Act VI (Summary)

Dramatis Personae.

Jīva–The king
Vijñāna Śarmā–Minister
Parameśvara–Lord Śiva
Parameśvarī–Goddess Pārvatī
Kāla–Behind the curtain.

Scene: Jīva’s Palace

In this final Act, after the enemies are destroyed, the happy and satisfied hero is seen conversing with his ministers about the war and the various medicines, with which the entire -army of diseases was destroyed.—

After giving a detailed account of the war, the able minister adds that since Matsara was giving advice into the ears of Yakṣmā in the battle-field, there should be some more powerful incurable diseases with Yakṣmā which he would be using to attack Jīva's team. Hence, he advises king Jīva that he should sincerely retain goddess Bhakti in his inner-most part of the heart, and pray to her to grace him with the vision of lord Śiva now. Then only it would be possible to eradicate the warriors of the inimical team who are very difficult to conquer.

The king readily agrees to follow this advice and meditates upon lord Śiva with deep concentration. Immediately, Vijñāna Śarmā is able to perceive the external symptoms of the Lord’s manifestation. He sees that the world is surrounded by the Pramatha-gaṇas and infers the arrival of lord Śiva on that spot. Having come out of his deep meditation, the king listens to the hailing sounds of the Pramatha-gaṇas with their drum-beats. Vijñāna Śarmā notices that Jīva has come out of his trance; he informs him of the presence of lord Śiva on the earth.

Note 1: Through this speech, the author describes the arrival of lord Śiva with all his paraphernalia and also his retinue.

Note 2: Through the dialogues of Jīva and Vijñāna Śarmā the play-wright narrates the different līlas of the Lord as told by the Epics and Purāṇas–Arjuna procuring Pāśupata weapon; king Bhagīratha bringing the celestial river to the earth; the episode of Dakṣayajña and so on.

That great Lord is now descending with goddess Pārvatī and all their retinue to bestow his grace on king Jīva. He is seen in the sky engaged in conversation with Pārvatī. As the Lord approaches, both the king and the minister pay obeisance to him with prayers. Śiva is extolled as the Supreme and as the personification sat-cit-sukha; When the Lord blesses Jīva saying that all his desires may fructify, the king extols the Lord by enumerating the various exploits of the Lord.

The king also prays to the goddess who is ever compassionate towards her devotees.

Hearing Jivā's heartfelt prayers, the goddess requests the Lord to fulfill his wish to which the Lord replies that Jivā's greatest desire of winning over Yakṣmā is already partly fulfilled. However, as Yakṣmā is preparing for the final attack, Lord Śiva feels that he should enlighten Jīva with the Yogic practice, by which he would reach the Brahmarandhra from wherein he would obtain the nectar that would always keep him healthy; he would also realise the impermanency of worldly pleasures and thus enjoy the Supreme Bliss of a fully enlightened soul.

Note: From now onwards the conversation is carried out by four persons–lord Śiva, goddess Pārvatī, king Jīva and the minister. The author through the mouth of lord Śiva, the Yogeśvara, explains the Philosophy of Yoga.

Yoga is the complete control of the mental attitude. The inner mind is known as citta; through the sense organs (karmendriyas), the mind obtains knowledge of the external world. The citta through jñanendriyas involves in internal activities. The total control over all these internal and external activities of the mind, leads to cittavṛtti nirodha. That can be obtained only by very firm, determined and constant practice.

The mental state where the meditated matter would be present alive before the eyes of the person, who practices this Yoga, is known as siddhi.

Now, the minister places a request before the Lord saying that such a siddhi would need a long period of perfect and systematic observation of Yogic practice. But, since Yakṣmā must be conquered immediately, the ultimate success in this Yogic practice may be bestowed on Jīva by the Lord's grace. Jīva also prays to the Lord to bless him with Ultimate success.

The merciful Goddess, also recommends to the Lord to grace the hero immediately to beget the benefits of Yogic power. Accordingly, the Lord grants complete Yogic power to Jīva. King Jīva experiences the enlightenment known as Ṛtambharā-jñāna.

On witnessing this Grace of the Lord on Jīva, Vijñāna Śarmā feels that they have indeed been highly blessed in every way, as Jīva has now received the entire Yogic powers.

When the hero receives this highest level of happiness, he declares that in this Yogic fire, which is full of strong and deep meditation, ignited by the Lord's unlimited mercy, all his worldly activities have been poured into as oblations. Hence, Jīva is now a really satisfied person and has become filled with the highest Bliss.

The Lord acknowledges to his Devī that from that moment when Jīva received His Grace, he would stay away from all the worldly activities and the dawn of the highest stage of deep meditation has set in him. The Lord also advises Jīva about his two powerful allies, in the form of his ministers, Jñāna and Vijñāna. Both are important for Jīva and he cannot have either of them separately. While Vijñāna is essential for obtaining the worldly desires, Jñāna is imperative for guiding Jīva in obtaining liberation. He advises Jīva to have them both with him and treat them alike. This would enable Jīva to have enjoyment in this world and liberation from this world.

At this moment a voice behind the curtain, identified as that of Kāla, is heard declaring that when king Jīva obtained the benefits of all Yogic powers bestowed upon him by lord Śiva, the sinful Rajayakṣmā, his wife Viṣūci and his invincible soldiers (diseases) like Gada and others have perished.

The voice also states that by the desire of lord Īśāna, and with steadfast śivabhakti all the four puruṣārthas have been obtained by Jīva.

On hearing these words, Jīva exclaims that, he has definitely been enlightened by the grace of the Lord.

Vijñāna Śarmā prays to the Lord that Jīva by the grace of the Almighty, be free from all of the diseases and sufferings and be with the detached mental attitude.

Lord Śiva and goddess Pārvatī together grant this request. Jīva, extremely happy being, thanks his minister Vijñāna Śarmā saying that the birth of a human being, itself is a fault; that even if it is full of mental and physical diseases, there will be more agony which again is a greater sin. But the care and the highest intellectual guidance, shown by Vijñāna Śarmā had helped him (Jīva) to cross the hurdles. Similarly the grace received from goddess Śivabhakti has enabled him to visualize the Universal parents in person.

Lord Parameśvara further asks the hero, Jīva, if there are any more wishes to be fulfilled.

Rejoicing, king Jīvarāja humbly tells the Lord that by the grace of the Lord, all his enemies have been quelled; his city (body) has become very healthy; he has had the darśana of the Lord with the Devī. He has had the fortune to be taught the Yogic lessons personally by the Lord Himself because of which he has now become a fully liberated Soul. He does not need anything further.

The play-wright now concludes the play traditionally with the Bharatavākya uttered by the hero with the prayer that the clouds should shower on time; mother earth should bear fruits as desired; the kings should rule their kingdoms on the proper advice of efficient ministers; the poets, shall say only the best and play-wright (Ānandarāya Makhin) shall have long and healthy life with dedicated devotion of lord Śiva.

Note: This final Act has a total of 38 verses.