Yoga Vasistha

THE CONCLUSION OF NIRVA NA-PRAKARANA.

Summary In this chapter is given a summary of all the foregoing fourteen stories leading to Brahman, the Turya- theetha State.
Is it not the certain conclusion of all Atma-Jnana fetstras that all the whole world should be seen but as a dream ? Neither Avidya exists nor the dire Mya generating the pains of actions. But Brahman alone is, which has not the least iota of pains and is quiescence itself. Diverse religionists, super-imposing many attributes upon this Brahman which is the quiescent, Chidkas, the equal in all, the imma culate, the Atma and having endless potencies in it, dub it with different appellations, Some call it a void. Some Para- meswara ; and some others Mahd-Vijnana. Therefore having avoided all things, may you rest in that great silence.

May you rest ever in the full Jnana of the immaculate Atma with true introvision which is the Moksha devoid of the painful Manas, Chitta, Buddhi, and Ahankara and be like a deaf, mute and blind person. Having reached the Jagrat-Sushupti stage and thrust all things within (or made the mind to con template internally), perform all things externally according to your free will. With the growth of the mind, the pains increase ; with its extinction, there will be great bliss. Hav ing lorded over your mind, may you free yourself from this world of perceptions, in order that you may be of the nature of Jnna.

Though surrounded by pleasurable or painful objects to disturb your equilibrium of mind, may you be immovable as a rock, receiving all things equally. So long as you free yourself from the delusions of the endless births, do not, oh mountain-like Rama endeavour to attain pleasures or pains, bliss or non-bliss through thy efforts. Such kinds of efforts will enable you to get the endless Brahmic seat. One whose intelligence is filled with the cool ambrosia, like the moon replete with nectary rays, will enjoy bliss. Having under stood first the Be-ness (Principle) of all the worlds, he is in Moksha, performing actions though not really performing them.

Here Rama queried Vasishta thus: What are the means by which the seven Jndna states can be cognized ? And what are the characteristics of those Jnanis who have cognized them ? To which Vasishta replied thus There are two classes of Jivas (or egos), those that get under the yoke of (material) enjoyments and that do not do so. Now listen to the characteristics of these two aspirants for enjoy ment and Moksha. Not caring for the glorious Moksha, the first class will estimate greatly the worldly path and will perform actions therein with great certitude of mind.

Their tendencies will be towards the vast enjoyments of the world. Such a path will render them liable to fresh re-births, generating discrimination to all. Like a tortoise thrusting its neck into the hole of an yoke floating on the surface of an ocean, he incarnates in repeated re-births associated with the dire organs and then through discrimination developed in them, begins to contemplate thus “ These dire re-births have been utterly fruitless. Enough of the (worldly) delusion. Of what avail are these Karmas ?

All my days have been vain ly spent in them. If there is a diminution in these excessive Karmas, then all pains will cease.” He who has an indomi table heart to find out this seat, will abandon quite (the world), and become a Nivarta (or freed personage). Engaged in ceaseless enquiry, overcoming all illusions and contriving means to cross this Samsara, such a person will every mo ment of his life be engaged in the renunciation of all his de sires, without devoting a special day to it.
Ever bent upon the higher spiritual pursuits, such a per son will daily revel in the bliss of his own Self. He will be loth to participate in frivolous and stainful Karmas.

He will perform, but slightly, virtuous actions and will never disclose them to others. He will be engaged secretly in those Kar mas only which do not bring home fear in the hearts of the worldly. He will shrink from dire ones. Never will he long for enjoyments. He will utter appropriate words only according to proper time and place and with great love, due respects, much endearment and prodigious intelligence. Such a personage who conducts himself thus will have reach ed the first stage of Jnana, vis., Subechcha. Moreover, he will, with his three organs (of mind, speech, and body) at one with one another, long to associate with (and worship) the transcendently wise personages. Being an ardent searcher after knowledge, he will study all spiritual books wherever they are.

Such a personage who enters upon this line of enquiry after resolving, within himself, upon the destruction of this Samsara with which he is connected is indeed a knower of the first stage (or has reached the highest ladder of the first stage). A virtuous person who is thus, is a great one indeed.

The second stage is called Vicharana, free from ignorance. In order to know all about the Dharmas (virtuous actions) in the Vedas, the proper path, Dharana, Dhyanas and good actions, he will sweetly associate with the wisest of great love, that will throw light upon the real significance of the stainless holy Vedic sentences and will, after discriminating between the real and the unreal, know what actions ought to be done and whatnot, like the master of a house accquain- ting himself perfectly with a knowledge of his domestic affairs.

Those arising through Avidya (ignorance) such as all the perishable pride, envy, Ahankara, desires, delusion, &c., will be easily disposed of by him, like a serpent throwing off its slough. Such an intelligent person will realize truly the esoteric and mysterious significance of Jndna-Sdstras and of the words of an Acharya or a wise personage.
Then the third stage quite free from all attractions, will be reached by him, where he will rest like one in a soft cushion of brand-new flowers.

Such a person, after master ing all the observances inculcated by the J^dstras, will spend his life in the hearing of Tatwa-Jn^na stories in the abode of the noble Tapaswins and others. Broad slabs of stones will be his abode and resting place. By virtue of the control of his mind and the absence of attractions towards objects of bliss, he will live a nomadic life in the forest with an equal vision over all. Through a study of Jnana-^astras and the performance of good Karmas, a true cognition of the Reality will arise. A person who has reached the third stage and is a knower of the same, can be divided under two heads in re ference to their enjoyments without any attraction therein. Now mark well their divisions.

They are termed the ordinary and the special. Again, oh Rama, born of the race of Manu, each of these has its two sub-divisions. The ordinary indif ference is the idea of non-association with objects such as I am neither the actor, nor the enjoyer, nor the learning disciple nor the teaching Acharya. All the pleasures and pains experienced, arise through the old law of Eswara only, who is so pleased as to bless us all. How can agency be attributed to me? All the injurious excessive enjoyments are but fatal diseases All our wealth is but a source of infinite dangers. Death is only for birth (again). The staggering pains of keen intelli gence are but maladies and obstacles to progress. Yama (Death) will again and again endeavour to destroy the many universes. Therefore thought of objects will arise in their hearts without any desires. Those who thus are ever absorb ed in trying to know the underlying significance of the sacred sentences are of the ordinary class.