- By non-attachment even to that, on the very seed of bondage being de-
stroyed, follows Kaivalya.
When Omniscience and Omnipotence have developed as a result of awareness
of the subtle distinction between the Purusa and Sattva the Yogi has gone out of the
sphere of Prakrti, but if there is attachment to these transcendent powers which can be
exercised only in the realm of Prakrti he is still dependent upon Prakrti in a way and
therefore subservient to her. Mastery over a thing does not necessarily mean independ-
ence from that thing and as long as there is dependence there is bondage. A man who
loves a woman can have her completely in his power and yet be a slave to her. In this
case it is the attachment to her which is the cause of his bondage and unless this at-
tachment is destroyed he is not free and, therefore, his power over her is limited. In the
same way, Omnipotence and Omniscience mean mastery over Prakrti but unless the
Yogi’s attachment to these is destroyed he is dependent upon her and therefore not
quite free. And since Kaivalya is a state of complete freedom it can be attained only
after this kind of attachment has been destroyed by Vairagya. The Yogi must not have
the slightest attachment or attraction for these powers even though he may have to ex-
ercise them.
It is obvious, therefore, that the journey towards Kaivalya is a process of attain-
ing higher and higher states of knowledge and power and then discarding them in turn
for the ultimate goal. Attachment to any state, however high it may be, means not only
stoppage of further progress but also the possibility of falling headlong from the dizzy
height which has been reached. The traveller must press forward relentlessly until the
final goal is reached and he is free from this danger.