The
Yoga Vasishtha
Maharamayana
of Valmiki
The only complete English translation is
by Vihari Lala Mitra (1891).
CHAPTER IV.
PRAISE OF ACTS AND EXERTIONS.
Vasishtha said:—
I know gentle Rāma that, liberation of the
soul, whether in its embodied
or disembodied state is both alike, as the
sea-water and its waves are
the same liquid substance.
2. The liberation whether of embodied or
disembodied spirits, consists
in their detachment from the objects of
sense: hence the soul unattached
to sensual gratification, is (said to be)
liberated, having no idea of
sensible objects.
3. And though we see before us the living
liberated sage (Vyāsa) as an
embodied person, yet we have no doubt of the
detachment of his inward
soul from the (mortal coil of his) body.
4. The difference between the embodied and
disembodied souls, when they
are equally enlightened and liberated, is
like that of the sea-water in
its calm and billowy states.
5. There is no more difference between bodily
and unembodied liberation
than there is betwixt the air in motion and
at rest.
6. Liberation whether with or without the
body, is productive of
unselfishness; we have lost our selfishness
ever since we have come to
the knowledge of an undivided unity (of the
soul).
7. Now therefore attend to the true doctrine
that I am going to deliver
to you, which will be a jewel to your ears as
it will dispel the
darkness of ignorance (from your mind).
8. Know, O son of Raghu, that every thing in
this world is obtainable by
our efforts being properly employed (to our
purposes).
9. This (knowledge of truth) rises as the
moon (in the human mind), and
sheds its cooling and delightsome influence
to the heart, that there is
no other way to gain the fruits of our
exertions but by our efforts.
10. We evidently see the results of the
exercise of our efforts, and
nothing coming out from what the dull and
mistaken call as chance or
fate.
11. An effort when directed according to the
counsel and conduct of the
good in the exercise of the action of the
body and mind, it is attended
with success, otherwise it is as vain as the
freak of a madman.
12. Thus he who wishes to acquire riches, and
perseveres in its
acquisition, surely succeeds in gaining them;
or else he stops short in
the midway.
13. It was by means of the exertion of their
efforts that some
particular persons have obtained the
paramount dominion of Indra over
the three worlds.
14. It is by the exertion of one's efforts
that he attains to the rank
of the lotus-born (Brahmā); and some even
gain the inward joy of the
state of Brahmā by it.
15. It was by virtue of his self-exertion
that some body has become the
best among men, even as he who bears the
ensign of the eagle (Vishnu
among the gods).
16. It was by the exertion of one's efforts
that some persons succeeded
to obtain the form of Siva accompanied by his
female power, and adorned
by the semi-circle of the moon in his crest.
17. Know our actions to be of two kinds
namely, those of former and
present lives: and that acts of the present
life generally supersede
those of the past.
18. Know also that energy joined with
constant practice, and supported
by wisdom and some stimulating force, is able
to break down the mount of
Meru, and the demerits of acts in the former
lives of men.
19. The exertions of a man proceeding from
his good efforts and
countenanced by the law, lead to his success,
or else they either go for
nothing or turn to his disadvantage.
20. So a man laid up in a state of
disability, is unable to twist his
fingers in order to hold a little water in
the hollow of his palm for
drink: while there is another who (by his
well directed efforts) gets
the possession of seas and islands, mountains
and cities for himself,
supports all his dependents and relations,
and does not think this earth
too great for him.
CHAPTER V.
NECESSITY OF ACTIVITY.
Vasishtha said:—
It is the will or inclination that is the
prime instrument of all
actions done even according to the rules of
law and sāstras, as it is
the reflection of light that gives various
hues to things.
2. Whoever wishes to do anything desirable to
him by unlawful acts, it
becomes as fruitless as the endeavours of a
madman.
3. As you try so you get both of good and
evil: and fortune and exertion
are the joint causes of acts according to
fatalists.
4. Human exertions are either lawful or
unlawful; the former leading to
success, and the latter to dangerous
consequences.
5. Fortune and exertions contend with each
other like two rams of
unequal strength, wherein the mightier
overcomes the other.
6. Therefore should man apply himself
diligently (to his duties), and
employ his skill and promptness after them in
such a way, as his to-day
may overcome the morrow (i. e., do the works of to-morrow to-day).
7. When two unequal forces (of two persons)
contend with one another
like two rams, the stronger force whether of
this or that man, overcomes
the other.
8. When one incurs a failure or danger even
by his lawful exertions, he
should know it to be the result of his
misapplied exertions.
9. One by his utmost exertion in the right
way, as by the gnashing of
his teeth (and the like), can overcome his
misfortune and so does his
bad luck sometimes baffle his exertions.
10. When one finds himself to be led astray
by the demerit of his acts
of a former state of existence, he must
attempt to subdue the same by
greater energy of his present state.
11. So far should one diligently endeavour to
exercise his exertions, as
he may be able to beat down the evils
resulting from his bad fortune (or
predestination).
12. The evils of bad fortune are undoubtedly
removed by the meritorious
acts of the present life, as the bad
consequence of an act of yesterday
is averted by its remedy of today.
13. Having trampled over an unfavorable
fortune by one's reliance on his
continuous energy, he must attempt to secure
to himself every good for
his well-being in his present life.
14. Know that tranquility is not to be found
by the effortlessness of
dull ass-like men; it is the lawful energy of
men which is said to
secure his welfare in both worlds.
15. And that one should make his way out of
the pit of this world by
force of his energy and diligence, just as
the lion breaks out from his
cage.
16. One must ponder in himself every day that
his body is subject to
corruption, his beastly acts must be kept
backward and man like acts put
forward.
17. It is our good exertions that are
attended by good results as the
bad ones are followed by bad consequences.
Chance is a mere meaningless
word.
18. Do not make your bloom of youth useless
as ashes by sitting idly at
home and enjoying the bliss of the harem like
a worm in the sore.
19. He who has no reliance on present
objects, but depends upon
suppositions of the past, is as a man flying
for fear of his own hands
supposing them as snakes.
20. It is a pleasure to men of perverted
understandings to think
themselves guided by their fortunes,
prosperity flies away far off from
such men who depend on their fortunes.
21. Therefore let a man diligently apply
himself first to (the
cultivation of) his reason, and then
investigate into the works of
abstruse spiritual knowledge.
22. Those who do not set their hearts to acts
according to the dictates
of the sāstras, but exert themselves
otherwise to gain (their ends), are
accursed as mad men for their vain attempts.
23. Thinking there is no end of exertions one
declines to take the pains
(after anything), and says that, no pains can
bring out a gem from a
stone (or oil from water).
24. Know that there is a limitation both of
human lot and exertion, as
of all other things as a pot or picture
having a (limited capacity and
length).
25. And that it is by means of good conduct
derived from best precepts
and the company of the good, that one
succeeds to his object, and a
disposition that breaks loose of these
(bounds), is sure to fall to the
contrary (extreme of) ruin.
26. Again any man who conducts himself in the
right course of action,
never fails in his attempts at any time.
27. Some among the best of men, who had been reduced
to misery by their
poverty and helplessness, have again risen to
the eminence of Indra by
exertion of their manhood.
28. By learning the Sāstras well from
boyhood, by keeping company with
the good, and by possession of good
qualities, as also by diligent
application, a man is sure to gain his
object.
29. It has been seen, known, heard, and
experienced (by us) that acts
are rewarded with success; and they are
dull-headed who think of
obtaining it from fortune or by chance.
30. Had there not been the folly of idleness
in this world, what man
would fail either to be rich or learned? It
is by reason of idleness
that this earth is filled to its utmost limit
of the sea with indigent
and beastly men.
31. Let a man after passing his childhood,
and getting rid of its false
and idle playfulness and when he has attained
the age of youthful
vigour, apply himself diligently to the company
of wise men, and to the
cultivation of his understanding by a
knowledge of the Sāstras and their
meanings, and by scanning well his own faults
and qualities.
32. Vālmīki said:—After the sage had said
these sayings, the day passed
away, and the sages went to bathe after
taking leave of the assembly,
where they joined again with the rising beams
of the sun dispelling the
gloom of night.
CHAPTER VI.
REFUTATION OF FATALISM.
Vasishtha resumed saying:—
Now fate being no other than the result of
our actions of the former
state of our existence, it is possible to
leave it at a distance, and to
extricate one's self (from its fetters) by
betaking himself to good
company and study of moral Sāstras.
2. Whatever one attempts to do, he readily
meets with its reward: this
being the effect of exertion. Fate is no
other but the same thing.
3. Men laboring hard, are heard to exclaim
"O how painful it is": so men
suffering under fate cry out "O hard is
fate!" (so the one is as bad as
the other).
4. Thus then fate being no other than a name
for our past actions, it is
as easily overcome (by present acts) as a boy
(is subdued) by an adult
youth.
5. As some bad conduct of yesterday is
corrected by proper behaviour of
the present day, so the anterior fate is
removed by (posterior) acts.
6. Those carnal minded libertines who do not
try the means (of reforming
their fate), but depend upon the favor of
fortune, are perverted in
their nature and marked for misery.
7. Thus if the acts of manliness are capable
of forefending one's
misfortunes, it must be acknowledged that
manliness which destroys the
other, is the mightier of the two.
8. As of two fruits growing on the same
fore-stalk, the one is found to
be empty within and the other full of juice,
so the fruit of fate is
rendered abortive by that of manliness.
9. Seeing the decay of the best things in the
world, we must own the
predominant power of the cause of this decay.
10. Like two rams our fate and exertions are
fighting with one another,
wherein the victory is always on the side of
the stronger.
11. In the case of the royal elephant's
taking up a beggar boy for being
made the ruler (of a country), its cause is
to be attributed more to the
vote of the country-men and citizens (than to
chance or fortune).
12. As a man takes his food and grinds it
under his teeth, so is one
(depending on fate) crushed by the stronger
party relying on his
exertions.
13. Inferior servants are thus employed like
clods of earth by their
more active masters in any work they like.
14. Silly and impotent men seeing the strong
thriving by their exertions
whether apparent or unseen, are apt to
attribute it to their good
fortune (instead of their diligence).
15. The strong efforts of men truly
constitute their presiding fortune,
and these two are viewed alike by the wise.
16. In the case of the (aforesaid) beggar
boy's installation to the
ruling and protection of the people of a
realm, the unanimous
concurrence of the law and ministers, of the
elephant and citizens (is
to be taken as the chief cause).
17. Should the beggar boy be ever elected for
a ruler by the royal
elephant itself (without the assent of men),
in that case it is to be
attributed to the boy's good fortune only
(because there was no sensible
exertion on his side).
18. Present acts destroy those of the past
life and so also the vice
versa comes to pass; but the exertions of a
man are undoubtedly
successful (at all times).
19. Of these two powers that of the present
state is manifestly superior
to the other; hence it is as possible to
overcome the past by the
present, as to lick a boy by an adult.
20. As a hail shower lays waste the
cultivation of a whole year, so also
doth the predominant fate sometimes overpower
the attempts of this life.
21. However it does not behoove us to be
sorry at the loss of our long
earned treasure (as of the harvest), for what
avails our sorrow at what
is beyond our control.
22. If I should sorrow for what I have not
the power to prevent, I must
then weep all the days of my life because I
am not to be spared by
death.
23. All our acts are subject to their proper
time and place, and to the
modes of their operation and combination
according to the course of
nature; hence it is that the more diligent
are the most successful
(everywhere).
24. We ought therefore to rely in our
exertions and clearness of
understanding by the help of Sāstras and
association with the wise, for
fording over the ocean of this world.
25. Actions of the past and present lives are
the two fruit trees
growing in the garden of humanity; of which
the one that is cultivated
best, thrives and fructifies the most.
26. He who is unable to overcome his false
fate by his best exertions
(in this life), is no better than an ignorant
beast that has no power
over its pain or pleasure.
27. He who thinks of going to heaven or hell
by the will of the Maker,
is also a slave to destiny and no better than
a beast.
28. The man of a noble mind and one employed
in acts of goodness, breaks
off from the errors of the world as a lion
from its cage.
29. Those who vainly imagine themselves to be
led about by some
(supernatural power), and so slight their
necessary duties, are to be
shunned at a distance as the mean and base.
30. There are thousands of acts that are
attended with gain or loss to
their doers; but it is the duty of man to do
what is right whether they
are pleasant or painful.
31. He who does not transgress the bounds of
law, nor forsake the duties
(of his race), is attended by every blessing
abundant as the pearls in
the sea.
32. Devoted diligence in acts leading to
one's object, is termed to be
his manliness by the wise; and that being
guided by the Sāstra leads to
his success.
33. An act accompanied by exertion, is of
itself the accomplisher of
one's object, and the company of the wise and
study of good books serve
to raise a man by brightening his
understanding.
34. The infinite happiness or a tranquil
spirit is known as the Summum
bonum by the wise; and those good works are fit for study which
lead to
that state.
35. The acts of our former lives constitute
what we call our destiny,
and they return to us from the region of the
gods, for our good in both
worlds.
36. We blame the fate which is a creation of
the fancy of the ignorant,
who by their adoration of the same come to
meet their destruction.
37. One benefits himself always by his
activity in both worlds, as his
good acts of to-day gives a grace to those of
yesterday.
38. Whoso therefore applies himself with
diligence to his acts, reaps
their fruits like that of an Amalaki in his palm, which though it is
within his grasp, yet it could not be
obtained without the cost of some
labour:
39. It is the ignorant only that depart from
the beaten path, and fall
into the error of fatalism. Therefore give up
that false faith in an
unreal fate, which is a mere creation of the
imagination and devoid of
any cause or effect; and apply to your manly
exertions.
40. The fruit of following the Sāstras and
observing the good customs
and local usages, is long known (to be
wholesome), as exciting the heart
and the exertion of the limbs to action. This
it is what they called
"manly activity."
41. All wise men after discussion of the
subject of fate and acts, have
applied themselves to activity by utter
rejection of fatality, and
accomplished their ends by attendance on the
good and wise.
42. Knowing the efficacy of activity, every
one should betake himself to
his personal exertions, and attain to his
highest perfection by
attending to good Sāstras and the wise
counsels of learned men.
43. And knowing the bondage of our births to
be full of pain, let people
strive for the exercise of their activities,
and obtain the true and
sweet blessing of tranquility by their
attendance on the wise.
CHAPTER VII.
ON THE NECESSITY OF ACTIVITY.
Having obtained a body free from disease and
a mind free from trouble,
one should try to know the knowable to
prevent his further birth (in
this world).
2. Whoso wishes to avert his destiny by means
of his activity, obtains
the acme of his wishes both in this world as
well as in the next.
3. But whoever is averse to assiduity and
relies in his luck, he is an
enemy to his own soul, and sacrifices all his
virtues, riches and hopes
(to his idleness).
4. It is the exercise of our sensuous and
mental faculties as also of
the members of the body, which are the
different modes of our exertions,
that leads us to success.
5. Our perceptions are the cause of our
mental activity, and this
actuates the body to action, whereby we
obtain the fruits of our desire.
6. In whatever case there is some act
(enjoined in the Sāstra), it
points us to our exertions and never to
destiny. Even children are well
aware of this.
7. It was by the exercise of their exertions
that Divaspati (Jupiter)
became the lord of gods, and Sukra obtained
the preceptorship of demons.
8. There have been many weak, poor and
miserable men, who have by means
of their manly exertions become equal to
Indra himself.
9. So also there have been many great men on
earth, who after enjoyment
of a great many extraordinary things and
luxuries here, have become
guests in hell for want of the exercise of
their manly virtues.
10. In this manner have all beings evaded the
effects of their various
states of want and opulence by means of their
own exertions (in the
right way).
11. There are three fold benefits derived
from the study of books, from
lectures of a preceptor, and from one's own
industry, all of which are
attendant on our exertions and not destiny.
12. This is the long and short of all the
Sāstras, that diligence
preserves our minds from all evils, by employing
them to whatever is
good and right.
13. To apply with diligence to whatever is
excellent, not low or mean
and not liable to loss or decay, is the
precept of parents and
preceptors to their sons and pupils.
14. I get the immediate fruit of my labour in
proportion to my exertion:
hence I say, I enjoy the fruit of my labour
and not of fortune.
15. Activity gives us success and it is this
that elevates the
intelligent. But men of little understandings
rely only in fortune in
their miserable state.
16. We have ocular evidence (of the efficacy)
of activity every day, in
the instances of men travelling in distant
countries (for the sake of
gain).
17. He that eats becomes satiate and not who
starves: so he who walks is
said to proceed and not one who rests: and in
like manner whoso speaks
is called a speaker and not the silent man:
thus action makes the man.
18. Wise men escape from great difficulties
by means of their exertions;
but not so the mistaken fatalist by his
fruitless inertness.
19. Whoso acts in any manner, gets his reward
accordingly; but the
restive man has nothing to expect anywhere.
20. By well directed industry a man reaps the
best reward, as he meets
with its reverse by his misapplied labour:
think upon this O Rāma! and
do as you like.
21. The reward of industry which a man meets
with sooner or later at any
time or place, the same is said by the wise
to be his fortune.
22. No one can see his fortune, nor has any
body ever seen the same, nor
is there such a thing to be found in any world:
it is but the merit of
our acts here which they place in the other
world.
23. A man is born on earth to grow up and
decay in his time, and no
destiny is seen therein in the same way as
his childhood, youth and old
age.
24. One's application to diligence and action
for the attainment of an
object, is known by the term exertion by the
wise, whereby all things
are accomplished, (and which is no destiny).
25. One's going from one place to another,
his holding a thing in the
hand, and the movement of his limbs, are all
the acts of his exertion
and not his destiny.
26. There is another kind of propensity to
acts productive of evil; this
sort of action is likened to the attempt of a
mad man which yields no
good.
27. Men of acute understandings raise themselves
to elevation, by their
association with the virtuous, study of good
works and active employment
to duties tending to their own good.
28. The boundless joy arising from
equanimity, is said to constitute
one's Summum bonum (upon earth). This blessing also results from a
man's diligent application to the Sāstras
(and not from his destiny).
29. It is the understanding that leads to the
knowledge of the Sāstras,
as it is the other that tends to our right
understanding of things. Just
so does the lotus serve to beautify a lake,
as it is the lake which
lends its grace to the lotus. (i. e. they serve mutually to assist
each other).
30. It is also by virtue of one's deep study
and good company in youth,
that a man attains his desirable objects
afterwards (which are the
results of his exertions).
31. It was by means of his activity that
Vishnu had conquered the
demons, and established the order of the
world. It was by this that he
created the worlds none of which could be the
work of fate.
32. Now, O lord of Raghu's race! employ your
efforts to the exertion of
your manly activities in such a way in this
earth, that you may live
free from fear of being bitten by the
serpentine people in this arbor of
the world (i. e. crush the malice of your enemies).
CHAPTER VIII.
INVALIDATION OF DESTINY.
Vasishtha continued saying that:—
What does destiny mean, which has no form,
nor act, no motion nor might,
but is a false notion rooted in the (minds)
of the ignorant.
2. It is a word that has come into vogue from
the idea of the future
retribution of one's past actions (or retributive
justice) and the like,
which is designated "destiny".
3. From this the ignorant are led to believe
that there is a thing as
destiny: the inscrutability of which has led
them to the fallacy as that
of the supposition of a snake in a rope.
4. As a past misdeed of yesterday is
rectified by a good action of the
following day, let this day therefore
supercede the past, and employ
yourself to-day to action.
5. The perverted understanding that believes
in a destiny grounded on
its erroneous conception, may well enter into
the fire from his
conviction that it will not burn him unless
it is so destined.
6. If destiny is the sole cause of every
thing, why then should a man
betake himself to his actions of bathing and
making his offerings,
sitting and walking, all of which may be done
by his destiny.
7. What then is the necessity of one's
advising another to do a thing
when destiny is the director of all? Let then
all be silent and say
nothing to nobody.
8. There is no one to be seen on earth that
is motionless except the
bodies of the dead; and if it is action that
produces anything, it is
useless to believe in destiny.
9. Nor is there any co-operative power of the
invisible destiny
perceptible in the actions of men, whence it
is but a meaningless word.
10. Two things as the implements and members
of the body being joined
together, have each their several action; (as
that of the pen and razor
and the hand in writing and shaving); but the
hand being wanted, nothing
can be done by destiny (with its having those
tools).
11. There is no such clear idea of a destiny
like those of the mind and
intellect, even in the (illiterate) cow-herd
or in the (learned) pandit.
Hence it is a mere non-entity.
12. If the concept of destiny be other (than
that of an agent), it must
mean something else; or if it be the same
thing (with the agent) why
then give it a different name (as destiny)?
If it be proved to be an
imaginary term, then why not imagine your
exertion to be agent (of your
action)?
13. The immaterial destiny like vacuity has
no connection with the
material body. If it had a form or figure it
would be visible (to some
one or other); hence destiny is a nullity.
14. If destiny is the main spring of the
movements of all beings in the
three worlds, then let all creatures rest at
ease (with the assurance)
that destiny will perform their parts.
15. The belief that we are guided by destiny
and do as we are led to do,
is a deception and an allegation (of self
excuse); in fact there is no
such thing as destiny.
16. It is the fool that fancies to himself a
destiny and relies on it to
his own disadvantage; while the intelligent
raise themselves to better
states by means of their exertion.
17. Say who is there among the mighty and
brave, the intelligent and
learned, that looks or waits upon destiny in
this world?
18. Destiny may be said good, if it can have
the power of saving a man
from being beheaded, whom fortune-tellers had
pronounced by their
calculation to be long lived.
19. Again, O Rāghava, should one who is
foretold by his fortune-teller
to become a learned man, attain his learning
without being taught in it,
then may we believe fortune to be true.
20. Mark, O Rāma! how the sage Viswāmitra has
cast away his destiny at a
distance; and attained to Brahmahood by his
own exertions.
21. Look at us and others who have become
sages, that it was by our
industry we became aeronauts or wanderers in
the etherial regions.
22. Remember, O Rāma, how the chiefs of the
Dānava race, have
established their empires on earth by their
prowess, and by discarding
their destinies altogether.
23. Look again how the chiefs of gods have
wrested the extensive earth
from those demons by their valourous deeds of
slaying and harassing them
(in battle).
24. See Rāma! how they make handsome wicker
vessels (of bamboo work) for
the holding of water by their own industry,
and without the aid of any
destiny to the completion of the same.
25. In all our works of giving and receiving,
walking, resting and the
like, we see no causality of destiny in their
completion, as we see of
medicines (in healing diseases).
26. Therefore O Rāma, give up this destiny of
your mistaken fancy; which
is in reality devoid of its cause or effect,
and is a false and ideal
nullity; and betake yourself to your best
exertions.
CHAPTER IX.
INVESTIGATION OF ACTS.
Rāma asked:—
"Will you Sir, that art versed in all
knowledge, kindly explain the true
sense of destiny in popular use."
2. Vasistha replied:—It is a man's activity
and no other, O Rāghava,
that is the cause of all his actions, and the
recipient of their
consequence, wherein destiny has nothing to
do.
3. Destiny is a mere imaginary thing, which
neither exists nor acts nor
feels (their effects). It is neither seen nor
regarded (by any body).
4. The good or bad result which proceeds from
the accomplished acts of
successful activity, is expressed by the word
destiny.
5. The wished for and unwished for
consequences resulting from the good
and bad deeds of human activity, are termed
the effects of destiny by
people.
6. Human activity which is the only cause of
some unavoidable future
consequence, is called as destiny by the
majority of mankind.
7. Truly, O Rāghava! destiny though void as
vacuity, appears as real to
some body, who thinks it to be an active
agent, while others know it to
be inactive.
8. Again destiny is a mere saying uttered by
men upon the result of some
good or bad effect of their actual exertion,
that "it is this which has
produced the other."
9. It is my belief and I have known it for
certain that, destiny is no
more than the word uttered by people upon
their attainment of the object
of their exertions.
10. Destiny is that word of consolation which
is uttered by men, as
significant of the good or evil which they
meet with and which they call
to be the effect of the other.
11. Rāma asked:—How is it sir, that you who
are all wise, do now
contradict your own assertion that destiny is
the result of the stock of
our former acts (of past life)?
12. Vasishtha answered saying:—Well said O
Rāma! you know every thing;
but hear me tell you the whole of it, whereby
you will have a firm
belief in the nullity of destiny.
13. All the various desires which men may
have entertained in their
minds before, even those come to be accounted
as his deeds (or mental
actions) at last.
14. All animals are seen also to act
according to their desires, and to
do nothing to which an inclination was
wanting in their natures.
15. As the villager goes to his village and
the townsman comes to the
town: so it is the nature of the desire that
leads men to their
particular acts.
16. The keen and firm resolution with which
an act was done in the
former state of life, that verily is termed
destiny in the successive
births, or generations of living beings.
17. Thus are the acts of all active beings
conformable with their
natures, and the actions of men are in
accordance to their desires, the
desire is no other than the mind itself, and
the mind is self-same with
the human soul.
18. The mind is the soul and cause of all
acts which they call the
doings of destiny, certainly there is no
other thing as destiny beside
the mind.
19. This mind is verily the living soul,
which acts as it desires, and
enjoys accordingly the fruits thereof, and is
same with destiny.
20. Know Rāma that the mind, the heart,
desire, action and destiny are
synonymous terms, and applied by the virtuous
to the unascertainable
soul (evolved in these forms).
21. Now whatever the so named soul undertakes
to do continually and with
a firm resolution, it obtains the fruit
thereof accordingly.
22. It is by means of the activity or
exertion of this soul, and by no
other means, O support of Raghu's race, that
it obtains everything, and
may it lead you to your good only.
23. Rāma said:—Being caught in the net of my
pre-existent desire, I
remain a captive to them and do as they lead
me to. Say then, O sage
what else I can do.
24. Vasishtha replied:—So then O Rāma, you
will be able to reach to
your lasting good, if you will but exert your
activity for it, without
which there is no other way to it.
25. These desires are of two kinds, some
leading to good and others to
evil. Hence the desire of one's prior state
must have been of one kind
or other.
26. If you will be guided now by the pure
desires (of your nature), you
will be gradually led by means of your good
acts to attain the state of
your lasting welfare.
27. But if your wrong inclinations tend to
lead you to difficulties, you
must try your best to overcome such propensities
perforce.
28. You Rāma are wise and perfectly
intelligent, and not composed of a
dull (material) body only; now if you should
be in need of another's
guidance to waken your intellect, say where
lies your own intelligence.
29. If you would have one to enlighten your
understanding, say where is
that another to illumine him, and who is the
other to illuminate him
also. Hence as no one is wholly devoid of
understanding, let him improve
it himself.
30. The current of our desires is flowing
betwixt the two channels of
good and evil; it must be by exertion of our
activity that we must turn
it to the right course.
31. You who are the mightiest of the mighty,
must exert the force of
your activity to turn your mind to a
profitable course from its
direction to the profitless.
32. By directing the mind to the right way
from the wrong, it will take
the right course and so the vice versa. But as human mind is as
(tender as) a child, it must not be employed
by force (but gentle
measures).
33. The training of the child like that of
the mind, is effected slowly
by gentleness and indulgence, and not by
force and hurry.
34. You have already by your constant
practice, got a mastery over all
your good and bad desires; you have hence
forward to direct your
tendencies to good only.
35. O victorious Rāma! When by your pristine
habits you have an aptitude
to do what is good, learn that it is the
result of your good nature.
36. O sinless Rāma, your desires are at
present lying dormant in your
mind, and require some practice to be
employed only to the doing of
good.
37. If you will not exert yourself at present
to improve your dormant
desires by constant practice, you can never
expect to be happy.
38. When it is doubtful (to know the nature
of the innate propensity),
do you incline to what is good, and as you
thrive in this, you shall
have no evil to fear.
39. Whatever one practices, he becomes
perfect in that in time; as
studying from childhood makes the learned
free from error.
40. When you have the good will in you, you
must accomplish your
purpose, by means of your activity and
subjection of the organs of your
body.
41. So long as your mind is imperfect and
unacquainted with the state of
divine truth, you must attend to your
teacher, books and reasoning, and
act according to their directions (in the
paths of truth).
42. Having first finished your acts and known
the truth, you must
abandon even your meritorious deeds, and all
your desires with them.
43. Having known by your good understanding,
that the virtuous course
led by honorable men is truly good, give
particular attention to know
the nature of God, then forsake even that
(enquiry), and remain (silent)
as a saint (muni).
CHAPTER X.
DESCENSION OF KNOWLEDGE.
Vasistha resumed:—
This thing called destiny is as true as the
reality of God. It is the
cause of causes and effect of effects. (It is
an attribute of God).
2. Now attend to my words and depend on your
exertions, and intently
apply your ever confident mind to the
attainment of your chief good.
3. Try your exertions to turn to your
subjection the misleading senses
from pursuing their objects.
4. I will now propound to you a code
containing of the essence of the
best means of liberation, which will confer
the fruits of your exertions
and lead you to your welfare in both worlds.
5. Let them that have great minds, forsake
their worldly desires in
order to avoid their future births, and
attend to these lectures with
calm contentment (in their minds).
6. Weigh well the meanings of the antecedent
and subsequent
propositions, repress your mind from its
worldly cares, and dispose your
self to equanimity for its inquiry after
truth.
7. Hear me relate to you Rāma, the way to
emancipation, which will
remove your feelings of pain and pleasure,
and become the surest means
to lead you to supreme happiness.
8. On hearing this lecture on liberation in
the company of all those
reasonable men, you will know that highest
state which is free from
pain, and of which there is no termination.
9. This was spoken of old in a former Kalpa age by Brahmā abiding in
the Supreme spirit. It is the remover of all
anxiety and giver of all
comfort to the soul.
10. Rāma asked saying:—Say O Brāhman—that art
my guide, what cause
moved Brahmā himself of old to reveal this
knowledge, and in what manner
was it obtained by you.
11. Vasishtha replied:—The supreme soul of
infinite manifestations
exists by itself; it passes through and
supports the whole in the form
of vacuity and understanding, and as light to
all living beings.
12. From him who remains the same (unaltered
being) in his rest and
motion, the great Vishnu was born, like a
moving wave on the quiet
waters of the sea.
13. Then was Brahmā produced from the lotus
of his heart, having the
mount Meru for its pericarp, and the points
of the compass for its
petals, and the stars for its pistils.
14. He being beset by gods and sages
acquainted with the Vedas and their
significations, created all the worlds and
the minds with their various
thoughts.
15. He then created the groups of men in the
Bhārata division (India) in
a corner of Jambudwipa (Asia), and subjected
them to all manner of
diseases and afflictions.
16. They are also troubled with the
possession and want of many things,
and their subjection to dangers and diseases.
Here all species of
created beings are subjected to a variety of
tribulations and
afflictions.
17. The lord and creator of worlds, seeing
the misery of these people,
felt compassion for them, as a father does
for his children.
18. He then pondered within himself for a
moment with intensity of
thought and for the good of all creatures,
how to exterminate the misery
of these beings who were subjected to death
and despair.
19. With this thought the lord god (Brahmā),
established himself the
rules of austerity, piety, charity, veracity
and pilgrimage.
20. Having established these, the lord and
creator again thought within
himself, how to make an end of the many
miseries of the men he had
created.
21. He thought upon self-extinction as the
Supreme bliss, which was
obtainable only through a knowledge of the
Deity, and whereby man might
be exempted from repeated births and deaths.
22. It was divine knowledge, he thought, the
only means of men's
crossing over (the ocean) of this world; but
austerity, charity and
pilgrimage were no means to it. (But mere
preparatives to knowledge).
23. Upon this said he "I will
immediately make a new and sure bridge for
the salvation of men and for their liberation
from pain."
24. Having thought so, the lord Brahmā
sitting on the lotus, meditated
in his mind, and produced me from himself.
25. Being thus produced, I stood forthwith in
the presence of my
progenitor, as a wave rising from the sea
leans towards it.
26. I then bowed down to the god who held a
water-pot in one hand and a
rosary in the other, with a pitcher and a
bead of seeds in my either
hand, and was thus addressed by him.
27. Come my son said he, and then holding me
with his hand, made me sit
on the northern petal of his lotus of truth,
which shone as bright as
the moon amidst the silvery clouds.
28. Wearing the skin of an antelope, Brahmā
my father, spoke to me who
was in the like habit, with the voice of a
gander addressing a stork
(i. e. a talkative person addressing a mute one).
29. He said "I will for a moment
overpower thy ficklemindedness under a
mist of insensibility, as a dark cloud
overshadows the disk of the
moon."
30. It was under this imprecation that I lost
my reason and forgot every
thing, even the clear idea I had of God.
31. I then became as helpless as one out of
his wits, and came to be
afflicted with distress and sorrow like an
indigent person.
32. Ah woeful is this world! said I, and how
came evil to dwell in it?
With these thoughts I remained in silence
(pondering on the origin of
evil).
33. Then he my father spoke to me saying: Ah
my son, why art thou so
afflicted? Ask of me the remedy for thy
affliction, and thou shalt
become happy.
34. Then the lord creator of all peoples was
asked by me, seated as I
had been on the gold-coloured leaflet of the
lotus, about the medicine
of worldly woes.
35. How came, said I, O my lord, this world
to be so full of misery, and
how can people get rid of it, is what I ask
of thee (to know).
36. I then learnt the most holy wisdom which
Brāhman my father delivered
to me, and following his advice, I became
quite composed (in my mind).
37. Then the Creator of the world and
revealer of all causes, seeing me
knowing the knowable and restored to my own
natural state said:—
38. I had turned thee to insanity my son, by
an illusion, in order to
make thee an enquirer into the essence of
true knowledge for the welfare
of mankind.
39. Now art thou released from the curse of
illusion, and arrived to thy
highest state of understanding. Thou hast
become as one soul (with the
Supreme), and art as pure gold (after its
purification from dross).
40. Now shut thy heart against the world, and
proceed to the land of
Bharata on the surface of the earth for the
good of mankind.
41. There employ thyself to ceremonial duties
to the best of thy
knowledge; and advise others to ritual acts
in their proper order (of
exoteric faith).
42. But such as are disgusted (with the
world) in their hearts, and are
rational with their elevated understandings,
are to be counseled to
esoteric knowledge which confers true
felicity (to man).
43. Being thus appointed by him who was born
in the lotus, I continue to
abide herein throughout the succession of
beings. (i. e. for
ages).
44. I have no duty to perform here, but live
while I have to live free
from all cares. I do my acts always with as
tranquil a mind as it were
in a state of sleep; I do my works with the
body; but I do nothing here
with my soul (which is fixed in God).
CHAPTER XI.
ON THE QUALIFICATIONS OF THE INQUIRER AND
LECTURER.
Vasishtha continued:—
I have thus related to you fully about the
descent of knowledge on
earth, with the reason of my birth and the
intention of the lotus born
Brahmā (in making me his apostle).
2. Now Rāma, as you are eager to learn the
transcendental knowledge, and
feel so great an anxiety for it in your mind,
it must be the effect of
your pristine merit.
3. Rāma said:—How was it sir, that the
Supreme lord felt a desire to
send down knowledge on earth after his
creation of it (and not along
with it?)
4. Vasishtha replied:—This Brahmā is in his
own nature the same with
the Supreme Brahm, and is born in him, as a
billow is born of the waters
of the deep. (The co-eternal logos).
5. This great lord saw the imperfection of
his creation, and saw its
whole course (at one view) in times past,
present and future. (The
perversion of mankind subsequent to their
fall).
6. He saw the decay of ceremonial rites after
the end of the Satya
(golden) and other ages, and considering the
error to which men were to
fall afterward, he felt pity for their states
(for want of sacrifices).
7. Then the Lord thought of endowing me with
true knowledge, and sent me
on the surface of the earth for dispelling
the ignorance of mankind.
8. Like me he has sent also some other great
sages here, as Sanat
Kumāra, Nārada and many others also.
9. He has sent them all for the redemption of
mankind from the fetters
of their ignorance by a series of meritorious
acts, and their progress
in divine knowledge also.
10. These great sages seeing at the end of
the past golden age, the
gradual decay of the holy ritualistic rites
on earth:—
11. They created the rulers of earth at
different divisions of the land,
for regulating the course of duties, and
observing their proper limits
(of action).
12. They have made many works on the
traditional law and sacrificial
rules to be observed on earth, and many
appropriate provisions for the
accomplishment of religious and temporal
duties (in the smritis).
13. But in the revolution of time, all these
duties became slack in
their course, and men have no other thought
except that of seeking their
daily maintenance.
14. Every day disputes are rising among the
land-owners on account of
their estates and properties, and the people
are subjected to various
penalties in large numbers.
15. In such a state, it is not possible for
the rulers to rule over
their states without fighting with one
another, when they with their
subjects are inevitably reduced to
wretchedness (by warfare).
16. In order to remove the impotence (of such
princes), and to lead them
to a comprehensive view of things, we have
prescribed to them many
excellent precepts of knowledge.
17. It was the spiritual knowledge which had
been at first propounded to
princes; but it came afterwards to be known
under the title of royal
science (polity).
18. This royal science is of a recondite
nature, and is also the best
kind of spiritual knowledge. Many kings have
been set beyond the reach
of calamity by a knowledge of this science.
19. It is after many such fair-famed princes
that have gone by, that
your mighty self was begotten by the present
king Dasaratha.
20. O slayer of your enemies, I find a very
agreeable and holy kind of
apathy growing spontaneously in your most
clear understanding.
21. There is another kind of
cold-heartedness, O Rāma, which is caused
(by some sorrow) in the minds of the virtuous
and reasonable men, that
is styled their casual indifference.
22. But your unprecedented and astonishing
apathy, which is produced
without any cause and by your reason only, is
called real stoicism by
the wise.
23. Seeing the obnoxiousness of worldly
things, what man will not grow
averse to them? The best displacency to them,
is what rises in the mind
of one from his own judgement.
24. They are reckoned as great men and
greatly wise also, whose
indifference springs without any cause (of
detestation to the world),
and whose minds are clear (of all gloomy
thoughts).
25. One whose mind feels a disgust (to the
world) from its own judgement
and nice discrimination (of things), is as
graceful to see as the
youthful bridegroom adorned with chaplets of
flowers.
26. They are esteemed as the best of men, who
betake themselves to
indifference after judicious consideration of
the worldly troubles.
27. It must be by one's repeated and
judicious examination of the inward
and outward illusions (of this world), that
he should forcibly withdraw
himself from them.
28. Who is there that feels not an aversion
to worldliness at the
doleful sight of a funeral event? It is that
aversion however, which is
born of itself that is highly commendable.
29. I see you are sincerely indifferent, and
reaching the acme of true
greatness. You are worthy of the best
knowledge as is the moist earth of
receiving the seeds.
30. It is by the grace of the Lord God and
Supreme spirit, that a lucky
understanding like yours, naturally inclines
to reason.
31. It is by performance of ritual duties and
observance of the
prescribed rules, that the demerits of former
births are expunged.
32. Upon expurgation of former demerits, the
understanding turns of
itself to take cognizance of spiritual
matters, like the simultaneous
flight of the crow towards the falling fruit
of the palm.
33. But those that are devoted only to ritual
acts, are like persons
plunged in an eddy, wherein they are whirled
up and down until they come
to perceive the state of supreme (felicity).
34. Seeing this (illusory) state of the
world, a man must shake off the
delusion of his worldly-mindedness, just as
the elephant breaks loose
from his fetters.
35. It is too intricate, O Rāma! to
understand the course of this
boundless world, and not even the greatest of
embodied beings (as man)
can know it without true knowledge.
36. Know, O support of Raghu's race! that men
of great understandings
have got over the unfordable ocean of the
world by means of the raft of
their knowledge and reason.
37. Now hear with attention and steadiness of
your mind, this rational
knowledge for your deliverance from the flood
of this world.
38. The unceasing excitements of the senses
and the fears and miseries
of the world, will continually disturb the
mind, without the remedy of
right reason.
39. There is naught beside rational
knowledge, that can enable holy men
to endure the afflictions of the opposite
extremes of heat and cold and
wind and rain.
40. The incessant cares and miseries which
befall to men at every step,
serve sometimes to torment the ignorant mind
as a flame of fire burns
away the straw.
41. But the troubles of this world can not
afflict the wise man, who
knows the knowable, and discerns all things
(in their true light); just
as it is impossible for the flame of fire to
burn down a wood drenched
by the rains.
42. The man knowing the truth resembles the
firm arbor of the oak
(Kalpa), which no whirlwind of disease or
distress, raised by the hot
winds of this desert of the world, has the
power to upset.
43. The intelligent man who has a mind to
know the truth, must
diligently serve his wise preceptor with
loving regard.
44. The sayings of the well-minded preceptor
who is asked about
anything, must be carefully preserved in the
mind, as a piece of fine
muslin receives the dye (with which it is
dyed).
45. O best of the eloquent, you must not
receive the instruction of one
unacquainted with truth himself; whoever asks
him anything is the
greatest of fools.
46. Whoever does not carefully attend to the
words of the truth-telling
preceptor who is asked about anything, is the
basest of men.
47. He is the best inquirer who makes his
enquiry of one after
ascertaining by his deeds whether he knows
the knowable or not.
48. But he is reckoned a vile inquirer and
incapable of knowing great
things, who makes a boyish query without
ascertaining the lecturer's
(qualifications).
49. The wise man when asked, will reply to
him who is able to comprehend
the antecedent and subsequent propositions,
and is possessed of a good
understanding; but he should make no answer
to a vile brutish being.
50. The preceptor who gives his lecture
without examining the capacity
of the inquirer to grasp his meaning, is
pronounced unwise by the
learned.
51. O delight of Raghu's race! this our
meeting is a very congenial one
and well adapted to each other, wherein you
as inquirer are an admirer
of virtue, and I the speaker, am well
acquainted (with the subject).
52. You that understand the meaning of words,
should well consider all
what I tell you, and take them to your heart.
53. You are truly great and disgusted with
the world, and know the truth
among mankind; whatever is spoken to you must
be impressed in your mind
as the red dye on muslin.
54. You by your attention to what I say and
discrimination of spiritual
matters, can make your understanding receive
my instruction as the
waters reflect the sun-light.
55. Receive all that I say and store them
diligently in your mind; or
else it is useless to ask me anything.
56. The mind, O Rāma! is as fickle as an ape
in the forest, correct it
carefully and attend to spiritual
instruction.
57. Keep yourself always from the injudicious
and ignorant, and those
addicted to the company of wicked people, and
honour the virtuous.
58. It is by association with good people
that we can gain wisdom, which
resembles a tree yielding the fruits both of
enjoyment and liberation
(i. e., both of worldly and future good).
59. There are four guards said to keep watch
at the gate of Liberation,
namely: peace, judgement, contentment and the
society of the good.
60. All these or three or two of them are to
be attended with care,
because they shall open to you the door
leading to the abode of
liberation.
61. Or at least one of them is to be resorted
to with diligence and even
at the expense of one's life; because by
securing one of these a man can
reconcile and gain all the four (to his
favour).
62. The wise man is the receptacle of all Sāstras and Srutis, of
all
knowledge and austerity, and is a gem on
earth, as the sun is the
receptacle of light (and gem of heaven).
63. The dull understanding of the senseless
man becomes as stiff as a
(motionless) block, and like the frozen water
becoming as hard as stone.
64. Your good nature and good qualities, O
Rāma! and the counsels of the
learned in the Sāstras, have made you sit here with a heart blooming
like lotus at the rising sun.
65. Your lifted ears to hear these wise
lectures, have enabled you to
repress your thoughts; as the music of the
lute attracts the mind of the
deer.
66. Now secure, O Rāma! the treasures of
peace and good nature by your
practice of indifference of which there is no
decay.
67. Your knowledge of the attainment of
liberation will be increased by
your attending to the Sāstras and the society
of good men, as also by
your practice of austerity and self
subjection.
68. You must know that, it is the study of
divine knowledge with a clear
understanding, that is a sure remedy against
ignorance.
69. Know this world to be a poisonous plant
and seat of dangers. It
infects the ignorant at all times, unless one
will take the pains to
dispel his darkness.
70. Avarice accompanied by ignorance moves
within the heart in a
serpentine course, and expands and contracts
it by turns like the
bellows of a blacksmith.
71. The true light of things dawns only in
the minds of the wise, as the
gentle moon appears to sight only in the
clear and cloudless sky.
72. He is truly called a man who can judge
(the truth) by the major and
minor propositions, whose mind is expanded
and fraught with brilliant
ingenuity.
73. Rāma! the clear wisdom of your mind,
makes you shine as the full
moon dispelling the darkness of the cloudless
sky by her cooling and
translucent beams.
Om Tat Sat
(Continued...)
( My
humble salutations to Brahmasri Sreemaan Vihari Lala Mitra ji for the
collection)
Post a Comment