Prashnottara Vahini

Q. Even to mumukshus (aspirants for moksham, Liberation), people say there are three pratibandhakas (obstructions). What are those, Swami?
A. Yes, yes! Bhoota, vartamana, bhavi pratibandhakas, i.e., obstructions of the past, present, and future.
Q. What is bhoota pratibandhaka (the obstructions of the past)?
A. Recollecting and remembering the past and getting affected by it.
Q. And, vartamana pratibandhaka (the obstructions of the present)?
A. That itself operates in four ways! Vishayasakti, prajnana mandyam, kutarkam and viparyayaduragraham. Here, vishayasakti means getting attracted to the sensory world experience due to the tendencies of mind while listening to the poetic meaning given by the elders and the wise. Prajnana mandyam means not being able to grasp the teachings of the elders and of the wise. Kutarkam means misinterpretation with contrary meanings in the teachings of the elders and of the wise. Viparyayaduragraham means when a dusta buddhi (wicked attitude) makes one feel as a great scholar and justifies one's own wrong statements as correct.
Q. What is the nature of bhavi pratibandhaka (the obstructions of the future)?
A. Worry or excitement by expecting the future.
Q. I have heard people speak of four types of bhootas (beings); but, I am not quite clear what they are.
A. Andaja, svedaja, udbhijja and jarayuja.
Q. What does andaja mean?
A. Egg-born beings, such as birds.
Q. Svedaja means?
A. Sweat-born beings, such as lice, nits.
Q. Udbhijja?
A. Earth-born beings, such as crops, trees.
Q. Jarayuja means?
A. Men, cattle, beasts, etc.
Q. Well, Swami! Among those who adore or worship God, are there special types?
A. Of course! There are four types among them too.
Q. Their names?
A. Dvijas, munis, alpa-buddhis and viditatmas: That is to say, the twice-born, the ascetics, the dull-witted, and the knowers of the atma.
Q. What is the nature of dvijas (twice-born)?
A. Dvijas engage in agnihotras (sacred fire; oblations to agni, the God of Fire). They recognize God as in the fire they revere and with that conviction, they worship Him.
Q. The munis (ascetics)?
A. They recognize God as the indweller of their hearts and worship Him.
Q. What about the alpa-buddhis (dull-witted)?
A. They require images, pictures, or some other visible representation of His beauty and glory. They worship such.
Q. And, the viditatmas (knowers of the atma)?
A. They recognize God as immanent in all beings and in this entire objective world and see only Him wherever they turn.
Q. Who among these are the greatest upasakas (worshippers)?
A. Each is great in the stage they have reached; but naturally, viditatmas, who can experience the Lord everywhere at all times, are the greatest.
Q. Swami! What are the traits of character that we have to avoid, that is to say, which are the obstacles in the path of one who seeks mumukshatvam (Liberation from the Cycle of Birth and Death)?
A. The arishadvargas (six inner enemies), viz., kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada and matsarya; these are to be avoided.
Q. What exactly is kama?
A. Desire for all kinds of riches, prosperity, comforts, progeny; why list the lot? Attachment to all things of this sensory world, this asatya (untrue, false), anitya (temporary), anaswata (impermanent, transient), ashuddha (impure) world.
Q. Krodha means?
A. Yearning to harm others and bring them down to ruin.
Q. And, lobha?
A. Determination that no one else should partake of even a small fraction of what one has earned or what one has; also, not willing to spend one's earnings, even in times of distress.
Q. What is the meaning of moha?
A. Considering some people as nearer to one than others and showering more affection towards them; not being satisfied with the existing wealth, properties, and comforts, and thereby desiring to earn even more.
Q. Mada?
A. Lack of concern or respect for others due to pride in one's own wealth or scholarship or physical power. Even when one has not got the wealth, scholarship, or physical power, the traits of mada include - indulgence in one's cravings unrestrainedly by threatening others; being extremely selfish and at any given situation seeking only one's own joy and comfort without any regard for seniors or juniors.
Q. The last that you mentioned is matsarya. What does that mean, Swami?
A. When others are as happy as yourself, not being able to tolerate it is what is called as matsarya.
Q. There are certain other traits too called shambham and darpam. What do they indicate?
A. Shambham prompts people to do dana-dharmas (deeds of giving-alms or charity), yaga and yajna (rituals and sacrifices), in order to win the applause of the world. Darpam means thinking that no one equals him in wealth, prosperity, association, progeny, kinship, comradeship, etc.
Q. What is the meaning of irshya and asoya?
A. Irshya means the desire that others too should get the grief, the misery, and the worry, which one is suffering from. And, asoya means not only thinking always of doing evil to others, but even preparedness to put up with any trouble in order to satisfy this desire to harm others. All these traits are also called antar shatravulu (inner foes). So long as man is caught in this parasparadhyasa (mutual error-caused superimposition) caused by these foes, he cannot succeed in attaining the goal of mumukshatvam (liberation from the cycle of birth and death).