| Intorduction
The highest ideal is, therefore, according to a
beautiful song in the Sama Veda, for man to surmount the four great Setus or bunds by
developing to perfection the corresponding four qualities. The four Setus mentioned are
adaana or selfish aggrandizement, krodha or anger, ashraddha or want of faith and untruth.
The Indian sage requires that man should conquer anger by akrodha or tranquillity,
selfishness by charity, want of faith by abiding faith, untruth by truth.
If the individual has attained the stage when he can say of
himself that he has surmounted all these four Setus he is a relished soul or Jeevanmukta,
even during his life on earth. This is the Sama song that the Jeevanmukta sings to which
the Taittiriya Upanishad makes reference. In his commentary Vidyaranya makes it clear that
it is the Setu Sama song that should be sung. Sri Sankaracharya also beautifully stresses
the crossing of the four Setus in his "Sata sloki" 19th sloka. "It is the
four Setus that make for bondage and the crossing, of these four enables one to attain
immortality and eternal happiness". |
