The Yoga-Vasishtha Maharamayana of Valmiki, vol. 3 (of 4) part 2 (of 2)-18

5. Thus enrapt in their conscious presence of God, they are

unconscious of any other thought in their minds; though when

employed in the acts of life, remain without the respiration

of their vital breath.

6. They sit quiet as figures in a painting, without respiration

of their breath, and remain as silent as sculptured statues,

without the action of their minds. (They forget themselves

to stones in their excess of devotion).

7. They remain in their state of holy rapture, without the

employment of their minds in their fleeting thoughts, and whenever[Pg 278]

they have any agitation they can effect anything, as the

Lord God works all things at the slightest nod.

8. Even when their minds are employed in meditative

thoughts, they are usually attended with a charming gladness,

like that of the charming moonbeams falling on and gladding

the leafy branches of trees.

9. The soul is as enraptured with the view of the holy light

of God, as the mind is delighted at the sight of the cooling

moonbeams, emitted afar from the lunar disc. (The gloss explains

the distant moonlight to be less dazzling than the bright

disc of that luminary).

10. The aspect of pure conscience is as clear, as the fair

face of the bright moon; it is neither visible nor in need of

admonition, nor is it too near nor far from us. (The gloss

is silent on the inappropriateness of the simile).

11. It is by one's self cogitation alone that the pure intellect

can be known, and not by the bodily organs, or living spirit

or mind, or by our desire of knowing it.

12. It is not the living soul nor its consciousness, nor the

vibrations of the body, mind, or breath. It is not the world

nor its reality or unreality, or its vacuity or solidity, or the

centre of any thing.

13. It is not time or space or any substance at all, nor is it

a god or any other being, whatever is quite free from all these

and unconfined in the heart or any of the sheaths inside the

body.

14. That is called the soul in which all things are moving,

and which is neither the beginning nor end of any thing, but

exists from eternity to eternity, and is not characterised by any

of the elementary bodies of air and the rest.

15. The soul is an entity that is never annihilated in this

or the next world, though the sentient bodies may be born and

die away a thousand times like earthen pots here below.

16. There is no removal of this vacuous spirit from its seat,

both in the inside and outside of every body; for know, O

thou best of spiritualists, all bodies to be equally situated in

the all pervading spirit.

[Pg 279]

17. It is the imperfection of our understanding, that creates

the difference between the spirit and the body; but it shows

the perfection of our judgement, when we believe the universal

soul, to be diffused throughout the universe.

18. Though warmly engaged in business, yet remain unaddicted

to worldliness by your indifference to the world, and

to all moving and unmoving things that there exists on earth.

19. Know all those as the great Brahma—the immaculate

soul, that is without the properties and attributes of mortal

beings; it is without change and beginning and end, and is

always tranquil and in the same state.

20. Now Ráma! as you have known by your spiritual

vision (clairvoyance), all things including time and action,

and all causality, causation and its effect, together with the

production, sustentation and dissolution of all, to be composed

of the spirit of God, you are freed from your wanderings in the

world in your bodily form.

[Pg 280]

CHAPTER XXXXIX.

Contemplation of the course of the World.

Argument.—Consideration of the changes in the state of things; and

their origination from Ignorance and extinction in the true knowledge

of their nature.

RÁMA said:—Sir, if there is no change in the immutable

spirit of God; say how do these various changes constantly

appear to occur in the state of things in this world.

(Because it is the change of cause that produces a change in the

effect, as also a change in the state of any thing, argues a change

in its cause likewise).

2. Vasishtha replied:—Hear Ráma! that it is the alteration

of a thing that does not revert to its former state, that is called

its change, as it occurs in the instance of milk, and its conversion

to curd and butter, which never become the pure milk again.

3. The milk is converted to curd, but the curd never reverts

to its former state of milk, such is the nature of change in the

state of things; but it can never affect the great God, who

remains alike all along the first, intermediate and last states of

things.

4. There is no such change as that of milk or any other

things in the immutable Brahma, who having no beginning nor

end, can neither have any age or stage of life assigned to him.

(i.e. The Infinite God is neither young nor old as any finite

being).

5. The states of beginning and end which are attributed to

eternal God, are the false imputations of ignorance and error,

as there can be no change of changeless one. (To say therefore

that God is the first and last, the alpha and omega of all, means

that the beginning and end of all things, are comprised in his

everlasting existence).

6. Brahma is not our consciousness, nor the object of our[Pg 281]

consciousness. He is as unconnected with us as our soul and

intellect, and is only known to us by the word.

7. A thing is said to be the same, with what it is in the

beginning and end; the difference that takes place in the form

is only a mist of error, and is taken into no account by the wise.

(The identity of a thing consists in its unalterable part).

8. It is the soul only that remains self same with itself,

both in the beginning, middle and end of it, and in all places

and times, and never changes with the change of the body or

mind and therefore forms the identity of the person.

9. The soul which is formless and self-same with itself,

forms the personality and individuality of a being, and because

it is not subject to any modality or mutation at any time, it

constitutes the essential identity of every body.

10. Ráma rejoined:—If the divine soul is always the same

and perfectly pure in itself, when proceeds our error of its changeableness,

and what is the cause of the avidyá or ignorance that

shows these changes unto us?

11. Vasishtha replied:—The category of Brahma implies

that, He is all what is, what was, and what will be in future;

that He is without change and without beginning and end, and

there is no avidyá ignorance in him.

12. The signification that is meant to be expressed by the

significant term Brahma, does not include any other thing as

what is inexistent, or the negative idea of ignorance under it

(i.e. God is what is and not what is not).

13. Thyself and myself, this earth and sky, the world and

all its sides, together with the elementary of fire and others, are

all the everlasting and infinite Brahma, and there is not the

least misunderstanding in it.

14. Avidyá or Ignorance is a mere name and Error, and is but

another word for unreality; nor can you Ráma, ever call that a

reality, which is never existent of itself. (The words ignorance

and error are both of them but negative terms).

15. Ráma said:—Why sir, you have said yourself of

Ignorance in the chapter on Upasama or Tranquillity, and told

me to know all these as products of error.

[Pg 282]

16. Vasishtha answered:—Ráma! you had been all this

time immerged in your ignorance, and have at last come to your

right understanding by your own reasoning.

17. It is the practice of glossologists and men of letters,

to adopt the use of the word ignorance, living soul and the

like, for awakening the unenlightened to their enlightenment

only.

18. So long as the mind is not awakened to the knowledge

of truth, it remains in the darkness of error for ever; and is not

to its right understanding; even by its traversing a hundred

miles.

19. When the living soul is awakened to its right sense by

the force of reason, it learns to unite itself to the supreme soul,

but being led without the guidance of reason, it is successful in

nothing with all its endeavours.

20. He who tells the unenlightened vile man, that all this

world is the great Brahma himself, does no more than communicate

his sorrows to the headless trunk of a tree. (A lecture to

the listless man, is not listened to).

21. The fool is brought to sense by reasoning, and the

wise man knows the truth from the nature of the subject;

but the ignorant never learn wisdom, without the persuasion

of reason. (The wise learn by intuition, but the unwise by

no instruction).

22. You had been unwise so long as you depended on

your own reasoning (judgment); but being guided by me,

you are now awakened to truth. (No body is wise of his own

conceit without the guidance of his preceptor).

23. That I am Brahma, thou art Brahma, and so the

visible world is Brahma himself; know this truth and naught

otherwise, and do as you please. (All inventions and imaginations

of Him are false).

24. Inconceivable is the conception of God, and the visible

world is all that is known of him; know him as one, and the

infinite, and you will not be misled into error.

25. Ráma, think in yourself whether when you are

sitting or walking, or waking or sleeping, that you are this[Pg 283]

supreme spirit, which is of the form of light and intelligence,

and pervades all things.

26. Ráma! if you are without your egoism and meity or

selfishness, and if you are intelligent and honest, then be as

oecumenical and tranquil as Brahma himself, who is equally

situated in all things.

27. Know your self as the pure consciousness, which is

situated as one in all; which is without beginning and end,

and is the essence of light and the most transcendent of all

being.

28. What you call, Brahma the universal soul and the

fourth or transcendent state; know the same to be materia

or matter and natura or nature also. It is the inseparable one in

all, as the mud is the essential substance of a thousand water

pots.

29. Nature is not different from the nature of the soul, as

the clay is no other than the pot itself; the Divine essence

is as the intrinsic clay, and the divine spirit extends as the

inward matter of all things.

30. The soul has its pulsation like the whirling of the

whirlpool, and this is termed Prakriti force or matter, which is

no other than an effort of the spirit.

31. As pulsation and ventilation, mean the same thing under

different names; so the soul and nature express the same substance,

which are not different in their essence.

32. It is mere ignorance which makes their difference, and

which is removed by their knowledge; as it is sheer ignorance

which represents a snake in the rope, and which is soon removed

by knowledge of their nature.

33. As the seed of imagination falls in the field of the intellect,

it shoots forth in the sprout of the mind, which becomes

the germ of the wide spreading arbor of the universe.

34. The seed of false imagination (of avidyá or personified

Ignorance), being scorched by the flames of spiritual knowledge;

will be able to vegetate no more, though it is sprinkled

with the water of fond desire. (i.e. Fancy is fed by desire, but

fly away at the appearance of reason).

[Pg 284]

35. If you do not sow the seed of imagination in the soil

of your intellect, you will stop the germination of the plants

of pain and pleasure in the field of your mind. (Pain and pleasure

are imaginary ideas and not really so in their nature).

36. Ráma! as you have come to know the truth, you must

forsake your false conception of such a thing as ignorance or

error existing in the world; and know that there is no duality in

the unity of God. Being thus full with the knowledge of one

supreme soul, you must repudiate your ideas of pain and pleasure

in anything here below. Pain turns to pleasure, and pleasure

to pain, know them both as unreal, as they are vain.

[Pg 285]

CHAPTER L.

On sensations and the objects of senses.

Argument.—The production of the eight signs or senses in the vital

soul, and their development into the External organs for the perception

of outward objects.

RÁMA said:—Sir, I have known whatever is to be known,

and seen all that is to be seen; I am filled with the

ambrosial draught of divine knowledge, which you have kindly

imparted to me.

2. I see the world full with the fulness of Brahma, I know the

plenitude of God that has produced this plenary creation; it is

the fulness of God that fills the universe, and all its amplitude

depends on the plenum of the all pervading Deity.

3. It is now with much fondness that I like to propose to

you another question, for the improvement of my understanding;

and hope you will not be enraged at it, but communicate to me

the instruction as a kind father does to his fondling boy.

4. We see the organs of sense, as the ears, nose, eyes, mouth

and touch, existing alike in all animals (whether when they are

alive or dead).

5. Why is it then that the dead do not perceive the objects

of their sense, as well as the living who know the objects in

their right manner?

6. How is it that the dull organs perceive the outward

objects, as a pot and other objects of sense which are imperceptible

to the inward heart, notwithstanding its natural sensibility

and sensitiveness.

7. The relation between outward objects and the organs, is

as that of the magnet and iron, which attract one another without

their coming in contact together. But how is it that the

small cavities of the organs could let into the mind such prodigious

objects that surround us on all sides.

[Pg 286]

8. If you well know these secrets of nature, then please to

communicate them to me in a hundred ways, in order to satisfy

my curiosity regarding them.

9. Vasishtha answered—Now Ráma, I tell you in short,

that neither the organs nor the heart and mind, nor the pots

and pictures, are the things in reality; because it is impossible

for any thing to exist apart and independent of the pure and

intelligent spirit of God.

10. The Divine Intellect which is purer than air, takes the

form of the mind by itself; which then assumes its elemental

form of the organic body, and exhibits all things agreeably to

the ideas which are engraven in the mind.

11. The same elements being afterwards stretched out into

matter or máyá and nature or prakriti, exhibit the whole

universe as its ensemble, and the organs and their objects as its

parts. (This passage rests on the authority of the sruti which

says—[Sanskrit: máyántu prakritim vidyánamáyinantu maheshvaram | ashábayavabhutestu váptamsarvva

midamjagat]).

12. The mind which takes the elemental form of its own

nature, reflects itself in all the parts of nature in the forms of

pots and all the rest of things. (It is repeatedly said that the

mind is the maker of all things by reminiscence of the past).

13. Ráma rejoined—Tell me sir, what is the form of that

elementary body, which reflects itself in a thousand shapes on

the face of the puryastaka or elemental world, as it were on

the surface of a mirror.

14. Vasishtha replied—This elementary body which is the

seed of the world, is the undecaying Brahma, who is without

beginning and end, and of the form of pure light and intellect,

and devoid of parts and attributes.

15. The same being disposed to its desires, becomes the

living soul; and this being desirous of collecting all its desires

and the parts of the body together, becomes the palpitating

heart in the midst of it. (The word heart hrid is derived from

its harana or receiving the blood and all bodily sensations into

it; it, is called the chitta also, from its chinoti or collecting and

distributing these in itself and to all parts of the body).

[Pg 287]

16. It becomes the ego from its thought of its egoism,

and is called the mind from its minding—manana of many

things in itself; it takes the name of buddhi or understanding

from its bodha or understanding and ascertainment of things,

and that of sense also from its sensation of external objects.

17. It thinks of taking a body and becomes the very body,

as a potter having the idea of a pot forms it in the same manner.

Such being the nature of the soul of being and doing all

what it likes, it is thence styled the puryashtaka or manifest

in its said eight different forms.

18. The Intellect is also called the puryashtaka or octuple

soul, from its presiding over the eight fold functions of a

person; as those of perception, action and passion and inspection

or witnessing of all things and the like; as also from its

inward consciousness and the power of vitality. (The gloss

gives the following explanations of these words, viz.—Perception

of what is derived by the organs of sense. Action of what

is done by the organs of action [Sanskrit: karmendriya]. Passion or the

feelings of pleasure or pain that is so derived. Inspection or

the silent witnessing of all things by the isolated soul. And

so on).

19. The living soul takes upon it different forms at different

times, according as it is employed in any one of these octuple

functions; and also as it is actuated by the various desires, that

rise in it by turns.

20. The octuple nature of the soul causes it to put forth

itself, in the same form, as it is led to by its varying desire

at any time; in the same manner as a seed shoots forth in

its leaves, according to the quantity of water with which it is

watered.

21. The soul forgets its intellectual nature, and thinks it's a

mortal and material being, embodied in the form of a living

creature or some inanimate being, and ever remains insensible

of itself under the influence of its erroneous belief.

22. Thus the living soul wanders about in the world, as it is

dragged to and fro by the halter of desire tied about its neck;[Pg 288]

now it soars high and then it plunges below like a plank,

rising up and sinking below the waves and currents of the sea.

23. There is some one, who after being released from his

imprisonment in this world, comes to know the supreme soul,

and attains to that state which has neither its beginning nor end.

24. There are others also, who being weary and worried

by their transmigrations in multitudinous births, come after

the lapse of a long period to their knowledge of the soul, and

obtain thereby their state of final bliss at last.

25. It is in this manner, O intelligent Ráma, that the living

soul passes through many bodily forms, and you shall hear now,

how it comes to perceive the outward objects of the pots &c.

by means of the external organs of perception—the vision and

others.

26. After the intellect has taken the form of the living soul,

and the same has received its vitality; the action of the heart

sends its feelings to the mind, which forms the sixth organ of

the body.

27. As the living soul passes into the air, through the organs

of the body it comes in contact with the external objects of the

senses; and then joining with the intellect it perceives the

external sensations within itself. (The gloss says—The organs of

sense like canals of water, carry the sensations to the seat of

the mind).

28. It is the union of the living soul with the outward objects,

that causes and carries the sensations to the mind; but

the soul being defunct and the mind being dormant, there is

no more any perception of the externals.

29. Whatever outward object which is set in the open air,

casts its reflexion on the subtile senses of living beings, the same

comes intact with the living soul which feels the sensation; but

the soul being departed, the dead body has neither its life nor

feeling of aught in existence.

30. When the form of the outward object, comes in contact

with the gemming eye sight of a person; it casts its picture on

the same, which is instantly conveyed to the inward soul.

[Pg 289]

31. The image that is cast on the retina of the eye, is reflected

thence to the clearer mirror of the soul, which perceives

it by contact with the same; and it is thus that outer things

come to the knowledge of the living soul.

32. Even babes can know whatever comes in taction with

them, and so do brutes and vegetables have the power of feeling

the objects of their touch; how then is it possible for the sensuous

soul to be ignorant of its tangible objects?

33. The clear rays of the eyesight which surround the soul,

present to it the pictures of visible objects which they bear in

their bosom, and whereby the soul comes to know him.

34. There is the same relation of sensuous contact, between

the perceptive soul and the perceptible objects of the other

senses also; the taste, smell, sound, the touch of things, are all

the effects of their contact with the soul.

35. The sound remaining in its receptacle of the air, passes

in a moment in the cavity of the ear; and thence entering into

the hollow space of the soul, gives it the sensation of its

nature.

36. Ráma said:—I see that the reflexions of things are cast in

the mirror of the mind, like the images of things carved on wooden

tablets and slabs of stone; but tell me sir, how the reflexion of

the image of God is cast on the mirror of the mind.

37. Vasishtha replied:—know, O best of gnostics that know

the knowable, that the gross images of the universal and particular

souls, which are reflected in the mirror of the mind, are as

false as the images of God and deities which are carved in

stones and wood.

38. Never rely, O Ráma, in the substantiality of this false

world; know it as a great vortex of whirling waters, and ourselves

as the waves rolling upon it.

39. There is no limitation of space or time or any action, in

the boundless ocean of the infinity and eternity of the Deity;

and you must know your soul to be identic with the Supreme,

which is ubiquitous and omnipresent.

[Pg 290]

40. Remain always with a calm and quiet mind, unaddicted

to anything in this world; know the vanity of worldly pleasures

and pains, and go on with a contented mind where ever you will.

Preserve your equality, and commit yourself to an indifferent

apathy to every thing.

[Pg 291]

CHAPTER LI.

On the Perception of the sensible objects.

Argument.—Erroneous Belief in the Reality of the Body and Mind;

instead of believing the unity and Entity of Brahma as All in All.

VASISHTHA resumed:—Ráma, you have heard me relate

unto you that, even the lotus-born Brahmá who was born

long before you, had been without his organs of sense at first

(i.e. Brahmá the creative power of God, was purely a spiritual

Being, and had necessarily neither a gross body nor any of its

organs as we possess).

2. As Brahmá—the collective agents of creation was endued

only with his consciousness—Samvid for the performance of all

his functions; so are all individual personalities endowed with

their self-consciousness only, for the discharge of all their

necessary duties.

3. Know that as the living soul, dwelling in its body in

the mother's womb, comes to reflect on the actions of the senses,

it finds their proper organ supplied to its body immediately.

4. Know the senses and the organs of sense to be the forms

of consciousness itself, and this I have fully explained to you in

the case of Brahma, who represents the collective body of all individual

souls.

5. At first there was the pure consciousness in its collective-form

in the Divine Intellect, and this afterwards came to be

diffused in millions of individual souls from its sense of egoism.

At first was the Divine soul "the I am all that I am" and afterwards

became many as expressed in the Vedic text "aham bahusyam".

6. It is no stain to the pure universal, undivided and subjective

Divine spirit, to be divided into the infinity of individual

and objective souls; since the universal and subjective unity

comprises in it the innumerable objective individualities which

it evolves of itself. (in its self manifestation in the universe).

[Pg 292]

7. The objectivity of God does not imply his becoming

either the thinking mind or the living soul; nor his assuming

upon him the organic body or any elemental form. (Because

the Lord becomes the object of our meditation and adoration in

his spirit only).

8. He does not become the Vidyá or Avidyá—the intelligible

or unintelligible, and is ever existent as appearing non-existent

to the ignorant; this is called the supreme soul, which is

beyond the comprehension of the mind and apprehension of the

senses.

9. From Him rises the living soul as well as the thinking

mind; which are resembled for the instruction of mankind, as

sparks emitted from fire.

10. From whatever source ignorance (Avidyá) may have

sprung, you have no need of inquiring into the cause thereof;

but taking ignorance as a malady, you should seek the remedy

of reasoning for its removal.

11. After all forms of things and the erroneous knowledge

of particulars, are removed from your mind; there remains

that knowledge of the unity, in which the whole firmament is

lost, as a mountain is concealed in an atom. (The infinity of

Deity, envelopes all existence in it).

12. That in which all the actions and commotions of the

world, remain still and motionless; [as] if they were buried in dead

silence and nihility; is the surest rock of your rest and resort,

after feeling from the bustle of all worldly business.

13. The unreal or negative idea of ignorance, has also a form,

as inane as it is nothing; look at her and she becomes a

nullity, touch her and she perishes and vanishes from sight.

(Avidyá like Ignorantia is of the feminine gender, and delusive

and fleeting as a female).

14. Seek after her, and what can you find but her nothingness;

and if by your endeavour you can get anything of her,

it is as the water in the mirage (which kills by decoying the

unwary traveller).

15. As it is ignorance alone that creates her reality, her unreality

appears as a reality, and destroys the seeming reality at[Pg 293]

once. (Avidyá or Ignorance is the Goddess of the agnostic

sáktas, who worship her, under the name of Máyá or Illusion

also).

16. Agnosticism imputes false attributes to the nature of the

Deity, and it is the doctrine of the agnostics to misrepresent

the universal spirit, under the forms of the living soul and the

perishable body. (from their ignorance of the supreme).

17. Now hear me attentively to tell you the sástras that

they have invented, in order to propagate their agnostic religion

or belief in this avidyá, by setting up the living soul and

others in lieu of the supreme spirit.

18. Being fond of representing the Divine Intellect in a

visible form, they have stained the pure spirit with many gross

forms, such as the elemental and organic body, which is enlivened

by the vital spirit dwelling in it.

19. Whatever they think a thing to be, they believe in the

same; they make truth of an untruth, and its reverse likewise;

as children make a devil of a doll, and afterwards break

it to nothing.

20. They take the frail body formed of the five elements as

a reality, and believe its holes of the organs as the seats of the

sensuous soul.

21. They employ these five fold organs in the perception of

the pentuple objects of the senses; which serve at best to represent

their objects in different light than what they are, as

the germ of a seed produces its leaves of various colours. (This

means the false appearances which are shown by the deceptive

senses).

22. They reckon some as the internal senses, as the faculties

of the mind and the feelings of the heart, and others as external,

as the outward organs of action and sensation; and place

their belief in whatever their souls and minds suggest to them

either as false or true.

23. They believe the moonlight to be hot or cold, according

as they feel by their outward perception. (i.e. Though the

moon-beams appear cooling to the weary, yet they seem to be

warm to the love lorn amorosa).

[Pg 294]

24. The pungency of the pepper and the vacuity of the

firmament, are all according to one's knowledge and perception of

them, and do not belong to the nature of things. For sweet is

sour to some, and sour is sweet to others; and the firmament is

thought to be a void by many, but is found to be full of air by

others, who assert the dogma of natures abhorrence of vacuum.

25. They have also ascertained certain actions and rituals,

which are in common practice, as the articles of their creed,

and built their faith of a future heaven, on the observance of

those usages.

26. The living soul which is full of its desires, is led by two

different principles of action through life; the one is its

natural tendency to some particular action, and the other is the

direction of some particular law or other. It is however the

natural propensity of one, that gets the better of the other.

27. It is the soul which has produced all the objective

duality from the subjective unity only; as it is the sweet sap of

the sugarcane that produces the sugarcandy; and the serum of

the earth, that forms and fashions the water pot. (The objective

is the production of the subjective.)

28. In these as well as in all other cases, the changes that

take place in the forms of things, are all the results of time

and place and other circumstances; but none of these has any

relation in the nature of God, in his production of the universe.

29. As the sugarcane produces its leaves and flowers from

its own sap, so the living soul produces the dualities from sap

of its own unity, which is the supreme soul itself. (The spirit

of God that dwells in all souls. (Swátmani Brahmasatwa),

produces all these varieties in them.)

30. It is the God that is seated in all souls, that views the

dualities of a pot, picture, a cot and its egoism in itself; and so

they appear to every individual soul in the world.

31. The living soul appears to assume to itself, the different

forms of childhood, youth, and age at different times; as a

cloud in the sky appears as an exhalation, a watery cloud and

the sap of the earth and all its plants, at the different times of

the hot and rainy seasons of the year.

[Pg 295]

32. The living soul perceives all these changes, as they are

exhibited before it by the supreme soul in which they are all

present; and there is no being in the world, that is able to alter

this order of nature.

33. Even the sky which is as clear as the looking glass, and

is spread all about and within every body, is not able to represent

unto us, all the various forms which are presented to the

soul by the great soul of souls (in which they appear to be

imprinted). Here Vasishtha is no more an ákása-vádi—vacuist,

in as much as he finds a difference in the nature and capacity

of the one from those of the other or the supreme soul.