gross body from life, is a mere snap of common string in comparison to this gigantic and complete severance for good of each and every connection with the whole of the individual and universal existence of mind and matter. As a result of the ordinary physical death, although the subtle body (Astitwa) and Life (Jiva) do get separated from the gross body completely, the connection of the mind is closely maintained with the corpse for the first three days after death, and slight connection goes on for seven days more; but here, in the final Fana, there is no question of the separation between the body and the mind. Fana, as has already been said, means the permanent annihilation of all sanskaras, ego and the mind, as a result of which what remains of the pilgrim is the Spiritual Vacuum, the "Conscious Nothingness," until the second Journey is completed and thereby the Real Baka, or Godhood, is attained. This is the real death, the death after which there is no more death, the death which is the first and the last, and as such, to be undergone only once; and it is the death which is unfailingly followed by the ever-permanent changeless, birthless, deathless, and fully superconscious life of "I am God," the true manifestation of the Real I.

With the achievement of this Baka, the second Journey ends. The Soul (Atman) of the person now becomes completely identified with God. It becomes entirely disassociated with the mind and the subtle and gross bodies (though they apparently exist for the person concerned in the eyes of others) and the whole universe. In this highest divine state nothing but supreme infinite existence is left for him. He is God, conscious God, continually experiencing eternal, infinite Bliss, and nothing else exists for him. The mind and body (already disconnected with the Soul) of most of the few who reach this goal fall away after a few days. A few of such divine personalities retain their mind and body, but are not conscious of them. Still fewer return to the normal plane with complete mental, subtle and gross consciousness, and complete the third Journey.

The latter, the Godmen, Sadgurus or Qutubs,have a universal mind, and their mental body works in unlimited areas, i.e., everywhere in the universe. They are present in every finite mind, and as their mental body (Mahakaran Shair) is universal, they can respond to the call of every finite mind, and render the necessary help. But though they are universally connected with all, they are not aloof for even one moment from experiencing the Eternal Sat-Chit-Ananda state of God-consciousness. Without a break, they enjoy the Majzoob state. They are beyond all, and yet in all, and with all. They give advancement to souls from the gross to the subtle, from the mental to the divine, and even directly from the gross to the divine, if they so wish. And besides individual advancement, they give a general push to the whole universe too.