पण्डित श्री आशाधरजी कौ दृष्टि में 'अध्यात्म-योग-विद्या'
By डॉ. राजेन्द्रकुमार बंसल
Summary
Based solely on the provided text, this document is a scholarly analysis of Pandit Shri Ashadhara Ji's work, "Adhyatma-Rahasya" (The Secret of Spirituality), which is described as the eighteenth chapter of his larger work, "Dharmamrita." The text explains that "Adhyatma-Rahasya" is a unique contribution to Jain literature, focusing on the path from the soul (atma) to the supreme soul (paramatma) through spiritual yoga. The work consists of 72 Sanskrit verses and is also known as "Yogoddeepana" (Illuminating Yoga). The analysis details the philosophical foundations of the text, which are based on the works of Acharyas like Kundakunda and Pujyapada. It outlines the three states of the soul: the external soul (bahiratma), the inner soul (antaratma), and the supreme soul (paramatma), which Pandit Ashadhara Ji refers to as swaatma, shuddhaswaatma, and parabrahma, respectively. The text describes the four stages of spiritual practice: shruti (hearing the guru's words), mati (intellect), dhyati (meditative intellect), and drishti (divine vision). It explains that the goal of this spiritual practice is to achieve liberation (moksha) by cutting the root of ignorance (avidya) through right knowledge and equanimity. The document emphasizes the importance of the three jewels (ratnatraya) of right faith, right knowledge, and right conduct, which are the path to liberation. It distinguishes between the practical (vyavahara) and the absolute (nishchaya) aspects of these three jewels. The text also describes the nature of the soul, the causes of karmic bondage, and the practices for spiritual purification, including the cultivation of a sense of non-doership and non-enjoyership.
Conclusion
This analysis reveals that Pandit Ashādhara’s *Adhyātma-Rahasya* is not merely a textual commentary but a structured soteriological manual, systematically guiding the aspirant from the state of *bahirātma* (external self) to *paramātma* (supreme self) through a defined four-stage yogic progression of *śruti*, *mati*, *dhyāti*, and *dṛṣṭi*. The document’s core implication is the reconciliation of *vyavahāra* (conventional) and *niścaya* (absolute) perspectives within Jain spirituality, asserting that both are sequentially necessary for complete self-realization. By framing *ratnatraya* (three jewels) as both a path and the very nature of the purified self, the text offers a practical, non-dual methodology for liberation that remains grounded in canonical authority. The outcome is a sophisticated synthesis where intellectual understanding, meditative