VARIETIES OF PERFECT MEN

THE MAN OF DIVINE REALISATION

[Varieties of perfect men—At the advent of the Divine in the heart—Some characteristics of spiritual perfection —Non-attachment of the perfect man—Perfect man transcends good and evil, but never does evil—Perfect man and work]

People do not see that science deals only with conditioned knowledge. It brings no message from the land of the Unconditioned. Such message has been brought by holy men who have seen and realised God, like the Rishis of old. It is they alone that are competent to say, ' God is of this nature.

There are five kinds of Siddhas (perfect men) found in the world. They are: (1) The Svapna-siddhas, or those who attain perfection by means of dream-inspiration. (2) The Mantra-siddhas, or those who attain perfection by means of a Mantra or sacred name' of God. (3) The Hathat-siddhas, or those who attain perfection suddenly, like a poor man who at once becomes rich by finding a hidden treasure or by marrying a rich wife. Similarly, many who are sinful somehow become pure all of a sudden and enter the Kingdom of Heaven. (4) The Kripa-siddhas, or those who attain perfection through the grace of God. As a man in clearing a forest may discover some ancient tank or house and himself need not construct one with pain and trouble, so some fortunately become perfect with very little effort on their own part. (5) The Nitya-siddhas, or those who are ever perfect. As the vine of a gourd or pumpkin brings forth first its fruit and then its flower, so the ever perfect soul is born a Siddha, and all his seeding exertions after perfection are merely for the sake of setting an example to humanity.

The perfect man among the Saktas is called Kaula; among the Vedantins, Paramahamsa; among the Vaishnavas of the Baul sect, Sayin.

There are some who would wipe their lips clean after eating a mango lest others should know of it; but there are also those who, if they get a mango, would call others and share it with them. So there are some who, having realised the Divine bliss themselves, cannot rest without helping others also realise it.