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LESSON XIII
SELF-STUDY (Svadhyayashilata)
Background:
Self-study is a basic necessity in various stages of spiritual sadhana. It is incomparable and indispensible. It yields immediate reward and is considered to be the very guide of all the other means. All the preceptors of various schools of philosophy in the world have accepted its unique importance. Each one of them has given it its due place in the methods of Sadhana propounded by them.
Looking from the absolute point of view, the fruit of indulgence in self-study is self-realisation. For really acquiring such a state of self-study, association of a self-realised soul or following his spiri. tual instructions is necessary. Three stages can be considered in the development of the sadhana of self-study.
(1) Obtaining leisure through retirement, (2) Acquisition of a state of scriptural study, (3) Attainment of the supreme state of self-study,
by continuously practising the contemplation of the acquired
knowledge. In the first stage, the Sadhaka requires contact of the noble and learned. If his mind gets firm in the conviction that he wants to indulge in self-study, he will, on his own, spare an hour or two from his busy worldly life from business or service or domestic work. He should then put his efforts in the acquirement of knowledge in his spare time, and gradually go on getting more and more leisure by taking resort to secluded life and create more and more interest in advancing his scriptural studies.
In the second stage, the emphasis is on the study of good shastras', i. e. those that lead to higher spiritual knowledge. If one studies the 'shastras' in proper order stage by stage, as laid down by the experienced and the learned, greater benefit will be obtained. During the course of this study, one can constantly or occasionally stay in a Gurukula (An abode of Guru). He can also strengthen his
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