Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies - DUBOIS, Abbé Hindu Manners, Customs and Ceremonies, Dubois | Page 736

NIRVANI, OK BLESSEDNESS
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nine Vasu-devalas, the nine Bala-vasu-devatas, and the nine
Bala-ramas, who all governed different provinces in India \
The second Veda, or Charanani-yoga, contains the civil
laws, also regulations relating to social status, caste, &c.
The third Veda, or Karanani-yoga, is a dissertation on
the nature, order, and component parts of the Jagat-triya.
The fourth, or Draviani-yoga, contains the metaphysical
theories of the Jains and several controversial subjects.
The State of Sannyasi Nirvani.
The most holy and sublime state to which man can possibly
that of Sannyasi Nirvani, which means 'naked
In embracing this state a man ceases to be a
man he begins to be a part of the Godhead. As soon as
he has attained the highest degree of perfection in this
state, he frees himself voluntarily, without any trouble or
pain, from his own self, and obtains moksha, thus becoming
incorporated for ever into the Divine Self. There is no real
attain
is
penitent.'
;
Nirvani existing in this yuga
Those who aspire to this state
mast pass through twelve successive degrees of meditation
and corporal penance, each one more perfect than the last.
These degrees are a kind of novitiate, and each of them has
.
a special appellation.
Having at last become a Nirvani, the
penitent no longer belongs to this world. Terrestrial objects
make no impression on his senses. He regards the good
and evil, virtue and vice, to be found on this earth with
equal indifference. He is freed from all passion. He scarcely
feels the wants of nature.
He is able to patiently endure
hunger, thirst, and privations of all kinds. He can live
without food of any sort for weeks and months together.
When he is obliged to eat he partakes indifferently of the
first animal or vegetable substance that comes to hand,
however filthy or disgusting it may seem to ordinary people.
He has neither fire nor sleeping place. He always lives in
1
Rama of the Brahmins is one of the nine Bala-ramas of the Jains,
and their Krishna is one of the Yasu-devatas. The Jains say that the
Brahmins borrowed these two names to make up the Avatars of their
god Vishnu. They assert generally that the Brahmins have stolen from
them all the knowledge concerning which they so particularly pride
t
hcmscl v es.
— D u bois.