In its innermost essence, Christianity is nothing other than a school for the practice of yoga. This royal art was known only to a few initiates in ancient times; it was taught only to those deemed worthy. With the introduction of Christianity, parts of this doctrine became common; but since not everyone is mature enough to understand it, knowledge of the scientific basis on which it rests has been lost. Nowadays this can only be found in the scriptures of the Indian sages (Yogīs) who know them from experience.

          The reason why this religious doctrine of union with the Godhead is so commonly misunderstood today is that religion is mostly conceived of as something external, both on the part of churchgoers and on the part of those who oppose it; as if it were a question of union with a god who exists outside the world and is far from human beings.[2] But the God of the wise is not an alien being, but rather may be called a state; the concept of God includes the state of free will, supreme wisdom, omnipotence, omniscience, universal love, universal law, absolute consciousness, etc. He is the highest in everything, the cause of all being, and consequently also in man the highest, innermost, self-recognizing self. True knowledge of God and true self-knowledge are thus one and the same thing, and the teaching of yoga is the teaching of how man can attain this self-knowledge. By following them, man gains control over himself. Self-control and self-knowledge are mutually dependent. The more the consciousness of a person’s higher self awakens, the more he can use its power to control his personal self, and the more he practices mastering it, the higher self-consciousness (the “soul consciousness”) develops in him and is awakened. But there are numerous obstacles to be overcome in the lower self (in the personality) of man, which stand in the way of this awakening. Through the philosophy of yoga we learn about these hindrances and the sources from which they arise, and through the same we also receive information about the nature of our astral body and the organs which we need in order to receive the divine forces within us and to bring about development. The teaching of Yoga is thus not a mere moral teaching, but a positive science, and by following its teachings man can attain immortality and eternal bliss (Nirvāna) with the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit (the Light of Truth). But they are useless to those who read them only to quench their thirst for knowledge; because: “Man does not attain knowledge through reflection alone, but through deeds.”

I. Introduction.

OM.

The purpose of this writing is to indicate how the human soul can surely come to union with the all-encompassing, eternal and infinite Spirit, and thereby become that Spirit itself. She makes no claim to elegance of style or beauty of expression; on the other hand, the author tries to present the essence of the Vedānta and Yoga philosophy as clearly and distinctly as possible, but is unfortunately forced to use Sanskrit expressions frequently, since there are no corresponding designations in the European languages.[3] He has not gained his knowledge from hearsay but from many years of experience and practice of yoga samādhi,[4] and those who follow the following precepts with earnestness, perseverance and faith will surely be successful in their efforts to attain communion with the Eternal Spirit (the Deity).

          In order to facilitate for the soul[5] of the seeker after truth to obtain a clear realization of the sole, indivisible, eternal truth, it is expedient to study Vedānta.[6] Whoever compares the moral teachings and religious precepts contained therein with those of other religious systems will come to the conclusion that the right way to come into communion with the eternal spirit was evident to the Indian sages, and with them alone, from the earliest times.

          The great responsibility which man has in this world is that he must give an account to the supreme judge[7] of all his actions, whether good or bad. To learn about this law, one should carefully study the Śāstras,[8] the content of which can be classified as follows:

      1. The Viveka-Śāstras, which deal with purity, morality, virtue and righteousness.
      2. The Tattva-Śāstras,[9] in which it is explained how the elements, in conjunction with the infinite mind, unfolded the universe through the activity of Māyā or Bhrānti.
      3. Bhakti-Śāstras.[10] These deal with the redemption of the soul from sin and show how perfection can be attained through submission (to God), prayer, godliness, reverence and devotion (meditation).
      4. Jñāna-Śāstras.[11] These teach the practice of Vedānta Yoga, whereby one can attain union with the divine mind and thus become that divine mind itself.

          A knowledge of these law books is of the utmost importance to all who practice yoga and wish to attain eternal bliss.

II. Preparation.

The soul’s longing (jivātmā)[12] for purity.

In order to liberate our soul (Jīvātmā) from the gross materiality it has acquired through its contact with matter, it is necessary to visualize, by means of logical reasoning, the powers of the original pure Paramātman. Jīvātmā is the reflected light or ray of Paramātman and is hereafter considered the disciple, while Brahmā is the guru or teacher.[13]

          When the soul (Jīvātmā) has come to true knowledge of the fundamentals of virtue and righteousness by way of theory and practice,[14] and tasted for a while the earthly pleasures of royal existence in this little corner of the great universe where the Almighty is Ruler, sexual love, wealth, honour, sensual and intellectual pleasures and has sacrificed herself to her whims and desires, but then has come to realize that all these things are worthless, vain and transitory,[15] she throws these things away and regrets them as wasted time and inwardly exclaims:

          Oh, how contemptible I seem to myself for having abused both my physical and my intellectual faculties!

  1. The head[16] that should have bowed in the presence of the eternal (holy) Spirit did not.
  2. I have not used my eyes to seek the Eternal Spirit, the Brahma,[17] nor applied inward vision to the Holy Spirit in the temple of my soul, from which emanates the Divine Light illuminating the mind and the most secret thoughts of every human being revealed to discover.
  3. The nose, whose business it was to savor the sweet odor of the flower of virtue and righteousness that blooms on the plant of morality, has unfortunately been enticed by the odor of the ephemeral flowers of this world, which bloom today and wither tomorrow.
  4. The ears destined to absorb the sacred teachings of the God who commands me to walk the paths of godliness and virtue, to become a rallying point for the light of truth, and to be absorbed in God, the truth in all learning religious systems and dispelling the illusions which prevent me from realizing my oneness with the divine spirit have been listening to other voices and have not done their duty.
  5. My mouth, which should constantly have uttered and chanted the most holy name of God, asking for deliverance from earthly bondage, and having the duty of advising my fellow men to the good and moving them to a virtuous and holy life to lead has not done its duty.[18]
  6. I have not used my mind to unite with the Holy Spirit, to contemplate with steadfast attention the calm and steady light of Deity (Parabrahm), and I have not purged the mind of impure feelings and fickleness. I have not restrained my anger and my passions, nor prevented my thoughts from sinking into the filthy swamp of vicious and impure ideas.
  7. My hands, which should have served me to do good to my fellow men and to help them in danger, my hands which should have been folded in devotion before the Holy Spirit, and which I should have used to be of service to the holy sages, have not fulfilled their duties.
  8. My feet should have carried me in search of the external Sat Guru Svāmī,[19] to receive from him the teaching of union with the divine spirit and to be instructed in the practice of samādhi, which leads to eternal rest and bliss. From him I should have learned to still all activities of the mind in order to associate with the inner Sat Guru Svāmī and thus remove all doubts about my oneness with him. But I have not used my feet for that purpose.
  9. Hitherto I have been altogether ignorant of the purpose of my existence, namely, the pursuit of holiness, godliness, justice, and the vision of the Holy Spirit, which brings about immortality.[20] This ignorance prevented me from attaining full knowledge of this world and of the coming existence in the higher world. Therefore, from now on, it should be my endeavor to recognize the sole eternal essence (Brahma). This knowledge is salvation through becoming into union with the eternal spirit.

(Sequel follows.)

Notes:

[1] From the Philosophy and Science of Vedānta and Rāja Yoga. I-II. By Mahātmā Jñāna Guru Yogi Sabhapatti Svāmā [Aus der Philosophie und Wissenschaft des Vedānta und Raja-Yoga. Von Mahātmā Jñāna Guru Yogi Sabhapatti Svāmā. (Übersetztung [translation into German]) by Franz Hartmann, M.D. Neue Lotusblüten 1, no. 7-8 (July-August 1908), 271-282] [Based on the 1880 first edition] {This article was reformatted from the original, but I have modernized many, but not all, of the Sanskrit words to the current scholarly form. Translation from the German by Robert Hutwohl, ©2025. Because there seems to only be a copy in the British Museum Library, I thought it best to translate Dr. Hartmann’s work into English.}

[2] {R.H.—This is known as the anthropomorphic conception of God and is practiced by the three major theistic religions of the world: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Parts of modern Hinduism also do but this is due to its inculcation from Christian teachings. Buddhism, ancient Hinduism and Jainism are non-theistic. Zoroastrianism seems to be non-theistic, if interpreted from an esoteric standpoint, but there are some practitioners who interpret their religion theistically. Original Taoism was considered non-theistic and followed divine Law as found in the Ṛg-veda’s teachings on ṛta.}

[3] The translator tries to remedy this inconvenience with a few explanatory notes.

[4] Ecstasy. Spiritual awakening.

[5] In order to attain knowledge of the eternal truth, it is not enough to search with the ordinary brain and draw rational conclusions, but above all the religious feeling of the heart, the soul’s indwelling power of cognition for divine things, is necessary.

[6] The Vedas are the holy scriptures of the Indians, in which the word of divine wisdom revealed within enlightened people is laid down. “Vedanta is a mystical system of philosophy which arose from the efforts of generations of sages to explain the secret meaning of the Upanishads. The orthodox Hindus refer to Vedanta — which literally means “the end of all knowledge” — as the Brahma-Jñāna, the pure and spiritual knowledge of Brahma.” (H. P. Blavatsky, Glossary.)

[7] The supreme judge of the universe is God as law. {R.H.—In the Vedas, this is called Ṛta.}

[8] The law books.

[9] Tattvas are principles, i.e., that from which a thing originates.

[10] Bhakti is love of God, i.e. the love of God in all people and all his creatures. (Compare Bhagavad-Gītā, Ch. VII.)

[11] Jnāna. Intelligence. Enlightenment. Understanding. (Compare Bhagavad-Gītā, Ch. IV.)

[12] Jīvātmā, the divine spirit in man, as a revelation of Paramātman, the divine spirit in the universe.

[13] Man needs both the inner and the outer guide or “guru” in order to attain self-knowledge. The inner one is the Deity (Brahmā). The outer serves to lead man to the inner, and he who seeks and honors the inner in his heart will also receive the outer teacher. Those who do not feel the omnipresence of God within themselves are not suitable for yoga. (Compare, Evangelical John XV, 5.)

[14] Every virtue can have its origin in one of the three causes (gunas), viz., ignorance (tamas), covetousness (rājas) [rajas], or knowledge of goodness (sattva). Only what springs from true knowledge has lasting value. compare Bhagavad-Gītā, chap. XVIII.)

[15] Many reincarnations may be necessary for some people before they come to this insight.

[16] The intellect whose self-conceit and stubbornness closed the entrance to the light of true knowledge.

[17] The outward eye can also bear witness to the omnipresence of God and His glory as it gazes at the starry sky and the wonders of nature on earth.

[18] When the “name of God” speaks itself in the heart of man, then the “lost word” is found again.

[19] The holy guide on the way to the knowledge of God.

[20] This contemplation, worship or meditation is done in the spirit of God. (Compare John IV, 24.) But the Spirit of God is the consciousness of eternity and immortality.

III. Jīvātmā becomes a disciple of Paramātman.[1]

Finally, when the soul (Jīvātmā), after deep and serious contemplation, comes to this conclusion and firmly resolves to appear before Paramātman, she throws herself at his feet and asks forgiveness of her sins[2] as follows:

“O my Svāmī! Invisible Inner Sat Guru Yogī! Illuminate the darkness that veils the knowledge of my real existence, and open the straight way for me to communicate with you! Destroy the error that makes me think I have a separate existence from you! Pour your deep and pure wisdom into my mind! I am willing to sacrifice everything and imprint your teachings on my memory in such a way that even the hand of death cannot erase the memory of them. I fought against the intellectual powers belonging to my earthly nature and said to them: Hitherto you have ruled over me like tyrants and created in me a vain philosophy which is the mother of lies, which takes souls from the path of piety into the labyrinth of falsehood and sin and throws them into the unclean abyss. You are the cause of the ruin of many souls, throwing them into the fire of the wrath of the Almighty[3] and preventing them from asking forgiveness from God, who is always ready to shower His grace and mercy on everyone. You are the ones who prevented men from planting the tree of virtue, and so it is your fault that they are denied the fruit of redemption and that they cannot find the balm to heal the wounds inflicted by sin. You are the cause of all suffering and misery in this world and the barrier which stands in the way of the magical influx of God’s holiness to man.

“Often in such a way have I rebuked and scolded my intellectual faculties for the deceit they practiced upon me, and thus I beseech Thee, O my Sat Guru Svāmī! do not reject me, but fill me with the light of truth, through which I can become a true observer of your laws in practice as well as in knowledge, and finally merge in you!”

IV. The teaching given by Paramātman, the Guru, to his disciple Jīvātmā.

When the soul (Jīvātmā), longing for moksha or salvation, approached the Divine to become a true and sincere disciple of Paramātman (the Deity), the Eternal Spirit took charge of it and began it in the Vedānta and to teach yoga philosophy as follows:

“I am the eternal, limitless spirit, which is the Self of all souls, though creatures, caught in their self-deception (bhrānti), dream that they have an existence separate from me. I am the eternal bliss,[4] the giver of infinite bliss to all souls. I penetrate all worlds with my power; I am the life and light of the universe; the Maker, Sustainer and Destroyer; the giver of blessings and the one in whom everything is contained. I bless all creatures who faithfully obey my laws; I give them true light, spiritual vision and perfect knowledge, and finally I enable them to merge into me by teaching them how to unite with me.[5] I am the sole spectator for all souls and therefore Brahmā or the eternal spirit and the soul of the “soul of you” or in other words: Every soul is I, the infinite spirit.

          This is difficult to understand and incomprehensible to those who never devote their time to the study or practice of Vedānta, but it is a self-evident truth to those who practice Yoga who are pure, holy and persevering in their resolve, the world and their renouncing of pleasures, controlling their wandering thoughts, being diligent and truthful, not fickle in their pursuit of truth, and fearless and valiant in holding fast to their principles, though they meet all the dangers of this world, and especially to those who have renounced the vanities of the world, leading a strictly religious life, retiring from the noise and tumult of this busy world, and shutting themselves in their chamber[6] to contemplate day and night in the Eternal Spirit, realizing that this is infinite bliss, and not be discouraged by the vicissitudes and adversities of this life.

          In order to convince you that you are as holy as I am, I give you the following to consider:

“You were undoubtedly in me before I was incorporated into this body of yours, or before you dreamed of having an existence separate from me; but when you attain Brahmajñāna [knowledge of Brahmā] that delusion will disappear. The fact that your soul is really the eternal spirit itself constitutes a difficult puzzle for the beginner to solve, and none can solve it without my grace and help.[7] Therefore, no one can attain true knowledge of his own true Self by merely reading the Vedas and Śāstras; but he can attain them by the grace (psychic influence) of the holy and mighty spirits of the yogīs and brahmajñānīs who associate with me and become absorbed in me during their samādhi. Because of this, they can cleanse another’s heart of sinful desires and heal the wounds inflicted by the weapon of sin. Such manners can open to him the gates of knowledge, godliness, devotion, and devotion, and assist the beginner in enabling him to commune with the Eternal Spirit. From such people knowledge of self and non-self can be learned, and they can give man information about the causes of his recurring births, deaths and transformations. You know how it is that the unchanging God seems to have various qualities, namely the ability to create, sustain, destroy, bless and be all-encompassing, and how these five powers came into being. These Yogīs realize how it is that the eternal spirit appears as the body and what you have to shed from your souls in order to become the eternal spirit. If you associate with such holy Mūnis and Jñānīs, who have perfected experience of union with God and have thereby become God Himself, you will be able to convince yourselves that the idea of ​​separate existence from God is an error and is the delusion of Māyā.

          When your twelve psychic powers cease their activity and disappear entirely, then the (deceptive) consciousness of one’s own existence (separated from God) will also entirely disappear.

          I will explain these twelve psychic powers to you and then open your inner spiritual vision so that you can communicate directly with the Eternal Spirit, but first you must observe the following sacred rules.”

V. The sacred prescriptions for emptiness and purity which the Deity (Paramātman) gives to the soul (Jīvātmā).

  1. You must regard all women, however beautiful and lovely, except your own wife, only as mothers, without thinking remotely of loving them as wives.[8]
  2. You must consider it a great sin to kill any living thing and eat its flesh.[9]
  3. You should remember that the eternal Spirit is not only in you but in all creatures, and therefore you must be careful not to cause mental suffering or physical harm to any being by insult or abuse.[10]
  4. You should regard everyone else as if you were yourself, and worship the holy Yogīs and Jñānīs as divine beings,[11] and you should not use any anaesthetic, but only take in the nectar of Brahmajñāna, which is the supreme bliss.[12]
  5. You must endure hunger and thirst patiently, and endure pain and harm inflicted on you by the worldly people, without any thought of revenge or cursing opponents.[13]
  6. You must become like a child in simplicity and always remain in a state of devotional spirit after overcoming the twelve faculties of your nature.[14] You must not act against the sacred laws or break your vows.
  7. You must be dead to all pride, hubris, and vanity.[15]
  8. You must be content with a small amount of simple and light food in order that you may overcome the obscurity and inertia of matter and attain success in the practice of yoga.
  9. You don’t have to dress in expensive clothes.
  10. You need not value gold and precious stones above children’s toys and trinkets and reject them.
  11. Thou shalt rather live in caves and forests than in fine houses or in the bustle of this world.[16]
  12. You must be humble, kind and cheerful and not live in the lap of luxury. You must teach by example how man is related to God and what his duties are to him. You must always uphold, obey, and trust the Eternal Spirit.
  13. You must not hesitate to change your erroneous opinions and remove your doubts. Examine your intellect; see what is truth in it; get to know the nature of its work and your passions, and always seek to walk in the way of justice! Hold fast to a dignified and harmless character in your speech and actions!
  14. Seek to escape from the tendency to evil! Keep believing in God! Have the fear of God and true humility (submission)!
  15. Sorrow inwardly for your sins and earnestly fulfil your religious obligations! Be sincere in your dealings with people and be steadfast, attentive and reverent day and night. Apply your theories to everyday life, be holy in your feelings and avoid flattery! Be chaste and do not deny the teachings of truth! Do not risk your life unnecessarily in dangerous undertakings and resist passions!
  16. You shall be so holy that even God finds no fault in you, and you must not waste much time sleeping, talking, eating and drinking, but using it for spiritual upliftment (meditation).
  17. Pour and eat the “oil” of my Vedānta yoga or Brahmajñāna teachings on the “rice” of your own endeavour, perseverance, conviction and practice; for this “oil” is derived from the “butter” of my long experience in Brahmajñāna and yoga, and the “butter” comes from the “milk” of a notion so deep that I have been absorbed in it and from the application of my mind. But this milk came to me through the practical teachings of my Guru and through the study of the scriptures. If you take in this spiritual nourishment, it will satisfy your hunger for the knowledge of the Eternal. Apart from this, however, there is no means of protecting you from repeated incorporations, and if you do not take hold of it, you will undoubtedly lose the favorable opportunity for your salvation which is now offered to you in this precious and responsible life of yours.

          Do not practice hatha yoga, but only practice rāja yoga.[17]

Classification.

Rāja yoga can be presented in two main divisions. The first deals with the realization of the soul and Brahmā; the second instruction is how the soul can communicate with the infinite spirit and thereby become this spirit itself. The obstacles which arise from these explanations and the observance of the specified rules must be striven to be overcome by everyone.[18]

          Indian philosophy lists about 100 doubts which must be removed before one can attain knowledge of the soul or spirit. To eliminate them, there are three ways viz

  1. enlightenment through examples;
  2. the teaching of the development of the soul (Jīvātmā) by Paramātman;
  3. the doctrine of the liberation of Jīvātmā from the bondages of the earthly. This is the most important part.

1. Examples.

Regard the soul as a reflection of Paramātman! By the interposition of the veil of Māyā, there arises a delusion by which Jīvātmā believes himself to be different from Paramātman. When this veil is removed, the mind comes to realize its identity with Paramātman. When the image of an object appears in a mirror, it looks as if the object itself were physically in it. Similarly, Jīvātmā is a mere reflection of Paramātman. Further, when a man steps on a rope in the dark, he may mistake the rope for a snake; but if he looks more closely, he recognizes the deception. Similarly, in the case of Jīvātmā, the soul regards itself as a being separate from Paramātman. Thus the mirage often conjures up lakes and rivers before the thirsty wanderer in the desert, which are not there and which he recognizes as empty appearance when he approaches them. A man caught in the self-deception of māyā believes that his self-conscious soul is distinct from the world-soul; but when he looks deeper within himself, he sees neither a soul, nor qualities of a soul, such as intellect, memory, conception, or ideas of observation and sensation, but he is absorbed in the infinite spirit.[19] Just as the sun, which shines cloudlessly in the sky, shines on everything on the surface of the earth, so too does the spiritual sun of the universe, radiating infinitely brighter, fill the soul with its light. Anyone who grasps this will understand how the self-illuminating spirit presents itself in the most varied of deceptive forms. The reason for the delusion is that we take the forms for something other than what they really are. If one asks how it is that the pure being presents itself as so many different things, the answer is that these different things are only appearances, comparable to the images that appear in a multifaceted crystal and in different colors that but do not stain the crystal itself. So also in Brahmā many things are seen without touching Brahmā in the slightest. You can also make all sorts of objects out of gold, and gold is still gold. We call the objects by different names, but they are all essentially one with Brahmā. If a man wants to build a house, he first makes an idea of ​​it and then carries it out externally. (The house is a visible symbol of his imagination.) Similarly, the soul has created a separate being (in appearance) through its imagination of separate existence.

2. How Paramātman becomes Jīvātmā.[20]

First of all we must know that the general spirit resides in the human brain and that it is the same spirit in everything; omnipresent, invisible, omniscient, all-seeing, utterly pure and spotless, he is the sole witness and spectator. It encompasses and permeates everything and is the spirit of the “mind in the center of the brain.” We can look at him from two sides, namely first as the sole world spirit, which is not self-acting and not creating, but (in eternal rest) the sole witness of everything. This is my passive principle. Second, I am seemingly all that is created and the soul of all that is ever at work, the creator, sustainer and destroyer (transformer) in all. This is my active principle.[21]

3. Lessons on the seats of astral power centers in man.[22]

I seek to grasp my universal spirit in its fullness in the space of my brain and call it the spirit of the spirit (Paramātman).[23] From the Brahmā center (an opening in the brain) he descends through the Suṣumnā-nāḍī (a hollow conduit through which Ātmā prāna passes) to Kuṇḍalī. This duct touches the eyes and nose on its way, and meets the esophagus near the pharynx. It runs along it to Kuṇḍalī (Nos. 18, 19), branches off and ascends through the dorsal vertebrae until it again reaches the Brahmā center (No. 30). This part of the Suṣumnā-Nāḍī starting from the Kuṇḍalī and running down the spine is called the “Kanthā.” The Suṣumnā-Nāḍī contains three small channels through which Ātmā-Prāna (the life-breath) descends in three ways (Nos. 1, 2 and 3). The first is called Iḍā-Nāḍī, the second Suṣumnā-Nāḍī, the third Piṅgalā-Nāḍī of the Suṣumnā organ. Likewise, the kantha organ contains three channels through which Atmā-Prāna arises (Nos. 4, 5 and 6). The fourth is called Īcchā-Cakra-Nāḍī, the fifth Kanthā-Agni-Nāḍī, the sixth Pūraka-Sūrya-Nāḍī of the kanthā organ.[24]

          The śuddha-apas (vessels containing ether) which traverse the three divisions of the suṣumnā govern three different functions of our body, mind and spirit. The first rules over the sensations and is called Adhomuka-Iḍā-Nāḍī, the third, Adhomuka-Piṅgalā-Nāḍī, rules over the five elements of nature; the second, Adhomuka-Suṣumnā-Nāḍī, on actions. The same Ākāśa, ascending through the kantha organ, governs different functions and has different names. The fourth governs thought and is called Urdhamuka-Īcchā-Cakra-Nādī. The fifth, Urdhamuka-kantha-Agni-Nāḍī, rules over consciousness. The sixth rules over the ideas and is called Urdhamuka-Pūraka-Sūrya-Nāḍī.[25]

          My Śuddha-Apas-Sarūpa consequently descends and ascends, namely, first as the direct descending Presence of the Divine Trinity, constantly acting as a creating, sustaining, and destructive force, and second, as the uplifting Presence of the Divine Trinity, which does not act but blesses everything and always becoming encompasses everything (in love).

          Now that I have explained to you my point of view regarding creation and non-creation, I will also explain to you the twelve powers which I unfold in my descent. They are located in different parts of the body, from the top of the brain down to the navel. As I move from one realm to another, my qualities change and different powers unfold, each with its own sphere of activity. These faculties or powers have no independent existence; they only appear as the reflections of my mind.

      1. In the first realm, seated at the center of the skull (Nr. 7 in the drawing), my divine spirit seems to produce the first faculty, which is my first reflection or manifestation, viz., wisdom. She is the sole universal witness and is aware of being one with the infinite Spirit without any idea of ​​duality. She is the pure, eternally dormant Brahm or Infinite Spirit, neither working nor creating, but pervading all, invisible, omnipotent, omniscient, all-seeing, immortal bliss. It is the general mental spectator and represents my first principle. It is the absolute, the unconditional.
      2. In the second kingdom, which is seated at the top of the brain (Nr. 8), my mind seems to produce the second faculty, which is my second reflection or manifestation, namely intelligence. Here begins the self-awareness or distinction between the spirit of God and the spirit of man. From here Māyā spreads her nets; here the delusion of peculiarity begins, with the temptations that flow from it; here begins the appearance of duality and difference between Paramātman and Jīvātmā. It is for intelligence to guard against the influx of doubt and unbelief, lest it be clouded and defiled by it. It is (in itself) as pure as the spirit of the spirit and immortal like it. She enjoys eternal bliss and observes and obeys the will and the laws of the infinite spirit.

          III. In the third realm, which is centered in the brain (Nr. 9), my mind seems to generate a third faculty, which is my third reflection or manifestation, namely, the faculty of knowledge. Here, unbelief and sin find their entrance, because here, the impulses of inclination and aversion make themselves felt. Here the thinking faculties, which are given various names (imagination, reflection, insight, etc.), develop first. This principle has the task of observing the good and evil influences of the spirits which rule over the following realms. It warns them against vice and extolls them about virtue. It also has a duty to be faithful, honest, and truthful in obeying my laws.

  1. In the fourth kingdom, which is at the bottom of the brain (Nr. 10), my mind seems to produce a fourth faculty, which is my fourth reflection or manifestation, viz., the faculty of prudence. From this springs the craving and craving for pleasures, but these are fleeting, though they are supposed to give lasting pleasure. They are just as temporary and unreal as the fantastic dreams of a sleeper. Here the triune soul forgets its true knowledge and becomes the soul of ignorance. She has a responsibility to keep from falling into the snares of sin and falsehood, and must always obey the second principle of my will[26] and the law of justice.[27]
    1. In the fifth kingdom, which is situated in the middle of the frontal part (Nr. 11), my mind seems to produce a fifth faculty, which is my fifth reflection or manifestation, viz., the faculty of memory. This is where the powers come from: assumption, memory and forgetting. Here the soul of ignorance is transformed into the soul of egoism, which is self-creating through the imagination and produces things (thought-forms) to which it selfishly clings. Her business is to suffer and experience the consequences of her virtues and vices in her transformations,[28] and she has the duty to work with understanding and prudence according to the second principle of my will and the laws.[29]
    1. In the sixth realm, which is midway between the eyebrows (Nr. 12), my mind seems to produce a sixth faculty, which is my sixth reflection or manifestation, namely, the faculty of musing and imagination. From this spring the forces of deceptive imagination, poetic ideas, plans, and inventions of all kinds. Here the soul of egoism becomes the soul of emotion, and here arises the task of regulating the forces that arouse the mind and keeping them in order by the veil that veils her true insight (Āvarana-Śakti) penetrates by means of her inherent power (Vikṣepa-Śakti). Your task is to act with restraint and sobriety according to the second principle of my will and the laws.

          VII. In the seventh realm, which is at the tip of the nose (Nr. 13), my mind seems to generate a seventh faculty, which is my seventh reflection or manifestation, namely, the faculty of ambition. Here the soul of musing and longing becomes the soul of ideas of ambition and glory or aspiration, and it is its business to practice humility and renunciation, to arrive at the light of true self-knowledge, and according to the second principle of my will and law with to work patience, gentleness, and submission.

          VIII. In the eighth realm, centered in the middle of the tongue (Nr. 14), my mind seems to generate an eighth faculty, which is my eighth reflection or manifestation, namely, the faculty of “darkness, passion, and goodness.” The “darkness” (tamas) tempts man to act hastily, thoughtlessly and without reflection; the “passion” (rajas) causes foolish actions without proper judgment; the “goodness” [sattva?] produces reasonable and just action.[30] Here the soul of the ideas of aspiration becomes the soul of the personality consciousness[31] and has the task of always being calm and clear, serene, reasonable, kind and benevolent, and working with energy, perseverance and calmness according to the second principle of my will and the law.

  1. In the ninth realm, which is situated in the midst of the gullet (No. 15), my spirit seems to produce a ninth faculty, which is my ninth reflection or manifestation, namely, the faculty of mind. Here the soul of personality consciousness becomes the soul of intellect, and there are four subdivisions of this ability, namely:
      1. The sensuous faculties, which are capricious and changeable, arising from the various inclinations of the heart.
      2. Mental faculties full of doubts, hesitations, hopes and fears springing from impure tendencies.
      3. Faculties of self-will, from which springs the resolution or decision to commit evil deeds, and from the various vicious effusions of the will.
      4. Capacities of arrogance and negligence, considering only one’s own comfort, and belonging to a raw and passionate temperament.

          These four faculties have different duties: the first has the duty of firm and unshakable resolve and purity of heart; the second of faith, trust and purity of mind; the third is responsible for acting virtuously with perseverance and pure will; the fourth has the duty of regarding everything as one’s own self with compassion, nobility, and love, and maintaining one’s possession of an abiding tranquillity of mind. All these faculties must work in accurate performance of duty according to the second principle of my will and law.

      1. In the tenth realm, which is seated in the center of the heart (n. 16), my mind seems to produce the tenth faculty, which is my tenth reflection or manifestation, viz., the faculty of passions and desires, such as love and hate and similar moods. Of these passions there are twenty-eight kinds[32]: Here the soul of the intellect becomes the soul of lust. It is her duty to flee the whirlwind and snares of temptation and always to act with earnestness and kindness in accordance with my will and law.
      1. In the eleventh realm, which has its seat in the navel (No. 17), my mind seems to produce the eleventh faculty, which is my eleventh reflection or manifestation, namely, the faculty of the senses. There are five kinds of sense perceptions, viz. sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell, and each of these can again be divided into six subdivisions.[33] Here the soul of lust becomes the soul of the senses. She has the duty to guard against excessive sensual pleasures and to work according to my will and laws.

          XII. In the twelfth realm, which is seated in Kuṇḍalī (No. 18), my mind seems to produce my twelfth reflection or manifestation, namely, nature with its elements. Of these there are two types, viz., the elements of matter and the elements of sense. The elements of matter are: the element of earth, the element of water, that of air, that of fire and the element of ether.[34] The elements of the senses are likewise brought into five divisions, arising from the union of the elements of matter with these.[35]

          Thus, O Jīvātmā, I have explained to you how I present myself in two aspects, namely, as the inoperative or passive principle, and secondly, as the apparently active, active principle. If we summarize these teachings again, the process is as follows:

          From my passive principle, which is the infinite mind (Brahmasarūpa), emanations seem to come:

      1. The Self-Emanation, the Spirit of Wisdom and Consciousness; then the following apparent emissions:
      2. The spirit of intelligence (8).
      3. The mind of knowledge (9).
      4. The Spirit of prudence (10).
      5. The mind of memory (11).

          6.The Mind of contemplation (12).

      1. The spirit of striving (13th).
      2. The spirit of self-conceit (14).
      3. The spirit of the mind (15).
      4. The spirit of passions (16).
      5. The spirit of the sensual (17).
      6. The spirit of nature and its elements (18).

          You, O Jīvātmī, are thus yourself a composite of my twelve apparent emanations in a human form.”

(Seque follows.)

Notes:

[1] From the Philosophy and Science of Vedānta and Rāja Yoga. III-V. By Mahātmā Jñāna Guru Yogī Sabhapatti Svāmī. [Aus der Philosophie und Wissenschaft des Vedānta und Raja-Yoga. Von Mahātmā Jñāna Guru Yogī Sabhapatti Svāmā. (Übersetztung) by Franz Hartmann, M.D. Neue Lotusblüten 1, no. 9-10 (September-October 1908), 319-353] [Based on the 1880 first edition] {This article was reformatted from the original, but I have modernized many, but not all, of the Sanskrit words to the current scholarly form. Translation from the German by Robert Hutwohl, ©2025. Because there seems to only be a copy in the British Museum Library, I thought it best to translate Dr. Hartmann’s work from the German back into English, although I realize it will not be exact to the original English.}

[2] She demands from the Holy Spirit the power to give away (forsake) her sins.

[3] This is not to be taken to mean that the Almighty is a person who can become angry, but the “wrath of God” as opposed to the “love of God” is the divine will perverted as it passes through man, i.e., the disturbance of world harmony due to man by injustice from which all suffering springs.

[4] Sat-cit-ānanda. Being-knowledge-bliss (intelligence).

[5] Compare, Bhagavad-Gītā, chapter 10.

[6] Compare Matthew VI, 6.

[7] Philosophers and theologians may speculate and write as much as they like about the oneness of God, and even fancy they know that God is all in all; but such theoretical knowledge is not true knowledge. This only becomes possible through experience, i.e., obtained through the fact that this truth comes to his consciousness in man himself and is revealed to him. This self-knowledge is real theosophy.

[8] It may be useful to note here that all these Rules are not written for the general public or worldly people, but only for those who lead the spiritual life and seek union with the God-man (Christ), and that thus compliance is not required of everyone. It is often said that if all people were celibate, humanity would die out; but the number of real yogis and saints is still so small today that one can do without their participation in animal procreation, and when mankind has reached a higher level of development, this kind of procreation will no longer be necessary either, as it was not necessary in previous “rounds.” On the other hand, even a glimpse of the world overflowing with sick people shows what terrible mischief is caused by the misuse of sexual things. But apart from all this, man’s procreative power is a magical power necessary for the development of the inner self and by which he can embody and enliven thought-forms. Whoever wants to reach a higher (spiritual) level of existence will not waste his procreative power on a lower (material) level.

[9] One must also exercise reason in this rule, bearing in mind that in every act the motive is the main thing and it may be of tamas, rajas or sattva origin. Whoever for example, enters the killing of a man-eating tiger that attacks defenseless people is doing his duty and saving the lives of other creatures. Even the warrior in battle commits no sin; for he does not act of his own accord or self-interest, but fulfills the office assigned to him by his karma; he does not act himself. (Compare, Bhagavad-Gītā, Ch. I.)

[10] Compare Matthew XXV, 40.

[11] As God is the Essence of all things and the only, indivisible, so also everyone who recognizes God within sees him in all creatures, and consequently God in every being, as his own divine self, though in a different appearance or shape. When he looks at the world or at a thing, the inner voice tells him: Tat tvam asi (that is you).

[12] Not only do the stupefying drinks and the like have a destructive effect on the organs necessary for spiritual vision, but whenever one gives in to any such craving there is a weakening of the will-power, and consequently a diminution of the “power of self-control.”

[13] Compare, Luke XXIII, 34.

[14] Man has the five sensory activities, as well as the functions of the body and logical thinking and acting, in common with animals and therefore belong to his animal nature. What distinguishes him from this and raises him above it is the higher self-consciousness, the devotion to the highest, the knowledge of the true.

[15] This is the cliff on which so many shipwreck, because for want of discernment (viveka) they give glory not to the Divine but to themselves, and therefore act not in “God’s name” but in their own name.

[16] One can live in this world without being of this world. Anyone can withdraw into themselves.

[17] As long as man has not overcome his self-delusion and is still stuck in his egoism, the practice of “Hatha Yoga,” i.e., the use of physical means (breathing exercises, etc.) to attain divine powers, is a dangerous thing, because it attracts lower forces from the astral plane, which are apt to possess man and corrupt him physically and morally. One cannot, therefore, warn enough against such “occult practices” which belong to “black magic.”

[18] An experienced occultist writes: “It would be ill-advised for a man who wishes to develop his occult powers if he did not see to it that he first of all attains complete purity of will and thought, of heart and soul; for this is the first necessity. He must purify his mind, astral being, and physical body, discard his bad habits, and stop polluting his body with meat, alcohol, tobacco, and the like. He must strive to purify himself on all levels, lower as well as higher. Though bad habits do not hinder a certain degree of development of psychic powers, the unclean is never free from danger, and he who touches the holy with unclean hands does himself terrible harm. But the pure attracts heavenly forces and is surrounded by helpful beings.”

[19] In the absolute consciousness, which one can call the “All-Self-Consciousness,” because the spirit then recognizes itself as the All.

[20] Paramātman does not change. The forms of his revelation change, but he himself remains what he is.

[21] In the first aspect it is Brahm the Deity, in the second Brahmā the Creator, the Logos or Word which was with God in the beginning and is God. (John I, I.)

[22] See illustration. {RH.—Dr. Hartmann did not include the illustration for his translation article.}

[23] Two spirits and two souls dwell in man: the (astral) earth spirit and the divine spirit; the earthly (astral) soul and the heavenly soul. In the depths of human consciousness, the consciousness of God lies hidden. In the awakening of the latter and the union of both consists the practice of yoga, i.e., the union of man with God.

[24] Compare “The Physiology of the Astral Body” Lotusblüten, Volume II). {Narrainaswamy Iyer, “Hatha Yoga. Die Physiologie des Astralkörpers” [Hatha Yoga. The physiology of the astral-body.] Lotusblüten 2, no. 14 (1993), 797-823}

[25] The explanations given in this article regarding metaphysical relationships and spiritual currents may not be easy for everyone to understand; however, we feel obliged to reproduce the contents of this most important work as completely as possible.

[26] The second principle is the intelligent distinction between right and wrong.

[27] That the seats of these faculties are correctly indicated can be verified by introspection, if one directs one’s attention to the relevant passages.

[28] We are not only talking about reincarnations of the soul on this earth, but in general about its migrations and transformations after leaving the physical body.

[29] There can be no other “forgiveness of sins”; than by the giving away (leaving) of the self-delusion (ahaṃkāra) from which sin springs, and this is by the power of union with the higher, divine Self.

[30] Compare, Bhagavad-Gītā, chapter XIV.

[31] The illusion of uniqueness.

[32] The division into these twenty-eight kinds is based upon consideration of the different parts of man’s constitution, namely, of the various bodies of which it is composed (see: Śaṅkara-ācarya, Tattva-Bodha), its various forms of consciousness and states. All faculties of passion have their seat in the inner man; through the excitement of the astral body, the atoms of the material body are brought into vibration. So, namely, man, in his waking state, feels in his fleshly body (Sthūla-Śarīra) the excitements of sexual impulse, anger, revengefulness, and the like, aroused by his ideas. Hunger and thirst, as well as gluttony and drinking, have their origin in Annamaya-Kośa (“food intake principle”). Instinctive states and delusions of various kinds: sloth, reverie, enthusiasm, glory, vanity, sadness, melancholy, etc., arise from the “dream consciousness” (Svapna-avasthā) of the astral body; the instinct for self-preservation has its seat in Prāṇamaya-Kośa (“life phenomenon”); the state of unconsciousness in deep sleep (Suṣupti-avasthā) and Sūrya-avasthā (trance or ecstasy) are based on separations of the higher vibrations of consciousness from the lower principles. Passions that arise from the thought principle or “thought body” (Manomaya-Kośa) are: conceit, over-attachment to possessions of worldly things (money, wife, children, etc.), unsteady thinking, confused thoughts, arrogance, self-conceit, lust for glory, egoism in its various forms, prejudice, willful persistence in error out of stubbornness or false shame, craving to find fault in others, greed, envy, deceit, deceit, lies, etc. From the knowledge principle (Vijñānamaya-Kośa) arises the passionate desire for intellectual Perfection, curiosity, thirst for knowledge. The pleasure derived from the consciousness of faithful performance of one’s duty belongs to Ānandamaya-kośa, the body of bliss.

33] All sense perceptions are internal, although there are external organs to receive and transmit external impressions. Also, man not only has a visible body, but also other bodies with their organs. There is therefore also astral vision (clairvoyance), clairaudience, emotional perception, intellectual perception, spiritual seeing and feeling, etc.

[34] Prithivī, Apas, Agni, Vāyu, Ākāśa. (Compare, Śaṅkara-ācarya, “Tattva-Bodha.”) Each of these Tattvas has its particular sphere of activity and its particular functions.

[35] For example, the conjunction of the earth element with the senses of egoism and pride, muscular movement, inhalation and exhalation power, etc.; the element of water, powers of memory, the powers of excretion, generation, and the like; the element of fire material intelligence, sight, the ability to feel pleasure and pain; the element of air thinking power, it causes the circulation of the juices and the digestion. The ether in its connection with the senses is the soul of the other four elements, since these arose from it.

III. (Continuation.)[1]

I. Paramātman gives practical instructions to Jīvātmā for attaining true self-knowledge.

(Tattva-Yoga-Kaivalya-Anubhūti.)

Paramatman speaks:

 “Having now explained to you the secondary principles to prove to you what false or apparent existence is, I will now make you understand your own non-existence by showing you the non-self-existence of a second principle (from which your appearances-existence arose).”[2]

          When the disciple Jīvātmā heard this and was convinced that he had no (own) existence (in himself) and only recognized himself as existing when he imagined something different from Paramātman, he applied himself with reverence and humility, and the only one said:

“O Holiness, Thou art my Holy Master (Guru Svāmi), now I comprehend Thy work and enlightened declarations, and I see that I have no merit whatsoever, but that, taking the second principle for absolute reality,[3] I only dream to be there now. But now I ask you to give me the method by which I can free myself from these twelve states and destroy them completely and discard them.”[4]

          Then Paramātman began his teaching on the first principle:

“I, the universal spirit, can be viewed in my passive principle in three ways:

      1. As the only and all-encompassing bliss (Sat-cit-ānanda).
      2. As the pure and holy principle of grace and mercy. (Love.)
      3. As the strict and immutable principle of justice. (Karma.)

          By this third principle, souls who transgress my law are subject to punishment. Through the second, I pour out my blessings on all and make it possible for them to associate with me.

          Through the first, I enable them to become fully the Infinite Mind (Myself).

          I will now explain to you how the souls who suffer punishments because of their wanderings suffer and repent in order to attain salvation and purification. You yourself, O Jīvātmā, must be a witness to the sufferings inflicted on other souls, and at the same time you must have a clear vision of My infinite beauty and glory, my compassion and my wrath. You must direct your twelve faculties to widen their horizons to see me and comprehend me and become absorbed in me. You must teach them to distinguish between the eternal and the ephemeral of this phenomenal world. Introduce them to the following:

      1. Not only are all the lusts of this world vain and meaningless, but you yourself are only a passing phenomenon; but the infinite spirit within you and within all is the incorruptible eternal truth. This realization is called nitya anitya vastu vivekam, i.e., the distinction between the eternal and the non-eternal. Through them one attains salvation from uncertainty and fear.
      2. When you have attained this (the first and most necessary) self-knowledge, you must give up the desire to enjoy the pleasures of this or the higher world. This is called samatra phala bhogavirāga. It is the withdrawal of the mind from craving for existence in this or the higher world.
      3. You must be so unshakable and steadfast in your devotion (meditation) that the lusts of this world cannot distract you (not disturb your holy rest). This is samā [equipoised] and dama [control of the senses].
      4. You need not seek the joys of this world once you have given them up. This is upariti, renunciation.
      5. You must be indifferent to pleasure and pain, heat and cold, like and aversion, hunger and thirst. This is titikṣā, the inward sublimity above all outward circumstances.
      6. Always seek to dwell in deep contemplation of the greatness and glory of the Infinite Spirit! This is samādhi.[5] [6]
      7. Always try to keep this state of inner peace and bliss within you!

II. Exercises.

  1. And now, O Jivātmā! having thus quieted all your faculties and they have ceased their activities, descend to Kuṇḍalī (19) and ask the soul of nature seated there:“Who are you who arranges the material functions of my body?”— She will then reply: “I am the twelfth reflection or manifestation of your master, the Paramātman, and thus I am Paramātman himself.” To this you will reply: “You are mistaken. Although you seem to be a distant emanation of my master, you are only of his second principle and have not the slightest part in his first principle. You suffer from the consequences of the effects of your nature, but my Master does not work or act and does not suffer, but is the perfect witness of your doing. You cannot comprehend your own nature, either in part or as a whole, no matter how hard you try; for you are inert, lifeless and transient. My Eternal Master has no particular name, He is neither this nor that thing.” Having silenced the soul of your nature by these arguments, curse (banish) them, O Jivātmā, from making their false claims before you appear and give her your blessing to rise in the eternal spirit!
  1. When you have overcome the soul of nature, go up to the soul of the senses, which has its seat in the navel (20), and ask it who it is? — She will answer you: “I am the eleventh revelation of the eternal spirit and consequently this eternal spirit itself.”— To which you will reply:

          “You are wrong, for you cannot be the eternal spirit, for the following reasons:

      1. When you have entered the Eternal, you no longer exist.
      2. You disappear, but the Eternal remains.
      3. You constantly seek worldly gain and pleasure, but my Master (myself) does not care about all these things.
      4. Your destiny is to experience joys and sorrows; He is above both.
      5. You move and work through his spiritual power; HE needs no assistance.
      6. You have no knowledge of yourself, nor do you know him (the Master).
      7. All your deeds are unholy and unclean, but HE is totally holy and pure.

          For all these reasons it is clear that you are not the Eternal Spirit, but only a distant reflection of it.”

          When you have silenced the soul of the senses, banish it, O Jīvātmā, from appearing before you with its false claims, and give it Your blessing to its absorption in the Eternal Spirit!

          III. After you have overcome the soul of the senses, ascend to the heart (21), and ask the soul of passions and desires: “Who are you?”— It will say to you: “I am the tenth revelation or reflection of your Master, and consequently I am the Eternal Spirit Himself.”— You will then refute her and answer her: “You are mistaken; then:

      1. My Master knows you well in your whole and in each of your parts; but you don’t know him.
      2. HE never tires of being the constant witness of everything; but you soon tire of doing your duties, and retire when you suffer your changes.
      3. HE is unchanging, in eternal rest, but you don’t keep still for a moment.
      4. He knows that you are all descended from him; but you do not know your origin.
      5. HE knows you all, but none of you knows the other.
      6. Your nature is fiery and excitable, but HE is peaceful, pure and clear.

          So you are not the Eternal Spirit, but only a reflection or likeness of it.”

          When you have silenced the soul’s passions and desires, banish it, O Jīvātmā, from appearing before you any more with its false claims, and give it Your blessing to its absorption in the eternal Spirit!

  1. Having conquered the soul of passions and desires, ascend to the gorge (22), and oppose the pretensions of the soul of intellect with the following reasons:
      1. You are not the eternal spirit, you are whimsical and capricious
      2. You give room to doubt and lure people into sinful and wicked acts.
      3. Your so-called mind is blind, deaf and dumb, fraud and deception.
      4. You are selfish, coarse, indomitable and cruel and therefore subject to many wanderings (reincarnations). It is clear, then, that you are not the eternal spirit.”

          When you have silenced the soul of intellect, banish it, O Jīvātmā, from appearing before you any more with its false claims, and give it Your blessings to its absorption in the eternal spirit!

  1. Then, O Jīvātmā, when you have transcended the soul of the intellect, ascend to the midpoint of the tongue (23), and refute the claims of the soul of personal self-consciousness thus:
      1. “You are not my master, the eternal spirit. You are compelled to create, sustain, destroy, bless and work through your principle of darkness.
      2. You are deceived by your own wrong judgments because of your principle of passion, and your principle of goodness compels you to comprehend the good and evil workings of the mind. So your three principles or faculties have three different duties to perform, but my master is not bound by anything, he is free and the sole witness of everything. HE does not participate in any of your actions. Hence it is clear that you are not the eternal spirit.

          When You have silenced the soul of personal self-awareness (or self-conceit), banish it, O Jīvātmā, from appearing before you any more with its false claims, and give it Your blessing to its absorption in the Eternal Spirit!

  1. Having now conquered the soul of (false) self-consciousness, climb up to the nose (24), and refute the soul’s claims of ideas of aspiration (desire for something great) in the following way:
      1. You are not the eternal spirit, not my holy guide; for you are inflated with the idea of megalomania, pride and vanity.
      2. You are tainted with the idea of self-love and pleasure-seeking.
      3. You suffer the consequences of the self-deception which leads you to believe that what is only apparent and temporary is eternal and real. Therefore it is clear that you are not the eternal spirit, my master.

          When the soul of ideas of gloriousness is silenced, banish it, O Jīvātmā, from appearing before you any more with its false claims, and give it Thy blessings to its absorption in the Eternal Spirit!

          VII. Having now gained victory over the soul of ideas of striving, rise up to the middle of the eyebrows (25), and refute the claims of the soul of musing and imagination in the following way:

      1. “You are not my master, the eternal spirit; for you create false and fleeting imaginations in the mind.
      2. You create new and tempting ideas that disrupt my devotion.
      3. You build magnificent buildings of the imagination, which in the end dissolve into nothing.

          My master does not have any of these qualities and therefore you cannot be my master.

          When the soul of thought and imagination has thus been silenced, banish it, O Jīvātmā, from appearing before you any more with its false claims, and give it Thy blessings to its absorption in the Eternal Spirit!

          VIII. Having won this victory, rise to the center of the head (26), and refute the claims of the soul of memory:

      1. You are not my guide, the infinite spirit; because you remember all sorts of worthless things.
      2. You forget very easily what God and the universe is, but neither I nor the eternal spirit forget our existence. So you have no right to claim that you are the eternal spirit.”
      3. When you have silenced the soul of memory, banish it, O Jīvātmā, from appearing before you any more with its false claims, and give it your blessing to its absorption in the eternal spirit!
  1. Having overcome the soul of memory, rise to the bottom of your brain (27) and answer the claims of the soul of prudence:
      1. “You are not my master, the eternal spirit; because you love the short-lived temptations of this world.
      2. The joys you have tasted will soon become your burden.

          My master has no such weaknesses, and so you have no right to say you are my master.”

          When you have thus silenced the soul of memory, banish it, O Jīvātmā, from appearing before you any more with its false claims, and give it your blessings to be absorbed in the eternal spirit!

  1. Rise, O Jīvātmā, to the center of the brain (28), and refute the dwelling soul of knowledge thus:
      1. “You are not my master, the eternal spirit; for your knowledge is wrong and contradicts itself.
      2. Your knowledge is subject to constant change, never fixed and never absolute. You are not my master, then, but only his reflection or likeness.”

          When you have thus silenced her, banish her, O Jīvātmā, from appearing before you any more with her false claims, and give her your blessings to be absorbed in the eternal Spirit!

          XII. Having succeeded in this, O Jīvātmā, who are the Soul of Wisdom, delve into the center of the skull (30) and ask yourself:

 “Who am I? There is little difference between me and the eternal spirit, and yet I do not become the eternal spirit. This is because I created the eleven sub-abilities that I only now overcame. There should no longer be the slightest distinguishing mark between me and the eternal spirit.”

          When Jīvātmā came to this decision, he immersed himself completely in the nature of the Master and said to him:

“O Holiness, Guru Svāmī I have transcended the twelve faculties by Your grace and help so that they will no longer bother and distract me, and now I ask You to teach me how to become YOU myself.”

          To this the Eternal Spirit replied:

 “You are not yet completely free from all impurity and therefore cannot become the eternal spirit; but I will teach you the practice of yoga samādhi, which removes the rest of your sins and gives you full merging.”

III. Paramātman teaches Jīvātmā in Vedānta Rāja Yoga.

Paramātman said:

  1. “Now descend again to Kuṇḍalī, O Jīvātmā, and grasp the spirit of nature; cleanse him of all his peculiarities, and bless him saying, “Be cleansed, O spirit of nature, and become a holy spirit!”[7] Then lead it up through the Iḍā, Piṅgala and Suṣumna channels (1,2,3) and let your knowing mind (Jñāna-Ākāśa) utter the following mantram: Om! Namaḥ Śivāya Namaḥ! This is the sacred divine mantram for cleansing the physical organs of the body. (Bhūta Śuddhi.) Lead the mind of nature up to the navel, and let it merge into the mind of the senses! Now you are no longer this spirit of nature; because through this opening he has lost his identity and his properties, and with it you yourself have lost this form of existence. Immerse yourself for a short time in the awareness of your agreement with the infinite universal spirit!
  2. Lead your cognition mind then through the three channels up to the center of your heart where the mind of the senses must merge into the mind of passions, and during this ascent let it utter the following mantram: Omi Brahma Vishnu, Rudra. — Maheśvara Thuyo Namaḥ! — This is the mantram for purification of the senses (Indriya Śuddhi). You yourself are no longer identified with this spirit. Immerse yourself now for a short time in the universal consciousness of the infinite spirit!
  3. In the same way lead the spirit of passions up to the center of the gorge and let it merge into the spirit of intellect, saying: Om . Ha. Hi . Hu . Oho . Namaḥ! This is the mantram for the purification of the passions. (Rāgadveṣa Śuddhi.) Then immerse yourself in the all-consciousness of the infinite mind for a short time!
  4. Then lead up the spirit of intellect and let it merge into the spirit of self-awareness. The related mantram is: Om . Shrim . Aim . Klim . Saum . Namaḥ! This is the mantram for purification of the intellect. (Antaḥkaraṇa Śuddhi). Then immerse yourself in the universal consciousness of the infinite spirit for a short time!
  5. Lead up the spirit of self-confidence and let it rise in the spirit of ideas! Om . Tahum . Rhum . Yhum . Khum . Namuku! this is the mantram for purification of self-consciousness (Triguna Śuddhi). Then immerse yourself in the universal consciousness of the infinite spirit for a short time!
  6. Lead up the spirit of ideas and let it arise in the spirit of reflection! Śivagavasi . Śivaya . Namah! this is the mantram for the purification of ideas. (Trinala Suddhi). Then immerse yourself in the universal consciousness of the infinite spirit for a short time!
  7. Lead up the spirit of musing, and let it arise in the spirit of remembrance! Śiva . Saranam! this is the mantram for the purification of the senses. (Nindumaya Śuddhi.) Then immerse yourself in the all-consciousness of the infinite mind for a short time!
  8. Let the spirit of memory likewise rise up in the spirit of prudence! Śiva Śiva Pūrti is the mantram for purification of the memory. (Nadumayam Śuddhi.) Then immerse yourself in the all-consciousness of the infinite mind for a short time!
  9. Likewise, let the spirit of prudence arise and be absorbed in the spirit of knowledge! Śiva . Śiva . Namastha . Namustuḥ . is the mantram for purification of Kalamayum Śuddhi or wisdom. Then immerse yourself in the universal consciousness of the infinite spirit for a short time!
  10. Then let the spirit of knowledge merge into the spirit of intelligence as well! Ahamaiva Brahma . Śiva . Śiva . Śiva. Śivah . Aikya . Arūpa . Namah. This is the mantram for the purification of knowledge (Tatparam ayam Śuddhi). Then immerse yourself in the universal consciousness of the infinite spirit for a short time!
  11. Then lead the spirit of understanding into the spirit of wisdom, and let it be absorbed in it! Śiva . Śiva . Śiva . Śiva . Śumbho . Śivohum! this is the mantram for the purification of Paramayam Śuddhi (intelligence). Then immerse yourself in the universal consciousness of the infinite spirit for a short time!
  12. Then suddenly let your Jñāna-Ākāśa (mind of knowledge) grasp the soul of wisdom, namely your own Self, and merge it into me, and make it general through the following mantram: Śiva . Śiva . Śivohum . Śiva . Śiva . Śiva . Śiva . Śiva . Śiva . Śivohum . Brahmohum . Jnānoham . Akāśoham . Śingoham . Vyāpoham . Ānandoham . Tagoham . Bodhoham . Śakshioham . Śāntoham . Śud- dhoham . Nityoham . Prānavoham . Nirāhatoham . Ugram . Tripakaram . Eham.

          Now you are no longer the spirit of nature, senses, passions, intellect, conceit or false self-consciousness, aspiration, musing, memory, prudence, knowledge, intelligence and wisdom, but mine in truth infinite spirit!

          Remain constantly in this state! Descend down to Kuṇḍalī through the three sushumnā channels, without stopping for a moment in the other realms you have overcome, and let your Jñāna-Ākāśa repeat the sacred mantras as you descend! Then ascend to the Brahmarandhra through Kumbhaḥ, i. H. by the Grace of the Higher Self, like a serpent whose tail is in Kuṇḍalī to devour the Brahma-Caitanyam and merge into the Infinite Mind! As you ascend, let your Jñāna-Ākāśa speak the same mantras with the greatest reverence, power and energy so that it may merge into the eternal mind! Having attained complete absorption in the infinite mind, let your Jñāna-Ākāśa rise and fall like a wheel! By descending you are purified; through the ascent you attain the ascension in the eternal spirit.

          Never forget, O Jīvātmā, that if you wish to enter into samādhi, you must always see to it that the twelve qualities remain dead and buried, lest the evil emanations of their corruption spread and harass and scatter you!

          I warn you again and say to you: Beware of these treacherous qualities, and do not let them become their servile, creeping ones again and humiliate common slaves and victims! In the state of samādhi, even if you are conscious of seeing the infinite mind, pay no attention to it either; for what is it that is seen, and who is it that sees? Free yourself from any notion of duality! Become the Infinite Mind without the notion of becoming it![8]

IV. Paramātman Jīvātmā describes the mysterious state of samādhi.

You are like a tree that spreads everywhere. Your roots represents the soul of all creation; your larger branches are natural powers, your smaller branches the senses. Your leaves are intellect, consciousness, ideas; your blossoms are imagination and memory; your fruit is knowledge and understanding; your seed is wisdom. But in this state of mind you completely forget what or who you are and where you come from. In it you have no idea of ​​the existence of your body and your twelve faculties. You are then the infinite, eternal Holy Spirit who knows the innermost thoughts and outer actions of all creatures. You know everyone and see everyone, but nobody sees or knows you; for you have withdrawn from all twelve faculties of your nature and appear as my first principle. Beware of getting into my second principle, which is my will and law!

          When you come into my first principle you will not know whether you are in the body or out of the body, whether you are in a house, in a cave or in a wilderness, whether you have parents, wife and children, whether you have duties to fulfil, to experience pleasures, to avenge sorrows, etc. You will be unaware of what is going on inside you, what is going on outside of you, above or below you. Anyone who thinks you to be lazy, dreaming, lazy, sleepy and enthusiastic is mistaken; because one could rather call you the sole active, the sole hero in the world, the sole divine power, the eternally active spiritual soul, the ONE guardian, the ONE infinite Lord of the universe, etc. You are the ONE eye of the universe with five powers of perception. You are the seeing of that eye, which penetrates the whole universe and sees things as emptiness. You are pure knowledge, pure bliss; you are the ONE Infinite in all the universe, encompassing sun, moon and stars, earth and sky and all creations. You are the ONE truth, the sole reality; the ONE self of all beings, which is not bound to any being, independent of all things, full of the bliss of the true consciousness of existence, and then when the soul has become free from the bondage of the earthly, you will merge into the eternal spirit. Your bodily activity will stand still, blissful rest and deep contemplation will come, and you will be the discerner of the three divisions of time, past, present and future.

          You will be the witness of every will and thought of every creature. You are the world spirit. You rise from the personal to the impersonal, from the finite to the infinite, from the sensuous to the supersensuous, and come to the shore of Nirvāṇa or Jīvanmukti. This is the perfected state of mind, the perfection of samādhi. You are one with all things and yet free from all things. You are above and beyond the world of appearances, which is only an insubstantial phantom, and you enter the world of absolute reality, which is the ONE true substance. All your passions will be swept away, your deeds uprooted; everything in you will be calm, pure and spotless. You are the dwelling place of eternal peace, where there is no death and corruption, heaven and immortality itself, deliverance from evil, deliverance from worldly bonds, and deliverance from all further transmigration or birth; you will be Brahmānanda Sarūp, that is, the blissful rest, free from selfishness, and the consciousness of “I” will no longer exist. For you time and space is no more and no obstacle. You will be like a flame that no wind moves, full of light and free from the darkness of ignorance, wisdom itself.

Notes:

[1] From the Philosophy and Science of Vedānta and Rāja Yoga. Resume V. By Mahātmā Jñāna Guru Yogi Sabhapatti Svāmī. [Aus der Philosophie und Wissenschaft des Vedānta und Raja-Yoga. Von Mahātmā Jñāna Guru Yogi Sabhapatti Svāmā. (Übersetztung) by Franz Hartmann, M.D. Neue Lotusblüten 1, no. 11-12 (November-December 1908), 377-403] {This article was reformatted from the original, but I have modernized many, but not all, of the Sanskrit words to the current scholarly form. Translation from the German by Robert Hutwohl, ©2025. Because there seems to only be a copy in the British Museum Library, I thought it best to translate Dr. Hartmann’s work from the German back into English, although I realize it will not be exact to the original English.}

[2] The Christian mystic Meister Eckhart says: “Everything that is not God is (in itself) nothing.”

[3] Jakob Böhme says: “God is the will of eternal wisdom”; consequently he recognized wisdom as an ability of this will, i.e., as the second principle.

[4] In the absolute, i.e., in pure deity, all is one and there is no distinction between “good” and “evil.” (Eckhart)

[5] Compare, Śaṅkarācārya: “Tattva Bodha.”

[6] “Contemplation” is a higher degree of meditation and signifies the merging of the individual consciousness into God Consciousness, the immersion of the human spirit in the ocean of Deity, the “dwelling” with the Divine in the temple of the Holy Spirit, the self-knowledge of the truth in its own Light.

[7] The seat of Kuṇḍalī is the seat of the sex drive, which for the practice of yoga must be conquered and ennobled above all else. Svāmi Vivekānanda says: “That part of human energy which manifests itself as procreative power and sex drive can easily be transformed into ojas (inner enlightenment power, intuition) by mastery. Only the pure and chaste man can send this power to his brain, keep it there and use it for higher things. The impure loses this power and weakens intellectually and morally. Complete chastity in thought, word and deed is the first condition. Without these, the practice of Rāja Yoga is very dangerous and leads to insanity and obsession. (Svāmi Vivekānanda: Vedānta Philosophy.)

[8] Put away everything that is not God. Then only God remains. (Master Eckhart.)