82 Raja-vidya: The King of Knowledge

mature fruit of all mysticism. And one who has
achieved this enjoys the self within himself in due
course of time.” (Bg. 4.38)

What is that sublime and pure knowledge? It is the
knowledge that we are part and parcel of God and
that we are to dovetail our consciousness with the
Supreme Consciousness. This is the purest knowledge
in the material world. Here everything is contami-
nated by the modes of material nature—goodness,
passion and ignorance. Goodness is also a kind of
contamination. In goodness one becomes aware of
his position and transcendental subjects, etc, but his
defect is in thinking, ““Now I have understood every-
thing. Now I am all right.” He wants to stay here. In
other words, the man in the mode of goodness be-
comes a first class prisoner and, becoming happy in
the prison house, wants to stay there. And what to
speak of those in the modes of passion and igno-
rance? The point is that we have to transcend even
the quality of goodness. The transcendental position
begins with the realization aham brahmasmi—“I am
not this matter, but spirit.” But even this position is
unsettled. More is required.

brahma-bhutah prasannatma
na socati na kanksati
samah sarvesu bhutesu
mad-bhaktim labhate param
“One who is thus transcendentally situated at once
realizes the Supreme Brahman. He never laments or
desires to have anything; he is equally disposed to
