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<title>THE FOURTH SUKTA</title>

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<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center; line-height:150%;margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0">&nbsp;</p>
<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center; line-height:150%;margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0">
<b><font size="4">THE FOURTH SUKTA</font><o:p></o:p></b></p>
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mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; line-height:150%; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>The gradual progression of
the spiritual discipline takes place by virtue of the bliss-power in the pure
mind. It is with that power that a spiritual seeker overcomes all the obstacles
and the downward pull of ignorance <span class=SpellE>symbolised</span> by <span
class=SpellE>Vritra</span> and creates beautiful forms full of knowledge in the
fullness of the Vast.</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:11.25pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>In
the first three <span class=SpellE>riks</span> the nectar-emitting light and
pure thought-power of Indra have been invoked. Indra is a <span class=SpellE>milch</span>
cow, that is to say, the inexhaustible source from which a seeker draws the
nectar of immortality.</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:11.75pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><span
class=GramE>But why?</span> Because it is thus that a spiritual seeker can see
the manifestation of the All-Blissful, in the Vast. In our normal
life-activities we have a partial consciousness and our mind remains narrow,
degraded and twisted. So whatever we do turns out to be imperfect. And if we
want to make our creations beautiful, blissful and perfect, we must break the
barriers of this division, pettiness and poverty and rise into the everlasting
poise and pure existence of</p>

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<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center; text-indent:11.75pt; line-height:150%;margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0">
<span style='font-size:10.0pt;'>Page-104<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><span class=GramE>the</span>
Vast. We are satisfied with a little, for our happiness and delight and <span
class=GramE>enjoyment are</span> confined to this material world alone. And
from this sense-pleasure which is the outer form of the <span class=SpellE><i>Somarasa</i></span>
we shall have to squeeze out true delight and immortality. This is possible
only after one has invoked Indra, the Lord the senses and the presiding deity
of the pure intellect. <span class=GramE>When the mind has become pure, when
the Divine Being Within it<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>has awakened,
the aspirant’s delight gets satisfaction no longer in the little imperfect
pleasures of the material world. The ecstasy of the <span class=SpellE>divinised</span>
mind is surcharged with the divine light. One who has achieved this delight has
also achieved the all the well-ordained rhythmic play of Truth inherent in the
pure mind. It is there that an aspirant must pay particular attention to one
thing. If all on a sudden truth and power descend from above into the
aspirant’s mind in an excessive manner, then there is every possibility of his
mental balance; even if it is not so, the manifestation of this truth and power
takes place in a very distorted way. That is<span style='mso-spacerun:yes'>&nbsp;&nbsp;
</span>why the aspirant has been asked to pray in this fashion:</span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'>&nbsp;</span><span style='mso-tab-count:1'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>“O
Indra, do Thou manifest thyself before me to the extent of my receptivity and,
I pray, exceed not the limit.”</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><span
style='mso-spacerun:yes'>&nbsp;</span><span style='mso-tab-count:1'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>The
aspirant has to purify first his lower nature before invoking the truth and
power in a large measure. Otherwise a reaction may at once take place. The
subsequent <span class=SpellE>riks</span> deal with this matter. The second
group of the three <span class=SpellE>riks</span> indicates the process of the
gradual ascension of the aspirant. Spirituality is, as it were, a long upward
march and the aspirant has to fight and toil faithfully all the way in order to
go ahead. It will not do for an aspirant to make an effort to pull the power
from above, <span class=GramE>himself</span> remaining below. He has to raise
himself. He has to look upon the Divine Being that resides in Indra, the deity
of knowledge, in the pure mind, and according to the inspiration and guidance
of the Being the aspirant has to proceed. When we shall be fully Prepared for
the realization of the Godhead of Indra, the obscure and</p>

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<span
style='font-size:10.0pt;'>Page-105<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><span class=GramE>impure</span>
forces of ignorance cannot keep us enchained in the lower regions. They themselves
will then open the new vistas for a higher journey and declare, &quot;You have
conquered us. Now go up, march onward, <span class=GramE>conquer</span> all the
forces that are challenging you from the higher regions.&quot; Even obstacles
are necessary and useful. We become stronger when we meet with oppositions in
our life. The foundation gets firm only after it has weathered some storms.
When we are established in the quiet foundation of Indra, the powers that help
the aspirant - the <span class=SpellE>vigour</span> behind his spiritual
endeavour and power of action - will be able to make us the possessors of the
highest good and perfect bliss.</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:11.0pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><span
class=GramE>In the three successive <span class=SpellE>riks</span> of the third
group the forces by which all obstacles in our journey are removed have been
described. <span class=SpellE>Vritra</span> is only a name for the
obstacles in one's spiritual practice. <span class=SpellE>Vritra</span> means
the coverer (derived from the root <span class=SpellE><i>vr</i></span><i>) </i>who
keeps an aspirant in darkness. These blind forces of the lower plane do not
allow the <span class=SpellE>liglit</span> of knowledge to dawn on the
aspirant. Drinking the nectar of <i>soma </i>(delight) Indra kills <span
class=SpellE>Vritra</span>, <i>i.e., </i>the forces of pure intelligence become
fiery, as well as acute and sharp, with the pure and intense <span
class=SpellE>Ananda</span> by which is expelled the darkness of ignorance. The
aspirant gets strength to fight against the attraction of the <span
class=SpellE>unregenerated</span> nature and to climb up and move in the higher
regions. His conscious being gets intoxicated with the nectar of delight, <span
class=SpellE>armoured</span> with a hundred powers. He surmounts all the
obstacles of the spiritual adventure and makes the aspirant firmly established in
all the accomplishments of perfection.</span></p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;text-indent:11.0pt;line-height:
150%;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>In
the last <span class=SpellE>rik</span> the nature of the divine mental being is
described: In this divine mental being the vast delight of the Infinite has
descended and with the help of its inspira­tion the aspirant goes on safely and
securely from one level to another, from one shore to another and. climbs up
from the <span class=SpellE>unregenerated</span> lower nature to the divine
status.</p>

<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>In the present hymn we can
notice one <span class=SpellE>speciality</span> of Vedic<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:150%;
mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'>
<span
style='font-size:10.0pt;'>Page-106<o:p></o:p></span></p>

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<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify;line-height:150%;mso-pagination:
none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none; margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0'><span class=GramE>discipline</span>.
Vedic discipline was not something personal and individual. It was essentially
collective, <i>i.e., </i>for the community as a whole. That is why we often
hear an aspirant of the Vedas calling his friends to assemble in spiritual
practice and bring down the divine force with a collective effort. The
collective life flourished in those days with the help of companions and
helpers in sadhana. The gods too were companions and helpers in the spiritual
endeavour. Hence they were addressed as friends.<o:p>&nbsp;</o:p></p>

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	<span
style='font-size:10.0pt;'>Page-107<o:p></o:p></span>&nbsp;</p>

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