Chapter 12, Verse 5

Worshippers of the Saguna (alified) and the Nirguna (unalified) Brahman reach the same goal. But the latter path is very hard and arduous, because the aspirant has to give up attachment to the body from the very beginning of his spiritual practice. The embodied Those who identify themselves with their bodies. Identification with the body is Dehabhimana. The imperishable Brahman is very hard to reach for those who are attached to their bodies. Further, it is extremely difficult to fix the resltess mind on the formless and attributeless Brahman. Contemplation on the imperishable, attributeless Brahman demands a very sharp, onepointed and subtle intellect. The Upanishad says Drisyate tu agraya buddhya sukshmaya sukshmadarsibhih -- It is seen by subtle seers through their subtle intellect. He who meditates on the unmanifested should possess the four means. Then he will have to approach a Guru who is well versed in the scriptures and who is also established in Brahman. He will have to hear the Truth from him, then reflect and meditate on It. He who realises the Nirguna (attributeless) Brahman attains eternal bliss or Selfrealisation or Kaivalya (Moksha) which is preceded by the destruction of ignorance with its effects. He who realises the Saguna Brahman (Brahman with attributes) goes to Brahmaloka and enjoys all the wealth and powers of the Lord. He then gets initiation into the mysteries of the Absolute from Hiranyagarbha and without any effort and without the practice of hearing, reflection and meditation attains, through the grace of the Lord alone, the same state as attained by those who have realised the Nirguna Brahman. Through the knowledge of the Self, ignorance and its effects,are destroyed in the case of the worshippers of the Saguna Brahman also.