Complete Yoga Vasistha- Tejasvini

YOGA VAASISHTA A PHILOSOPHICAL TREATISE COMPOSED BY

VAALMIKI MAHARSHI आदकवीम वाि मकमहषणीतोयोगवासठः

योगवासठसारं ESSENCE OF YOGAVAASISHTA Compiled by तेजिवनी Tejasvini

वैरायकरणम ् थमं

आदकववाि मकमहामन णीतः ु

योगवासठः वैरायकरणम ् थमं

PROLOGUE Yoga Vaasishta or Vaasista Raamaayanam was composed by the Great Sage Vaalmiki. It is not a book on Hatha Yoga as many mistakenly think. It is a rational treatise explaining the mysteries of the universe and our existence here. It is a book of knowledge. It is a text which trains you to think. And the amazing factor is that abstract truths are explained in this text through wonderful stories and unique tales. The whole text is in a dialogue form. The conversation takes place between the young Rama, the son of Dasharatha who is yet to complete his sixteenth year and Sage Vasishta, the son of Lord Brahma. Rama completely transforms his immature personality into an all knowing seer within very few days under the guidance of his GuruVasishta. Anyone who studies this book and thinks alongside Rama is sure to attain the complete knowledge of the Self and become a Jeevan Mukta, liberated while living; so promises Sage Vaalmiki. The scripture contains six Prakaranas or sections namely1. Vairaagya (Dispassion) 2. Mumukshu Vyavahaara (The discipline to be practiced by a person desiring liberation) 3. Utpatti (Emergence) 4. Sthiti (How the illusion of the world persists in the mind) 5. Upashama (How the illusion subsides) 6. Nirvaana (The final state of Supreme Knowledge and Bliss) The total verses contained are 32, 000, with the last section comprising of almost half the text. Before we embark on the journey towards self-realization in the beautiful speed boat provided by Vasishta, we must first understand thoroughly the full import of the work and what it is trying to explain. As we prepare ourselves thoroughly for any adventure on Earth like hiking or travelling, we must prepare our minds with proper ideas before we follow the path described by this Scripture. The foremost qualification is an open-mind; a mind free of all superstitions and myths; a mind which needs no placebo effects but Truths untarnished.

Here are some facts we need to know: A. Truth is different from belief systems. Truth is like the law of science; it is ever the same in any part of the Universe even if a person from another dimension lands here. Truth is like mathematics. Two and two make four whether you like it or not. Truth is not something which ceases to exist when you stop believing in it. Belief systems are not truths. They appeal to some particular brains and so are accepted as the code of their life. Not all have the same belief systems. They vary according to the environment and education of any particular person. As long as it is not fanatic and not harmful to others it does not matter who believes in what. Sri Krishna warns Arjuna in Gita instructing him not to break the belief systems of the people but allow them to go through their life’s journey in whatever way they feel fit. Every brain works in a different frequency and it is of no use trying to convince everyone about what you might feel right. However a student who has opened the pages of Yoga Vaasishta must decide whether he wants to cling to his belief systems or to the Supreme Truth; because this Upanishad composed by Vaalmiki blasts off all our belief systems into dust particles; and the amazing truth which is hidden behind the stage where the drama of this world is held, is revealed in its entirety. B. Rama was a human being. Rama was endowed with the same type of body like us, made of atoms and cellular networks. He is surely Lord Naaraayana playing the part of Rama on Earth. But he had to wear the garb of a human and live like us to show us the path towards liberation. His mission was not to just kill a ten headed demon. For that he need not have undergone all the hardships of the forest life on this Earth for fourteen years just to cut off the ten heads of a demon. In his travels from the north to the south by walk, he had changed countless ordinary beings into realized sages, because he was a realized soul himself. He descended down to the Earth to lead the Earth beings towards the supreme goal of Self realization. Reducing the ‘Bhoo-Bhaara’ (burden of Mother Earth) does not mean just killing demons, but spreading the Knowledge of the Self, so as to make most of the people realized. With lesser rebirths, Mother Earth indeed would feel happy. Rama carried the nectar of Knowledge given to him by Sage Vasishta and distributed it to all the good souls he met during his fourteen years of travel through the jungles and villages of India. This fact is almost not at all mentioned anywhere by anybody in these present times. People just imagine Rama and Krishna as gods with magical powers and they just revel in describing the magic that never happened in their lives. Rama could never consult an astrologer to find out the whereabouts of his lost wife, nor was Krishna free of the insult connected to his name as a cowherd (Gopaala) who had to spend his entire childhood in the midst of sticky milk vessels and cow-dung.

Krishna attained the state of Self realization at about the age of nine or ten at Saandeepani’s ashram. Rama attained the state of Self realization even before he completed his sixteenth year. We know of Krishna’s realized state only through the conversation he had with Arjuna in the battlefield as a teacher. We know of Rama’s realized state through this great text, where he converses with SageVasishta as a student. Yoga Vaasishta is about how Rama, the son of Dasharatha attained Self realization. How many of this world know this as a fact? Nobody wants a realized Rama or a realized Krishna. Both names are tainted with many myths not found even in the original Puranas. Krishna has become the youthful flute player dancing with some lovelorn girls sexually infatuated with him and Rama has become a King whose only mission was to kill weird demons. Narratives whether they belong to your life or the life of these Gods living on Earth are just brain created stories. We must comprehend their blameless character behind all the events of their lives; not just repeat them to gain merits. Their lives are a lesson to us to cross the ocean of this worldly existence and not fairy tales of magic to pass the time. Physics was not absent in those days. The same laws of physics worked at their times too; but they had more knowledge of physics and chemistry than us. So it looks like magic to us; a tribal fellow who never saw the civilized world will term a petrol powered vehicle as a demon moving by magical powers. We are tribals compared to those ancient intellectuals. Rama was a man; Krishna was a man; they were as human as you and me residing on this Earth planet. If they did any magic it was because they earned those powers by sincere practice under a particular Guru who taught them the same. But before they ventured into such practices, they attained the Self state first and then only bothered to learn anything else. C. Another myth connected to these Gods is that all the family members they were connected to were also divine. Why should they be? Krishna’s Gokula was just a cowherd colony with ordinary simple cowherds, illiterate and gullible. Dasharatha was just an ordinary King with three wives and lived like any other rich and prosperous King. You can understand the position of Rama who was genetically connected to an ordinary being when he laments about his own body. (First Prakarana). So it proves that he had no magical body but was endowed with just a cellular structure like you and me. Maybe he was stronger and taller than the twentieth century homosapien but the biology was the same. He had to walk through the thorny paths of the forests with Sita; he did not fly or float. His brother would have carried the sickles and firewood like any forest dweller we see today. They would have made camps here and there and must have been adept in forest dwelling. Tigers must have roared outside their huts too and frightened the princess. They were all under the age of sixteen, Rama being the eldest. How would they have faced the forest life is beyond anyone’s imagination. Lakshmana specially trained in the forest life in the school would have handled the situation well. He must have protected his brother and sister-in-law from all the dangers of the forest life. He must have been a realized prince too like Rama. What fun they would have had playing in the forest rivers; how they must have collected forest animals and birds to serve as pets; how the two brothers might have climbed trees and plucked the fruits for the beloved princess is any one’s guess.

The fourteen years of forest life must have taught them a lot more than any royal preceptor would have done. They grew up together, had fun together; loved each other. Maybe they discussed a lot of philosophy too; who knows! By the time Rama killed the demon and returned he would have been thirty years of age. By that time he would have seen to it that most of the residents of his country had turned into realized souls. Unfortunately nobody recorded those conversations he had with any one in his forest life. We only know how many demons he killed. Vaalmiki gave only the narrative part of it in his Ramaayanam. Rest of Rama’s greatness he revealed to his heart’s content in the Vaasishta Ramaayanam. Rama, Krishna, Sita, Lakshmana were all Jeevan-Muktas. They had the will power to face all the problems that arose in their life because they were in the ‘Sahaja Samadhi’ state (Natural State of Self) all the time. Sita, the daughter of King Janaka was in the ‘Self state’ by the time she was five or six years of age. She was the only suitable bride to fit Rama the realized prince. The very purpose of Sage Visvaamitra was to take Rama to his ashram and teach him the Knowledge of the Self. But fortunately for him Rama was already in want of such Knowledge and even before he left with Sage Vishvaamitra Rama realized the supreme state within a few weeks by practicing the wisdom given by Sage Vasishta. Without wasting time Vishvaamitra trained him in the forest to fight the demons and got him married to Sita also. Rama knew his identity as Naaraayana as soon as he realized his Self state. Yet he went through the life as an ordinary person with ordinary emotions. Nobody would have suffered as much as Krishna and Rama in this world; yet they faced all the problems in their life courageously because of their realized state. Krishna had to face a lot of mental sufferings and Rama had to undergo many a physical sufferings. However they managed everything perfectly well without a magic wand. D. Another great problem with this Yogavaashishta is that very few correct translations are available. Even if the gist is somehow given most of them are termed as emanations from some present day Gurus who are the Vasishtas reborn! If they are Vasishtas reborn, they can compose a new Ramayana, why repeat the same thing of the past and why should Vasishta come down as a human Guru only to teach a few hundreds? These statements are surly not written here as an insult to any modern gurus; only a request is made not to confuse every Guru as an avatar of somebody. Ramana was what he was, a Ramana; Ramakrishna was what he was, a Rama Krishna; his disciple was what he was, a Narendra who became a Vivekananda. Many such great saints never called themselves as avatars because the Self in their forms is the same Self in you and me and all the others, even in Ishvara. Identities, narratives are all just conceptions of the mind. Vyaasa, Vivekananda or Shiva, all identities are just dream names of the same Self. Same identity need not repeat every time you find a Guru and raise him to the level of an ancient God or Sage. Why not love your Guru as he is - what he is? A rose flower need not be an avatar of a lotus! It is beautiful as it is!

E. Truth is our goal; not the narratives. If you are courageous enough to tear down the age old belief systems of absolute space and time and destroy your own identity along with the identity of the godhead you cherish, read through the translated version. The present work ‘YOGAVAASISHTA-SAARA’ (Essence of Yogavaasishta) is a new compilation of the original Yogavaasishta composed by Maharshi Vaalmiki. An attempt has been made to bring out the complete essence of Vasishta’s teachings without missing out any important part of the stories or instructions on knowledge. I hope any untoward mistakes will be forgiven and only the essence of the text absorbed. This work is an offering to the lotus feet of the Great Sages Vaalmiki, Vishvaamitra and Vasishta. OM TAT SAT.

VAIRAAGYA-PRAKARANAM SECTION I DISPASSION

CHAPTER ONE {SALUTATIONS TO THE SUPREME}

दव भमौ ू तथाकाशे ब हरतच मे वभःु यो वभायवभासामा तमै सयामने नमः || Salutations to the Self of the nature of Truth; which is Self-shining; which illuminates the Heaven, Earth and also Sky outside and inside; and shines in me also. !ाता !ानं तथा !ेयं $%टादश'न(यभःू कता' हे तुः )*या यमात ् तमै !,यामने नम: || Salutations to the Self of the nature of Knowledge; which is the knower, knowledge and the thing to be known; which is the cognizer, cognition and the cognized phenomenon; and from which arise the doer and his action. फरित सीकरा यमादानदया.बरे sवनौ ु सवषां 0 जीवनं तमै 12मानदामने नमः || Salutation to the Self of the nature of Supreme Bliss; from which the bliss-drops burst forth and drench the heaven and the earth; and which is the essence of life in all.

{SAGE AGASTYA AND SUTEEKSHNA}

सती3णो 1ा2मणः किचत ् संशयाक%टमानसः ु ृ अगतेरा8मं गवा म9नं ु प;य कारणं कम' !ानं वा मो>साधनं उभयं वा व9निचय एकं कथय कारणं || “Tell me o Sage after proper analysis, practicing which method shall one attain liberation, action or knowledge or both?” अगितBवाच Agastya spoke उभाCयामेव प>ाCयां यथा खे पE>णां ग9तः तथैव !ानकम'Cयां जायते परमं पदं || The bird needs both the wings when flying in the sky; likewise, both knowledge and action together lead one to the Supreme state of Brahman. केवलात ् कम'णो !ानान ह मो>ोsGभजायते )कतभाCयां भवेमो>ः साधनं तभयं वदःु || ू ू Either just by knowledge or just by action, liberation cannot be attained; but both lead towards liberation; both are the means thereof.

{THE CONTEXT WHICH CREATED THIS TEXT}

Agastya continued: Listen to this old incident that happened long back. There was once a Brahmin named Kaarunya, son of Agniveshya. He was well versed in the Vedas and other scriptures. He finished his education and returned home. He abstained from all work and stayed at home without doing any ordained action. Agniveshya chided him and asked him why he was not performing ordained actions. Kaarunya told him that since scriptures advised a man to perform actions throughout his life and yet they stated that liberation cannot be attained through action or wealth or progeny, he was not sure which instruction to follow and hence remained quite without doing anything. Agniveshya related to him then, a story to clear his doubt. There was once an excellent Apsaraa named Suruchi. She was once seated on the summit of the Himalayan Mountain where peacocks danced gleefully. She saw then a messenger of Indra passing along the sky-path. She asked him where he was going. The divine messenger told her about a king named ArishtaNemi who had given away his kingdom to his son and was performing penance in the GandhaMaadana Mountain and he was on his way to Indra’s palace to report what he had done there and what was the result thereof. Suruchi begged him to tell her everything that happened at GandhaMaadana Mountain. The divine messenger said like this: “Lord Indra had ordered me to take a wonderful air-vehicle filled with many beautiful damsels adept in all arts and bring back Arishtanemi to Indra’s city so that the king could enjoy all the pleasures of the heaven. However the king had some doubts about the life in the heaven and asked what were the advantages and disadvantages of living in the heaven. I replied, ‘Heaven can be attained only when a person has done meritorious acts. The excellent place in heaven is reserved for those of excellent merits; medium pleasures for the mediocre and the person with lowest merits gets what he deserves. In heaven also there is envy and everyone competes with the other to gain higher position. Once the merits diminish they have to enter the earth again.’ The king told me to take back the air-vehicle and return without him. He said that he was not interested in the pleasures of the heaven; and he would engage himself in more fierce penance and give up his body like a snake discards its skin. I went back and reported to Indra what the king had said. Then Indra told me again to go back to the king and take him to the hermitage of Maharshi Vaalmiki; and request the Sage to instruct ArishtaNemi about the highest knowledge, because the king was filled with dispassion and was averse to heavenly pleasures; he will soon attain liberation and free himself from the pains of the worldly existence under the guidance of Sage Vaalmiki. I did likewise. Sage Vaalmiki then asked the king with extreme kindness what he wanted. The king requested him to instruct him about the method by which liberation could be attained.

वािHम)कBवाच Vaalmiki spoke शण ृ ु राजन ् व3याGम रामायणमखिIडतं 8वावधाय' यनेन जीवमKतो भव%यGस || ु ु वGस%टरामसंवादं मो>ोपायकथां शभां ु !ातवभावो राजे$ वदाGम 8यतां बुध || ू Listen O king, I will relate to you the entire Ramayana without leaving out any portion. Attentively listen to the dialogue between Vasishta and Rama which contains the auspicious means of attaining liberation. You will become a JeevanMukta by realizing the nature of the Self. Listen to what I say now, Wise one! राजोवाच The king spoke को रामः कL(शः कय बMो वा मKत एव वा ु एतमे 9निचतं 1 ह ू !ानं तववदां वर || Best among Knowers! Who is Rama? What was he like? Whose son was he? Was he bound or liberated? Tell me in detail all that I have to know. Sage Vaalmiki told him in detail about how Lord Vishnu was cursed by SanatKumara and had to get born on earth as Rama, the son of king Dasharatha and how because of the curse he was ignorant of the Self state.

CHAPTER TWO दव भमौ ू तथाकाशे ब हरतच मे वभःु यो वभायवभासामा तमै सवा'मने नमः || Salutations to that all pervasive SELF IN ALL which is Self-shining, which illuminates the Heaven, Earth and also Sky, outside and inside, and shines in me also.

{WHO IS QUALIFIED FOR THE STUDY OF THIS TEXT?}

अहं बMो वमKतः याGम9त ययाित 9नचयः ु नायतम!ो नो त!ः सोsिमन ् शाNे अOधकारवान ् || ‘I am bound, I will become free’; he who has such an ascertained belief alone is qualified to study this scripture; not the wholly ignorant nor the Knower of THAT. Vaalmiki continues: He who analyses the stories given in this Raamayana does not get born again. In the beginning, I related these stories to my disciple Bharadvaaja. Some other time, Bharadvaaja in turn related these stories to Lord Brahma. Lord Brahma was pleased and granted him the boon that whoever listens to these stories will be liberated very soon and that Vaalmiki should create the text in a proper form. Bhardvaja went to Sage Vaalmiki and requested him to make the stories into a scriptural form, as Lord Brahma had suggested. भरPवाज उवाच Bharadvaaja spoke भगवन ् !ातGमोवदारणः || तं पNं ु राजशाद' ल ू रामं सयपरा*मं काकप>धरं शरंू pये%टं मे दातमह' ु Gस || शKतो2येष मया ग,तो दQयेन वेन तेजसा ु रा>सा येsपकता'रतेषां मध' ू व9न`हे || Rama is equal to Indra in valor and adept in killing the demons. You are fit to give, O Great king, your eldest son Rama who fights for the Truth; the brave one with the side-lock of his hair hanging on the forehead. Hidden by me by my own divine luster he is indeed capable of slicing the heads of the demons that are harmful!

8ेयचाय कTर%याGम बहqपमनतक ं ु Nयाणामप लोकानां येन पpयो भव%य9त || ू I will do enormous good to him too; he will be worthy of worship in all the three worlds. न च ते राममासाPय थातंु शKताः 9नशाचराः खरधषण ू योभ'ृ याः रामय स ह%यते न सायकान, || The demons can never face him. Those evil servants of Khara and Dhooshana (demons) will never bear the onslaught of the arrows arising from Rama’s bow. न च पN ु कतं ृ शोकं कत'ुमह' Gस पाOथ'व न तदित जगयिमन दे यं महामनां || O king! You should not feel tenderly towards your son. There is nothing in this world which should not be given to great souls. हत ते ;9तजानाGम हतातािव j रा>सान ् न2यमदादय: ;ा!ा: सिदSधे सं;वत ृ यः || Ah! I promise you! Know those demons as dead! Wise ones like us never engage ourselves in uncertain acts! अहं वेद महामानं रामं राजीवलोचनम ् वGस%टच महातेजा ये चाये दZघ'दGश'नः || I know that the lotus eyed Rama as the Supreme soul; so does Vasishta of great luster and also other far seeing ones. य द धमm महवं च यशते मनGस िथतं तम2यं वGभ;ेतमामजं दातमह' ु Gस || If the supreme righteousness and fame are established in your mind (as principles not fit to be abandoned), then you are fit to give me your dear son!

नाये9त कालः काल! यथायं मम राघव तथा कB%व भ$ं ते मा च शोके मनःकथाः || ु ृ You know the value of time. See to it that my time is not wasted. It will do you good. Do not feel anxious in the mind. काय'मIवप काले तु कतमे यपकारतां ु ृ महदपकारो sप TरKततामेयकालतः || ु Timely help even if small is worth a lot; even great helps rendered at incorrect times are of no value.” इयेवमKवा धमा'मा धमा'थस ' हतं वचः ु वरराम महातेजा ववाGमNो मनीवरः || ु Having spoken thus, words with the essence of Dharma, the Great Sage Vishvaamitra of great luster and the embodiment of Dharma became silent. {DASHARATHA BREAKS HIS PROMISE}

तसैः || ु Lotus eyed Rama is still less than sixteen years of age! I do not see his fitness to battle with the demons. इयम>ौ हणी पणा' ू ययाः प9तरहं िथतः तया पTरवतो ु दायाGम पGशताGशनां || ृ यMं This entire AKSHOUHINI army of which I am the lord; surrounded by that I will battle the flesh-eaters (demons)!

[AKSHOUHINI –

a large army consisting of 21870 chariots; as many elephants; 65610 horses and 109350

foot soldiers]

बालो रामवनीकेषु न जाना9त बलाबलं अतःपरा ु (ते (%टा नानेनाया रणाव9नः || Rama is a child! He does not know the strength and weaknesses the armies. No other battlefield has been seen by him except the harem. नववष'सहhाeण मम जातय कौGशक द:ु खेनोपा दतावेते चवारः पNका मया || ु O Kaushika! These four sons were born after many sorrowful years to me who has completed nine thousand years! ;धानभतते %वेको रामः कमललोचनः ू तं वनेह Nयोs,यये धारयित न जीवतं || Among them only Rama, the lotus eyed is the most excellent; without him the other three will not hold their life here. स एव रामो भवता नीयते रा>सा;9त य द तपNहZनम ् वं मतमे ु ृ वाशु व j मां || If you are taking that very Rama towards the demons; then know me without the son as instantly dead! अयसाः न नागा य>गधवा'ः समेताः स(शा मने ु ः || Even if all gods, Sages, non-gods, demons, snakes, yakshas, gandharvas join together, they are not equal to this Sage! एवंवीयm महातेजा ववाGमNो जगम9नः ु न रामगमने बMं ु वKलवं कत'ुमह' Gस || This great Sage Vishvaamitra of such prowess and luster is the Teacher of the whole world. Do not have any apprehension about sending Rama with him.

अिमन ् महासवतमे मनी$े ु िथते समीपे पBषय साधो ु ;ा,तेsप मयावमरवमे 9त ृ मा दZनतां गणा$ाम इह चैव वयं >णात ् मोहं तयापने%यामो मBतोs$े घन ' म ् यथा || Bring Rama immediately here. We will remove his delusions instantly like the winds blowing away the cloud resting on the top of the mountain. एतिमन ् मािज'ते यKया मोहे स रघनदनः ु ु व8ाितमे%य9त पदे तिमन ् वयGमवोतमे || When this delusion is cleansed through a suitable method then that Rama will attain peace in the highest state like us!

9नजां च ;ाtतामेव Qयवहारपर.पराम ् पTरपण' ू मना माय आचTर%ययखिIडतम ् || He, revered by all, with his mind completely satisfied, will perform the host of activities both ordinary and his own without a break. भव%य9त महासवो !ातलोकपरावरः सखदःखदशाहZन : समलो%टामकाbचनः || ु ु He will become a knower with full understanding; he will understand the truths about the Supreme cause and the effect namely the perceived world; he will be free from joy and pain both; he will have equal vision towards a lump of mud and gold.” The king felt less apprehensive by hearing the words of the great Sage and sent again the servants to bring Rama to the court room. Meanwhile Rama got up slowly from his seat and got ready to visit his father. Surrounded by very few servants and his three brothers he reached his father’s place. He saw from a distance his father seated in between Vasishta and Vishvaamitra; seated all around them were the ministers of great wisdom. He came near his father as Vishvaamitra was commenting about his dispassionate state. ;थमं पतरं पचामनी ु मायैकमा9नतौ ततो व;ाततो बधन ू ् ;णनाम ततो गq ु न ् || He first saluted his father; then the two Sages, who were honored among the most honored; then the Brahmins; then the elderly relatives. ज`ाह च ततो (%kया मना[मूcना' ततो Oगरा राजलोकेन व हतां तां ;णामपर.परां || Then he accepted the hosts of salutations offered by the royal retinue; with his eye, by the shake of his head and by words. As he approached the King, Dasharatha embraced him with extreme affection and kissed him repeatedly. The King likewise showed his affection to his brothers too. उस[गे पN ु 9त%ठे 9त वदयेवं महZपतौ भमौ ू पTरजनातीण0 चासने स यव>त ||

As the king was speaking to him, ‘son, stay on my lap’; he sat on the ground on a seat spread by the attendants. {DASHARATHA ACTS CONCERNED BUT HAS NO UNDERSTANDING OF RAMA’S THOUGHTS}

दशरथ उवाच Dasharatha spoke पN ु ;ा,तववेकवं कHयाणानां च भाजनं जडवpजीण'या बPcया खेदायामा न दZयतां || ु Son! You are mature in mind! You are the abode of all virtues! You should not give yourself to such despondency through a worn out mind like a fool. वM वा(शेनानु9त%ठता ु ृ व;गB;ोKतं पदमाB2यते पIयं || ु न मोहमनधावता ु One attains the meritorious state by following the words spoken by the elderly Brahmins and the preceptors; not chasing the delusions like you! तावदे वापदो दरेू 9त%टित पTरपेलवाः यावदे व न मोहय ;सर: पN ु दZयते || As long as you give no occasion for the delusion to envelop you, O son, so long will the difficulties which soften you will stay at a distance!

{VASISHTA AND VISHVAAMITRA QUESTION RAMA ABOUT THE CAUSE OF HIS DEPRESSION}

8ी वGस%ट उवाच Vasishta spoke राजपN विजतावया ु महाबाहो शरवं ू दB ु णमलन ्कृतः || भजशाखो घनकधो िPवजत.भशभ ु ु ितOथः लोचनालZVबला*ातः Gशरःपीठबहफलः || ृ 8वदतरस`तो हतपादसपHलवः ु गHमवाकाय' संघातो वह[गमकृतापदः || ु सोयं जीवपाथगणापदः ृ कयामीयः कय पर आथानाथा )कलाN के ||

This body-tree is adorned every moment by the blossoms called smiles which appear and disappear with the pollen of teeth; where arms are the branches; high rising shoulders act as the trunk, on top of which rest the birds called teeth; is filled with the holes with bees called eyes; a big fruit called head stays at the tip of the tree; the ears are the tooth marks of the birds (by pecking) leaking some gel; good for labor; the leaves are the hand and feet; is eaten by diseases; a resting place for the bird namely Jeeva; well established with a huge shadow (ignorance)! This tree is the temporary abode of the traveler called Jeeva. How can this be a friend or enemy to anyone? तात संतरणाथन पनः 0 गहZतायां ु पनः ु ृ नाव दे हालतायां च कय यादामभावना || How can any one get attached to it or unattached? It is just a creeper used as a boat to cross over the ocean of worldly existence! कलेवरमहं कारगहथय महागहंृ ृ लुIठवCयेतु वा थैय\ )कमनेन मने ु मम || O Sage! This body is a huge house owned by Ahamkaara! What matters to me whether it gets destroyed or remains stable? {THIS BODY-HOUSE IS NOT AN OBJECT OF MY LIKING!}

पि[KतबMेि$यपशंु चलत%ृ णागहा ृ [गनां रागरिजतसवा'[गं ने%टं दे हगहंृ मम || This body-house is not an object of my liking! It is a house where the sense-animals are tied in a row. The lady of the house namely desire is on the move constantly. It is painted all over by the red color of attachment. प%ृ टािथका%टसंघपTरसंकटकोटरं आNरpजGभराबMं ने%टं दे हगहंृ मम || ु

It is supported by various sticks called bones kept in a haphazard manner and causes a lot of trouble. It is tied all over by wet tubes (for excretion etc.). This body-house is not an object of my liking! ;सत ं रKतांबक ु ु ृ तकद' मं ृ नायतNीक जरामकोलधवलं ने%टं दे हगहंृ मम || It is spread out with strings of nerves. It is the mire soaked in blood. It is whitened by the powder of old age. This body-house is not an object of my liking! Oचतभयकतानतचे %टाव%टdधसंिथ9त ृ ृ Gमiयामोहमहाथण ू ं ने%टं दे हगहंृ मम || With the mind servant doing countless unexpected actions causing one to fall; with a big pillar of unreality and ignorance; this body-house is not an object of my liking! दःखाभ' ककता*दं सखश€यामनोरमं ु ु ृ दरZहादSधदासीक ं ने%टं दे हगहंृ मम || ु Filled with screams of the baby called pain; used as an attractive bed for sleeping; the maid suffering from the scorching disease of improper wants; this body-house is not an object of my liking! मलाuयवषयQयहभा Iडोपकरसंकटं ू अ!ान>ारवGलतं ने%टं दे हगहंृ मम || Filthy with the collection of sense pleasures stored in all the vessels; surrounded by the dirty waters of ignorance; this body-house is not an object of my liking! गHफगSगलव8ातजानcव' ु ु ु ु ू त.भमतकं दZघ'दोदा'Bसु(ढं ने%टं दे हगहंृ मम || The head dangling on a wobbling supporting stick at the top of the pillar rising from the knees; with two long logs of shoulders of faults hanging down; this body-house is not an object of my liking!

;कटा>गवा>ातः *Lड;!ागहा[गनं ृ Oचताद ह ु तक ृ ं 12मने%टं दे हगहंृ मम || With ever open windows of sense organs of Knowledge; the sporting ground for the lady called intelligence; the daughter named worry staying in; this body-house is not an object of my liking, O Sage! मध' ू जां ने%टं दे हगहंृ मम || Air flowing in and out with speed continuously; two elongated windows of eyes; this body-house is not an object of my liking!

िज2वामक' टका*ातवदनPवारभीषणं (%टदतािथशकलं ने%टं दे हगहंृ मम || This body-house is not an object of my liking! The doorway of the face is terrible; a female monkey called tongue resides there; and there is a horrible sight of bone pieces called teeth. वKसधाले पमसण ु ृ ं यNसंचारचचलं मनः सदाखनोखातं ने%टं दे हगहंृ मम || ु Outside covered by the wet skin-paint; always vibrating by the continuous operation of the machines; mind always nibbled by the rat of desire; this body-house is not an object of my liking! िमतदZप;भोXाGस >णमानदसदरं ु >णं Qया,तं तमःपरैू : ने%टं दे हगहंृ मम || Looking beautiful by momentary lights of smiles (joys); instantly filled by darkness (ignorance and suffering) again for long; this body-house is not an object of my liking! समतरोगायतनं वलZपGलतपतनं सवा'Oधसारगहनम ् ने%टं दे हगहंृ मम || An abode of all types of ailments; a city with deteriorating walls (skin); dense with all sorts of anxieties; the body-house is not an object of my liking.

{THE DEPLORABLE BODY}

दे हालयं धारयतंु न श(नो)म मनीवर ु प,कम-नं सम/त0 ु ु गजम1पबलो यथा ||

O Lord! I am not able to support this body any more, like a weak elephant cannot come out of the mire it has sunken into.

)कं O8या )कं च राpयेन )कं कायेन )कमीहया दनैः क9तपयैरेव कालः सव\ 9नकत9त || ृ Of what avail is the wealth, kingdom, body or action? Within a few days, Time destroys everything. रKतमांसमययाय सबा2याCयतरं मने ु नाशैकधGम'णो 1 ह ू कैव कायय र.यता || O Sage! Pray tell me what beauty is in this body filled with flesh and blood! It has only one rule both inside and outside – the rule of destruction. मरणावसरे काया जीवं नानसरित ये ु तेषु तात कतlने षु कैवाथा वद धीमतां || ृ These bodies do not accompany one at the time of death. Why should the wise favor these ungrateful wretches tell me, Sage! मतेभकणा'`चलः कायो लंबा.बभ ु [गुरः न संयज9त मां यावतावदे नं सयजा.यहम ् || The body is as unstable as a thing kept on the tip of the ear of the musth elephant; as unstable as the water drop sticking on to the tip of the bent grass. This body is not going to leave me; so better that I discard it and be free. तायेव सखदःखा9न भावाभावमयायसौ ु ु भयो : ;ाकतो ह न लpजते || ू s,यनभवकाय ु ृ

This body experiences again and again the very same pleasures and pains, the very same occurrences and non-occurrences; yet the lowly idiot has no shame! सOचरं ;भुतां कवा संसेQय वभवO8यं ु ृ नोतं 12मन ् शैशवा*ातचेतसः ||

O Sage! The mind possessed by infancy is said to be more unstable than the frail glances of ladies, the cluster of lightning flashes, the flames of the fire or the rolling waves. शैशवं च मनचैव सवा'वेव ह वितष ु ृ Uातरावव ल3येते सततं भ[गरिथती || ु Childhood and mind always are found to exist together in all actions like twin brothers, being always restless, agitated and dissatisfied. नवं नवं ;ी9तकरं न Gशशःु ;यहं य द ;ा,नो9त तदसौ या9त वषवैष.यमतय त,तय थलय स(शः Gशशःु || The child is like a ground which is scorched dry, which is stinking because of years of dampness, which is unfertile (foolishness), which is as if filled with wet dirty soil with the face always drenched in tears. संR%टो भवनं भोKतुGमदम ु ु ादातमं ु बरात ् वाbचते येन मौ}य0न तसखाय कथं भवेत ् || ु Joyous of eating the entire earth; desirous of bringing the moon from the sky; with such wants caused by ignorance, how can the infancy be a cause of happiness?

शैशवे गBतो भी9तमा'तत ु ृ ः पतत ृ तथा जनतो pये%टबालाणभि[गना ु यौवनेन महामSधः स वै नरमगः ु ृ मतः ृ || One who gets deluded by the momentary phase of youth and feels happy is indeed a great fool fit to be called a man-animal. ते वPयाते महामानत एव पBषा भव ु ु ये सखे ः साधो यौवनसकटात ् || ु न समतीणा' ु O Sage! Those great souls alone are to be worshipped who crossed over the danger called youth easily! वनयभषतमाय' जनापदं ू कBणयोpवलमावGलतं गणै ु ः इह ह दल' ् ु भम[ग सयौवनम ु जग9त काननमंबरगं यथा || It is difficult to find a forest in the sky; so also it is difficult to find a good type of youth who is adorned with politeness; who is the shelter of noble men; who shines with compassion; who is enveloped with good qualities. {SUYOUVANAM -Youth which is akin to the Kalpa Vriksha in the heavens, which shelters the Gods etc.}

{WOMAN}

मांसपाbचाGलकायातु यNलोलेs[गपbजरे ना€विथ`िथशाGलयाः िNयाः )कGमव शोभनं || What beauty is there in the body of a woman the cage of a body oscillating as if by a string; a puppet made of flesh; filled with sinews, bone and nerves. व[SमांसरKतबा%पा.बु पथKकवा वलोचनं ृ ृ समालोKय र.यं चेिकं मधा || ु पTरम2यGस ु Examine well, separating the eye as skin, flesh, blood and tear; what beauty is there? Vainly do you get infatuated! रKतमांसािथ दSधा9न करभय यथा वने तथैवा[गा9न काGमयातां ;यप ह को `हः || Blood, bone, flesh etc. of a lady are similar to that of a camel or an elephant in the forest; what is there to get infatuated with? मेBश[ग ृ तटोHलाGसग[गाजलरयोपमा (%kवा यिमतने मKता हारयोHलासशाGलता || ु मशानेषु दगतेषु स एव ललनातनः वGभरावाPयते काले लघपIड इवाधसः || ु O Sage! Joyous is the sight of the pearl necklace seen on the breast, like the speedy waters of River Ganges playing on the bank of the Peak of Meru Mountain! That very breast of the lady in course of time is preyed upon by the dogs strewn across the cremation grounds in the suburbs of a town like the oblatory rice balls. केशकpजलधाTरIयो द:ु पशा' लोचन;याः द%कता ु ृ िSनGशखा नायm दहित तण ृ वनरान ् ||

Women burn away men like straw! The black soot of the fire is their hair; they are pleasing to the eyes; painful to the touch; their wicked deeds are the beautiful flames. pवलताम9तदरू े sप सरसा अप नीरसाः िNयो ह नरकाSनीनाGमधनं चाB दाBणं || Though at a distance they kindle; though appearing to be full of the essence of beauty, in reality they have no essence; the women are the most amazing and terrible fuel for hell fires! {The fuel will be dry or damp; women are both with essence and without essence. Though far, they kindle the fires of hell; hence terrifying!}

प%पक े सरगौरा[गी नरमारणतपरा ु ददायमतवै वयं काता वषलता यथा || ु With a hue like the pollen of the flowers, intent on killing any man who comes close, the woman makes a man, mad and slave-like, like the poisonous creeper. कामना.ना )करातेन वकLणा' मSधचे तसां ु नायm नरवह[गानाम[गबधनवागराः ु || The hunter named lust spreads out the ‘body-ensnaring traps’ namely women to catch the stupid birds namely men. जमपHवलमयानां Oचतकद' मचाTरणां पंुसां दवा' ु सनारpजौ नारZबyडशपिIडका || Woman hangs as the bait of flesh from the fish hook angled from the rope of wicked vaasanaas held by the fisherman called ignorance to catch the fish called men who swim in the ponds of births and wander in the muddy waters of the mind. सवषां 0 दोषरनानां ससमिPगकयानया ु ु द:ु खश[क ृ लया 9नयमलमतु मम िNया ||

I have had enough of the woman who is a casket holding all sorts of faulty gems namely sins; who is a binding chain producing untold miseries! )कं तनेन )कम3णा वा )कं 9नत.बेन )कं भवा ु मांसमाNैकसारे ण करो.यहमवतना ु || What of breasts, what of eyes, what of hips, what of the body, everything is just a flesh-piece; I do not care for that unreal appearance. इतो मांसGमतोरKतGमतोsथीनी9त वासरै ः 12मन ् क9तपयैरेव या9त Nी वसराBतां || Here is the flesh; here the blood; here the bones; in this way O Sage, within a few weeks, a woman (after death) attains the nature of an object spread out to be analyzed! यातात पBषै ु ः थलै ू लG' लता मनजै ु ः ;याः ता मने ु ;वभKता[Sयः वपित पतभGमष ु || ृ ू Those beloved ladies adored by the men of gross vision, they sleep with their rotted limbs in the cremation grounds. भतपbचकसं घसंथानं ललनाGभदं ू रसादGभपतवेतकथं नाम Oधयािवतः || How does an intelligent man fall for the thing called woman attracted by the picture in the space which is just a collection of five elements? यय Nी तय भोगे9तचbचलेषु 12मन ् रमे मरणरोगजरा दभीया शा.यामहं परमपै ु Gम पदं ;यनात ् || I do not find happiness, O Sage, in any pleasures which are enjoyable only as the momentary gratification of the senses; and which are difficult to conquer; and which are unstable as the fluttering wings of a honey bee! Frightened of death, old age etc, I will control my mind and with effort attain the Supreme Bliss. {OLD AGE}

अपया',तं ह बालवं बलािपब9त यौवनम ् यौवनम ् च जरा पचात ् पय कक'शतां Gमथः || The youth forcefully swallows the childhood as it is unfulfilling; the youth is swallowed by the old age later on! Observe the cruelty of both! {A child grows into a youth with so many dreams of fulfilling countless desires; but before much is achieved, one starts becoming old, left with the same unfulfilled desires.}

जज'रZकतसवा' [गी जरा जरठqपणी ृ वqपतां नययाशु दे हं वषलवो यथा || The old-age which is harshness incarnate shatters the limbs of a man completely and leads to distortion in the body like one fed by a drop of deadly poison. अनायासकदOथ'या गहZते जरया जने ृ पला€य ग Extreme hankering for senses pleasures seek the old age like vultures seeking the age old tree – (both are) unpleasant for the eyes; old; pitiable; bereft of all the valorous virtues. दै यदोषमयी दZघा' R द दाह;दा9यनी सवा'पदामेकसखी वाध'के वध'ते पहा ृ || Desire indeed increases in the old age; is enjoined with problems like dependence etc and is of long duration; causes the heart to burn; is the one and only friend to all dangers. कत'Qयं )कं मया क%टं परNेय9तदाBणं अ;तीकारयोSयं ह वाध'के वध'ते भयं || ‘What is to be done by me? The future is filled with terrible problems!’ a fear like this arises in the old age which is incapable of getting remedied! कोsहं वराकः )कGमव करोGम कथमेव च 9त%ठाGम मौनमेवे9त दZनतोदे 9त वाध'के || ‘What am I but a wretched ruined soul; what can I do; how will I live; better be silent and suffer;’ such a pitiable state arises in the old age. कथं कदा मे )कGमव वादु यादभोजनम ् जनात ् इयजhं जरा चैषा चेतो दह9त वाध'के ||

‘How, when, what tasty food will be given next’ only such thoughts burn the mind in the old age.

गधmCयदे ु 9त सोHलासमपभोKतं ु ु न शKयते ‚दयं द2यते ननं ू शिKतदौiयेन वाध'के || Greedy desires rise up joyously; but are not capable of getting fulfilled as enjoyments. In old age the heart burns indeed by the decline of strength. शयं नगरमाभा9त भा9त 9छनलतो $मः ू ु भायनाविृ %टमान ् दे शो न जराजज'रं वपःु || Even a deserted city looks better; even a tree with all its creepers dried up looks better; even a land dried up by no-rains looks better; but not a body stuck by old age! जरा pयोनो दतैवेयं GशरःGशखTरप%टतः ृ वकासय9त संरdधं वातकासकमPवती || ु ु The moment the moonlight of old age appears, the white lotus torn by the high winds atop the peak of the head blooms instantly in a flurry. न िजताः शNGभ ु : सं}ये ;व%टा ये $कोटरे ते जराजीण'रा>या पयाशु विजता मने ु || Those who hid in the hollows of the mountains at times of war and were not conquered by the enemies are conquered by e demoness of old age and decay, observe O Sage! सायं संcयां ;जातां वै तमः समनधाव9त ु जरां वपष समनधाव9त || ु (%kवैव म9तः ु ृ When the evening twilight appears, immediately darkness fills the horizon. Seeing the onset of old age in the body, death gets ready to take over. पTरपKवGमवालोKय जरा >ारवधस ू रं Gशरःक%मा Iडकं भ[Kते पंुसां कालः )कलेवरः || ु ू

The Great Lord of Death examines the pumpkins which are in the form of the heads of the men; seeing the slight ashy white hue brought about by old age suggesting the ripening of the pumpkins, he eats them up. मरणय मने ु रा!ो जरा धवलचामरा आगीरसागरै ः ु Kता.लभताPयै ू तैरेव यैः पय'ुषतैजग ' 9Xः कHयवत'नं || His breakfast is rather stale because he consumes the same worlds repeatedly; the ocean of milk and curds with variety of tastes like sour, pungent, bitter etc., act as side dishes. {Worlds are stale because the same worlds which are at the beginning of the Kalpa stay till the end of the Kalpa.}

चIडी चतरसं ु चारा सव'मातग ृ णािवता संसारवनवयता Qयाƒी भूतौघघा9तनी || The lady is terrifying like a tigress, is stealthy in her movements; is accompanied by all hosts of mothers; is the killer of hosts of beings; triumphing over the forest of the world. {It is his beloved wife KAALARAATRI, the dark night of death.}

पiवी करतले पiवी पानपाNी रसािवता ृ ृ कमलोपलक2लारलोलजालकमाGलता || The entire earth becomes an earthen drinking pot for Kaala. The pot is filled with delicious juicy wine. It is adorned by the garland where hosts of red blue white lotuses (Gunas) playfully hang. वरावी वकटाफोटो नGसं ु ृ हो भजपbजरे सटावकटपीनांसः कातः *Lडाशकतकः || ु In his cage like shoulder, he carries a sportive bird namely nara-simha (man-lion); it shouts with a thunderous voice; it makes terrifying noises by clapping the hands; it has a mane around the neck; it has plump shoulders; it is attractive. {Nara-simha is his pet-bird playing around killing the demons.}

अलाबवी ु णामधरः ु शरPQयोमामलमा वायराका शं पव'ताः सTरतो दशः ु वनाशवाडवयैतPसव\ संश%ु कGमधनं || The heavens, the earth, the wind, the sky, the mountains, the rivers, the quarters, all are just fuel for the blazing dissolution fire of Vadava, namely ‘Destruction’. धना9न बाधवा भया GमNाeण वभवाच ये ृ वनाशभयभीतय सव\ नीरसतां गतं || Wealths, relatives, servants, friends, riches all appear essence-less to me who is terrified of the unavoidable destruction phenomenon. वदते तावदे वैते भावा जग9त धीमते याव„म9ृ तपथं या9त न वनाशकुरा>सः || All these objects please you O wise one, till they are not carried away in the memory-lane by the wicked demon of destruction. >णमैवय'माया9त >णमे9त दTर$तां >णं वगतरोगवं >णमागतरोगतां || One moment a man gets all riches; next moment he attains poverty. One moment he is without any ailments; next moment he gets sickness.

;9त>णवपया'सदा9यना 9नहतामना जगPUमेण के नाम धीमतो ह न मो हता: || Which men even if proved intelligent, are not deluded by the world which is always on the path of destruction and which keeps changing every moment? आगमापायपरया >णसंिथ9तनाशया न Vबभे9त ह संसारे धीरोsप क इवानया || Which man even if proved courageous, is not frightened of this world which always moves towards ruin and where everything is non-existent the next moment? आपद: >णमायाित संपद: >णमेव च >णं जम >णं मयः ु )कGमव न >णं || ृ ु मने Within a moment difficulties arise; within a moment prosperities arise; within a moment births and deaths occur! O Sage, what does not happen in a moment? ;ागासीदय एवेह जातवयो नरो दनैः सदै कqपं भगवन ् )किbचदित न सिथरं || ु A man is different when seen in the past; within days he acts as if he is another person. Always it is the same; nothing remains stable. (Change alone remains unchanging) अशरेू ण हत: शरू एकेन बहवो हताः ;ाकताः ;भतां ु याता: सव'मावय'ते जगत ् || ृ A valorous person is killed by a non-valorous person; many people are killed by a single person; ordinary people become lords! The world rotates everything! बाHयमHप दनैरेव यौवन8ीततो जरा दे हेsप नैकqपवं काथा बा2येषु वतष ु ु ||

Childhood remains for just few days; then the glamorous youth; then old age; even the body is not the same anytime. What is there to trust about the stability of outside objects? >णमानिदतामे9त >णमे9त वषा दतां >णं सौ.यवमाया9त सव'िमनटवमनः || Everywhere the mind like an actor is happy one moment, unhappy next moment, calm still another moment. इतचाय दतचाय दतचायदयं वOधः रचयवतनाया9त खेदं लZलािववाभ'कः || ु Having a rule of moving from one thing to the other and then to another and then to another, the mind suffrres restlessly like a child. आवभा'व9तरोभावभाOगनो भवभाOगनः जनय िथरतां याित नापदो न च संपदः || Only the state of appearance and disappearance is stable for the man who lives in this world, not the calamity or prosperity!

{RAMA’S SUFFERING}

इ9त मे दोषदावािSनदSधे सप द चेतGस ;फरित नभोगाच मग ु ृ त%णा ृ सरिवव || In this way my mind is severely burnt by the terrible fire of faults; desire for pleasures no more arises in my mind like mirages cannot occur in a lake. नानदाय ममोPयानं न सखाय मम िNयः ु न हषा'य ममाथा'शा शा.याGम मनसा सह || The gardens do not please me; pretty girls do not attract me; desire for wealth no more excites me; I will quieten down along with the mind.

नाGभनदाGम मरणं नाGभनदाGम जीवतं यथा 9त%ठाGम 9त%ठाGम तथैव वगतpवम ् || I do not feel averse to death; I do not feel averse to life; I will stay as I am with my fever remedied. )कं मे राpयेन )कं भोगैः )कमथन 0 )कमी हतैः अहं कारवशादे तस एव गGलतो मम || What use is to me the kingdom, or pleasures, or wealth, or wants? All these are desired because of the ego. That is already dead in me! अथ चेवगEरCामकक#दरथः || ृ Still in that place can be found the houses, land, estate, and wealth of that Brahmin. Today the Jeeva of the dead person (Vasishta) has passed eight days staying in the hole of the little GiriGraama Village. {VASISHTA IS PADMA; ARUNDHATI IS LEELAA}

स ते भता(.य संप#नो ि.वजो भप*वमागतः ू यासावA#धतीनाNना 3ा4मणी सा *वमDगने || That Brahmin having attained the King’s personality has become your husband. That Brahmin-lady named Arundhati is actually you, O Good lady! इहे मौ कAतो राWयं तौ भव#तौ सदं ु पती ु चOवाका+वव नवौ भ+व ु जातौ शवा+वव || You both who were a good pair of husband and wife now rule the kingdom like the newly paired chakravaaka birds (ruddy goose), like Shiva and Shivaa born on Earth. एष ते क>थत: सग(: Lा\तन: संस!त ृ ^म: ^ाि#तमाकमाकाशमेवम ् सगw ?ह भासते ||

Thus has been related to you the story of the past life, the delusion called worldly existence. The ‘space’ which is of the essence of illusion alone shines like the Created World.

{ANY PERCEPTION OF ANY WORLD IS CAUSED BY DELUSION}

^मादमािTचदाकाशे ^मोsयं L!तMबिNबतः अस*य एव वा स*यो भवतोभ(वभDगदः || In this ‘Conscious space’delusion alone is reflected because of delusion; (Previous delusions cause the post delusory states.) false (according to me), or true (according to you all), giving rise to the entire world perception to people like you. तमा.^ाि#तमयः कः या*को वा ^ा#*यि#जतो भवेत ् ु सगw !नरग(लानथ(बोधा#ना#यो +वजN ृ भते || Therefore which one (world perception) is delusory, which one is free of delusion? The Creation shines forth in all its grandeur because of continuous false knowledge. Nothing else is there. ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke इ*याकय( >चरं चाA +वमयो*फJललोचना ु भ*वोवाच वचो ल:ला ल:लालसपदाFरं || ू Listening to all this, Leelaa remained with her eyes wide open for a while amazed and surprised. Then she spoke in an amused manner.

CHAPTER TWELVE {IS IT EVER POSSIBLE?}

ल:लोवाच Leelaa spoke दे वी *व.वचनं मoया कथं संप#नमीeशं \व +वLजीव: वगहेृ \वामी वय मह िथताः || Devi! How did your words turn into falsehood like this? Where that Jeeva of the Brahmin in his own house and where we (the King and queen) who reside here! (How can there be any connection in the least between such distant worlds?)

ता\लोका#तरं साभते ू शैलाता ?दशो दश कथं भाि#त गह ृ या#तम([ता( ये ववितथः || How can a world so different, all that land, all those hills, those ten directions, where my husband is kept exist inside that house? {The ‘house’ referred to here is the house of the Brahmin Vasishta; the term ‘world’ refers to Padma’s world.)

{ALL NONSENSE AND ABSURD}

म*त ऐरावतो ब1ः सष(पयेवकोटरे मशकेन कतं ु सNहौघैरणुकोटरे || ृ य1ं The intoxicated Aeiraavata elephant (belonging to Indra) is chained inside the hollow of the mustard seed! War was fought by the mosquito with hosts of lions inside the hollow of the atom! प=ाFे था+पतो मेA!न(गीणw भDग ू ु ृ सनना वQनाsदगिज(तं *वा >चं न*यि#त ब?ह(णः || ु ृ

The Meru Mountain kept inside the lotus seed-bead was swallowed by the larva of the bee! The peacocks dance beautifully hearing the thunders roar in the dream! असम#जसमेवैत.यथा सव)वरे )वEर Y तथा गहा#तः प>थवी शैला)चे*यसम#जसं || ृ ृ As all these are impossible, O Goddess, so is the story related by you! Hey the queen of all Gods! All this is as absurd as the statement that ‘Earth and hills exist inside a house’ sounds absurd. यथावदे तPेवे श कथयामलया >धया Lसादानगह:ते ?ह नोि.वज#ते महौजसः || ु ृ Whatever the truth is, please explain all without confusing the intellect. Great ones do not agitate those blessed with grace. {‘Please do not say unbelievable things to me just to amuse yourself’}

CHAPTER THIRTEEN दे mयवाच ु Devi Spoke {DIVINITIES LIKE US CANNOT UTTER UNTRUTHS}

नाहं मoया वदामीदं यथावTƒणु स#द ु Eर भेदनं !नयतीनां ?ह _Oयते नामदा?द भः || I do not utter falsehood! O beautiful lady, listen to whatever I relate! The breaking of rules is not done by the likes of us! +व भ.यमानाम#येन थापयाNयहमेव यां मया(दां तां मया भ#नां कोsपरः पाल!य य!त ||

That boundary or rule which I have ordained as not to be crossed over by others, if I myself break it, who else will follow that rule? {IT IS ALL TRUE}

सCामि.वजजीवा*मा तिम#नेव वस=!न mयोN#येवेदं महारा tं mयोमा*मैव Lप)य!त || That ‘essence of the Jeeva of that Brahmin who lived in that village’ of the nature of ‘space’ alone, in that ‘space’ of that ‘very house’ of his, visualizes ‘space’ only as this Earth and country! {*योम –*ययत – something which covers – sky –space- atmosphere all around you} {Inside ‘that little house of GiriGraama’, the ‘Jeeva-atom of that Vasishta’ experienced the ‘world of this Padma’. The Jeeva is nothing but a collection of mental processes and is just empty space; the conceived world of Padma also is just empty space existing within the mind of the ‘Vasishta-Jeeva’.}

Lा\तनी सा म!ृ तल(ुQता यवयोA?दता#यथा ु वQने जाCत ् म!ृ तय(.वदे त#मरणमDगने || That memory of the past life is deleted; another one has arisen for you both! O lady, this thing called ‘Death’ is like the memory of the waking state in the dream state! {‘You both do not remember the death experience, like you cannot remember the waking state in the dream state.’}

यथा वQने Mभवनं संकJपे Mजगत ् यथा ु यथा कथाथ(संCामो मAभमौ जलं यथा || ू तय 3ा4मणगेहय सशैलवनप*तना इयम#तःिथता भ मः संकJपादश(योEरव || ू Just like the three worlds exist inside the dream, just like the three worlds exist in the thought, just as battles exist in stories, just like water exists in the desert, ‘this city’ surrounded by forests and hills exists inside that ‘house of the Brahmin’ like the world reflected in the mirror and the mind.

{WORLD IS UNREAL; CHIT ALONE IS REAL}

अस*यैवेयमाभा!त स*येव घनसग(ता तय स*यावभासय >च.mयोNन: कोशकोटरे || This dense created phenomenon is unreal, yet shines as real inside the ‘hollow storehouse of the CHIDAAKAASHA’ which shines as the Truth. अस*या.य.सम*प#नं म*या नाम तदQयसत ् ु ृ मगत णातर िDगयाम ् तर#गोs+प न स.यतः || ृ ृ That which has arisen out of untruth just through memory, is also unreal; as even a single wave of the mirage-river filled with waves, is also not real! {Mirage itself is unreal; how can the wave be real? Any conceived world inside another conceived world also is unreal.} {EVERYTHING IS JUST CHIT-SPACE}

इदं *वद:यं सदनं त.गेहाकाशकोशगं +व+1 मां *वां च सवK च तिTच.mयोमैव केवलं || This house of yours, that world seen inside the house-space shell, myself, you, and everything else is just that CHIDAAKAASHA (space of Consciousness)! वQनसं^मसंकJपवानभ!तपरNपराः ु ू Lमाणा#यत ्र मःया!न संबोधाय Lद:पवत ् || ु The continued grand show of experiences in one’s mind while dreaming, is the proof which will lead to the true understanding like a lighted lamp. {Think what happens in a dream; similar is the case here!}

िथतो 3ा4मणगेहा#ति.व(जजीवतदं बरे स सम@वना पoवी िथताsज इव षlपदः || ु ृ That Brahmin’s house exists; the Jeeva of the Brahmin exists inside that. This Earth with its oceans and forests exists in some one tiny corner of it like a bee in a lotus.

तयाः किमि#)चदे किम#पेलवे कोणकोटरे इदं प*तनदे हा?द केशो„क इवाNबरे || तिम#निम#परेु ति#व तदे व सदनं िथतं तमाि*कं सरे व#तज(ग.व#ृ द मव िथतं || ‘This’ city, the body etc. exist like a ‘floater’ floating in the sky, in some one tiny hole of ‘that hollow of Chit’. In ‘this creation’,’that house’ alone is there, in which hosts of worlds exist inside like the dust particles floating in the sunlight! So what! {Floaters and Spots: Have you ever seen small specks or debris that looks like pieces of lint floating in your field of view? These are called “floaters,” and they are usually normal and harmless. They usually can be seen most easily when you look at a plain background, like a blank wall or blue sky. Floaters are actually tiny clumps of gel or cells inside the vitreous – the clear, jelly-like fluid that fills the inside of your eye. Floaters may look like specks, strands, webs or other shapes. Actually, what you are seeing are the shadows of floaters cast on the retina, the light-sensitive inner lining of the back of the eye. The word used by Vasishta is KESHONDRA, some hair like round thing.}

परमाणौ परमाणौ सि#त व*से >चदा*म!न ं त#नाम शD\यते || अ#तर#तज(ग#ती!त _क*वे Dear Daughter! In each and every supremely subtle atomic state of the conscious individual Self, there exist worlds inside worlds! Why should this fact be a matter of doubt?

CHAPTER FOURTEEN ल:लोवाच Leelaa spoke अ टमे ?दवसे +वL: स मतः ृ परमे)वEर गतो वष(गणोsमाकं मात: कथ मदं भवेत ् || O Supreme Goddess! That Brahmin died eight days ago! Mother, for us so many years have passed! How can this be possible? दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke {SPACE /TIME PERCEPTIONS ARE RELATIVE}

दे शदै …यKयथा नाित कालदै …यK तथाDगने ना*येवे!त यथा#यायं कoयमानं मया शण ृ ु || Just as there exists not the long duration of space, the long duration of time also is not there, O lady, Listen to my explanation of how they are not there. यथैत*L!तभामां जग*सगा(वभासनं तथैत*L!तभामां FणकJपावभासनं || Just as the extension of the world perceived is just an appearance only, the idea of the ‘second’ and ‘Kalpa’ is also just an appearance. FणकJपं जग*सवK *व*ताम*ता*मज#मनां यथाव.L!तभासय व*से Oम मदं शण ृ ु || For those who get born with the ideas of ‘you’ and ‘me’, the entire world is made up of second and Kalpa. Dear daughter, listen to the exact process of the occurrence of such appearances!

{WHAT HAPPENS AT DEATH?}

अनभय ु ू Fणं जीवो मoयामरणमTछ( ू नं +वम*य || ु ृ Lा\तनं भावम#यं प)य!त स†ते तदे वो#मेषमाेण mयोN#येव mयोमpQय+प आधेयोsह महाधारे िथतोsह म!त स#द ु Eर || O virtuous lady! The Jeeva though existing as ‘empty space’, just for a second experiencing ‘the false swoon of Death’, forgets the previous state of existence, and perceives another one O pretty one, within the wink of the eyelid, in the ‘space itself’ thinking ‘I am to be supported, I exist inside this support’. {At the time of death, within a second, after a momentary faint-state, the ‘Jeeva-point’ which is just empty space and a collection of Vaasanaas, perceives another world and believes it to be a solid world of absolute space and time.}

हतपादा?दमा#दे हो ममाय म!त प)य!त यदे व चेत!त वपःतदे वेदं स प)य!त || ु ‘This body with the hands and feet etc., is mine’ – so he feels; Whatever form is in his mind, he sees that as his body. {The mind projects a new physical attire suited to the fulfillment of Vaasanaas and the Jeeva instantly identifies with the new body and starts living as another person forgetting the previous experiences of the life where his physical body lies dead.}

एतयाहं +पत:ु पो ु वषा(येता!न सि#त मे इमे मे बा#धवा रNया ममेदं रNयमापदं || जातोsहमभवम ् बालो व+1ं ृ यातोहमीeशः बा#धवा)चाय मे सवY तथैव +वचर#*यमी || ‘I am the son of this father; I have passed so many years in my life, these are my relatives who bestow joy on me; this house of mine gives me happiness. I was born; I was a child; I grew up to be like this. All these relatives of mine are also like this. Those who are mine and others also exist’ >च*ताकाशघनैक*वा*वेsQय#येs+प भवि#त ते ||

In this manner, by the denseness of the Mind-space, people belonging to one’s own and others appear. {The new life after death need not start from the birth experience of the next life. Any mode of life-time will be instantly experienced with all the data of previous experiences embedded already. The time-phase of the life experience will depend on the dominance of the particular Vaasanaa. If a person had a longing for childhood experiences he will instantly be a child of any age enjoying that particular phase of life after death. If a person has a longing for youthful experiences, he will be instantly be a youth experiencing that particular phase of life after death. But if de-merits of the actions of the past life or negative thought modes fill the mind, then naturally adverse situations will be experienced in the next life.}

{ALL JUST PROJECTIONS OF THE MIND IN THE VOID}

एवं नामो?दतेsQयय >च*ते संसारखडके िथतं mयोमैव !नम(लं || न _कि#चदQयRय?दतं ु Even if such ideas arise in the ‘mind’, which is actually the fragment of the world, actually nothing arises there and it is as pure as the empty sky. वQने @ टEर य.विTच*त.व‡)ये >चदे व सा || In the dream the dreamer himself is the dreamed-world also; similarly the world perceived by the mind is CHIT only. सव(गैकतया यमा*सा वQने e टदश(ना यथा वQने तथोदे !त परलोकeगा?द भः || As the dreamer exists equally all over the dream, the perceived objects rise up when perceived in the dream. (‘Dreamer’ is the ‘Dreamed’ also)

Just as the perceived objects rise up in the dream so the objects rise up when we see the next worlds also. परलोके यथोदे !त तथैवेहाRयुदे!त सा त*वQनपरलोकेहलोकानामसतां सतां || Just like they rise up in the next worlds, here also it occurs the same way. The unreal appears as real in the dream world, next world and the present world.

{Experience of the dream-world is similar to the life experienced after death which is similar to the present life getting experienced; all but projections of the mind.}

न मनाग+प भेदोsित वीचीना मव वाEर6ण अतो जात मदं +व)वमजात*वादना श च || There is not the least difference between the worlds of the dream and the worlds seen here and the next, as the waves of the ocean do not differ from each other. Therefore this world which is produced is not created, nor can it perish. वpप*वा*तु ना*येव यTच भा!त >चदे व सा || यथैव चे*य!नहIणा परमmयोमp+पणी सचे*या+प तथैवेषा परमmयोमp+पणी || It does not exist at all by its very nature of unreality. Whatever is seen is CHIT only. CHIT is of the nature of Supreme Space without the taint of the perceived world. CHIT is of the nature of Supreme Space with the perceived world also. तमाTचे*यमतो ना#य.वी>च*वाद:व वाEरतः वी>च*वं च रसे नाित शशशDग ृ वदे व ?ह || The cognized phenomenon is not different from CHIT like the wave-ness does not differ from the ocean. The wave-ness does not exist in water like horns do not belong to the hare. सैव चे*य मवाप#ना वाभावादTयताQयलं ु तमा#ना*येव e)योsथ(ः कतो ु sतो @ ˆe)यधीः || That CHIT alone attains as if the complete appearance of the cognized phenomenon though it is changeless by nature. Therefore there does not exist something called Seen. So, where arises the question of the phenomenon of the ‘Seer and the Seen’? !न मषेणव ै जीवय म!तमोहादन#तरं ृ Mजग.Pृ)यसग( ी: L!तभामपगTछ!त || ु The next instant after the death-faint of the Jeeva, the grand show of the created world of the Seen, complete with the three worlds shines forth.

यथादे शं यथाकालं यथारNभं यथाOमं यथो*पादं यथामात ृ यथा+पत ृ यथौरसं || यथावयो यथासं+व.यथाथानम ् यथे?हतं यथाब#धु यथाभ*ृ यं यथेहातमयोदयं अजात एव जातोsह म!त चेत!त >च.वपःु || The ‘CHIT-body’ (Limited consciousness as the individual Self), though unborn imagines itself to be born, at the suitable place, at the suitable time, at the suitable beginning, in the suitable manner, as the suitable birth, with the suitable father, with the suitable mother, with suitable progeny, at the suitable age, with the suitable cognition, at the suitable establishment, with the suitable want, with the suitable relatives, with the suitable servants, with suitable rise and settings. दे शकाल_Oया@mयमनोब1ी ु ि#@या?द च झ?ट*येव मते ृ र#ते वपःु प)य!त यौवने || After the event of death, instantly the imagined identity perceives place, time, action, objects, mind, intellect, senses in the youthful state. एषा माता +पता 4येष बालोsभवम ू हम ् ि*व!त नानभतो Oमः || ु ू sनभतो ु ू वा यः या*म!तमयः ृ प)चा.यद व फलोदयः ु े *यसौ तय प पये ु !नमेषेणव ै मे कJपो गत इ*यनभयते || ु ू Ideas like -‘This is the mother, this is the father, I was a child once’ and so on rise successively as the memory whether experienced or not experienced. Later like the flower changing into a fruit, it experiences a time span of KALPA in a second.

{KALPA: A day of Brahma or thousand Yugas.}

{The Jeeva after the death swoon sees an instant world with an instant grown up body arising according to its Vaasanaa dominance. The birth, growth etc get ascertained by the memories filling up the mind. Like a flower instantly becoming a fruit, a long time-span of the past experiences of birth and childhood is experienced by the Jeeva in a second.}

राM.वा(दशवषा(6ण हEर)च#@े तथा 4यभत ू ् का#ता+वर?हणामेकं वासरम ् व*सरायते || The twelve years were experienced by King Harischandra within one night. For those separated from their beloved, one day is like a year. मतो ृ जातोsहम#यो मे +पते!त वQनातािवव अभ\तयै व भोगय भ\तधीAपजायते || ु ु ‘I died’; ‘I am born’; ‘this other person is my father’- ideas like this; ‘though not experienced’ - the idea of experience; ‘even if experienced’ - the idea of non-experience; arise as in the dream state. {It is not necessary that one’s real experiences alone lead to the particular life-situations of other incarnations. The thought of the experience – the idea of the experience randomly arising in the mind, is enough to create the narratives of life. Any brain configuration randomly arising can give one the belief that he had previously experienced it. This may be the case with those unfortunate souls who are led to believe that they had a previous incarnation and struggle to co-join two disconnected life narratives. Though not-experienced, they feel that they had experienced a life as some other person before getting born in this life. Similarly one may not remember any previously experienced event also. Every second there is only a random experience of the ‘Seen and the Seer’. There is no continuum of one Jeeva-state. Jeeva is just a channel for Vaasanaa-manifestation. Jeeva has no particular identity. The identity of the physical body is a mis-conception of the mind. The disconnected perceptions of any Jeeva are later logically unified by the brain processes. A vague idea of a continuity of one single person experiencing a life span arises as an ego, which again is another mis-conception.}

भ\ते ु sQयभ\त ु धी: e ट म*यलिDगतवा?दषु श#यमा कhण(तामे!त तJयं mयसनम*सवै ः ू ु ु +वLलंभोs+प लाभ)च मदवQना?दसं+व?द || For the stubborn ones who ascertain the Seen as real, ‘Empty void’ spreads out equally as tragedies and festivities, deceit and profit in the intoxicating dream of cognition. तैkयं यथा मEरचबीजकणे िथतं वं तNभेषु चार>चतपकजालम#तः || ु

e)यं *वन#य?ददमेवमजेsित शा#तं तयाितब#धन+वमोFeशः कतः ु काः || Like the sharpness innately existing in the rays of the Sun, like the un-sculptured forms inside the stone pillar, the ‘Seen’ exists undifferentiated in the ‘unborn’ as the tranquil state. How and what bondage and liberation exist for it? L!तभाि#त जग#*याशु म!तमोहादन#तरं ृ जीवयो#मीलनादkणो pपाणीवा6खला#यलं || After the swoon of death, within the wink of the eye of the Jeeva instantly all worlds arise with multifarious forms. ?द\कालकलनाकाशधम(कम(मया!न च पEरफर#*यन#ता!न कJपा#तथैयव ( ि#त च || ु With all rules of Dharma and Karma, with all sorts of time/space boundaries, countless existences come into being remaining stable till the end of the Kalpa. नानभतं +प ु ू न यPृ टं त#मया कत म*य ृ त*Fणा*म!ततामे !त वQने वमरणं यथा || ृ Even what is not experienced, what is not seen is imagined to be one’s action in the instant memory which arises after the death-swoon, like one experiences one’s own death sometimes in the dream.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN {DELUSION}

^ाि#तरे वमन#तेयं >च.mयोमmयोिNन भासरा ु अपकुnया जगनाNनी नगर: कJपनाि*मका || इदं जगदयं सग(ः म!ृ तरे वे!त जN ृ भते दरकJप FणाRयास+वपया(सैकp+पणी || ू The ‘Delusion’ in this manner shining endlessly in various ways in the ‘space of the Conscious-space’; by its very nature creating the contrariety (reverse phenomenon) of deep rooted ideas of ‘distance, Kalpa, moment’; creating a false sense of solidity named the ‘world’, a city made of conception; extends as the memory of ‘This is the world’; ‘This is Creation’. {अप - न पात- न र+त पतनात ् – Irreversible down-fall}

नानभतानभता ु ू ु ू च SिQतEर*थं ि.वp+पणी पूवक ( ारणEर\तैव >च@पै ू व Lवत(ते || The knowledge (perceiving, understanding) is of two typesexperienced and not experienced. Without any previous reason as such, it shines forth from CHIT. {All that we perceive or experience need not be caused by any previous experience or previous memory. Any random memory configuration can attack the brain and we firmly believe what is not experienced as experienced.}

नानभते +वद#तAदे *य+प ु ू sनभत*वसं ु ू वQन^मादाव#यिमि#पतर:व +पतःु म!तः || ृ Even if not previously experienced, the memory of experience rises in the mind, like sometimes in a dream, the memory of the father is superimposed on another person. {In dreams also random experiences appear; some other face looks like a father’s; some other like a son’s. At that moment of dreaming we believe it to be real. A life-experience is also a random experience without any hold backwards or forwards.}

कदा>च*म!ततां *य\*वा L!तभामामेव सत ् ृ भा!त Lथमसगष त ् || Y ु pपेण तदनOमा ु Sometimes the existence shines forth without the memory factor at all in the first Creations; the ones with similar nature arise at a later stage. {Logically a ‘first creation’ cannot be based on previous memories for there was no ‘previous’ in the ‘first’.}

e)यं Mभवनाद:दमनभतं ु ु ू मतौ ृ िथतं केषाि#च*ति#व केषाि#च*मरणं +वना || The ‘Seen phenomenon’ of all the three worlds exists in the memory for some (Jeevas) as ‘experienced’, O slender lady, in some as ‘non-experienced’. {SMRITI here

refers to the sum total of all unmanifest Vaasanaas or unfulfilled thought processes conjoined with the ‘Creation Vaasanaa’. This totality is referred to by the term ‘Brahma’ or the ‘Lotus-born’. These Vaasanaas or ideas of unfulfilled thought processes randomly manifest through some life processes. This channel of experience is termed ‘Jeeva’. Jeeva is not a person; it is just the principle of life undergoing some experience. With randomly arising thought process within it, the Jeeva may sometimes feel the ‘experienced’ as memory or even ‘non-experienced’ as the memory.}

L!तभासत एवेदं केषाि#च*मरणं +वना >चदणन ू ां Lजेश*वं काकताल:यव.यतः || Sometimes it shines forth as the ‘ruling personality’ in the ‘CHIT-atoms’ without any memory factor at all like the maxim – ‘The crow sat and the fruit fell’ (co-incidence). {One can experience randomly the life of a king, even if there was no previous experience of a king’s life as such. The Brahmin Vasishta randomly was stuck by a Vaasanaa for a king’s experience and he was a king in his next world as Padma.}

अ*य#त+वमत ृ ं +व)वं मोF इ*य भधीयते ईिQसतानीिQसते त न तः काचन कय>चत ् || When there is complete forgetfulness of the world, it is known as liberation. Likes and dislikes do not exist in the least there. {When no ‘Smriti’ can corrupt your mind to form an experience, it is termed as ‘Liberation’.}

अ*य#तsभावसंपि*तं +वनाह#ताजगि*थतेः अन*पादमयी 4येषा नोदे *येव +वम\तता || ु ु Without the complete non-occurrence of the worldly existence as connected to the ego, there is no liberation even if truly nothing is produced. {Even if the life-experience is unreal, unless one knows it as unreal, there is no freedom from the random experiences that befall one. Dream experiences can cease only by waking up.}

रWWवां सप(^मः सप(शsदाथा(संभवं िथतं अन*पादमयं *य\*वा शा#तोs+प ?ह न शाNय!त || ु The delusion of the snake in the rope does not go off even if it does not happen as it exists in the possible existence of the meaning of the word ‘snake’. {As long as the idea of the snake is there, the delusion of the snake in the rope cannot vanish.}

अध(शा#तो न शा#तोsसौ समे*यथ(तया पनः ु उदे *येक+पशाचा#ते +पशाचो#यो 4यधीमतः || Half and half cure does not work here. It rises again along with new meaning like if one ghost idea is removed, another ghost pops up immediately for the ignorant. {As long as the idea of the ghost is there, fools will see ghosts everywhere. Even if one ghost is gone they will see another one elsewhere. Unless the very idea of the word ‘ghost’ is destroyed, they are not free of the ghost.}

संसार)चायमाभोगी परमेवे!त !न)चयः कारणाभावतो भा!त य?दहाभातमेव तत ् || The worldly existence is the limitless state of experience only; this is a decided fact. It shines without any cause. What is seen here is just an appearance.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN ल:लोवाच Leelaa spoke {IS THERE A CAUSAL MEMORY?}

3ा4मण3ा4मणीpपे सगY कारणसंस!ृ तः कथमRयि*थता साय मरणीय मदं +वना || ु How did the causal memory arise in the Creation where exist the forms of the Brahmin and his wife, without any ‘previous causal memory’ as such? {What ‘memory’ caused the existence of the Brahmin of GiriGraama? If ‘memory’ alone goes on recreating worlds after worlds, then each life should have one ‘causal memory’ at the back, and so on ad infinitum. So if Padma and Leelaa were the effects of ‘memories’ of Vasishta and Arundhati Brahmin couple, then what were these Brahmin couple the effect of? If they were not caused by their own direct memories, then whose memory became the causal factor in their existence?}

ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke (MEMORY OF BRAHMA IS THE CAUSE: BUT NOT FROM THE PAST}

+पतामहम!तत कारणं तय न म!तः ृ ृ पवK ू न संभव*येव म\त*वा*पव( ु ू ज#मनः || The memory of Brahma alone is the cause there, but not the ordinary memory phenomenon of an embodied individual. As there is no previous birth, there is no past there. {Brahma is not an ordinary Jeeva with a life experience, to have memories which create the successive worlds. Brahma is just a sum total of all perturbations ever possible at the beginning of one Kalpa. Any perturbation which wants ‘to create’ becomes the Brahma of that Kalpa. Whatever thought process can arise out of this ‘first perturbation’ called ‘Brahma’ becomes the ‘causal memory’ for the birth of many Jeevas randomly. Vasishta and Arundhati were also just random creations arising out of Brahma. The term given to a perturbation which wants to create, is ‘Brahma’; and as a ‘conscious state’ it is referred to as a person; and also known as the Creator of that particular Kalpa. In no way it means that anything is created by the Will of a Supreme Ishvara. Sage Vasishta completely denies any second principle as a created phenomenon. According to him nothing exists other than the state of CHIT.}

{RANDOMLY A VIBRATION OCCURS}

पवK ू न संभव*येव मरणीय म!त वयं प=जा?द*वमाया!त चैत#यय तथािथतेः || There does not occur any past; but just by a voluntary act of remembrance, the Lotus-born and others arise in the Supreme Consciousness just like that, without any reason. {THIS RANDOM VIBRATION IS BRAHMA}

अभवमह म*य #यः Lजानाथः Lजापतेः ू काकताल:यव*कि)च[व!त L!तभामयः || ‘I have arisen’ some vibration like this occurs as if separated from the ‘Source’ as in the case of the ‘crow and the palm fruit’ (co-incidence), and the appearance of Brahma occurs which instantly causes all the worlds to occur. {ACTUALLY NOTHING HAPPENS AS AN EVENT}

एवमRय?दते लोके न _किZच#न कदाचन ु \व>चदRय?दतं नाम केवलं >च#नभः िथतं || ु In the world arisen in this manner there never ever arises anything as such anywhere! Only the CHIDAAKAASHA – the state of Consciousness exists without any blemish. (WITH WAVE OR WITHOUT WAVE,OCEAN IS THE SAME}

ि.व+वधायाः मते ृ रयाः कारणं परमं पदं काय(कारणभावोsसावेक एव >चदं बरे || The cause of both types of memories – experienced and not-experienced, is just the Supreme state. He alone is both the ‘Cause and the effect phenomenon’ in the ‘space of consciousness’.

{ONLY WE IGNORANT ONES HAVE INVENTED ALL SUCH WORD-PLAYS}

महा>च@पमे ू व *वं मरणं +व+1 वेदनं काय(कारणता तेन स शsदो न च वातवः || Understand ‘memory’ as the very nature of the great CHIT. ‘Cause /Effect phenomenon’ is because of HIM; It(C/E) is just a coined word, not real. {BRAHMAN IS UNDIFFERENTIATED}

एवं न _कि#चद*प ु #नं e)यं >चWजगदा.य+प >चदाकाशे >चदाकाशं केवलं वा*म!न िथतं || Therefore nothing rises as perception in the form of the world and others in the Chit. The CHIDAAKAASHA exists in CHIDAAKAASHA as its own essence.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN ल:लोवाच Leelaa spoke अहो नु परमा eि टद( श(ता दे +व मे *वया pप ीजा(गती Lातः LभयेवेFण.य!तः || ु Ah! The most Supreme Vision of Understanding has been bestowed on me by you O Devi, like the entire world becomes visible in the early morning light. इदानीमहमेतयाम ् याव*पEरणता e श नाRयासेन +वना ताव![#धीदं दे +व कौतक ु ं || Since I am not fully mature in this vision being without proper practice O Devi, please satisfy my curiosity.

यासौ 3ा4मणो गेहे 3ा4मया स?हतोsभवत ् तं सगK तं >गEरCामं नय मां तं +वलोकये || Take me to that creation where that GiriGraama village exists where that Brahmin lived with his wife in that house so I can see it all myself. {The very purpose of Jnapti seems to be to kindle the curiosity of Leelaa and lead her towards a higher state of realization. The Goddess gradually raises the intellectual level of Leelaa and gives her the status of a friend and companion to herself. As she expected, Leelaa was now more intrigued about the mysteries of the universe than with the life she wanted to lead with King Padma. In reality, the worlds of Padma or Vasishta or anyone do not exist as solid worlds which can be visited like picnic spots. Each mind creates its own world, and to visit it one must rise to the level of Chidaakaasha and discard one’s own mortal identity. As the Chit state, which fills up all minds and the conceived worlds of all minds, one can easily see what another person is conceiving in his own mind. Lower beings can never enter the worlds of higher beings, but a mortal can raise oneself to the level of the Chidaakaasha and visit the mental worlds of other mortals. Jnapti using the Vaasanaa for knowledge in Leelaa makes her discard her mortal coil. Jnapti knows that soon Leelaa will forget the very existence of her physical body and rise to a higher level with a divine form. But without disclosing the future, she just advises Leelaa to contemplate on the Chidaakaasha and become the Aativaahika body.}

ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke अचे*य>च@पमयीं परमां पावनीं eशं ु अवलंsयेममाकारमवमTय ु भवामला || Taking recourse to the ‘Supremely Sacred Vision’ of the nature of Pure Consciousness bereft of the cognized world, discard this form and become taintless. ततः LाQययस#दे हं mयोमा*मानं नभःिथतं भ म टनरसं कJपो गगना#तःपरंु यथा || ू Then doubtless you will attain space-like nature which can exist in the sky, similar to a man staying on Earth entering the harem situated in the sky as conceived by him. एवं िथते तं प)याव: सह सग(मनग(लं अयं तPश(न.वारे दे हो ?ह परमाग(लं ||

If it be so, then we will both together see that world without any obstruction. The body actually is a great impediment existing in the doorway of such a vision. ल:लोवाच Leelaa spoke अमना ु दे +व दे हेन जगद#यदवाQयते न कमाद मे यि\तं कथयानCहाCहात ् || ु ु Why can’t another world be entered with this (physical) body, O Goddess? Explain this to me favoring me with kindness. ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke जग#तीमा#यमत ् ू ा(!न म!त( ू मि#त मधाCहात ु भव![रवब1ा!न है मानीवो म(का>धया || ु These worlds are indeed formless! Because of the grip of wrong conceptions, they are cognized as with forms by you people, like the cognition of the ‘ring’ in the gold. हे N#य म( ू काpपधरे sQय म( ू का*वम ् न +व.यते यथा तथा जग@पे ू जग#नाित च 34म6ण || Though the gold appears with the form of the ring, there is no ‘ringness’ in gold. Similarly in the appearance of the world there is no ‘world’ in Brahman. {If an alien from another dimension visits the Earth, he will never see the ‘ring’ in the gold-ring. He will only understand the characteristics of the metal which shines bright. He may not even see the ‘yellow color’; he will know only the chemical content of the metal we cherish as wealth. Ring is a quality superimposed on the formless metal by the humans of this age in this planet. World is also a superimposition on the formless Brahman by the minds.}

जगदाकाशमेवेदं 34मैवेह तु e)यते e)यते का>चदQय ध लरं बु!नधा+वव || ू

This world is just ‘space’. (emptiness) What is seen is ‘Brahman’ alone. Whatever is seen here is like the dust in the ocean. {Dust does not exist in the ocean; it is just a reflection.}

अयं LपZचो मoयैव स*यं 34माहम.वयम ् अ Lमाणं वेदा#ता गरवो || ु sनभवतथा ु This world made of elements is unreal. ‘I am the non-dual Brahman’ is the Truth. Upanishads and the experience of the great Sages is the proof here. 34मैव प)य!त 34म ना34म 34म प)य!त सगा(?दनाNना L>थतः वभावोsयैव चेeश: || Brahman alone sees Brahman. Non-Brahman does not see Brahman. That which is well-known by the name of Creation etc. is the very nature of Brahman. न 34म जगतामित काय(कारणतोदयः कारणानामभावेन सवषां Y सहकाEरणां || The relationship between Brahman and the world is not the Cause and effect relationship, as there exist no concomitant causes anywhere. यावदRयासयोगेन न शा#ता भेदधीतव ननं ू तावदत@पा ू न 34म पEरप)य स || As long as your sense of duality is not removed through proper practice you will not be able to visualize Brahman without discarding the form. त p?ढं उपायाता य इमे *वमदादयः अRयासा.34मसंप*तेः प)यामते ?ह त*परं || People like us who are well adept in such Knowledge can visualize Brahman in each and everything, because of the long time practice in the realization of Brahman. संकJपनगरयैव ममाकाशमयं वपःु 34मैव चा#तः प)या म दे हेनानेन त*पदं ||

My form is also made of space alone, like a city imagined in the mind and is Brahman in essence. Even acting as this body I see ‘That state’ alone inside myself. +वश1Sानदे हाहा(तथैते प=जादयः ु 34मा*मजगदाद:नामंशे संथानमDगने || Brahma and others endowed with extreme purity can only have knowledge as their befitting bodies. O pretty girl, they remain established in the state of Brahman which uniformly exists as the essence of Brahma, world etc. तवाRयासं +वना बाले नाकारो 34मतां गत: िथत: कलनAपा*मा तेन *वं नानप)य स || ु Child, being without practice, your form has not attained the state of Brahman. It exists as the product of misconception; because of that you are unable to have the true vision. य वसंकJपपरंु वदे हेन न लRयते ता#यसंकJपपरंु दे होs#यो लभते कथं || When you cannot access with your body, the city built in your own imagination, how can you, being another body get access to another person’s imagined world? तमादे नं पEर*यWय दे हं >च.mयोमp+पणी त*प)य स तदे वाशु कA ु काय(+वदाNवरे || So discard this body and remain as the form of Chit-space and see everything now. You are an expert in completing any enterprise you undertake. संकJपनगरं स*यं यथासंकिJपतं L!त सदे हं वा +वदे हम ् वा नेतरम ् L!त _कञ ्चन || The conceived city is real only for the conceiver. Whether with body or without body, it is not real for the other person.

आ?दसगY जग.^ाि#तय(थेयं िथ!तमागता तथा तदाLभ*ृ येवं !नय!तः Lौ?ढं आगता || When the Creation first began, the delusion of the world rose along with it. From then onwards this is the rule maintained from the beginning. {One person cannot access the mental world of another person is a rule or law which exists from the beginning of this Kalpa.}

ल:लोवाच Leelaa spoke *वयो\तं दे वी गTछावो 3ा4मण3ा4मणी जगत ् सहे तीद मदं विTम कथं ग#तmयमंब हे || इमं दे ह महाथाQय श1स*वानपा!तना ु ु चेतसा तं परम ् या म लोकं *वं कथमे+ष तत ् || Devi, you told me that we both will go there to that world of the Brahmin couple together. But I say, how can we go there, Mother? I am going to place this body here and go to that supreme world with the mind filled with pure Sattva. How will you come there? {I am the Mind; you are endowed with the body. How can we go together?}

ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke

{SOILDITY IS YOUR IMAGINATION; NOT MINE}

संकJपmयोमवFते यथा स#न+प वा*मकः ृ न कुnया*मा न कुnयेन रो`यते ना+प कुnयहा || Whatever be your tree conceived in the sky as you imagine it, it is not a blocking wall; it is not blocked by a wall; nor is it going to break a wall!

{The term ‘wall or blockage’ refers to solidity of a physical object. ‘Tree imagined in the sky’ is the world conceived by the mind in empty void and believed to be real and solid. ‘There is no solidity at all in anything; so where arises the question of Mind/ body difference? I, as Jnapti am always in the state of Chit. I do not see any thing solid or hard anywhere. My body is also an appearance willed by me so that you, who are used to forms will feel comfortable with a form of mine. Since both of us are just vibrations in the Chit actually, there is no question of losing each other when you come out of your body’; argues Jnapti.}

शPै व ति*कल ु कस*व!नमा(णं >च@पयै ू L!तभानमततमा*परमा![.यते मनाक् || This body of mine is just made of pure space of CHIT; it is just an appearance; very slightly does it differ from ‘CHIT’. सोsयमेताeशो दे हो नैनं सं*यWय याNयहं अनेनैव तमाQनो म दे शं ग#ध मवा!नलः || So I with such a body don’t have the need to discard it and go. With this body itself I will reach that world like the wind carrying fragrance. यथा जलं जलेनािHनरिHनना वायना!नलः ु

मल*येवमतो दे हो दे हैर#यैमन ( ोमयैः || Water mixes with water; fire with fire; wind with wind; so also this body can mix up with other bodies which are conceived by the Mind. न ?ह पा>थ(वतासं+वदे *य पा>थ(वसं+वदा एक*वं कJपनाशैलशैलयोः \वाह!त म(थः || By imagining oneself as the physical body, one does not ‘become’ the physical body. The imagined mountain is the same as another imagined mountain. What harm can be there to each other? {‘Even if you because of ignorance believe your body to be solid and have to discard it here, know that it is also an appearance. You do not know it yet as a fact; so you have to discard the identity with it. But for me I already know that all forms are just projections of the mind. I do not identify myself with my form. So I need not go through the act of discarding it’; argues Jnapti.}

आ!तवा?हक एवायं *वाPृशैि)च*तदे हक: आ>धभौ!तकया ब.`या गह: ु ृ ति)चरभावनात ् || यथा वQने यथा द:घ(काल`याने यथा ^मे यथा स!त संकJपे यथा ग#धव(प*तने || For people like you also, there is only the AATIVAAHIKA (subtle) body. By prolonged superimposition of a physical structure, it is cognized as such; as in a the dream, as in the contemplative state of long duration, as in delusory states, as in imaginations, as in illusory worlds. {No one has a physical body actually. The Aativaahika body (Mind-body) is common to all and has no form; yet it projects some form and the ignorant believe it to be real, solid and identify with it like in a dream etc.}

वासनातानवं ननं ू यदा ते िथ!तमे य!त तदा!तवा?हको भाव: पनरे ु य!त दे हके || When the ‘diminished Vaasanaa state’ gets stabilized in you for sure, then you will again get back the ‘mind-state’ as your body.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN ल:लोवाच Leelaa spoke

{DO I HAVE TO DIE?}

आ!तवा?हकदे ह*वL*यये घनतां गते तामवाQनो*ययं दे हो दशामाहो +वन)य!त || If the sense of Aativaahika body becomes dense then this (physical) body will attain that (formless) state and perish!? {Leelaa is sort of shocked by Jnapti’s statement. It is not easy for Leelaa to just discard the identity with the physical body and walk out. The physical body is her only connection to her world and the future life with king Padma. Suppose she left it and it just died? She felt she would be forever lost in the world of Minds and wander like a ghost!}

{PHYSICAL BODY IS JUST A CONCEIVED FORM; NOT REAL AT ALL}

ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke यदित नाम तैव नाशानाशOमो भवेत ् वततो ु यTच ना*येव नाशः या*तय कheशः || If anything exists, then you can talk about its perishing or non-perishing! When actually it does not exist at all, then how can it perish? रWWवां सप(^मे न टे स*यबोधवशा*सते ु सपw न न ट उ#न टो वे*येवं कैव सा कथा || If the misconceived idea of the snake in the rope is destroyed by the understanding of the truth, what meaning is there in asking whether the snake died or not! यथा स*यपEरSाना@WWवां सपw न e)यते तथा!तवा?हक SानाPृ)यते ना>धभौ!तकः || Just like the snake is not seen in the rope when the truth is understood, so also by the understanding the truth about the Aativaahika body, the aadhibhoutika body is not seen at all. कJपना+प !नवतत Y किJपता य?द केन>चत ् सा शला समपातैव या नेहाित कदाचन || Any conception conceived by anyone is sure to vanish. The statue is ‘already gone’ which was never there. परम ् परे परापण( ू मदं दे हा?दकं िथतं इ!त स*यं वयं भ@े प)यामो ना भप)य स || The body etc exist as the Supreme, in the Supreme, filled with the Supreme; Thus we see the truth, O good one! You are not able to visualize this truth.

आ?दसगY भवेिTच*वं कJपनाकिJपतं यदा तदा ततः Lभ*ृ येकस*वं e)यमवेkयते || In the beginning of the creation whatever was conceived exists from that instant itself, as the perceived phenomenon with the same essence.

CHAPTER NINETEEN {WHY DID THE CREATION HAPPEN AT ALL?}

ल:लोवाच Leelaa spoke एकिम#नेव संशा#ते ?द\काला.य+वभा>ग!न +व.यमाने परे त*वे कलनावसरः कतः || ु Why did the perturbation arise in the tranquil state of the Supreme Reality which exists as the One without the divisions of space and time? ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke कटक*वं यथा हे िNन तरDग*वं यथाNभ स स*य*वं यथा वQनसंकJपनगरा?दषु || ना*येव स*यनभवे तथा ना*येव 34म6ण ु कJपनाmय!तEर\ता*मत*वभावादनामयात ् || The bracelet in the gold, the waves in the ocean, the reality felt in the worlds imagined or dreamt have no real existence. Similarly, the perceptions conceived as different from the Changeless state do not exist at all in the Supreme Brahman. यथा ना*यंबरे पांसुः परे नाित तथा कला अकलाकलनं शा#त मदमेकमजं ततं ||

Just like the sand does not exist in the sky, no taint exists in the Supreme! It is taintless, devoid of perturbations, quiet, One, Unborn and all pervading. य?ददं भासते _कि#च*त*तयेव !नरामयं कचनं काचकयेव का#तयाs!तमणेEरव || Whatever is shining (as this perceived phenomenon) is the shine of that Changeless One, like the shine of the shining stone (KAACHAKA); or the attracting power of the rare gem (ATIMANI).) ल:लोवाच Leelaa spoke एताव#तं >चरं कालमेते दे +व वयं वद ^ा मताः केन नामा+प .वैता.वैत+वकJपनैः || Devi, why are we deluded by the ideas of duality and non duality from such a long span of time? ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke {Ignorance or non-enquiry is the very nature of the embodied ones. Everybody is rushing through life without a second to ponder over the truths of their own existence. If any one starts thinking and enquiring, they will surely be free of the imagined limitation and bondage. If they realize the true nature of the Self, then there is no need of any liberation too, as nothing is real except the undifferentiated state of Brahman.}

अ+वचारे ण तरले ^ा#ता स >चरमाकला ु अ+वचारः वभावो*थः स +वचाराि.वन)य!त || By ‘non-enquiry’ (ignorance) alone you are deluded and suffering so long. ‘Non-enquiry’ is the nature of all; it perishes by ‘enquiry’. अ+वचारो +वचारे ण !नमेषादे व न)य!त एषा स*तैव तेना#तर+व.यैषा न +व.यते || The ‘non-enquiry’ perishes by ‘enquiry’ in a second. Actually there is only that Pure existence. Ignorance does not exist at all in it.

तमा#नैवा+वचारोsित ना+व.याित न ब#धनं न मोFोsित !नराबाधं श1बोध मदं जगत ् || ु So in reality there is no ‘non-enquiry’, no absence of knowledge, no bondage, no liberation. There is only this unaffected Pure Knowledge. एताव#तं यदाकालं *वयैत#न +वचाEरतं तदा न संLब1ा || ु *वं ^ा#तैवाण(व आकला ु All this time you never thought like this; so you were not enlightened and were like the churning ocean. अ.यLभ!त +वम\ता स +ववे_कनी ु ु ृ ब1ा स वासनातानवं बीजं प!ततं तव चेत स || From now onwards you have become enlightened. You are endowed with discrimination and are liberated. The seed which destroys all Vaasanaas has fallen in your mind. आदावेव ?ह नो*प#नं e)यं संसारनामकं यदा तदा कथं तेन वाय#ते वासना+प का || When the Seen known by the name of SAMSAARA-(worldly existence) never arose in the beginning itself, then how can these Vaasanaas be entertained by the Supreme and what meaning has this thing called Vaasanaa? अ*य#ताभावसNप*तौ @ ˆe)यeशां मनः एक`याने परे pढे !न+व(कJपसमा>ध!न || वासनाFयबीजेsिमन ् _कि#चदDकुEरते j?द Oमा#नोदयमे यि#त राग.वेषा?दका eशः || संसारसंभव)चायं !नम(ूल*वमपै ु य!त !न+व(कJपसमाधानं L!त टामलमे य!त ||

When there is the complete absence of ‘Seer, Seen and Seeing’ in the mind; when there is single-minded absorption in the Supreme in the state of Nirvikalpa Samaadhi; when the seed of the ‘destruction of Vaasanaas’ sprouts even a little in the heart; when emotions like desires and hatred gradually stop rising any more; the occurrence of this ‘Samsaara’ gets uprooted completely, and the ‘perturbation-less state’ gets firmly established as one’s own nature. +वगतकलनका लमाकलDका गगनकला#तर!नम(लांबनेन सकलकलनकाय(कारणा#तः क!तपयकालवशा[+व यसी!त || With all dark faults of delusion gone; by taking shelter in the taintless one inside the play of space; you will become the ‘essence’ of the ‘entire cause and effect phenomenon’ in a very short span of time. {You yourself are the state of liberation.}

CHAPTER TWENTY {LIFE-EXPERIENCE IS LIKE A DREAM} {In the waking state, senses collect innumerable data both wanted and unwanted. All these data get unconsciously churned when dreaming; and some vague dream happenings occur in the dream world fulfilling some wasteful Vaasanas and they get cleared off by such a process. When the mind is at peace sort of, then deep sleep state occurs where nothing is observed. When one wakes up from his sleep he understands that the dream happenings were unreal. He does not cry for the loss of the dream-body when wide awake.}

ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke यथा वQनपEरSाना*वQनदे हो न वातवः अनभतो ु ू sQययम ् त.व.वासनातानवादसन ् || When you know the truth about the dream, the dream-body though was experienced, is understood to be unreal because the Vaasanaa in the dream thins out.

यथा वQनपEरSाना*वQनदे हः LशाNय!त वासनातानवा*त.वWजाCPेहोs+प शाNय!त || Similar to how the dream body vanishes by understanding the nature of the dream, the body in the waking state also vanishes by the lessening of the Vaasanaas. वQन संकJपदे हा#ते दे होsयं चे*यते यथा तथा जाC[ावना#ते उदे *येवा!तवा?हकः || At the end of the dream, this (physical) body in the waking state is perceived as real; similarly at the end of the waking state (at the time of realization), the Aativaahika body rises up as real. वQने !नवा(सनाबीजे यथोदे !त सषQतता ु ु जाC*यवासनाबीजे तथोदे !त +वम\तता || ु While dreaming, the ‘deep sleep state’ arises when there is no seed of Vaasanaa, similarly when there is no seed of Vaasanaa in the waking state, liberation arises naturally. {THE STATE OF JEEVANMUKTI}

येयं तु जीव#म\तानां वासना सा न वासना ु श1स || ु **वा भधानं त*स*तासामा#यमTयते ु The Vaasanaa of the ‘Jeevan muktaas’ is not a Vaasanaa at all. It is pure Sattva (SATO BHAAVAHA) (Existence) and is known as SATTAA SAAMAANYAM. (the common principle of existence in all) या सQतवासना !न@ा सा सष ु ु िु QतEर!त मता ृ य*सQतवासनं जाC.घनोsसौ मोह उTयते ु LFीणवासना !न@ा तय( ु शsदे न कoयते ||

That ‘sleep where the Vaasanaa is asleep’, (not fully annihilated) it is known as SUSHUPTI. (Deep sleep) The ‘dense sleeping Vaasanaa in the waking state’ (ignorance) is known as MOHA. (Delusion) The ‘sleep where the Vaasanaas are lessened’ is known by the name of TURYAA. (Transcendental fourth state).

जाC*य+प भव*येव +व?दते परमे पदे || LFीणवासना येह जीवतां जीवनिथ!तः अम\तै ु रपEरSाता सा जीव#मु\ततोTयते || If in the waking state itself the Supreme State is realized the state of life for such a person is the ‘thinned out Vaasanaa state’. That state which is not understood by the non-liberated is known as the state of Jeevan-Mukti. श1स चेत: Lतनवासनं ु *वानप!ततं ु ु आ!तवा?हकतामे!त ?हमं तापा?दवाNबतां ु || The Mind which incessantly is filled with pure Sattva, which has all the Vaasanaas thinned out, attains the ‘Aativaahika’ state, like the snow melting into water by heat. आ!तवा?हकतां यातं ब1ं ( ः ु >च*ता#तरै मन सव(ज#मा#तरगतैः सPै म(ल!त नेतरत ् || The Mind which has attained the Aativaahika state and enlightened is seen in the case of Siddhas who have transcended the Mind and who have crossed over the Creation and birth phenomenon; not in others. {YOU CAN ALSO REACH THE SAME STATE}

यदा तेsयमहं भावः वRयासाTछाि#तमे य!त तदोदे य!त ते फारा e)या#ते बोधता वयं || When ‘I am this (limited form)’ idea in you is quietened by your practice then the knowledge will arise in you naturally ending all the Seen phenomena.

आ!तवा?हकताSानं िथ!तमे य!त शा)वतीं यदा तदा 4यसंकJपा#Jलोका#@kय स पावनान ् || When the knowledge of the Aativaahika state becomes firmly established, then you will see unconceived sacred worlds. {‘Unconceived Worlds’ – These worlds are not created by the ‘unfulfilled Vaasanaas’, but exist for the pleasure- fulfillment of higher beings.}

वासनातानवे तमा*कA ु य*नम!नि#दते तिम#Lौ?ढं उपायाते जीव#म\ता भ+व य स || ु O blameless one, therefore you make efforts to get the Vaasanaas thinned out; if you become perfect in that, you will become a Jeevan-Muktaa! याव#न पEरत*वे ष शीतलो बोधच#@म: ू तावPेहमवथाQय सगा(#तरमवेkयतां || Since this cool moon of enlightenment is not fully blossomed, leave this body here and see the other worlds. {‘At present let us finish off visiting the world of the Brahmin couple. You can later practice the thinning of Vaasanaas and become liberated. Now you have still many unfulfilled Vaasanaas. So you have to discard the body here and become space-like if you want to visit those worlds.’- says Jnapti.}

मांसदे हो मांसदे हेनैव सं)लेषमे य!त न तु >च*तशर:रे ण mयवहारे षु कम(सु || यथानभवमे वैत.यथािथतमदाjतं ु ु आबाल स1सं स1ं न नाम वरशापवत ् || The body made of flesh can adhere to the body made of flesh only in the day to day world of actions, not with the body made of Mind! That is a matter of experience as exactly felt by a child or a Siddha; I do not say it as a boon or curse. {‘Since you think you are a body made of flesh, you can contact only those bodies made of flesh. If you want to visit the conceived worlds of your husband, you cannot go there with a body made of flesh. I am not cursing you to become bodiless; but it is the rule set at the beginning of Creation’; says Jnapti.}

अवबोधघनाRयासाPेहयायैव जायते संसारवासनाका यY ननं ू >च*तशर:रता || By the unceasing practice of knowledge the state of the ‘Mind-body’ arises in this body itself with the thinning of Vaasanaas. उदे य#ती च सैवा केना>च#नोपलkयते केवलं तु जनैदY हो ‹यमाणोsवलो\यते || When it (mind-body) leaves the body also, no one sees it. The people see only the physical body of the dying person. {WHO LIVES? WHO DIES?}

दे हा*वयं न ‹यते न च जीव!त _कZच ते के _कल वQनसंकJप^ा#तौ मरणजी+वते || This body of yours does not die or live as both life and death are delusions of the Mind. {CAN A PERSON IN IMAGINATION EVER LIVE OR DIE?}

जी+वतं मरणं चैव संकJपपAषे ु यथा अस*यमेव भा*येवं तिम#पुM शर:रके || Both life and death, O daughter, are false with reference to a person in imagination; So it is with the (physical) body, Daughter!

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE {HOW TO PRACTICE?}

ल:लोवाच Leelaa spoke तदे तदप?द टं मे Sानं दे +व *वयाsमलं ु यिम# !तगते शाि#तमे!त e)य+वष>चका || ु ू Devi, you have taught me enough Knowledge by hearing which this cholera namely the Seen will get cured. अोपकAते 3?ह ू कोsRयास: कheशोsथवा ु स कथं पोषमाया!त प टे ु तिम#)च _कं भवेत ् || Tell me which practice will help here? Or, what type? How does it improve? When fully developed, then what happens in that state? दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke य.येन _Oयते _कि#च.येन येन यदा यदा +वनाRयासेव त#नेह स+1मे!त कदाचन || Whatever is done by anyone anytime does not succeed without practice. तिTच#तनं त*कथनम#यो#यं त*Lबोधनं एतदे कपर*वं च तदRयासं +वदब( ु ुधा: || Thinking about THAT, speaking about THAT, enlightening each other about THAT, single mindedness towards IT, is known by the wise as ‘Practice’. ये +वर\ता महा*मानो भोगभावनतानवं भावय#*यभवाया#तभ(mया भ+व ु जयि#त ते ||

Those great ones who have attained dispassion and are not interested in enjoyments are indeed praiseworthy in this world. उ?दतौदाय(सौ#दय(वैराHयरसग भ(णी आन#दयि#दनी येषां म!ततेsRया सनः परे || They are considered to be practitioners of the Supreme in whose minds has risen the beauty unsurpassed; which are filled with the essence of dispassion; which ooze out bliss Supreme! अ*य#ताभावसNप*तौ SातSY ु यय वतन ु : य\*या शा*ैयत ( #ते ये ते 34माRया सनः िथराः || ु Those are well-established in the practice of Brahman who make efforts through the help of the Scriptures for the attainment of the complete disappearance of ‘the object’ of ‘cognition’ of the ‘Cognizer’. सगा(दावेव नो*प#नं e)यं ना*येव त*सदा इदं जगदहं चे!त बोधाRयासं +वद:ु परे || ‘Creations etc. have not arisen at all.’ ‘This world’, ‘I’ – all these perceptions do not ever exist in the Supreme’; Realization of these statements is known as the practice of Knowledge. e)यासंभवबोधेन राग.वेषा?दतानवे र!तब(लो?दता यासौ 34माRयासः स उTयते || By the understanding that the ‘Seen’ does not occur, when the feelings of attachment and hatred thin out; when the ‘bliss of the Brahman’ rises forcefully, that is called the practice of Brahman. e यासंभवबोधेन +वना .वेषा?दतानवं तप इ*यTछते तमा#न Sानं तTच दःखत त ् || ु ु Without attaining the Knowledge which destroys the Seen, merely practicing the control of hatred etc. is known as ‘Penance’. It only increases the suffering; it does not bestow Knowledge.

e)यासंभवबोधो ?ह Sानं Sेयं च कoयते त.Rयासेन !नवा(ण म*यRयासो महोदयः || The understanding that ‘Seen’ does not arise at all is only known as the ‘Knowledge’ and ‘that which is to be known’; by the practice of which one attains the ‘Supreme beatitude’. Such a practice is the most glorious one. As the Sage was speaking words profound with knowledge, the day ended; the people in the court saluted the Sage and left to attend to their evening duties of bath etc; they returned again with the Sun’s rays.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO {JNAPTI AND LEELAA ENTER THE SAMAADHI STATE}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke इ!त संकथनं क*वा तयां !न श वराDगने ृ The two excellent ladies, having conversed like this on that nightसQते || ु पEरजने ननमथा#तःपरमडपे ू ु eढा6खलाग(ल.वारगवाFे दFचेत स प पLकर!न Œयतमां सलामोदम#थरे || ु ू अNलानमालावसनशवपा)वा(सनिथते सकलामलपण#दवदन.यो!ततापदे || ू Y ु that very night, in that very dome of the inner apartments, as the servants were deep asleep unaware of all this; inside the locked doors well guarded by strong men; as the fragrance of the heaps of flowers filled all the corners; seated next to the dead body covered with unfading flowers; lighting up the surrounding space with their taintless moon like faces;

समा>धथानकं ग*वा तथतु!न()चलािDगके र*नतंभा?दवो*कhणY >चे भ*त+ववा+प(ते || - reached the Samadhi state and remained with motionless bodies like portraits rendered on the surface of the pillar made of gems. They discarded all thoughts. Their minds became tranquil and pure. There was not the least vibration whatsoever. !न+व(कJपसमाधानाWजहतु: बा4यसं+वदं यथा कJपलते का#ते पव( ू म*ृ व#तरे रसं || Through the tranquility of vibration-less state, they both discarded the cognition of the outside world like the two pretty Kalpa creepers discarding their previous moist essence when the season ends. अहं जग?द!त ^ाि#तe)ययादावन[वः ु यदा ताRयामवगत*व*य#ताभावना*मकः || तदा e)य+पशाचोsयमलमतम ् गतो .वयोः अस*वादे व चामाकं शशशD ृ ग मवानघ || ‘I and the world- these delusory perceptions had not arisen in the beginning’; when they both attained ‘such a state’, where there was the ‘complete absence of all fluctuations’, then this ‘ghost of perceptions’ vanished completely for both of them like we lose the hare’s horn because it does not exist at all, O taintless Rama! आदावेव य#नाित वत(मानेs+प त*तथा भातं वाssभातमेवातो मगत णा ृ ृ NबुवWजगत ् || That which is not in the beginning will not be there in the present also. The world whether it shines forth or not is like the waters of the mirage.

वभावकेवलं शा#तं ी.वयं त.बभव ू ह च#@ाका(?दपदाथघैद(रू म\त मवाNबरं || ु The two ladies became the quiescent state which was their true nature like the sky freed of all the hosts of objects like the moon, sun etc. तेनैव Sानदे हेन चचार SिQतदे वता मानुषीि*वतरे णाशु SानाSानp+पणा || The Goddess of Knowledge moved with her ‘form of Knowledge’ itself. The human lady had another type as befitting her Knowledge/Ignorance state. गेहा#तरे व Lादे शमामाA4य सं+वदा बभवति)चदाकाशA+प यौ mयोमगाकती ू ु ृ || Ascending just a ‘thumb-span of space’ inside the house itself through the conscious will, they both took the nature of the ‘Conscious-space’ with forms fit to travel in space. अथ ते ललने ल:लालोले ल लतलोचने वभावाTचे*यसं+व*तेनभ ( ो दर मतो गते || ू तथे वाथ >चव*ृ *या पQलवाते नभथलं ु ु को?टयोजन+वतीणK दराPू ू रतरा#तरं || Then as those two charming ladies of lovely eyesbeing joyously involved in the sport, because of the nature of the cognizing Consciousness -wandered far from there. Remaining in the house itself, they both floated far from far away places in the sky which extended millions of Yojanas.

{Where were they travelling? The Jeeva of Padma was trapped in the tiny space of the bed-room dome. The whole world of Padma was the conceived world of Brahmin Vasishta which was situated inside the tiny space of the house in GiriGraama village. So Jnapti and Leelaa were not moving from one physical world to another. They had to enter the space within the space; rather enter the conceptual worlds of the Brahmin’s mind, which might be a conception of another life lived by the Brahmin and so on, ad infinitum. Though they were entering the ‘house-space’ of GiriGraama through the ‘dome-space’ of Padma’s bedroom, the distance was enormous.They had to cross through many conceptual worlds of many beings before they reached GiriGraama. First they had to reach the origin- point of all these Mind-worlds (HiranyaGarbha) and from there descend down to GiriGraama. The amazing journey is described in the next chapter.} {HiranyaGarbha – Golden wombed - Brahma who is the sum total of all the Jeevas of his Creation}

e)यानस#धान!नजवभावादाकाशदे हे अ+प ते मथोs ु परपराकार+वलोकनेन बभवतः ू ु नेहपरे वयये || By pondering on the true nature of the Seen, though endowed with space-bodies, they could see each other’s form, and they both became friends feeling affectionate towards each other.

CHAPTER TWENTYTHREE {THE AMAZING JOURNEY} {What is the ‘Mind-space’? It is the mind of Brahma or the Cosmic mind, the first perturbation of Chit which makes all sorts of worlds come into existence or to use the poetic expression of Vaalmiki, the ‘Heart of the Cosmic man’. Leelaa and Jnapti entered into the mind-space of Brahma from the gross space of Leelaa’s city. Brahma’s mind is the sum-total of all the conceptions of all the created beings at all time modes of his duration. What is there that cannot be seen? Anything a mind can imagine, anything a mind desires, anything a mind believes is there in that void of the mind-space of Brahma! How can you describe the visions contained in there? Anything was possible there; anything was available there; anything was seen with form and a name. Even missiles could walk with a form; Even tunes (raagaas) could dance like pretty maidens. Each person who enters can’t see it all, but see only what his own mind reflects. Leelaa if alone, might have seen only very little, may be some worlds of Sages and saints and kings. However, with Jnapti as her guide she was able to see something beyond an ordinary human’s capacity. And by Vasishta’s grace we are also given a glimpse of that journey which lies beyond the ordinary human conception.}

{SUMMARY (Simplified): Jnapti took hold of Leelaa’s hand and stood inside the space of the bed-room dome. Both of them were like pictures written in space. They had no physical body and were mist-like. No one could see them; but they were visible to each other. As Leelaa waited with a thrilling heart, she instantly found herself inside some emptiness. The world of Leelaa was no more there. The palace was gone. They both had entered the ‘space within the space’. They had pierced through the element-AAkaasha and entered the subtle mindspace of the Creator. Creator was but the essence of Knowledge; and Jnapti, a minute manifestation of that knowledge had no problem in acting as a lamp held in the hand of her devotee. Emptiness! Leelaa and Jnapti were now inside a huge hollow of emptiness. It was a sea of ‘nothingness’ like in deep sleep. It was deep, taintless and stretched in all directions to enormous distances never reaching the end. An indescribable softness pressed them all over and gave a pleasant sensation. It was like bathing in void waters. Jnapti willed herself to be out of it and soon they saw huge mountains with clouds of nectar resting atop the peaks. Beyond that lay the sphere of the Moon where Siddhas and Gandharvas moved about enjoying its pleasant cool winds. As Jnapti took Leelaa out of that sphere they were stuck by extreme heat and jumping over that heated area, they fell into huge array of dark clouds with countless lightning flashes as if it was a huge dark lake with red lotuses. Crossing those huge clouds filling the entire space like an ocean they entered a region filled with great mountains. Somewhere the Divine Ganges flowed with unfathomable speed and descended down to the physical world of earth beings. Jnapti dragged Leelaa under its falling waters and sported around hiding under the clouds tossed about by the stormy winds along the water fall.

Beyond that they both saw innumerable worlds in various stages of formation. Universes appeared sometimes stuck together next to each other; sometimes one on top of another; sometimes in a never-ending array. Central to all these worlds was the golden mountain of Meru shining like a jewel amongst all. Clouds of pearls rested on its peaks giving it an appearance of snow filled caps of the Himalayan peaks. The entire mountain looked as if set on fire with its golden aura. The mountain base added to the illusion of fire with its reddish hue made by the ruby as if flames surrounded the mountain on all sides. The Emerald grasses filled the landscape darkening the mountain here and there. Some places looked dark and void-like as if no one was there to see anything. The airships of gods and other divine beings whizzed like flashes of light all over the mountain. The sound was deafening. All ships landed on the air-stations set in the forest of the Paarijaata flowers (fragrant white flowers of heavens) and from far it looked like the land made of lapis lazuli. Groups of Siddhas whizzed past racing the speedy winds. Melodious singing could be heard from the insides of those air-ships where divine damsels entertained their masters. The mountain was so huge most of them were unaware of each other’s existence. The stars and planets moved in a circle as if stuck on a huge rotating machine turning with an unfathomable speed. They saw also ‘various beings with distorted faces of all animals and birds’ hovering along the edges of the skies. Some were just running from one corner to another covering hundreds of Yojanas with no purpose whatsoever. Some huge gardens were filled with unimaginable beautiful groves of creepers and trees allowing the gods and other heavenly denizens to enjoy the company of their spouses. ………. (The distance was enormous; the things were countless ; there was all the time in the world for seeing whatever they wanted; Jnapti and Leelaa spent an eternity of time sporting in that huge landscape of Brahma’s mind.) {Well, the descriptions go on and on and Vasishta mentions anything that you can imagine that could be there. Whatever one wanted to see was in that mind-space of Brahma starting from the world of gods to the hollows where the lowliest of creatures lived. If Arjuna had seen a Vishva-roopa (Cosmic form) of Lord Naaraayana in the battlefield by Krishna’s grace, Leelaa saw here the ‘Cosmic form of Brahma’ by the grace of Sarasvati. Valmiki uses his utmost poetic ability in the description of the worlds seen inside Brahma’s mind. For us spiritual aspirants it is enough to know that all that a mind could produce as an idea was there in that mental space with a name and a form. Jnapti took Leelaa to only higher regions of the space and gave her a glimpse of the worlds of gods, Gandharvas and Siddhas maybe thus planting a seed in her mind to become one of them in the future. Anyhow they both traversed countless Yojanas in various directions, saw what all was worth seeing, enjoyed all the things that could be enjoyed. And after what seemed like an eternity they both descended down to that part of the mind of the Brahma where the GiriGraama of the Brahmin couple was there. The main point to be noted here is that the whole journey from Leelaa’s world to GiriGraama and back took quite a long time according to Leelaa’s time-sense. Yet when they returned to Leelaa’s world, Leelaa notices that no time had elapsed in her mortal world after all these experiences. This gives her an idea of the relative nature of space and time. All these journeys happened only inside the tiny space of the bedroom dome which was again inside the tiny house-space of Vasishta. ‘Where’ is what? What is ‘when’? What is ‘distance’? What is a ‘moment’? What is ‘Time’? What is ‘space’? Leelaa has a live demonstration of the illusory relative nature of space and time. That is the main purpose for which Jnapti takes her on these journeys.}

A few sample verses describing their space-travel:

दराPू ू रम भQल*य ु शनैATचैः पदं गते हतं हते समालNsय या#*यौ दeशतन( ु भः || Leaping from distance to distance, as they ascended higher and higher slowly; holding each other’s hands in a friendly manner; as they traveled, they both saw the sky एकाण(व मवोTŽहनं ू गNभीरं !नम(ला#तरं कोमलं कोमलमAदासDगसखभोगदं || ु which was a great void; which was like a single ocean, which was deep and taintless inside; soft; highly pleasant by the caress of the soft winds. {ग,भीरं - ग.छत जलम – very deep}

भत ू लौघमहाशैलमण ृ ालाDकुरको?टषु ?दFु ब^मतःु वैरं ^मय सरसीि वव || Like two bees hovering over lakes, they both wandered freely in all directions, moving about crores of lotus sprouts namely the great mountains filling hosts of earths. ततो मधरगा म#यौ +व ाNय#*यौ वशि\ततः ु श#ये दeशतmयwम महारं भा!तम#थरं || ू ु Then the ladies of pleasant gait rested awhile by their own power and watched the churning processes that occur at the beginning of the creation in the void sky. अe टपव( ू म#यो#यं सव(स#कटकोटरं अपय( ू माणमाश#यं ू जग*को?टशतैर+प || उपय(प (ृ ं पथ ु य(ुपय(ुTचैर#यैर#यैवत ृ क् +व>चाभरणाकारै भूत ( लैः स+वमानक ैः ु पEरतः पEरतmयोNनां मेवा(?दकलभ ू ूभत ु ृ ां ||

They both sawa hollow filled with all types of beings; unseen by both of them as companions, a great void that never can be completely filled up though hundred crores of worlds float in it; different types of worlds situated one on top of another on top of another on top of another and so on, piling up higher and higher; and surrounded by more worlds, with earths shining like multifarious ornaments with their own flying ships; surrounded all over by huge mountains like Meru rising high covering the skies. मनोवेगमहा स1िजतवातगमागमं +वमानगहदे ु ु || ृ वीगेयवा.यसघNघमं They both sawgreat Siddhas moving to and fro who had won the race with the wind, with the speed of the mind. They both heardthe humming noise of the musical instruments and the melodious songs of the celestial maidens journeying in their air ships. पय(#तिथत क माड रFः+पशाचमडलं ू न*य![डा( _कनीसंघैतरिDगत मव \व>चत ् || ृ Lव*तै ृ यw>गनीसंघैः )वकाको tखराननैः !नरथK योजनशतं ग*वागTछ![रावत ृ ं || They both sawthe worlds of Kooshmaandaas, Rakshaas, and Paishaachaas situated at the border areas. The space was wavy at some places because of the dancing groups of Daakinees. They saw groups of busy yoginees with the faces of dogs, crows, camels, and donkeys; beings going and still going for hundreds of Yojanas without any purpose; {Dakinees, Kooshmaandaas, Rakshaas, Paishaachaas are varieties of beings found in the Cosmic egg.}

वातक#ध!नखाता#तब(?हिपथगाजलं \विT#न भ(ि*तसदनं गाय#नारदतंुबुA ||

They sawthe Ganges waters digging through the outside and inside of the groups of winds; some places where the sky-space broken by the entry of singing Naarada and Tumburu (celestial beings); मेघमाग(महामेघमहारं भाकलं ु \व>चत ् >च#यतसमाकारमककJपा#तवाEरदं || ू sometimes gigantic clouds filling the ‘sphere of clouds’ ready to begin their function of destruction; sometimes the clouds of dissolution silent like a painting on a canvas; कव>चन ्मायाकत ृ परंु \व>चदागा म प*तनं \व>च.सयwदयमयं \व>च@ाMतमोमयं || ू sometimes virtual worlds, sometimes evolved worlds; sometimes the sun always on the rise, sometimes completely dark with never ending nights; अ+प योजनलFा6ण \व>चPुःLापभतक ू ं अ+वना शतमःप#जै ु :eष.गभwपमं \व>चत ् || some places where lakhs of Yojanas are unreachable by any type of species; some places seen like wombs filled with dense imperishable darkness as inside rocks; अ+वना शबह*ते जः \वि*चदका(नलोपमं ृ वैमा!नक!नपातेन वि4नलेखि#कतं \व>चत ् || some places with imperishable splendorous luster like the suns on fire; some places with burning tracks of flames by the fallen air-ships; उदNबरोदरमशकOम^मWजग*या#तरगतभतस#चयं || ु ू +वलD…य त.वरललने खमुTचकैम(ह:तलं पनर+प ग#तम.यते || ु ु ु Jumping across the collections of beings inside the three worlds equal to the fluttering mosquitoes inside the Udumbara fruit, the two charming ladies got ready to descend down to the Earth again from the top-most regions of the sky.

{Now the pretty damsels are ready to enter once more the world made of element AAkaasha. But is this world outside the Cosmic mind-space of Brahma? What is ‘gross space’ or ‘mind space’ or ‘Chit space’? Everything is one undifferentiated state of Chit. ‘Chit space’ alone is ‘mind-space’ which again is the ‘element-space’. But for the ignorant everything is different. Idea of differentiation is the very nature of the embodied person who is deluded. So we can say that Leelaa and Jnapti now come out of the ‘space within space’ and enter the world contained in the element AAkaasha, where there was this little village of GiriGraama, a village at the base of some mountain. Actually words like ‘space within space’ or ‘space outside space’ have no meaning. Whatever one perceives is one’s experienced world, be it a house in a city, or the Meru Mountain inside the subtle space, or a dream world when asleep. All worlds of all types of spaces come under one single category of Seer and Seen.}

{JNAPTI AND LEELAA DESCEND DOWN TO GIRIGRAAMA}

नभःथलाि.गEरCामं गTछ#*यो किZचदे व ते SिQत>च*तिथतं भ मतलं दeशतःु ियौ || ू As they descended down from the sky-region towards some place called GIRIGRAAMA (Hill-village) the two ladies saw the land existing in the Mind of JNAPTI (What she wanted to show Leelaa). इ!त जल>धमहा?@लोकपालMदशपराNबरभतलै ु ू ः पर:तं जगददरमवे kय मानषी ु ु @ाHभ+व ु !नजमि#दरकोटरं ददश( || After seeing the belly of the cosmic egg which contained oceans, great mountains, all the directions ruled by the respective deities, the heavens, and the earth, the human lady suddenly saw the hollow in the earth which contained her house inside it.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR {THE HOUSE WHERE PEOPLE ARE MOURNING THE DEATH OF THE BRAHMIN COUPLE}

इ!त ते वरव6ण(#यौ ततो 34माडमडलात ् !नग(*या#यदनLाQते य त.3ा4मणापदं || ु In this manner, the two fair-hued beauties came out of the sphere of the Brahma’s Creation and reached that place where the house of the Brahmin was situated.

ततो दeशत:ु सगY त ते स1यो+षतौ अe)ये एव लोकय मडलं 3ा4मणापदं || Invisible to all, those two female Siddhas saw that house the ‘Dome of the world’ which contained the ‘abode of the Brahmin’; >च#ता+वधरदासीक ं बा पि\ल#नाDगनामखं ु ु +व`वतLायवदनं शीण(पणा(Nबुजोपमं || where the servant-circle was overwhelmed by grief; the faces of the women-folk were wet with tears; all the faces of the people there stained with tears and distorted with grief like the lotuses with their leaves and petals torn off; न टो*सवपरLायमग*या*त मवाण( वं ु @मं Cी मदHध मवो.यानं +व.य1Hध मव ु ु || like the city which had lost the joy of festivals; like the ocean drunk by Sage Agastya; like the garden dried up in summer; like the tree scorched by lightning; वातिTछ#न मवाNभोदं ?हमदHध मवाNबजं ु अJपनेहदशं द:प मवालोकनभेदनं || like the cloud torn by winds; like the lotus hit by the snow; like the lamp fluttering with very little oil darkening the surroundings.

{THE PEOPLE IN THE HOUSE HAVE THE VISION OF THE TWO GODDESSES}

अथ सा !नम(लSान>चराRयासेन स#दर: ु संप#नस*यसंकJपा स*यकामा च दे ववत ् || >च#तयामास मामेते दे वीं चेमां वब#धवा: प)य#तु ताव*सामा#यललनाpपधारणीं ||

That beautiful lady (Leelaa)who had become empowered like a divinity to make true anything she willed or desired by the practice of taintless Knowledge, thought ‘These relatives of mine should see myself and this Goddess as endowed with ordinary female forms.’ ततो गहजनत संददशा(Dगना.वयं ृ लkमीगौयwय(ुग मव सम[ा सतमि#दरं || ु Then the people gathered in the house saw the two ladies as if the pair of Lakshmi and Gouri were spreading their luster all over the dwelling. नमोsतु वनदे वीRया म*य\*वा कसमाZज लं ु ु ु त*याज Wये टशमा(थ साधK गह ृ जनेन स: || ‘Salutation to the Goddesses of the Forest’, so saying, the eldest son offered a handful of flowers along with the other members of the family. पपात पादयोगहे Y तयोवv कसमाZज लः ु ु Lालेयसीकरासारः प!=#या इव प=योः || He poured the handful of flowers on their feet like the lotus creeper dropping cool icy water drops on the two lotuses. Wये ठशमा(दयः ऊचःु Elder son and others spoke जयतां वनदे mयौ नो दःखनाशाथ( मागते ु Lायः परपEराणमेव कम( !नजं सतां || “Welcome O ladies! You both have arrived here to console us in this hour of suffering. Usually the noble ones are always engaged in helping others.” इ!त त.वचना#ते ते दे mयवचतरादरा त् ू ु आयात दःखं जनः || ु येनायं लkयते दः6खतो ु

When he said those words, the two ladies spoke to him with affection; “Tell us your troubles. Why all of you are so sad?” {THE ELDER SON SPEAKS ABOUT HIS PARENTS}

Wये ठशमा(दयः ऊचःु Elder son and others spoke दे mयाभवतां िनHधा+वह3ा4मणदं पती सवा(!तथी कलकरौ तNभाभूतौ ि.वजिथते: || ु “O Pair of Goddesses! This Brahmin couple was very much loved by all. They treated all the guests with respect; they were like pillars for the brahmin community. म् तावेतौ गहम*स ु ु ृ य सपपशबा#धव ृ ु W वगK गतौ नः +पतरौ तेन श#यं ू जग*यं || Now both our parents have discarded their house along with the children, animals and relatives and gone off to heaven. After their departure all the three worlds look empty. तPेmयौ _Oयतां तावदमाकं शोकनाशनं महतां दश(नं नाम न कदाचन !न फलं || So let the Goddesses remove our grief. The vision of the great ones never goes waste”. {ARUNDHATI’S SON RECEIVES THE BLESSING OF LEELAA}

इ*य\तव#तं सा पं पपश( पा6णना ु ु मि`न( ू पJलवेनानता न‹ं मलCि#थ मवािsजनी || ू As he uttered these words, she touched the head of her son with her hand, like the lotus plant bending down and with one of its leaves touching the bottom stem which is prostrate.

तया: पशन Y तेनासौ दःख ु दौभा(HयसDकटम ् जहौ Lावn ृ घनासDगा.Cी मताप मवाचलः || By her touch he was freed from the grief of the unfortunate tragedy, like the mountain is freed of the summer heat by the contact of the monsoon clouds. सवw गहजनः सोsथ तयोदmयो+व( लोकनात ् Y ृ लkमीवान ् दःख!नम( यथा || ु ु\तो बभवामतपो ू ृ Then all those people who were in that house were freed of the grief and became happy as if fed with nectar, by the vision of those two ladies.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE ी राम उवाच Rama spoke तयाय ल:लया माा पय Wये ठशम(ण: ु कमा#न दश(नं द*तं मोहं तावि#नराकA ु || Why did not Leelaa appear before her son in the form of his mother itself? Clear this doubt of mine, O Sage!

{SOLIDITY IS A PROJECTION OF THE MIND}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke {Leelaa

was now a realized yoginee, a friend and companion of Jnapti herself. She now had understood the delusory nature of the created worlds. She now did not feel any attachment towards the relatives of her previous lives. But her heart was full of compassion and that is the reason why she removed the grief of the eldest son by her touch as a fulfillment of the role of the mother she had played in the GiriGraama story.}

ब1ः ?दबोधेन येन पomया ?दसDगकः ु पomया ृ ृ तय +पडा*मतां ध*ते mयोमैवा#यय केवलं ||

For the person who cognizes the existence of objects made of elements like earth, and is in contact with elements like earth etc. everything exists as solid and hard. For the Knower everything is just ‘space’. असदे वाDग स?दव भा!त पomया ?दवेदनात ् ृ यथा बालय वेतालो नाभा!त तदवेदनात ् || Unreal only shines as real by the cognition of earth etc. A ghost appears not, if the child does not cognize it. यथा पomया ?दना भातमपomया ?द भवे*Fणात ् ृ ृ वQने वQनपEरSाना*तथा जाC*य+प फटं ु || What exists as the solid world made of elements in the dream in a second loses its solidity when one knows it is a dream; similarly all the objects seen in the waking state have no solidity. पomया ?द खतया ब1ं ु ख म+व*येवानभयते ु ू ृ तथा?ह Fुsधधातनां ू कुnयेषु ख इवो.यमः || When one experiences the ‘objects made of elements’ as ‘space’, he reacts to the chemically filled solid bodies (blocking walls) as ‘space’ only. वQने नगरमव ु वा श#यं ू खातं च ब`यते ु वQनाDगना च कAते श#याQयथ( _Oयां नणां || ू ु ृ All that is seen in the dream is just space only, whether it is a city or a world. Even a girl in a dream affects one as if real! खं पo ु पo ृ mया?दतया ब1ं ृ mया?द भव!त Fणात ् मTछा( यां परलोकोs+प L*यFमनभयते || ू ु ू When one cognizes the ‘space’ itself as the solid object made of elements instantly it appears as solid only. Even if one dies and enters another world, he has the same type of cognition.

बालो mयोमैव वेतालं ‹यमाणोsNबरे वनं केशो„कं खम#यतु खम#यो वेि*त मौि\तकं || Like the child seeing a ghost or a dying man seeing a forest in the sky, some see floaters as sky, some only sky, some see pearls in the sky. तFीबाध(!न@ा)च नौयाना)च सदै व खे वेतालवनवFा?द प)य#*यनभवि#त च || ु ृ Those struck by fear, those who are intoxicated, those who are half asleep, those who travel in the ship always see ghosts, forests, or moving trees and experience it as real. यथाभा+वतमेतेषां पदाथा(नामतो वपःु अRयासज!नतं भा!त नायेकं परमाथ(तः || As per their own beliefs, the objects appear with solid forms for them due to prolonged practice; but it is not a fact. ल:लया तु यथावतु ब1ा ु पo ृ mया?द नाितता आकाशमेव सं+व*या भा!त ^ाि#ततयो?दतं || In the case of Leelaa, as she had understood the non-existence of the elements like earth etc, she sees the space itself arising out of delusory perception. 34मा*मैक>चदाकाशमाबोधवतो मने ु ः प मकला6ण कथं का!न कदा कतः || ु ु For a Sage who has realized that only Brahman exists as all the space, how, who, when and wherefore the son/friend/wife etc.? e)यमादावन*प#नं यTच भा*यजमेव तत ् ु संयHSानवतामेवं राग.वेषeशो कतः || ु The Seen was not there in the beginning. Whatever is seen is not at all born. For those who have known the Truth, wherefore exist attraction or repulsion?

हतः शर स यP*तो ल:लया Wये ठशम(णः त*LभाविथतारNभसंबोधायाि)चतेः फलं || When Leelaa placed her hand on the head of the eldest son it was just a fructification of the relationship maintained in the previous life for the son and not out of attachment towards him. {She was acting not as Leelaa but as a vibration of CHIT only.}

बोधो ?ह चेत!त यथैव तथा शभा!न ु सkमत ू ु खाद+प तथा!ततरां +वश1ः ु सव( राघव स एव पदाथ(जालं वQनेषु किJपतपरेु वनभतमे ु ू तत ् || Chit, the principle of Knowledge alone cognizes whatever auspiciousness occurs. O Rama, the Supreme is subtler than space and extremely pure. That alone appears as the entire network of objects and experienced like the city in a dream.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX {LEELAA WONDERS ABOUT HER OWN DIVINITY}

तिमि#गEरतटे Cामे तिम#मडपकोटरे अ#त>ध(मापतe( ु lवा ततते स1यो+षतौ || Then those two female Siddhaas vanished from sight in ‘that village situated at the mountain base’, in ‘that hollow’ of ‘that Dome’. अमाकं वनदे वीRयां Lसादः कतः ृ इ*यथ शा#तदःखे वmयापारपरे िथते || ु गहजने ृ As the people in the house were freed of sorrow thinking that they had been graced by the Goddesses of the forest and as they returned to their own affairs;

मडपाकाशसंल:नां ल:लामाह सरवती mयोमpपा mयोमpपां मया*त णी मव िथतां || ू Leelaa was silent and was lost in the wonder of the dome-space. Surprised by her silence, Sarasvati, the form of space addressed Leelaa who was made of space. {Both Leelaa and Jnapti were just knowledge forms. They had no physical forms. They were like empty space. How did these two converse though invisible to each other? Vasishta answers!}

संकJपवQनयोयषां Y य संकथनं मथः यथेहाथ(_Oयां ध*ते तयोः सा संकथा तथा || पomया ?दनाडीLाणा?दऋतेsQय?दता तयोः ु ृ सा संकथनसं+वि*तः वQनसंकJपयोEरव || Just as it is possible to converse in dreams or conceived worlds, the ladies in the form of space also could converse with each other. Though bereft of bodies made of elements, nerves and ‘Praanaas’ (winds), they could converse as in a dream or as in a conceived world. {In the case of higher beings who have no fixed physical structures made of elements, there is no necessity of air pressure variations to get converted into sound to become a language to be encoded by a physical brain. Their very thought by their own will gets reflected in the mind of the person whom they are conversing with. Their own private thought, by their own will remains hidden from the person they are with. But a person who has more knowledge than the other can easily understand the thoughts running in the mind of the other person with lesser knowledge content. }

दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke Sेयं Sातमशेषेण e टाe टाथ(सं+वदः ईeशीयं 34मस*ता _कम#य.वद पTछ स || ृ Whatever has to be known has been known completely including the understanding of the perceiver-perceived phenomenon. This is truth about Brahman. Tell me what else you want to ask.

ल:लोवाच Leelaa spoke मतय भत(ुजcवोsसौ य राWयं करो!त मे ृ ताहं _कं न तै: e टा e टामीह सते ु न _कं || Why was I not seen by them where my dead husband’s Jeeva is ruling the kingdom? How was I seen by my son? ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke अRयासेन +वना व*से तदा ते .वैत!न)चय: ननमतं गतो नाभूि#नःशेषं वरव6ण(!न || ू Dear daughter! Being without practice, the certainty about duality had not disappeared completely for you at that time, O fair lady! अ.वैतं यो न यातोsसौ कथम.वैतकम( भः युWयते तापसंथय TछायाDगानभवः कतः || ु ु How can one who has not lost the sense of differentiation through the realization of non-duality, act without differentiation? How can a man standing under the hot sun experience the coolness of the shade? ल:लामी!त +वनाRयासं तव नातं गतोsभवत ् यदा भावतदा स*यस#कJप*वमभू#न ते || As long as the belief ‘I am Leelaa’ had not disappeared through practice, you could not acquire the power of making desired things happen. अ.या स स*यसंकJपा संप#ना तेन मां सत ु : संप)यि*व*य भमतं फ लतं तव स#द ु Eर || Now you are empowered to make true anything you want. That is why your wish that your son should see you became fruitful, O beautiful lady!

इदानीं तय भत(ु*वं समीपं य?द गTछ स त*तेन mयवहारते पूवव ( *संLवत(ते || Now if you go near your husband, then the same type of dealing can happen as before.

{Jnapti’s statement means: You as Leelaa were then identified with your physical body of Leelaa of one single limited Mind-world of Padma and Leelaa. You had not lost the sense of duality; you could only have a glimpse of the new world of your husband and could not interact with the beings there. But now you are a realized person and have no sense of duality. You do not identify with any limited form of any Mind-world. Now you will always act from the level of Chit only. Now you have the power to even change the life-courses of these limited beings by interacting with them, as I have interacted with you.}

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN (‘GIRIGRAAMA HOUSE-SPACE’ IS THE PLACE WHERE ALL THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING}

ल:लोवाच Leelaa spoke इहै व मि#दराकाशे प!त+व(Lो ममाभवत ् इहै व स मतो संप#नो वसधा>धपः || ू ु ृ भ*वा “Here alone in this ‘space of the house’, my Brahmin husband was there! ‘Here’ alone he died and became a king! इहै व तय संसारे तिमन ् भम ू डला#तरे राजधा!नपरेु तिमन ् पर#यिम mयविथता || ु ‘Here’ alone, in his world, in another Creation, I was his queen residing in the capital city! इहै वा#तःपरेु तिम#स मतो || ू ृ मम भप!तः इहै वा#तःपराकाशे तिम#नेव परेु नपः ु ृ संप#नो वसधापी ठे नानाजनपदे )वरः || ु

‘Here alone’ in the harem, this husband of mine died! ‘Here alone’ in the space of the harem, in a city there itself, he became a king ruling the country filled with people! सवा(जव ( जवीभाव इहै वैवं mयविथतः || All those things occurred so fast and in such a simple manner ‘here’ alone! अिम#नेव गहाकाशे सवा( 34माडभमयः ू ृ िथताः सम.गक े म#ये यथा#तः सष(पो*कराः || ु In this very ‘house-space’ all those worlds exist like heaps of mustard seeds inside a casket. सदाsदरामहं म#ये त[त(ुमम ( मडलं ू \व>चत ् पा)वY िथत मह यथा प)या म तथा कA ु || I believe that the conceived sphere of my husband is not far! Make it such that I see it nearby!” {Leelaa takes a few minutes to absorb the amazing network of the Mind-worlds overlapping each other. She observes the small tiny room of the Brahmin’s house. By her divine power she is able to see Queen Leelaa’s world inside that little space. Within a tiny bedroom dome of that world, she saw another world of her dead husband reigning as a king again. A world within a world within a world! There could be infinite worlds either as the past of the Brahmin couple or the future of King Padma. There were no solid borders dividing the worlds. Each world existed as a subtle thought bubble inside another thought bubble as it were. She felt that she need not travel far to visit these worlds which were within one another. Distance seemed like an illusion. If space was an illusion, moving from place to place was also an illusion created by the mind, she understood. Gone were her old desires of living with a husband in a delusory world. From the state of a frog which could see only its limited hole in the well, she had now become a bird which flies high in the sky. For the bird all that was on the ground was just one smooth flat terrain. All differentiations were lost. World was not a hole in the well, but infinite space stretching far beyond; and she had wings of discrimination and enquiry to guide her far higher into the dominion of knowledge. Her curiosity to fly all around the acquainted worlds of Leelaa-self was rising high now. She just wanted to jump from one world to another and have fun watching the miracle of Creations.}

ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke {WHICH HUSBAND IS YOUR TRUE HUSBAND?}

भतला A#ध!तसते ू ु भता(रतव संL!त यो नामाथवाभव#बहवः शतसंमताः || ू My daughter Arundhati on Earth! Your husband at present has become three or may be hundreds or more! नेद:यसां याणां तु ि.वजते भमतां गतः राजा माJया#तरगतः संिथतोs#तःपरेु शवः || If we consider only the recent three ones, your Brahmin husband has been cremated! The king remains as a corpse under the garland of flowers! संसारमडले 4यिम#तत ु ृ ीयो वसधा>धपः महासंसारजल>धं प!ततो ^ममागतः || The third one is an emperor in another sphere of existence! He is drowning in the huge ocean of worldly existence. भोगकJलोलकलना+वकलो मलचेतनः जाnयजज(र>च.वि*तः संसाराNभो>धकTछपः || ृ His mind is tainted and agitated by the waves of worldly pleasures. His mind is stagnant and filled with anxieties. He is a tortoise caught in the ocean of Samsaara! >चा6ण राजकाया(6ण कव( ु #नQयाकला#या+प ु सQतः िथतो जडतया न जाग!त( भव^मे || ु Though busy in various affairs of the State, he is asleep through ignorance and does not wake from the delusion of existence. ई वरोsहमहम ् भोगी स1ोऽहं बलवान ् सखी ु इ*यनथ(महारWWवा व लतो वशतां गतः ||

‘I am the Lord! I am successful! I am mighty! I am happy!’ Thus he is tied up by the huge rope of delusion! त*कय वद भत(ु*वां समीपं वरव6ण(!न वा*या वना#तरम ् ग#धलेखा मव वना#नये || So my dear daughter! Tell me which husband you want to be taken to like the fragrance of sandalwood carried by the wind from one forest to another forest? अ#य एव ?ह संसारः सोs#यो 34माडमडपः अ#या एव तता व*से mयवहारपरNपरा: || That is an entirely different world; that is another dome of a Universe! The affairs of that world are completely different! संसारमडलानीह ता!न पा)वY िथता#य+प दरंू योजनकोट:नां कोटयतेि वहा#तरं || Though all these ‘spheres of worldly existences’ remain close to each other, the distance between them is millions of Yojanas! आकाशमामेतेषा मदं प)य वपःु पनः ु मेAम#दरकोट:नां कोटयते वविथताः || Observe again that their forms are made of ‘space’ only; but inside them exist hosts of countless Meru and Mandara Mountains. परमाणौ परमाणौ सव(वगा(!नरग(लं महा>चतेः फर#*यक ( Aचीव सरे णवः || ु In each and every atom, all types of worlds manifest unceasingly from the Supreme CHIT, like dust particles floating in the sunlight! महारNभगp ु येवम+प 34माडका!न ?ह तलया धानकामाम+प ता!न भवि#त नो || ु

Though all these Universes appear to be huge and gigantic, they are just like tiny seeds of the coriander in reality! नानार*नामलो.योतो वनव[ा!त खे यथा पomया ?दभतर?हता जगिTछ[ा!त >च#तया || ू ृ The world though is bereft of elements like earth etc., shines through thoughts like the forest filled with various gems shines lustrously in the sky! (in imagination)

कच!त SिQतरे वेदं जग?द*या?द ना*म!न नतु पomया ?द संप#नं सगा(दावेव _कZचन || ृ Only Knowledge shines in the name of world etc.! There are no solid worlds made of elements at all! यथा तरDग: सर स भ*वा भ*वा पनभ( े ् ू ू ु वत +व>चाकारकालाDगदे शाSQतावलं तथा || Just like waves repeatedly get formed on the surface of the lake, these various pictures contained in space/time occur in CHIT, the Principle of Knowledge! {Jnapti wants to remove any trace of worldly attachments that might be lingering in Leelaa’s Mind. So when Leelaa wants the Goddess to take her to her husband’s latest world (that is obvious), Jnapti bewilders Leelaa by asking which husband she means, when she mentions the word ‘husband’. ‘One was dead eight days ago, another died just a few hours back, another may die again in a short while. Apart from these three lives, how many births the Jeeva of her husband has gone through, is unaccountable. She might have been his wife in some, and not at all connected with him in others. Whereas Leelaa as Padma’s wife was climbing fast the ladder of realization and was gathering fast the gems of knowledge, her husband was moving from birth to birth pulled by his Vaasanaas. It might be many births before he climbed out of his delusory worlds. Leelaa had to decide now at this point what she wanted in life, a life with a husband in a delusory existence or more enlightenment about everything. Even if by her power of knowledge so far gained, she can join her husband in his latest birth as a wife, will he suit her mentality? He was filled with anxieties, desires, and confusions; in brief he was very much ignorant. Can Leelaa again love him as before believing him to be her all in all? Would she like once more to drown in the ocean of worldly existence and act the role of the ignorant wife?’ Jnapti does not stop at this advice. She makes Leelaa visualize her own births also in various worlds. Since Leelaa had been the companion of many others as a wife or husband in other births, would she choose any other person and find his or her latest birth and join him or her and live again in a limited form? Jnapti also puts a break in Leelaa’s excitement by explaining to her that though all worlds appear to exist very close to each other, to traverse these Mind-worlds, one has to cross countless distances to reach them. But of course if one is in the state of Chit and has no identity at all, he or she can be anywhere at any instant. A painted picture of a man in a canvas has to travel the road in the canvas to reach a hill painted at the other end of the canvas. But the canvas has no need to travel anywhere inside its own pictures. It is instantly everywhere! Since Leelaa had not lost her identity with Leelaa, she has to travel long distances to reach other Mind-worlds.}

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT {LEELAA REMEMBERS HER PAST LIVES}

ल:लोवाच Leelaa spoke एवमेतज(ग#मातम(या मत ु ृ महाधना ममेदं राजसं ज#म न तमो न च साि*वकं || Indeed it is so! O Mother of the Universe! I remember now! This is my birth with Raajasic character, neither Saatvic, nor Taamasic! 34मण*ववतीणा(या अ टौ ज#मशता!न मे नानायोनी#यतीता!न प)यामीवाधना ु पन ु : || Eight hundred births have been passed in various wombs by me after descending from the Brahman! I see them all again! संसारमडले दे +व किमि#)चदभवं परा ु लोका#तराsज^मर: +व.याधरवराDगना || In the circle of worldly existences, O Goddess, long back I became a Vidyaadhara woman, a mere bee hovering in the lotus of a different world! दवा( ततोsहम ् मानषी ु सनाकल+षता ु ु ितथा संसारमडलेs#यिमन ्प#नगे)वरका मनी || Then I was a human lady tainted by wicked Vaasanaas! In the circle of worldly existence, somewhere else I became the beloved of the King of Serpents! कदNबक#दजNबीरकरZज वनवा सनी ु पाNबरधरा )यामा शबय(हमथाभवम ् ||

Then I became a hunter woman, dark hued, dressed with leaves and lived in the forest filled with Kadamba trees, jasmine creepers, Jambeera trees, and bowers of Karanja trees! वनवासनया मHधा सNप#नाहमथो1ता ु गलTछनयना पहता वन+वला सनी || ु ु Then by the Vaasanaa for the forest I had a form where clusters of flowers became my eyes and leaves became my hands! पुया मलता साहं म!नसDगप+वMता ु वनािHनदHधा तयैव क#याभवं ू महामने ु ः || I was a creeper in a the garden in a sacred hermitage and became pure by the company of Sages! Then I got burnt by the forest fire and was born as the daughter of the great Sage! अी*वफलदातण ृ ां कम(णां पEरणामत: राजाहमभवं ीमा#सरा tे षु समा: शतं || ु Through actions that result in non-female forms, I became a King endowed with all auspicious things in the Suraashtra kingdom for hundred years. ताल:नां तलकTछे षु राजद कतदोषतः ु ृ नकल: टािDगकाभवं || ु नववषा(6ण क टन ु Having performed many evil deeds as a king, I lived as a mongoose afflicted by leprosy and deteriorated limbs in the damp regions of a lake! वषा(#य टौ सुरा tे षु दे वी गो*वं कतं ृ मया मोहाPुजन ( द टा ु Sबालगोपालल:लया || As I sported as an evil, wicked, ignorant cowherd boy I experienced cow-ness for eight years in the country of Suraashtra, O Devi!

+वह#Hया वैEर+व#यता वागरा ु +व+पनावनौ \लेशन े महता िTछ#ना अधमा वासना इव || I was a bird caught in the net spread by the enemy in the forest grounds, and was torn by immense pain like the mean variety of a Vaasanaa! क6ण(काOोडश}यासु +व ा#तम लना सह प=क=लको शेषु भ\त_कZजJकया रह: || ु ु I rested with the bee in the bed of inner seed of the lotus secretly consuming the pollen in the hollow of the lotus buds. शावलदलदोलायमादोलनद रतां मशकय मया सय: िथतं मशकया सह ||

Then I attained the wretched state of hanging on to the grass leaf moving in the wind as a mosquito with another mosquito. {Leelaa remembers all her numerous births in higher and lower states in all the three worlds which occurred according to the Vaasanaas developed in her and as per the results of her actions. }

यो!न वनेक+वधदःखशताि#वतास ु ु ^ा#तं मयो#नमनस#नमनाकलाDHया || ु संसारद:घ(सEरत)चलया लहया( दवा( ु रवातहEरणीसरणOमेण || I wandered in wombs suffering hundreds of pains of various types afflicted in the mind by going up and down repeatedly, caught in the ever-moving waves of the lengthy river of worldly existence, like the swift antelope runs madly following the wind without control.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE {WHAT? WHERE? WHEN?}

{Rama who was listening to this amazing story was not anyhow a ‘Leelaa in the form of space’. He had a physical structure made of elements and lived in a world made of elements. He was in a solid world. His world stretched out to countless distances in the land level and beyond the stars in the sky. If Leelaa and Jnapti had to travel many such worlds one by one, how long would they travel he wondered. He expresses his doubt to his Master.}

ी राम उवाच Rama spoke व‘ाDगसारा.34माडकुnयाि#नMबडमडलात ् को?टयोजनसंपु टा*कथं ते !नग(तs े बले || How did those two ladies get out of the thick boundaries of diamond like hard solid worlds, covering distances of millions of Yojanas? ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke \व 34माडं \व त![ि*तः \वाासौ व‘सारता _कलाव)यं िथते दे mयाव#तःपरवराNबरे || ु What Universe? What solid boundary? What diamond like hardness as the two divine ladies remain only in the ‘space of the harem’! {Vasishta reminds Rama once again, that all the story of Leelaa was happening only in the ‘harem dome’ of her palace. There she was sitting in contemplation next to the dead body of Padma and experiencing all this in her mental space. Jnapti had attached herself to Leelaa’s Mind and traveled along with her to the ‘past Mind-worlds’ of hers and shown her the GiriGraama which was again a part of ‘Leelaa’s Mindworld’ which extended further back into the past to her innumerable births.}

{‘GIRIGRAAMA HOUSE-SPACE’ CONTAINS ‘PADMA’S WORLD’}

तिम#नेव >गEरCामे तिम#नेवालयाNबरे 3ा4मणः स व स टाय आवादय!त राजतां ||

In that very GiriGraama, in that very space of the house, that Brahmin named Vasishta experiences the life of a king. तमेव मडपाकाशकोणकं श#यमाक ं ू चतःसम@पय( #तं भतलं सोsनभतवा न ् || ु ु ू ु ू In that very tiny corner of the ‘dome-space’ which is just void, he (as Padma) experienced the land which spreads out with four oceans! {The world of queen Leelaa again was happening in the ‘Mind-world of the Brahmin-Jeeva Vasishta’, inside the ‘tiny room of the house at GiriGraama’. Arundhati had entered his Mind-world and lived as his wife Leelaa due to her extreme devotion for her husband. But in both lives, she worshipped the Goddess of Knowledge with devotion leading her to enlightenment in her next birth.}

{‘PADMA’S COUNTRY’ IS IN THE ‘GIRIGRAAMA HOUSE-SPACE’}

आकाश*म!न भपी ू ठम ् तिम#त@ाजप*तनं राजस=ानभव!त स च सा चाQयA#धती || ु He and his wife Arundhati experience the palace, the capital city and that country all in that empty space (of GiriGraama house).

{ARUNDHATI BECAME LEELAA}

ल:ल भधाना सा जाता तया च SिQतर>च(ता || And that lady was born with the name of Leelaa; and she worshipped Jnapti. {THAT LEELAA AGAIN WENT BACK TO ARUNDHATI’S WORLD }

SQ*या सह समJलD…य खमा)चय(मनोहरं ु Lादे शमाे नभ स सा तैव गहोदरे ृ 34माडा#तरमासाय >गEरCामकमि#दरे || After crossing wondrous and amazing skies along with Jnapti, she entered the innermost point of the Cosmic Egg (Brahmaanda) in ‘that house in the GiriGraama’. in the limited space of the sky, inside that very house.

{The center of all the events that are happening in the story is the ‘tiny little space inside the house of GiriGraama’. The events happen like this: The Brahmin Vasishta lives in GiriGraama Village. His wife is Arundhati. Brahmin dies and his wife also dies instantly. But the Brahmin’s Jeeva is trapped inside the ‘house-space’ because of Jnapti’s boon to Arundhati. Vasishta always wanted to enjoy the pleasures of a king’s life. The moment he died he experiences a death-swoon and immediately is enjoying the life of a young king as Padma with his wife Leelaa. Birth, growth education etc are all embedded in his mind as ‘Smriti’ though not actually experienced by him. The very instant Vasishta died, Arundhati also dies and finds herself as Leelaa, the young and pretty wife of King Padma. Even her birth, growth, education etc are all embedded in her mind as ‘Smriti’ (Memory) though not actually experienced by her. Both of them see themselves as young royal couple the very next instant they died at GiriGraama. Both of them do not remember their previous lives of the Brahmin couple. Padma has only two Vaasanaas; Vaasanaa for enjoyment of pleasures and Vaasanaa of love for his wife Leelaa. When Padma dies in the palace, again his Jeeva is trapped in the ‘bed-room dome space’ because of Jnapti’s boon to Leelaa. Leelaa now has not only the Vaasanaa of love for her husband but also a Vaasanaa for knowledge. Therefore when Padma dies, she does not die and follow him to his next life. She gets the company of the Goddess Jnapti and attains enlightenment. Slowly her Vaasanaa of love for her mortal husband disappears. Now she is after the attainment of knowledge only. Her life as Leelaa with Padma happened only at the GiriGraama ‘house-space of Vasishta’ where the Brahmin Jeeva is dreaming that he is Padma. After Padma dies, the Brahmin Jeeva creates another dream and dreams another life as a king. That also is happening only at the GiriGraama ‘house-space of the Brahmin Vasishta’. Leelaa wants to see the GiriGraama and journeys through many worlds and universes and reaches the very core of Brahma’s heart. From there again she travels huge distances and enters GiriGraama village with Jnapti guiding her all along. This event also happens at the GiriGraama ‘house-space of Vasishta’ only. A tiny point in a little room in a small cottage at the base of huge mountains contains many worlds of Vasishta and also the huge infinite space of Brahma’s mind. So what is ‘space’, just a ‘word’…? What is ‘where’? Do dreams have measurable space? Even around you there is space. Your body also is a part of the space around you. Your body itself is a projection of your own mind.Your mind is again a void-point with its own belief systems and ideas. In that very point of mind-space (void) you might have experienced countless lives and may experience countless lives. May be like Leelaa you can enter each of them and see what you were doing there. Like Leelaa you may have to traverse hundreds of crores of Yojanas and reach the core of Brahma’s mind-space and enter those worlds, though everything is happening in a tiny point of your mindspace only. There are no solid bodies; no solid worlds; no real distances; not even cosmic worlds of Brahma. All that is there is Chit with its power of knowledge. There is only a Seer, who experiences the Seen as various time/space phenomena.} {The word Brahmaanda literally means Cosmic Egg. Egg mentioned here is not the gross egg produced by any species. In the Scriptures, egg means the representation of a womb. Again it is not the womb within the bodies of some species. Cosmic Egg is a spaceless timeless point where all possible creations contained within it. Science also proves that the universe must be eternally old. It is even proposed by scientists that the cosmos originated from the primeval atom. Current cosmological models prove that thirteen billion years ago the entire mass of the universe was compressed into a singularity, a spaceless timeless point from which it expanded as this huge universe the so-called cosmic egg. As there are countless universes unconnected to our Universe even, the quest is stoill on for the origin of all. Hindu concepts of HiranyaGarbha (golden womb), and Brahmaanda (the first egg), are comparable to cosmic egg origin systems.}

34माडात ् पEर!नग(*य वगहेृ िथ!तमाययौ वना*वQना#तरं LाQय यथा तJपगतः पमा ु न ् || She came out of that Brahmaanda and reached her own house (of Arundhati) like a person enters from one dream world to the other, as he remains in the bed itself. L!तभामामेवैत*सव(माकाशमाकं न 34माडं न संसारो न कुnया?द न दरता || ू Everything is just appearance in space. There is no Brahmaanda, no worldly existence, no solid boundary, no distance! व>च*तमेव कच!त तयोताeD\मनोहरं वासनामासोJलेखं \व 34माडं \व संस!तः || ृ Their own minds shine like this as pleasant worlds. It is a picture painted by the Vaasanaas! Where is the Cosmic Egg? Where is the worldly existence? !नरावरणमेवेदं SQ*याकाशमन#तकं _कि#च*व>च*तेनो#नीतं प#दय\*ये व माAतः || ु The space of the CHIT is endless, without any obstructions extending because of one’s own Mind. The vibration in CHIT is the mind; like the vibration in the space is the wind. >चदाकाशमजं शा#तं सव(ैव ?ह सव(दा >च**वाWजग?दवाभा!त वयमेवा*मना*म!न || The unborn CHIDAAKAASHA alone always everywhere shines by itself in its own Self like this world because of its cognizing power. येन ब1ं ं ु तु तयैतदाकाशाद+प श#यक ू न ब1ं ु तयैत.व‘साराचलोपमं || For an enlightened one, this world is emptier than space. For a non-enlightened person this world is like a mountain as hard as the diamond.

गह ृ एव यथा वQने नगरं भा!त भासरंु तथैतदसदे वा#ति)च1ातौ भा!त भावरं || The house itself shines as a big city in the dream. This world also, though unreal shines inside lustrously in the essence of Chit. यथा मरौ जलं ब1ं ु कटक*वं च हे म!न अस*स?दव भातीदं तथा e)य*वमा*म!न || Like the water in the desert, like the bracelet in the gold, this unreal world appears real as the Seen phenomenon in one’s own Mind.

CHAPTER THIRTY {LEELAA REMEMBERS HER LIFE AS ARUNDHATI}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke एवमाकथय#*यौ ते ललने ल लताकती ृ गहा ु 4यम ् चाAच#OमणOमै: || ृ ि#नय(यतबा( Conversing in this manner, those ladies of charming forms went out of the house through beautiful pathways. {Jnapti, instead of taking Leelaa to the latest world of her husband, shows her the areas where Arundhati had wandered as Vasishta’s wife. Or, rather the Goddess opened up the hidden memories of Leelaa’s past life as Arundhati.}

आe)ये Cामलोकेन LेFमाणे परो>गEरं ु चिNबताकाशकहरं संप ृ ठा?द*यमडलं || ु ु As they looked all around the village-world, they saw in front of them a huge mountain raising high to kiss the hole in the sky with its peak touching the solar sphere.

अथ ते ललने त तदा दeशतःु वयं तं >गEरCामकं mयोNनः वग(खड मव Tयतं ु || Then those two ladies saw the village as a piece of heaven fallen on Earth. त ते पेततदmयौ Cामेs#तःशीतला*म!न ु Y भोगमोF> यौ शा#ते पNसीव +व?दता*म!न || ु They descended down to that village which cooled their inner selves similar to the experience of a person who feels peace when sense-pleasures and liberation both get subdued at the time of realization. कालेनैतावता ल:ला तेनाRयासेन साभवत ् श1 ु Sानैकदे ह*वाि*कालामलद श(नी || By this time Leelaa, by sincere practice had become endowed with the form of Knowledge and was able to visualize clearly the occurrences in all the three phases of Time. अथ समार सवा(ताः Lा\तनीः संसत ( ीः ृ ेगत सा वयं वरसेनैव LाHज#ममरणा?दकाः || Then she remembered all that had happened in the Creation in the past and by her own knowledge knew about the births and deaths she underwent in the past. {What was the cause of enlightenment that occurred in Queen Leelaa’s life? Was her past life as Arundhati a life of penance, meditations and charities? Was she a world renowned character? Was she a saint of unaccountable merits? Was she well versed in Scriptures? Was she by chance blessed by any great Sage? No, no such greatness accompanied Arundhati, the wife of the Brahmin Vasishta. She was just a very very ordinary person. She slaved day and night for her family. Her husband and her children were her world. Her cows and calves were her treasures. She had no knowledge of any scripture or any sacred texts. She was just an ordinary housewife who worked from morning to night without a break. She never had time to think of her own needs or necessities. Her husband was her God. She had no further thoughts beyond the house. She just lived all her life cooking, cleaning and worrying and became old as any other mortal; but died when her husband died. Her dread of widowhood or her extreme attachment to her husband broke her heart the minute he breathed his last. The only good thing she ever did was to devote daily a few minutes to worship Goddess Sarasvati. She did not even know what to pray for. She completely left all that to the Goddess and just went through her life attending to her regular duties. Sage Vasishta proves to Rama that whatever be the Vaasanaas of past birth, one can attain realization by just the practice of enquiry any time regardless of the past. No penance, charity or excellent merits are necessary to attain the goal of self-realization.

Leelaa began her journey towards enlightenment the moment she started her enquiry about immortality. That one little question changed her entire course of life. The ordinary Arundhati became a companion of Jnapti in her next birth itself, by just taking recourse to Enquiry (VICHAARA). If that is the magic of enquiry rising in the heart of a very ordinary mind, what cannot be achieved by those who already have mastered the scriptures and are already striving for self-realization?! Vasishta indirectly tells Rama that realization was not going to be an achievement to be attained at the end of his life. He was just less than sixteen in age, already in the path of enquiry and was getting taught by Sage Vasishta himself. Surely the very day the discourse ends Rama would be a realized soul, suggests the Sage. What one cannot attain with such lucky co-incidences!}

ल:लोवाच Leelaa spoke दे +व दे श ममं e lवा *व*Lसादा*मराNयहं इह त*Lा\तनं सवK चेि टतम ् चेि टता#तरं || “Devi, seeing this village, now I remember by your grace all the actions done here in my past life and even all that happened between those actions. इहाभवं ू जीणा( शरालाDगी कशा ृ सता 3ा4मणी श कदभा( CभेदpFाकरोदरा || ु Here I was born as a Brahmin lady; thin and pale; stomach dried up as if pierced by the sharp edges of the Darbha grass; भत(ुः कल ु कर: भाया( दोहम#थानशा लनी माता सकलपा ु णाम!तथीनां +Lयंकर: || devoted wife acting as the light of the husband’s household; expert in churning butter; a caring mother for the children; a loving host to guests; दे वि.वजसतां भ\ता स\ताDगी घतगोरसै ः ृ भज(नी चAकNभा?दभा ड़ोपकरशो>धनी || ु respectful towards Brahmins and Gods and saints; body always whitened by the constant contact of milk and ghee; good in washing vessels like frying pans, oblation vessels, pots etc. !न*यम#नलवा\तैककाचकNबLको ठका ु जामातद?हत +ृ पतमातLपजनी || ृ ु ^ात ृ ृ ृ ू

wearing just one glass bangle always tainted by a piece of cooked rice on her wrist; a devoted server to the son-in-law, daughter, brother, mother and father; आदे हं स=भ*ृ यैव LFीण?दनया मनी वाचं >चरं >चर म!त वा?द#य!नशमाकला || ु day and night withering her limbs like a servant-maid of her husband’s house; always anxiously saying, ‘Oh, it is late’ ‘Oh it is late ’; काहं क इव संसार इ!त वQनेsQयस#कथा जाया ोMयमढय ताeशयैव द>ध( ू ु यः || always wondering ‘who am I’, ‘what is this world’ even in dreams; acting the wife for a person who was a fool though versed in Vedas and who was completely immersed in the house affairs like her; एक!न ठा स मTछाकगोमये#धनस#चये Nलानकंबलसंवीत शरालकशगाMका || ृ always engaged in collecting sticks for the fire worship, branches for making the fire, cow dung for fire kindling; using a worn out blanket to cover her emaciated body thinned out like the nerves; तण(कhकण(जाहथक म!न कासत*परा ृ गहशाकायानासे स*वराहतकप( रा || ृ ू engaged in removing the worms from the root-ends of the calf’s ears; carrying the frying pot in the hand hurrying through the process of washing and cooking of vegetables for the household; नीलनीरतरDगा#ततणत+प( तत6ण(का ृ L!तFणं गह.वारकतले पनवण(का || ृ ृ feeding the calves with tender grass brought with effort from the edge of the ponds; every moment decorating the door step of the house with colors;

नी*यथKगहभ*यानामाद:नकतवाTयता ृ ृ ृ मया(दा!नयमादsधेवYलेवा!नशमTयता ु || commented by others who sympathized with her about the unruly behavior of servants; like the ocean wave, never swering the honor limits of the family; जीण(पण(सवणvककण(दोला>धpढया का ठताnयजराभीतजीवव**ये व>चि4नता || ृ given to old age in such a routine life with body turned pale like a dried up leaf, the left deafened ear hanging and shaking because of the shivering head, as if ready to beat up that ear with the stick raised high, fearful of the aging process.” इ*य\*वा संचर#ती सा शखEरCामकोटरे ु संचर#*याः सरव*या दश(यामास समयं || Having spoken thus, as she wandered in the village at the base of the mountain, Sarasvati who walked along with her, showed many familiar places to her, which surprised her extremely. इयं मे पाटलाखडमिडता प पवा?टका ु इयं मे पि पतो.यानमडपा शोकपे?टका || ु “Here is my flower garden adorned by the uncut red-hued trumpet flowers; here is the dome in my garden filled with flowers; which is the store-house of sorrows; इयं प कEरणीतीर@मा ु ु ssCि#थततण(का इयं सा क6ण(कानाNनी त6ण(का म\तप 6ण(का || ु here is the temple lake with the tree on its bank where the calf was tied with a loose rope and left to graze; here is that calf by the name of Karnikaa not eating grass because of my death; इयं सा मेsलसाकhणा( वराकh जलहाEरका अ.या टमं ?दनं बा पि\ल#नाFी पEररो?द!त ||

here is that water-maid who orphaned by my death is filled with tears in the eyes and crying on the eighth day of my death; इयं दे +व मया भ\त ु महो+षत मह िथतं इह सQत ु महापीत मह द*त महाjतम ् || here is where I ate my food; here I lived; here I stood; here I slept; here I drank water; here I gave; here I fetched things; एष मे Wये ठशमा(यः पो ु रो?द!त मि#दरे एषा मे जDगले धेनुदwHzी चर!त शा.वलं || this eldest son of mine is crying for me here in the house; here is the cow milked by me grazing in the forest; गहेृ वस#तदाहायpFFार+वधसरं ू वदे ह मव पZचाFं प)येमं Lघणं मम || here are the ashes of the fire lighted on the spring festival day; here is the porch with five windows which I loved like my own body; तNबीलता भACा भः प टा भEरव वेि टतं ु ु महानसथान मदं मम दे ह मवापरं || this is the cooking area, which is like my other body, surrounded by Tumbi creepers grown by me; एते रोदनता‹ाFा बा#धवो भ+व ु ब#धनं अDगदा+प(तA@ाFा आहर#*यनले#धनं || these are the relatives who bind me to this Earth; their eyes are reddened by crying incessantly; wearing the Rudraaksha (rosary) on their bodies they are bringing firewood to light the fire;

{LEELAA ANALYZES THE MYSTERIES OF SPACE AND TIME}

अ मे संिथतो भता( जीवाकाशतयाssक!तः ृ चतु:सम@पय( #तमेखलाया भवः ु ु प!तः || Here my husband stays as the ‘Jeevaakaasha’ and is now the lord of the Earth surrounded by four oceans; आ मतं ू मेतेन _कलासीद भवाZचनं ृ पव( शी’ं यामेव राजे!त ती†संवेगध म(णा || Now I remember; he had this excessive desire for becoming a king soon and always spent his time thinking about it. ?दनैर t भरे वासौ तेन राWयं सम+ृ 1मत ् >चरकालL*ययदं LाQतवा#परमे)वEर || O Supreme Queen! Within eight days itself he has attained the prosperous kingdom with the idea that it happened over a long time. अासौ भत(ज ृ ीवो मे िथतो mयोिNन गहेृ नपः ृ अe)यः खे यथा वायरामोदो वा!नले यथा || ु Here stays the Jeeva of my husband in the ‘house-space’ as the king and unseen by any one like wind in the sky or the fragrance in the wind! इहै वाDग ु टमाा#ते त.mयोN#येव पदं िथतं म[तरृ ाWयं समवगतं योजनको?टभाक् || In ‘this thumb like space’ itself, ‘that world’ exists; the kingdom of my husband was understood by me to be million Yojanas away! आवां खमेव वथं च भत(रृ ाWयं ममे)वEर पणK ू सह]ैः शैलानां महामायेयमातता ||

We both remained just in the empty sky! So did the kingdom of my husband with thousands of hills! This is a wide spread delusion indeed! तPे+व भत(न ु #तंु ममेिQसतं ृ गरं पनग( तदे ?ह त गTछावः _कं दरंू mयवसा!यनाम ् || Devi! I want to go to my husband’s place again. Come, let us go there. What is distance for those who are determined to reach the goal!”

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE {ANOTHER SPACE-JOURNEY}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke इ*य\*वा Lणता दे वीं सा L+व)याशु मडपं ु +वहDगीव तया साकं पQलवे ु ु स!तभं नभः || Having said this, she saluted the Goddess and entered the ‘Dome’ and floated in the colorless lustrous sky along with her, like a bird. मेघमाग(म!तONय वातक#धाव!नं तथा सौरमाग(म!तONय च#@माग(मती*य च || zव ु मागw*तरं ग*वा सा`यानां माग(मे*य च

स1ानां समती*योवcमJल#…य वग(मडलं || ु 34मलोको*तरं ग*वा त+षतानां च मडलं ु गोलोकं शवलोकं च +पतलोकमती*य च || ृ +वदे हानां सदे हानां लोकमु*तीय( दरगं ू दरू ा1ूरतरमथो ग*वा _कि#च.ब1ा ु बभव ू सा ||

Crossing over the path of clouds, the paths covered by the branches of winds, solar sphere, moon sphere, the sphere of stars like Dhruva, the world of Saadhyaas (Celestial beings), the world of Siddhas, the sphere of heaven, Brahma’s world, Naaraayana’s world where everyone is happy, Go-loka, Shiva loka, world of ancestors, the world of those with bodies and without bodies; she traversed far, further than the furthest lands and then suddenly she became aware of her surroundings. प)चादालोकयामास समतीतं नभथलं याव#न _कि#चTच#@ाक( तारा.यालkयते 4यधः || She stopped her flying and looked back at the region of the sky which she had just crossed over. No stars or sun or moon were visible down there. तमित मतगNभीरमाशाकहर ू ं ु परक एकाण(वोदरLयं शलोदरघनं िथतं || The entire region was filled with dense darkness in whichever direction she looked. It was like the deep inside of an ocean, as dark as the inside of a rock. {Leelaa is taking the lead here is floating fast with great excitement. Jnapti follows her as a guardian just watching her enjoy all these amazing visions. Suddenly Leelaa finds herself in deep dense darkness of TAMAS where nothing is seen. No world, no sun, nothing exists there. She feels lost and slightly frightened. She turns back to Jnapti for help. The Goddess holds her hand and takes her out of that impenetrable darkness.}

ल:लोवाच Leelaa spoke तPे+व भाकराद:नां \वाधतेजो गतः वद

शलाजठर!न प#दं मिु टCा4यं तमः कतः || ु Devi! Where has the light of the Sun and stars gone? Where forth this darkness has appeared which is like the inside of a rock and is so dense that it can be caught in the hand?

ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke एतावती ममां mयोNनः पदवीमागता स भोः अका(द:#य+प तेजां स यतो e)य#त एव नो || Oh! You have come to such a region of space where even the light of the Sun cannot be seen! यथा महा#धकूपाधः ख.योतो नावलो\यते प ृ टगेन तथेहातो नाधः सयw ू sवलो\यते || Just like when at the bottom of a very deep dark well, the light of the sky cannot be seen when you look back, so also the Sun cannot be seen down here. ल:लोवाच Leelaa spoke अहो नु पदवीं दरू मावामेतामपागते ु सयw ू sQयधोणुकणव#न मनाग+प लkयते || Ah! We both have come so far and the Sun cannot be seen even in the least like the piece of the atom! इत उ*तरम#या या*पदवी का नु कheशी कथं च मातरे तmया कoयता म!त दे +व मे || Is there another region of space beyond this? How and what is it? How do we go from here, Mother? Please tell me O Goddess! ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke इत उ*तरमCे ते 34माडपटकप( रं ु यय च#@ादयो नाम ध लले शः समि*थताः || ू ु

Beyond the region where you stand, is the next layer of the ‘Cosmic egg’ which is hollow and dark like the inside of a pot, from where the dust particles like Moon and other celestial objects rise up. ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke इ!त Lकथय#*यौ ते LाQते 34माडकप(रं ^मया(+वव शैलय कnयं !नMबडमडपं || ु अ\लेशैनैव ते तमा!नग(ते गगना?दव Conversing like this, they both having reached that pot of the cosmic egg, quite easily came out of the dense thick dome of space hard like the wall of the mountain, like a pair of bees flying from one region of space to another !न)चयथं ?ह य.वतु त.व‘गA ु नेतरत ् || Only to a person who is certain in his conception of the hardness of the world that the world appears solid like a diamond, not to the other. {All these events of traveling from one Mind-world to another are happening in the Mind-world of Leelaa. It is as if she is going back to the source of her own origin in her contemplative state. (Her center of existence, the physical body of Leelaa is sitting in a contemplative state next to Padma’s dead body even now.) As her Mind is purer now, she travels as it were from the world of Arundhati to the Chidaakaasha, the dome which contains all possible existences. She visualizes the higher worlds of Gods and Siddhas and suddenly gets stuck in a Creation less state. No Vaasanaas exist there. No perturbations; but is filled with a layer of ignorance as dense darkness, akin to deep sleep state. Jnapti helps her cross that state and Leelaa sees next the layers of ‘principles of elements’. In the end Leelaa sees the Supreme Chidaakaasha as a tranquil world without perturbations.}

!नरावरण+वSाना सा ददश( ततततं जला.यावरणं पारे 34माडय!तभासरंु || She who now had the ‘Knowledge of the obscuring things’ saw beyond that cosmic egg, the covering of waters shining profusely. 34माडाPशगण ु ततोयं त mयविथतं आिथतं वे ठ!य*वा तु *व>गवाFोटप टगा || ृ

तमाPशगणो ु वि4न: तमाPशगणो ु s!नल: ततो दशगणं ु mयोम ततः परममNबरं || Water, ten times more than the size of the cosmic egg was found there. Covering that like the skin of the walnut seed was fire, ten times more than that; then wind, ten times more than that; then sky, ten times more than that; then beyond that, the ‘Supreme space’. तिम#परमके mयोिNन म`या.य#त+वकJपनाः न का)चन सम.यि#त व#`यापकथा इव || ु ु Beyond that ‘Supreme space’, ideas like the beginning, middle and end never ever arise like the tale of the barren woman’s son! केवलं +वततं शा#तं तदना?द गत^मं आ.य#तम`य र?हतं मह*या*म!न !त ट!त || Only the beginning less, all pervading, tranquil state without delusions, without beginning, middle and end remains in its own essence! आकJपम*तमबले न शला पतेTचे*तिम#बला*पतगराड+प चो*पतेTचेत ् ु त.योजनं न लभते +वमल“ sबरे s#तमा(कJपमेकजवगोsQयथ माAतोs+प || If a rock from the top falls from the start of the Kalpa with full force, or if Garuda himself flies from the bottom making use of his full power, even if the wind flows with all its force both sides with the same speed from the very start of the Kalpa, nothing can measure even a yojana of that taintless Chidaakaasha!

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO {SUPREME SPACE-PARAMAAKAASHA}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke पomय Qतेजसाम ् त नभव#नभसोर+प ृ यथो*तरं दश गुणानती*यावरणा#kणात ् || ददश( परमाकाशं त*Lमाण+वविज(तं तथा ततं जग?ददं यथा ताडमाकं || Crossing in a second, all the earth, waters and fire, air and sky each of which exceeded ten times more than the other, she saw the ‘Supreme Space’ which spread out without any measure. She saw this world (creation) like an egg floating there. ताeशावरणा#सगा(#34माडेषु ददश( सा को?टशः फEरता#mयोिNन सरे णू!नवातपे || ु She saw billions and billions of layers of worlds covering each other in the cosmic eggs floating in the space like dust particles in the sunlight. महाकाशमहाNबोधौ महाश#य*ववाEर 6ण ू महा>च.@वभावो*था#ब.बदानब( ु ु ुदLभान ् || काि#)चदापततोsधता*काि#)चTचोपEर गTछतः काि#)चि*तय(Hगतीन#यान ्िथता#थsधान ्वसं+वदा || She saw the great ocean of the Supreme Space of Chidaakaasha filled with waters of great void (absence of knowledge); worlds to the count of hundred millions rising from the CHIT like bubbles; some falling down to the bottom; some going up from the bottom; some moving fast; some staying still by such cognitions which made them still.

{Is it possible to travel into Chidaakaasha as Leelaa did? Actually space is an illusion, a creation of the mind for the fulfillment of the Vaasanaas. It is as if Vasishta is giving a pictorial presentation of the contemplation states. As one discards the identity of one’s present body, and also other bodies of the previous incarnations, one reaches a tranquil state of formlessness. As per one’s own ideas of Gods and God worlds, as per the belief one has about higher worlds, the contemplating person has the vision of all those worlds which he believes as existing. Leelaa also has visions as per her own belief systems. She crosses the worlds of Gods and others and finally reaches the worlds of Siddhas. Beyond that, as her mind is bereft of ideas and beliefs, she is in a blank state of ‘Vaasanaa-less’ ignorance as in deep sleep. Jnapti guides her further inside her own mind. According to subtle beliefs of Leelaa, she witnesses the layers of elements in their subtle form covering the Chidaakaasha. It is as if she is crossing the boundary of grossness and entering the abstract subtler principle of Chidaakaasha. At last she sees the vast Chidaakaasha which is her own Self. Now she is a liberated soul completely bereft of any Vaasanaas. Actually one cannot see Chidaakaasha like an outsider. But since this is a fiction explaining the abstract truths of Chit, we get a visual representation of the contemplation process in Self realization. Visions occur as per one’s belief systems. If no such ideas exist, then after realization only a tranquil state remains as one’s own Self.}

य यो?दता सं+व.येषां येषां यथा यथा त तो?दतं pपं तेषां तेषां तथा तथा || Wherever the cognition arises for whomsoever in whatever way there and all, the forms arise for those and all, in that very manner. {There are no fixed worlds with fixed objects in Chit. What exist is the Unmanifest; the possibilities; the Vaasanaas as seeds. This is the Unmanifest Brahman. In the manifest state of Brahman all possibilities become cognitions. Chit alone becomes the Seen and as a Seer experiences the worlds as the multitude of Jeevas. In this state, the Chit dons the layer of ignorance and gets endowed with a body as if made of elements. The first body is the Lotus-born with the one single Vaasanaa of Creation or cognition. Instantly all the multitude of worlds appear as his Creations. Since there is no solid absolute world with space time boundaries, Chit as a Seer just sees whatever randomly appears as the idea of a Seen. Whatever idea occurs, it is immediately seen as an object bound by space time co-ordinates. Idea of a body – and a body arises instantly; idea of the Sun – and a Sun arises instantly; idea of the room – and the room arises instantly; idea of the vessel - and the vessel arises instantly. In this manner, as the ideas flow one after the other, the objects of the world begin to appear in the Chit-arena. Like a child picks up toys randomly one after other and discards them, the cognizing mind creates objects randomly one after the other and discards them. There is no permanency in the objects seen. All that is seen is a mind-process only. It is as if you have to hold the object in your mind, to make it exist. Forget it and it is not there for you anymore. The more you think of the world, the more solid and real it is for you. For a realized man who does not hold anything in his mind, the world does not exist at all. His body becomes like that of space as it happened to Leelaa.}

नेहैव त नामो`वK नाधो न च गमागमाः | (In the Para Brahman state) there is nothing called ‘above’ there; there is no ‘below’; there is no ‘going’ and ‘coming’.

अ#यदे व पदं _कि#च*तमाPेहागमं ?ह तत ् || (The Jeeva state) This is a completely different state; it is the state of ignorance where the body appears. उ*प.यो*प.यते त वयं सं+व*वभावतः वस#कJपैः शमं या!त बालसंकल ्पजालवत ् || The cognition by its very nature again and again rises by itself in space and subdues by one’s own will like the unpredictable nature of the child’s play.

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE {COSMOS AND UNIVERSES}

ी राम उवाच Rama spoke _कमध: यात ् _कम`वK ू यात ् _कं !तय(क् त भासरेु इ!त 3?ह ू मम 34मि#नहै व य?द न िथतं || What exists at the bottom, what exists at the top, what exists across, in that luster (Chit) when ‘here itself’ nothing is there? {When you have explained previously that space and directions do not exist at all even here in this existence, then how did Leelaa see them in the Chidaakaasha? – asks Rama.}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke {Vasishta here explains the space principle. Actually in space there is no up or down or across. Wherever a Cognizer exists the space principle thickens enough to act as a field for his experiences. That which pulls all the beings towards it and keeps them glued as it were to the ground is the bottom portion. (From where gravitational pull acts, that is the ground at the bottom.) The other side is up.}

ससवा(वरणा एते मह*य#त+वविज(ते 34माडा भाि#त दe ु टे mयwिNन केशो„को यथा ||

These cosmic eggs (Brahmaandas) covered with all sorts of layers exist in that endless Supreme like hair tufts (floaters) shining in the sky for those with eye-infection. अवात#yया*Lधावि#त पदाथा(ः सव( एव यत ् 34माडे पा>थ(वो भागतदधत`व( ू म#यथा || The Earth part of the cosmic egg where all objects fall without control is the ‘bottom’ portion; the other one is ‘up’. +पपी लकं महतां mयोिNन वत(ुललो ठके दश?द\कमधः पादाः प ठ ू मुदाjतं || ृ म`व( In the spherical mud ball, in the huge space of the ants, any of the ten directions where the feet are, is the ‘bottom’ and the back portion is the ‘up’ portion, to quote an analogy! {If the whole Earth or whichever spherical planet is observed, the surface you walk along becomes the bottom, whatever be its position in the space arena. Vasishta here gives the analogy of a round mud-ball where ants are moving on the surface. For the ants the ground is the bottom whether they are walking upside down or downside up on the surface of the mud ball. Where their back is that is the upward direction for them. On the ground they look all around and create the directions according to their position on the ball-surface. Humans create directions according to the sight of the Sun and its disappearance. In the huge space beyond the solar system where the Sun has no place, there are no directions or ‘up and down’ notions. Next, Sage Vasishta describes the countless universes which randomly appear, evolve and disappear.}

वFवJमीकजाले न केषाि#च1ृ?द भतलं ू ृ ससरानर दै *येन वेि टतं mयोम !नम(लं || ु Some worlds contain just trees and anthills; the taintless sky is occupied by god like beings, non-human species, demons and others. संभूतं सह भते तं ू न सCामपरपव( ु इदं कJपनभते ू न प\वाFोट मव*वचा || Some contain villages, cities and mountains with beings of any imagination making the surface look like the wrinkled skin of the ripened walnut fruit.

यथा +व#`यवनाभोगे Lफरि#त करे णवः ु तथा तिम#पराभोगे 34माडसरे णवः || Like elephants abound in the Vindhya forests, countless cosmic eggs exist like dust particles floating in the sunlight, in the Supreme Chidaakaasha. तिम#सवK ततः सवK त*सवK सव(त)च यत ् तTच सव(मयो !न*यं तथा तदणुकं L!त || Everything is in ‘That’; everything is from ‘That’; ‘That’ is everything; ‘That’ is everywhere; ‘That’ fills everything; ‘That’ is eternal; ‘That’ is in every atom. श1बोधमये तिम#परमालोकवाEरधौ ु अज]मे*य गTछि#त 34माडायातरDगकाः || Wavelets called Cosmic eggs beyond the count of numbers appear and disappear in that ocean of Supreme vision which is of the nature of pure untainted knowledge. अ#तः श#याः िथताः के>च*संकJपFयरायः ू तरDगा इव तोयेssधौ Lो4य#ते श#यताण( वे || ू Some are just empty inside like nights where there are no thoughts as in deep sleep; they rise in the ocean of void like waves in the waters of the ocean. केषाि#चद#तः कJपा#तः Lव*तो घघ(रारवः ृ न तो ु s#यैन( च Sातः वभावेन रसाकलै ु ः || Some noisy by nature have just begun the process of Kalpa with a murmuring noise, never heard by anyone or known by anyone troubled by desires. अ#येषां Lथमारं भे श1भष ु ू ु +वजN ृ भते सग(ः सं स\तबीजानां कोशेsDकुरकला यथा || Some are at the beginning process and the creation shines as pure matter like the sprout appearing in the seed ready to grow.

महाLलयसNप*तौ सया( ू >च(+व(.यतो@यः ु Lव*ता ग लतंु के>च*तापे ?हमकणा इव || ृ Some worlds are in the process of dissoving where the mountains are ready to melt by the fire of the burning sun, like the snow-flakes melting by heat. आकJपं !नपत#*येव के>चदLाQतभमयः ू यावि.वशीय( जाय#ते तथा सं+व#मयाः _कल || Some never get fully formed and keep on dissolving. Cognitions also keep breaking down and keep appearing again, do they not?! तsधा इव िथताः के>च*केशो„क मवाNबरे वायोः प#दा इवाभाि#त तथा Lो?दतसं+वदः || Some remain frozen and unmoving; some float like hair balls (floaters) in the sky; some are like movements of the wind as prompted by the cognition. आचारा.वेदशााणामा.य एवा#यथो?दते आरNभोs+प तथा#येषाम!न*यः संिथतः Oमः || The culture, Knowledge-guides (Vedas), scriptures might be different in different beginnings. Beginnings also may not have any fixed process as a rule. के>च.34मा?दपAषाः के>चि.व वा?दसग(पाः ु के>चTचा#यLजानाथाः के>चि#नना(थज#तवः || In some creations, Brahma is the first being; some creations are protected by Vishnu as the first being; some have other type of protectors; some have creatures without anyone to protect them. के>चि.व>चसगYशा: के>चि*तय(#Hमया#तराः के>चदे काण(वपणा( इतरे ज!नविज(ताः || ू

Some worlds are controlled by strange types of rulers; some have only lowly evolved creatures; some are covered by one single stretch of ocean; some have no life at all in them. के>चिTछलाDग!नि पडा: के>च*कृ ममया#तराः के>चPेवमया एव के>च#नरमया#तराः || Some are like dense hard rocks; some are filled with worms and insects only; some are filled with divine beings; some have only humans. के>चि#न*या#धकारा{यातथा शी लतज#तवः के>चि#न*यLकाशा{यातथा शी लतज#तवः || Some worlds are always filled with darkness and unknown species adapted to darkness live there; some worlds are always filled with bright light and unknown species adapted to light live there. के>च#मशकसNपूणा( उदNबरफल> यः ु !न*यं श#या#तराः के>चTछू#यप#दा*मज#तवः || ू Some worlds are filled with only mosquitoes like the udumbara fruit; some have nothing inside; some have beings which are empty of any vibration or thought. सगण Y ताeशेना#ये पणा( ू येs#त>ध(या मह कJपनाम+प नायाि#त mयोमपणा( ू चलो यथा || In the innumerable minds, much more worlds exist filling the space. They are beyond imagination, like a mountain made of empty space. ताeगंबरमेतेषां महाकाशं ततं िथतं आजी+वतं LगTछ![+व( वा.यैय# ( न मीयते || Thus exists the Supreme space filled with such Cosmic eggs; even if Vishnu and others travel throughout their eternal lives ‘it’ cannot be measured.

L*येकयाडगोलय िथतः कटकर*नवत ् भताक ू ृ ि टकरो भावः पा>थ(वः ववभावतः || In each and every sphere of a world, the inner core of the earth exerts gravitational pull on all objects by its very nature, like the diamond inside the spherical bracelet. यः सव(+वभवोsमाकं >धयं न +वषयं ततः तWजग*कथने शि\तम(म नाित महामते || The complete understanding of all that exists, is beyond our capacity. I do not have the power to describe those worlds, O wise one! भीमा#धकारगहने सम*यरये न*य*यद

श(तपरपरमेव म*ताः ु ृ यFा यथा L+वतते परमांबरे s#तरे वं फरि#त सबह!न महाजगि#त || ु ु ू In the dark dense huge forest, dance the intoxicated Yakshas (mythical beings) unseen by each other. Similarly all these countless huge universes rise in the all-pervading Supreme space. {Like the Yakshas do not see each other, all these worlds exist on their own, unknown to each other.}

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR {THE TWO LADIES RETURN TO THE HAREM WORLD}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke एवमाकलय#*यौ ते !नग(*य जगतो !नजात ् अ#तःपरंु दeशतु: झ?ट*येव +व!नग(ते || Thus conversing happily with each other they both came out of their world and saw the harem as if they had left it just an instant back.

{With the help offered by Jnapti, Leelaa’s mind had gone back in the memory lane to her past life as Arundhati. To enter the Mind-world of her dead husband Padma, she had to return to Leelaa’s Mind-world and from there had to reach the dead Padma’s world. Since it was all occurring in the Mind-world of Leelaa, no time passed in the actual world. Everything was happening in the Chit state where no time or space existed. The distances between the worlds were only in the Mind of Leelaa, as she had many more steps to climb in the ladder of knowledge. Unless the very interest she maintained towards these tiny worlds of Leelaa and Padma disappear she will be bound by some space idea between different Creations. She still had a vague identity of hers as Leelaa the devoted wife of King Padma. She believed that her husband would also be yearning for her in his new world and she wanted to join him immediately and remove his grief of getting separated from her by his death.}

िथतप पभरापण( ु ू महाराजमहाशवं शवपा)वwप+व टा#ति)च*तल:लाशर:रकं || घनराMतयाJपाJपमहा!न@ाजनाकलं ु धपच#दनकप( ू ूरकु Dकुमामोदम#थरं || (They saw) the undecayed dead body of the great King covered with flowers; the body of Leelaa sitting next to the dead body, absorbed in contemplation; all the people fast asleep because of the dark dense night; the fragrance of incense sticks, sandalwood, camphor, saffron mixed all over the hall. तमालो\यापरं भत(ुः संसारं ग#तमा ु eता पपात ल:ला संकJपदे हेनाैव त#नभः || Having seen the dead body of this husband, Leelaa was eager to visit the other world of her husband. With her conceived body made of space, she immediately descended down into that sky of the other world.

{LEELAA ENTERS THE TAINTED MIND-SPACE OF HER HUSBAND}

+ववेश भत(ुः संकJपसंसारं _कि#चदाततं She entered the world conceived by her husband which lay spread out a little in front of her. संसारावरणं भ*वा भ*वा 34माडकप(रं || Lाप साधK तया दे mया पनरावर णाि#वतं ु 34माडमडपं फारं

By breaking through many layers of worlds again and again in the great cosmic hollow, she along with the Goddess entered again a cosmic dome spread out in front of her with many more layers. तं L+व)य तथा जवात ् || ददश( भत(ुः संकJपजगWजंबालपJवलं

सNह:व शैलकहरं ु तमो जलदपिDकलं || She quickly entered inside and saw the deep mire of the conceived world of her husband, the dark turbid mire of turbulent clouds, like a female lion entering a dark cave. दे mयौ +व+वशतत*ते mयोम mयोमाि*मके जगत ् ु 34माडेs#तय(था प\वं मदMबJवं +पपी लके || ृ ु The two ladies with forms of space, entered that world made of space inside the Cosmic egg like two ants entering the soft ripe Bilva fruit. त लोका#तराय@:न#तEरFमती*य ते Lापभ( ु त ू लं शैलमडलांभो>धसंकु लं || Then the two Goddesses crossed over other worlds, mountains and skies of that universe and descended down to the sphere of earth filled with hills and oceans. मेAणाल#कतं नवदलोदरं ू ृ जNब.वीपं ग*वाथ भारते वषY ल:लानाथस ्य मडलं || They then entered the sphere of Leelaa’s husband in Bhaarata varsha, in the Jamboo Dveepa with nine divisions and adorned by Meru Mountain. {However Leelaa did not meet the sixteen year old king now. She visited now the last phase of the king’s life where he was old and engaged in a battle with an enemy king. A whole life time had passed for the king in this new life, by the time Leelaa returned here after the visit to GiriGraama. No time had passed in the palace where the king lay buried in flowers, after her visit to GiriGraama. A whole life time had passed for king Padma within eight days of the death of the Brahmin at GiriGraama.}

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE {THE BATTLE}

एतिम#न#तरे तिम#मडले मिडतावनौ चOेsवक#दनम ् कि)च*साम#तो?@\तभू मप: || Meanwhile, in that circle of Creation, the adornment of Earth, some subordinate King desiring to expand his land, made an attack. तेन संCामसंरNभे LेFाथK समपागतै ः ु ैलो\यभतै कटं || ू त.mयोम बभवा*य#तसं ू The sky above was highly crowded by the residents of the three worlds who had assembled there to observe the proceedings of the battle. अशिDकतागते त*ते दे mयौ दeशतन( ु भः नभ)चरगणाOा#तमंबुदै Eरव मा लतं || The two goddesses having no anxiety or apprehension, saw the sky crowded with various types of sky-dwellers as if adorned by clouds. अथ वीरवरो*कठन*यदQसर स िथता ृ ल:लावलोकयामास mयोिNन +व.याि#वतावनौ || As the dancing divine damsels waited eagerly for the bravest soldier (who will die), Leelaa along with Jnapti remained in the sky and observed the proceedings of the battle. वरा tमडले भत(प ृ ा लते बलमा लते किमि#)चि.वततारये ि.वतीयाकाशभीषणे || सेनाि.वतयमFुsधं सौNयािsधि.वतयोपमम ् महारं भघनं म*तं िथतं राज.वयाि#वतं || य1सWजं सस#न1

म1मिHन मवा[तम ् ु ु ु Lलया!नलसंFुsधमेकाण(व मवोि*थतं ||

In that country ruled by her husband and garlanded by armies; in some huge forest-land, terrifying like another sky arisen as it were; ‘two highly agitated armies’ stood as if the calm ocean had become two-fold; densely packed for the great event of war; with the two angry kings facing each other in the center of the field; ready to battle; well prepared; awe inspiring like the kindled fire; terrifying like the dissolution winds; looking like a newly arisen huge ocean. ी राम उवाच Rama spoke भगव#य1मे ु त#मे समासेन मनाHवद !तरा 4ला.यते ोतय( ु ु मादे ता भAि\त भः || Lord! Tell me briefly what happened in the battle field. My ears long to hear such descriptions of war. ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke अथ तैव ते दे mयौ संCामं तमवेgFतंु +वमाने किJपते का#ते A1े AAहतःु िथरे || Those two divine ladies intending to watch the battle ascended a beautiful air-vehicle stationed at the sky created by their will. एतिम#न#तरे त ल:लेशः L!तपFतः तम*सो ु ढुमश\तः संमुखmय!तकरे रणे || Lलयाण(वकJलोल इवो*प*यो[ये भटे जहौ साना+वव शलां भटयोर स म.गरं || ु Leelaa’s husband meanwhile unable to face the onslaught of the enemies in the battle field rose up like the dissolution waters and hit with his mace, the enemy soldier who was trying to attack him like hitting the top of the rock.

अथ संLव*तः Lसभं Lलयाण(वरं हसा ृ सेनयोः स सNपात: _कर#ननल+व.यतः ु || Then, like the speedy waters of dissolution, weapons started getting hurled between both the armies with great violence shedding lightning like fires. पत*समदमातDगकं+पतोवcलठ ु @यः य#पाषाणचOौघदरू +व@तखे ु चरः || The musth elephants fell on the ground shaking the earth, making the waters everywhere roll hither and thither. The sky dwellers (Gods) ran away in panic from the hosts of wheels and rocks hurled by the machines. दरू ोnडीनकच*खnगखडतार_कताNबरः व‘मि ट ु !नि प ट+प टस[टसDकट: || The sky was filled with stars by the shining metal pieces from the dashing swords thrown far into the sky. The armors of the soldiers were powdered by the hard punches of diamond like fists. नाराचवष(वरवाEरदवीरपरम*ता^सं ^मसन*त ू ृ कब#धबहI कJपा#तकाल इव वेग+ववत(मानमातDगशैलव लतो रणसN^मोsभत ू ् || The headless bodies danced like the highly excited peacocks due to the mad onrushing clouds namely the crowds of brave soldiers raining profusely the sharp metallic arrows. Mountains of elephants were rushing speedily encircling the place like the arrival of the ‘Dissolution Time’. Thus was the grandeur of the War! { नाराचाः - नरान ् आचमत – sips the blood out of humans}

{Sage Vasishta describes to Rama in detail the battle that took place between the two armies making Rama feel interested in warfare and weapons so that he will get the desire to master all the weapons under the guidance of Sage Vishvaamitra in the future.}

CHAPTER THIRTY SIX {THE DAY ENDS IN THE BATTLE-FIELD}

एवाम*याकले ु साफोटभटस#कटे ु य1े खाण(वे पEरते हे !तव#ृ दम#दा_कनीगणैः || ू अ टभागदशाशेषLतापमधराक!त ु ृ शघातहतो वीर इवाक(तनतां ु ययौ || In such a dreadful war filled with sounds of soldiers clashing together, as the ocean of the sky got filled with Ganges rivers of hosts of weapons, the Sun fell down like a brave man hit by the weapon, his heat lessened and his form beautiful by the loss of eight parts of the day. अथ सेना?दनाथाRयां +वचाय( सहमि# भः दताः य1ं ू परपरं व*ता ु सं?”यता म!त || ृ Then the chief of the armies consulted with each other along with the ministers; and messengers were sent to both sides that the war should be withdrawn. ततो द#दभय ु ु : नेदःु L!त`व!नत?द#Hमखाः ु +व!नग(#तंु Lववते ृ रणारया.बल.वयं || Then the large kettle-drums resonated echoing in all directions. The two armies prepared themselves to get out of that war-forest. अथ वीर इवार\त: कालेनात मतो र+वः अतेजः पEरNलानLतापो अsधौ समि#झत : || ु Then as the time passed, the Sun went down like a brave soldier covered in red. His face lit by the onslaught of weapons, his valor on the decrease, he got hurled into the ocean. !नःशsदे `वा#तसंचारे !न@ाA1ककsगणे ु ल:लाप!तAदारा*मा _कि#चि*ख#नमना इव || LातःकायK +वचाया(शु मि# भम(#को+वदै ः द:घ(च#@समाकारे शयने ?हमशीतले ||

च#@ोदर!नभे चाAगहेृ श शरकोटरे !न@ां महत( Fणप करः || ु ू मगम#म?@ते ु ु As all the beings in all the directions were blocked by sleep from moving in darkness, in the silent night, (back in the city, after the battle of the first day) Leelaa’s husband of noble character, slightly depressed as it were, discussed the morning plans with his ministers who had expertise in good counseling, and lay down to sleep on the bed which was shaped like the half moon, which was cool like the snow; which was white like the moon’s inner side; placed in the beautiful room which was cool inside, and his lotus eyes slowly closed in deep sleep. अथ ते ललने mयोम त*पEर*यWय त.गहंृ र#zै+व(+वशतवा( े ु तलेखssजमकलं ु ु यथा || Then those two ladies left the skies and entered the room through the holes like two wind-lines entering the closed lotus bud.

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN {MIND ALONE IS MATTER}

ी राम उवाच Rama spoke _कय#मा मदं थलं ू शर:रं वािHवदाNवर र#zेण त#तत ु नुना कथमा)वा+वश*Lभो || O Best among orators! How did this gross body of a four-hand size manage to go through the hole with a string-like body?

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke आ>धभौ!तकदे होsह म!त यय म!त^मः तयासावणुर#zेण ग#तंु श\नो!त नानघ || He who has the delusion in the mind that ‘I am the physical gross body’, cannot enter through the atomic holes ever, Rama! रो>धतोsहमनेने!त न माNये!त यय धीः अनभतानभवती भवती*यनभयते || ु ू ु ु ू ‘I am blocked by this’; ‘I cannot pass through this’ he whose intellect has had experiences as such, expects the same and experiences the same. येनानभतं ु ू पवा( ू धK गTछामी!त स ति*Oयः कथं भव!त प)चाधK गमनो#मखचे तनः || ु When the first of his existence in all lives has been experienced as endowed with grossness of form then how can he say ‘I will go (through gross objects)’ and make it happen in the next half even if he wants to pass through? न?ह वाय(ू`व(माया!त नाधो गTछ!त पावकः या यथैव Lव*ता >च*सा तथैव Lा!ति टता || ृ Water cannot flow up; fire cannot burn downwards. In whatever way the Chit has been acting, it will be established that way only. Tछायायामप+व टय कततापानभतयः ु ु ू ु यय संवेदनेs#योsथ(ः केन>च#नानभयते || ु ू How can one experience heat when sitting under the shade? Nobody can experience a different thing when cognizing one thing. (When shade is cognized you cannot expect heat as the experience.)

यथा सं+वत ् तथा >च*तं सा तथाविथ!तं गता परमेण Lय*नेन नीयतेs#यदशां पनः ु || As the perception, so the mind; as the mind, so the established belief system! Extreme effort is needed to change it into another experience. सपvकL*ययो रWWवामसप( L*यये बलात ् !नवत(तs े #यथा *वेष !त ठ*येव यथािथतः || The belief in the existence of a snake in the rope is converted to a ‘non-snake idea’ forcefully; otherwise the belief continues to exist as it is. यथा सं+वत ् तथा >च*तं यथा >च*तं तथे?हतं बालं L*य+प सं स1मेत*को नानभतवा न ् || ु ू As per the understanding, so the mind; as the mind so the desired act. This is a well affirmed experience from a child to a Siddha. यः पनः L!तमाक!तः ु वQनसंकJपपAषः ु ृ आकाशमाकाकारः स कथं केन रो`यते || However, if again one is just a person in imagination reflected in the mind with the ‘form made of space alone’, how and by what can he be stopped? >च*तमां शर:रं तु सव(यैव ?ह सव(तः +व.यते वेदनाTचैत*\व>चदे तीव j.गतात ् || Everywhere everyone has only the body made of mind. Because of the understanding arising in the heart the idea of the physical body arises vaguely as it were. यथा भमतमेवाय भव*यतमयोदयं || As per one’s wish the pattern of the gross body rises and disappears. {Except when confirmed by the mirror, or a photograph, one carries the idea of the gross body as a memory only.}

आ?दसगY वभावो*थं प)चा.वैतै\यकारणं || In the beginning it arose because of the ignorance naturally. Later it was caused by the union of the two namely the gross bodies and the physical objects. {The cognition of the physical objects as real and absolute, makes one think of oneself also as a physical body, real and absolute.}

>च*ताकाशं >चदाकाशमाकाशं च ततीयक ं ृ +व.`येत*यमेकं *व+वनाभावनावशात ् || Conscious-space, Mind-space, and Element-space; all these three are one and the same; but exist as different principles because of the idea of differentiation. {CHIT alone

is the perturbation called the Mind. Mind alone becomes the Cognizer and the cognized world. All that a person sees around him with name and form are nothing but the extensions of the Mind.}

एतिTच*तशर:र*वं +व+1 सव(गतोदयं यथा संवेदनेTछ*वा.यथासंवेदनोदयं || Know this principle of ‘Mind-body’ alone as appearing as everything, as per the cognition one desires and as per the understanding one has. {WHATEVER IS PERCEIVED IS THE PROJECTION OF THE MIND}

वस!त सरे व#त!’(यते गगनोदरे ल:यतेsDकुरकोशेषु रसीभव!त पJलवे || (The Mind-body) resides in the dust particles floating in the sunlight; smells the hollow of the sky; sleeps in the tiny openings in the sprouts; exists as moisture in the leaf; उJलस*यंबुवी>च*वे Lन*य!त

शलोदरे ृ Lवष(*यंबुदो भ*वा

शल:भयाव!त ठते || ू ू

(The Mind-Body) jumps about in the waves of the waters; dances inside the rocks; pours down as clouds; stays still a rock; यथेTछमंबरे या!त जठरे s+प च भभतां ू ृ अन#तराकाशवपध( ु *तेsथ परमाणुतां || (The Mind-Body) moves in the sky or the hollows of the mountain as it wills. It has the form of the endless space; or exists as the tiniest atom; भव*य?@ध(राधारो ब1पीठो नभ: शरः दे हया#तब(?हर+प दध.घनतनA ू हम ् || (The Mind-Body) becomes the mountain supporting the land; is firmly rooted; holds the sky as the head; holds the forests both inside (as in dreams) and outside the body. भव*याकाशमाध*ते कोट:: प=जस=नां अन#याः वा*मन–sभो>धरावत(रचना इव || (The Mind-Body) holds the entire space; supports millions of abodes of the ‘Lotus-borns’ within itself continuously like the circular patterns appearing on the ocean surface. अनि.वHन Lबोधोsसौ सगा(दौ >च*तदे हकः ु आकाशा*मा महा#भ*वा वेि*त Lकततां ततः || ू ृ {CHIT ALONE BECOMES BRAHMA AND THE JEEVA}

The ‘Unperturbed Understanding’ (Chit) which is of the nature of space, at the beginning of Creation takes on the form of the Mind (Brahma) and cognizes (as the Jeeva) what is happening around as per one’s actions of the previous life. अस*यमेव वाEर*वं ब.`योदे तीव त*तथा ु व#`यापो ु sयमती!त यथा वQने ^मो नरः ||

The waters in the mirage are unreal, but arise because of mis-understanding in the intellect; like a man getting deluded in the dream thinking that he is the son of a barren woman.

CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT ी राम उवाच Rama spoke _कं >च*तमेत[व!त _कं वा भव!त नो कथं कथमेव न स@पं ू ना#य[व!त वीFणात ् || How does the Mind become all this or does not become? How is it not real? How does it not become something else by perception? {If the Mind alone is all that is perceived at all times at all places, then how can it ever cease to exist after dissolution? If it is not real, then why cannot everyone see what they want?} {EVERY JEEVA (MIND) IS A PART OF BRAHMA’S MIND}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke L*येकमेव यिTच*तं तदे वंpपशि\तकं पथ L!त>च*तं जग.^मः || ु ृ क् L*येकम?दतः The Mind which is different for everyone is endowed with the power to create forms. Every Mind is different and rises separately as the delusion of the world. {There is one world for each bit of the Cosmic Mind or Brahma. Each bit of the Mind is a Jeeva experiencing a microsecond of cognition. As many Minds so many worlds exist; so many Jeevaexperiences also occur. There does not exist one solid universe where we all separately exist as souls and live as its denizens. Every second the Mind of a person creates a full universe around him with space time boundaries. Each one carries his own universe around his head unique to himself. Even two persons standing next to each other do not experience the same world. The world is differently perceived by every one as per one’s knowledge and the hardware (brain) efficiency of the Jeeva. The world gives an appearance of a solid universe common to everyone like the rain bow which though seen as a commonly observed phenomenon, is actually created anew every second through innumerable water drops interacting with light and it is different for different observers even if they stand next to each other.}

FणकJपजग*सDगा: सम.यि#त गलि#त च ु !नमेषा*कय>च*कJपा*कय>चTच Oमं शण ृ ु || The hosts of worlds arise every second by the conception of some one person and melt away by the conception of some other person. I will explain to you how it happens, listen. मरणा?दमयी मTछा( L*येकेनानभयते ू ु ू यैषा तां +व+1 समते महाLलयया मनीं || ु Know the death swoon which is experienced by everyone separately as the night of great dissolution. तद#ते तनते ु सगK सव( एव पथ ृ क् पथ ृ क् सहजवQनसंकJपा#सं^माचलन*यव त ् || ृ At the end of it, the conceived world of everyone disappears separately, like the dance of the mountain created in one’s own dreaming mind ceases to exist when the dream is over. {When a person dies, the whole world he was conscious of, disappears instantly. This disappearance is a minute part of the great dissolution. Brahma is a collection of random Vaasanaas. He is the collective mind of the Jeevas. At the beginning of the Creation, all the Vaasanaas of the Brahma instantly become fields of experience and we call the agent of experience as a Jeeva. When a Jeeva experiences death, the entire world arena he was conscious of vanishes instantly. That is one tiny pixel of the great dissolution scene vanishing. As one by one all Jeevas finish the Vaasanaa fulfillment in their own time duration, Brahma’s mind becomes empty and that is known as the great dissolution. It is like the process of switching off light after light one by one when there is a huge building with millions of lights to be switched off. When all lights are off, the building is dark like at the dissolution time. The death of an individual means the end of some Vaasanaas which began their manifestation at the beginning of the Kalpa. When all Minds finish off one by one, it is termed as the great dissolution night where the complete cessation of all the Created worlds occurs. The ‘Brahma-perturbation’ which started all these mind-perturbations quietens down with its set of Vaasanaas getting finished, till randomly another perturbation of another Brahma with another set of Vaasanaas starts again the Creation process.}

महा Lलयराyय#ते >चरादा*ममनोवपःु यथेदं तनते || ु त.व*L*येकं म*यन#तरं ृ After the great night of dissolution, after a long time, the ‘Mind-form of all’ namely (Hiranyagarbha) Brahma disappears; so also every Mind disappears after death separately.

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE ी राम उवाच Rama spoke मत ु ू ृ ेरन#तरम ् सगw यथा म*या ृ नभयते >चरा*तथानभव!त नातो +व)वमकारणं || ु But after the death, the Creation is experienced again due to the memory factor and the experience continues for a long time. Therefore the world is not without a cause? {If death is compared to the dissolution process, then at the end of all deaths of all Jeevas, Brahma experiences a sort of death himself. So like the ordinary Jeevaas , he must have Smriti (memory) and must experience newer worlds as per his memories. So memory becomes the cause of the next creation and it is not a random process; argues Rama.}

{BRAHMA IS NOT AN IGNORANT JEEVA; HE IS ALWAYS LIBERATED}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke मह!त Lलये राम सवY हEरहरादयः +वदे हम\ततां याि#त मते ु ृ ः क इव संभवः || At the time of the great dissolution Rama, Gods like Vishnu, Shiva and others attain ‘liberation bereft of the body’; so how can the memory occur? अमदा?दः Lब1ा*मा _कलाव)यं +वमTयते ु ु कथं भव#तु नो म\ता +वदे हाः प=जादयः || ु Enlightened ones like us become liberated, no doubt about that. How not then the Lotus-born and others attain liberation? अ#ये *व+प च ये जीवातेषां मरणज#मसु म!तः कारणतामे!त मोFाभाववशा?दह || ृ

But in the case of others who are ordinary Jeevas, in their birth and death occurrences, memory becomes the cause as no liberation arises for them. {In the lower level of Jeevas, memory indeed causes the successive world experiences. But when the Mind of the Lotus-born vanishes, it is as if he is liberated. No memory or unfulfilled Vaasanaas remain as left over dirt. Brahma is a set of unfulfilled Vaasanaas randomly acting as all Jeevas to get fulfillment. Once all Vaasanaas get finished off, the Creator Brahma of that set of Vaasanaas is liberated; his Creation Vaasanaa is fulfilled; he remains as the Chit, which is his source. No memory is left back. The next Creation process can occur only when another Creation Vaasanaa suddenly springs forth projecting all the worlds once again. He becomes another Brahma and starts another Kalpa.}

CHAPTER FORTY ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke {A briefing of the words used in the next few verses. Vasishta gives his own meanings to these words} {In Saamkhya philosophyPrakriti means that which is primary, that which precedes what is made. It comes from - Pra - (before) and Kri - (to make) It is the one root of the universe. It is called Pradhaana or the chief, because all effects are founded on it and it is the root of the universe and of all objects. Pradhaana or Prakriti is eternal, all-pervading, and immovable. It is one. It has no cause, but is the cause of all effects. Prakriti is independent and uncaused, while the products are caused and dependent. Prakriti depends only on the activity of its own constituent Gunas (metaphysical properties). Prakriti is destitute of intelligence. It is like a string of three strands. The three Gunas form the three strands. Prakriti is mere dead matter which is equipped with certain potentialities due to the Gunas. This Creation, from intellect down to the elements, is brought about by the modifications of Prakriti. Having observed the effects, the cause (Prakriti) is inferred. It is imperceptible from its subtlety. It must, therefore, be inferred from its effects. }

{AT THE TIME OF DEATH, PHYSICAL BODY DIES; MIND-BODY IS AWAKE}

जीवो ?ह म!तमTछा( #ते यद#तः Lोि#मषि#नव ू ृ अनि#म+षत एवाते त*Lधानमदा ु ु jतं || The Jeeva at the end of the death-swoon is with his eyes open as it were inside; but remains with closed eyes outside; that is called the ‘Pradhaana’ {the Primordial matter}.

त.mयोमLक!तः Lो\ता तदmय\तं जडाजडं ृ संमत ृ ेरमत ृ े)चैव Oम एष भवोदये || It is of the nature of space; unmanifest; inert and non-inert. This is the process of memory and non-memory which causes the world-existence. {At the time of death, the eyes of gross body cease to function; but the inner eye of the Jeeva is open; Consciousness does not cease to exist. The Jeeva loses contact with the aadhibhoutika body it had conceived all along. Most of the memories are deleted except for a very few dominant ones. Now it remains only as the Aativaahika body. It is just a collection of thoughts and ideas without any form. It carries the identity with the previous life-form, yet is unable to act as if it has become inert. This state which becomes the seed for the next life is termed Pradhaana, the primordial matter which starts the Creation. }

बोधो#मख*वे ?ह मह*त*वLब1ं ु ु यदा भवेत ् तदा त#मा?द\काल_Oया भता.यदे ू ु !त खात ् || When the MAHAT principle wakes up, then the elements, their effects, time and directions arise from the sky. तदे वोTछूनमाब1ं ु भवतीि#@यपZचकं तदे व ब.`यते दे हः स एषोsया!तवा?हक: || ु Then the five senses arise with subtle nature. The Aativaahika body alone causes the Aadhibhoutika body to be experienced. {The Consciousness of the Jeeva with its own ideas and desires is in a death swoon for a while. When it again wakes up, the intellect or the Mind projects the elements, space and time boundaries instantly. The Mind projects itself as the five senses and becomes the objects that are sensed as outside. The Jeeva instantly finds itself with another gross body and identifies with it. A new life starts with the newly conceived Aadhibhoutika body. The Aativaahika body (the Mind-body) which was cause of the Aadhibhoutika body is not understood by the Jeeva.}

>चरकालL*ययतः कJपनापEरपीवरः आ>धभौ!तकता बोधमाध*ते चैष बालवत ् || By a long held belief, extending the conception to its utmost limit, the understanding of the gross body of physical nature, namely the Aadhibhoutika is entertained like a child beleiving in a ghost. ततो ?द\कालकलनातदाधारतया िथताः उ.य#*यन?द ु ता एव वायोः प#द_Oया इव ||

Space time conceptions exist by ‘its’ (the belief in the physical body) support and keep rising like the movements of the wind though they are not real. व+1 ु व भवन^मः ु ृ म*थमयं यातो मधै वQनाDगनासDगसम*वनभतो ु ू sQयस#मयः || So the delusion of the world increases in this manner wastefully, and like the company of the lady in the dream, which though experienced as real is actually unreal. यैव ‹यते ज#तःु प)य*याशु तदे व सः तैव भवनाभोग ममा म*थ मव िथतं || ु Wherever the creature dies he sees the same world again, there itself, existing like this. mयोमैवानभव*यTछमहं जग?द!त ^मं ु mयोमpपं mयोमpपी जीवो जात इवा*मवान ् || The Jeeva who is just a ‘form of space’ experiences the world which is the ‘form of space’ as the delusion of ‘I’, and the ‘world’ in the ‘space’ itself as if endowed with identity.

{WORLD PERCEIVED BY THE IGNORANT JEEVA}

सरप*तनशै लाक(तारा!नकरस#दरं ु ु जरामरणवैकJयmया>धसंकटकोटरं || The worldbeautiful with heaven, hills, sun and collection of stars; the hollow hole filled with sufferings of old age, death and diseases; वभावसंरNभथलसkमचराचरं ू ू साs`ययवcनद:शाहोराMकJपFणFयं || ु busy in striving for one’s needs and removing what is not liked; filled with the moving and non moving, subtle and gross objects; endowed with oceans, mountains, Earths, rivers and their respective lords, nights and days, Kalpa and moment and their destruction;

अहं जातोsमना ु +पा _कलाे*याQत!न)चयं इयं माता धन मदं ममे*यु?दतवासनम ् || filled with ascertained beliefs‘I am born from this father’ ‘this is my mother’ ‘this wealth is mine’ – and developing such Vaasanaas; सकतं ु ृ द कतं ु ृ चेदं ममे!त कतकJपनं ृ बालोsभव ू महं *व.य यवे ु !त +वलस—ध?ृ द || imagining ‘this is good action’ ‘this is bad action’ ‘this is mine’ ‘I was a child’ ‘now I am young’ thus feeling cheerful inside L*येकमेवम?दतः संसारवनखडकः ु ताराकस मतो नीलमेघचZचलपJलवः || ु ु - in this manner in each and every one, a piece of the ‘world-forest’ arises separately with stars as flowers and floating dark clouds as leaves. यैष ‹यते जीवतैवं प)य!त Fणात ् L*येकम?दते वेवं जग*खडेषु भEरशः || ु ू Wherever the Jeeva dies, there itself it sees the next instant, all this in the separately risen pieces of world. कोटयो 34मA@े #@मA+व ण+वववतां ु >गय(िsधमडल.वीपलोका#तरeशां गताः || Millions and billions of Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra, Indra, Marut, Vivasvaan who have seen different worlds filled with the mountains, oceans and islands are gone.

याता यायि#त या#*येता e टयो न टp+पणी: या 34मयुपबंह ृ ाnयाताः के गण!यतंु Fमाः || The Seen worlds ever dissolving have gone, are going and will go. All perceptions by nature keep disappearing or changing. Who can keep count of those countless manifestations happening in Brahman? {WORLD IS ONLY A PROJECTION OF THE MIND; NOT SOLID}

एवं कnयमयं +व)वं ना*येव मननाeते ु मनने चलमेवा#तत?ददानीं +वचारय || Therefore there does not exist a solid world except in one’s own thinking. In thinking, vibration (moving) alone occurs inside; analyze this yourself! {The solid world seen outside is just a joint collection of continuous cognition processes.}

यदे व तिTचदाकाशं तदे व मननं मतं ृ यदे व च >चदाकाशं तदे व परमं पदं || What exists is Chidaakaasha! ‘That’ alone is the ‘thinking’! That which is Chidaakaasha is the Supreme state. यदे वाNबु स आवतw ना*वयावत( वतु सन ् @ टा एवाते e)य मव e)यं न*वित वतु सत ् || Water alone is the circular pattern (seen on its surface); circular pattern is not an object. The Seer alone exists as the Seen; the Seen is not the reality. {‘I’, ‘YOU’ ARE ALL JUST WORDS; NOT REAL. BRAHMAN ALONE IS REAL}

म.ब1ाथw जगTछsदो +व.यते परमामतं ु ृ *व.ब1ाथ( तु ना*येव *वमहं शsदकाद+प || ु The word –‘Jagat’ exists as the Supreme nectar with the meaning as ‘I’; There is no meaning at all as ‘you’; {Duality is not real}

Even the one who prattles ‘I’ and ‘you’ also means ‘I’ alone! {Non-duality state alone is real.}

{LEELAA AND SARASVATI ARE IN THE STATE OF CHIT}

तमाJल:लासरव*यावाकाशवपुषौ िथते सव(गे परमा*माTछे सव(ाL!तघेsनघे || Therefore as Leelaa and Sarasvati are of taintless nature; as they are ‘forms made of space’; as they can move everywhere in the ‘Supremely pure space’ without meeting any obstacle; य य सदा mयोिNन यथा कामं यथेिQसतं उदयं कAतते न त.गेहेsित ग!ततयोः || ु they rise up in those places. wherever they feel like and have a desire to go in the Supreme ‘space of Chidaakaasha’. That is how they were able to enter the king’s room. {Since there is no absolute space, Jnapti and Leelaa do not have the need to travel. Space does not exist for them. They are in the Chit state which is everywhere as everything. So whichever picture of the world they want to visit, they appear there instantly. In the canvas of Chidaakaasha, the person who is identified with the canvas is everywhere like the canvas. He can project himself in any form anywhere in the canvas without traveling through the roads pictured in the canvas. The traveling of many worlds was experienced by Leelaa because of her limited knowledge. For Jnapti, the worlds (patterns) ‘passed through her’ wherever she was. She did not have the experience of moving like Leelaa. Worlds moved through her. She was always in the ‘Canvas’ state of Chidaakaasha.}

सव( संभव!त >च.गनं तद स.वेदनं कलनमामननं +वसाEर || तTचा!तवा?हक महाहरकnयमे व ु ु दे हं कथं क इव तं वद _कं Aण+1 || The Chidaakaasha is everywhere. That alone extends out as the Mind and perceives. That alone is the Aativaahika. The body is not solid at all. So how, what and which can block what? Tell me!

CHAPTER FORTY ONE {KING VIDOORATHA}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke तयोः L+व टयोदmयोः प=स= बभव Y ू तत ् च#@.वयोदयो.योतधवलोदरस#दरं ु कोमलामलसौघ#`यमदम#दारमाAतं || ृ ु As those two goddesses entered, the abode of the King Padma (of previous existence) immediately became beautiful with its whole inside filled with white light as if by the rise of two moons; with caressing soft pure winds carrying the fragrance of Mandaara flowers. त*Lभावेन !न@ालुनप ृ तेर#तराDगनम ् सौभाHयन#दनो.यानं +व@तmया>धवे दनम ् ु सवस#तं वन मव फJलं LातEरवाNबजं ु ु || By their presence, the inner hall where the king and others were sleeping was like the garden of prosperity; freed of all ailments and pains; like the forest in bloom in the spring season; like the lotus opening its petals in the early morning. तयोदहLभा पूरैः श श!नय#दशीतलैः Y आ4ला?दतोSसौ बभधे ु ु राजोgFत इवामतै ृ ः || Due to the luster emanating from their bodies, like the cool rays oozing from the moon, the King felt happy as if sprinkled by nectar drops and woke up. आसन.वय+व ा#तं स ददशा(Qसरो.वयं मेAशDग ृ .वये च#@MबNब.वय मवो?दतं || He saw two divine damsels seated on two thrones like two moons risen on the two peaks of Meru Mountains.

!नमेष मव सं>च#*य स +विमतमना नपः ृ उ*तथौ शयनाTछे षा?दव चOगदाधरः || That King pondered for a minute silently and feeling surprised, got up from his bed like Lord Vishnu adorned with mace and the discus getting out of the ‘Aadi Shesha’ serpent-bed. पEरसंय मतालंMबमाJयहाराधराNबरः प पाहार इवो*फJलं जCाह कसमाZज लं || ु ु ु ु उपधानLदे शथा*वयं पटलकोटरात ् ब1प=ासनो भमौ दमानतः || ू भ*वोवाचे ू Hurriedly adjusting his garments and flower garlands properly, like a carrier of flowers (servant), he himself brought a handful of flowers from the basket of flowers kept in the worship altar. Seated in the lotus posture on the bare ground, with bent head, he said; जयतां जनदौिथ*यदाहदोषश शLभे दे mयौ बा4या#तरतमो+व@ावणर+वLभे || “Salutations O Divine ladies! You both are the (cooling) moon light for the faults burning up a person in bad times. You both are the (blazing) sunlight in dispelling the darkness both inside and outside.” तयोA\*वे!त त*याज पादयोः कसमाZज लं ु ु तीर@मौ ु +वक सतः प!=#योः प=योEरव || After reciting the hymn, he offered the handful of flowers at their feet like the blossomed tree on the bank drops its flowers on the two lotuses in the lake. ल:लायै भपज#माथ व\तंु मि#णमी)वर: ू बोधयामास पा)व(थं संकJपेन सरवती || The Supreme Goddess Sarasvati willed the minister sleeping next to him to wake up so that he could inform Leelaa about the kings’ birth.

Lब1ोQसरसौ e lवा LणNय कसमाZज लं ु ु ु तयोः पादे षु सं*यWय +ववेश परतो नतः || ु He woke up and saw the two divine ladies; saluted them both; offered handful of flowers at their feet; and came in front of them with his head bent. उवाच दे वी हे राज#क*वं कय सत ु : कदा इह जात इ!त *वा स म#ी वा\यम3वीत ् || ु The Goddess said, ‘Hey King! Who are you, whose son are you, when were you born here?’ Hearing this, the minister spoke. दे mयौ य म*Lसादो sयं भव*योर+प य*परः ु ु व\तंु श\नो म त?ददं यतां ज#म म*Lभोः || ू “O Goddesses, it is by your Grace alone that I am able to speak in the benign presence like yours! Then please be kind to listen to the birth-history of my Lord! आसी?दkवाकवं ु शथो राजा राजीवलोचनः ीमान ् क#दरथो नाम दो)TछायाTछा?दताव!नः || ु There existed a King of noble characters, lotus eyed and born in the dynasty of Ikshvaaku, named Kundaratha who sheltered the Earth under the shade of his mighty arms. तयाभ?द#द व ू ु दनः पो ु भ@रथा भदः तय +व)वरथः पतय पो || ु ु बह@थः ृ His son was named Bhadraratha, with the face like the moon. His son was Vishvaratha. His son was Brhadratha. तय स#धरथः पतय शैलरथ: सतः ु ु ु तय कामरथः पतय पो ु ु महारथः || His son was Sindhuratha. His son was Shailaratha. His son was Kaamaratha. His son was Mahaaratha.

तय +व णरथः पतय पो ु ु ु नभोरथः अयमम*Lभतय पः || ु ु पणा( ु मलाक!तः ृ His son was Vishnuratha. His son was Nabhoratha. This, our Lord of wholly taintless form is his son. अमतापEरतजनः Fीरोदयेव च#@माः ू ृ मह![ः पय इ!त तः ु संभारै +व(दरथ ू ु || The people are filled with nectar as by the moon rising on the milk ocean. He is named as Vidooratha by great men of excellent merits. {The people are already endowed with virtuous characters and are like the waters of the milky ocean. Vidooratha’s birth added the shine to the ocean by its luster and they became more virtuous like the milky ocean becoming nectar by the rise of the moon}.

जातो मातु: स माया गौया( गह ु ु इवाsपरः +पताsय दशवष(य द*वा राWयं वनं गतः || He was born of Mother Sumitraa, like another Guha born of Gouri. His father gave the kingdom to him when he was ten years old and went off to the forest. पालय*येष भपी ू ठम ् ततःLभ!ृ त धम(तः भव*याव.यसंLाQते फ लते सकत@मे ु ृ ु दे mयौ द:घ(तपः\लेशशतैद( ु Lापदश(ने || From then onwards he has been ruling the kingdom righteously. The tree of his merits has fructified today by your arrival, since hundreds of pain filled penance and austerities cannot bestow your vision like this. इ*ययं वसधा इ!त तः ु धीशो +वदरथ ू ु अ.य य म*Lसादे न परां पावनतां गतः || ु So this our king is well-known as Vidooratha. Today by your grace he has attained the most sanctified state.

इ*य\*वा संिथते त णीं मि#यव!नपे तथा ु ू कृताZजलौ नतमखे ु ब1प=ासनेsवनौ || Having said these words, as the minister stood there silently; as the King also remained seated on the ground in lotus posture, his hands folded and head bent राज#मर +ववेकेन पव( ू जात म!त वयं वद#ती मि`न( पपश( तं करे ण सरवती || ू ‘O King, remember with discrimination all that happened in the past birth’ So saying Sarasvati placed her hand on his head. अथ हादK तमो माया प=य Fयमाययौ स+वका सं च jदयं SिQतपशwदयेsभवत ् || ु Then, the dark delusion in the heart of Padma disappeared. By the touch of the Goddess, his heart opened up fully. समार पव( म#त: फर?दव िथतं || ु वता#त ु ृ He remembered all that happened in his past life as it shone forth. *य\तदे हैकराWय*वं ल:ला+वल सताि#वतं Sा*वा LSिQतव*ता#तं ल:लायातु +वजिNभतं ृ ृ आ*मोद#तं बभवासाव4यमान इवाण(वे || ू ु Remembering the story of his past life by the grace of Jnapti, where his own body and the kingdom were left back; where he had led a happy life with Leelaa; he felt as if he was drowning in the ocean. उवाचा*म!न संसारो बत मायेयमातता पEरSाता Lसादे न दे mयोEरह मयाधना ु || He said to himself, ‘Ah! This worldly existence is pervaded with delusion! By the Grace of the two Goddesses I have understood everything now!’

CHAPTER FORTY TWO {HOW CAN SEVENTY YEARS OF ONE LIFE EQUAL A DAY OF DEAD PADMA?}

राजोवाच The King spoke हे दे mयौ _क मदं नाम ?दनमेकं मतय मे ृ गतम.येह जाता!न वयो वषा(6ण सQत!त: || मराNयनेककाया(6ण मरा म L+पतामहं मरा म बाJयं ताAयं मं ब#धपEरTछदं || ु O Goddesses, what is this amazing thing, that I have been dead only for a day and already seventy years have passed for me born here! I do vividly remember many actions, I remember my great grandfather, I remember my childhood, my youth, my friends, and all my relatives and others who lived with me here. SिQतAवाच Jnapti spoke राज#म!तमहामोहमTछा( याः समन#तरं ू ृ तिम#Jलोका#तरे sतीते तिम#नेव महत( ु ू के तिम#नेव गहेृ चािम#नेव mयोN#य+प स=!न अयं तय गहया#तmयwम#ये व _कल िथते ृ >गEरCामक+वLय गहेृs#तभ(ूप मडपः || Immediately after the delusion of the swoon of death, in ‘that very different world’ you had lived in the past (as Vasishta), in ‘that’ very instant, (of Vasishta’s death), in ‘that very house of the village’ (of Vasishta), and in ‘this very palace space’ (of Padma), ‘this world’ (of Vidooratha) exists in ‘that very space of the house’ (of Padma), inside the ‘house of that Brahmin of GiriGraama’, which is the dome (Mandapa).

{In the GiriGraama village you died; that very instant after the swoon of death in that very house-space, you lived the life of Padma. In the palace-space of Padma you are living the life of Vidooratha. The palace-space of Padma is actually in the house-space of Vasishta. Vasishta’s house space is the ‘dome’ where Padma’s world exists. Inside Padma’s world exists Vidooratha’s world.} {The first half of the verse explains the time factor. All these worlds came into existence at the very instant of Vasishta’s death. The second half of the verse explains the space factor. Both the worlds of Padma and Vidooratha are contained within the house-space of Vasishta.}

तया#तरे यमाभा!त L*येकं च जग.गहंृ _कल 3ा4मणगेहा#तजcवते मदपािथतः || ु In ‘that space’(of Vasishta’s house), this ‘world-house’ exists as a ‘different world’. You are that Jeeva who lived in the Brahmin’s house who worshipped me. तैव तय भूपीठम ् तिम#)च _कल मडपे तयैव च गहया#तEरदं संसारमडलं || ृ There itself still exists his (Vasishta’s) world. In that very ‘Mandapa’, inside that very house of his is the ‘sphere of this world’. {That world of the Brahmin still exists there even now. It did not vanish after your death. This world where you are fighting a battle is another world existing inside that dome of the house of Vasishta.}

तैवेदं तव गहंृ िथतमारNभम#थरं || ‘There’ alone exists ‘this house of yours’ which started all these churning processes. तैव चेत स तव !नम(लाकाश!नम(ले L!तभान मदं जातं mयवहार^माततम ् || There alone in your ‘taintless Mind’ taintless like the sky, all this delusion of life activities made their appearance. {The whole churning of worlds arose only in ‘that little house space of the Brahmin’. All these worlds rose from the Chidaakaasha which is the substratum for all the worlds of all the Jeevas. All the experiences that you think you experienced in a life time of many years here as Vidooratha happened instantaneously at the death of Padma. Padma’s life of many years occurred instantaneously after the death of Vasishta. Time is an illusion. Space is an illusion.}

{ALL YOUR EXPERIENCES ARE JUST IDEAS IN THE MIND}

यथेदं नाम मे ज#म तथेkवाककलं ु ु मम एवंनामान एते मे पराभवि#पतामहाः || ु ू ‘This is where I was born; I belong to the Ikshvaaku dynasty; these named so and so are my great great grandfathers. जातोsहमभवम ् बालो दशवष(य मे +पता पEर†ािnव+पनं यात इह राWयेs भ+षTय मां || I was born; I was a small kid of ten years when my father left to become a recluse and consecrated me on the throne. ततो ?दिHवजयं क*वा क*वा राWयमकठकं ृ ृ अमी भम(ि# भः पौरै : पालया म वस#धरां || ु Then I conquered all the lands around my country and became victorious. I rule this Earth along with my people and ministers. यS_OयाOमवतो धमY पालयतः Lजाः वयस: समतीता!न मम वषा(6ण सQत!त: || As I ruled this country righteously performing sacrifices and rituals as prescribed by the scriptures, seventy years passed for me! इदं परबलं LाQतं मम दाAण+वCहः य1ं || ु क*वे ृ दमायातो गहमिम#यथािथतं ृ The army of the enemy is attacking me now in the battlefield. I have fought throughout the day and have come back to my house now as usual. इमे दे mयौ गहेृ LाQते ममैते पजयाNय हं ू पिजता ये LयTछि#त दे वताः वसमी?हतम ् || ू These two Goddesses have arrived here; I will worship them. These Goddesses will be pleased by my worship and grant me my wishes.

ममेयमेतयोरे का Sानं जा!तम!तLदम ् ृ इह द*तवती दे वी भाsजयसेव +वकासनं || One of these divine ladies is giving me knowledge of the past world memories like light opens up the lotus flower. इदानीं कत ृ कृ*योsिम जातोsिम गतसंशयः शाNया म पEर!नवा( म सखमा से च केवलं || ु Now I feel fulfillment in life; now all my doubts are cleared; my mind is now quietened! I will be completely free now; only happiness remains for me.’ इतीयमातता ^ाि#तभ(वतो भEरसं ^मा ू नानाचार+वचाराnया सलोका#तरस#चरा || In this manner spreads out your delusion in all its grandeur, filled with varieties of ideas, moving in its own sphere of the world. यिम#नेव महत परा ु ू Y *वं म!तमRयागतः ु ृ तदै व L!तभैषा ते वयमेवो?दता j?द एकामावत(चलनां *य\*वा द*ते यथापरां || At that very instant when you attained the death state in your previous life, at that moment itself, this world- appearance rose in your Mind, like jumping from one whirlpool to the other. gFLमेव नद:वाहो +व*Lवाहतथैव च आवता(#तरसं म ो यथावत(ः Lवत(ते || The river flows very fast; the flow of the mind also is fast. Like the circular patterns in the water overlap each other, the mind also creates worlds which overlap the previous one. {वेतीत 3वत ्}

कदा>चदे वं सग( ी म( ाs म ा च वध(ते || Sometime there may not exist any continuity of the worlds. A different world may rise altogether unconnected to previous existences. {Sometimes there may not be enough dominant Vaasanaas to continue in succession. Then entirely different worlds will come into existence with random Vaasanaa manifestations.}

तिम#म!तमहत || ु ू Y ते L!तभानमपागतं ु ृ In that very instant of death, all these world appearances occurred for you! एतWजालमस@पं म ् || ू >च[ानोः समपिथत ु All these unreal network of narratives exist by the light of the ‘Chit-Sun’! यथा वQनमहत ु ु Ys#तः संव*सरशत^मः यथा संकJप!नमा(णे जीवनं मरणं पनः ु यथा ग#धव(नगरे कुnयमडनवेदनम ् || यथानौयानस#दभY वFपव( तवेपनं ृ यथा वधातसं ु Fोभे पव( ू पव(तनत(नं || यथा सम#जसं वQने व शरःL+वकत(नं

मoयैवैव मयं Lोढा ^ाि#तराततp+पणी || Just as a delusion of hundred years occurs in a moment of dream; just like the conception of life and again death in imagination; like the solid walls perceived in the illusory worlds; like seeing the movement of trees and mountains when traveling by boat; like the dance of the mountain when the elements in it dissolve off; like the believability of slicing of one’s own head in the dream; all these appearances extending around us as the world are ‘unreal’. {YOU ARE THE STATE OF BRAHMAN}

वततत ु ु न जातोs स न मतो ृ s स कदाचन श1+वSानpप*वं शा#त आ*म!न !त ट स || ु Actually You never were born, never died. You are of the nature of Pure Knowledge. You exist as Your own Tranquil Self.

प)ययथैद6खलम ् न च प)य स _कZचन सवा(*मकतया !न*यं Lकचया*मना*म!न || You see all this, yet you do not see it. You shine as all the Selves always. महाम6णEरवोदार आलोक इव भावरः || You are a generous giver like the ‘Mahaa Mani’ (wish fulfilling gem)! You shine like the Sun in wisdom.

{ YOU AS VIDOORATHA ARE UNREAL}

वततत ु ु न भपी ू ठ मदं न च भवानयं || But actually there is no country; and you are not this (Vidooratha’s form)! न चेमे >गरयो Cामा न चैते न च वै वयं || The hills here do not exist; nor the villages, nor all these people; not even us. >गEरCामक+वLय मडपाकाशके _कल तJल:लाभत(द ृ ाराnयं जगदाभा!त भावरं || In that ‘dome of space of the Brahmin’, in that ‘GiriGraama village’, the world of Leelaa and her husband shine! त ल:लाराजधानी मडपामिडताक!तः || ृ There (in ‘that GiriGraama village’) itself is the capital city of queen Leelaa and the body kept decorated inside the dome of the harem. भा!त तयोदरे mयोिNन तदे वं +व?दतं जगत ् || In that ‘house-space’ only all these worlds are cognized. तिमZजग!त गेहेs#तय(िम#वय मह िथताः ||

In ‘that world’ inside ‘that house’, we are standing in ‘this world’, ‘here’. एवं तेषां मडपानां mयोमाmयोमैव !नम(लं || In this manner the ‘space of those domes’ is taintless ‘non-space of Brahman’. {This dome of Vidooratha’s world exists inside the dome of the harem bedroom which exists inside the dome of the house-space of Vasishta. But what are these domes? All the domes are the ‘dome of Chidaakaasha’ alone which is ‘non-space’ and taintless like space.}

तथैव मडपे वित न मह: न च प*तनं न वना!न न शैलौघा न मेघसEरदण(वाः || There exist no countries or cities in those domes; no forests, no groups of hills; no clouds, no streams, no oceans! केवलं त !नःश#ये +वहरि#त गहेृ जनाः ू न प)यि#त जना ना+प पा>थ(वा न च भध ू राः || The people move about in just empty space of that house! Actually they do not see people or kings or mountains. {But in that ‘house-space dome’, the people who live there do not perceive these worlds filled with mountains or kings or people. For them the house space is just empty space! All worlds exist separately untouched by other worlds.}

CHAPTER FORTY THREE {IS THE WORLD REAL? ARE THE PEOPLE REAL?}

+वदरथ उवाच ू Vidooratha spoke एवं चे*त*कथं दे +व ममेहानचरा इमे ु संप#ना आ*मना सि#त ते _कमा*म!न नोsथवा || जग*वQनाथ(व[ा!त तय वQननरादयः कथमा*म!न स*याः यन( ु वे!त मे वद || If that is so, Devi, these followers of mine who are here exist in my own self or differently? If the world shines like a dream, how do the people seen in the dream exist as real or are they not real? {If this world is my own conception, then the people who exist in this world – do they exist in my mind only, or do they exist by themselves? If you say that this world is just a dream, then are the people seen here unreal? But they do not look like dream characters. They are as real as me!}

ी सरव*यवाच ु Sarasvati spoke {STATE OF THE KNOWER}

राजि#व?दतवे.येषु श1बोधै कp+पषु ु न _कि#चदे त.स@प ू ं >च.mयोमा*मसु जागतं || Not a trace of this unreal thing called world exists in those who have known the Supreme, who are of the form of pure knowledge, who are of the nature of the ‘Conscious space’. श1बोध*मनो भा!त कतो नाम जग.^मः || ु ृ When knowledge alone shines, where exists the delusion of the world?

रWWवां सप(^मे शा#ते पनः ु सप(^मः कतः ु अस[ावे पEरSाते कतः स*ता जग.^मे || ु If once you know that there is no snake but only a rope, then how can you get again fooled by the idea of the snake? Once the unreal nature of the world is known, what reality can be attributed to the world? पEरSाते मगजले पनज( ु लम!तः कुतः ृ वQनकाले पEरSाते वे वQनमरणं कतः ु || Once the nature of the mirage is understood, how can you get fooled by the waters of the mirage? Once you wake up from the dream, how can the death in the dream be real? ववQने वQनम!त व जायते || ृ भीरमतयै ृ The death in the dream is like the fear felt by the immortal one. ब1य श1य शर#नभः ीः ु ु वTछावदाता!ततताशयय अहं जगTचे!त कशsदकाथw ु न वततः ु सोsDग ?ह वा>चकं तत ् || All these words ‘I’, ‘Jagat’ etc are just meaningless sounds; they do not exist in reality. They are just words used in conversations as denotations for unreal appearances. {Vidooratha’s question is as meaningless as a dreaming person wondering whether the people in his dream are real or not. Only after the dreamer wakes up can he know the unreality of his dream characters. But if he has not woken up, you cannot prove to the dreamer that he is just dreaming and everything is unreal! For the dreamer his dream is real as long as he dreams. A realized man sees only the Self, the Chit everywhere.}

As the Sage was speaking words profound with knowledge, the day ended; the people in the court saluted the Sage and left to attend to their evening duties of bath etc; they returned again with the Sun’s rays.

CHAPTER FORTY FOUR {STATE OF THE IGNORANT}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke य*वशु1म!तम(ूढो pढो न +वतते पदे व‘सार मदं तय जगद*यसदे व सत ् || For the fool who has not understood the Truth, who is not established in the all pervading state, this word is as hard as the diamond. For him unreal is real. यथा बालय वेतालो म!ृ तपय(#तदःखद : ु असदे व सदाकारं तथा मढ ( त ् || ू मतेजग Like the ghost which torments the child till death where unreal becomes real, so is the world for the foolish minded one. ताप एव यथा वाEर मगाणां ^मकारणं ृ अस*यमेव स*याभं तथा मूढमतेजग ( त ् || Just like (in mirages) heat alone is the water which makes the deer wander in search of it, where unreal alone shines as real, so is the world for the foolish minded one. यथा वQनम!तज( #तोरस*या स*यp+पणी ृ अथ(_Oयाकर: भा!त तथा मढ>धयां जगत ् || ू Like the death in the dream of the creature (the human who lives a routine life) is unreal yet appears real and meaningful, so is the world for the foolish minded ones. अmय*प#नय कनके कानके कटके यथा ु कटकSिQतरे वाित न मनाग+प हे मधीः ||

तथाsSय परागारनगनागे #@भावरा ु इयं e)यeगेवाित न*व#या परमाथ(eक् || A non-expert in gold sees only the bracelet in the golden bracelet; not in the least, the gold; so also for the ignorant, this perceived world is filled with cities, houses, hills, and elephants; he can never see the other Supreme state which is the substratum of all this. यथा नभ स म\ताल:+पTछ केशो„कादयः ु अस*याः स*यतां याता भा*येवं दe ु (शां जगत ् || Just as the pearl garland, feather, hair like floaters etc floating in the sky are unreal yet are seen as real, so does the world appear as a real thing for the idiots. द:घ(वQन मदं +व)वं +व‡यह#ता?दसंयुतं यथा स*यातथा शण अा#ये वQनपAषा ु ृ ु || Understand that this ever changing perceived world filled with, ego etc. is a prolonged dream! Now listen to why these other persons in the dream appear real. {Chit-state alone exists without differentiations. When a Vaasanaa manifests, or rather a possibility becomes a reality, a ‘Seer-Seen phenomenon’ arises instantly. It is just a ‘state’ and not a person seeing something. There are no separate individuals living in a world inhabited by people. It is just a state of Vaasanaa collisions; and instantly the whole world appears as a solid reality. For whom? The Seer! Who is the Seer? A channel for some Vaasanaa! Who are those other people? Some channels again of some other Vaasanaas. Are they real? No! Am I real? No! Then who is there? Nobody but the constant flow of manifesting Vaasanaas. Why all this should happen? It is the very essence of the Chit state to churn out such perceptions and perceivers, who are nothing but possible states turning into realities.

A film reel projected on a screen produces moving pictures. The whole mechanism is like Chit churning out perceived phenomenon. There is no person or individual but only the mechanism. The pictures seen on the screen are not real. They are just patterns appearing to be alive and moving. In the analogy, different objects like the projector, light, screen etc. are connected together to produce pictures. In the Chit state, there are no different objects. Chit alone is the one who Sees and all that is Seen. So the king’s question has no meaning. If he is a Vaasanaa channel, others are also Vaasanaa channels. Neither he is real; nor are they.}

अित सव(गतं शा#तं परमाथ(घनं श>च ु अचे*य>च#मावपु: परमाकाशमाततं || त*सव(गं सव(शि\त सवK सवा(*मकं वयं य य यथोदे !त तथाते त त वै || There exists only the all pervading, tranquil Supreme Reality, pure, bereft of the cognitions, of the nature of awareness only; the Supreme space spread out everywhere. It is in everything; it is omnipotent; it is everything; it is in all the Selves. Wherever it rises by itself, it exists as that only at those places. (It rises as the perceived objects) तेन वQनपरेु @ टा या#वेि*त परवा सनः ु नरा!न!त नरा एव Fणा*तय भवि#त ते || Therefore, in the dream world, whichever men the Seer wants to cognize as the citizens, they become those men in a second. य.@ टुि)च*वpपं त*वQनाकाशा#तरिथतं वQनाकाश>च*ताभं ?ह नरानामे!त भा+वतं || The very conception of the world formed in the mind of the Seer exists inside the ‘dream space’. The shine of the mind in the ‘dream space’ alone becomes the men as conceived by the dreamer. वे?दत*ृ वै\यवशतो नरतेवावब`यते ु आ*म#यति)च.बलेन .वयोरQये!त स*यता || Because of the cognizer’s own identification with a human form the others are also seen as humans. By the power of the mind, both the seeing human and the seen human become realities.

{Both the seer and the seen are unreal appearances. The dreamer in the dream is also as unreal as the other characters seen in the dream. The other characters in the dream prove the dreamer’s existence and vice versa.}

CHAPTER FORTY FIVE {IF EVERYTHING IS UNREAL,THEN WHY BOTHER?}

ी राम उवाच Rama spoke वQने अ+प वQनपAषा न स*याः यम( ु ु ुने य?द वद त*को भवेPोषो मायामाशर:Eर6ण || If even in the dream, the dream-people are not real, O Sage, then what fault is there in being embodied in a delusory form? {If dream characters are not real, and if people seen here also are not real, if nothing is real, then why

bother to realize anything? What fault is there even if an illusory form exists?}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke वQने न परवातmया वततः ु ु स*यp+पणः Lमाणम शण ृ ु मे L*यFं नाम नेतरत ् || In the dream, the people of the city are not real. I will prove it to you through examples in actual experience. {In the dream, the dreamer’s reality is proved by others in the dream because they are, after all his own dream characters. What he sees, they also see. In the dream world everything is real for the ‘dream-world people’ including the dreamer. Brahma is the first dreamer who is dreaming all these worlds. Everyone is a dream character of his dream. We, as dream characters of his dream, dream our tiny worlds with our own dream characters. In reality, the whole dream is unreal, whether it is the dream of the Brahma or the individual self. The dreamer is also unreal. The persons seen in the dream also are unreal.}

{THIS WORLD IS A DREAM OF BRAHMA}

सगा(दावा*मभभा( ू !त वQनाभानभवा*मकः ु त*स#कJपकला +व)वमेवं वQनाभमेव तत ् || In the beginning of the Creation, the Self of all, the Brahma is the experiencer of the dream. His conception alone is this world; it is the shine of his dream only. {EVERY CHARACTER IN THE DREAM SEES THE SAME WORLD}

एवं +व)व मदं वQनत स*यं भवा#मम यथैव *वं तथैवा#ये वQने वQनवरा नणां ृ || This world is a dream. In this dream you are real to me; just like you, others are also real; for others also the dream persons are real in their dreams. {Dream is unreal, whether it is the dream of Brahma or our tiny naps on bed. His dream appears prolonged with fixed space/time phenomenon. Our dreams are short-lived and break up every time we wake up. Brahma can wake up out of his dream only at the end of the Kalpa. Till then we will be stuck as dream characters experiencing his dream-world as real.} वQने नगरवातmयाः स*या न यEरमे य?द ु त?दहा+प तदाकारे न स*यं मे मनाग+प || In the dream if the city dwellers are not real, then here also I do not see in the least anything real in such forms. यथाहं तव स*या*मा स*यं सवK भवे#मम वQनोपलंभे संसारे मथः स.`यै Lमेeशी || For you I am a real existing person. For me also everything is real. In this world which is like a dream, the reality of each other is proved like this. {Each dream character proves the reality of the other.}

संसारे +वपले ु वQने यथा स*यमहं तव यथा *वम+प मे स*यं सवK वQनेि व!त Oमः ||

In this huge dream of Samsaara, just as I really exist for you, you also exist really for me, so everything is real in the dreams of everyone.

CHAPTER FORTY SIX ी राम उवाच Rama spoke वQन@ टEर !न!न(@े त.@ टःु वQनप*तनं स@प*वा*तथै वाते ममे!त भगव#म!तः || ू When the dreamer wakes up, then the dream worlds he saw also must continue their existence as it is also the form of EXISTENCE. That is what I feel! {If you say this waking state experience is dream-like, these worlds continue to exist in other mental spaces even if the person dies or realizes. Therefore ‘dream worlds’ of our naps must also continue to exist, even if we wake up; Rama argues. Vasishta agrees that dream experience could also be real as it is also an expression of Chit, the pure space; but the difference between the waking state and the dream state is that the space/time phenomenon in the dream-world is incomplete whereas the waking state seems to be having continuity.}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke एवामेत*तथैवाते स*य*वा*वQनप*तनं वQन@ टEर !न!न(@ेsQयाकाश+वशदाक!त ृ || It is so; when the dreamer wakes up, the dream world of course exists as real as it is the form of the pure space which is real. एतदाता मदं ताव.यWजाC?दव म#यसे +व+1 त*वQनमेवा#तदशकाला.यपरकम Y ् || ू Let it be so! However what you believe to be the waking state here, understand that it is also a dream with incomplete space/time phenomenon.

एवं सव( मदं भा!त न स*यं स*यवि*थतं रZजय*य+प मoयैव वQनपरीसरतोपमं || ु ु In this manner everything here shines appearing to be real yet not real. The company of a woman in the dream is not real though it is a pleasant experience. {The dream world of our naps is a projection of our own minds which appears to be outside us. The waking-state which is another form of dream-world also is a projection of the mind appearing to be outside us. The mind keeps projecting the pictures of the world as we move about, as if an ‘outside’ is there. The physical body also is a picture projected by the mind. So, centered on that physical body as our identity, we perceive all the patterns that surround the physical body as our cognized world.}

सव( +व.यते सवK दे हाय#तब(?हतथा य*तु वेि*त यथा सं+व*तथा वैव प)य!त || Everything exists everywhere outside and inside the body. As one understands the cognition so he perceives it as his own. य*कोशे +व.यते @mयं तPृ lवा लRयते यथा तथाित सवK >च.mयोिNन चे*यते त**वनेन वै || All the objects exist inside the box. Whatever the Seer picks up, that exists as that object. That is how he perceives everything in the Chidaakaasha. {Chidaakaasha is like a box filled with all possible Seen phenomena! Chit exists as all possible worlds. Whatever the Cognizer wants to see, it arises from that box of Chidaakaasha}

CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN {JNAPTI BIDS GOODBYE TO THE KING}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke अन#तरमवाचे दं दे वी SिQत+व(दरथं ु ू क*वा बोधामत || ु ृ सेकै+व(वेकाDकुरस#दरं ृ

After drenching the beautiful sprout of discrimination with the nectar of Knowledge, Goddess Jnapti said to Vidooratha, एतदे व मया राजन ् ल:लाथ(मुपव6ण(तं वित तेsतु ग म यावो e टा e टा#तe टय: || “All this, O King, was explained to you for the sake of Leelaa. May good befall you. We will go now. All the perceptions proving the knowledge have been seen.” ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke इ!त Lो\ते सरव*या >गरा मधरव ु ण(या उवाच वचनं धीमान ् भ मपालो +वदरथः || ू ू As Sarasvati uttered these sweet words, the wise king Vidooratha spoke like this. +वदरथ उवाच ू Vidooratha spoke ममा+प दश(नं दे वी मोघं भव!त ना>थ(षु महाफलLदायातु कथं तव भ+व य!त || “O Devi! Even ‘seeing me’ does not go waste for the needy! How can the vision of you, the Bestower of the great fruits go waste? अहं दे हं सम*सWय लोका#तर मतोsपरम ् ु ृ !नजमाया म हे दे +व वQना*वQना#तरं यथा प)या?दशाशु मां मातः Lप#नं शरणागतं || Look at me who have taken refuge in you with compassion. Bless that I should reach the other world of mine from here without delay as if moving from one dream to the other. भ\तेsवहे ला वरदे महतां न +वराजते || The great ones never disregard their devotees.

यं Lदे शमहं या म तमेवाया*वयं मम म#ी कमार: चैवेयं बाले!त कA ु ु मे दयां || Whichever place I go, let this minister and also my daughter who is still a child accompany me. Be compassionate towards me.” {Though Vidooratha heard words of knowledge from Jnapti, he did not immediately grasp the meanings as Leelaa had done. He was the same ignorant Jeeva. In all the three identities of Vasishta, Padma and Vidooratha he entertained no Vaasanaa for knowledge. Even the presence of the very Goddess of knowledge did not bestow on him enlightenment. If he had sought enlightenment, he would have realized the Self, discarded his mortal body and would have joined Leelaa as her eternal companion in the divine world. On the contrary, he had now developed new attachments in his new life and did not wish to be separated from them. Instead of asking Jnapti for more enlightenment, he asked her to transfer his minister and daughter to Padma’s life. After all, he had nothing to lose. As Vidooratha he was old and was destined to die here in the hands of his powerful enemy. If another life awaited him back with a readymade robust body and a kingdom, he did not mind getting out of Vidooratha’s identity.}

दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke अिमन ् रणवरे राज#मत(mयं भवताधना ु LाQतmयं Lा\तनं राWयं सवK L*यFमेव ते || “O King, you have to die in this Great War now. You have to attain the kingdom of the past birth. You will directly experience all that. कमा ु या( मि#णा चैव *वया च Lा\तनं परंु आग#तmयं शवीभतं ू LाQतmयं तTछर:रकं || Along with the daughter and the minister you should reach the city of your previous life and enter the body which is dead. आवां यावो यथायातं वातpपेण च *वया आग#तmयः स दे शतु कमाया( मि#णा+प च || ु We both will take the nature of the wind and reach there in the same manner as we traveled here. You should come there along with your daughter and the minister.

अ#यैव ग!तर)वय ग!तर#या खरो tयोः मदिव#नकपोलय ग!तर#यैव दि#तनः || Horse travels in a different speed. A mule and a camel move in a different speed. The musth elephant with flushed cheeks moves with a completely different speed.” {Each one of us will travel in different speeds to Padma’s world. Though all this is happening in the house-space of GiriGraama only, each Aativaahika body will traverse it in its own time.}

CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke {THE ENEMY ATTACKS WITHOUT PRE-WARNING}

Lतते णो: ु !तकथा यावि#मथो मधरभा+ष ु ताव*L+व)य सं^ा#तमवाचो`व( िथतो नर: || ु As this conversation was going on between them in a pleasant manner, a man entered and standing at a higher place, spoke excitedly. दे व सायकचOा सगदापEरघवि ट ृ मत ् मह*वEरबलं LाQतमेकाण(व इवो1त: || “Lord, a huge army of the enemy has entered akin to the flooding of the whole ocean, showering all types of weapons like arrows, discus, swords, maces and clubs. नगरे नगस#काशे लHनोsिHनmया(Qत?द\तट: दह#)चटचटाफोटै : पातय*य*त ु मा#गहा ृ न ् || In the city, a fire as huge as a mountain has engulfed in all directions, burning everything with crackling sounds of ‘chata-chata’ and felling all excellent houses.

कJपाNबदघ mयोिNन धम ु टातJया ु ू महा@य: बला*Lोnडययनं कतKु Lवत(ता गAडा इव || Great mountains of smoke equal to dissolution clouds are rising in the sky like Garuda birds raising with full force.” ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke {THE ENEMY SETS THE CITY ON FIRE AT NIGHT}

ससं^मं वद*येवं पAषे ु पAषारवः उदभू*पूरय#नाशा ब?हः कोलाहलो महान ् || बलादाकण(कृ टानां धनषां ु शरव+ष(णां बंह तरिवनाम ् || ु ृ ताम!तम*तानां कZजराणां परेु चटचटाफोटै Wव(लतां जातवेदसां पौराणां दHधदाराणां महाहलहलारवैः || As the man was reporting all this with excitement, cacophonic sounds of great commotion arose outside filling all directionsthe shower of arrows from bows with strings pulled up to the ears; the roaring noise of the strong musth elephants; the crackling sounds of ‘chata-chata’ of the blazing fire inside the city; the terrified screams of the people as their wives were getting burnt. अथ वातायनाPेmयौ म#ी राजा +वदरूथः दeशःु LोJलस#नादं महा!न श महापरंु || Then through the window, the two Goddesses, the minister and the King Vidooratha saw the great city on that dark night filled with variety of noisesLलयानलसंFुsधसQतैकाण(वरं हसा पणK ू परबलेनोCहे !तमेघतरिDगणा || akin to the speedily rushing waters of all the seven oceans joined as one, churned by the stormy fires of the dissolution time; the weapons hurled by the enemy army covering up everything like the fiery dark clouds;

कJपा#तवि4न+वगल#मेAभधर ू भासरंु द4यमानं महाWवालाजालैरNबरपरक ू ै ः || huge flames covering the entire sky burning off everything like the blazing fires of dissolution melting the Meru Mountain: मि टCा4यमहामे घगजा(संतिज(तोिज(तैः ु घोरं कलकलारवैमा(Nसलैद(यजिJपतै : || ु akin to the highly increasing terrifying roars of great clouds held in one’s fist the blood curdling ghastly screams and shouts of the enemies close by; तरदJमक ु ु ख#ड़ोCतारातर लतांबरं अDगाररा श!नपत#नरनाय(ुCरोदनं || the sky rendered with blazing stars by the burning torches thrown all over; the painful screams of men and women stumbling over heaps of burning embers. अथ श ाव तासौ >गरो राजा +वदरथः ु ू योधानां दHधदाराणां प)यताम भधावतां || Then king Vidooratha heard the terrified screams of his soldiers and women as they ran helter skelter amidst blazing fires. {VIDOORATHA’S QUEEN ESCAPES THE ENEMIES}

एतिमन#तरे राजम?हषी म*तयौवना ति.ववेश गहंृ लkमीEरव पDकजकोटरं || आलोलमाJयवसना भ#नहारलताकला ु अनयाता वयया भदा(सी भभ(य+व4वला || ु Meanwhile the empress who was in her full youthful years, her garlands and clothes astray anxious like a broken creeper entered that house like Goddess Lakshmi entering the lotus grove; highly anxious and terrified, followed by her equal aged maids.

अथ तया वययैका राजानं तं mयिजSपत ् || Then one of her friends reported to the King; दे व दे वी सहामा भः पला}या#तःपरा#तरा त् ु राज#दारा jताताते बलव![Aदायधै ु ः || अ#तःपरा>धपा : सवY +प टाः श भA1 तैः ु ु दरेू णाशDकमायातैः परै : नः परमा ु jतं || “Lord, the Queen has come here escaping from inside the harem along with us. O king, other wives were taken away by mighty men holding weapons. The guards of the harem have all been destroyed by the enraged enemies. Our city has been doubtless taken over by the enemies who have arrived here from far. वि4न भन(ः परंु LाQतं परयोधै)च भEर भः || ू Enemy soldiers have come and set fire to our entire city. पEरवारै +व(ला स#यो दे mया आj*य मध( ू जैः आO#द#*यो बला#नीताः करय( इव धीवरै ः || ु Many ladies were forcefully taken away by the enemy soldiers pulled by their hair disregarding their screams, like fisherman taking away the ospreys. इ!त नो येयमायाता शाखा Lसरशा लनी आप*तामलमPतK ु ु दे वयैवाित श\तता || This queen was brought here by us somehow escaping through a different route. You only have the strength to protect us all.” इ*याकय( +वलो\यासौ दे mयौ य1ाय याNयतः ु रFतां मम भाययं षlपद: || Y य म.पादाsज ु इ*य\*वा !नय(यौ राजा कोपाक लतलोचनः ु ु म*तेभ!न भ(#नवन: क#दरा?दव केसर: ||

Hearing this, the King looked at the two Goddesses and said, “I am leaving for the battle immediately. Let this wife of mine, the bee hovering at your lotus feet be protected” and went away, his eyes glaring with anger, like the lion rushing out of the cave while the whole forest was getting ruined by the mad elephant. {LEELAA SEES LEELAA}

ल:ला ल:लां ददशा(थ वाकारसeशाक!तं ृ L!तMबNब मवायातामादशY चाAदश(नां || Then Leelaa saw Leelaa, who was very beautiful and who was looking just like her, appearing like a reflection in the mirror. {Leelaa was watching all this silently. All her excitement had disappeared. The first shock that hit her was seeing an old king instead of the sixteen year old boy. Somehow this king was different. Vasishta the Brahmin-husband, she had got used to as a companion for life long and had developed attachment towards him. Padma had been the most ideal husband though he was not much inclined towards philosophical quests like her. But Vidooratha appeared to be more worldlyminded and materialistic in his thoughts. Was he the same Padma, she had wondered. He had a different ancestry line now and different people as his companions and looked entirely different. Did he still cherish her in his heart, she doubted. She just watched the whole scene of Jnapti and the king’s conversation like an unconnected witness. Maybe when he got up as Padma everything would be normal she thought. But she was not ready for the next shock that hit her like a tornado. She met her own identity as a different person acting the queen of Vidooratha in that world. Confusion, envy, hurt all at once stormed her heart. Holding her trembling heart, she questioned her dear friend Jnapti as to who this new girl was? Or had she split into two? But her Vaasanaa for knowledge overcame the personal problems and without wasting time she expressed her doubts to the ever friendly Jnapti.}

CHAPTER FORTY NINE {WHO IS THE SECOND LEELAA?}

Lब1ल:लोवाच ु The enlightened Leelaa spoke _क मदं दे +व मे 3?ह ू कमा?दयमहं िथता या साहमभवं पवK ू कथं सेयमहं िथता || “What wonder is this, tell me O Devi! Why is she standing as me? Or, was I ever ‘she’ in the past? How does she exist as me? मि#Lभतयः पौरा योधाः सबलवाहनाः ृ सव( एव त एवेमे िथतात तथैव ते || तापीह च हे दे +व सवY कथमविथताः ब?हर#त)च मकरे ु ु इवैते _कं Lचेतनाः || Ministers and others, citizens, soldiers along with the armies, vehicles; all these existing here are there in that previous world also exactly in the same manner. Then how are they all here also? They are like images which exist both inside and outside the mirror! Are they conscious beings?” {Since identitical people existed in both the worlds, they appeared like images inside the mirror and were seen outside the mirror too as it were. Since Padma’s world was the original world for these people, then in Vidooratha’s world they might be just unconscious images like in a mirror. This is Leelaa’s doubt.}

SिQतAवाच Jnapti spoke {THE MIND PROJECTS THE WORLD IT WANTS}

यथा SिQतAदे *य#ततथानभव!त Fणात ् ु >च!त)चे*याथ(तामे!त >च*तं >च*ताथ(ता मव || As the understanding in the mind, so is the instant-experience perceived by the mind. The mind itself becomes the object perceived and perceives what it wants. याeगथK जग@प ू ं तैवोदे !त त*Fणात ् न दे शकालद:घ(*वं न वै>चyयं पदाथ(जं || In whatever form the world is conceived, instantly it arises in that form only. There is no duration of time or extension of space. Diversity of objects also does not exist. बा4याRय#तरं भा!त वQनाथws !नदश(नं || The ‘outside’ is actually inside oneself (inside the mind) as observed in the dream phenomenon. यद#तः वQनसंकJपपरंु च कचनं >चतेः तदे त.बा4यनाNनैव वRयासा*स*फुटं िथतं || That world of dream which is conceived inside is seen as if existing really outside because of the cultivated habit.

{PADMA’S MIND PROJECTED ANOTHER COPY OF THE SAME WORLD}

याHभावो मतो ृ भता( तव तिम#तदा परेु ताHभावतमेवाथK तैव समपागत : || ु

Whatever ideas were in the mind of your husband when he died in that world, those very ideas, those very objects he attained there itself in the succeeding life. अ#य एव 4यमी भताते Rयताताeशा अ+प ू स@पा ू एव चैतय वQनसंकJपसै#यवत ् अ+वसंवा?द सवा(थp ( पं यदनभयते || ु ू All those other beings, their people, those who have similar characteristics like the previous world, are all real like the army conceived in the dream where whatever object is experienced is considered real. तय ताव.वद कथं कheशी वा+प स*यता || Tell me how and of what nature is reality? {What difference is there between dream objects and the objects seen in the waking state?}

{REALITY IS RELATIVE}

अथवो*तर काले तु भDगुर*वादवतु तत ् ईe\च सव(मेवेदं त का नाितता>धका || Or, if it is argued that the dream world does not exist in the succeeding waking state and so it is unreal, this world also with all its things does not exist there; so this state is not much different from that. वQनो जाC*यस@पः ू वQने जाCदसदस#मयः म!तज( #म#यस@पा ज#माQयस#मयं || ू म*यां ृ ृ In the dream state, waking world is unreal; dream is unreal in the waking state. Death is unreal when getting born; and in death, birth is unreal. +वशरे ि.वशराA*वादनभते ु ू )च राघव || All objects are by nature impermanent and perish after the experience Raaghava.

CHAPTER FIFTY ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke एवं न स#नास?ददं ^ाि#तमां +वजNभते || ृ In this manner, this is neither real nor unreal but shines as delusion only. महाकJपा#तसंप*तावQय.याथ यगे ु sनघ न कदाचन य#नाित त34मैवाित तWजगत ् तिम#म`ये कच#तीमा ^ा#तयः सि ट ृ ना मकाः || Whether after the dissolution of all things or now in the present Yuga, nothing else is there ever but the Brahman. Brahman alone is the world. In Him alone shine all these delusions named Creations. mयोिNन केशो„कानीव न कच#तीव वततः ु || यथा तरDगा जलधौ तथेमा स टयः परे ृ उ*प*य उ*प*य ल:य#ते रजाNसीव महा!नले || Like the floaters seen in the sky, these worlds are not real. Like waves rise in the ocean, they rise in the Para Brahman. They repeatedly rise and subside like dust particles in the stormy wind. तमा.^ाि#तमयाभासे मoया*वमहमा*म!न मगत णाजलचये कैवाथा सग(भम!न || ृ ृ Therefore, what reality can be seen in the burnt form of the creation (like the burnt rope) which is like the collected waters of the mirage, which shines as an illusory appearance as the false ideas of differentiations like ‘I’ and ‘You’? ^ा#तय)च न ता#यातातदे व परम ् पदं घने तम स यFाभातम एव न यFकः ||

Delusions do not exist as separate realities. These delusions are the shine of the Para Brahman. In dense darkness ghosts are seen; but what is seen is darkness only and not the ghost. तमाWज#मम!ृ तमwहो mयामोह*व मदं ततं || Therefore, Births, deaths are just delusions spread out in all the minds. सवK त*समहाकJपं शा#तौ यदव श यते || When everything subsides, whatever remains, that alone is the reality. नातः स*य मदं e)यं न चास*यं कदाचन || What is seen here is neither real, nor unreal. .वयमैवेतदथवा 34म तैव संभवात ् आकाशे परमाव#त@( mयादे रणुकेs+प च || It is both real and unreal, or real only as even in the minutest atom floating in the sky, or in the tiniest particle of the matter, Brahman alone exists. आकाशे परमाव#त@( mयादे रणक ु े s+प च जीवाणय ( तेदं जग.वेि*त !नजं वपःु || ु  The Jeeva-particle cognizes the world as its own surroundings inside the minutest particle of the space and inside the minute atom that make the objects. {FIRE MEANS HEAT; JEEVA MEANS WORLD-EXPERIENCE}

अिHनरौ यं यथा वेि*त !नजभावOमो?दतं प)यतीदं तथैवा*मा वा*मभतं ू +वशु1>चत ् ||

As the fire emits heat by its very nature the atomic point of the Jeeva , pure in essence, perceives a world around it as per its tendencies. The Jeeva-atom enjoys the experiences created by itself. यथा सयwदये गेहे ^मि#त सरे णवः ू तथेमे परमाकाशे 34माडसरेणवः || Just like the dust particles float in the house at sunrise, the dust particles of cosmic eggs float in the ‘Supreme space of consciousness’. यथा वायौ िथतं प#द आमोदः श#यमं बरे ू +पडCह+व!नम(ु\तं तथा +व)वं िथतं परे || Like the movement in the wind and the fragrance in sky are just void, the world exists in the Supreme without any solid structure. न स*यं न चास*यं रWजसप( ु ^मो यथा

मoयानभ!ततः स*यमस*यं सत ्पर:gFतं || ु ू This world is neither real nor unreal, like the delusion of seeing the snake in the rope. It appears real because of the false experiernce; it will become unreal once it is analyzed well. {JEEVA AND EXPERIENCES}

स*यं भव*वस*यं वा खे +वभात मदं जगत ् रZजय*येव जीवाण:ु वेTछा भरनभ!त भः || ु ू Whether real or unreal, this world shines only in emptiness. The Jeeva-particle just keeps enjoying experiences of its own likings. अनभय#त एवाशु काि)च*पवा( ु ू ू नुभ!ततः ू अपवा( ू नुभवाः काि)चत ् समा)चैवासमातथा \व>च*कदा>च*ता एव \व>चदध(समा अ+प ||

Sometimes the experiences are repetitions of previous experiences; some are previously not experienced; some similar, some not similar; sometimes somewhere, the very same experiences happen; sometimes only similar half-wise. {PADMA’S EXPERIENCES}

कच#*यस*याः स*याभा जीवाकाशेsनभतयः ु ू त*कुलात*समाचारातWज#मानतद:?हताः || The unreal experiences shine like real in the space of the Jeeva as those very families, those very narratives, those very births, those very desires. त एव मि#णः पौराः L!तभाने भवि#त च ते चैवा*म#यलं स*या दे शकाले?हतैः समाः || Those very ministers, citizens occur in the appearance also. They are as true as the original because the very same Self is the substratum of both existences. Yet they are not the same; but are alike in all other characteristics like space, time and activities. सव(गा*मवpपायाः L!तभाया इ!त िथ!तः || All these are just appearances in the all-pervading Self. {WHY AN IDENTICAL LEELAA?}

यथा राजा*म!न mयोिNन L!तभोदे !त स#मयी तथा तदCगोदे !त स*येव L!तभाNबरे || As the true world of appearances arises in the ‘king’s space’, the person who is foremost in his mind also appears as a real person in his conceived world.

{When a person dies in one world, instantly his mind creates another world as a copy with the same objects he is fond of. All the familiar persons and objects instantly arise before him as in his previous incarnation. All his friends, relatives get recreated in his new world experience. Though they look exactly like the other original world characters, they are different selves with different lives Padma’s most cherished relationship was with his wife Leelaa. So another Leelaa arose for him when he became Vidooratha. But this Leelaa though identical in her looks, behavior and devotion to her husband, she lacks the Vaasanaa of knowledge. She also is a devotee of Sarasvati, like Arundhati and Padma’s Leelaa, but she does not have the thirst for knowledge like Padma’s Leelaa. Her thoughts are centered on her husband and family only. Since Padma was slightly uncomfortable with an intellectual wife, his mind creates a wife who is ordinary but clever in the dealings of the world.}

*वTछrला *व*समाचारा *व*कला ु यी ु *व.वपम( इ!त ल:लेयमाभा!त L!तभाL!तMबNबजा || So this Leelaa shines with your behavior, with your character, with your family origin, with the same type of physical appearance, as your own reflection in the mirror of the conceived world. सव(गे सं+वदादशv L!तभा L!तMबNब!त || In the mirror of conceptions (Chit) which is everywhere her conceived form gets reflected. याeशी य सा त तथोदे !त !नर#तरं || Wherever the king’s mind perceives, she gets reflected in the same manner always in whatever way she had been cognized previously. जीवाकाशय या#तथा L!तभा कAते वयं ु सा ब?ह)च >चदादशv L!तMबNबा?दयं िथता || Her very same appearance existing inside the Jeeva-space (of the king) appears outside also; and she exists as a reflection of his mind-mirror. एषा *वमंबरमहं भवनं धरा च ु राजे!त सव(महमेव +वभातमां >च.mयोमMबJवजठरं +वदरDग +व?P ु *वं तेन शा#तमलमाव यथािथतेह ||

This girl, you, myself, the world, the land, the king all are just appearances arising out of the ‘I’, the Supreme Self of all. Wise know that Chit-Space as the womb, my child, which contains the seed of the Bilva tree which keeps appearing as the multifarious worlds of conception without a gap. Therefore remain in the tranquil state as you are, here.

CHAPTER FIFTY ONE {VIDOORATHA’S QUEEN ASKS FOR A BOON}

ी सरव*यवाच ु Sarasvati spoke +वदरथत ू ु भतvष तनंु *य\*वा तवाDगने तदे वा#तःपरंु LाQय ताeगा*मा भ+व य!त || “This husband of hers, Vidooratha will discard this body, O lady, and will reach that very inner apartment of yours and will become the same person as that.” ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke इ*याकय( वचो दे mया ल:ला सा त*परापदा ु परः ु L4वा िथतोवाच वचनं +व?हताZज लः || Hearing these words of the Goddess, that Leelaa who lived in that city stood in front of them with a humble posture and folding her hands said; ि.वतीय ल:लोवाच Second Leelaa spoke दे वी भगवती SिQत!न(*यमेवा>च(ता मया वQने संदश(नं दे वी सा ददा!त !नशासु मे ||

“The great Goddess Jnapti was worshipped by me daily. She blesses me with her vision in my dreams at night. सा याe)येव दे वे श ताe)येव *वमंMबके त#मे कृपणकाAया.वरं दे ?ह वरानने || O Great Goddess, you are similar to her, Mother! So, please be kind to this wretched person and give me a boon, O beautiful faced one!” ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke इ*य\ता सा तदा WनिQतः म*वा त[ि\तभावनं ु ृ इदं Lस#ना Lोवाच तां ल:लां त*परापदां || ु Thus requested, Jnapti remembering her devotion for her felt pleased and addressed that Leelaa who was standing in front of her. ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke अन#यया भावनया यावWजीवमजीण(या पEरत टािम ते व*से गहा ु ृ णा भमतं वरं || “By your incessant devotion for me throughout your life, I am extremely pleased. Ask for any boon you desire, my child!” तPेशल:लोवाच Leelaa of that country spoke रणे दे हं पEर*यWय य !त ट!त मे प!त: अनेनव ै शर:रे ण त यामेतदDगना || “Wherever my husband lives after discarding the body in the war, I should be with him as his wife with this very same body.”

{Arundhati the wife of Vasishta, and Leelaa the wife of Padma had both repeated the same request to Sarasvati that their husband’s Jeeva should remain in their own houses. Vidooratha’s wife Leelaa was not the continued existence of Padma’s wife. She was another Jeeva. This Leelaa was more worldly wise and clever. After vaguely understanding the magical happenings arising suddenly in her life, she secured her future as a wife in her husband’s next life and the continuity of her physical form also by her boon. She had no interest in unraveling the mysteries of her husband’s births and deaths, but was concerned only with her own future. She did not even bother about the other Leelaa of the past.}

ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke

एवमतु *वयाs+व…नं पिजतािम सते ू ु >चरं अन#यभावया भEर या || ू प पधपसपय( ु ू “ Let it be so! I have been worshipped by you for a long time with flowers and scents without a break.”

CHAPTER FIFTY TWO ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke अथ तPेशल:लायां फJलायां त.वरोदयात ् ु पव( शया || ू ल:ला3वीPेवीं संदेहल लता ु As the Leelaa of that world felt happy by the boon, the previous Leelaa questioned the Goddess somewhat with a doubt. पव( ू ल:लोवाच Previous Leelaa spoke ये स*यकामाः सं*येवंसंकJपा 34मp+पणः *वाeशा: सव(मेवाशु तेषां स..य*यभीिQसतं || People like you are of the nature of Brahman itself! Any wish of yours becomes true. You also do fulfill any desire expressed by any one.

त*तेनैव शर:रे ण _कमथK नाहमी)वEर लोका#तर मदं नीता तं >गEरCामकं वद || O Goddess, why then was I not taken to the little village of GiriGraama of another world with my past body itself? Tell me! {Previous Leelaa wondered why she did not have the sense to ask for such a boon. If such a thing was possible, why did not the Goddess take her in the Mind-world journeys with the gross body itself? She felt cheated as it were.}

{THE POWER OF JEEVAA-‘JEEVASHAKTI’}

ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke न _कि#च*कय>चदहं करो म वरव6ण(!न सवK संपादय*याशु वयं जीवः समी?हतं || O Fair hued one! I do not do anything for anyone. The Jeeva himself attains instantly whatever he desires, by himself. अहं ?हतं रटे WनिQतः सं+व*मा>धदे वता L*येकमित >चTछि\तजcवशि\तवp+पणी || I am Jnapti, the Goddess in charge of knowledge and bestow boons for the good of all. There is another power of Chit which is of the form of ‘Jeeva-Shakti’ (Power of the Jeeva). जीवयोदे !त या शि\त: यय यय यथा यथा भा!त त*फलदा !न*यं तय तय तथा तथा || Whatever power arises in the Jeeva, in whatever way, that gets fulfillment in that very manner for that Jeeva. {The very nature of a Jeeva is Vaasanaa fulfillment. This occurs by the power of the Chit. Therefore whatever desire arises naturally or by rational thinking, it gets fulfilled and that is the ‘power of the Jeeva’ which bestows results according to the merits or demerits of the past lives.}

{YOU WANTED ONLY ENLIGHTENMENT}

माम ् समराधय#*यातु जीवशि\ततवो?दता तदा भव.यद:ह यां म\तामी!त >चरं तदा || ु As you worshipped me with complete devotion, the ‘Jeeva Shakti’ rose in you as a long cherished desire- ‘let me be liberated’. तेन तेन Lकारे ण *वं मया संLबो>धता तया य\*यामलं भावं नीता स वरव6ण(!न || ु In whatever way you wished, I enlightened you in that very manner. O fair hued lady, by that knowledge you have reached the taintless state of Brahman. अनयैवं भावनया बो>धता स >चरं तदा तमेवाथK LाQतवती सदा व>च!तशि\ततः || With knowledge and liberation as the goal to be reached by you, you were enlightened by me for long and led towards that goal. Through the power of Brahman rising in you always as the Jeeva Shakti, you attained that very goal of liberation. यय यय यथोदे !त व>च*Lयतनं >चरं फलं ददा!त कालेन तय तय तथा तथा || Whatever desire arises in a person in whatever manner it fructifies for him in the course of time in that very manner through sincere effort. तपो वा दे वता वा+प भ*वा वैव >चद#यथा ू फलं ददा*यथ वैरं नभःफल!नपातवत ् || One’s own mind takes the form of some other agent like ‘penance’ or a ‘divinity’ and bestows the fruit by itself on itself like a fruit falling from the sky.

{There is no special God or merit which leads to the fulfillment of a desire. As per the belief system cherished by the mind, the desire gets fructified by the mind itself extending itself as a God or the fruit of penance. But the ignorant do not know the power of the Jeeva and believe that whatever happens to them is an act of God, or they think that their own rituals and austerities became fruitful. In the case of Leelaa, she believed in the existence of Goddess Sarasvati. She worshipped that Goddess with extreme devotion. Her own mind projected a Goddess for her and that Goddess as a separate powerful divinity led her towards the state of liberation.}

वसं+व.यतनाद#य#न _कि#चTच कदाचन फलं ददा!त तेनाशु यतेTछ स तथा कA ु || There is nothing ever other than one’s own cognizing mind which bestows the required fruit. Now you do whatever you like! {‘I, Jnapti am a projection of your own Mind. I did not do anything by myself. You desired knowledge and you attained it and became liberated. But this Leelaa wants to go to Padma’s world with the same body. Being a projection of her own mind, the Jeeva Shakti fulfills her desire too. Here I became the agent of that Jeeva Shakti. You can choose your own course of action.}

>च[ाव एव ननु सव(गतोs#तरा*मा यTचेत!त Lयतते च त?द!त त*Tur: | रNयं 4यरं यमथवे!त +वचारयव य*पावनं तदवब.`य तद#तराव || ु The reality of Chit alone which exists everywhere as the essence of all things strives for whatever it wants; and experiences that alone. Analyze what is pleasant or unpleasant. Understand ‘that’ which is sacred and remain in ‘that’. {‘Given a second chance, would you like to wander the worlds with your physical body? I have already proved its illusory nature. For this Leelaa, the physical body is real. She is a deluded Jeeva. She may think that she has acted very cleverly. But you yourself think what boon was the best, yours or hers? What leads to the highest good? Going from one dream world to another with a physical form, or the state of realization?’}

CHAPTER FIFTY THREE {THE EVENTS AT THE BATTLE-FIELD}

ी राम उवाच Rama spoke एवं संकथय#तीषु तासु तिमन ् गहोदरे ृ +वदरथः _कमकरोि#नग(*य क+पतो गहात ् || ू ु ृ When these two ladies were conversing in this manner, what did Vidooratha do after leaving the house in anger? ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke +वदरथत ू ु सदनाि#नग(तः पEरवाEरतः पEरवारे ण महता ऋ\शौघेनव े च#@माः || संनPसवा(वयवो लHनहार+वभषणः ू महाजयजयारावैः सरेु #@ इव !नग(तः || आलोकय#वीरगणानाAरोह नपो ृ रथं कूटागारसमाकारं म\तामा6ण\यमिडतं ु पताकापZच भmया(Qतं .य+वमान मवो*तमं || ु Vidooratha adorned with great jewels, and well-armed, having left the house, surrounded by a great retinue like the moon by the hosts of stars; hailed by the shouts of victory as if Indra was moving out to battle; observed the groups of soldiers; and climbed the excellent chariot which was shaped like the peak of the hill; which was decorated with pearls and gems; which was adorned by five flags; which was excellent like an air vehicle. अथोदपतPुPामनाना^रव!नभ(रः शैल भि*तL!त`वानैदा(Aणो द#द भ`व!नः || ु ु

Then arose the terrifying drum sounds echoing from all around the mountains equaling the great noise of thunders produced by the clash of many clouds. _किDकणीजाल!न`वानैहY !तसंघ~टं कृ तैः धनु)चटचटाशsदै ः शरसी*कारगी!त भः || परपरं भटा4वानैबि( #द+वFुsधरोदनैः ||

शलाघनकताशे ष34माडकहर`व!नः ु ृ Weapons clashed giving rise to the sound of tinkling bells; the drawing of the bows made the crackling noise-‘chata-chata’; music rose as the arrows were pulled with a sighing of breath; the soldiers shouted at each other calling for a fight; the fallen ones screamed in pain; all these types of sounds were equal to heavy rocks falling all over the cave of Brahmaanda (Cosmic egg). हतCा4योभवे[ीमो दशाशाकZजपरकः ू ु अथोि*थतेन रजसा पीनेनांबररो>धना || Voluminous dust rose high blocking up the whole sky filling the entire quarters guarded by the ten elephants making the terrifying sky appear as if close enough to be grasped by the hand. गभ(वास मवाप#नं तेनासी*त#महापरंु मख( ै घनतामाययौ तम: || ू *वं यौवनेनव The great city was submerged in darkness as if inside the womb. Just like youth is overwhelmed by foolishness, darkness became very dense. दeशत#महाय1म ् .वे ल:ले सा कमाEरका ु ु ु Lफुट.jदयेनेव दे वीद*तमहाeशौ || With their hearts trembling the two Leelaas and the young daughter of the king observed that great war blessed by the divine vision bestowed on them by the Goddess. {Since this is the only place the daughter is mentioned in the story, we suppose that she was with her mother from the beginning and died here with the mother to wake up in Padma’s world as the daughter once more.}

शनैः सेनां समाकष(#नाSायत बला#तरं +ववेशपFLोnडीनो मेAरे क मवाण(वं || Slowly marching forward with his army, unaware of the enemy’s strength, the king entered the battle field like the Meru with wings flying towards the huge ocean. जWवलःु शसंघ~Wवलना उJमखा ु िHनवत ् जगज(ुः शरधारौघा#वष(#तो वीरवाEरदाः !नपेतुः कDकव*Oरा ू वीराDगेषु च हे तयः पेतुः पटपटारावं हे !त!नि प टय–बरे उ*तथय( ु मयाायां कब#धनटपDHतयः || The fire sparks rising from the clash of the weapons burst into flames like torch-fires. The soldier-clouds showering hosts of arrows thundered aloud. Missiles fell on the bodies of the soldiers like cruel heron birds. The shattered missiles fell in the sky making the ‘pata-pata’ noise. The dancing line of headless bodies rose up ready for the journey to Yama’s world. Lशेमुः पांसवो र\तैतमांयायधवि4न

भः ु य1ै ः || ु क`यानतः शsदा भया!न म!त!न)चयै ृ Dusts settled down dampened by blood. The darkness was subdued by the fire of clashing weapons. The frightening shouts by those who were intent only in the battle quietened down by the certainty of death. अभव*केवलं य1मपशsदमसं ^मं ु अनाकलां ु बुवाहाभं खnगवी>चसटा#कतं ृ || The war went on without any noise and without any excitement, like the flow of unperturbed waters with waves of sparks rising from the clash of swords. खदखदरवसNवहTछरौघम ् ट_कट_कतारवसंपत[श ु ुिड कणकणरवसं मल#महां !त म!न>धव@णमास दतरं तत ् || ु

With hosts of arrows flying with the sound of ‘khada-khada’, missiles falling with the sound of ‘takitakita’, great weapons banging with each other with the sound of ‘kana-kana’ the battlefield was like the ocean of darkness impossible to cross over.

CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke एतिम#वत(माने तु घोरे समरसं^मे ल:ला.वयमवाचे दं दे वीं भगवतीं पनः ु ु || As the horrifying great battle was getting fought, the two Leelaas spoke to the Supreme Goddess like this. दे +व कमादकमा#नौ भता( जय!त नो रणे वद *व}य+प तु टायामिमि#व@तवारणे || ु “O Goddess, though you are pleased, why will not our husband win this war filled with screaming elephants?” ी दे mयुवाच Devi spoke >चरमारा>धता तेन +वदरथ ू नपा ृ Eरणा अहं पyयौ जयाथन भ Y न +वदरथभ ु ू ू ता ृ || तेनासावेव जय!त जीयते न +वदरथ ू : || Daughters! I was worshipped for a long time by the enemy of King Vidooratha with the purpose of winning the war, not by King Vidooratha. Therefore he only will win; Vidooratha will not win. WनिQतर#तग(ता सं+वदे तां मां यो यदा यथा Lेरय*याशु त*तय तदा सNपादयाNयहम ् || यो यथा Lेरय!त मां तय !त ठा म त*फला न वभावोs#यतां ध*ते व4नेरौ य मवैष मे ||

As Jnapti I am the indwelling conception of these Jeevas. Whoever, in whatever way impels me, I get it done for him. In whatever way one impels me I remain as that fruit for him. This is my nature like heat belongs to the fire. I have no other favoring quality other than this. {‘I am the indwelling power in the Chit which gets the desires of the Jeevas fulfilled. I do not particularly favor one for the other. I just bestow that fruit whatever is asked for by any Jeeva. Just like the fire has heat as its innate nature, I have this fruit fulfillment capacity as my innate nature. Fire exhibits the same quality to one and all; I also exhibit the same nature to one and all.’}

अनेन म\त एव यामह म*यिम भा+वता ु L!तभाp+पणी तेन बाले म\तो भ+व य!त || ु I the form of knowledge have been prayed for by him only as, ‘I will be liberated’. That is why he will get liberation, O child! एतद:यः वयं शःु स#ध:ु नाम मह:प!तः जयाNयहं यां संCाम इ*यनेनािम पिजता || ू ‘I will win the battle’ - thus this enemy king named Sindhu worshipped me. तमि.वदरथो दे हं त*LाQय सह भाय(या ू *वयानया च कालेन बाले म\तो भ+व य!त || ु Therefore Vidooratha will attain that body which is in that world covered with flowers. He will live with you and her and will attain liberation in the course of time. एतद:यः वयं शःु स#ध:ु नाम मह:प!तः ह*वैनं वसधापी ठे जयी राWयं कEर य!त || ु This enemy king named Sindhu will kill Vidooratha; become victorious on this earth and rule this kingdom. {All Jeevas have desires. But these desires are mostly Vaasanaa based. They have no control over them. The fulfillment of a desire arising out of a Vaasanaa does not need a special Goddess to fulfill them. But if through meritorious acts the Jeeva is able to desire something which will lead to the welfare of that particular Jeeva, then the Goddess helps that Jeeva by bestowing the required boon. The previous Leelaa was more interested in attaining liberation and knowledge than a life with a king. So she was blessed with enlightenment. She was raised to the status of Jnapti herself as her companion and playmate. But the other Leelaa was worldly wise and could desire only a happy life with her husband. So she got that much alone as her boon and was blessed with a happy mortal life and not liberation. Vidooratha, though he knew liberation was the ultimate goal to be reached, had many more unfulfilled Vaasanaas in his deeper mind. Yet he prayed for liberation. King Sindhu wanted only materialistic benefits, and he won the battle by worshipping the same Goddess.}

CHAPTER FIFTY FIVE ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke एवं दे mयां वद#*यां तु बलयोय(ु.`यमानयोः र+व@( ट मवा)चय( माजगामोदयाचलम ् || ु As the Goddess was speaking thus, Sun came up on the Udaya Mountain to see the wonderful sight of the two armies fighting. भवनं कWजलांभोधेEरवोि*FQतमराजत ु पेतुः कनक!न प#दस#दरा र+वर)मयः || ु The world shined as if lifted out of the ocean of collyrium. The beautiful rays of the Sun made of gold fell on it.

{Summary: A fierce battle starts between the two armies. Padma and Sindhu both approach each other seated on their chariots like the Sun and the moon ready to meet. They fall on each other like two mad thundering clouds. The King is terribly enraged like the afternoon sun. He reaches in front of his enemy Sindhu who holds his neck high. He strings his bow, the sound echoing in all directions. Like the storms of dissolution attacking the sides of the Meru Mountain, like the early morning sun emits his rays, the enraged King shoots forth hosts of arrows which are sharp and deadly. Each arrow that is shot becomes thousand in number as they reach the sky and become lakh in number as they fall on the enemies. Even Sindhu’s arrows are similar and he avoids the arrows shot at him quite easily. Leelaa, Vidooratha’s wife from the window sees him shooting arrows unceasingly at the enemies. She feels sure of his victory and says to the Goddess, “Observe, O Devi! My husband is winning. With such an expertise in shooting arrows, even Meru will be powdered.” As she is uttering such words filled with extreme love for her husband, laughing at the folly of the human heart as it were, the Vadava fire called Sindhu swallows all those arrows with a counter attack of arrows, like Agastya drinking the ocean waters, like Jahnu drinking the waters of River Ganges.

He breaksVidooratha’s bow into pieces with his arrows and throws the powdered bow into the sky. Again Vidooratha takes another bow and starts the shower of arrows once more like the dissolution storm hitting the ordinary thunder-cloud. Sindhu uses the ‘MOHANAASATRA’ got by the help of a Gandharva friend, on Vidooratha’s army. All but Vidooratha are frozen immediately and remain like painted pictures as if dead. Vidooratha immediately uses his ‘PRABODHAASTRA’ and wakes them all up. Thus the battle goes on for a long time, with both the kings equally attacking each other violently. Vidooratha burns the chariot of Sindhu with his ‘AAGNEYAASTRA’. Sindhu fightst fiercely from the ground and destroys Vidooratha’s chariot and horses. Vidooratha discards his sword and throws the SHAKTI weapon at Sindhu. That weapon hits Sindhu on the chest; but it does not kill him. Sindhu bleeds a lot. Sindhu tries to climb back into the chariot. Vidooratha destroys the chariot with his hammer like mace. Vidooratha now tries to climb his own chariot. Sindhu throws his mace at him. Vidooratha jumps out of its route and climbs the chariot. Sindhu shoots continuous arrows at Vidooratha. Vidooratha’s chariot, flag, horse, charioteer all get destroyed. Vidooratha is wounded all over. He falls on the ground. िTछ#न`वजं िTछ#नरथं भ#ना)वं भ#नसार>थ ं िTछ#नकाम(ुकवमा(णं िTछ#नसवा(Dगमाकलं ु || j?दफार शलाप~ाeडपीवरमध( ू !न

भ**वा व‘समैबा(णै: पातयामास भतले || ू He (Sindhu) made the King – who had his flag torn, whose chariot was in pieces, whose horses were killed, whose charioteer had been killed, whose bow and armor were torn to pieces, who was wounded all over his body and suffering – fall on the ground, by splitting asunder the topmost portion of his chest strong and broad like the stone slab, with his diamond like arrows.

A new chariot arrives for the king. Waking up immediately, Vidooratha tries to climb the chariot and wields his sword to fight Sindhu. His shoulder is cut and blood starts gushing forth. Sindhu hits the knees of the king with his sword. Vidooratha falls down like a tree cut by the axe. Observing the king in this horrifying condition, his wife Leelaa lets out a loud scream “हा हा हतािम दHधािम मताNय ुपतािम च” –“ Haa Haa! I am destroyed! I am burnt! ृ I am dead! I am ruined!” and swoons on the ground and dies.

Vidooratha, having broken his knees falls down from the chariot. As he is falling, the charioteer holds him back and quickly tries to get the chariot away from the battlefield. Sindhu enraged strikes the sword at the king’s neck as the chariot moves away. Vidooratha’s neck gets sliced half way and hangs with blood pouring out like a stream. Sindhu follows the charioteer still mad at the dying king. But he is unable to enter the premesis which is shielded by the power of Sarasvati. The charioteer carries the blood soaked body of the king with its neck half cut and knees broken; places it on the bare ground in front of the Goddess and goes away. } हतो राजा हतो राजा L!तराजेन संयुगे इ!त शsदे सम[ते ु ू रा tमासी*समाकलं ु || भाडोपकरभारौघ+व@वTछकट†जं साO#दात(कलाnयं @व#नागरदग( ु मं || ‘The King has been killed; the King has been killed by the enemy King in the battle’, as such shouts arose, the country was filled with anxiety; carts moved burdened with all sorts of household materials; the crowds were pathetically running away with groups of screaming and weeping women-folk.

CHAPTER FIFTY SIX {ALL THAT IS SEEN IS NOT REAL}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke एतिम#न#तरे राम ल:लोवाच सरवतीं )वासावशेषमालो\य मतं ृ भता(रमCगं Lव*तो दे हम*] टं ु ु म[ता(य महािNबके || ृ Rama! Meanwhile Leelaa looked at her unconscious husband breathing his last, and said to Sarasvati, ‘Mother, my husband is about to discard this body.’

SिQतAवाच Jnapti spoke एव‹पमहारNभे संCामे रा tसं^मे ू संप#नेs+प िथतेsQयुTचै+व(>चारNभम#थरे || न _किZचद+प संप#नं रा tं न च मह:तलं न िथतं \वचनाQयेवं वQना*मक मदं जगत ् || Though you have witnessed this terrible war with so many exciting incidents going on affecting the whole country, thought it has arisen, though it is happening, nothing has happened at all! There is no country, no Earth! It is not happening anywhere at all! This world is just like a dream. तय त#मडपया#तः शवय !नकटाNबरे इदं भरा tमाभा!त भत(ज ू ृ ीवय तेsनघे || ‘This country’ of your husband’s Jeeva shines ‘in that space’ near the dead body of your husband, ‘inside that very dome of your harem’. अ#तःपरगहा#ते त?ददं रा tाि#वतोदरं ु ृ व स ट+वLगेहेs#त+व(#`या?दCामके िथतं || This entire world containing this country where Vidooratha died exists inside the house of the Brahmin named Vasishta which is situated in the village at the base of the Vindhya mountain. व स ट+वLगेहेs#तः शवगेहजगि*थतं शवगेहजगत ्कFा+वदं गेहजगि*थतं || ु Inside the house of Vasishta exists the world where the dead body of Padma is kept. This world of Vidooratha exists inside the world of the dead Padma. एवमेष महारं भो जग*योमयो ^मः || This is the great delusion occurring in three worlds.

*वया मया अनया अनेन संयु\तः साण(वाव!नः >गEरCामकगेहा#तम(`ये गगनकोशके वा*मैव कच!त mयथw न कच*येव वा \व>चत ् || The self alone shines as this world filled with oceans and hills, where myself, you, and this girl are standing; which is in the middle of the ‘hollow space’ inside the ‘house space’ of GiriGraama; Or maybe nothing shines at all! त*पदं परमं +व+1 नाशो*पाद+वविज(तं वयं क>चतमाभातं शा#तं परमनामयं || Know that the Supreme state is bereft of beginning and end. Yet it shines as all this by itself. It is tranquil, supreme, without afflictions. एवं आरNभघनयोरा+प मडपयोतयोः उदरे श#यमाकाशमे वाित न जग.^मः || ू Though in this manner these domes with worlds look solid and real with all incidents, they are filled with only void; there are no worlds at all created by delusion. ^म@ टरभावे ?ह कheशी ^मता ^मे || ु When there is no one to see the delusion, how can delusion-ness exist in the delusion at all? ना*येव ^मस*तातो यदित तदजं पदं || Delusion as a reality is not there at all. What exists is only that unborn state of Brahman! ^मो e)यमस*तय @ ˆe)यदशा कतः ु @ ˆe)यOमाभावाद.वयं सहजं ?ह तत ् ||

The delusion seen is unreal; so how can the ‘Seer and the Seen’ exist at all? As there is no system of ‘Seer and Seen’, all that exists is the undifferentiated non-dual Self! त*पदं परमं +व+1 नाशो*पाद+वविज(तं वयं क>चतमाभातं शा#तमा.यमनामयं || Know that the Supreme state is bereft of beginning and end. Yet it shines as all this by itself. It is tranquil, the origin, without afflictions. _कल मडपगेहा#तः ववभावो?दता*म!न +वहरि#त जनात वगेहे वmयवथया || Inside the ‘dome of the house’ also people wander as per their conceptions in that house! {Though worlds are found within worlds, the people of each world do not see the other worlds. They move in their own worlds of their own conceptions. They do not see anything in the void space of their world. They are unaware of the countless universes that exist invisible to their minds.}

न जग*त नो सग(ः कि)चदQयनभयते ु ू तेनाहमजमाकाशं जग?द*येव वत(ते || There is no world; no Creation; nothing is experienced at all; The Supreme space, the Self, the ‘I’, alone exists as the world etc. सवK श#या*म+वSानं मेवा(?द>गEरजालकं ू नेदं कुnयमयं _कि#च.यथा वQने महापरंु || Everything is just void. No solid world exists at all. Everything is just like a huge city seen in the dream. दे शे Lादे शमाेs+प >गEरजालमया#य+प व‘सारा6ण खा#येव लFा6ण जगतो +वदःु || Millions of worlds filled with mountains and oceans, appearing as hard and solid as diamond exist just in the void-space. जगि#त सबह#ये ु ू व सNभव#*यणुकेs+प च कदल:पJलवानीव सं!नवेशेन भEरशः || ू

Countless worlds occur with their own narratives, even in the minutest atom also like the layers of the banana leaves. MजगिTचदणाव#तरित वQनपरंु यथा || The three worlds exist inside the atom of Chit like the world seen in a dream. तयाQय#ति)चदणवते वQयेकैकशो जगत ् || Even inside those worlds exist countless Chit-atoms. Inside each of them exist more worlds. तेषां यिमZजग*येष प=ो राजा शवः िथतः ल:ला तव सप*नीयं LाQता पव( ू तरा शभे ु || यदै व मTछा( मायाता ल:लेयं परततव ू ु तदै व भत(ुः प=य शवय !नकटे िथता || In one world among such countless worlds, this king Padma remains as a corpse; your co-wife Leelaa, went off earlier itself, good lady! When this Leelaa swooned in front of you, the next instant she stood next your husband’s dead body.

CHAPTER FIFTY SEVEN {SECOND LEELAA}

Lब1ल:लोवाच ु The enlightened Leelaa spoke कथमेषा परा ु दे +व संप#ना त दे ?हनी कथं च त*सप*नीकभावमाQतवती िथता || ं ते चाया वद _कpपं प)य#*यथ वदि#त _कं त.गेहवरवातmयाः समासेने!त मे वद ||

How did she go there earlier than us though endowed with a body? How did she stand there like my co-wife? In what form do others see her? What do the people residing there comment about her? Tell me briefly. ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke शण ृ ु सवK समासेन यथाप ृ टं वदा म ते ल:ले ल:लावव*ता#तम#तदं e)यदद(ु शं || ृ Listen to everything as I explain Leelaa’s amazing tale to you in brief, as per your question, Leelaa! It will clear all your doubts. It cannot be seen by one and all. प=तव स भतvष ^ाि#तं ताव*तता ममां इयं जग#मयी तिम#नेव स=!न प)य!त || Your husband Padma perceives this wide-spread delusory world of Vidooratha in that very palace of yours. ^ाि#तय1 मदं य1मे ु ु षा ^ाि#तज(नोsजनः ^ा#*येवतीह मरणमेष चैवं ^मा*मकः || This is an illusory battle. This battle is an illusion. The people here are not people at all. Only illusion is present here. The death was also of an illusory nature. ^मOमेणानेनैव ल:लाय द!यता िथता *वं चैषा वरारोहे वQनमां वराDगने || O Best among women, by the same flow of delusion he had a wife who was another Leelaa. Both you and she, O great lady are just characters in the dream. यथा भव*यावेतय वQनमां वराDगने तथा भव*योभ(तvष तथैवाहम+प वयं ||

Just like you both are just dream characters for him, your husband Padma also is a dream character for you both, O Best among women! Even I myself am just a dream character. जगत ् शोभैव ईeशीयं e)यमेत?दहोTयते एतदे व पEरSातं e)यशsदाथ(मZ ु ज!त || The grand show of the world like this alone is known as the Seen. When one understands the truth of this, he discards the meaning of the word ‘Seen’ completely. {The word ‘Seen’ becomes meaningless.}

एवमेषा *वमेषा च सNप#नैवमसौ नप ृ ः अहं चा*म!न स*य*वं गता सव(तया*मनः || This is how this world came to be. This is how you, she and the king come to be. I have realized the truth of the Self and am one with the Self completely. {I am also a conception of the mind like all of you. As Jnapti, I am, unreal; but as I am always in the CHIT state, I am real as the Chit state. But all of you exist as deluded selves and are not real. This network of dream characters has arisen by the power of Chit.}

इमे वय महा#यो#यं संप#न)चो?दता इ!त इ*थं सवा(*मकतया महा>च.घनसंिथतेः || All of us have been brought about and risen up for each other like this, because of the dense Absolute Consciousness which exists as all. एवमेषा िथता राSी नवयौवनशा लनी *व*संकJपा*मकय एषा यदा भत(ुमन ( ःकला तदा *व.सeशाकारा िथतैषा >चTचम*कृतौ || This queen Leelaa, shining in the fresh youthful state, is a fluctuation in the mind of your husband who conceived ‘her’ as ‘you’. Then she came into being, identical to your form, by the miracle of the mind. {At the instant of Padma’s death, whatever image he had conceived of you became a perturbation in his mind, which produced a Leelaa-like person in his next life. This Leelaa is outwardly an exact copy of you. But she does not equal you in spiritual wisdom. This Leelaa is a product of Padma’s mind; what he thinks you should be like; maybe less spiritual and more worldly-wise.}

*व[त(ुमर( णे gFLं समन#तरमेव ?ह *व[vषा परो ु e टा *व*संकJपा*मनाधना ु || The very next instant of your husband’s death, she stood in front of him , as ‘you’ conceived by your husband. यदा>धभौ!तकं भावं चेतोsनभव!त वयं ु चे*यं स#मयमेवात आ!तवा?हककJपनं || The aadhibhoutika (physical) phenomenon experienced as real by the mind is the imagination arising in the Aativaahika (mind). यदा>धभौ!तकं भावं चेतो वेि*त न स#मयं आ!तवा?हकसNकJपतदा स*योपजायते || When the mind realizes the Aadhibhoutika body as unreal, then the conception arising in the Aativaahika becomes true. {A person who has no more the sense of the physical structure exists as Aativaahika body only, like space. Then any conception arising in such a state becomes true.]

अथो मरणसं+व**या पनज( ु #ममये ^मे *वं ?ह सं+व?दतानेन *वया च गत एव सः || At the time of death, in the delusion of rebirth, ‘you’ alone were conceived by him and he obtained ‘you’ as it were in ‘her form’. इ*थं *वां e टवानेष e ट)चैष *वये!त च *वमQया*म!न संप#ना सव(ग*वािTचदा*मनः || He saw ‘you alone’ in her. He was seen as it were by you in ‘her form’. You were the ‘Self’ of her as the ‘Supreme Self’ which is in all. {His mind continued seeing ‘you’ in the next life by conceiving your image. The new Leelaa also perceived him as her husband as he had desired. Though both of you Leelaas are different, yet the Self in you and the Self in her are one and the same, as the Supreme Reality alone exists as the Self of all. Differentiations are just a product of the deluded mind. In truth, there exists nothing but the Chit which alone is in everything.}

34म सव(गतं यमा.यथा य यतो?दतं भव*याशु तथा त वQनश\*यैव प)य!त || The omnipresent Brahman wherever it rises, remains as that object and perceives it by the ‘power of dreaming’. {Brahman is both the perceived object and the perceiver.}

सव( सव(शि\त*वा.य या शि\तA#नयेत ् आते त तथा भा!त ती†सNवेगहे तुतः || As Brahman is omnipotent, wherever whichever power manifests, He remains there as that and shines by reason of the intense agitation. {‘According to the intenseness of the Vaasanaa, Chit manifests in whatever manner required, in whichever space mode that proves necessary. The intense attachment felt by the king for you produced another Leelaa and he perceived her as ‘you’. This becomes possible because Chit is all-powerful and can manifest as anything anywhere as per the intensity of the perturbation arising in any mind.’ Jnapti explains. The second Leelaa was not the complete reproduction of the first Leelaa. Second Leelaa was an image reflected in the mind of Padma; whatever he understood his wife to be on the surface level. Being himself lacking any interest in spiritual knowledge, he had no understanding of Leelaa’s spiritual wisdom. So the second Leelaa produced by his mind in the next life looked exactly like first Leelaa but was without the thirst for knowledge.}

म!तमोहFणे नैव यदै तौ दNपती िथतौ ृ तदै वाRया मदं ब1ं ु L!तभासवशाध?द ृ || At the very instant of death of Padma, those two stood as a couple. By the conceptions arising in both their minds they understood each other as husband and wife. {The very next moment Padma died in this world he and his Leelaa stood facing each other. They knew each other as husband and wife. The new Leelaa was conceived by Padma as an affectionate wife. So she expressed extreme affection for him naturally.}

आवयोः +पतरावेता+वमे वै चा+प मातरौ दे श एष धनं चेदं कमदं Y पव( ू मीeशं आवां +ववा?हतावेवमेवं नामैकतां गतौ || ‘These are our parents’, ‘These are or mothers’, ‘This is the country’, ‘This is wealth’,‘This is the action to be followed’; ‘The past is like this’; ‘We are married’; In this manner their thoughts were united.

एतयोः सा+प जनता याता तैव स*यतां तथैवााित e टा#तः L*यFं वQनवेदनम ् || The people of the country also became real people for them. The same thing happens in the dream too. {The very next moment Padma died, not only Leelaa, but an entire picture of the world with the country, people, family and relatives was produced by his mind in the next world exactly like the ones which existed in the previous life. There was not the full process of day to day life of birth growth etc. Whatever ideas were dominant at the moment of death, immediately produced another identical picture of a young Vidooratha and Leelaa complete with a statistical memory configuration of the past along with the palace, city, country, family, and people, who were real .}

इ*येवंभावया ल:ले ल:लयाहमथा>च(ता नाहं यां +वधवे*येवं वरो द*तो मयाQयसौ इ*यथन Y मता ू मेवेह खलु बा लका || ृ पव( That Leelaa who arose as you worshipped me as you did. ‘I should not become a widow’ – she asked for this boon and I granted it to her. Because of this alone, this girl died before her husband died. {Arundhati and first Leelaa were worshippers of Jnapti. King knew of Leelaa’s devotion for Sarasvati. So his newly conceived Leelaa was also a devotee of Sarasvati. Whereas Arundhati and first Leelaa had asked for the identical boons of their husband’s Jeeva remaining inside their houses, the new Leelaa, a production of Padma’s mind was different and just loved her husband like an ordinary woman and as any other ignorant woman of the world would desire, she just prayed that she should not become a widow. First Leelaa is a continuation of Arundhati. Second Leelaa is just a conception of the ignorant mind of Padma.}

भवतां चेतनांशानामहं चेतनध म(णी कलदे वी सदा पWया वत एव करोNयहं || ू ु For the desires that need to be fulfilled for you, I create the course of actions. I am always worshipped by you as the Goddess of the family and I take care of you all by my own will. {‘I am the Goddess worshipped as the family deity by you in all your lives. I take care of your needs. As you love your husband too, I take care of him also as per your desire.’}

CHAPTER FIFTY EIGHT {SECOND LEELAA’S STORY CONTINUES }

अथाया जीवको दे हा*LाणमाAतpपधक ृ ् मनसा चलतां LाQतो मखाC*य\तदे हकः || ु Then the subtle Jeeva of hers took the nature of the life-wind as it came out of the body. It moved by the power of the mind and left her body through the mouth. ततो मरणमTछा( #ते गहेृsिम#नेव चैतया ू ब1ौ ु भा+वत आकाशे e टो जीवा*मना ततः || संप#नैषा हEरणनयना च#@MबNबानन ीः मानो#न1ा द!यतल लता का#तमाभो\तकामा || ु पव( सरभसमखी संयुता मडला#तः ू म*या ु ृ वQना#ते वाsLक!त ृ +वभवा प!=नी चो?दतेव || At the end of her death swoon, in ‘this very house’ (Vidooratha’s room) here, in the very ‘space of her Jeevahood’ created by her own intellect, she obtained a beautiful body endowed with deer like eyes and moon-like face, bubbling with youth fit to be enjoyed by her husband. She herself was filled with a desire to enjoy his company like the lotus opening her petals to receive the rays of the sun. Goaded by her previous memory, she wanted to enjoy the company of her husband immediately. Her face set for high speed, she got ready to enter the dome of Padma’s world like waking up from a dream. {Though the second Leelaa had asked for a boon that she should go to the other world with her own physical body, it was impossible because the physical body does not exist in reality. Physical body is just a picture drawn by one’s own mind. So as soon as she died in Vidooratha’s world, she immediately found herself with a beautiful, youthful body as she had wished. Being ignorant she had no way of knowing that her dead body was left back in Vidooratha’s world. What body she had now was a body fit to enjoy pleasures with her husband. Her Vaasanaa for a husband and a companion for pleasure, produced a body fit for such purposes. She had now only one dominant Vaasanaa in her mind that she should immediately enjoy the company of her husband. So her own mind created a body accordingly empowered by Sarasvati’s boon. Vidooratha’s world existed in the harem-space of Padma’s world. Leelaa of Vidooratha was now another Jeeva with her own mind-space around her. She was a character in Padma’s dream. It was as if waking up from one dream to enter another person’s dream. Her mind now created a route to Padma’s world as per her own belief systems.}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke {SECOND LEELAA HAS HER OWN DREAM OF A SPACE JOURNEY} {This Leelaa believed that the Goddess had given her a boon that she will go to Padma’s world with the same physical body. So her mind conceived a beautiful body for her accordingly. She believed that Jnapti would guide her safely in her journey to Padma’s world. So her mind conceived another Goddess, a daughter of Jnapti who will guide her through the journey. Does Jnapti have a daughter? If your mind believes so, any image of anybody can be created instantly from a ghost to a God. This Leelaa believed that the Goddess should have a daughter just like she had one. So her own unconscious part of the mind created a daughter of Jnapti and satisfied her whim.}

अथ लsधवरा दे हेनानेनैव मह:प!तम ् प!तमाQतंु Lया*येषा नभोमागYण +व टपं || इ!त सं>च#*य सान#दम1ाममकर`वजा ु पQलवे ु ु पेलवाकारा पgFणीव नभतले || Then Leelaa who was blessed with the boon by Jnapti thought that ‘that body itself was capable moving in the paths of the sky towards other worlds and reach her husband’ and filled with extreme passion and feeling extremely joyous she floated in the sky like a bird with a very light body. {This Leelaa was ignorant. She believed that her previous body of Vidooratha’s world was now travelling through space after her death. She did not know that her new body was a newly conceived body of her own mind fit for her Vaasanaa fulfillment.}

कमार:ं त सा Lाप Sयैव L?हतां ?हतां ु वसंकJपमहादशा(त ् परतो !नग(ता मव || ु Then she saw in front of heras per her own conception in the mirror of her mindas if a young girl was going ahead of her as if sent by Jnapti for helping her. कमाय( ुवाच ु The young maiden spoke द?हतािम सखी WनQतेः वागतं तेsतु स#दEर ु ु LतीFमाणा *वामेव िथतामीह नभःप>थ ||

“Friend, I am the daughter of Jnapti. Welcome O beautiful maiden. I am waiting only for you standing on this sky-path.” ल:लोवाच Leelaa spoke दे +व भत(ुः समीपं मां नय नीरजलोचने महतां दश(नं यमा#न कदाचन !न फलं || “Devi, take me to my husband, O lotus eyed lady. The vision of the great never goes waste.” ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke ए?ह तैव गTछाव इ*य\*वा सा कमाEरका ु ु परतयाः िथता mयोिNन माग(दश(नत*परा || ु “Come, let us go there only” So saying, that young girl stood in front of her ready to guide her in the sky. तततदनयाता सा Lाप कोटरमंबरं ु !नम(लं करमालाCं यथा लFणले6खका || Following her, Leelaa reached the hollow taintless space of the sky like a fate-line on the surface of the palm. {Sky is taintless void. We draw pictures of our narratives on it. Palm is also just a soft surface of the hand. We interpret the wrinkles on it as our fate lines.}

मेघमागा(नथोJल#…य वातक#धा#तरे गता सय( ू मागा(द भगता तारामाग(मती*य च || वाि}व#@सर स1ानां लोकानJल#…य लाघवात ् ु ु 34म+व णुमहे शानाम ् Lाप 34माडखप(रं ||

Crossing over the layer of clouds first; then again crossing the path of the winds; coming out of the Sun’s path again; then crossing over the sphere of stars; leaping skillfully across the worlds of Vaayu, Indra and the Gods and Siddhas, Brahma Vishnu and Maheshvara; she reached the hollow hole of Brahmaanda – the Cosmic egg. ?हमशै*यं यथा#तथं कNभे s भ#ने ब?हभ(वेत ् ु तथा संकJप स1ा सा 34माडाि#नग(ता ब?हः || She who was empowered by her own Will came out of that Brahmaanda, like the coolness of the ice kept inside the pot spreads outside though the pot remains unbroken. व>च*तमादे हैषा वसंकJपवभावजं अ#तरे वानभव!त _कलैवं नाम +व^मं || ु She who had only the ‘body made of mind’, experienced ‘this type of great delusion’ produced by the ‘natural power of her own conception’ in ‘her own mind’. {The whole journey that occurred between the death state of ignorant Leelaa and her entry into Padma’s bedroom occurred in ignorant Leelaa’s mind itself. Soon after the death swoon, her own mind conceived a beautiful body for her; created Jnapti’s daughter to guide her across the worlds; and created all the scenes of the journey as per her belief system. All these occurrences are her own affirmed conceptions created by the power of her mind which is actually the power of Chit to exist any where as anything as per the perturbations rising in a mind. Vasishta has already mentioned that any perturbation in the Aativaahika state becomes true.}

34मा?दथानमाONय LाQय 34माडखप(रं ततो 34माडपारथा जला.यावरणा!न च || समJलD…य परु: Lाप महा>च.गगना#तरं ु अe टपारपय(#तम!तवेगेन धावता सव(तो गAडेना+प कJपको?टशतैर+प || Then crossing over the worlds of Brahma and others, she reached the hollow hole of the Brahmaanda.

Then crossing over the hollow space of Brahmaanda, crossing over regions filled with waters, she reached the – ‘Great space of Consciousness’the limits of which can never ever be seen by even Garuda, the celestial bird rushing with his maximum speed even in hundred crores of Kalpa times. त 34माडलFा6ण स#*यसंया!न भEरश : ू ता#य#यो#यमe टा!न फलानीव महावने || Countless Lakhs of Brahmaandaas exist there in an abundant manner, unknown to each other like fruits in a huge forest. तैकिम#परसं ु थे +वततावरणाि#वते वेध!य*वा +ववेशा#तब(दरं क मको यथा || ृ She tore through one such thing (Brahmaanda) in front of her, which spread out as if covered with a veil, and entered inside it like a worm crawling into a fruit. पन3( भावरान ् ु 4मे#@+व वा?दलोकानJल#…य ु त#मह:मडलं ीम*Lाप तारापथादधः || Then again jumping over the shining worlds of Brahma, Indra, Vishnu and others, she reached the sphere of the beautiful Earth situated below the star paths. त त#मडलं LाQय त*परंु तTच मडपं L+व)य प पगQतय शवय !नकटे िथता || ु ु Then reaching that sphere, entering inside that city and that dome, she stood near the dead body covered by flowers. एतिम#न#तरे सा च न ददश( कमाEरका म् ु माया मव पEरSातां \वा+प यातां वरानना || Meanwhile that Leelaa of pretty face did not see the young girl (Jnapti’s daughter) who had appeared as if by miracle and who had disappeared now.

मखमालो\य सा तय वभत(ुः शवp+पण: ु इदं ब1 ु वती स*यं L!तभावशतः वतः || अयं स भता( संCामे !नहतो मम स#धना ु वीरलोका!नमान ् LाQय Fणं शेते यथासखं ु || अहं दे mयाः Lसादे न सशर:रै वमीeशं इह LाQतवती ध#या म*समा नाित काचन || Seeing the face of her husband who was a corpse, she understood the truth by her own conception in the mind; ‘This is my husband who was killed by Sindhu in the battle field. He has reached the world of the brave one and is sleeping happily just for a while. By the grace of the Goddess I have reached him with my body intact. I am indeed blessed. There is no one as fortunate as me.’ इ!त सं>च#*य सा हते गह:*वा चाAचामरं ृ वीजयामास च#@े ण .यौEरवाव!नमडलम ् || So thinking, that charmingly youthful Leelaa took the beautiful fan in her hand and started fanning him like the sky fanning the Earth with the moon. {Though Padma was different in looks from Vidooratha, she by her own conception knew the person lying on the bed as her own husband Vidooratha who had died on the battle field. She saw him not as a dead body but as a tired husband sleeping peacefully. She as a devoted wife took over his service and started fanning the king.}

CHAPTER FIFTY NINE {WHAT WILL BE THE REACTION OF PADMA’S WORLD PEOPLE?}

Lब1ल:लोवाच ु The enlightened Leelaa spoke ते भ*याता )च वै दायः स राजा च Lब1वा न् ु ृ वkयि#त वदतां दे +व _कं कयैव कथं >धया || Those servants, those maids, and the king who wakes up – what will they all say about this? How and in what manner will they understand all this?

{IT WILL MAKE NO DIFFERENCE TO THEM}

ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke स राजा सा च ते भ*याः सव( एव परपरं ृ >चदाकाशैकतावेशादावयो)च Lभावतः || महा>च*L!तभास*वा#महा!नय!त!न)चयात ् अ#यो#यमेव प)यि#त मथः संL!तMबिNबतात ् || इयं मे सहजा भाया( ममेयं सहजा सखी ममेयं सहजा राSी भ*योयं सहजो मम || ृ That king, those servants, those maids - all of them being the expression of the same Chidaakaasha, being under our influence, because of the Great Chit manifesting as all this, because of the certainty caused by the great fixed rules (MAHAANIYATI) - will see each other as already acquainted, by reflecting the images of one another in their own minds, as ‘This is my familiar wife’; ‘This is my familiar friend’; ‘This is the familiar queen’; ‘This is my favorite servant’ and so on. केवलं *वमहं सा च यथाव*तमख िडतं ृ Sायाम इदमा)चयK न तु कि)चदपीतरः || Only myself, you and she have the complete knowledge of all these amazing occurrences; others will not know of it in the least.

CHAPTER SIXTY {WHY THIS LEELAA DID NOT GET THE SAME PHYSICAL BODY OF HER PAST LIFE?}

Lब1ल:लोवाच ु Enlightened Leelaa spoke अमनै ु व शर:रे ण _कमथK न गता प!तं एषा वरे ण संLाQता ल:ला ल लतवा?दनी || Why did not Leelaa of charming speech go with this body itself? That is the boon she had obtained!? {Jnapti and enlightened Leelaa are still in Vidooratha’s world. The dead body of the second Leelaa was still lying in Vidooratha’s world}

ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke अLब1>धयः

स1लोका#प ु ु यवशो?दतान ् न समथा(ः वदे हेन LाQतंु Tछाया इवातपान ् || The unenlightened ones cannot reach with their bodies, the worlds of Siddhas attainable only through meritorious actions, like the shade can never ever reach the Sunlight. {Ordinary people like the second Leelaa are not capable of having Aativaahika forms and go to higher worlds which Siddhas traverse at will. She is just a new being conceived by Padma. She has not performed enough merits for obtaining divine form which can move everywhere.} {THE IGNORANT LIVE IN THEIR OWN WORLD OF UNREAL THINGS}

आ?दसगY च !नय!तः था+पते!त Lबो>ध भः यथा स*यमल:केन न मल*येव _कZचन || These rules were ordained by the enlightened beings at the beginning of the Creation, that ‘real should not mix with the unreal in the least’. (Unreal physical body cannot move in higher worlds. )

{This Leelaa is an ignorant person who identifies herself with a physical structure. That is why she asked for such a boon that she should go to her husband’s world with her own physical body. It was a stupid request of a stupid mind, like a child may ask his father to kill the ghost which exists only in his mind. }

याव.वेतालसंकJपो बालय _कल +व.यते !नवताल>धयतावददयतय क: कथं || Y ु The ghost can exist only for the child! How can a person who has no ghost-idea see the ghost? अ+ववेकWवरो ण*वं +व.यते यावदा*म!न तावि.ववेकशीतांशुशै*यं कत ु उदे *यलं || As long as the fever-heat of non-discrimination exists in oneself, how can the cool moon of discrimination rise at all? {The Second Leelaa has no enlightenment. How can the truth be explained to her about the non-existence of the Aadhibhoutika body? For her, the gross body made of elements alone is real. It is an ascertained belief in her.}

अहं पomया ?द दे हः खे ग!तना(ित ममो*तमा ृ इ!त !न)चयवा#योs#तः कथं या*सोs#य!न)चयः || ‘I am the body made of elements’, ‘I cannot properly move in the sky’; he who has the ascertained belief like this in his mind, how can he have any other ascertainment? {Since the second Leelaa believed that she would not be able to exist without a physical form, and since she also believed that she being a physical body cannot travel to other worlds, she asked for the boon that she should move to her husband’s world with her own physical body. Whereas the first Leelaa entered the contemplative state and discarded the body along with her belief in its reality, when she travelled with Jnapti to her past worlds.}

अतो Sान+ववेकेन पुयेनाथ वरे ण च पुयदे हेन गTछि#त परम ् लोकमनेन तु || Therefore, only through discriminative knowledge, or by merits, or by some boon, can people go to other worlds with a meritorious body. श कपणK _कलाDगारे पतदे वाशु द4यते ु अयं दे हमहं देहः LाQत एव +वशीय(ते ||

A dried up leaf turns into ash the instant it falls on the hot embers. The very instant the ‘I-body’ is attained, this gross body vanishes. {I-body – the Aativaahika body which actually is the ego with its collections of ideas and beliefs. Since physical body is just an idea in the mind, it vanishes when one loses contact with it either through death or realization.}

एतावदे व भव!त वरशाप+वजिृ Nभतै: यथा सं>च#*य एवाहं तथा मत || ृ इ!त म!तः ृ This is how it happens to those who are met with a curse or a boon. By believing only, ‘I’ is remembered, in that manner; that is the SMRITI – the memory phenomenon. {Therefore the unenlightened ones retain the memory of their physical forms and reproduce it through their conception after the death swoon experience. Leelaa conceived herself as the most beautiful woman capable of attracting the king. As a second wife, she felt that she should leave no leaf unturned to keep the king attracted to her. In her level she could only think of having a youthful form and passionately bind the king to herself. That is why she obtained a youthful pretty body after her death swoon. What she desired she got it as a boon from Jnapti.}

यः सप(L*ययो रWWवां स कथं सप(काय(कृत ् आ*म#येव ?ह यो नाित तय का काय(काEरता || If one sees a snake in the rope how can he make the snake slither away? What is not there at all in oneself, how can it be made to perform some action? {Since the physical body is just a picture drawn by the mind, how can it be made to exist as real just because the unenlightened Leelaa asked for a boon?}

य*वेतत#मत ु ू ृ इ*येव मoया समनभयते LागRयासय प टय नामैत*L+वजNभते || ु ृ That which is falsely experienced as ‘some one is dead’ exists as a fact strengthened by the repeated ideas of the past. {Since the physical body does not exist at all, how can it die? Death is also a belief developed by going through many ignorant lives in the past. A person can beat the rope thinking it is a snake and kill it. The death of the snake exists only for him. In reality, neither the snake exists nor its death.}

वानभते संस!त^ माः ु ू जगWजाले सगमाः ु ृ ना#यसंकिJपतो नाम सगा(.यRयास ईeशः ||

In this network of world experienced in oneself, the delusions of these recollections are easily gained. These repeated beliefs are not the rules conceived in the Creation by another one. {Death, physical body etc. are not the ordained rules existing in the Creation. They are just delusions of the mind, which again and again appear in every succeeding life as a certainty in the ignorant minds. After all everything is a picture in the mental arena of empty space. These delusions are not the rules ordained by the Creator. }

अ#तरनभयमानाः संसत ु ू ू ृ यो बा4यभतजालानां अ+व?दतवे.यeशाम+प दरेू पNसा मवै #दवं MबNबं || ु The worlds experienced inside the mind appear as existing outside for those ignorant ones who have not realized the Truth, like the men with ailments see a second moon in the distant sky. {The worlds perceived are just projections of the mind. Even the ‘outside’ is an idea ‘inside’ the mind.}

तमा.ये वे.यवे*तारो ये वा धमK परम ् > ताः आ!तवा?हकलोका#ते LाQनव#तीह नेतरे || ु Therefore, those who realize the truths of Vedas or those who take shelter in the Supreme Righteousness (CHIT) attain the world of Aativaahika, not others. {Only the Knower is freed from the delusion o the physical body, death etc. He exists as the Aativaahika body alone and can easily move to other worlds without hindrance. Other ignorant beings who are identified with the physical body cannot ever reach the Aativaahika level; they go through repeated lives of their own conception drowning deeper and deeper into delusory states.}

आ>धभौ!तकदे ह*वं मoया^ममया*मकं कथं स*ये िथ!तं या!त Tछायाते कथमातपे || The aadhibhoutika body is just a false illusion. How can it become a real one? How can the shadow exist in the sunlight? ल:ला +व?दतवे.या नो परमं धम(मा> ता केवलं तेन सा भत(ुः किJपतं नगरं गता || Leelaa is neither a realized person; nor has she taken shelter in the Supreme. She just went to the city conceived by her husband.

{Leelaa of Vidooratha-world is another ignorant being. She actually never visited any higher worlds or was guided by any daughter of the Goddess. Everything was an illusion produced in her own mind. She did not go with the same physical body that died in Vidooratha-world. After death, her mind again conceived a physical body prompted by her own belief in her physical identity. She imagined all this in her mind and found herself in Padma’s world. She travelled from one dream world to another. Higher worlds were not accessible to her.}

CHAPTER SIXTY ONE {NIYATI- ORDAINED LAWS}

Lब1ल:लोवाच ु Enlightened Leelaa spoke एवमेषा Lयातातभता( प)य ममांMबके ु Lव*तः Lाणसं*यागे कत(mयं _क महाधना ु || ृ Let her be gone like that! But look at my husband, O Devi! He is ready to give up his lives. What should be done now? {As the conversation about the second Leelaa was going on, the enlightened Leelaa understood by her own divine power that her husband’s Jeeva was about to leave Vidooratha’s body. She felt apprehensive about his safety. She also wondered about the various mysterious phenomena of the Creation like birth, death etc. She words her doubts to the Goddess.}

भावाभावेषु भावानां कथं !नय!तरागता कथं भयो || ू sQय!नय!तर्म!ृ तज#मा?दस>चता ू कथं वभावसं स+1ः कथं स*ता पदाथ(गा कथं अH#याद:षू ण*वं पo ृ mयादौ िथरता कथं || ?हमा?दषु कथं शै*यं का स*ता कालखा?दषु भावाभावCहो*सग(थलसkमeशः कथं || ू ू कथम*य#तमTuायं तणगJमनरा?दक ं ु ृ ु वतु नाया*य!न ठे s+प िथते वोTuायकारणे ||

How did the ‘laws’ (NIYATI), arise for the presence or absence of objects? How again did arise these ‘non-laws’ (ANIYATI), symbolizing birth death etc.? How do objects get their natural qualities? How does the existence in objects occur? How does the fire remain as hot? How the Earth does remain firm? How does the coolness appear in snow? What is the reality of time and space? How does the cognition of gross and subtle, acceptance and rejection, absence and presence occur? How the reality does not exist for the grass, trees, humans etc. who rise to their maximum heights and who remain as the cause for their own growth though unwished for? {We observe all the species of plant life and animal life grow up to a particular height in their own particular way as controlled by the evolutionary system of nature without any willful purpose on their side. Yet why are they considered as unreal?}

ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke महाLलयसNप*तौ सवा(था(तमये स!त अन#ताकाशमाशा#तं स34मैवाव!त टते || When the great dissolution occurs, when everything ceases to exist, the Supreme Brahman, the endless space of complete tranquillity alone remains! {What is there? What is not there? Only Supreme Brahman exists as the reality. In the absence of all these appearances, the unperturbed, un-ending quietness alone exists.}

तिTच@पतया तेजःकणोsह म!त चेत!त ू वQने सं+व.यथा ?ह *वमाकाशगमना?द च || A lustrous point (TEJOKANAHA,) as the essence of the Chit, cognizes itself as the ‘I’. like the cognition in the dream as ‘you’, ‘floating in the sky’ etc. {In the dream state, the dreamer who is the ‘I’, sees himself as another person and cognizes him as ‘you’; he floats in the sky; fights demons; enjoys the company of a pretty maiden etc. The entire dream world is the dreamer himself; there is no second person there.}

तेजःकणोsसौ थल*वमा*म ना*म!न +व#द!त ू अस*यमेव स*याभं 34माडं त?ददं मतं ृ || This ‘lustrous point’ attains grossness in itself by itself. This is known as the Brahmaanda which though unreal shines as real. {This lustrous point creates differentiation in itself and sees itself as another. It conceives elements as covering it and attains grossness. That is the grossness that is seen all around known by the term ‘Brahmaanda’. It is just a conception arising out of the Chit and not real.}

ता#त3(4म त.वेि*त 34मायमह म*यथ मनोराWयं स कAते वा*मैवं त?ददं जगत ् || ु In that Brahmaanda, Brahma the creator, cognizes himself as ‘I am Brahma’. He creates a kingdom in the mind in his own self; that is this changing phenomenon termed as JAGAT. {The lustrous spark arising in the tranquil state of Chit is the first perturbation, Aakaashaja, the lotus born, the Creator. He conceives the entire changing phenomenon called the Jagat or the world in his own mind.}

तिम#Lथमतः सगY या यथा य सं+वदः क>चततातथा त िथता अ.या+प !न)चलाः || Whatever, wherever, however was cognized at first by Brahma as the perceived world, that alone shines even now as a stabilized phenomenon. {The physical nature of objects, the nature of space and time, the perceiving limitations of the individual minds - all that was fixed by that Brahma according to his creative Vaasanaa. Those rules and restrictions alone continue to exist even now.}

य.यथा फEरतं >च*तं त*तथा 4या*म>च[वेत ् ु वयमेवा!नयमतत*तया#नेह _कZचन || In whatever way the mind shines forth in that way only the individual Consciousness occurs. Nothing ever exists without bound by laws, by itself. {From the beginning whatever system of laws were made to govern the Creation, that alone continues even now . Any character of any individual-self occurs because of the mind shining forth as per the laws ordained at the beginning of the Creation. Nothing exists here without bound by laws.}

न च नाम न_कि#च**वं यWयते +व)वp+पणः ु *य\*वा समतसंथानं हे म !त ट!त वै कथं || The Reality which shines forth as the world, is not a ‘nothing’. How can the gold exist discarding all its forms? {At the time of dissolution the world along with all its beings disappears. That does not mean that the Chit which was shining as the world has become empty and has become nothing. Chit is the sum-total of all appearances ever possible. Either they are manifest or not manifest. There is no ‘emptiness’ in Chit. Gold exists as all the names and forms. As pure gold it cannot exist without such possibilities of shapes. It is its very nature to be all the names and forms like bracelet, ring etc.}

सगा(दौ वयमेवा#ति)च.यथा क>चता*म!न ?हमाH#या?दतया.या+प सा तथाथे वस*तया || In the beginning, in whatever manner the Chit shone forth by itself in itself as snowness and fireness, they exist in that very manner as their individual essence. {In the beginning, Chit alone differentiated itself as all the objects with their own unique qualities and it manifested as fire, snow etc. Those objects exist with the same characters even now.}

तमा*वस*तास#*यागः सतः कतKु न यWयते ु यदा >चदाते तेनेयं !नय!तन( +वन)य!त || Therefore the reality cannot discard its own existence in all the objects. The Niyati or laws cannot ever perish because Chit alone exists as all. {NIYATI – means restraint or check. In this context we may take the word NIYATI to mean the ‘restraining laws’ that govern the existence of objects in this particular creation.} {When Chit alone has become different objects forming the inner essence of differentiation in all, how can those laws which govern these differentiations ever perish? The very heat of the fire or coolness of the snow is the Chit shining forth as their very essence. How can that change?}

य.यथा क>चतं य mयोमpQय+प पा>थ(वं सगा(दौ तय च लतम.ययाव#न यWयते || ु ु Whatever grossness shone forth in whichever manner wherever in the Chidaakaasha at the beginning of the Creation, it is not possible to change it ever.

या यथा >च*Lक>चता L!तपF>चतं +वना न सा ततः Lचल!त वेदनाRयासतः वयं || In whatever manner the Chit has shone forth without any contradiction that cannot be changed by the belief systems of the ignorant minds. {The laws restraining the nature of objects which arose at the beginning of the Chit-manifestation cannot change just because the ignorant believe something to be the truth. Fate, divinity, death, physical body etc. which belong to the belief systems of the ignorant are not real. No contradictory principle is there which can change the laws.}

जगदादावन*प#नं यTचेदमनभयते ु ु ू त*सं+व.योमकचनं वQनीसरतं यथा || ु This world which is experienced was not produced in the beginning at all. Whatever is experienced is the shine of the Chidaakaasha the Conscious-space, like the company of a woman in the dream. {Was there a beginning ever for the world? No! All that was explained till now as laws, belief systems etc are from the level of the Seer. From the level of Para Brahman, there is no world or Creation.}

अस*यमेव स*याभं L!तभान मदं िथतं इ!त वभावसंपि*तEर!त भतानभतयः || ू ु ू ‘Unreal alone appearing to be real exists like this’ this is the experience of the beings when they remain in their true nature (as Self). सगा(दौ या यथा pढा सं+व*कचनसंत!तः सा.याQयच लता#येन िथता !नय!तATयते || In whichever manner whatever was the shine of the Consciousness that occurred at the beginning of the Creation, that continues even now without getting changed by any other thing. That alone is known as Niyati – law governing the Creation. गह:तmयोमसं +वि*त>च.mयोम mयोमतां गतं ृ गह:त ृ कालतासं+विTच#नभः कालतां गतं || गह:त ृ जलसं+वि*त>च.mयोम वाEरवि*थतं वQने यथा पAषः प)य*या*म!न वाEरतां || ु

By the Cognition of space, the Chit-space has become space; by the Cognition of time, Chit-space has become time. by the Cognition of water, Chit-space exists as water. In the dream, the person dreaming himself becomes the water he perceives as water. वQन>च*सं+वदाभा!त भव*येषा यथािथता >चTचम*कारचातया( ु दसदे त*समहते ू || The dreaming Consciousness shines and becomes all the objects as they arise. By the amazing act of the mind, the unreal is understood as real. ख*वं जल*वमवc*वमिHनवाय*वमQयस त् ु ु वे**य#तः वQनसंकJप`यानेि वव >च!तः वयं || These entire unreal phenomena like sky-ness, water-ness, earth-ness, fire-ness, wind-ness etc. are cognized by the Chit within, by its own Will, as in a dream, or imagination or contemplation.

CHAPTER SIXTY TWO {LIFE-SPAN}

मरणान#तरं कम(फलानभवनOमं ु सव(स#दे हशा#*यथK म!त े यकरं शण ृ ृ ु || Listen now to the process of enjoying the fruits of actions after death, to be freed of all doubts and which will prove beneficial to the mortals. pढा?दसगY !नय!तयvक+1Mचतःुशता पवा( ू ?द)वायषः ु पंुसां तया मे !नय!तं शण ृ ु || In the beginning it has been ordained that the life span of beings in each Yuga starting from Kali Yuga (Dvaapara, Tretaa) to Krta Yuga as one hundred, two hundred, three hundred and four hundred years respectively. Listen to my explanation of Niyati in this topic.

दे शकाल_Oया@mयश.`यश1ी ु ु वकम(णां #यन*वे चा>धक*वे च नणां कारणमायषः ू ु || ृ The excess or shortage of place, time, action, ingredient, purity, impurity of one’s own actions decide the life-span of the human beings. {The life span of the humans depends on their own actions and not by a fixed fate. The place where they live, the time in which they live, the ingredients used by them, purity and impurity of their mind, body and action –decide their life span.}

वकम(धमY ”स!त ”स*यायन( ु ण ृ ा मह व1े सममेव भवे*समे || ु ृ व+1मपाया!त ृ The life-span of men decreases if one falls short of one’s own duties; if increased it increases, if normal, it is normal. {The first and foremost duty of all is realizing the Self. Next duty is to develop control over speech, thoughts and actions.}

बालम*यLदै ु यौवनम*ृ यदै ु : ृ ु बा(लो यवा वPम*य (ृ ः कम( भम(!ृ तमT ृ ृ ुLदै वP ृ छ!त || A child dies by those actions which cause death in children; the youth dies by those actions which cause death in the youth; the old die by those actions which cause death in the old. {There is no rule that one should die only after getting old. Any one can die at anytime due to various factors.}

यो यथाशामारsधं वधम(मनु!त ट!त भाजनभव!त ीमा#स यथाशामायषः ु || He who lives his life guided by the scriptures and performs his duties well attains his life-span as ordained in the scriptures. एवं कमा(नुसारे ण ज#तर#*यां दशा मतः ु भव#*य#तं गतवतो e˜Hमम(Tछे दवेदनाः || In this manner, the creature according to his own actions attains the final state (of death) and experiences unaccountable subtle pains at that time.

CHAPTER SIXTY THREE {WHAT HAPPENS AT DEATH?}

Lब1ल:लोवाच ु Enlightened Leelaa spoke मरणं मे समासेन कथये#दसमानने ु _कं सखं म*वा च _कं भवेत ् || ु मरणं _कं वा दःखं ु ृ O Goddess with the moon-like face! Brief me about Death! Is death painful or pleasant? What happens after death? ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke M+वधाः पAषाः सि#त दे हाया#ते ममष( ु ु ू वः मखw ू sथ धारणाRयासी यि\तमा#पA ु ु षतथा || अRयय धारणा!न टो दे हं *य\*वा यथासखं ु Lया!त धारणाRयासी यि\तय\ततथै व च || ु ु Those who die are of three types; the fool; the person who meditates (DHAARANAABHYAASI) and a person who knows the technique (YUKTIYUKTAHA). Here, the person who meditates, practicing meditation discards the body and moves away easily; the wise one also has no problem. {The three types of people mentioned here are – 1. YUKTIYUKTAHA-The person who has realized the Self and who has understood the unreality of the physical body, does not have problem with death. As he has no sense of physical body, death does not exist for him at all. He knows the technique of remaining in the true nature of the Self. 2. DHARAANAABHYAASI-The Second one is a Yogi who has controlled his Praana and can by sheer concentration on the abstract principle move out breaking the Brahma-Randhra. 3. MOORKHAHA - The ordinary ignorant person of the world, who neither follows the yogic methods nor the path of knowledge but lives his life drowned in desires and anxieties of the world. At the time of death he undergoes severe painful experiences because of his uncontrolled mind.}

{FOOL’S EXPERIENCE OF DEATH}

धारणा यय नाRयासं LाQता नैव च यि\त मान ् ु मख( sसौ दःखमे *यवशाशयः || ू ः वम!तकाले ु ृ The fool who has not practiced meditation or who has not understood any technique doubtless attains a painful state at the time of death with his mind not controlled. वासनावेशवैव)यं भावयि#वषयाशयः द:नतां परमामे!त पEरलन मवाNबजम ् || ू ु Helpless by the pull of the Vaasanaas, thinking only about the objects of senses, he attains a pitiable state like the faded lotus. अशासंकतम!तरसWजनपरायणः ृ मतावनभव*य#तदा( हमHना+वव Tयतः ु ु || ृ The fool who does not follow the instructions of the scriptures, who does not seek the company of the noble experiences at the time of death pains as if stumbling into a blazing fire. यदा घघ(रकठ*वं वैpQयं eि टवण(जं गTच*येषोs+ववेका*मा तदा भव!त द:नधीः || When he attains the gurgling of the throat, ugly contours, distortion in sight, this non-discriminating one attains a pitiable state of mind. परमा#`यमनालोको ?दवाQय?दततारकः || ु (He experiences-) complete loss of vision; blindness; flashing stars even in daylight; सा^?दHमडलाभोगो घनमेच_कतांबरः || the entire sky filled with clouds; the dense dark sky; मम(mयथा+वTछEरतः L^मPि टमडलः || ु subtle pains; eyes rolling restlessly;

आकाशीभतवसधो || ू ु वसधाभतखा#तरः ु ू the Earth above and the sky below; the whole world upturned as it were; पEरव*तककQचO उ4यमान इवाण(वे || ु ृ all directions circling like a wheel around him; floating in the sky as it were; नीयमान इवाकाशे घन!न@ो#मखा ु शयः || getting pulled in the sky as it were; the need to fall into dense deep sleep; अ#धकप ू इवाप#नः शला#तEरव योिजतः || feeling as if he is inside a dark deep well; caged as if inside a dense rock; वयं जड़ीभव.वणw +व!नक*त इवाशये || ृ unable to even utter any sound properly; heart torn to pieces; पततीव नभोमागा(त ्तण ृ ावत( इवा+प(तः || falling from the sky like a grass caught in a storm; रथे @त ु इव आpढो ?हमव.गलो#मखः ु || as if travelling in a high speed chariot; as if melting like snow; mयाकव( ु ि#नव संसारं बा#धवानपश ृ ि#नव || the world around him distorted; unable to touch the relatives; ^ मतFेपणेनेव वातय# इवािथतः || as if getting thrown from a missile throwing machine; as if caught in a wind-machine; ^ मतो वा ^म इव क टो रसनयेव || ृ his eyeballs rotating like the fan; bewildered; rolling away as if pulled by a rope;

^मि#नव जलावतY शय# इवा+प(तः || rotating like a machine turning in a whirlpool; Lो4यमाननतण ृ मव वह*पज(#यमाAते || getting blown away like a grass in the stormy winds; आA4य वाEरपरेू ण !नपति#नव चाण(वे || as if caught in the high waves of the flood and falling down into the ocean; अन#तगगने )व^े चOावतY पति#नव || falling inside the deep chasm of a typhoon in the endless sky; अिsधAवc+वपया(सदशामनभवि#थतः || ु experiencing the complete distortion of Earth and oceans; पति#नवानवरतं Lो*पति#नव चा भतः || as if falling endlessly into a never ending hole; as if thrown up from all over; स*काराकण( नो.^ा#तपण( || Y ू ू सवि#@य†णः noisy breathing; all senses in a confused state and wounded condition. OमाTŽयामलतां याि#त तय सवा(Fसं+वदः यथातं गTछ!त रवौ म#दालोकतया ?दशः || Gradually all his senses lose their functioning capacities; the world looks as if covered by darkness arising after the sunset. पवा( ू परं न जाना!त म!ततानवमागता ृ यथा पा)चा*यसं`याते न टा eि ट?द( ग टके || He does not know the past or the present. his memory is lost as it happens in the evening time when eyes fail in their vision.

मन: कJपनसामoयK *यज*यय +वमोहतः || The confused mind discards its power of conception. अ+ववेकेन तेनासौ महामोहे !नमWज!त यदै वामोहमाद*ते नाद*ते पवनतदा || Bereft of discrimination he sinks into a great delusion state. As the delusion increases, he stops breathing. न*वाद*ते यदा Lाणा#मोहमाया*यलं तदा || When the breathing stops, he swoons. अ#यो#यपु टतां यातैमwहसंवेदन^मैः ज#तःु पाषाणतामे!त िथत म*या?दसग(तः || Filled with delusions and confused visions which enhance each other more and more, the creature becomes frozen like a rock. This is the Niyati ruling the world from the beginning.

CHAPTER SIXTY FOUR {IS DEATH REAL?}

Lब1ल:लोवाच ु Enlightened Leelaa spoke mयथां +वमोहं मTछा( #तं ^मं mया>धमचेतनम ् ू _कमथ(मयमाया!त दे हो 4य टाDगवान+प || Why does the body with ‘eightfold nature’ get delusion, swoon, confusion, disease and unconsciousness? { शरः-पा4ण-पाद-ग6य ु -नाभ-7दयाय8टा:गान }

ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke एवं सं+व?हतं कम( सगा(दौ प#दसं+वदा य.यिम#समये दःखं कालेनैतावतेeशं || ु या#मे इ*येव सं+व)य गJमव*त*वभावजं ु वेि*त >च*त+वजNभो*तं ना#यदाित कारणं || ृ In the beginning of the Creation, by the cognizing vibration which arose first the course of action was determined like this. ‘What and at which time pains should arise in course of time in this manner for me’. These rules have formed like a cluster of trees naturally and are experienced by the mind. Nothing else is the reason for all this here. {Everything as to what action of the mind or body will lead to what sort of pain within what span of time – all such laws were determined by the first vibration of cognition (Brahma) at the beginning of Creation. Like the trees increasing into a cluster, these laws get branched into sub-laws and the world is governed by only these laws. Nothing else like fate or divinity creates these experiences with a vengeance against any particular Jeeva.} {WHAT IS DEATH?}

यदा mयथावशा#नाnय: वस#कोच+वकासनैः ग4णि#त माAतो दे हे तदोञ ्झ!त !नजां िथ!तं || ृ At the time of death, the nerves by their contraction and expansion block the air. Then the body loses its natural state. L+व टा न +व!नया(ि#त गताः संL+वशि#त नो यदा वाता +वनाडी*वा*तदा प#दा*म!त ृ भ(वेत ् || The winds inside do not go out and the winds outside do not go in. Because of the frozen condition of the nerves just the vibration of the memory persists. न +वश*येव वातो न !नया(!त पवनो यदा शर:रनाडीवैधय तदा || ु ा(#मत ु ृ इ*यTछते When the wind does not go inside and does not go outside, the nerves stop functioning and the person is known as dead.

{DEATH IS A DEEP ROOTED BELIEF}

आग#तmयो मया नाशः कालेनैतावते!त या पव( ू सं+व?दता सं+व.या!त तTचो?दता म!तं ृ ||

–

‘I have to perish in course of time’ this understanding rising from the past creates the death scene.

{‘The physical body should perish in this manner in course of time’ such a deep-rooted idea of the past recreates the death scene.}

ईeशेन मयेहे*थं भाmय म*या?द सग(जा सं+व.बीजकला नाशं कदाचन गTछ!त || The seed form of the cognition that ‘I am so and so; I have to think like this;’ which arose at the beginning, does not ever perish. {DEATH IS ANOTHER PERCEIVED PHENOMENON}

सं+वदो वेदनम ् नाम वभावोsmय!तरे कवान ् तमा*वभावसं+व*तेना(#ये मरणज#मनी || These experiences are the very nature of the cognizing phenomenon. The Cognizer is not different from the cognition. Death, birth etc are natural properties of the cognition. They do not exist as separate realities. {When one is freed from the binding of Cognizer-cognized phenomenon he is liberated and does not undergo the pangs of births and deaths.}

\व>चदाव!ृ तम*सौNयम ् \व>च#न.यां जलं यथा \व>चसौNयम ् \व>चWजीवधमदं Y चेतनम ् तथा || Like the river sometimes is filled with whirling waters, sometimes very calm, the Consciousness is quiet sometimes, and perturbed as a Jeeva sometimes. {The very nature of the river is to be sometimes wild with whirling waters and sometimes a calm flow of waters. Consciousness is somewhat like that. A Jeeva can be described as a whirling perturbation in the river of Consciousness, which otherwise is in a tranquil state.}

{BIRTHS AND DEATHS ARE POINTS WHERE PERCEIVED WORLD CHANGES}

यथा लतायाः पवा(6ण द:घा(या म`यम`यतः तथा चेतनस*ताया ज#मा!न मरणा!न च || The births and deaths of the cognizing Consciousness are like the knots found at intervals in the stem of the long creeper. {DEATH IS NOT REAL}

न जायते न ‹यते चेतनं पAषे \व>चत ् ु वQनसं^मव[ा#तमेत*प)य!त केवलं || The conscious being never is born; never dies. Births and deaths are just delusions seen as in the dream. {CONSCIOUSNESS CANNOT PERISH}

पAष)चे तनमां स कदा \वेव न)य!त ु चेतनmय!तEर\त*वे वदा#यि*कं पमा#भवे त ् || ु The embodied Purusha is of the nature of pure Consciousness. When and where can it perish? What else is the embodied person but the Consciousness? कोs.ययावन ्मत ू चेतनं कय _कं कथं ृ म ् 3?ह

‹य#ते दे हलFा6ण चेतनं िथतमFयं || Tell me till now whose Consciousness has died and how? Lakhs of bodies die; but the Consciousness is imperishable. अमEर य#न वै >च*तमेकिम#नेव त#मते ृ अभ+व य*सव(भावम!तरे || ृ कमता+वह ृ If the undying mind perishes with one person then all things will cease to exist even if one person dies.

{Jeevas are just channels for Vaasanaa manifestations. The Consciousness which perceives through them is the same though individual selves appear to be different. Therefore death can occur only to the physical body. Rather an appearance of death occurs and that particular Jeeva-channel gets switched off. That is termed as death. But the Consciousness which is manifesting as the mind of that individual Jeeva does not cease to exist. It creates another world there itself to manifest more Vaasanaas as another Jeeva channel with the same mind-set. If every time a person dies, the Consciousness acting as the mind also perishes, then the whole world will cease to exist with the death of one single person. Consciousness cannot perish!}

वासनामावै>चyयं यWजीवोsनभवे ु *वयं तयैव जीवमरणे नामनी पEरकिJपते || The ‘changing structure’ of the Vaasanaas which the Jeeva himself experiencesthat alone is given the name of ‘birth and death’. {The shift from the experience of one set of Vaasanaas to another set of Vaasanaas, become death in one world and birth in another world.}

एवं न कि)चि#‹यते जायते न क)चन वासनावत(गतष Y ु जीवो लठ ु !त केवलं || Therefore, no one gets born or dies; the Jeeva just withers in the hollow pits of the Vaasanaas. अ*य#तासंभवादे व e)ययासौ च वासना ना*येवे!त +वचारे ण eढSातैव न)य!त || By complete non occurrence of the Seen, and the understanding of the fact that the Vaasanaa does not rise at all, the Vaasanaa perishes. {When one realizes his true nature and remains in the state of Para Brahman, there do not arise any Vaasanaas all. One ceases to act as a mere channel for Vaasanaa fulfillment. Jeeva is just an inert channel for the Vaasanaas to get fulfilled. The name, form and the physical body which form the identity of the individual self in this world are all just delusions of the mind. Actually no one exists as a person. No one has any importance as a person, be it a God or a human. All names and forms are just various channels for the Chit to cognize various Vaasanaa fulfillments. Each Vaasanaa creates a world with particular boundaries of space and time and finishes its course. Whereas humans act like puppets without any control, Gods remain in the Chit state always and become the channels for the particular Vaasanaas knowingly remaining in full control of their minds. Brahma is the creative Vaasanaa channel; Vishnu is the channel for the Vaasanaa of maintaining the worlds; Shiva is the channel for the Vaasanaa of destruction. Other than these natural functions allotted to them, the Gods create new Vaasanaas for sport and have their own narrative-lives in their own worlds. But they never swerve from the state of Self. So they are immortals. They can rise again and again and play around as Gods. But the mortals are just slaves for the Vaasanaas. When a desire arises they just rush after its fulfillment without control and suffer the consequences. They identity with the non-existing physical forms and drown deeper and deeper into the hollow pits of ignorance.}

अन?दतम?दतं जग*Lब#धं ु ु भवभयतोsRयसनै+व(लो\य सNयक् अलम?दतवास नो ?ह जीवो ु भव!त +वम\त इतीह स*यवतु || ु The narrative of the world unfolds every day. If the Jeeva observes (understands) well and by constant practice does not allow the Vaasanaa to rise at all, then he becomes liberated. This is indeed true.

CHAPTER SIXTY FIVE {WHAT IS DEATH? WHAT IS BIRTH?}

Lब1ल:लोवाच ु Enlightened Leelaa spoke यथैव ज#त ‹( ु यते जायते च यथा पनः ु त#मे कथय दे वे श पनबwध+ववPये ु ृ || Tell me for my own enlightenment, how the Jeeva repeatedly dies and gets born? ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke नाडीLवाहे +वधरेु यदा वात+वसंिथतं ज#तःु LाQनो!त ?ह तदा शाNयतीवाय चेतना || When the creature attains a state where the nerves stop functioning; the air ceases its movement inside; the Consciousness fades out as it were.

श1ं ु ?ह चेतनं !न*यं नोदे !त न च शाNय!त थावरे जDगमे mयोिNन शैलs े Hनौ पवने िथतं || Actually the Consciousness is pure and never rises or fades. It exists in moving and non moving things, in the sky, in the hill, in the fire, in the wind. {Whatever is perceived as an object is nothing but the Cognizing Consciousness itself becoming that cognized object. How can it fade?}

केवलं वातसंरोधा.यदा प#दः LशाNय!त मत दे हतदासौ जडनामकः || ु ृ इ*यTछते When the vibration in the body stops due to the cessation of the air movement, the body is known as dead; it is inert.

{DEATH MEANS ONE ‘VAASANAA SET’ GOT CLEARED OFF}

तिम#दे हे शवीभते ू वाते चा!नलतां गते चेतनं वासनाम\तं वा*मत**वेsव!त ट!त || ु When the body becomes a corpse and the breath joins the winds, the cognizing Consciousness is freed of the Vaasanaa and exists in the principle of the Self. जीव इ*यTछते तय नामाणोवा(सनावतः ु तैवाते स च शवागारे गगनके तथा || ततोsसौ Lेतशsदे न LोTयते mयवहाEर भः चेतनं वासना म मामोदा!नलवि*थतं || It is of the essence the Vaasanaa and is called the Jeeva. It exists in that space around the corpse. Then it is known by the name of Preta by the learned. It is the Consciousness mixed with Vaasanaas like the wind filled with fragrance.

{What happens at the time of death? The air stops its flow through the body. The body becomes motionless and inert. Such a state is known as Death. Chit, the Supreme Reality which was acting through that form of the Jeeva now is freed of that particular Vaasanaa and remains in its own nature of the Self. What is left over of the Jeeva is another collection of Vaasanaas, together with the previous dominant memories, ideas, belief systems, thoughts etc. It is not a ghostly apparition; it is has no form. It cannot interact with the world where it has experienced death. It is just a Mind-space. It is in the same place where the death occurred. It cannot be seen by any one. It is known by the name PRETA, ‘one who has moved out’. It is just Consciousness with another set of unmanifest Vaasanaas. It is the mind which is ready for another life in another world. The mind by the power of the Chit immediately creates another world according to the Vaasanaa pattern and starts acting as a channel for the Vaasanaa fulfillment. It happens in the very space where the death of the previous body occurred. Again a death occurs in the new life. In that very space where the corpse lies inert, the Jeeva again creates another world of cognition. Again a death occurs in the new life……!!! The process continues without end. In every life new attachments develop, new Vaasanaas develop and Jeeva goes on acting as a machine for the fulfillment of the Vaasanaas, without any control over himself or the world his mind creates for him. All the worlds exist each within the other in the same point of Chit producing various space time phenomena. It all happens instantly inside the Chidaakaasha which is not bound by any time perception.}

इदं e)यं पEर*यWय यदाते दश(ना#तरे स वQन इव संकJप इव नानाकृ!ततदा || As the Jeeva rejects ‘this Seen’ and remains outside ‘this vision’, he assumes various forms as if dreaming, as if imagining. तिम#नेव Lदे शs े #तः पव( न ् भवेत ् ू व*म!तमा ृ तदै व म!तमTछा( #ते प)य*य#यशर:रकं || ू ृ He becomes endowed with memory as before and perceives another body at that very place in that very instant after the death swoon. {After the death swoon, the Jeeva is disconnected from the previously perceived world and the body he had identified with till its death. He remains as space, with only the memories of the previous existence. Immediately the mind produces a body for him and he perceives another world and starts experiencing the perceptions there. Since it is his own Mind-world, he alone assumes the form of the multifarious objects as in a dream or imagination.}

आ*म#यित घटाप ट ु म#यय mयोम केवलं आकाशभतले साकं साकाशश शचामरं || ू In his own mind exist the sky and the Earth along with the sky with its chowrie of moon like a swelled up cloud; for others it is just empty space only.

{In that very space next to his previous death scene he sees a world complete with Sun, Moon and stars and continues his life anew. The memory of the previous identity is lost for him. The new world envelops him like a bloated cloud. But the others who are with the dead body do not see or know his world. They see only empty space there. } {DEPARTED SOULS}

भवि#त षिnवधाः Lेतातेषां भेद ममं शण ृ ु सामा#यपा+पनो म`यपा+पनः थलपा+पनः || ू सामा#यधमा( म`यमधमा( चो*तमधम(वान ् एतेषां कय>च[े दो .वौ योsQयथ कय>चत ् || There are six types of Pretas! Listen to me now! Ordinary sinners; medium sinners; gross sinners; ordinary good ones; medium good ones; and the best of good ones. Some division could be characterized by two or some by three sub-divisions. {THE MOST IGNORANT SINNER}

कि)च#महापातकवा#व*सरम ् म!त ू नं ृ मTछ( +वमूढोsनभव*य#त : पाषाणjदयोपमः || ु Amongst these, the most sinful one, who is the most ignorant of all, experiences the swoon of death for a year or so like a mind made of stone. ततः कालेन संबु1ो वासनाजठरो?दतं अनभय || ु ू >चरं कालं नारकं दःखमFयं ु भ\*वा यो!नशता##यTचै ु ु द(ःु खाPुःखा#तरं गतः कदा>चTछममाया!त संसारवQनसं^मे || Then he wakes up in the course of time by the force of the Vaasanaa, experiences ceaseless pains of hells for a long time, goes through hundreds of wombs, moves through more and more increasingly painful states, and very rarely gets a respite in this grand dream of the worldly existence. अथवा म!तमोहा#ते जडदःखशताकलां ु ु ृ FणावF ु वि#त ते || ृ ा?दतामेव त*थामनभ ववासनानpपा6ण दःखा!न नरके पनः ु ु ु अनभयाथ योनीषु जाय#ते भतले >चरात ् || ु ू ू

Or, at the end of the death swoon, these sinners of the worst type experience innumerable pains as inert bodies situated inside trees etc. in a second; then they experience pains in the hell again according to their Vaasanaas and go through innumerable wombs for a long time on this Earth. {THE MEDIUM SINNER}

अथ म`यमपापो यो म!तमोहादन#तरं ृ स शलाजठरं जाnयं किZच*कालं Lप)य!त || ततः Lब1ः ु कालेन केन>च.वा तदै व वा !तय(गा?दOमैभु\ ( *वा योनीः संसारमे य!त || The medium sinner, after the swoon of death perceives inertness inside the belly of the rock for some time. Then waking up after a long time, or sooner itself goes through the experiences of lower creatures and slowly evolves. {THE ORDINARY SINNER}

मत कि)च.सामा#यपातकh ु ृ एवानभव!त ववासनानसारे ु ण दे हं संप#नमFतं || स वQन इव सं#कJप इव चेत!त ताeशं तिम#नेव Fणे तय म!त ु !त च || ृ Eर*थमदे The ordinary sinner experiences continuously many bodies according to his Vaasanaas even as he lies dead. He perceives the world as conceived by him or like a dream. At that very moment his memories produce for him future worlds. {Ordinary sinner is just an ordinary man of the world moving through life blinded by ignorance and driven by selfishness.}

{THE EXCELLENT GOOD ONES}

येतू*तममहाप ु या म!तमोहादन#तरं ृ वग(+व.याधरपरंु म*या वनभवि#त ते || ु ृ The best of good ones after the swoon of death, experience heaven or worlds of Vidyaadharas through their merits.

ततोs#यकम(सeशं भ\*वा s#य फलं !नजं ु जाय#ते मानषे ु लोके स ीके सWजनापदे || They experience their own left over results of actions good or bad in some other forms and later get born in the mortal world in a prosperous and good family. {MEDIUM GOOD ONES}

ये च म`यमधमा(णो म!तमोहादन#तरं ृ ते mयोमवायव लताः Lया#*योष>धपJलवं || ु त चाAफलं भ\*वा L+व)य jदयं नणां ु ृ रे तसाम>ध!त टि#त गभY जा!तOमो>चते || The medium good ones, after the swoon of death enveloped by the winds of the sky enter the plant life. They experience the fruit of their actions there; enter the heart of the mortals and reside in their sperms; and enter the womb as per the merit or demerit of their actions. {If one has led the life as an animal, he is uncontrollably led towards painful births without his ‘will’. If one has performed meritorious actions, he enjoys the fruits of his actions in higher worlds and gets born in a rich and prosperous family after the merit account gets over. If one is just an ordinary person eking out a living without either committing sins or performing meritorious deeds, if he only has unfulfilled desires, he will get those desires fulfilled in his future lives after the death. But unless one realizes his own true nature as the Supreme Self, there is no end for the continuous processes of births and deaths.}

{‘AFTER-DEATH’ EXPERIENCES} {A person goes through ‘after-death experiences’ according to his own belief system.}

ववासनानसारे ु ण Lेता एतां mयविथ!तं मTछा( #तेsनभव#*य#तः OमेणैवाOमेण च || ू ु Such are the experiences of Pretas after the swoon of death. It can be any experience in the mind based on their own conceptions.

आदौ मता तदनOमा त् ु ु ृ वय म!त ब.`य#ते ब#ध+प ु डा?ददानेन Lो*प#ना इ!त वे?दनः || ततो यमभटा एते कालपाशाि#वता इ!त नीयमानः LयाNये भः Oमा.यमपरं ि*व!त || ु They first understand they are dead. They feel that they are propitiated by rice balls in the funeral rites as it were; pulled away by Lord Yama’s servants as it were; They enter Yama’s world as it were. उ.याना!न +वमाना!न शोभना!न पनःपनः ु ु वकम( भAपा*ता!न ?दmयानी*येव पुयवान ् || The ‘meritorious one’ conceives of heaven and its beautiful gardens and divine experiences as it were again and again according to the results of his own actions. ?हमानीकठक)व^शपवना!न च वकम( दष ु ्कृतो*था!न संLाQतानी!त पापवान ् || The sinner conceives of snow-drifts, stings, chasms, weapon wounds, dry leaves, forests as it were as a result of his own wicked actions. {MEDIUM GOOD PERSON}

इयं मे सौNयसंपाता सर6णः शीतशा.वला िनHधTछाया वापीका परःसं थे!त म`यमः || ु The medium good one conceives that ‘This is a pleasant path with cool green grasslands on the sides; pleasant shades are there; water-well with delicious waters is there.’ as it were. अयं LाQतो यमपरमहमे ष स भतपः ु ू अयं कम(+वचारो s कत न ् || ु ू ृ इ*यनभ!तमा

‘I have reached the city of Yama, the Death-God. He, the Lord of all mortals is in front of me. My actions are getting the due rewards or punishments.’ He experiences all this as it were. {WHAT YOU BELIEVE, THAT YOU EXPERIENCE}

इ!त L*येकमRये!त पथ ृ ःु संसारखडकः यथासंिथत!नःशेषपदाथा(चारभासरः ु || Everyone separately experiences a world of their own conception according to the results of their actions. आकाश इव !नःश#ये श#या*मै व +वबोधवान ् ू ू दे शकाल_Oयादै …य(भासरो ु s+प न _कZचन || A dead person experiences all the worlds- hell or heaven or any other world in the void as a void only. Though all worlds appear as solid and real with space time boundaries, nothing exists actually. इतोsयमा?द टः वकम(फलभोजने गTछाNयाशु शभं ु वग( मतो नरकमेव च || यः वगwsयं मया भ\तो भ\तो sयं नरकोsथ वा ु ु इमाता योनयो भ\ता जायेsहं संसत ु ु || ृ ौ पनः अयं शा लरहं जातः Oमा*फलमहं िथतः इ*यदक ु ( Lबोधेन ब. ु `यमानो भ+व य!त || ‘Here I am bound to enjoy the fruits of my actions; I may go to hell or the auspicious heaven accordingly; this heaven is experienced by me; or this hell is experienced by me; I may go through many wombs; I will get reborn again in this world; I am inside the crop now; I have become a fruit of the crop;’ so he conceives successive states; संसुQतकरण*वेवं बीजतां या*यसौ नरे त.बीजं यो!नग लतं गभw भव!त मातEर || स गभw जायते लोके पव( ू कमा(नुसारतः भmयो भव*यभmयो वा बालको ल लताक!तः || ृ

He again slips into deep sleep and becomes a seed in the human; that seed enters the uterus and resides in the mother’s womb; that creature in the womb gets born in a good or bad family according to the results of one’s own actions of the past; becomes a child of a delicate lovely form; ततोsनभवती#.वाभं यौवनम ् मदनो#मखं ु ु ततो जरां प=मखे ु ?हमाश!न मव Tयुतां || ततोs+प mया>धमरणं पनम( ु रणमT ू छ( नाम ् पनः ु वQनवदायातं +पडैदY हपEरCहं || याNयं या!त पनलwक ं पनरे ु ु व ^मOमं भयो ू भयो ू sनभ ु व!त नानायो#य#तरोदये || इ*याजवं जवीभावमामोFम!तभासरंु भयो mयोNयेव mयोमpपवान ् || ू भयो ू sनभव!त ु then a youth-state pleasant like the moon, hankering after love; then hit by old age like the lotus by the snowfall; then diseases; then death; then again the swoon of death; then in a dream like state accepting the rice balls offered in the funeral rites; again other worlds; again wandering in various manners; again and again he experiences births in many wombs; he repeats the process again and again without slowing down till he attains liberation. He experiences the same things again and again as ‘void’, in the ‘void’!

CHAPTER SIXTY SIX Lब1ल:लोवाच ु Enlightened Leelaa spoke आ?दसगY यथा दे वी ^म एष Lवत(ते तथा कथय मे भयः || ू Lसादा.बोधव1ये ृ How did this delusion start off in the beginning? Explain all this and bless me with enlightenment.

ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke {BRAHMAN}

परमाथ(घनं शैलाः परमाथ(घनं @माः ु परमाथ(घनं पथ ृ ्वी परमाथ(घनं नभः || The hills are dense with Supreme Reality. The trees are dense with Supreme Reality. The Earth is dense with Supreme Reality. The sky is dense with Supreme Reality. सवा(*मक*वा*स यतो यथोदे !त >चद:)वरः परमाकाशश1ा*मा त त भवे*तथा || ु That is the Self of all; the Supreme space of taintless nature. From wherever, in whatever way, it arises, there and all, the Lord of consciousness remains as that. {BRAHMA}

सगा(दौ वQनपAष#याये ना?दLजाप!तः ु यथा फटं ु Lक>चततथा.या+प िथता िथ!तः || In the beginning, whatever the Supreme Chit conceived in the form of Brahma, the dreaming person, that alone exists even now. Lथमोसौ L!तप#दः पदाथा(नां ?ह MबNबकं L!तMबिNबतमेतमा*तद.या+प संिथतं || He is the first vibration. The images of the objects were reflected in his mind. They exist even now in the same manner.

{How does Chit become this emergent Universe? If Chit is all, then why are all objects not conscious? What is life? Is every object alive? Such questions are answered here. What is life? Mind projects first a shape- a hollow shape; fills it up with the essence of the wind. This makes the hollow shape move, because of the principle of movement inherent in the wind. Then that shape is termed as a living thing.} {Anila -अन ् इत जीवत अनेन – some energy level which makes the inert matter move or react to the surrounding phenomena. It need not be taken to mean ordinary air filled with gaseous substance. }

{LIFE IS SOME MOVEMENT WHICH OCCURS BECAUSE OF THE AIR-FLOW}

य#नाम स+षरं थानं दे हानां त.गतोs!नलः ु करो*यDगपEरप#दं जीवती*यTयते ततः || ु The hollow portion of the body is filled with wind. It produces the movement in the body; then one is supposed to ‘live’. {Are all objects filled with air alive? The moving animals and plants are only said to be alive. Movement is not just movement or structural change. The awareness (not ‘consciousness’ which means understanding or knowing) of the environment and reacting to it is what makes them alive.}

{ANIMALS AND PLANT-LIFE ARE ALIVE}

सगा(दावेवमेवैषा जDगमेषु िथता िथ!तः चेतना अ+प !नःप#दातेनैते पादपादयः || This is the state of the moving beings from the beginning of the Creation. The trees etc. are also alive yet without movement. {If Chit is the essence of all, why all objects are not conscious? Chit cognizes through these live shapes; the live shapes evolved enough to have the neural mechanism, become conscious cognizers who understand the world around them. It does not cognize through all the objects that are there.}

{CHIT IS ALL; YET LIVE OBJECTS ARE CHOSEN AS COGNIZING AGENTS}

>चदाकाशोsयमेवाNशम ् कAते चेतनो?दतं ु स एव सं+व[व!त शेषं भव!त नैव तत ् || The Chidaakaasha alone forms the essence of objects that rise as live objects. That alone becomes the Cognizer also. Rest of the objects do not become like that.

{How does cognition occur in the grosser level? The Chit becomes an agent of Vaasanaa fulfillment and is known as Jeeva (living thing) in that level. The mind projects the ‘mechanism of the eye’ as a further extension of the brain (neural configurations) or Buddhi. This eye creates the ‘patterns in the void’ as per the Vaasanaas that arise at that particular Jeevapoint. But eye or neural configuration alone does not make up the Cognizer. Chit willfully uses the channel of the eye and ‘becomes’ various objects with various shapes as per the Vaasanaa manifestation. Vaasanaa for a flower may create the apt neural configuration and the eye may paint a garden of flowers using a light source. Vaasanaa for food may become a restaurant or kitchen. Vaasanaa for kindness may become the suffering beings and so on. Is the ‘Brain with the Eye’ the Jeeva? Eye or brain is not the Jeeva level of the Chit. Chit as the cosmic mind of Brahma projects various shapes through the eye and the brain. Only ‘this particular system of brain extended as the eye’ can be a unit of Cognizer and the cognized. All shapes that we see in the world do not become Jeevas though Chit is the essence of each and everything.}

{EYE PAINTS THE WORLD AS DIRECTED BY THE VAASANAAS} {EYE IS NOT A JEEVA BUT}

नरोपा>धपरंु LाQतं चेत*यgFपट ु ं नयत ् त*तया नाgF>चWजीवं नो जीव*येव सग(तः || It (Chit) first becomes a collection of Vaasanaas branded as a human; reaches the perceiving mechanism termed the eye. The eye is not the Jeeva, even with the Chit cognizing through it. Because all the objects in the creation are not said to be alive, (though Chit alone manifests as those objects). {अचि?वश8टं जडं – Conscious- inert empowered by Chit.}

{The names that the creator invented for those objects continue to be used by the individual minds in his creation. Those characteristics he cognized as belonging to those objects are similarly cognized by the individual minds too. After all, individual minds are also projections of his mind only.}

{SHAPES ARE RECOGNIZED THROUGH NAMES OR SOUNDS}

वFा या नामा#तःथाः वसं+वदः ु ृ णामपलानां ब.`या?द+व?हता#ये व ता!न तेषा म!त िथ!तः|| ु The intellect in the beginning recognized the objects as trees or rocks. That trend alone continues even now. +वदो#तःथावरादे या(तया ब.`यातथा िथतेः ु अया भधानाथानाथा(ः संकेतैरपरै ः िथताः || The cognizing minds understood the moving and non-moving as different and named them in various ways as such; as agreed upon by everyone. क मकh टपतDगानां या नामा#तःवसं+वदः ृ ता#येव तेषां ब.`याद:#य भधाथा( !न का!न>चत ् || ु More names came up when the cognizing minds named the insects and worms and butter-flies as per their understanding.

CHAPTER SIXTY SEVEN

{EACH COGNIZER IS UNAWARE OF THE OTHER’S COGNITION}

यथो*तरािsधजनता दgFणािsधजनं िथतं न _किZचद+प जाना!त !नजसंवेदनाeते || The people residing in the region of the northern ocean do not know in the least the cognitions of those people residing in the region of the southern ocean.

{LANGUAGES AND UNDERSTANDING MAY DIFFER; COGNITION IS THE SAME}

वसंSानभवे ल:नातथा थावरजDगमाः ु परपरं यदा सवY वस#केतपरायणाः || All moving and non moving things are absorbed in their own separate cognized worlds. They communicate with each other by agreeing upon terms which they have invented. {EACH COGNIZER EXPERIENCES A DIFFERENT WORLD AS PROJECTED BY HIS BRAIN}

यथा शला#तःसंथानां ब?ह टानां च वेदनं असWजडं च भेकानां मथोs#ततथषां ु तथा || The cognition of those outside is unreal for the frog staying inside the rock. The cognition of the frog inside the rock is not real for those outside. {There is no one single solid world with absolute space and time. Each brain or the Cognizer is aware of a world unique to its own understanding and field of experiences.}

{THE LIFE-FORCE}

सवK सव(गतं >च*तं >च.mयोNना य*Lचे!ततं सगा(दौ चोपनं वायःु स इहा.या+प संिथतः || The ‘cognizing faculty’ is everywhere empowered by the Chidaakaasha. In the beginning the wind was the vibratory principle. Even now it remains the same. {Mind projects a world of objects empowered by the Chit-space or the Conscious principle. The wind was projected as the principle of movement. The wind with movement as its essence empowers life even now.}

चे!ततं य*तु सौ+षय(म ् त#नभत माAतः प#दा*मे*या?दसगहाः पदाथYि वव चोपनं || Y

The emptiness cognized became the sky. Inside that sky, the vibrating principle is cognized as the wind. The vibratory principle of the wind creates the movement in the world. The objects move because of that. {Chit is the Cosmic mind which projects all the objects creating a void. Mind alone takes the shape of all the objects with different characteristics. The void is filled with the essence of vibration (energy level) termed wind. Wind fills some hollow shapes and creates movement in them. Those shapes are differentiated as living things. (Animals and plants). Names are invented to differentiate the shapes. Mind again projects the intellect and the eye in some living shapes and becomes a channel for Vaasanaa – manifestation. Vaasanaas paint a field of experience for every Cognizer using the brush of the brain endowed with the eye.}

>च*तं तु परमाथन Y थावरे जDगमे िथतं चोपना#य!नलैरेव भवि#त न भवि#त च || The ‘cognizing faculty’ being the ‘principle of the Supreme reality’ in essence, exists in all the objects-‘moving and non-moving’. The movement of air alone makes the difference between living and inert objects. {BRAHMAN IS ALL}

एवं ^ाि#तमये +व)वे पदाथा(ः सं+वदं शवः सगा(?दषु यथैवास#तथैवा.या+प संिथताः || In this manner the objects seen in this delusory world are the Consciousness Principle in essence. Whatever way it randomly occurred in the beginning of the Creation, that alone is perceived as such even today. यथा +व)वपदाथा(नां वभावय +वजिृ Nभतं अस*यमेव स*याभं तदे त*क>थतं तव || I have explained to you in detail how the objects of the world with their unique natures though unreal appear as real.

CHAPTER SIXTY EIGHT {VIDOORATHA’S JOURNEY AFTER DEATH}

ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke अयमतं गतः Lायः प)य राजा +वदरथः ू मालाशवय प=य प*यते या!त j.गतं || ु Look! King Vidooratha has left this body. His Jeeva will presently enter the heart of king Padma’s body covered by garlands. Lब1ल:लोवाच ु Enlightened Leelaa spoke केन मागण Y दे वे श या*येष शवमडपं एनमेवाशु प)य#*यावावां गTछाव उ*तमे || Which path will this Jeeva follow to enter the room of the dead body O Goddess? Let us both follow him quickly and see how he goes O Excellent one. ी दे mयवाच ु Devi spoke मन यवासना#तथं माग(मा> *य गTछ!त ु एषोsहमपरम ् लोकं दरंू यामी!त >च#मयः || He will go through the path as pictured inside the Vaasanaas of his human state thinking ‘I will travel to a different world’. मागYणैवमनेनैव यावतेयेन संमतं परपरे Tछा+विTछि*तन( ?ह सौहाद( ब#धनी || We will go through the same path as desired by you. Between friends, wants do not make any difference.

{‘Whatever path Vidooratha imagines, as prompted by his belief systems or residual tendencies, his mind will project it for him as a reality. We both will follow him and see what his Jeeva perceives as the after-life experience. Your wish is my wish also’ – says Jnapti.}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke इ!त +व?हतकथागत\लमायां परमe+ष Lसते ृ +वबोधभानौ नप!तवरसतामनयदारे +वग लत>च*तजडो +वदरथो ु ु ू sभत ू ् || ृ As the sun of enlightenment rose in the pure mind of the king’s cherished daughter Leelaa, as the talks about the Supreme reality removed her fatigue, Vidooratha meanwhile became inert with the mind getting absorbed within. {The king fainted ready to die.}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke एतिम#न#तरे राजा पEरव*ताgFतारकः ृ बभवै षः श क सताधरः || ू कतनLाणशे ु ु Meanwhile all the limbs of the king became paralyzed and he was left with just a subtle life force; his eyeballs were rolling; his lips became dry and bloodless white. जीण(पण(सवणा(भः FीणपाडमखTछ+वः ु ु भD ृ ग`व!नतसTछाय)वासकजा+वक ू ू 6णतः || His body was colorless like the dried up leaf; the luster of the face had paled out; his breath flowed very slow making a noise like the humming of the bee. महामरणमूZछा#धकपे ू !नप!तताशयः अ#त!न(ल:न!नःशेषनेाद:ि#@यवि*तमा न ् || ृ >च#यत इवाकारमाe)यो +वचेतनः !नःप#दसवा(वयवः सम*कhण Y इवोपले || ु

बहुना _कम\ते ु न तनदे ु शेन तं जहौ Lाणः +पप!तषुम ् वFं ृ वं पFीवा#तEरFगः || His mind sinking as if falling down the deep well of death swoon; his eyes and other senses withdrawn inside fully; lying senseless and looking like a picture only, as if drawn on the canvas; all his limbs lying motionless as if carved on the stone; what more to say – the vital force left him discarding the body-region like the bird flying out from its tree about to fall. ते तं दeशतबा( ु ले ?दmयe ट: नभोगतं जीवं Lाणमयी सं+व.ग#धलेश मवा!नले || The two young maidens saw through their ‘divine vision’, that Jeeva, that ‘cognizing faculty’ endowed with the ‘vital force’, like the fragrance carried by the wind. सा जीवसं+व.गगने वातेन म लता सती खे दरंू ग#तमारे ु भे वासनान+व ु धा!यनी || The Jeeva principle got mixed with the wind in the sky, and immediately started moving far, following its Vaasanaa. तामेवानससाराथ ी.वयं जीवसं+वदं ु ^ामर:यगलं वातलHनां ग#धकला मव || ु The two ladies followed the Jeeva principle, like a pair of bees following the line of fragrance. ततो महत( ु ू माेण शा#ते मरणमT ू छ( ने अNबरे बबधे ु ु सं+व.ग#धलेखेन वायना ु || Then as the death-swoon subsided within seconds, the Jeeva woke up in the sky like the wave of the fragrance by the wind. अप)य*पA ( ु: ु षा#याNया#नीयमानं च तैवप ब#ध+प ु डLधानेन शर:रं जातमा*मनः ||

He saw his body getting carried by Yama’s men. He also observed his body getting formed by the sacred rice balls offered at the funeral. मागY कम(फलोJलासम!तदरतरे िथतं ू वैववतपरंु Lाप ज#त भः पEरवेि टतं || ु He then found himself going towards the city of Yama situated quite far; the path exhibiting the fruits of actions; the city filled with many sorts of creatures. LाQतं वैववतपरमा?ददे श ततो यमः ु अय कमा(यशु^ा6ण नैव सि#त कदाचन || !न*यमेवावदातानां कता(यं शभकम( णां ु भगव*याः सरव*या वरे णायं +वव>ध(तः || Lा\तनोsय शवीभतो ू दे होsित कसमा#बरे ु ु L+वश*वेष तं ग*वा *यWयता म!त चेतसा || When he reached the presence of Yama, Yama proclaimed, ‘This person does not have any impure acts as his. He has been always performing auspicious acts and has been good towards people with impure minds. He has been blessed by Sarasvati’s boon. His body of previous life is preserved inside flowers. Let him enter it. Leave him.’ तत*य\तो नभोमागY य#ोपल इव Tयतः ु || Then as he was released by them, he was thrown into the sky like a stone from a machine. अथ जीवकला ल:ला SिQत)चे!त यं ततः पQलवे ु ु जीवलेखा तु p+पयौ ते न प)य!त || Then all three – that subtle bit of the Jeeva, Leelaa and Jnapti, floated up; the ‘Jeeva-streak’ did not see those ladies endowed with form.

तामेवानसर#*यौ ते समJलD…य नभथलं ु ु लोका#तरायती*याशु +व!नग(*य जग.गहा ृ त् ि.वतीयं जगदासा.य भम ू डलमपे ु *य च || Following him, they both jumped across the sky, and crossing different worlds, quickly coming out of that world arena, reached the second world and descended down to the Earth. ते .वे सNकJपp+पयौ संगते जीवलेखया प=राजपरंु LाQय ल:ला#तःपरुमडपं || Fणाि.व+वशत:ु वैरं वातलेखा यथाNबजं ु सय( : पवनं यथा || ू भासो यथाNभोजं सर भ ु They both endowed with forms conceived by their Will, along with the Jeeva-Lekha – the streak of the Jeeva, reached the city of king Padma and willfully entered Leelaa’s dome of the harem within seconds, like the streak of the wind entering the lotus, like the sunlight entering the lotus, like the fragrance entering the wind.

CHAPTER SIXTY NINE

{HOW DID THE JEEVA FIND ITS WAY BACK?}

ी राम उवाच Rama spoke 34मन ् LाQतः कथमसौ शवय !नकटं गहंृ कथं तेन पEरSातो मागw मतशर:Eरणा || ृ Master! How did he reach the house where the dead body was kept? being dead in another world, how could he find his way to Padma’s house? {Jnapti guided Leelaa in her time travels. How did Padma find his way back?}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke {ALL THE EVENTS OF HIS OTHER LIFE ARE HAPPENING ONLY IN HIS MIND}

तय ववासना#तःथशवय _कल राघव त*सवK j.गतं कमा#नासौ LाQनो!त त.गहं ृ || The dead body of Padma was present in his own Vaasanaa, Raaghava! (in his field of experience)

All the things were happening in his own mind! How can he not reach his own house? ^ाि#तमामस#येयं जगWजीवकणोदरे वटधानातA मव िथतं को वा न प)य!त || Who will not see the obvious fact that innumerable worlds of delusory nature exist inside the tiny point of Jeeva of this world like a fig tree inside a seed! यथा जीव.वपबcजम Dकुरं j?द प)य!त ु वभावभतं ू >चदणुैलो\य!नचयं तथा || Just like the Jeeva-form sees the seed sprouting in his own mind as a natural occurrence, the Chit-atom also sees the hosts of three-worlds in itself. नरो यथैकदे शथो दरदे ू शा#तरिथतं संप)य!त !नधानं वं मनसानरतं सदा || तथा ववासना#तथमभी टं पEरप)य!त जीवो जा!तशताnयोs+प ^मे पEरगतोs+प सन ् || Like a person sees in his own mind, the distant abode of his wherever he is, so also the Jeeva though deluded, even after passing through hundred wombs, finds its own desired object situated in its own Vaasanaa.

{‘Jeeva-point’ perceives all the worlds created by its Vaasanaas in its mind-space only. There is no space or time as absolute realities. Padma’s experience of Vidooratha’s life, death, Yama’s world etc. were the creations of his own mind, like a dream. Just like you never get lost in a dream but always can wake up as yourself on the bed, Padma also could return to his original world easily after the dream of Vidooratha’s life.}{Chit sees all the tri-worlds within itself. Jeeva sees all his Vaasanaa-worlds within himself.}

CHAPTER SEVENTY {DO FUNERAL RITES AFFECT THE DEAD PERSON?}

ी राम उवाच Rama spoke भगवि#पडदाना?दवासनार?हताक!तः ृ कhe\संप.यते जीवः +पडो यमै न द:यते || If a person has no Vaasanaa of rice balls offered in the funeral rites, how does he get a body? {Rama raises doubts about the funeral rites performed at the death of a person by his relatives. It is commonly believed that the rice-balls offered by the relative makes the dead person get a body in the next birth. Anyhow since all actions occur due to Vaasanaa manifestation only, suppose there is no Vaasanaa in a dead person for getting the rice balls, what happens? Will he not get a body, Rama asks.}

{WHAT YOU BELIEVE, THAT BECOMES YOUR REALITY}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke +पडो अथ द:यते मावा +पडो द*तो मये!त >चत ् वासना j?द संpढा ति*पडफलभाDगुरः || Whether a person performs funeral rites to the dead one or not, whether the dead one thinks that rites are done for him or not, that is just a deep-rooted Vaasanaa of the heart that the offering of such rice balls fructifies into giving the dead person a new body. यिTच*तं त#मयो ज#तभ( ु वती*यनभतयः ु ू सदे हेषु +वदे हेषु न भव*य#यथा \व>चत ् ||

What the mind thinks, the person becomes only that, is a matter of experience. This fact does not change whether you are alive (with a body) or dead (without a body). {Physical body is a shape created by the mind. A Jeeva is only a bundle of Vaasanaas. Just like a ‘physical body experience’ is created by some particular Vaasanaa channelizing through him, the ‘after death experience’ is also a ‘Vaasanaa creation only’. Whatever belief he has as the ‘after life experience’ will be experienced by him. It is not a standard set for all.}

स +पडोमी!त सं+व**या !नि पडोs+प स+पडवान ् !नि पडोमी!त सं+व**या स+पडोs+प न+पडवान ् || If the dead believes that he got his offering, then - even if it was not offered, he gets the offering in his own conceived world. If the dead believes that he will not get the offering, then - even if it was offered, he will not get it in his conceived world. {Two belief systems act here– one who is a relative or friend performing the rites and one who is dead; both have their own beliefs about the funeral rites.}

यथाभावनमेतेषां पदाथा(नां ?ह स*यता भावना च पदाथYRयः कारणेRय उदे !त ?ह || The reality of the things is determined by one’s own beliefs (Bhaavanaa). The beliefs about objects arise by reason of one’s own ideas about them. {BHAAVANA - conception, imagination, hypothesis, fancy, thought, idea, supposition, faith etc.}

यथा वासनया ज#तो+व(षमQयमत ृ ायते अस*यः स*यतामे!त पदाथw भावना*तथा || Because of the Vaasanaa, poison can turn into nectar for a person. The unreal object attains reality because of one’s belief. कारणेन +वनोदे !त न कदाचन कय>चत ् भावना का>चद+प नो इ!त !न)चयवा#भव ||

Never does anything arise for anyone without a cause. Be ascertained in your mind that the belief has no existence at all. {Everything seen as an effect should have a cause. Beliefs are conceptions of the mind and are unreal, so their effects are also unreal.}

कारणेन +वना काय(मा महाLलयं \व>चत ् न e टं न तं ु _कि#च*वयं *वेकोदयाeते || Never it has been heard or seen that the effect can exist without the cause except in the case of the Supreme Chit which is causeless and exists by itself. {Everyone lives on the basis of their own belief systems; and their own minds create the fructification of those beliefs and confirm their ideas. But in truth, these beliefs are just conceptions of some minds filled with particular type of Vaasanaas. If the cause is unreal, effect is also is unreal. So belief and its fruit both are unreal. What exists is the ‘Supreme Para Brahman state’ as the substratum for everything. Only the laws ordained by Brahma at the time of the Creation govern the world, and not the beliefs of the individual minds.}

>चदे व वासना सैव ध*ते वQन इवाथ(तां काय(कारणतां या!त सैवाग*येव !त ठ!त || Mind alone is the Vaasanaa. It alone holds the objects inside it like in a dream. It itself remains as the cause and rises as the effect too.

CHAPTER SEVENTY ONE {IF BELIEFS CLASH…?}

ी राम उवाच Rama spoke धमw नाित ममे*येव यः Lेतो वासनाि#वतः तय चे*सुjदा भEरधम( ः क*वा सम+प(तः || ू ृ त*तदा स _कं धमw न टः यादत ु वा न वा स*याथा( वाQयस*याथा( भावना _कं बला>धका ||

Suppose the dead one has the Vaasanaa that ‘I do not believe in any sort of Dharma or rituals’; but his friend believes and performs the rites properly with full faith? In such a case, does the dharma become ineffective or not? Belief or non-belief, which is more powerful? ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke दे शकाल_Oया@mयसंप**योदे !त भावना यैवाRय?दता सा या*स .वयोर>धको जयी || ु The conception arises based on the place, time, action, ingredient, and wealth. Wherever it arises, if it gets the result, that one is the winner! {The more you believe, the higher chance of that reality getting created!}

धम(दातःु Lव*ता चे.वासना त*तया Oमात ् ृ आपय( || ू ते Lेतम!तन( चे*Lेत>धयाशभा ु If one has the Vaasanaa of Dharma, then it gets fulfilled that way; or else the inauspicious thing occurs as per the conception of the ‘Preta’. एवं परपरजयाWजय*या!तवीय(वान ् तमाTछभे त ् || ु न य*नेन शभाRयासमदाहरे ु ु In this manner, among both aspiring to be winners, one who is the bravest (with more ascertained belief) wins, in this case. Therefore with auspicious effort, auspicious practices should be undertaken. {Better believe in good things then incorrect things. Scriptures guide you in cultivating good thoughts.}

CHAPTER SEVENTY TWO {TIME AND SPACE}

ी राम उवाच Rama spoke दे शकाला?दना 34मन ् वासना समदे ु !त चेत ् त#महाकJपसगा(दौ दे शकालादयः कतः || ु If time and space are important for any Vaasanaa to rise, then at the beginning of the Creation where was space and time? कारणे समदे ु तीदं तैतदा सहकाEर भः सहकाEरकारणानामभावे वासना कतः || ु If these (space/time) are the concomitant causes, then we know that such concomitant causes are never found in the beginning. So how does the Vaasanaa arise? {NO SPACE; NO TIME; NO VAASANAA; NO SEER; NO SEEN; ONLY CHIT EXISTS}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke एवमेत#महाबाहो स*या*म#न कदाचन महाLलयसगा(दौ दे शकालौ न कौचन || It is true, Rama, that in the beginning there never existed the space or time in the Supreme Reality. सहकारणानामभावे स!त e)यधीः नेयमित न चो*प#ना न च फर!त काचन || ु There is no ‘Seen’ also because there exist no concomitant causes. This (perceived phenomenon) is not there; nothing is produced; nothing shines forth.

e)ययासंभवादे व _कि#च.यe)यतेि*वदं त34मैव व>च@पं ू िथत म*थमनामयं || The Seen does not occur at all. So whatever is seen here (as perceived phenomenon) is Brahman alone, which is free of suffering and it remains as the pure Consciousness by itself in this manner. {In the course of questioning suddenly Rama had understood the Truth correctly. The discussion on ‘belief systems and their fruits’ had led him to think that Vaasanaas were the cause of everything. Since Vaasanaas required space and time as concomitant causes for their manifestation, how they could manifest in the beginning where there was no space and time, he wondered. Yes, the ‘Vaasanaas never exist’ is the simple fact Vasishta was trying to explain all this time! Happy at the student’s progress, Vasishta curbs his curiosity and brings him back to the present story with effort.}

एतTचाCे यि\तशतै ः कथ!य याम एव ते ु एतदथK Lय*नोsयं वत(मनकथां शण ृ ु || I will be explaining all that to you through more tales later. That is why all this effort is made. Now listen to what happened in the present story. एवं दeशतःु LाQते मि#दरं स#दरोदरं ु कhणK प पोपहारे ण वस#त मव शीतलं || ु The two ladies and the Jeeva entered the beautiful room filled with flowers and which remained cool and fragrant as in spring.

CHAPTER SEVENTY THREE {ROOM WHERE PADMA’S BODY WAS KEPT}

(Jnapti and Leelaa both saw) Lशा#ताचारसंरNभराजधा#या समि#वतं || the people of the city calmly engaged in their own activities suited for the occasion;

म#दारकु#दमाJया?दशवं त समं िथतं || the dead body in the room covered with flowers like jasmine and Mandaara; म#दारकु#द]HदामवताNबर बहTछवं || ृ ृ the ‘great heap of flowers’strung in various types of garlands made of jasmine and mandaara covering the dead body, - almost rising up to the roof; शवश}या शरःसथा€यपण( ू कु Nभा?दमDगलं || the auspicious objects like the golden pot with the coconut etc. placed near the head of the dead body; अ!नव*तगह.वारगवाFक ?ठनाग(लं || ृ ृ the doors and windows locked from outside tightly so no one could get in; LशाNयPीपकालोकशयामलामल भि*तकं || the taintless walls reflecting the dark shadows of the flickering lamplights; गहैृ कदे शसंसुQतमख)वाससमीकतं ु ृ || just one corner of the room alive with the breath arising from the sleeping person. {SECOND LEELAA AT PADMA’S PALACE}

ततो दeशतदm}यौ ु Y Then the two Goddesses saw Leelaa शवश}यैकपा)व(गाम ् ल:लां +वदरथयाCे मतां ू ृ ते Lथमागतां || who had died before Vidooratha, had reached before him, and was sitting next to the bed where the dead body was kept;

LाHवेषां Lा\समाचारां LाHदे हां LाHववासनाम ् || who wore the same dress of the past; who had very same behavior of the past, very same Vaasanaa of the past body; Lा\तनाकारसeशीम ् सव(pपाDगस#दर:ं || ु who had the same form as of the past; who was extremely beautiful in all respects; LाCपावयवप#दां Lागंबरपर:वतां ू ृ || who had the same type of movement of limbs; who wore the same garments of the past; LाHभषणभरTछ #नां केवलं त संिथतां || ू who wore the same ornaments of the past; who was alone; गह:तचामरां चाA वीजय#तीं मह:प!तम ् ृ उ.यTच#@ा मव ?दवं भषय#तीं मह:तलं || ू who was sitting there holding the chowrie and fanning the king, looking as if the moon had risen adorning the Earth; मौनथाम ् वामहातथावदने#दतया नतां || ु who was sitting silent; who was holding her bent face by her left hand; भष वनथल:ं || ू णांशुलताप पै ु ः फJला मव ु who looked like a forest creeper filled with flowers because of the light shining out of her ornaments; कवा( णं || ु ु णां वीgFतै?द( Fु माल*य*पलवष( who was garlanding the directions with lotuses with her eye movements;

सज ु ु नभो?दतां || ृ #तीमा*मलावया?द#द म#दं who was creating a moon with her charms in that room, like the moon which rose in the sky; नरपाला*मनो +व णोल(kमी मव समागतां || who had reached her king like Lakshmi coming to Vishnu; उ?दतं प पसं भारा?दव प पाकर> यं || ु ु who looked as if risen like a bunch of flowers from the heap of flowers; भत(ुवद ( नके #यतeि ट म ट+वचेि टतां || whose eyes were lovingly fixed on the face of her husband intently; _कि#च*LNलानवदनां Nलानच#@ां !नशा मव || whose face was slightly apprehensive like the faded moon at night. ताRयां सा ललना e टा तया ते तु न लgFते यमा*ते स*यसंकJपे सा न ताव*तथो?दता || She was seen by the two divine damsels; but she did not see them. They both were empowered with thoughts which would become true. She had not risen to their heights in her intellect.

CHAPTER SEVENTY FOUR {WHAT HAPPENED TO LEELAA’S BODY LEFT IN THE CONTEMPLATION-STATE?}

ी राम उवाच Rama spoke तिम#Lदे शे सा पव( ू ल:ला संथाQय दे हकं `यानेन SिQतस?हता गताभ?द!त व6ण(तं || ू

_क मदानीं स ल:लाया दे हत न व6ण(तः _कंसंप#नः \व वा यात इ!त मे कथय Lभो || The previous Leelaa had placed her body there in that palace-room and gone with Jnapti in the contemplative state; this is what you told me before. But now you are not mentioning anything about her body. What happened to it? Where did it go? Tell me O Lord! ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke {WHAT BODY? WHERE WAS IT EVER?}

कासीJल:लाशर:रं त*कततयाित स*यता ु केवला ^ाि#तरे वाभWजल ब+1म( रा+वव || ू ु Where ever was Leelaa’s body? What reality is there in her body? Everything is just an illusion like a mirage in the desert. {PHYSICAL BODY IS JUST AN IMAGINATION}

आ*मैवेदं जग*सवK कतो दे हा?दकJपना ु 34मैवान#दpपं स.य*प)य स तदे व >चत ् || Self alone is this entire world. Where can there be the conception of the body? Brahman, the essence of bliss alone is real. Whatever you see that is only, Chit. यथैव बोधे ल:लासौ पEरणाममपागता Oमात ् ु परे तथैव तमा*त+1मव.ग लतं वपःु || Leelaa was enlightened and her vision changed gradually. She was in the state of the Supreme. Her body just melted off like snow.

{When Leelaa discarded the identity of the body and got ready to follow Jnapti in her adventures of ‘time travel to GiriGraama’, she was instantly in the state of the Chit or Self. That very moment the body-idea vanished in her. Since she lacked the knowledge of the know-how of all, she had to clear all her doubts by questioning Jnapti. But as for as she was concerned, there was no more the body! The snake in the rope had vanished; the ghost in the darkness had gone. But since there was never a snake, never a ghost, their coming and going are meaningless. Similarly since there is a never a physical body, since the physical body is just a projected shape from the mind, the body has no real existence as such. As Vasishta previously mentioned, everyone is the Aativaahika body only; they imagine a physical structure and identify themselves with it. If the misconception is removed, the identity of the physical body is no more there. That is what happened to Leelaa. But to the others in the palace, the body in the contemplative state appeared dead and they had to perform the due rites for the body. That did not affect Leelaa in any way. She was no more the mortal Leelaa, wife of an ordinary king. She was now the companion of the very personification of knowledge. The world of the ignorant was never hers anymore.}

{MIND-BODY IDENTIFIES WITH ELEMENT-BODY}

आ!तवा?हकदे हय कालेनाRय?दतो ^मः ु आ>धभौ!तकदे होऽ म!त रWजभजDगव त ् || ु ु The ‘Aativaahika body’ alone gets deluded as having a physical body, like seeing a snake in the rope. {MIND-BODY PROJECTS THE ELEMENT-BODY}

आ!तवा?हकदे हेन e)यं यदवलो_कतं भNया?द नाम तयैव कतं ू ृ तTचा>धभौ!तकं || That appearance seen by the ‘Aativaahika form’ as earth etc. is created by it alone and termed as ‘Aadhibhoutika’. वातवेन तु pपेण भNया.या*मा>ध भौ!तकः ू न शsदे न न चाथन Y स*या*मा शशशD ृ गवत ् || The ‘Aadhibhoutika things’ like earth etc. are just pictures for the eye. They actually are meaningless words like the word ‘hare’s horn’. {DOES THE DREAM-BODY EVER DIE OR GET BORN?}

पंुसो हEरणकोsमी!त वQने ययो?दता म!तः स _कमि#व य!त मगं पEरFये || ृ वमग*व ृ

If in the dream, a man dreams that he is a deer, where will he search for the body of the deer once he wakes up? {IF SNAKE IS SEEN, ROPE CANNOT BE SEEN}

उदे *यस*यमेवाशु तथा स*यं +वल:यते ^ाि#त^(मवतो रWWवाम+प सप(^मे गते || When unreal rises, real vanishes. The deluded one sees the snake only in the rope, never the rope! {ALL THAT IS SEEN IS JUST A DREAM OF THE IGNORANT MIND}

समतयाLब1य मनोजातय कय>चत ् ु बीजं +वना मष ृ ैवेयं मoयाp?ढं उपागता || Everything has risen out of the mind of the ignorant and has become deep-rooted by habit only, without any reason as such. वQनोपलंभं सगा(यं स सवw अनभवि#थतः ु >चरमाव*ृ तदे हा*मा भचO^मणं यथा || ू Like a child rotating oneself on the ground like a wheel, the ignorant experience everything for a long time, enveloped by a body, naming it as the ‘Creation’ though it is nothing but a dream product.

CHAPTER SEVENTY FIVE ी राम उवाच Rama spoke 34मन ् लोकैः परथ य गTछतो यो>गनो !नजं ु आ!तवा?हकतां दे हः कheशोsयं +वलो\यते || How the Aativaahika body of the realized Yogis is seen by the people when they go away, O Lord?

{‘If the Aadhibhoutika body (element-body) does not exist at all, then when one gets the Aativaahika body by death or by liberation, can it be seen by others and will it remain after liberation also?’ Rama questions. The word ‘Yogi’ here refers to the realized person or the Knower. Yoga means identity of the individual Self with the Supreme Self. Only when specifically mentioned as Hatha Yoga does the word refer to the Practice of postures and breath control.}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke {Yogis have two types of death. One is the death in the world due to their actions of the past which are getting fructified. The other is the bodiless state of liberation where all the fruits of the actions of the past have perished completely.}

दे हाPेहा#तरLािQतः पव( ू देहं +वना सदा आ!तवा?हकदे हेsिम#वQनेि वव +वन)वर: || Changing from one body to the other without the previous body getting left back is experienced in the dream in the Aativaahika state.(dream body state) The body seen in the dream is impermanent. {In dreams, when in Aativaahika body, sometimes one discards the identity of an animal (he was dreaming as) and changes into the body of a human (when waking); the previous body of the animal in the dream is not left back at all. It never existed and is impermanent. It was real only when dreaming.}

यथातपे ?हमकण: शर.mयोिNन सतोsNबदः ु e)यमानोsQयe)य*व म*येवं यो>गदे हकः || The body of the Yogi though seen is never actually seen, like the snow drop in the Sun or a cloud in the autumn season. {When a realized person lives in our midst, the ignorant only see his or her body. But the realized Yogi has no sense of the element-body at all. It is already gone like the mist in the Sun. Ramana, Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, and Akka Mahadevi are all examples for such a state.}

{A REALIZED PERSON HAS NO FORM}

@ा>ग*येवाथवा कि)च.यो>गदे हो न लkयते यो>ग भ)च परो ु वेगात ्Lोnडीन इव खे खगः ||

A yogi’s body is not seen by even yogis, immediately (after death) or anytime later as if flying in the sky like a bird! ववासना^मेणैव \व>च*के>च*कदाचन मतो ृ sय म!त प)यि#त के>च.यो>गनमCगाः || Only through the delusion of one’s Vaasanaas somewhere, sometimes, someone, who are with him see the yogi as dead. {Those ignorant who firmly believe death of the body as a certainty, and who chance to be in the proximity of the Yogi, see the Yogi’s body as dead. But as for as the Yogi is concerned, he never has a body. He is like space. He is in the state of Brahman. How can he be limited to a mortal shape which has no reality like a ghost?}

{SEE THE ROPE; SNAKE VANISHES}

^ाि#तमां तु दे हा*मा तेषां तदपशाNय!त ु स*यबोधेन रWजनां ू सप(बु+1Eरवा*म!न || The body is just an illusion for these yogis. The illusion disappears, like by knowing the truth the snake vanishes from the rope. {SNAKE WAS NEVER THERE; ROPE ALONE WAS THERE ALWAYS}

को दे हः कय वा स*ता कय नाशः कथं कतः ु िथतं तदे व यदभूदबोधः केवलं गतः || What body? For whom is it real? Whose death? How and where? That alone was there which was always there. Misconception was gone. That is all!

CHAPTER SEVENTY SIX ी राम उवाच Rama spoke आ!तवा?हकतामे!त आ>धभौ!तक एव _कं उता#य इ!त मे 3?ह ू येनो4य इव भोः Lभो || Does the Aadhibhoutika body only become the Aativaahika body? Or is it otherwise? I am confused as it were, Lord! {‘Does the element-body of the aspirant change into mind-body, when he realizes? Or, does the mind-body only become the element-body for all?’ Rama questions.}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke बहशो 4य\तमे त*ते ु ु न ग4णा स _कम*तम ु ृ आ!तवा?हक एवाित ना*येवा>धभौ!तकः || I have explained this to you so many times, Wise one! Don’t you grasp the truth yet? There is only Aativaahika, and never the Aadhibhoutika. तयैवाRयासतोsQये!त सा>धभौ!तकताम!त: यदा शाNय!त सैवाय तदा पवा( ू Lवत(ते || By repeated conception one gets the belief in the Aadhibhoutika body. When the idea is gone, the previous original one only prevails. तदा गA*वं का?ठ#य म!त य)च मधा ु ु Cहः शाNये*वQननरयेव बो1ुबwधाि#नरामयात ् || The body which is believed to be hard and dense vanishes when the ‘Supreme without any afflictions’ is realized, like the body of the man seen in the dream.

लघतलसमापि*ततत : समपजायते ु ू ु वQने वQनपEरSाना?दव दे हय यो>गनः || The body of a yogi becomes light like cotton as when one understands that he has been dreaming in the dream. वQने वQनपEरSाना.यथा दे हो लघभ( े ् ु वत तथा बोधादयं दे हः थलव*Qल!तमा न ् भवेत ् || ू ु Just as the body becomes lighter by the understanding the ‘dreaming inside the dream’, this body will feel like a floating gross body by attaining enlightenment. अनेक?दनसंकJपदे हे पEरणता*मनां अिम#दे हे शवे दHधे तैवािथ!तमीयषां ु || Even the ignorant ones who are well ascertained about the grossness of their bodies because of the long time practice of conception, attain the same Aativaahika state when their dead body gets burnt off. {What to say of Yogis who by realizing the Self remain in their original Aativaahika state!}

लघदे ु हानभव ु नमव)यं भा+व वै तथा Lबोधा!तशयादे !त जीवताम+प यो>गनां || The experience of the light body occurs to Yogis even while living due to the attainment of enlightenment. उ?दतायां मत ृ ौ त संकJपा*माह म*यलं याeशः स भवेPेहताeशोsयं Lबोधतः || When memory of the waking state occurs in the dream, while dreaming, the dreamer realizes that he (the dream-body) is just a conceived form. Similar is the state of the Yogi who is enlightened. ^ाि#तरे व मयं भा!त रWWवा मव भज ु Dगता _कं न टमयां जातायां _कं Lजायते ||

The body is just an illusion like the snake in the rope. What is lost when it is lost? What is born when it is born?

CHAPTER SEVENTY SEVEN {WHAT WILL THE PEOPLE SEE IN PADMA’S COUNTRY?}

ी राम उवाच Rama spoke अन#तरं ये वातmया ल:लां प)यि#त ते य?द त*स*यसंकJपतया ब.`य#ते _कमतः Lभो || ु When those people are going to see Leelaa again, will they see her by her Will alone? {‘The original Leelaa is now disidentified with the body left in Padma’s room. It might be dead for all we know, for the people who reside there in that city. Now the people will be seeing another Leelaa sitting in Padma’s room. What will their understanding be about this all?’ Rama questions. And if the original Leelaa who has no gross physical body, wills that her form should be seen, then will they be able to see her form as it happened in GiriGraama village house?}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke एवं Sायि#त ते राSी िथतेय मह दः6खता ु वयया का>चद#येयं कतोQयया उपागता || ु They will think that this queen (Second Leelaa) is here pining for her husband’s death; the other one (First Leelaa) is just a friend of hers coming from somewhere! {The people will think of the second Leelaa as the original one and think of the real Leelaa as her friend!}

संदेहः क इवाैषां पशवो 4य+ववे_कनः यथाe टं +वचे ट#ते कत ु एषां +वचारणा || How will they ever doubt! The ignorant are like animals. They just react to what is seen. Where do they ever think?

{The ignorant have no reasoning capacity. They will just accept whatever they see as the truth. Most of the people live only on the instinctive level like animals. They never reason out or analyze any situation. They just react on the surface level and act the habituated way. When they see a Leelaa-like form (Vidooratha’s wife) sitting next to the king, they will believe her to be the original Leelaa; and even if they see original Leelaa, they will think that she is a friend of the queen because she might look more detached and stand at a distance.}

{HOW CAN THE IGNORANT UNDERSTAND THE EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF THE GREAT?}

यथा लो टे लुट.वF ृ ं वZच!य*वाशु गTछ!त अSान*वेsजपशवतथा 4यित परा?दक ं || ु The mud ball thrown at the tree passes the tree without hitting it. The goats and other animals also miss the obvious by ignorance. {A boy wants to hit the tree for fun. He gathers a handful of dry mud fallen at his feet and throws it at a tree; it neither like an arrow enters the inside of the tree; nor does it stick to it like wet mud; nor does it hit and fall back ready to be used again like a stone piece; it just dissipates and misses the target. The understanding level of the ordinary humans is on level with the instinct based animals like goats; and is equal to the dry mud-ball thrown at a tree. It never grasps the depth of the situation. It always misses the obvious truth. In Leela’s story nobody can grasp the events of Leelaa’s life even if they were video formatted and presented as a proof. They can only relegate it to the mythological level and worship Leelaa herself as a Goddess; or they may consider the whole thing as insane or devilish. If nothing is told, they will just make their own conclusions about everything and leave the matter at that.}

{PHYSICAL BODY IS LIKE THE BODY SEEN IN A DREAM}

यथा वQनवपबwधा#न जाने \वेव गTछ!त ु अस*यमेव त.यमा*तथैवेहा>धभौ!तकं || When one wakes up, who knows where the body in the dream goes? It never exists at all. Similar is the case with the aadhibhoutika body.

CHAPTER SEVENTY EIGHT {DREAM AND DREAM OBJECTS}

ी राम उवाच Rama spoke भगव#वQन शखर: Lबोधे कैव गTछ!त इ!त मे संशयं िTछि#ध शरद^ मवा!नलः || What happens to the objects in the dream when one wakes up? Clear this doubt of mine like the wind clearing the autumn cloud. ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke वQन^मेsथ संकJपे पदाथा(ः पव(तादयः सं+वदोs#त म(ल#*येते प#दना#य!नले यथा || Mountains and other objects seen in the delusion of the dream are inside the ‘cognizing Consciousness’ like the movement in the wind. अप#दय यथा वायोः सप#दोs#त+व(श*यलम ् अन#या*मा तथैवायं वQनाथ(ः सं+वदो मलं || In the still wind, the movement occurs inside it; so the dream is just a taint seen in the undifferentiated Consciousness. वQना.यथा(वभासेन सं+वदे व फर*यल म् ु अफर#ती तु तेनैव या*येक*वं तदाि*मका || ु The Consciousness alone shines as all the objects of the dream. When the dream is not there, everything exists as the Consciousness only. सं+व*वQनाथ(योि.व(*वं न कदाचन लRयते यथा @व*वपयसोय(था वा प#दवातयोः ||

You cannot differentiate between the Consciousness and the dream objects, like the liquidity cannot be removed from the water or movement from the wind. यत या?दवाबोधतदSानमनु*तमं सैषा संस!तEर*य\ता

मoयाSानाि*मको?दता || ु ृ What is seen like cognition is just the worst state of ignorance. That alone is known as the worldly existence. It rises because of false knowledge. सहकाEरकारणानामभावे _कल कheशी सं+व*वQनपदाथा(नां ि.वता वQने !नर>थ(का || As there are no concomitant causes, how can the ‘dual nature’ of the Cognizer and the objects seen in the ‘undifferentiated dream’ be real? यथा वQनतथा जाC?ददं ना*य संशयः वQने परमस[ा!त सगा(दौ भा*यसWजगत ् || ु The waking state is just like the dream state. There is no doubt about it. In the dream, the city seen is unreal. In the waking state the world seen is unreal. न चाथw भ+वतंु श\यः स*य*वे वQनतो?दतः सं+वदो !न*यस*य*वं वQनाथा(नामस*यता || The object seen in the dream cannot exist when one wakes up. The Consciousness is always real; but the dream objects are always unreal. झ?ट*येव यथाकाशं भव!त वQनपव(तः Oमेण वा तथा बोधे खं भव*या>धभौ!तकम ् || Just like in a dream, the sky instantly becomes a mountain, in the waking state, the void becomes the Aadhibhoutika body.

उnडीनोsयं मत ृ ो वे!त प)यि#त !नकटिथताः Sमा!तवा?हकhभतम ् ववभावहता यतः || ू When a knower is seen as dead, the others see him as dead or flying away, according their own beliefs, though the knower always exists as Aativaahika body only before and after death.

मoयाe टय एवेमाः स ृ टयो मोहe टयः मायामाeशो ^ाि#तः श#याः वQनानभतयः || ू ु ू All of them have faulty visions. The Creations are just appearances of delusion, illusion, void and experiences of a dream.

CHAPTER SEVENTY NINE {REAL LEELAA’S BODY IS DEAD FOR THE WORLD}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke एतिम#न#तरे SिQतजcवं वैदरू थम ् पनः ु संकJपेन Aरोधाथ मनस: प#दनं यथा || Meanwhile Jnapti stopped the Jeeva of Vidooratha by Will, like controlling the vibration in the mind. ल:लोवाच Leelaa spoke वद दे +व _कया#कालो गतोsया मह मि#दरे समाधौ म!य ल:नायां मह:पाले शवे िथते || Devi, how much time has elapsed here in this house from the moment I got absorbed in the contemplation and the king had died?

SिQतAवाच Jnapti spoke इह मास*व!तOा#त इह दाया+वमे तव रFाथK वासगह ृ के वपतोsव?हते िथते || For these maids sleeping here one full month has passed, as they stood at the door guarding your body. शण ृ ु दे हय _कं व*तं ृ तवेह वरव6ण(!न शर:रं तव पFेण ति*\ल#नं बा पतां गतं || O fair-hued Leelaa! Listen to the account of what happened to your body. Within fifteen days your body became faded and moist. !नजcवं प!ततं भमौ ू संशु क मव पJलवं का टकुnयोपमो जात: शवतु ?हमशीतल: || When you were absorbed in Samadhi, your body fell on the ground lifeless like a dried up leaf. The dead body was like a log of wood, and cold like ice. ततो मि# भराग*य मतै े म!त वयं ृ वय \लेदालोकाि.व!नणcय भयो ् || ू !न का सतं गहात ृ Then the ministers came and feeling certain that this one was dead, felt very much grieved; and the body was removed from the house. बहना _कम\ते ु न नी*वा च#दनदाA भः ु >चतौ संgFQय सघतं ृ सहसा भमसात ्कृतं || What is there to say anymore? It was placed inside the cremation fire with ghee and sandal wood logs and burnt to ashes immediately. ततो राSी मते रोदनमाकलं ु ः क*वा ु ृ *यTचै ृ पEरवारतवाशेषं कतवानौ`व( दे?हकम ् || ृ

Then your family thinking that you were dead cried and wept saying, ‘The queen is dead’. All the rites to be performed for the dead were done by them. इदानीं *वा महालो\य सशर:रामपागतां ु परलोकादागते!त महिTचं भ+व य!त || Now seeing you returning with another body there is going to be a talk of miracle that you have come back from the world of dead. {Leelaa still does not know what her future is. She still has a vague Vaasanaa that her husband will wake up and she can re-unite with him. But because of the attainment of the Self-state she cannot now live like a mortal and enjoy sense pleasures. Still Sarasvati consoles her saying that she can appear as the same Leelaa to others and they will welcome her as coming back from the world of the dead.}

*वं तु तेन शर:रे ण स*यसंकJपतः सते ु e)यसे ववदातेन >चं त तवोपEर || You can be seen in a body by your true will, my daughter, clearly by them all, as whatever picture you superimpose on the form. य.वासना *वमभवो दे हं L!त तदे व ते pपमRय?दतं बाले तेन Lा\सeशं तव || ु What Vaasanaa was there in you about your body in the previous life, the same form will be there now for you. ववासनानसारे ु ण सव(ः सवK ?ह प)य!त e टा#तो अा+वसंवाद: बालवेतालदश(नं || Everyone sees everyone because of their Vaasanaa only. The example of the child and the ghost proves it. आ!तवा?हकदे हा स संप#ना स1स#द ु Eर +वमत ृ *वेव दे होsसौ Lा\तनोsनपवासन: || O you beautiful Siddha maiden! Now you have Aativaahika body only. Having lost all Vaasanaas, you have lost the memory of the body of your previous life.

pढा!तवा?हकeश: LशाNय*या>धभौ!तक: बधय e)यमानोs+प शर#मेघ इवाNबरे || ु If the Aativaahika state is fully realized, the Aadhibhoutika appearance subsides. Though the body of the Knower seems to exist for the ignorant, it is actually non-existent like the cloud of the autumn sky. pढा!तवा?हकhभावः सवw भव!त दे हकः !नज(लांभोदसeशो !नग(#धकसमोपमः || ु ु The embodied one exists as ‘all’, by the realization of his Aativaahika state, like the cloud where waters are gone or the flower where fragrance is gone. (The limited identity is lost.) स.वासनय pढायामा!तवा?हकसं+व?द दे हो +वम!तमाया!त गभ(संथेव यौवने || ृ For the person who remains only with the Vaasanaa of the Supreme Reality and is well established in the Aativaahika state, the body is forgotten like the existence of the womb (memory of the womb-life) in the youth. एकMNशेs.य ?दवसे LाQता वय म+वहाNबरे Lभाते मो?हते दायौ मयैते !न@याधना ु || Today is the thirty first day that we have arrived at this space. By my power these maidens are deep asleep in this early morning. तदे ?ह यावJल:लायै ल:ले संकJपल:लया आ*मानं दश(यावोsयै mयवहार: Lवत(तां || So, come now, Leelaa! Let us show ourselves to this girl, with the sport of our will. Let the events continue!

CHAPTER EIGHTY {DEAD KING BECOMES ALIVE}

ी व सष ्ट उवाच Vasishta spoke आवां ताव?दमे ल:ला प)यि*व*वेव >चि#तते SिQतदे mया ततत e)ये द:Qते बभवतः ू ु || As Goddess Jnapti willed that ‘This Leelaa should see us both’, they both became visible with shining forms. त +वदरथल:लाथ समाक लत+वलो चना ू ु गहमालोकयामास त*तेजःपZज ु भावरं || ृ च#@MबNबा?दवो*कhणK धौतं हे म@वैEरव Wवालाया @वशीतायात*Lभा@व भि*तमत ् || Then that Leelaa of restless eyes, saw the mansion shining with enormous luster as if filled by moonlight, as if washed by the golden fluid, blazing and yet cooling light covering everything. गहमालो\य परतो ल:लां SिQतं +वलो\य च ु ृ उ*थाय सं^मवती तयोः पादे षु सापतत ् || After seeing the mansion like this, she saw Jnapti and Leelaa. She got up excitedly and fell at their feet. मWजयायागते दे mयौ जयतां जीवनLदे इह पव( ( ो>धनी || ू महं LाQता भव*योमा(गश “O Goddesses! You have come here to bless me! Salutations to you both! I have come here early as directed by you.” इ*य\तव*यां तयां ता मा!न#यो म*तयौवनाः ु उपा+वशि#व टरे षु लतामेA शरःिवव ||

As she was speaking like this, all those charming youthful maidens sat on their thrones like creepers on the Meru Mount. SिQतAवाच Jnapti spoke सते ु वद ते कथं LाQता *व ममं दे शमा?दतः _कं व*तं ते *वया e टं _क मवा`व!न क ु वा || ृ “Daughter! Tell us, how you came here before us! What all did you see? Where all did you go?” +वदरथल:लोवाच ू Vidooratha’s Leelaa spoke दे +व तिम#Lदे शे सा जातमTछा( तदाभवं ू ि.वतीये#दोः कलेवाहं कJपा#तWवालया हता || “Devi, I swooned there at that place like the second crescent of the moon hit by the dissolution flames. न चे!ततं मया _कि#च*समं +वषममेव च तततरलपkमा#ते +व!नमीJय +वलोचने || ततो मरणमTछा( #ते प)या म परमे)वEर ू यावदRय?दताNया शु Qलता ु ु गगनोदरे || I did not cognize anything good or bad. My eyelashes fluttered. I slowly opened my eyes and was getting out of the death-swoon O Goddess, and I found myself floating in the sky. भताकाशे अ!नलरथं समाpढाNयहम ् ततः ू आनीता ग#धलेखेव तेनाह मममालयम ् || I was riding the chariot made of wind as it were in the sky. I was brought to this house in that chariot like the whiff of fragrance by the wind.

दे +व प)या म सदनं नायकेनाRयल#कतं ृ द:Qतद:पं +व+व\तं च महाह( शयनाि#वतं || Devi, then I saw this house adorned by the Lord, filled all over with lighted lamps, deserted and containing a magnificent bed fit for the great. प!तमालोकयामीमं यावदे ष +वदरथः ू शेते कसमगQताDगो मधःु प पवने यथा || ु ु ु ु Then I found that this one was my husband Vidooratha sleeping soundly with his body hidden by flowers, like honey in the garden of flowers. अथ संCामसंरNभ मातwsयं व+प*यलं इ!त !न@ा मया सेयं दे वे)वEर न वाEरता || Then, thinking that he must be lost in sleep being fatigued by fighting in the battlefield, I did not wake him up from his sleep, O Goddess. अन#तर ममं दे शं LाQते दे mया+वमे ि*व!त यथानभतं ु ू क>थतं मदनC ु हकाEर6ण || Now you both have arrived here to bless me. I have told you what all I experienced.” SिQतAवाच Jnapti spoke हे हं सहाEरगा म#यौ ल:ले ल लतलोचने उ*थापयावो नप!तं शवतJपतला?दमं ृ इ*य\*वा ममचे ु ु ु जीवमामोद मव प!=नी || “Hey, you Leelaas! You both of gaits of swans! You two of charming eyes! Let us rise up the King from his death bed again.” So saying she released the Jeeva, like the fragrance from a lotus plant.

स समीरलताकारत#नासा!नकटं ययौ || Then that creeper like form made of wind went near his nose. ’ाणकोशं +ववेशा#तवKशर#z मवा!नलः ववासनाशता#य#तद( धदिsधम(णी!नव || It entered the space of the nose like the winds entering the bamboo hole bearing within it hundreds of its Vaasanaas like the ocean containing various gems. अ#तथजीवं वदनं तय त*काि#तमाययौ प=यावCहे प=ं सव ट ु ृ इव वाEर6ण || The faded face of Padma now endowed with the Jeeva became bright like a lotus drenched in water. OमादDगा!न सवा(6ण सरसा!न चका शरे तय प पाक र इव लताजाला!न भभतः ु ू ृ || Gradually all his limbs were filled with fluids like the spring-season filling the mountain with the network of creepers. अथाबभौ कलापण( ू ः स राकाया मवोडुरा™ भासय#भवनं भEर || ु ू वदने#दमर:>च भः ु Then he shone like the Moon on the full moon day complete with all its digits, filling the entire Earth with the rays emanating from his face. फारयामास सोsDगा!न रसवि#त मद!न ृ ू च कनकोWवलका#ती!न पJलवानीव माधवः || He slightly moved his moist and softened limbs shining with the golden hue like the spring-season moving the leaves. उ#मीलयामास eशौ +वमलालोलतारके हाEरयौ सभगाभोगे च#@ाक भवनं यथा || ु ु

He opened his eyes with the taintless pupils which were very attractive and heralding auspiciousness, like the sun and the moon lighting up the world at the beginning of the Creation. उ*तथौ LोJलस*कायो +व#`या?@र्व?ृ Pमा!नव उवाच कः िथत इ!त घनगNभीर!नवनम ् || He got up with his fully robust body like the Vindhya Mountain raising. He spoke in a deep thundering voice echoing all over, ‘Who is there?’ ल:ला.वयमथायाCे Lोवाचा?द)यता म!त || The two Leelaas stood in front of him and said, ‘Command us’. स ददश( परो ु न‹ं ल:ला.वयमविथतं समाचारं समाकारं समpपं समिथ!त समवा\यं समो.योगं समान#दं समोदयं || He saw the pair of Leelaas standing humbly before him. They had identical behavior, identical shape, identical form, identical stand, identical words, identical action, identical joy, identical excitement. का *वं केयं कत)चे य म*याह स +वलोकयन ् ु तमै ल:लाह हे दे व यतां य.वदाNयहम ् || ू Looking at them, he said, ‘Who are you? Who is this? Wherefore all this?’ (Previous)Leelaa addressed him and said, “O Lord, listen to what I say! म?हला तव ल:लाहं Lा\तनी सहध म(णी वागथ(येव संप\ ृ ता िथता सं)लेषशा लनी || I am the Leelaa who lived with you as your righteous life-partner in the past birth. I was united with you like the meaning is attached to the word. इयं ल:ला ि.वतीया ते म?हला हे लया मया उपािज(ता *वदथन Y L!तMबNबमयी शभा ु ||

This is your second wife Leelaa of virtuous character, a reflection of my own form, who has been produced by me sportively, for your enjoyment.

शरोभागोप+व टे यं येयं है ममहासने एषा सरवती दे व ैलो\यजननी शभा ु || अमाकं पयसं भारै Eरह साFादपागता ु ु अनयेमे पराJलोका?दहानीते मह:पते || This one seated in the golden throne on the head-side of your bed is the Mother of the three worlds, Sarasvati Devi of auspicious characters, Lord! She has arrived here by our overflowing merits. By her we both were brought here from the other world.” इ*याकय( सम*थाय राजा राजीवलोचनः ु लNबमाJयाNबरधरः पपात SिQतपदाsजयोः || सरव!त नमतRयं दे +व सव(?हतLदे ु LयTछ वरदे मेधां द:घ(मायध( ु ना!न च || Hearing all this, the lotus-eyed king who was attired in garlands and silken garments, immediately got up and fell at the lotus feet of Goddess Sarasvati and said, “Sarasvati! Salutations to you! Devi! The Bestower of good to all! Bless me with wisdom, long life and wealth.” इ*य\तव#तं हतेन पपश( SिQतदे वता || ु As he said this, Goddess Jnapti lightly touched him. सरव*यवाच ु Sarasvati spoke *वं पा भमताथा( nयो भवे!त भवनाि#वतः ु सवा(पदः सकलद कत ु ृ e टय)च गTछ#तु व: शममन#तसखा!न सNयक् ु आया#तु !न*यम?दता जनता भव#तु ु रा tे िथरा)च +वलस#तु सदै व लkNयः ||

“Son! You be endowed with riches as you wish in this palace. Let all the dangers and all evil eyes be warded off for you. Let all the peace and endless joys be there for you. Let the people be always happy. Let goddesses of prosperities wander always in your country.” ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke सरवती तथे*य\*वा तैवा#त>ध(माययौ || ु ‘Let it be so’, so saying Sarasvati vanished from sight there itself. Lभाते पDकजैः साधK बबधे ु ु सकलो जनः || All the people got up in the morning along with the blooming lotuses. आ ल लDग च तां ल:लां ल:ला च द!यतं Oमात ् पनः ु पनम( ु हान#दा#मत ु || ृ म ् LोWजी+वतं पनः The king embraced that Leelaa (new one) and Leelaa (new one) embraced her beloved, who had died and risen again with life, again and again with extreme joy. तदासी@ाजसदनं मदम#मथम#थरं आन#दम*तजनतं वा.यगेयरवाकलं ु || The palace at that moment was a sporting ground of the intoxicated Manmatha (God of Love). The people were mad with happiness. Songs and instrumental music filled the corners. जयमDगलपयाह घोषघNघमघघ( रं ु ु ु त ट राजलोकवता ु प टजनाकhणK ु ृ Dगणं || Hailing sounds of auspicious hymns and murmuring sounds arose everywhere. The courtyard was crowded with the happy and healthy citizens and royal families.

स1+व.याधरो#म\तप पवष( सह]भत ु ु ृ ् || Siddhas and Vidyaadharas poured thousands of showers of flowers. परलोकादपनीता राSी सा प!तरे व च ु इ!त !नव(*ृ तगाथा भज(गुदशा#तरे जनाः || Y ‘The queen and the king have returned from the land of the dead’ This story was sung as folklore in all the countries. प=ो भ मप!तः *वा व*ता#तं क>थतं मनाक् ू ु ृ चOे नानं समानीतै)चतःुसागरवाEर भः || ततोs भ+ष+षच+व( तं || ु Lा मि#णो भभज)च ू ु King Padma heard in detail all that had happened in his life. The king bathed in the waters brought from the four oceans. Brahmins, ministers and other kings performed the auspicious sprinkling ceremony for him. ल:ला ल:ला च राजा च जीव#म\त ु महा>धयः रे मरे पव( ू व*ता ु Eरव || ृ #तकथनैः सरतै The three noble souls Leelaa and Leelaa and the King having realized the Self, enjoyed as if by copulation by conversing about all that had happened. सरव*याः Lसादे न वपौAषकृतेन तत ् LाQतं लोकय ेयः प=ेने!त मह:भजा ु || By the grace of Sarasvati, and by his own effort, King Padma attained the best of the three worlds. स SिQतSानसंबु1ो राजा ल:ला.वयाि#वत: चOे वषा(युता#य टौ त राWयम!नि#दतं || The King enlightened by the Knowledge bestowed by Jnapti, served by his two wives, ruled the kingdom blamelessly for eighty thousand years. जीव#म\तात इ*येवं राWयं !नहतकठकं ु क*वा +वदे हम\त*वमासे द:ु श1सं ु ु +वदः || ृ

Having ruled the kingdom without any troubles, those Jeevan-Muktas, endowed with pure Knowledge, attained Videha Mukti.

CHAPTER EIGHTY ONE ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke एत*ते क>थतं राम e)यदोष!नव*त ृ ये ल:लोपायानमनघं घनतां जगत*यज || O Rama! This blameless story of Leelaa was related to you for removing the misconception regarding the perceived world. Discard the idea of the denseness of the world. >चदाकाशावभासोयं जग?द*यवब`यते ु >च.mयोN#येवा*म!न वTछे परमाणुकं L!त || The expression of the Chidaakaasha in the ‘Conscious space’ of the infinitesimal portion of each taintless individual self alone is understood as JAGAT. एवमया मधा^ा#ते ः का स*ता केव वासना ु का वाथा का च !नय!तः काव)यंभा+वतोTयतां || For such a meaningless delusion like this, what reality is there? What Vaasanaa? What trust? What rule? What necessity? Tell me! सवK चैत.यथा e टं िथत म*थमखिडतं मायैवेयमन#तेयं न च मायाित काचन || Whatever exists perceived in this manner as a continuum is just delusion (Maaya). It is endless. But the delusion (Maaya) does not exist at all!

ी राम उवाच Rama spoke अहो नु परमाeि टद( श(ता भगव#*वया अहो नु स>चरे ु णा.य Sातं SातmयमFतं मया यथेदं यTचेदं याeक् Sेयं यतो यदा || Ah! You have shown me the vision of the Supreme truth. Ah! All that is to be known is known perfectly by me so fast as it is, what it is, as it is to be known and through whatever it is to be known, whatever time is to be known. {Five points related to learning: Prakaara (method), Svaroopa (nature), Drishtaanta (example), Pramaana (proof), Kaala (time).}

शाNयामीव ि.वज े ट !नवा(मीव +वकJपयन ् एतदायानमा)चयK mयायानं शाeि टसु || This is an amazing story explaining the truth of the scriptures. My thoughts are quite as it were, O best among Brahmins. As I ponder, everything seems to disappear as it were. इमं मे भगवान ् 3?ह ू संशयं सव(को+वद तव पातंु न तQृ तोsिम ोपाैव(चोमतं ृ || I have not had enough of the nectar entering my ears flowing out as words from your mouth, O All-expert! Clear this doubt of mine now. स सग( Mतये कालो ल:लाभत(ु?ह( योगतः स \व>चि*कमहोरा: \व>च_कं मासमाकः || \व>चि*कं बहवषा( 6ण कय>चि*कमु पेलवः ु कय>चि*कं महाद:घ(ः कय>चि*कं Fणः िथतः || इ!त मे भगव#3?ह ् ू *वं यथावदनCहात ु सकTƒतं न +व ाि#तमे!त लो टे यथा जलं || ृ

In the three Creations experienced by Leelaa’s husband, at some place it was a full night, at some place just a month, at some place many years, for some one just a few days, for some one a long span of time, for some one it was just a second. How was it possible? Be compassionate and explain this. I am so eager to know the answer immediately or my mind will not rest like the water in a dry mud clump.

CHAPTER EIGHTY TWO {MIND DECIDES EVERYTHING}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke येन येन यथा य.य.यदा संवे.यतेsनघ तेन तेन तथा त*त*तदा समनभयते || ु ू By whomsoever, however, whatever, whenever is conceived, by that one, in that manner, that thing alone, at that time is experienced. अमत*वं +वषं या!त सदै वामत ृ ृ वेदनात ् श म( ु *वमाया!त मसं+वि*तवेदनां || Poison turns into nectar by a continuous cognition of nectar in the poison. The enemy becomes a friend by perceiving him as a friend. यथा भा+वतमेतेषां पदाथा(नां !नजं वपःु तदे व >चराRयासाि#नयतेवश ( मायतं || Whatever one believes the object to be, the object takes over that very quality by the continuous thinking process.

कचनैकाि*मका >च.यथा कच!त याeशं तथा तथाशु भव!त त*वभावैककारणात ् || The Consciousness has the quality of shining only; it shines as whatever it wants to shine as! !नमेषे य?द कल ्पौघसं+वदं पEर+व#द!त !नमेष एव त*कJपो भव*य न संशयः || If it understands hosts of Kalpa in a second, then the Kalpa occurs in just a second; no doubt about it. कJपे य?द !नमेष*वं वेि*त कJपोQयसौ ततः !नमेषीभव!त gFLं ताeCप ू ाि*मका ?ह >चत ् || If it perceives only a second in a Kalpa, then Kalpa becomes a minute instantly. Chit takes over any form as conceived! दः6खतय !नशा कJपः स6खतयै व च Fणः || ु ु For a sorrowing man, the night passes like a Kalpa; for a happy man a Kalpa passes in a second. Fणः वQने भवे*कJपः कJप)च भव!त Fणः यथा च म*वा जातोsहम ् तAणो यौवनिथतः ृ यातोsिम योजनशतं वQन इ*यनभयते || ु ू In the dream a second becomes a Kalpa and Kalpa becomes a second; just like‘After dying, I am born, I am young, and I have traveled hundreds of Yojanas’ – is experienced as a dream. राMं .वादशवषा(6ण हEर)च#@ोsनभतवा न् ु ू लवणो भ\तवानायरे ु ु कराyया समाः शतं || Twelve years were experienced in one night by Harischandra. King Lavana experienced a hundred years of life in one night.

य#महत( ु ू ः Lजेशय स मनोजc+वतं मने ु ः जी+वतं यि.वEरZचय त?Pनं _कल च_Oणः +व णोजc+वतं राम तवष ृ ाDकय वासरः || The minute of Brahma is Manu’s full life! The whole life of Brahma is a day for Vishnu! The full life of Vishnu is a day for Shiva! `यानLFीण>च*तय न ?दना!न न रायः न पदाथा( न च जग*स*यमा*म!न यो>गनः || When one is absorbed in contemplation, there are no days or nights for him! For the realized Yogi, the world or objects are not real. मधरंु कटुतामे!त कटुभावेन >चि#ततं

मब.`या ि.वषि#मं Eरपब( ु ु ु.`या Eरपःु सjत ु ् || The sweet becomes bitter by thinking it as bitter; the bitter one becomes sweet by thinking it as such! Enemy becomes a friend by conceiving him as a friend; a friend becomes an enemy by thinking him to be such. भवती!त महाबाहो यथासंवेदनम ् जगत ् अनRयताः पदाथा( ये शापाठजपादयः || The world is what you perceive as happening. If one starts perceiving the Truths mentioned in the scriptures, which are never practiced, they indeed will become realized by practice. नौया!यनां ^माता(नां वेदना[+ववत( ते ू अवेदना^माता(नाम+प नैषां +ववत(ते || The travelers in the ship who are on the move feel that the earth rotates around them. Those who are on the bank and are stable on the ground do not feel that the earth is moving.

श#य ू माकhण(तामे!त वेदना*वQनeिkवव वेदना*पीतमानीलं श\लं वाQयनभयते || ु ु ू Even the void stretches out as observed in the dream state. By perception the sky looks blue or yellow or white. आपद*सवः खेदं करो!त पEरमोहतः || ु For a deluded one, even a festival brings pain (as in the case of a child). कुnयेs+प ख इवाचारो e टो न#व+वचाEरणः अस.यFो +वमूढानां LाणानQयकष(!त || Some idiots behave with blocking walls as empty space (like intoxicated ones). The non-existing ghost takes way the life for some fools. वेदना*वQनव!नता जाCतीव र!तLदा य.यथाभासमायातं त*तथा िथरतां गतं || The girl seen in the dreams gives pleasure as real as the waking state. That which is conceived as such, remains as that by continuous superimposition. असदे व नभ)चैव नभ एव >चदा*म!न शतहताNबदTछायान टन*त मवाततं || ु ृ The space is unreal. That space dances all over like a dancer who is the dark shade of the cloud with hundred hands, in the Chit. गगने मानसं प#दं जगि.व?P न वतु तत ्

मoयाSान+पशाचय प#ददश(नमाक!त ृ || The movement of the mind in the void is the world. The non existing ghost becomes alive by just seeing some movement only.

मायामाकमेवेदमरोधकम भि*तमत ् इदं भावरमाभातं वQनसंदश(नं िथतं अपव( नरयेवो?दतं +वदःु || ू मेवासQतय ु All this is just a play of Maaya, the delusory power of the Supreme! It is neither solid nor hard! All that shines as the world is just a dream perception for a knower who has woken up. परमाथ(महाथंभः सि टं चेत!त ताeशं || ृ The world exists in the Para Brahman like a statue in the pillar. याeशो मे नरः पा)वY वQने Fुsधो महाभटै : ताeशो 34मणः वगw ब1 त ् || ु एव सषQतव ु ु Like a person sleeping next to me is chased by the soldiers in his dream, so is the world for the Brahman, who is wide awake as if sleeping. (is not affected) सं!नवेशो यथाDगानामिDगनोsन#य आ*मनः जगदे वमनDगय वा*मनो 34मणतथा || Like the limbs are not different from a person with limbs, so is the world in Brahman who has no parts. याeगेकनरः वQने य1म#यं नरं L!त ु ताeशं सदस@पं ू वा*मेदं mयोमगं जगत ् || Just like a man fights another one in a dream so is the world just void and unreal and is the Self in reality. महाकJपा#तसगा(दौ >च*वभाव मदं वपःु कारण*वं मथः प)चादसदे !त न वातवं || At the beginning and end of the creation, the form of the creator exists as the nature of Chit only. The memories and the Brahma mutually exist as the cause of the creation which of course is not real.

म\ते भवेत ् ु sिम#34म6ण य?द 34मा#यः म!तजो ृ त*म!ृ तSािQतजे सगY िथतैव SिQतमाता || If this Brahma, the creator is liberated (by the fulfillment of all Vaasanaas), if another Brahma arises with another set of memories (SMRITI), then in that creation arising out of the knowledge of the SMRITI, Knowledge alone exists as the cause. But actually whatever arises is not real! {The first perturbation, the ‘Aakaashaja Principle’ termed Brahma, the ‘Collective mind’, who is the single Jeeva experiencing all the Vaasanaa fulfillment as all Jeevas – if that Brahma is liberated, then randomly another set of Vaasanaas arise as another Brahma and the world starts existing again as it were. The cause of the Creation here is the SMRITI, the unmanifest Vaasanaas, the memories of so many Jeevas who dissolved in innumerable creations. The ‘Creation Vaasanaa’ namely Brahma channelizes them with his own set of laws and the world instantly comes into existence with various time space phenomena, in various dimensions. What actually is the cause of the creation here? Brahma, the first perturbation! But what causes him to create? The memories of previous existences! What are memories? Knowledge! What is Knowledge? Chit, the Supreme undifferentiated Consciousness! So Brahma and the SMRITI though mutually are responsible for the creation, actually all that is seen here as the world is not real. It is just a dream of a Jeeva, namely Brahma who is collection of a set of Jeevas, who are nothing but channels for Vaasanaa manifestation! Brahma is the sum total of all the Jeevas in his creation.}

CHAPTER EIGHTY THREE {WHY ALL PERCEIVE THE SAME WORLD?}

ी राम उवाच Rama spoke पौराणां मि#मयानां +वदरथकलOमः ु ू ु सममेव कथं त सवषां Y L!तभा सतः || In Vidooratha’s world, how could all the citizens and ministers see the same thing? {If the world of Vidooratha was just the conceived world of Padma, then how the people of that world were able to see the same thing which Vidooratha saw?}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke >चतः समनवत( सव(सं+वदः ु #ते मयायाः ु यथा +वपल ु वा*यायाः सामा#या वातले6खकाः || The Mind follows the most dominant cognition among all cognitions like the small wind lines follow the path of the huge storm. {Suppose you dream of a dog or a mosquito or bird, obviously those creatures will see what you conceive, as their conception is less dominant than yours. When Brahma the ‘Jeeva with most dominant ideas’ dreams, you as a creature in his dream will see what he conceived in his dream. In the story of Leelaa, Jnapti controls Leelaa’s cognitions. Jnapti is a higher soul conceived by Leelaa to help her guide in the path of realization. But as Jnapti exists as a power of Chit fulfilling the devotee’s wishes, her will dominates Leelaa’s life events. Padma as a king has more dominant cognitions. His subordinates, ministers and citizens in his world see what he conceived only, being less dominant minds. The second Leelaa conceived by him is also controlled by his cognitions. But the first Leelaa is beyond the boundaries of his conception. She is a higher soul with Knowledge. She does not interfere in any of the events that happen in Vidooratha’s life, though she had the power to do so. Even in actual life, the person who is the most dominant character in the house, be it a husband, or the wife, or the son or daughter, or anyone – they will create the scenes of your cognition. In the ordinary life events, wealth, physical prowess etc. dominate and create the world of less fortunate beings. But in a higher level the conception of a person with more Knowledge acts as the dominant principle. That is why Shiva is considered as the Lord of all.}

परपरानसारे ु ण तथाpपेण सं+वदः क>चताताः LजापालLजावातmयमि#णः || The cognitions of each light up the world of each other as in the case of the king, his citizens and ministers. एवंpपा*कलाWजातो राजामाकमयम ् *वसौ ु क>चता इव वातmय+वदो वैदरूथे परेु || ‘Our king is of such and such a family; of such and such a form; this is he.’ In the city of Vidooratha, the people, who perceive the world as such, shine as it were.

{The citizen thinks-‘This is the king who rules my city’. The king is conceived by him. The king thinks, ‘This is my citizen’ and he conceives the citizen. In this way everyone conceives the other as per the need and wants of one another. A ‘network of conceptions’ of many Jeevas join together and create new worlds repeatedly. If a king dies, he may create a city in his conception; if a beggar dies, it will be just his old rugged clothes and begging bowl that will be recreated in his conception. If a wife dies, it will be her family and house that will be recreated to fulfill her Vaasanaas. A doctor conceives the patients, the patients conceive the doctor; the social worker conceives the suffering lot, the suffering souls create a social worker to help them; a devotee creates a God, a God creates a devotee if he has the Vaasanaa to get propitiated.}

कचने >च*वभावय न च कारणमाग(णं य\तं महामणेभा(सा मवा#य वभावतः || ु There is no reason why Chit shines in some particular manner. It is like the natural shine of the great gem. अहमेवं कलाचारे राजा वयमेव म*य+प ु +वदरथ+वदो र*नाद?दता L!तभा यथा || ू ु From the gem of Vidooratha’s mind, the conception – ‘I am of such and such a family; I will be the king’ shone forth. याव#तो ज#तवो यिम#ये ये सगY यदा यदा ते सग(ग*वािTच1ातोर#यो#यादश(तां गताः || Whatever creatures, in whichever creations, whenever arose, they became part of each others’ conception because the same Chit which is the ‘substratum of all’, exist in all. {If each one is bound by the conception of the other, then is there no escape? Vasishta suggests a way out in the next verse. If one can maintain one single Vaasanaa of liberation, unaffected by sense attractions etc, and is vehemently perusing it without a break, then that becomes a stabilized conception leading to the goal of liberation. For the others, the conceptions are momentary. Every minute the mind changes its needs bombarded by various anxieties and desires. So the worlds created by these messy minds are chaotic, unpredictable and lead to various calamities. But a man, who single-mindedly pursues liberation or knowledge to the exclusion of all other Vaasanaas, reaches his goal in no time and is freed of this network of delusions.}

ती†वेगवती या या*त सं+वदकं+पता सैवाया!त परम ् थैयम ( ामोFं *वैकp+पणी || That conception which is very vehemently speeding without any disturbance, that alone becomes stabilized till the attainment of liberation, being of a single nature. बलविTचि.वलासानामनव**या परपरं ु ृ वभावा: L!तMबNबि#त >चदादशY वभावतः || By reason of involuntarily occurring mutual conceptions of each other, the nature of each other gets reflected in the ‘mirror of the mind’ naturally. {Though the other person in your conceived world appears by your own conception, you are similarly a person conceived in his dream by his conception. But these conceptions occur involuntarily and get reflected in each other’s minds.}

ता!तय*नाWजय!त स*याः सं+वदा आ*मसात ् कव( ु ि#त सEरदाNभो>धगा मनी सEरतो यथा || Those conceptions which are for the Supreme Reality succeed through extreme effort, like the river which is rushing towards the ocean absorbs all small streams into it. {Two types of conceptions are mentioned by the Sage. One is the conception of liberation; another is the ordinary conceptions of the worldly objects based on Vaasanaas. A single-minded striving for realizing the Truth is capable of destroying all other thoughts about the world and carries one towards the goal of liberation. But the other conceptions arising out of Vaasanaas will also try to take upper hand. Sometimes they are both equally strong; sometimes one will dominate over the other; but one or other will keep dominating the mind and act the winner.}

ये समात ते ताव.यत#ते >च*वभावतः यावदे को जय*य ि.वतीयः स !नमWज!त || As per the nature of the mind, those conceptions which are equal in strength will both strive to reach the upper hand; one of them will win and the other one will sink down. जायमानेषु न)य*सु वत(मानेषु भEरशः ू एवं सग(सह]ेषु परमाणुकं L!त || न _कि#च*केन>च.mयाQतं न _कि#च*केन>चि*थतं >चदाकाश मदं शा#तमतः सव(म भि*तमत ् ||

In this manner, in thousands of creations in each infinitesimal atom particle, among those which get born, perish and exist abundantly, nothing pervades anything; nothing exists because of anything. The tranquil state of Chidaakaasha alone remains without boundaries. अयमाभासते वQनो !न!न(@ो eि टविज(तः अव)यंभा+वबोधतु वनभतो ु ू sQयस#मय: || This dream shines as the waking state due to lack of true understanding. Whatever is perceived inevitably as even one’s own experience is indeed unreal. पप पफलां शा*मा यथैकः वािथतो @मः ु ु अन#तसव(श\*या*मा 4येक एव तथा +वभःु || Just like a single tree exists as a whole with leaves, flowers and fruits as it’s very own nature, the endless omnipotent Supreme Self exists as all. मातमे ृ यLमाणा?दमाया*मकमजं पदं ब1ं ु +वम!त ृ माया!त न कदाचन कय>चत ् || That unborn state (of Chit) filled with the delusions of measures, estimations, proofs etc when realized, does not ever get obliterated for anyone. श#योदयातमयव तु तमःLकाशं ू ?द\कालpQय+प सदै कमना?दशु1ं || आ.य#तम`यर?हतं िथतमTछमंबु सौNय*ववी>चवलना{य मवैकमेव || अहN*व म*या?दजग*वpपा +वश1 ु बोधैक+वभा +वभा!त || आकाशकोशे !नजश#यते व ू .वैतै\यसंकJप+वकJपनाTच ||

That which is the substratum for the ‘void, rising and setting states’ of the world, that which lights up the inert world of darkness, that which is beginning less, pure and One- though manifesting as directions and time, that which is devoid of beginning, middle and end, that which stays like the pure and tranquil ocean of one single nature though filled with waves, that Supreme taintless knowledge alone shines in the hollow of AAkaasha in its own empty nature as the world filled with ‘I’ ness etc. as duality, conception, perturbation etc.

CHAPTER EIGHTY FOUR {WHY THE WORLD IS WITHOUT A CAUSE?}

ी राम उवाच Rama spoke अहं जग?द!त ^ाि#तः परमा*कारणं +वना यथोदे !त तथा 34म#भयः कथय साधु मे || ू Please explain again for my understanding how the delusion namely the ‘I’, and ‘the world’ arises out of the Supreme, without a cause as such? ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke

कचनं 34मर*नय जग?द*येव यि*थतं तदकारणकं यमा*तेन न mय!तEरTयते || The world exists like the shine of the gem called Brahman. So it is not caused; it is not different also. अन*कhणा( यथा पDके पMका चाथ दाA6ण ु ु यथा वणा( मषीकJके तथा सगा(ः िथताः परे ||

Like the unmade figures in the wet sand, like the statue inside a log of wood, like the colors in the base material of ink, the worlds exist in Brahman. अन#या#येव कच!त 34मत**वमAथले अस*या*म!न स*येव Mज#मगति णका || ृ ृ The mirage of the tri-worlds though unreal by nature shine as real in the desert land of Brahman undifferentiated from it. नातमे!त न चोदे !त \व>चि*कि#च*कदाचन सवK शा#तमजं 34म >च.घनं स शलाघनं || ु Nothing never ever rises or sets. There is only the tranquil, unborn state of Brahman dense with consciousness (knowledge) like the densely filled rock.

CHAPTER EIGHTY FIVE ी राम उवाच Rama spoke एका*मैकतयैवं ?ह जाते संयिHवचारणात ् !न+व(कJपा*म+वSाने परे Sानवतां वर || _कमथ( मह !त टि#त दे हात**व+वदाम+प दै वेनैव समाOा#ता दै वम च _कं भवेत ् || After a person realizes the one self as all, O Best among Knowers, then why do bodies exist for the realized ones here as if forced by divine will? What is the place of God (DAIVAM) here?

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke अतीह !नय!त3ा(4मी >चTछि\तः प#दp+पणी अव)यभ+वतmयैकस*ता सकलकJपगा || There indeed exists the ordained law of Brahma! It is the power of the Chit. It is of the nature of vibration only. It is an inevitable fact. It is a part of all creations. आ?दसगY ?ह !नय!तभा(ववै>चyयमFयं अनेने*थं सदा भाmय म!त संप.यते परम ् || In the beginning of the creation itself, the imperishable rule about the objects that ‘This should be like this’ is formulated. महास*ते!त क>थता महा>च!तEर!त मता ृ महाशि\तEर!त याता महाeि टEर!त िथता || महा_Oये!त ग?दता महो[व इ!त मता ृ महाप#द इ!त Lौढा महा*मैकतयो?दता || It is known as Mahaasatta – Great existence; MahaaChiti- Great Consciousness; Mahaashakti-Great power; Mahaadrishti –Great vision; Mahaakriya –Great Action; Mahodbhava –Great Production; Mahaaspanda –Great vibration. It raises from the magnanimity of the Single Self. तणानीव जग#*येव म!त दै *याः सरा ु इ!त ृ इ!त नागा इ!त नगा इ*याकJपं कृतािथ!तः || ‘The continuously changing grass-like worlds like this; the demons (cruel ones) like this; Gods like this (good ones); Naagas like this; hills like this;’ such rules are there from the beginning.

कदा>च.34मस*ताया mय भचारोsनमीयते ु >चतमाकाशकोशे च ना#यथा !नयतेः िथ!तः || Sometimes even transgression of rules is allowed as a rule. But the laws arise from the Chidaakaasha alone from the beginning. This status does not change. +वEरञ ्Tया.या*म भब(1 ु ैबwधाया+व?दता*मनाम ् 34मा*मैव सा !नय!तः सगwsय म!त कoयते || What an ignorant one calls as Creation is the ‘Knowledge of the Brahman’ for the Knowers like Brahma and others. अचलं चलवe टं 34मापय( ू mयविथतः अना?दम`यपय(#तं सगw वF ृ इवाNबरे || It is unmoving yet seems to move! The creation exists filling the entire state of Brahman, from the beginning to the end and the middle, like a tree filling the sky. दे हे यथािDगनोsDगा?द e)यते >चवभावतः 34मणा प=ज*वेन !नय*या.यDगकं तथा || Just like a person with limbs knows his own limbs, the Chit knows the laws etc., the limbs of the creation, through the vibration of the Lotus-born. एषा दै व म!त Lो\ता सवK सकलकालगं पदाथ(मलमाONय श1ा ु >च?द!त संिथता || This has been known by the name ‘divinity’ at all times; it is nothing but the Chit existing as all objects. पि#दतmयं पदाथन Y भाmयं वा भोक् तत ृ ापदं अनेने*थमनेने*थमव)य म!त दै वधीः || The ‘Will of the divine’ is ‘This should happen by this; This should happen by this as a certainty; So should the vibration in the objects occur; So should the events be experienced.’

एषैव पAष चा6खलं ु प#दस ्तण ु ृ गJमा?द एषैव सव(भूता?द जग*काल_Oया?द च || This alone is embodied, the vibration, the grass, the cluster of trees and everything. This alone is the entire hosts of beings, the world, space, action etc. अनया पौAषी स*ता स*तायाः पौAषेण च लkयते भवनं याव..वे एका*मतयैव ?ह || ु By this (Daivam or Unseen fate), exists the manly effort; the manly effort by this. Both are identical. नरे ण पौAषेणैव कायY स*ता*मके उभे ईe)येतेन !नय!तरे वं !नय!तपौAषे || Humans should succeed only by the manly effort. This is the law ordained for the manly effort. L टmयोहं *वया राम दै वपौAष!नण(यः मद\तं पौAषं पाJयं *वये!त !नय!तः िथता || ु You asked me Rama about the will of the divine and a man’s effort. I tell you that only the manly effort should be maintained and that is the law. (Success is ensured)

भोज!य य!त मां दै व म!त दै वपरायण: यि*त ट*य_Oयो मौनं !नयतेरेष !न)चयः || ‘God will take care of me’ so does a devotee of God remain without doing any effort; that is also an ascertained law. (Success is not ensured) न या.ब+1न( कमा(6ण न +वकारा?द नाक!तः ु ृ केवलं ि*व*थमाकJपं िथ*या भाmय म!त िथताः || There is no intellect, no actions, no changes, no forms; but as per the law- ‘It should be like this’, everything exists from the beginning of the Kalpa.

अव)यंभा+वतmयैषा ि*वद म*थ म!त िथ!तः न श\यते लDग!यतम+प A@ा?दब+1 भः || ु ु ‘This should happen like this only’ is the inevitable state of the world. These laws cannot be transgressed by even Rudra and others. पौAषं न पEर*याWयमेतामा> *य धीमता पौAषेणैव pपेण !नय!त?ह( !नया मका || A wise one should not discard efforts. Rules get fulfilled in the form of effort. अपौAषं ?ह !नय!तः पौAषं सैव सग(गा !न फलाsपौAषाकारा सफला पौAषाि*मका || Rule is not the effort; but effort is a rule in every creation. Effortlessness leads to failures; Efforts lead to success. !नय*या मकतामे *य !न!न पौAषतयाs_Oयं ू यित ट!त LाणमA*प#दतय \व गTछ!त || If one remains silent because of the rules (‘let whatever happens, happen’ idea) and does not act with effort where does his breathing action stop? (At least he has to breathing action.) अथ Lाण_Oयारोधम+प क*वा +वरामदं ृ य?द !त ट!त त*साधम( || ु ु\त एव _कमTयते ु Even if controls the breathing act and remains in rest, can he be called a liberated one? पौAषेका*मता ेयो मोFोs*य#तमकत(त ृ ा आRयां तु सबलः पFो !नद( ःु खैव महा*मनां || Effort as a means for the attainment of the ‘Highest’; ‘Liberation’, the extreme state of non-doer ship as the attainable goal; for the noble who adopt these two, there is no pain.

एतै!न(य*या?दमहा+वलासै34 ( मैव +वफज( ू !त सव(गा*मा || तण : स*तेव तोयय धरा#तरथा || ु ृ ा?दवJल:तAगJमजालै Brahman alone, the Self of all, shines with the great play of these rules; water which is below the earth alone is the essence of all the grass, creepers, trees, grooves and others.

CHAPTER EIGHTY SIX ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke यदे त34मत**वं सव(था सव(दैव सव(त एव सव(शि\त सवा(कारं सव)वरं सव(गं सव(मेवे!त || Y That which is the principle of Brahman exists in all possible ways, at all times, at all places ; is omnipotent; takes on all the forms; is the Lord of all (because of knowledge); is everywhere; is all. एष *वा*मा सव(शि\त*वाTच \व>चिTचTछि\तं Lकटय!त \व>चTछाि#तं \व>चWजडशि\तं \व>चदJलासं \व>च_कि#च#न _कि#च*Lकटय!त || ु Since this Self is omnipotent, sometimes it exhibits the power of consciousness (as a Jeeva); sometimes tranquility (Sattva); sometimes the power of inertness (Tamas); sometimes joy (Rajas); sometimes some indescribable thing; sometimes nothing (dissolution and deep sleep times). य यदा यदे वासौ यथा भावय!त त तदा तदे वासौ Lप)य!त || Wherever, whenever, whatever it conceives, there and all, then and all, it perceives that alone. सव(श\ते?ह( या यैव यथोदे !त तथैव सा || As it is all powerful, in whatever way it appears, that alone it is.

तदाित शि\तना(नाp+पणी सा वभावत इमाः श\तयोsयमा*मे!त || Thus the power is of various types because of its (Brahman state) very nature. All these powers are the Self alone. (There is no difference betweeen the powerful object and its powers.) एवं +वकJपजालं mयवहाराथK धीम![ः पEरकिJपते लोके ना*वा*म!न +व.यते भेदः || This network of differences is invented by the wise for the sake of dealings in the world. The Self has no differentiations. यथो म(तरDगपयसां सागरे कटकाDगदकेयरैू वा( हे Nनः || अवयवा!यनोः सं+वकाJप!नकh ि.वता न वातवी || It is like the ocean having waves and wavelets; the gold, shaped like bracelets, and armlets. The superimposed principle of duality namely the parts and its owner, is not real. सवा(कारमयं 34मैवेदं ततं मoयाSानव![ः शि\तशि\तम*वे अवयवावय+वpपे किJपते न पारमा>थ(के || The Brahman alone is spread out like this as all forms. The ‘misconceived theory of powers and its owner as like an object and its parts’ is just an imagination, not true. यथा यTचे*यते ?ह तथैव त#न बा4यतो ना#तरत)चैत*समदे ु !त ?ह || In whatever way it conceives, that is like that only; that does not arise from outside or inside. (If Chit as the Jeeva perceives a snake in the rope, it is just so; the snake does not come from outside or in the inside of the rope.)

सवा(*म*वा*समाभासं \व>चि*कि#च*Lप)य!त || As Brahman is the essence of all, it shines equally in all, perceives something somewhere. (The misconception is not its nature and occurs only at a Jeeva level at the time of Vaasanaa manifestation. The principle of Brahman is equally as all, in all, as undifferentiated and pure, shining as untainted knowledge.)

स.वा भव*वस.वा >च.य*संकJपय*य भ!न+वश!त त*त*प)य!त सकला त*स34मैव >च[ा!त ||

Whether real or unreal, Chit enters completely into whatever it conceives and perceives all as such. That is Brahman alone which shines as the conscious principle.

CHAPTER EIGHTY SEVEN ी राम उवाच Rama spoke वानभ!तLमा णेsिमन ्34म6ण 34मबं?ृ हते ु ू कथं स*तामवाQनो!त जीवको .वैतविज(ते || This Brahman is proved in one’s own experience. Everything is the expression of this Brahman. How does the tiny Jeeva attain oneness with Brahman bereft of duality? ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke असदाभासमTछा*मा 34मातीह Lबं?ृ हतं बह धमmययं || ु ृ िTच[ै रववपरान#दा भ तय य*समापणK ू श1ं ु स*वम>चि4नतं ति.वदामQय!नदY )यं तTछा#तं परमं पदम ् || Brahman, shining like the unreal, the pure Self alone exists extending gigantically like this. It is huge; of enormous size; known as AAnanda - The Bliss Principle. It is uniform; complete; pure; existence; unsymbolized; indefinable by even Knowers; tranquil; - Supreme state. तयैवो.य?दवाशाि#त य*स*वं सं+वदा*मकं वभावा*प#दनं त*तु जीवशsदे न कoयते || As if like a disturbance in that tranquil state, arises a vibration with the cognizing ability, as its own natural state known as Jeeva.

तेमाः परमादशY >च.mयोN#यनभवाि*मकाः ु अस#याः L!तMबNबि#त जगWजालपरं पराः || There in that Supreme mirror of Consciousness get reflected countless hosts of networks of worlds in the form of experiences in the Chidaakaasha. 34मण: फरणं _कि#च.यदवातांबुधेEरव ु द:पयेवाQयवातय तं जीवं +व+1 राघव || Understand that expression of Brahman as Jeeva like what occurs in the windless ocean or windless lamplight. (just the vague movement seen in them) शा#त*वापगमेsTछय मना\संवेदना*मकं वाभा+वकं य*फुरणं >च.mयोNनः सोsDग जीवकः || यथा वातय चलनं कशानोA णता यथा ृ शीतता वा तषारय तथा जीव*वमा*मनः || ु Child! Jeeva is a very minute vibration, which is the very nature of that pure tranquil state like the movement of the wind, or the heat of the fire or the cool nature of the snow. >च@पया*मत**वय वभाववशतः वयं ू मना\संवेदन मव य*त*जीव इ!त मतं ृ || That which arises naturally in the Chidaakaasha, the principle of Self, like the least cognizing ability is known as Jeeva. तदे व घनसं+व**या या*यहं तामनOमा त् ु व4#यण:ु वे#धना>ध\या*वां Lकाशकता मव || That alone becomes dense and takes on the form the ego principle, like the spark blazing high by the addition of fuel. यथा वतारकामागY mयोNनः फर!त नी लमा ु श#ययाQयय जीवय तथाहं भावभावना || ू

Just like blueness arises in the colorless sky filled with stars, the ego arises in the void nature of the Jeeva. जीवोsहं कृ !तमाद*ते संकJपकलयेPया वैतया घनतया नी लमान मवाNबरं || The Jeeva attains the ‘I’ ness by the fuel of conception, like the sky attains blueness by becoming dense (with dust particles). अहं भावो ?ह ?द\कालmयवTछे द: कताक!तः ृ ृ वयं संकJपवशतो वातप#द इव फर ु न ् || The ‘I’ ness manifests like the movement in the wind with a form separated through space and time, forced by the rising of conception. संकJपो#मखतां यात*वहं कारा भदः िथतः ु >च*तं जीवो मनो माया Lकृ!त)चे!त नाम भः || The ego bound by conceptions is known by the names of mind, Jeeva, Maaya, nature (Prakriti) etc. त*स#कJपा*मकं चेतो भतत#माकJपनं ू कव( ु #ततो †ज*येव संकJपा.या!त पZचतां || The mind of the nature of conception which conceives the elements with their innate principles attains the form made of five elements. त#मापZचकाकारं >च*तं तेजःकणो भवेत ् अजातजग!त mयोिNन तारका पेलवा यथा || The mind with the principles of the elements is a spark of energy akin to the sky with very few stars where worlds have not yet formed. तेजःकण*वमाद*ते >च*तं त#माकJपनात ् || शनैः वमा*पEरप#दा.बीजमDकुरता मव ||

The mind attains the state of a spark of energy by the conceptions of the essences of the elements slowly by its own vibrations like the sprouting of the seed. असौ तेजःकणोsडायः कJपना*कि)चदडतां Lया*य#तफर ु 34मा जलमा+पडता मव || Gradually this spark termed as the ‘egg’ with the Brahma vibrating inside it attains the state of ‘egg-ness’ by imagination like the water becoming solidified. {Egg means potentiality, a set of Vaasanaas collected randomly and getting ready to manifest; a state where the Vaasanaa-collections will randomly collide with a creation Vaasanaa and give rise to Brahma and his world.}

कि)च.@ा>ग!त दे हा?दकलना.या!त दे हतां ^ाि#त*वं तदत@पं ू ग#धवv)च वस*परंु || Sometimes instantly it attains grossified structure by the conception of body etc. along with the delusion of ‘I’ ness, like the Gandharvas creating illusory cities. {Gandharvas – A class of beings adept in creating illusions of all kinds} कि)च.थावरतामे!त कि)चWजDगमताम+प कि)च.या!त खचाया(?दpपं संकJपतः वतः || Sometimes it becomes plant life, sometime the moving beings, sometimes birds by its own conceptions. सगा(दावा?दजो दे हो जीवः संकJपसंभवः Oमेण पदमासा.य वैEरZचं कAते जगत ् || ु The ‘first vibration’ which is the ‘first Jeeva’ of the ‘essence of conception’ slowly attains the state of Brahma and creates the worlds. आ*मभकलना*मासौ य*संकJपय!त Fणात ् ू त*वभाववशादे व जातमेव Lप)य!त || This Brahma by his very nature, churning his own mind, perceives whatever he conceives instantly.

>च*वभावा*समायातं 34म*वं सव(कारणं संसतौ ृ कारणं प)चात ् कम( !नमा(य संिथतं || The Brahma-ness which arises by the very nature of the Chit is the cause of everything; It later makes KARMA - Action as the cause of the worldly existence. >च*तं वभावा*फर!त >च*तः फेन इवाNभसः ु कम( भब(`यते प)चािnडडीर मव रWज भः || ु The mind arises by the very nature of the Chit like the formation of the foam on the ocean waters. It later gets bound by actions like the foam-balls by the ropes. {Foam when thickened becomes solid like and gets caught by the ropes hanging from the ships. But the water does not get affected by this. Though the mind suffers by the results of actions, Chit remains unaffected.}

संकJपः कलनाबीजं तदा*मैव ?ह जीवकः Oोडीकता ू जीवो ध*ते वजी+वतं ृ Dकुरं पवK प)चा#नाना*वमाया!त पाDकुरफलOमैः || Conception is the seed of all perceptions. Jeeva is the essence of conception. Jeeva holds within himself, the subtle sprouts of the past. Then that alone increases in diversity as leaves, sprouts and fruits. वकम( भततो ज#मम!तकार णतां गतैः ृ Lया#*य`व( ू मधता.वा कम( >च*प#द उTयते || Goaded by their own actions to a variety of births and deaths these Jeevas move upwards or downwards. That Karma is known as the vibration of the Chit. >च*प#दनं भव!त कम( तदे व दै वं >च*तं तदे व भवतीह शभाशभा?द || ु ु तमाWजग!त भवना!न भवि#त पवK ु ू भ*वा !नजाDगकसमा!न तरोEरवा.यात ् || ू ु ु

The vibration of the Chit alone is Karma. That alone is the divinity. Mind alone causes auspicious or inauspicious things. Therefore in the creation repeatedly worlds keep appearing like the flowers blooming on the tree again and again. परमा*कारणादे वं मनः Lथममि*थतं ु मनना*मकमाभोगी तेनेदं त#यते जगत ् || In this manner, mind arose first from the Supreme Cause. It is of the nature of thoughts, experiencing everything that is there. By that alone the world keeps extending. अपारावार+वतारसं+व*स ललवJगनै: >चदे काण(व एवायं वयमा*मा +वजNभते || ृ This ocean of Chit alone with ever leaping waters of cognition extending from this end to that end shines by itself. द:घ(वQनिथ!तं यात: संसारायो मनोवशात ् असंयHदश(ना*थाणा+वव पNL*ययो eड: || ु Just like by an improper vision, the idea of a man in a pillar becomes affirmed, this thing called worldly existence attains the state of a long dream, controlled by the mind. एवमेकं परम ् वतु राम नाना*वमे*यलं नाना*व मव संजातं द:पाPीपशतं यथा || In this manner the one Supreme reality takes on the manifold variety of forms like one single lamp lights up hundreds of lamps and shines as many. >च*तमां नरतिम#गते शा#त मदं जगत ् || Man (Jeeva) is just the mind. If the mind is subdued, the world also quitens out. पमााeते ना#य*कदJया +व.यते यथा ^ममााeते ना#यWजगतो +व.यते तथा ||

Like the plantain tree does not exist devoid of leaves nothing called world exists devoid of delusion. जायते बालतामे!त यौवनम ् वाध(कं ततः म!तं || ृ वगK च नरकं ^माTचेतो ?ह न*य!त ृ Gets born; attains childhood, youth and old age; then death and heaven and hell; the mind dances madly as all this. यदा >चTचेत!त ि.व*वं तदा .वै*यै\य+व^मः यदा न चेत!त .वैतं तदा .वैतै\ययोः Fयः || When the Chit perceives duality, then there is the delusion of duality and oneness! When the Chit does not perceive duality, then there is the disappearance of duality and oneness! >च.घनेनैकतामे*य यदा !त ट!त !न)चलः शाNय#mयवहर#वा+प तदा संशा#त उTयते || When one remains stable attaining the oneness with the all-pervading Chit, whether quiet or acting, he is called the supremely peaceful one. त#वी चेतयते चे*यं घना>च#नाDग चेत!त अJपFीबः Fोभमे!त घनFीबो ?ह शाNय!त || The thinned out mind perceives all; dense Chit does not perceive anything. A slightly drunk person acts perturbed; but a heavily drunk person remains quiet. >चTचेतनेन चे*य*वमे*येवं प)य!त ^मं जातो जीवा म प)या म संसरामी*यस#मयं || Chit through the mind attains the cognizing character and sees the unreal delusion as ‘I am born, I live, I see, I move’ and so on.

वभावा.mय!तEर\तं तु न >च*तयाित चेतनं प#दाeते यथा वायोर#तः _कं नाम चे*यते || Mind cannot exist bereft of its nature of perceiving. What else is the wind but the movement? य?द सवK पEर*यWय !त टय*Oा#तवासनः ु अमनै s स न संशयः || ु व !नमेषेण त#म\तो ु If you can discard everything and remain without any Vaasanaa, in that very instant you stand liberated; there is no doubt about it. यथा रWWवां भज#गाभा +वन)य*येव वीFणात ् ु सं+व#मा+ववतन Y न)य*येव ?ह संस!तः ृ || The moment you understand the rope, the snake is gone instantly. If the mind stops perceiving, the worldly existence will get destroyed. या भलाषत#ननम ् सं*यWय थीयते य?द ू LाQत एवाDग त#मोFः _कमेताव!त द करं || ु If you can remain discarding all your wants, the liberation is attained instantly. What is so difficult about it? अ+प Lाणा#तण ृ मव जय#तीह महाशयाः या भलाषत#मा*यागे कपणता कथं || ृ Great men give up even lives to achieve something. Is it so difficult to give up desires? या भलाष*य\*वा चेतसा !नरवCहं LाQतं कमि#@यै ग4 (ृ ण#*यज#न टं च !त ट भोः || Y Discard the wants; do not conceive anything with the mind; Move only with the organs of action; without the thought of the gain or loss remain as you are. यथा करतले MबJवं यथा वा पव(तः परः ु L*यFमेव तयालमज*वं परमा*मनः ||

You will realize the state of Brahman like the Bilva fruit in the palm or a mountain just situated in front of you. .वैतं यथा नाित >चदा*मजीवयोतथैव भेदोsित न जीव>च*तयोः यथैव भेदोsित न जीव>च*तयोतथैव भेदोsित न >च*तसग(योः || As there exists not ‘duality’ between the Conscious Self and the Jeeva, there exists not the difference between Jeeva and the mind; as there exists not the difference between Jeeva and the mind, there exists the same way no difference between the mind and the Created world. .वैतं यथा नाित >चदा*मजीवयोतथैव भेदोsित न जीव>च*तयोः यथैव भेदोsित न जीव>च*तयोतथैव भेदोsित न दे हकम(णो: || As there exists not ‘duality’ between the Conscious Self and the Jeeva, there exists not the difference between Jeeva and the mind; as there exists not the difference between Jeeva and the mind, there exists the same way no difference between the body and action. कमvव दे हो ननु दे ह एव >च*तं तदे वाह मतीह जीवः स जीव एवे)वर>च*स आ*मा सव(ः शव*वेकपदो\तमेतत ् || Action alone is the body; body is indeed the mind. ‘That alone am I’ is the Jeeva here. That Jeeva alone is the Supreme Consciousness; that is Self; All. ‘Auspiciousness’ is the one word which explains it all.

CHAPTER EIGHTY EIGHT

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke

श1ं ु सव(गतं 34मान#तमि.वतीयं दरवबोध वशादश1 मवास?दवाने क मवासव(ग मवावब.`यते || ु ु ु

The pure, all pervading, endless, second less Brahman, because of ignorance, is understood as impure, unreal, many, and limited. जलम#य*तरDगोs#य इ!त बालककJपनया भेदः कJQयत एवमवातवतमा.यो ु योsयमाभा!त भेदः स केवलमत**व+व![ः पEरकिJपतो रWWवां सप( इव एवं भेदाभेदश\*योरEर मयोरे व 34मयेव संभवेत ् || The difference that is perceived like a child perceiving the water as different, wave as different is not true; therefore this difference which shines is just conceived by those ignorant of the truth, like seeing a snake in the rope ; this is possible in Brahman because of the power of difference and non-difference like the contradictory concepts of friend and enemy. तेना*मनाि.वतीयेनैव ि.व*व मवाततं यथा स ललेन तरDगकJपनया सवणन ु Y कटककJपनयैव म!त अततेन वयमेवा*मना*मा#य इव चे*यते || So the Self which is second less spreads out as two as it were, like the wave imagined in water, like the bracelet imagined in the gold ; therefore the Self perceives by itself, ‘itself’ as different. अतः कलना जाता सैव फारतां LाQय मनः संप#नं तेनाहं भावः किJपतो !न+व(कJपL*यFpपमेत*Lथमं त#मनतदहं भव!त gFLमहNशsदाथ(भावनात् || Therefore the fault (cognizing power) arose; that alone expanded and the mind came into being; because of that the ‘I’ idea was conceived; first arises the perturbation-less directly experienced form (Brahma); then the mind (Cosmic mind); then it becomes the ‘I instantly by conceiving the meaning of the word ‘I’.(First conception as Brahma) ततो मनोहं काराRयां म!तरनसं ु ?हता तैि भतदनभत ु ू त#माा6ण किJपता!न त#माेषु ृ जीवेन >च*ता*मना वयं काकताल:यव.34मोपादाना?दया#सि#नवेशः किJपतो e)यते || Then the mind and the ego experienced the residual memory states; those three created the essence of elements for their experience. It is observed that the Jeeva endowed with the nature of cogitation, by itself, conceives the ideas of efficient principle of Brahma etc. as a coincidence factor (crow and the palm leaf maxim). एवं यदे व मनः कJपय!त तदे व प)य!त | स.वा भव*वस.वा >च*तं य*कJपय*य भ!न+व टं I त*त*प)य!त याय!त स?दव L!तभासमपगतं स.यः || ु

In this manner whatever the mind conceives, it sees that. Real or unreal, what the mental faculty conceives, it enters into that conceived object and becomes that. The mind perceives (the object), reaches that (conceived object) and instantly shines (as the object) as if it is real.

PART TWO OF SECTION THREE - UTPATTI PRAKARANAM COMPLETE

About the Author: Maa Tejasvini The author spent many years doing research on ancient Sanskrit texts in the Himalayan region. She was exposed to many unique spiritual experiences which are beyond human comprehension. Her mission in life was to translate all renowned spiritual texts and literature of Sanskrit and bring them to the light of the public.

YOGA VAASISHTA A PHILOSOPHICAL TREATISE COMPOSED BY

VAALMIKI MAHARSHI आदकवीम वाि मकमहषणीतोयोगवासठः

योगवासठसारं ESSENCE OF YOGAVAASISHTA Compiled by तेजिवनी Tejasvini

उपितकरणम ् ततीयं ृ

आदकववाि मकमहामन णीतः ु

योगवासठः उपितकरणम ् ततीयं ृ PROLOGUE After enumerating the tale of Leelaa who raised her level of knowledge by means of just an enquiry on immortality, Sage Vasishta now relates the legend of a demoness. Leelaa of the previous story had not performed any penance or mastered any Vedas in her life as Arundhati, the Brahmin lady. She had just performed the duties that belonged to her station of life and served her family. Even she, an ordinary housewife, had by the sheer power of enquiry reached the status of being a friend of Jnapti in her next birth. Well, what about creatures that can’t even think beyond their body level? They are also equally capable of realizing Brahman like any human aspirant, suggests the wise sage. In the story that follows, a terrifying ugly demoness, whose only mission in life is to satiate her hunger, realizes Brahman even without aspiring for it consciously ever. Even the smallest virus, or bacteria or worm, can realize the Self and attain the Supreme bliss, if it can only think; that is what the Sage explains through the story of KARKATEE, the crab-like demoness. Did this story influence Rama so much that he thought twice before killing TAATAKI, the demoness of the forest on his wanderings with sage Vishvaamitra?! Who knows! Human mind is too deep and mysterious a phenomenon. Which seeded idea may lead to what mode of future action is highly unpredictable. Leelaa wanted to make her husband immortal and ended up as a SATYALOKA resident serving Jnapti. In the following story, Karkatee wanted to have just a good meal and ended up realizing Brahman! Who can un-fathom the riddle called CHIT! OM TAT SAT

UTPATTI PRAKARANAM SECTION III - PART THREE ‘EMERGENCE’

स यपायानं ू ु THE TALE OF THE NEEDLE

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke अैवोदाहरतीम मतहासम ् परातनं ु रायो!तं महा"#नजालमाव लता%खलं || Here alone is enumerated this ancient legend which contains the all-encompassing network of questions spoken by the Raakshasee (demoness).

CHAPTER ONE {KARKATEE THE DEMONESS}

अित क)जलप*का+े ,रवो-ा शालभिजका 0हमा+े 12तरे पा#व3 कक4ट5नाम रासी || On the northern side of the Himalayan Mountain lives a demoness of the name KARKATEE (Crab-like) who is terrifying like a statue carved out of a mountain of dense collyrium.

6वषू9चका भधाना च ना;नायाटवीव दे हेन श का का य4पुमागता || ु She had the name VISHOOCHIKAA (cholera). She was more harmful than what her name suggested. Her body looked as if the Vindhya forest had become thin and dry. महाबलाि@ननयना रोधोर+ाध4पूरणी नीला;बरधरा क णा दे हबCेव या मनी || ृ Her eyes were like blazing fire. She filled half of the space contained in-between the heaven and earth. She wore a blue colored garment as if the dark night had taken a form covered by the blue sky. नीहारवसनDछना मेदराF शरःप टा ु ल;बाFHब;बोIल सता न2यो2थत मरो>व4जा || The mist covered her like a cloth. The clouds made her head gear. She moved happily like the reflection of a hanging cloud. She had hair like the ever rising darkness. िथर6वKयIलताने ा तमालत1जानका ु ु वैदय 4 प ू श ू ा4-नखी भमनीहारहा सनी || Her eyes were like frozen lightning creepers. Her knees were straight like Tamaala trees. (Egg tree) Her nails shone like lapis lazuli and were like the edges of the winnowing basket. Her smile covered the land with ashy mist. नमाLसनरदे हौघप प ु O@दामभ6षता ू सव4*गोदा2तसं"ोतशवमाला6वरािजता || She was adorned by a garland threaded by hosts of fleshless human bodies which were used as flowers. She shone beautifully with a garland of corpses ornamented by all types of limbs. वेतालावेश6वचल2कालक*कालकPडला ु अका4दानो2कद5घा4-भीमो-भजमPडला || ु

When she madly danced with the vampires, her ear-rings made of blackened skeletons rocked making her look gruesome. Her huge shoulder-region rose high as if intent on scraping away the sun. {KARKATEE WAS HUNGRY}

तया 6वपलकाय2वाCु लभ 4 2वािनजाधसः ु अतयानैकतानाशया || तिमाजन शाितमागतवत 2य!तैणेना2मना त+ा €ा9धपसौ\दै : वकवलानावादयती 9चरं || She was liberated while living. Even now that demoness resides in that very deserted mountain region; sometimes in contemplation, sometimes awake. When the king attained the ‘Supreme state of Quiescence’ by renouncing all desires after the death of the body, she remained eating the food affectionately offered by the other kings who ruled as his heirs to the kingdom.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke She maintains friendship with any king comes to rule the hunter’s region. The demoness, who has now become extremely compassionate, has mastered many Siddhis (Magical powers) and wards off all evil spirits, calamities, and diseases for those people. After years of contemplation, she wakes up and descends down to their country; and takes away all animals and humans who need to be killed and fills her belly happily in her private abode. Even now kings collect all punishable persons to be offered as food to her. Who will not spare any effort to please a friend! ( मसंमाने के 0ह ना>यवसायनः) When she is absorbed in contemplation, and absent for a long time, the people of the hunter’s clans made a statue of her and worship her as Kandaraa Devi also known as Mangalaa in a huge temple almost touching the skies. From then onwards any king who rules as an heir to the previous one establishes a statue of Kandaraa Devi personally. If any king does not establish her as a goddess and worship her, the people join together and kill him off as a wicked person unfit to rule their kingdom. By worshipping her, people get all the desires fulfilled. If they do not worship her, they are in for complete ruin. That goddess is worshipped by offering all the punishable people who have committed offense. She even now is worshipped as a statue established in the temple fulfilling the desires of all her devotees.

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke एत2ते क9थतं राम सवL मयाeयानमनिदतं कक4^या 0हमराया यथावदनपव4 ु ू शः || Rama! I have related the whole story of Karkatee, the demoness of the mountains to you without leaving out any point. ी राम उवाच Rama spoke 0हमव2गTवरे "ो2था सा कथं क णरासी ृ बभव ू कक4ट5 ना;ना यथावKवद मे "भो || Lord! How did the black demoness who grew up in the hollows of the snow mountain get the name Karkatee? ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke There are many clans of demons like white ones, black ones, green ones, shining ones and so on. There was demon named Karkata who looked like a crab. His daughter is this black Karkatee looking also like a crab. I told you the story of Karkatee to teach you about the principle of Brahman through her questions mentioned thereof. Fाितरे षा यथायाता तथा यातु रघKवह ू iायसे त2"बU2वमे नां केवलमु2सज ु ृ ||

O Rama! Let the delusion which has risen without any reason, disappear as it is. You will realize the truth and know everything. Throw off this delusion! 9च2ता0दयमनथ4 ीतDच सा चेतरा च ते मदि!त व णादे व शाितमे य2यसंशयं || ु

The delusory grandeur which has come out of this mind and all other doubts and apprehensions you have developed will doubtlessly subside by listening to my words. _Tमणः सव4मु2पनं सवL _Tमैवमेत च मKगी भः सं"बUः ु सन ् iाययलमन0दतं || Everything has come out of Brahman. Everything is Brahman alone. You will get enlightened by my words and know everything completely and clearly.

PART THREE OF SECTION THREE - UTPATTI PRAKARANAM COMPLETE

About the Author: Maa Tejasvini In searching for Truth, the author spent many years doing research on ancient Sanskrit texts in the Himalayan region. She was exposed to many unique spiritual experiences which are beyond human comprehension. Her mission in life was to translate all renowned spiritual texts and literature of Sanskrit and bring them to the light of the public.

YOGA VAASISHTA A PHILOSOPHICAL TREATISE COMPOSED BY

VAALMIKI MAHARSHI आदकवीम वाि मकमहषणीतोयोगवासठः

योगवासठसारं ESSENCE OF YOGAVAASISHTA Compiled by तेजिवनी Tejasvini

उपितकरणम ् ततीयं ृ

आदकववाि मकमहामन णीतः ु

योगवासठः उपितकरणम ् ततीयं ृ PROLOGUE Herein Sage Vasishta proves that ‘forms’ don’t decide functions; rather mind with a particular functional mode decides the form. Mind only matters; not the matter! Any one can become any God or demon or human, only if they could develop the proper mind-structure for it. Any one can become a Shiva, or a Vishnu, or a Brahma; or a Raavana, a Kamsa or Mahisha. Do not worry; you won’t be overcrowding the God or demon world. A private universe will be created for you to fulfill your Vaasanaa without disturbing the original characters. To be a Shiva you should look at the whole world as burnt ashes; or love Daakshaayini more than your life. But this Vaasanaa needs another person who is willing to get born to Dakshaa and burn herself in the love of her Lord. To be a Naaraayana, you have to have a Gaayatri Devi (Aeishvaryaa Devi) to fulfill your identity as Naaraayana. Maybe that is why the Aeindavaas, the ten sons of Indu, chose the simple task of creation and became eternal Brahmas inside a Brahma’s creation. The first story of Aeindavaas tells you how you can become any person in any creation just by a determined will and hard practice. The second story of Indra and Ahalyaa tells you how even a scandalous love affair if sincere can lead you towards eternal identities unique in themselves. Nothing is impossible in the CHIT, the state where any thought can end up as any possible universe! OM TAT SAT

UTPATTI PRAKARANAM SECTION III - PART FOUR ‘EMERGENCE’

ऐ दवोपयानं THE TALE OF AEINDAVAAS

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke मणः सवमुपनं सव मैवमेत च म गी भः सं#ब%ः ु सन ् 'ाययलमन*दतं || Everything has come out of Brahman. Everything is Brahman alone. You will get enlightened by my words and know everything completely and clearly.

CHAPTER ONE {WHY USE THE WORD ‘FROM’WHEN THERE IS ONLY ONE BRAHMAN?}

ी राम उवाच Rama spoke तमा*दय मत मन ् -यतरे काथप0चमी ननु 1कं 2व2% दे वेशाद भनं सव मय2प ||

You are using the word ‘from’ in the phrase, ‘from ‘That’, ‘this’ arose’, which belongs to the fifth case denoting differentiation; though you say that everything exists undifferentiated from the Supreme! ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke Selected Verses: The word or the sound with such a meaning has been coined for the sake of instruction in the scriptures. (उपदे शाय शा4ेषु जातः श6दो) The difference observed is only a language modification and not real. (भेदो 89यत एवायं -यवहारान वातवः) It is like the term ‘ghost’ which is used with the purpose of frightening a child. (वेतालो बालकयेव कायाथ किते ु केनाप'द *वचाय7ते वण7धम7कु ल`माः || Then I told her, “O good lady! I will become your husband.” When in trouble, who will bother about class, caste, and family orders? तततयोदनादधg म$यमेकं सम*प7तं || ज:बूफलरसः पीतः स भIत ु : पIकणौदन: *व ातं च मया तQ मोहापxतचेतसा || Then she gave me half of the food she had with her. The food relished by Chaandaalas was eaten and the juice of the Jamboo fruit drunk and I rested well, my mind fully given to delusion. मां तQाक7 मवापय7 ू सा Tाव{ ृ Rयामला गता हतेनाथ समुपादाय Tाणं ब'ह5रव िथतं || Like the monsoon darkness covering the Sun completely that dark girl dragged me away with her hands as I stood there as if my life was outside my body. (exhausted and tired as if dead)

दरा भयTदं ु कत ु ृ म ् दराचारमाससाद *पतरं पीवराकारमवीDच मव यातना || Her father was fat, ugly, terrifying and of crude manners. She approached him like pain approaching its source namely hell.

तयाहमनष ु िOगया वाथ7तमै नवे'दतः अयं मम भवेjता7 तात हे तव रोचतां || Clinging to me, she secretly mumbled in the ears of that low caste man, “Father! This one will become my husband if you feel so.” स तया बाढ म-यI-वा 'दनाते समपिथते ु ु ममोच दातावाबHौ कतातः 9कOकरा*वव || ु ृ He said “Be it so”. As the evening approached, he released the two bullocks like the god of death releasing his servants. नीहारा^कडारासु 'द!ु TोHू लतासु च वेतालबधना-तमा'cनाते च लता वयं || The misty clouds had made everything tawny in color. The quarters were filled with dusty winds. From that terrifying forest which held within it many vampires, we moved away. !णेन पIकणं TाMताः संJयायां दFघ7जOगलात ् Rमशाना'दव वेतालः Rमशान मतरमहत ् || In a second we left the huge forest behind and reached the colony of the Chaandaalas in the evening, like the vampires moving from one cremation ground to the other bigger one.

CHAPTER TEN {THE CHAANDAALA COLONY}

*वकत7तवराहाRवक*पकIकटवायसं | ु ु रIत सIतोव7राभागT^ममv!कागणं | शोषाथ7म ् Tसत ृ ाhा7QतQीजालपत-खगं | बालहतिथत`Uय*पडIव?णतमv!कं | जज7राDध टचडालतिज7तार'टताभ7कं |

The sliced flesh of pigs, horses, monkeys, cocks and crows were everywhere. Hosts of flies were resting on the blood soaked places in the ground. The birds were falling into the net of wet strings of nerves left to dry on the ground. Mosquitoes were humming around the meat piece held in the hand of a boy. Aged chaandaalas were thrashing the yelling kids. त-T*व टा वयं कlण7 शराQं भीमपIवणं || Then we entered the huge colony of the Chaandaalas strewn with nerve pieces and intestine pieces. सं^मोप'हतानपकदलFदलपीठके अहमािथतवातQ नवे Rवशरुमिदरे || I was made to stay in the new house of my father-in-law. Countless banana leaves were brought and excitedly spread out to make me a seat. Rव|वा मे केकराBया तु तेनास;ृ लवच!ुषा जामाताय मत TोIतं तया सद भनिदतं || My father-in-law informed my mother-in-law KEKARAAKSHEE (squint-eyed), with slightly reddish eyes, “This is our son-in-law” and she happily accepted the fact.

{THE FEAST}

अथ *व :य चडालभोजनायिजनासने संDचतायपoIतान दष || ु ु ्कृतानीव भ5रशः ू Then after some rest, varieties of dishes relished by that Chaandaala community were collected on an antelope skin like wicked acts by the ignorant, and consumed abundantly. अनतदःखबीजान न मनो\तराय*प ु तान TणयवाIयान तायसभगायलं || ु ु

Words filled with love – which were seeds for the endless agonies of the future, which were in no way pleasing, which were in no way amiable, - were heard in abundance. {THE MARRIAGE}

नर^ा:बरन!Qे किमिRच'cवसे ततः तैतैरार:भसंरंभैतैव 7 Q*वभवाप7ण:ै द-ता च तेन सा म$यं कमारF भयदायनी ु सक णा क णवणन े यातना || ] द क ु ृ ु ृ तेनव ृ On a cloudless day, on some day of some star constellation, with their own festivities including abundant meat and intoxicating drinks, with their own exchange of garments; like the dark-hued wicked act offering misery, one fine day he offered me his daughter who had terrifying looks and was extremely black in color. सरभसम भतो *वनेदरQ ु Tसत ृ महाम'दरासवाः Rवपाकाः हतपटपटहा *वलासवतः ु वय मव द कत ु ृ राशयो महातः || Excitedly all those dog-eaters made merry around us, freely distributing wine and liquor all around; beating the drums; roaring with laughter; as if they were the huge piles of wicked acts. बहनाQ 9कमIते ु न सो-सवोिज7ताशयः ु ततः Tभत || ु ु ृ तQाहं संपनः प टपIकसः What is there to say any more? I became fully engrossed in the festivities of marriage. After that I ended up becoming a fat Chaandaala.

{FAMILY AND CHILDREN}

सMतराQो-सवयाते `मामासा टके गते पि पता सा*प संपना िथता गभ7वती ततः || ु Tसूता दःख ु दां कयां *वपcुःख9`या मव || After the seven nights of festivities, eight months passed away. My wife came of proper age and became pregnant. Then she gave birth to a female child like calamities producing wailings. सMतरा-सोवयाते `मामासा टके गते Tसता कयां *वपcुःख9`या मव || ू दःखदां ु The festivities went on for seven days. Exactly after eight months she delivered a pain-giving daughter like an accident produces painful actions. सा कया ववधे व पीवरF || ू ] ृ शी}ं मखDचते That girl grew up fast like the foolish thoughts of the ignorant. पनः ु Tसता ू सा वषzिQ भः पQमशोभनं ु अनथ7 मव दब7 ु *ु Hराशापाश*वधायकं || Again my wife delivered an ugly son after three years like the wicked mind producing harmful situations binding one by ropes of desires. पनः पनरMयभ7 कं ततः ु सतां ु द'हतरं ु ु कलQवानहं जातो वने जरठपकसः || ु That female of the Chaandaala caste gave birth to another daughter, then again a son. I had now a family in the forest and had become an aged Chaandaala. तया सह समातQ मम ब$Uयोsतवा'हताः नारके Dचतया साधg )$मyनेनेव यातनाः ||

Many years went by like this in her company like the killer of a Brahmin suffers many pains along with the guilt of the sin.

CHAPTER ELEVEN {LIFE AS A CHAANDAALAA}

शीतवातातपIलेश*ववशेन वनातरे Dचरं *वल लतं वHक ु ृ Kछपेनेव पवले || In that distant forest I was tossed about for long suffering under cold weathers, storms, and heat of the Sun, like an aged tortoise living in a small pond. कलQDचताहतया Dधया सद$यमानया d टा: क टसमार:भा 'दशः Teव लता इव || With my mind scorched by the worries of the family, I went through incessant sufferings as if all the quarters were afire. !ौमानेकसमा!ीणपटे चेडकधा5रणा का टभारो वने Uयूढो यो मत7 ू मव द कतं ु ृ || Wearing garments made of flax fibers which were torn by usage of many years, I carried stacks of wood tying them in grass ropes acting like the personified wicked deed. यौकाकlण7जरि-Iलनगिधकौपीनवाससा आRवाय धवलFकानां तले नीता घनाः समाः || Wearing the stinking and worn out loin garment infested with louse, I rested under trees alone, for many heavy years. कलQापरूणो-केन जज7रेण 'हमानलैः हे मते दद7 रु े णेव *वलFनं वनकv!ष ु || ु

Longing for joining my family, I hid in the forest caves like a frog to protect myself from the snow storms in winter. नानाकलहकलोलतापTसर*वhताः ु बा पUयाजेन नम7ुIता नेQाoयां रIतbबदवः || Going through many fights and heated arguments, blood flowed out of the eyes like tears. या मयो *व*पने िIलने वराहा मषभोजनाः

शलातलकटFकोशे नीता जलद*वIलवाः || ु Monsoon nights were spent alone under the hollow of huge rocks with only boar’s meat as food. काले !यं गते रोहे काला^घनतां गते असौहादन ] बधनां ू कलहै Rचा*प संततः | सव7Q जातशOकेन कला भमखराभ7 कैः ु मया कपणDच-ते न नीताः परगहेृ समाः || ृ When the monsoon ended, as the crops sprouted, by the unfriendly attitude of the relatives and continuous quarrels among all, feeling suspicious of everyone, and tired of seeing children fighting for morsels, I acting miserly, spent many years in some other house. चडालFकलहोिPव;नचडचडालतज7नैः मखं ु जज7रतां यात मद ू राहुरदै 5रव || Taking part in fierce fights and arguments boosted by the females and getting hit violently my face became shattered with many marks of injury like the moon by the bite marks of Raahu. आशा Tसा5रता दरंू Tावषीव तरिOगणी ृ करoया इव सपण Dधया || ] *वhतं ु दरतो ू

दरेू -यIता दया दे हे भजOगे नेव कचक ु ु ं `ौयg सखे ु न संर:भशरव*ष7 नना'द च || Desire flowed to great distances like the stream in the rainy season. Wisdom slithered away like the snake from the bear’s hold. Compassion inherent in the body was cast afar like the skin by the snake. Cruelty roared happily showering arrows with great excitement. लो भ लOगो यथा रोगमनथा7नव दr7 ु हः TसतातQ मे दारा दःखायथ सखाय*प || ू ु ु Excessive desire for sex-pleasures gives rise to diseases. Wrong planetary constellations create calamities. The wife, in the same way gave birth to pleasures and pains of all sorts. नपालपQक ु े नैकतनयेन तदा मया ृ नीता नीर~दोषेण षि टः कपसमा: समाः || Though born in the royal family, I spent sixty long years equal to sixty Kalpas in that colony of Chaandaalas. Hey my courtiers! To say it all in briefI was dragged by anger; I wept aloud when difficulties came; I ate food that was despised; I lived with the worst class of chaandaalas. Chained by evil Vaasanaas I lived a miserable existence for long in a different time altogether.”

CHAPTER TWELVE {THE FAMINE}

अथ गKछत काले तु जराजज75रताय*ष ु तष ु ारपण7 ू श पौघ समRम भ ु ते ृ मय || As time went by in this life struck by old age and decay; having forgotten my royal status; I remained well established in the life of the Chaandaala. My facial hair gradually turned white like the grassland covered by snow.

Tो$यमाने तण ृ इव सावतg कालसागरे *वमते शवयेव महाजवे ू ृ मम भप-वे चाडाल-वे िथरFभते ू प!िKछन इवाचले अकाडे मरणोXडीनं चडचाडालमडलं नरनतणपQा:ब ु *वJयकKछं तदाययौ || ृ As I was getting carried away in the whirlpools of the ocean of time without any control; as I had forgotten completely my royal status, like a corpse in a War-field; as I was firmly established in the character of a Chaandaala like the mountain settling down on the ground when its wings are cut off; the frustrated Chaandaala community became the stage for many untimely deaths. VindyaKaccha, the place where our colony was situated, dried up completely. There was no food, or water or grass or leaf left. न वष7त घन>ाते d टन टे IवDचत ्िथते पूताOगारकणोिम गतौ वहत माSते शीण7मम7रपणा7सु दावाि;नव लतासु च अकाडमभवjीममHाम दवपावकं ु शो*षताशेषगहनं भमशेषतण ृ ोलपं || सदकाडफुटcेशं TाMय तKछु ककोटरं Pवादशाका7ि;नद;धय जगतोनकतं ययौ || ु ृ As there was no rain at all; as all of us watched everything getting destroyed; as the winds carried tiny burning sparks in the sky, as the dried up leaves caught fire and spread through the empty landscape; as there rose unexpectedly a huge uncontrollable forest fire; as everything was completely wiped out leaving behind only ashes of burnt creepers and grass; the once prosperous mountain region stuck by this unexpected calamity appeared now like a huge dry hollow region burnt by twelve Suns. तिमतदा वत7माने क टे *वDध*वपय7ये जनाः केचन न `:य गताते सकलQसुxeजनाः || When there existed such sufferings by the turn of fate, some people left that region along with all their relatives and friends.

{THE SUFFERING}

Like trees broken and fallen in the forest, some families were unable to leave their homestead like limbs grown there. They stayed in their huts and died of starvation and thirst. Some ventured out only to be eaten by the tigers and other wild animals. Some entered the fire like moths. Some fell into holes like rocks in a landslide. {LAVANA ESCAPES WITH HIS FAMILY}

अहं तु ताप5र-यeय शवशरादFवक ं !मं ु कलQमाQमादाय कृKछाcेशािPवनग7तः || I left all my in-laws and other relatives there itself. Accompanied only by my wife and children who were able to walk along with me I walked away from that dried up terrain. अनलाननलाRचैव भ!कात!कान*प वkचय-वा भयाम-योः सदारोsहम ् *वनग7तः || ृ I escaped the fire, the winds, the wild animals, the snakes; and fearing death every moment, I left that area followed by my wife and children. अवरोMय सुताकधानानानथा7नवोबणान ् *व ातोsिम Dचरं ातो रौरवा'दव नग7तः || There under thebase of the Palmyra tree, I took down my sons from my shoulders like keeping down increasing sufferings. I rested there for long as if released from a hell. अथ चाडालकयायां *व ातायां तरोतले | सMतायां शीतलKछाये Pवौ समा लO;य दारकौ | ु पK ु : िथतः | ृ छको नाम तनयो ममैकः परत अ-यतवलभोsमाकं कनीयामौ;Jयवानत | स मामवाच दFना-मा बा पपण7 ु ू *वलोचनः || तात दे $याशु मे मांसं पातंु च SDधरं !णात ् ||

The Chaandaala lady also rested under that tree. She slept under the cool shade of the tree embracing her two children. Then my son named PRCCHAKA stood in front of me. He was very dear to both of us being the youngest and very innocent. He looked very pitiable; his eyes were filled with tears. He said to me, “Father, give me meat now and also blood for drinking immediately.” पनः ु पनव7 ु दनेवं स बालतनयो मम Tाणाितकlं दशां TाMतः सा`दो 'ह पनः ु !ुधा || That child of mine was repeating the same words again and again and reached the state of death almost, screaming incessantly that he was hungry. तयोIतं तु मया पQ ु मांसं नातीत भ5रशः ू तथा*प मांसं दे हFत वद-येव सद ु म7 ु तः || I told him many times that there was no meat available. Even then that mad child went on begging for meat. अथ वा-सययIते ु न मया द:ु खातभा5रणा तयोIतं पQ ु ममांसं पIवं संभुeयता मत || तदMयOगीकतं ु ृ तेन दे हFत वदता पनः ममासभ!णं !ीणवि-तना आRलेषवि-तना || ृ ृ I had much affection for him and felt sad by his plight. I told him, “Son, only the flesh in my body can be cooked and eaten.” He agreed to that and went on begging again for my meat crying for food and holding on to me tightly. सव7दःखापनोदाय नेहकाSयमो'हना ु तय तामात7मालोक् य मया दःखातभा5रणा || ु सोढुम ् तामापदम ् ती>ामशIतेन हता-मना मरणायात मQाय कृतोsतन7Rचयो मया || To end all sufferings and moved by affection and kindness, heart broken at his plight, unable to bear his suffering any more, feeling utterly ruined, I decided that death was the only companion to be sought now.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN {CHAANDAALA LAVANA GETS READY TO DIE AND WAKES UP AS THE KING LAVANA}

तQ का टान संDच-य Dचताम ् रDचतवानहं Dचता चटचटाफोटै : ितथा मद भकाि!णी || I collected some wooden sticks and lighted a fire. With a crackling sound the fire started burning, waiting to swallow me. तयां तु यावदा-मानं Dचतायां नv!पा:यहं च लतोsिम जवा-तावदमाि-स:हासनानप ृ ः || When I threw myself into the fire, I shook uncontrollably and instantly fell out of this throne as a king. तततय7 ु ननादे न जयश_दे न बोDधतः || Then I woke up to the sound of instruments and to the pronouncement of “victory”. इत शा:ब5रकेणायं मोह उ-पा'दतो मम अ\ानेव जीवय दशाशतसमिवतः || In this manner the sorcerer got me deluded and I experienced hundreds of calamities like the Jeeva deluded by ignorance.” इ-यIतवत राजेhे लवणे भ5रते ु ू ज स अतधा7नं जगामासौ तQ शा:ब5रकः !णात ् || As the king Lavana of abundant valor spoke these words, the sorcerer immediately vanished from that place. अथेदमूचते ु सoया *वमयो-फललोचनाः ु नायं शा:ब5रको दे व यय नाित धनैषणा || दै वी काचन मायेयं संसारिथतबोDधनी मनो*वलासः संसार इत ययां Tतीयते सव7शIतेरनतय *वलासो 'ह मनोजगत ् ||

Then the courtiers whose eyes had opened fully in wonder said “O lord, this fellow is not an ordinary sorcerer. He covets no money. This is some divine illusion, enlightening us about the mystery of the worldly existence. World is nothing but the play of the mind; so does it gets proved by this event. This world created by the mind is just a play of the Supreme Reality which is omnipotent and imperishable. सव7शIते*व7DचQा 'ह शIतयः शतशो *वधेः यिPववे9क मनोsMयेष *वमोहयत मायया || The fate is all powerful having hundreds of powers that, even a discriminating wise man like the king, gets deluded like this. *व\ातलोकव-तातः Iव नामायं महFपतः ृ Iव सामायमनोवि-तयो;यो *वपलसं ु ^मः || ृ Where is this king for whom there is nothing unknown and where is the ordinary man of low-caste who can entertain only anxiety and apprehension in the mind! न च शा:ब5रकेKछे यं माया मन स मो'हनी अथ7य सPJयै चेहते न-यं शा:ब5रकाः 9कल || य-नेन Tाथ7यतेsथg नातधा7नं >जित भोः इत संदेहवेलायां संिथता ल लता वयं || ु This is not the work of an ordinary sorcerer. This is the deluding power which completely overpowers the mind. Usually all the magicians and sorcerers are after money. They will usually have demands of some expensive object and not vanish off like this. Thus we are caught in the tide of doubt and oscillating.” ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke सभायामवसं तयाहं राम तदा 9कल तेन T-य!तो d टं मयैतनायतः तं ु ||

Rama, at that time I was also in that court of King Lavana. I was a direct witness for the whole thing and I did not hear about this from a third person.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN MIND ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke {AVIDYAA GIVES RISE TO THE MIND}

परमा-कारणादादौ DचKचे-यपातनी कलनापदमासाPय कला क ललतां गता || अस-वेव *वमोहे षु रामैवंTायवि-तष ु ृ घनेषु तKछतामे -य Dचराय प5रमKछ7 ु ू त || Arising from the Supreme Cause Rama, falling into the state of cognition through ignorance, attaining a wretched state identifying thoroughly with such deluded states the mind remains in a faint state for a prolonged time. {From the Supreme Chit state > because of Avidyaa (forgetfulness of the Chit state)> cognition of the Vaasanaa fields >identity with all the states with a superimposed ghost of egotism >remains deluded absorbed in the dream of the world. This process is termed as the ‘Rising of the so-called mind’.}

{IGNORANT MIND LEADS TO THE IMAGINED STATE OF SUFFERING}

असदे व मनो विृ -त:ला7ना *वतारय-यलं दःखं दोषसहेण वेतालानव बा लका || ु Though unreal, the mind tainted with countless faults spreads out in an enormous way, like the little girl keeps increasing the number of ghosts and suffers imagining thousands of actions done by them.

{KNOWLEDGE DESTROYS ALL SUFFERINGS}

सदे व 'ह महादःखमस-तां नयत !णात ् ु न कलOका मनोवि-तरधकार मवाक 7 Sक् || ृ A taintless mind destroys even great sufferings instantly like the sunrays removing the darkness.

{MIND CREATES THE DRAMA OF THE WORLD}

नय-यoयाशतां दरंू दरमoया शतां नयेत ् ू मनो वगत भते ू षु बालो बालखगेि वव || Like a child playing with his little pet birds, the mind jumps about in beings; throws what is near to a distance; and brings close what is far. {THE IGNORANT MIND IS FILLED WITH ANXIETY AND APPREHENSION}

अभयं भयम\य चेतसो वासनावतः दरतो म;ध ू ु पाथय थाणुया7त *पशाचतां || The mind of an ignorant is frightened easily because of the pull of the Vaasanaas; the gullible traveler sees the pillar at the distance, as a devil.

{MIND CREATES EMOTIONS; MIND PAINTS THE WORLD}

शQ-वं शOकते मQे कलOकम लनं मनः ु मदा*व टमतज7तःु ^म-पRयत भतलं || ू The tainted mind is suspicious of even a friend and looks at him as the enemy. The human creature when intoxicated sees the ground as rotating. पया7कु ले 'ह मन स श शनो जायतेsशनः अमतं यात *वष9`यां || ु ृ *वषभावेन भIतं The mind that is confused can even perceive a missile shooting forth from the moon. The nectar consumed with the idea of poison will indeed produce poisonous effects.

{MIND IS NOT AWAKE IN KNOWLEDGE; BUT DREAMS IN IGNORANCE}

सरप-तननमा7 णमस-स'दव पRयत ु वासनाव लतं चेतः वMनवeजाrदे व 'ह || The mind easily believes even a city of illusion to be real. The mind under the control of Vaasanaas is ‘dreaming when awake’.

{MIND IS ‘THE PERSON’: NOT THE BODY}

अत-वं मन एवेदं नरं *व*H न दे हकं जडो दे हो मनRचाQ न जडं नाजडं *वदःु || Know the mind alone as the man, not the body. Body is inert. Mind is neither inert nor non-inert. {THOUGHT ALONE IS THE ACTION}

य-कतं ृ मनसा तात त-कतं ृ *व*H राघव य--यIतं मनसा ताव--यIतं *व*H चानघ || Rama, the action done by the mind alone is the real action. That which is renounced by the mind O Taintless one, know that as truly renounced.

{WHATEVER IS PERCEIVED IS THE PROJECTION OF THE MIND}

मनोमाQं जग-क-नं मनः पय7तमडलं ृ मनो Uयोम मनो भ मम7 नो वायम7 ू ु नो महान ् || The entire world is only the mind. Mind alone spreads out till the horizon. Mind is the sky; mind is the earth; mind is the wind.

{IF MIND IS UNAWARE, THE OBJECT IS NOT PERCEIVED}

मनो य'द पदाथ] तु तjावेन न योजयेत ् ततः सयLदये sMयेते न Tकाशाः कदाचन || ू

If the mind does not attach the suitable idea to the object, even when the sun rises, one does not see the objects illuminated by light. {To see the light, or rather see the objects in the light, the mind should have such a mould or idea that light reveals the objects; or it cannot see any thing even when the sun is there. If the brain is not hard-wired to perceive the objects in a particular frequency of electro magnetic waves, there cannot be a visible world for us.} {MIND IS THE PERSON: NOT THE BODY}

मनो मोहमपाद-ते ययासौ मढ ु ू उKयते शरFरे मोहमापने न शवो मढ ू उKयते || Only when the mind loses consciousness, the person is said to be unconscious. When the body is unconscious, the corpse is not said to be unconscious.

{MIND ACTS AS THE SENSE ORGANS}

मनः पRय भव-यv! शव ृ K€वणतां गतं -व;भावं पश7नादे त }ाणतामेत िज}णात ् || रसनाhसतामेत *वDचQावQ वि-तष ु ृ नाटके नटवcेहे मन एवानवत7 ु ते || Observe that mind alone becomes the Seeing Eye. By hearing it becomes sense of hearing. By touching it becomes the sense of touch. By smelling it becomes the sense of smell. By tasting it becomes the sense of taste. Like the actor taking on many characters, mind alone imitates all the senses in all the perceptions. {MIND IS THE POWER OF CHIT}

पदे षु वायतामे त Tकाशेषु Tकाशतां ु hवेषु hवतामेत DचKछिIतफ5रतं मनः || ु Mind becomes the wind as movement. Mind becomes the illuminating nature of the lights. Mind becomes the liquidity of the liquids. Mind is an extension of the power of Chit.

प4Uयां क'ठनतामेत शयतां शयdि टष ू ू ु ृ सव7QK े छािथतं यात DचKछिIतफ5रतं मनः || ु Mind becomes the hardness of the land. Mind becomes the voidness of the void perceptions. Mind attains the state of whatever it desires. Mind is an extension of the power of Chit.

{MIND NEEDS TO BE ALERT TO THE SENSE-PERCEPTIONS SO AS TO PERCEIVE}

मनययQ संसIते च*व7तया*प िज$वया भोजनया*प म टय न वादोsयानभयते || ु ू ृ If the mind is engaged elsewhere, even the tastiest food chewed in the mouth becomes tasteless. यिKच-तd टं तcृ टं न d टं तदलो9कतं अधकारे यथा Yप मिhयं न म7तं यथा || That which is seen by the mind alone is perceived. What is not perceived by the mind is not seen at all. Mind can see even (imagined) forms in darkness, creating the sense perceptions thereof. इिhयेण मनो दे 'ह मनसेिhयममनः ु इिhया?ण Tसतान मनसो नेिhयमा-मनः || ू Through the senses mind becomes embodied. Through the mind, the senses rise. The senses arise from the mind; not the mind from the senses. (The mind perceives the objects creating the senses and gets bound as it were by limitations. The senses are projections of the mind. Mind is not created by the senses.}

{FOR A KNOWER, EVERYTHING IS INERT LIKE THE INERT MIND}

अ-यत भनयोरै Iयं येषां Dच-तशरFरयोः \ात\ेया महा-मानो मनयाते सप ु िडताः ||

Those who have understood the oneness of the two entirely different things like the body and the mind are the true Knowers, truly great ones and extremely wise. {The ignorant identify the Self with the mind and suffer. The wise identify the mind with the body and are blissful.}

का ठकुXयोपमाOगेषु ल;नाMयमनसोsOगना || Even the prettiest woman who embraces is like a log of wood, for a person without the mind. मनययQ संसIते वीतरागेण कानने `Uयादच*व7तोsOकथ: वकरोs*प न लv!तः || A dispassionate Sage who is absorbed in contemplation is not aware even if his hand is eaten by a carnivorous bird sitting on his lap. सखीकतg दःखीकतg च ु ु सदःखान ु ु ु ु सखान ु सखे ै मनसोsतशया मने ु नवाश ु यeयते ु ु ः || Through the mind, pains become pleasures; pleasures turn into pains. But the excellent mind of the dispassionate Sage is always in bliss. {IF MIND IS NOT ENGAGED, SENSES DO NOT FUNCTION}

मनययQ संसIते क4यमाना*प य-नतः लता परशक-ते ु ृ व कथा *विKछPयते बत || If the mind is engaged elsewhere, even if anything is told, don’t the words get cut off from the ear like the creeper cut off with the axe?

{THE IGNORANT CAN NEVER ESCAPE THE SUFFERINGS BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE MIND}

मनय'hतटाYढे गह ु ृ थेना*प जतना श^ा^कदर^ाितदःखं समनभयते || ु ु ु ू

If the ignorant married man sits even on top of the mountain in his mind (while dreaming), the pains still rest heavy on his head like clouds. {THE MIND ALONE EXPRESSES AS THE THREE STATES}

अOकुरय यथा पQप पफलD य : ु मनसोsय तथा जाr-वMन*व^मभमयः || ू Just like the sprout holds inside it all the leaves and flowers in a subtle form, the states of waking and dream exist in the mind likewise. Uयत5रIता यथा हे :नो न हे मवनता तथा जाr-वMन9`यालBमीः Uयत5रIता न चेतसः || The gold does not differ from the statue of a woman made of gold. The waking, dream states do not differ from the mind. {WE ARE ALL ‘LAVANAS’ CAUGHT IN THE ILLUSION OF SUFFERING}

चडाल-वं 'ह लवणे TतभासवशाPयथा तथेदं जगदाभोDग मनो मननमाQकं || The Chaandaala state experienced by king Lavana is just an illusion perceived in his mind. The entire world experienced by one and all is also an illusion perceived by the mind. सखं च मन स तले तैल मव िथतं ु दःखं ु तcेशकालवशतो घनं वा तनंु वा भवेत ् || Both pain and pleasure exist in the mind like oil in the gingili seed. At suitable time and place they keep appearing in various measures, light or heavy. {KNOWERS}

न पदते मनो यय शQथ:भ इवो-तमः सPवततो

श टाः कद7 मकlटकाः || ु sसौ पSषः ु He whose mind does not move as if stuck by the freezing missile is truly an excellent man Others are worms floating in the muddy stream.

ययाचपलतां यातं मन एकQ संिथतं अन-त sनघ || ु मपदे नासौ Jयानेनानगतो ु He whose mind has lost its fickleness, and is established in the Self, has attained the excellent state through contemplation, O Taintless Rama! संयमामनसः शाितमेत संसार*व^मः मदरे sपदतां याते यथा !ीरमहाण7व: || Like the milk ocean becoming calm when the Mandara Mountain stops its churning, the delusion of the world also subsides, by the control of the mind. मानयो व-तयो या या भोगसंकप*व^मैः ृ संसार*वषव! ृ य ता एवाOकुरयोनयः || Those ‘perturbations of the mind’which chase the ‘pleasures of senses’ blinded by delusion, alone act as rows of sprouts for the poisonous trees of worldly existence.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN MIND-CONTROL ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke {MEDICINE TO CURE THE DISEASED MIND}

अय Dच-तमहाUयाधेिRच9क-सायां महौषधं वाय-तं शण वाद ु निRचतं || ु ृ ु वBया म ससाJयं Listen, I will tell you the excellent medicine for treating the chronic disease that has stuck the mind, which is within one’s own reach, which is easily available, which is very tasty and which is an ascertained cure.

{DISCARD THE DESIRE FOR ANY OBJECT}

-यजन भमतं वतु यित टत नरामयः िजतमेव मनतेन कदत इव दितना || ु He who remains without any afflictions renouncing the desired object has indeed conquered the mind, like the tusked elephant conquers the elephant without the tusk. शाQस-सOगधीरे ण DचतातMतमता*पना छिध -वमायसेनायो मनसैव मनो मने ु || Cut asunder ‘the mind burnt by the fire of worries’ with ‘the mind which is not hot’ and which is sharpened by the study of the scriptures and the company of the noble, like cutting the hot iron with the non-hot iron, O good one!

{MIND IS LIKE A CHILD: CONTROL IT SOMEHOW}

अय-नेन यथा बाल इतRचेतRच योeयते भावैतथैव चेतोतः 9क मवाQाित द करं || ु Like a child is easily made to divert his attention here and there by various methods of threats or caresses, a mind should be diverted. What is the difficulty here?

{IF YOU CAN’T DO THAT, YOU ARE WORTHLESS}

वाय-तमेकात'हतं वेिMसत-यागवेदनम ् यय द करतां यातं DधIतं पSषकl टकं || ु ु Fie on that worm in the form of the human who though capable, does not of experience the bliss of remaining as the Self (solitude) by discarding the desired object! वाय-तं च ससाJयं च वDच-ता`ाितमाQकं ु शIनवित न ये कतgु DधIतापSषज:बका ु ु ु न ् ||

Fie on those foxes in the form of humans who are not capable of controlling the mind, though such an act is within one’s capacity and easily achievable! {IF MIND IS NOT CONTROLLED, NOTHING GETS ACHIEVED}

वपौSषैकसाJयेन वेिMसत-यागY*पणा मनः TशममाQेण *वना नाित शभा ु गतः || There is no reaching the ‘auspicious end’ without the ‘quietning of the mind’; which means actually the ‘renunciation of the desired object’ and that ‘renunciation’ becomes possible only through ‘sincere effort’.

{DO NOT CONCEIVE ANYTHING}

सवg सव7गतं शातं )$म संपPयते तदा असंकपनशQेण छनं Dच-तं गतं यदा || When the mind gets cut off by the weapon of ‘non-conception’ then is attained the Brahman which is quiescent, which is all pervading and which is all. {KILL THE MIND AND TRANSCEND IT}

तां महापदवीमेतां कामMयDधगतं Dचरं Dच-तं Dचjv!तं क-वा Dच-ताद*प परो भव || ृ Always residing in ‘that one Supreme state’ attained somehow or other; devouring the mind through that Supreme consciousness; transcend the mind also. भव भावनया मIतो यIतः परमया Dधया ु ु धारया-मानमUयrो rतDच-तं ततः परम ् || Being endowed with the intellect merged in the Supreme, be free of thoughts. Bereft of any apprehension, be established in the Self. The mind seized by worries is different from ‘That’.

परम ् पौSषमाD -य नी-वा Dच-तमDच-ततां तां महापदवीमे'ह यQ नाशो न *वPयते || Taking recourse to supreme effort, changing the state of the mind into the state of non-mind, ascend that Supreme State where there is no destruction. अनPवे ु गः D यो मलमनPवे ू ु गा-Tवत7ते जतोम7नोजयो येन bQलोकl*वजयतण ृ ं || The root of prosperity is non-anxiety. Through non-anxiety alone one can succeed. Even the conquering of the three worlds is like plucking a tiny grass for that creature which has conquered the mind.

{THERE IS NO QUESTION OF FAILURE OR LOSS IN MIND-CONTROL}

न शQदलनो-पातपाता ययां मनाग*प वभावमाQUयाव-ृ तौ तयां कैव कदथ7ना || A weapon may break in a war-field; or a person who ascended the heaven may fall. How can such calamities be ever a part of the mind-control? {A MAN WHO HAS NO MIND-CONTROL FAILS EVEN IN WORLDLY ACHEIVEMENTS}

अ*प ववेदना`ातौ न शIता ये नराधमाः कथं Uयवह5र यित Uयवहारदशासु ते || How do those wretched men who can not even control their minds properly deal with the day-to-day affairs ever? {A RESTLESS MIND IMAGINES LIMITATIONS AND SUFFERS}

पमान ्मत ु ु ृ ोsिम जातोsिम जीवामीत कd टयः चेतसो व-तयो भाित चपलयासदि-थताः || ु ृ ‘I am a man, I die, I am born, and I am living’ – all these misconceptions shine as the false ideas arising in the restless mind.

{DEATH IS JUST AN ILLUSION} {The perceptions of one type change into another type. That alone is termed as death. There need not be any fear of losing the perceptions at death time. An ignorant person continues to see the perceptions endlessly for ever, unless he is liberated. So wherefore the fear of death?!}

न कRचनेह यते जायते न च कRचन वयं वेि-त मतं ृ वय लोकमयं वकं मनः || No one dies here; nobody is born also. One who thinks he has died sees another world with the same mind. इतो यात परम ् लोकं फर-ययतया मनः ु त-तयै-येतदामो!मतो मतभयं कतः ु || ृ Moving from here to the other world, the mind projects those perceptions in a different way. Till one attains liberation, the perceptions of the mind never cease to exist. So wherefore the fear of death! इहलोकेन *वचरि-वहलोके परQ च Dच-तमामो!मातेsय Yपमयन *वPयते || Let it be this world or the other world, the mind continues to exist till the attainment of liberation. The worlds seen are nothing but the projections of the mind. {IGNORANCE ALONE MAKES ONE FEEL SAD ABOUT DEATH}

मते ृ ^ात5र भ-ृ यादौ Iलेश आ9`यतेsनत ृ ः त-वDच-तं वचैतयUयाव-ता-मे त मे मतः || ृ When a brother or a servant dies, the mind is filled with grief; such a state is falsely risen; I believe that, ‘that state’ is nothing but the ‘mind separated from the true Self’.

{KILL THE MIND THROUGH CONTEMPLATION ON THE SELF}

Uयायते xदयाकाशे Dचत DचKच`धारया मनो मारय नःशOकं ततो बJनित नाधयः || In the supreme expansive space of the Chit, by wielding the sharp wheel-weapon of ‘contemplation on the Self’ with force, destroy the mind. No afflictions will again bind you for sure. {HOW TO KNOW WHETHER THE MIND IS DEAD OR NOT?}

य'द र:यमर:य-वे -वया सं*व'दतं *वदा छनायेव तदOगान Dच-तयेत मतम7म || If you experience no pleasure in the pleasing objects, then I am of the opinion that the limbs of the mind have been cut to pieces. अयं सोsह मदं तमे एतावमाQकं मनः तदभावनमाQेण दाQेणेव *वलयते || ू ‘This one’, ‘he’, ‘I’, ‘this’, ‘that’, ‘mine’ these ideas alone make the mind. When these are absent, the mind gets sliced off as if by a sickle. {NON-CONCEPTION}

छना^मडलं Uयोम यथा शर'द धयते ू वातेनाकपनेनैवं तथा तcूयते मनः || Like the clouds shattered by the wind dissolve away in the autumn, the mind dissolves through non-conception. भवित यQ शQाि;नपवनातQ भीभ7वेत ् वायते मदन ृ ु वKछे 9कमसंकपने भयं || Fear can arise where weapons, storms and fire exist. But what is there to fear in the state of non-conception which is pure, easily available and one’s true nature.

{IF THE MIND IS DEAD, THERE IS NO FEAR OF DEATH AGAIN}

कपातपवना वातु यातु चैक-वमण7वाः तपतु Pवादशा'द-या नाित नम7नसः !तः || Let the dissolution winds blow hard or let the all the oceans unite to become floods, let the twelve suns burn together, there is no destruction for the one bereft of the mind. {NON-CONCEPTION}

असंकपनमाQैकसाJये सकल स*Hदे असंकपनसााeये त टाव ट_धत-पदः || Remain established in that Supreme state which is the kingdom of non-conception, which is the bestower of all achievements, which is possible only through the means of ‘non-conception’. {CONCEPTION VERSUS SELF-BLISS}

संकपमाQ*वभवेन कता-यनथg ृ संकपमाQ*वभवेन -वं ससाDधताथg ु संतोषमाQ*वभवेन मनो *विज-य न-यो'दतेन जयमे'ह नरFिMसतेन || Mind has only one great quality of conception and creates havoc. Mind has only one great quality of conception and fulfills the task of creating the perceived world. By cultivating incessantly ‘Bliss of the Self’ alone as your power conquer the mind by having no desires. {EQUANIMITY-THE FINAL STATE TO BE MAINTAINED}

परमपावनया *वमनतया समतया मतया-म*वदाम*प श मतया मतयातरहतया यदव श टमजं पदमतु तत ् ||

Cultivate ‘the state of equanimity’ which is supremely sacred, where the mind remains controlled, which is in all the realized souls, which never diminishes, which is the unlimited feeling of the ego (as all), which remains as the only state left over, which is beginning less. Let that state be there for you.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN NATURE OF THE MIND ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke यिमतिमपदाथ] 'ह येन तेन यथा तथा ती>संवेगसंपनं मनः पRयत वािKछतं || The mind endowed with intense speed, perceives whatever it wants in whatever object, in whatever way, by whomsoever. शीतता त'हनये व कeजलयेव क णता ु ृ लोलता मनसो Yपं ती>ाती>ैकY*पणी || Like the coolness in the snow, like the blackness in the collirium, ‘oscillation’ is the inherent quality of the mind which is of the nature of high intensity. ी राम उवाच Rama spoke कथमयातलोलय वेगो वेगैककारणं चलता मनसो )$मबलतो *वनवाय7ते || How is it that, intensity is the nature of the ever-vibrating mind? How can the intensity be forcefully removed from the ever-moving mind?

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke न'ह चkचलताहFनम ् मनः Iवचन *वPयते चkचल-वं मनोधमL व$नेधम 7 L यथो णता || Never is a mind seen here bereft of ‘restlessness’. Like heat is the inherent nature of the fire, ‘restlessness’ is the inherent nature of the mind. यैषा 'ह चkचला पदशिIतिRच-त-वसंिथता तां *व*H मानसीं शिIतं जगदाड:बराि-मकां || That which is the ‘power of vibration’ expressed as the fickle nature in the principle of the mind – know ‘that’ as the power of the mind which is the essence of the entire world-appearance. पदापदाdते वायोय7था स-तैव नो$यते तथा न Dच-तस-ताित चkचलपदनाdते || The air cannot be felt without its movement. The mind also cannot have existence without its restless movement. य-तु चkचलताहFनम ् तमनो मतमKयते ृ ु तदे व च तपःशाQ सHातो मो! उKयते || That mind which is without the fickleness is known as dead. That alone is the penance. That alone is the scripture. That alone is the final conclusion. That alone is known as liberation. मनो*वलयमाQेण दःखशाितरवाMयते ु मनो मननमाQेण दःखं परमवाMयते || ु Only by dissolving the mind the suffering ends. Only through the mental processes that extreme pain is attained.

दःखम-पादय-यKचै ु ु ु Sि-थतिRच-तरा!सः सखायानतभोगाय तं Tय-नेन पातय || ु The demon called mind has arisen to give you immense pain. In order to obtain endless happiness, kill him with effort. तय चkचलता यैषा -व*वPया राम सोKयते वासनापदना:नीं तां *वचारे ण *वनाशय || Rama, the fickleness found in the mind is known as ignorance. Vaasanaa is its other name. Destroy it through proper enquiry. अ*वPयया वासनया तयातिRच-तस-तया *वलFनया -यागवशा-परं ेयोsDधग:यते || Through renunciation alone is the ‘Supreme welfare’ attained by destroying the ‘Vaasanaa of ignorance’ which alone forms true essence of the mind. य-त-सदसतोम7Jयं यमJयं Dच-तजा‚ययोः तमनः TोKयते राम PवयोदLलायताकत ृ || That which is in-between existence and non-existence, that which is in-between conscious and inert states, that alone is called the mind Rama, and it always oscillates between the two states.

{MIND BECOMES ‘INERT OBJECTS’ BY PRACTICE} {MIND ATTAINS THE ‘CHIT-STATE’ ALSO BY PRACTICE}

जाXयानसधान xतं जाXया-मकतयेHया ु चेतो जड-वमायात dढाoयासवशेन 'ह || Being absorbed in the inert objects; burning by the fuel of inertness; the mind attains the inert state through intense practice. *वबोधैकानसं ु धानािKचदं शा-मतया मनः Dचदे कतामपयात dढाoयासवशा'दह || ु

Being absorbed in the Supreme Consciousness, by identifying with the true essence of Chit, the mind attains oneness with the Chit through intense practice. पौSषेण Tय-नेन यिमनेव पदे मनः पा-यते त-पदं TाMय भव-यoयासतो 'ह तत ् || When the mind is pushed to whichever state through extreme effort, it attains that state and becomes ‘that’ by continuous practice.

{MIND ALONE CAN CONQUER THE MIND}

पनः ु पौSषमाD -य Dच-तमा`:य तेजसा *वशोकं पदमालं_य नराशOकः िथरो भव || Therefore taking recourse to supreme effort, conquering the restless mind by the discriminative mind, taking shelter in the painless state, remain stable without any apprehension. मन एव समथg 'ह मनसो dढनrहे अराजा 9कं समथ7ः याhा\ो राघव नrहे || Mind alone is capable of imposing firm control over the mind. Can a non-king be capable of conquering a king, Raaghava? त णाrाह गहF ृ ृ तानां संसाराण7वरं ह स आवतzS$यमानानां दरेू वं मन एव नौ: || For those caught by the crocodile of thirst (for sense pleasures); for those getting tossed about in the turbulent waves of the ocean of worldly existence and carried to great distances being caught in the swirling whirlpools (worldly problems), mind alone acts as the rescuing ship. मनसैव मनिRKछ-वा पाशं परमबधनं उमोDचतो न येना-मा नासावयेन मोBयते ||

No one will come for the rescue of a person who does not cut off the binding rope of the mind with the (sharpened - discriminative) mind and save himself. या योदे त मनोना:नी वासना वा सतातरा तां तां प5रहरे -Tा\ततोs*वPया!यो भवेत ् || Whichever subtle Vaasanaa residing inside the mind rises as a mental process, the wise man should instantly get rid of it without delay. Then only the ignorance will perish. {Vaasanaa is a subtle latent tendency waiting to get fulfilled through any Jeeva channel. So an aspirant should always be watching his mind with full alertness. Whenever a Vaasanaa manifestation occurs, the mind will get agitated with a thirst for the fulfillment of a desire. Immediately, through discrimination, the aspirant should get rid of it and never give in to that desire to get fulfilled like a slave. As the practice continues, Vaasanaas will diminish in number, as they cannot disturb a controlled mind. The ignorance will also gradually diminish giving rise to the bliss of the Self.}

भोगौघवासनां -यI-वा -यज -वं भेदवासनां भावाभावौ तत-यI-वा न*व7कपः सखी ु भव || Renouncing the Vaasanaa for hosts of pleasures, renounce simultaneously the Vaasanaa of differentiation also. Renouncing both the mind and its conceived world of objects, attain the ‘State without perturbations’ and be happy. {All Vaasanaas exist because of the two main Vaasanaas which exist as the foundation for all mental processes. One is the ‘Vaasanaa for enjoyment’; the other is the ‘Vaasanaa of differentiation’. If there is no desire for enjoying any outside object and if the entire world is understood as a projection of the ignorant mind, the mind ceases to function as a Vaasanaa channel. One remains in the state of the Self without any agitations.}

अभावनं भावनाया-वेतावावासना!यः एष एव मनोनाश-व*वPयानाश एव च || Not conceiving any conception alone leads to the ‘Destruction of the Vaasanaas’. This alone is known as the ‘Destruction of the mind’. It is also termed as the ‘Destruction of AVIDYAA’. {You cannot get rid of the cognition like erasing a picture from a paper. You should only have the understanding that anything perceived is just a projection arising from the mind and so is of unreal nature. From the tip of the nose to the stars seen in the horizon, everything is a picture drawn by the mind. You cannot remove the blueness of the sky, but you can see it with the understanding that it is not the real color of the sky; similar is the case with the cognition.}

यPय-संवेPयते 9किच-तQासंवेदनं परं असं*वि-ततु नवा7णं दःखम ् संवेदनाjवेत ् || ु When anything is perceived by the mind, one should remain detached to that perception (as the Witness Consciousness). This is the best practice to be followed. Non-perception is the supreme beatitude. Pain occurs by (believing in the) perception. वेनैव तत ्Tय-नेन पंुसः संवेPयते !णात ् भावयाभावनं भ-यै त-तमािन-यमाहरे त ् || ू Through one’s own effort, a man instantly understands the unreality of the perceptions leading towards his own good. Therefore one should always practice this.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN AVIDYAA-ABSENCE OF KNOWLEDGE {‘ABSENCE’ IS ‘PRESENT’ IN THE IGNORANT} {‘ABSENCE’ IS ‘ABSENT’ IN THE KNOWER}

अ*वPया *वPयमानेव न टT\ेषु *वPयते नाम ्नैवाOगीकता ु || ृ भावा-स:यIT\ेषु सा कतः The ‘Absence of knowledge’ is present in ‘the fools’ as if it is present. As it is ‘absent’, it exists only as a ‘name’. How can it be present in the men of wisdom? {Absence of anything cannot exist. It is only a term denoting the absence of something. But this ‘absence’ is ‘present’ in an ignorant mind as it were. Knowledge is absent in that person. However, for a knower the word has no meaning at all, as it is not a real thing. Darkness is just a term denoting the ‘absence of light’. How can the sun ever know of it except as a meaningless name?}

{‘REAL’ AND ‘UNREAL’ ARE MEANINGLESS WORDS: ‘CHIT’ ALONE IS REAL}

मा भवा\ो भव Tा\ः स:यrाम *वचारय नाQ त--वाdते 9किkचिPवPयते व-वतु च || Do not be ignorant Rama, be a knower. Analyze everything with reason. Except the principle of consciousness, there exist not any true or false objects.

{SELF IS NOT THE AGENT OF ANY ACTION}

ना स कता7 9कमेतासु 9`यासु ममता तव एकि:मिवPयमाने 'ह 9कं केन 9`यते कथं || You are not the doer! Why do you take on the doer-ship of all these actions? When there exists only the one without a second, by whom, how, what action can be performed? {DO NOT REFRAIN FROM ACTIONS ALSO}

मा वाsकता7 भव Tा\ 9कमकत7त ृ ये'हते साJयं साJयमपादे ु यं तमा-वथो भवानघ || Do not stop doing actions also. O wise one! If you desire non-doership, what can be ever achieved as a goal through effort? O Taintless one, remain therefore established in the Self-state. कता7 सं-वमसI-वाjावाभावे रघPवह ू असIत-वादकता7*प कत7-ृ वपदनं कतः ु || When the ego (identity of the individual Self) is absent, O Rama, as you are doing the action without attachment you are ‘not the doer of the action’ also, because of non-attachment. How can there be the idea of ‘doership’ at all? स-यं याKचेदपादे ु यं म4या याcेयमेव चेत ् उपादे यैकसIत-वादPयIतासिIत'ह7 कम7?ण || ु ु

If it is real then it should be achieved. If it is unreal then it should be discarded. Only interested in the goal to be achieved, a person should engage himself in the action. यQेhजालम?खलं मायामयमवतक ु ं तQ काथा कथं नाम हे योपादे यd टयः || When all this is just magical in nature; just an illusion and unreal, what is there to be attached to? What is there to achieve or discard? संसारबीजक?णका यैषा*वPया रघPवह ू एषा $य*वPयमानैव सतीव फारतां गता || This ‘Avidyaa’ (Absence of knowledge’) O Rama, is the tiny seed from which this world rises. This Avidyaa, though absent has become expansive like this, as if she is present. जनेन dRयते व*Hत-परा न च वध7ते ृ *वषावाद इवापातमधरा || ु sते सदाSणा ु A person can observe her as continuously growing; but she never grows. She, like the taste of the poison is sweet in the beginning, and brings about destruction in the end. न टा

दFप शखा इव न जाने Iवेव गKछत

म'हकेवाr d टा*प ग$यमाणा न 9कkचन || ृ I do not know where she disappears like the light of the lamp which is snuffed off. Though seen in front like the mist, she can never be held in the least. अनया उपहते Dच-ते दFघ7काल मवाकलै ु ः जनैराकMयते दFघ7संसारवMन*व^मः || In a mind possessed by her as if for a long time, the suffering beings imagine the prolonged delusory dream of the world. संJया'दषु च कालेषु लो ठपाषाण भ-तयः अयाः TसादाƒdRयते सपा7जगरdि ट भः || By her grace, the lumps of mud and stones appear like snakes and pythons at evening times.

न तPतीह यनाम न करोतीयमHता ु अय-व9कkचनायातु शIततां पRय राघव || There is nothing this arrogant lady cannot do. Raaghava observe how powerful she is, though she is actually nothing.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CURE FOR AVIDYAA ी राम उवाच Rama spoke अ*वPया*वभवTो-थं नbबडं पSषय 'ह ु महदाJय मदं )$मकथं नाम *वनRयत || O lord, explain again as to how this horrible dense blindness arising in a man because of the ‘Absence of knowledge’ gets destroyed? ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke यथा तुषारक?णका भाकरालोकना-!णात ् नRय-येवम*वPयेयं राघवा-मावलोकनात ् || Like the snow-drop melting instantly at the touch of the sun-ray, the ignorance gets destroyed by self-realization. {‘DESIRE FOR REALIZATION’ IS THE CURE FOR ‘AVIDYAA’} {‘SUN-RISE’ IS THE CURE FOR ‘ABSENCE OF LIGHT’}

ताव-संसारभगष ृ ु ु वा-मना सह दे 'हनम ् आदोलयत नीर~दःखकटकशा

लषु || ु अ*वPया यावदयातु नो-पना !यका5रणी वयमा-मावलोकेKछा मोहसं!यदायनी ||

As long as there arises not by itself, the ‘Desire to realize the Self’ which destroys ignorance and bestows the destruction of delusion,- till then will the ‘Absence of knowledge’ hurl the embodied ones along with the Self on the cliffs of worldly existence filled with branches covered by piercing thorns of suffering. {WHEN DARKNESS CATCHES LIGHT, IT PERISHES INSTANTLY}

अया: परं TपRय-याः वा-मनाश: Tजायते आतपानभवाDथ7 याRKछायाया इव राघव || ु When she (AVIDYAA) sees beyond herself, she gets destroyed by herself, O Raaghava, like the shadow which tries to experience the hot sun. d टे सव7गते बोधे वयमेव *वलFयते सवा7शाoय'दते Kछाया Pवादशाक7गणे यथा || ु When the Supreme principle of knowledge which is the essence of all existence is realized, she dissolves by herself, like the shadow perishing when group of twelve suns rise in all directions. इKछामाQम*वPयेह तनाशो मो! उKयते स चासकपमाQेण सHो भवत राघव || This AVIDYAA is just another name for ‘Desire’. Its destruction is known as ‘Liberation’. That becomes possible only by the weapon of non-conception, O Raaghava. मनाग*प मनोUयोि:न वासनारजनी!ये का लका तनतामे त Dचदा'द-यमहोदयात ् || ु If the night called Vaasanaa disappears in the mind-sky even minutely, the darkness vanishes completely by the shine of the Chit-Sun. यथो'दते 'दनकरे Iवा*प यात तमिवनी तथा *ववेकेsoय'दते IवाMय*वPया *वलFयते || ु

When the Sun rises, the night disappears somewhere. When discrimination rises, Avidyaa also disappears somewhere.

CHAPTER NINETEEN THE SELF ी राम उवाच Rama spoke याविPकिkच'ददं dRयं सा*वPया !ीयते च सा आ-मभावनया )$मना-मासौ कldशः मतः ृ || Whatever is seen here is ‘Avidyaa’ and ‘she’ is destroyed by contemplating on the Self. O Sage, how is the Self to be contemplated upon? ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke चे-यानपातर'हतं सामायेन च सव7गं ु यिKच-त-वमनाqयेयं स आ-मा परमेRवरः || ‘That’ which does not go after the cognized; ‘That’ which exists in everything as the very essence of all; ‘That principle of consciousnesses’ which cannot be named; is the Self, the Supreme Lord. आ)$मत:बपय7तं तणा'द य'ददं जगत ् ृ त-सवg सव7दा-मैव ना*वPया *वPयतेsनघ || This world filled with grass etc from Brahma onwards to the inert pillar here all this is always the Self. O Taintless one, Avidyaa is never really there. सवg च खिवदं )$म न-यं DचPघनमUययं कपनाया मनोना:नी *वPयते न'ह काचन ||

All that is here is Brahman. It is eternal. It is the dense state of consciousness. It is unchanging. In that state, even the imagination of a term called ‘mind’ does not exist. न जायते न यते 9किkचदQ जग-Qये न च भाव*वकाराणां स-ता Iवचन *वPयते || Nothing is born; nothing dies in all the three worlds here. There exists not any reality in the manifold objects. केवलं केवलाभासं सव7सामायम!यं चे-यानपातर'हतं DचमाQ मह *वPयते || ु The pure consciousness alone exists. It shines alone. It is the common essence of all that is there. It does not deteriorate. It does not go after the cognized. ‘Chit’ alone is here.

{MIND}

तिमिन-ये तते शHे ु DचमाQे नSपhवे शाते समसमाभोगे न*व7कारो'दता-मन || यैषा वभावातगतं वयं संकMय धावत DचKचे-यं वयमा:लाना सा :लाना तमनः मतं ृ || ‘The principle’ that exists in the ‘Self’ which is ‘eternal, all pervading, pure, of the nature of consciousness alone, without afflictions, quiescent, which completely fills everything equally, which remains always changeless’; (the principle that) conceives by itself adverse to its very nature (of Chit) and runs after the conceptions; the cognizing consciousness that remains unaffected by nature, yet is affected; is known as the ‘mind’. एतमा-सव7गाcेवा-सव7शIतेमह 7 ा-मनः *वभागकलनाशिIतल7हरFवोि-थता:भसः ||

The ‘power of conceiving differentiations’ arises from this all pervading divinity, the omnipotent Supreme Self, like a wave rising in the ocean.

{LIMITED IDENTITY GIVES RISE TO AVIDYAA: BRAHMAN-IDENTITY DESTROYS AVIDYAA}

अतः संकप सHेयं संकपेनैव नRयत येनैव जाता तेनैव वि$नeवालेव वायना ु || Therefore this Avidyaa which arises by conception gets destroyed by conception alone. She is destroyed by that, from which she gets born, like the wind destroys the blazing fire caused by itself. नाहं )$मेत संकपा-सुdढाPबJयते मनः सवg )$मेत संकपा-सुdढामKयते मनः || ु ‘I am not Brahman’- with this ascertained conception the mind gets bound. ‘Everything is Brahman’- by this ascertained conception the mind gets freed. संकपो परमो बध-वसंकपो *वमIतता ु संकपं सं*विज-यातय7थेKछ स तथा कS ु || Conception is the greatest bondage. Non-conception is complete freedom. Conquer the conceiving nature of the mind, do whatever you feel like. कशो बHोsहम ् हतपादा'दमानहं ु ृ sतदःखी इत भावानYपे ु ण Uयवहारे ण बJयते || ‘I am thin’; ‘I am very sad’; ‘I am bound’; ‘I have hands and feet’; - as per these conceptions when one acts, he is bound. नाहं दःखी न मे दे हो बधः कया-मनः िथतः ु इत भावानYपे || ु ण Uयवहारे ण मKयते ु ‘I am not suffering; this body is not mine; when I exist as the Self, what bondage can exist for me?’ - as per these conceptions when one acts, he is freed. नाहं मांसं न वाथीन दे हादयः परो $यहं इत नRचयवानत: !ीणा*वPय इहोKयते ||

‘I am not the flesh, nor the bones; I am some thing other than this body’; one who has ascertained thus within himself, is known as a person without Avidyaa. अका7:शभ ु ]दा त मर ीः िथतोप5र कMयते 'ह यथा Uयो:नः का लमेत वभावतः पंुसा धर?णसंथेन वसंकपनयेcया किपतैवम*वPयेयमना-मया-मभावना पSषे ु णाTबHे ु न न TबHे ु न राघव || The dense darkness above which cannot be pierced by the sun’s rays is naturally conceived as the black-hue of the space by a man standing on the ground. Similarly, this Avidyaa is also conceived in this manner empowered by conception only, appearing as the identification of the Self with the non-Self, by the unenlightened person, never by the enlightened one, Raaghava.

CHAPTER TWENTY {WHY IS THE SKY BLACK OR BLUE IN HUE?}

ी राम उवाच Rama spoke मेSनीलम?णKछाया नेयं ना*प तमःTभा तदे ति-कंकतं ृ )$मनील-वं नभसो वद || It is not the reflection of the sapphire of the Meru Mountain; nor is it the shine of darkness. Tell me O Lord, why there is blueness in the sky.

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke न नाम नीलता Uयो:नः शयय गणवि-थता ू ु केवलं शयते वैषा ब$वी सभग लBयते || ू ु The blueness of the sky is not the quality of the void, Rama! It is just the dense voidness which appears like that. वdि ट!यसंप-ताव!्णोरे वो'दतं तमः वतवभावा-तPUयो:नः का य7 म-यवलोIयते || ु Because of the diminished power of the eyes which can’t see far, only darkness is perceived as the nature of the object. That alone is seen as the blackness of the sky. एतPबPJवा यथा Uयोि:न dRयमानोs*प का लमा ु न का लमेत ब*Hः याद*वPयात मरं तथा || ु When this understanding is there, then even when blackness is seen in the sky, one knows that there is no blackness there. The darkness of Avidyaa also exists the same way.

{THE LOTUS SEEN IN THE SKY IS A PLAY OF THE MIND, NOT REAL} {AVIDYAA ALSO IS A PLAY OF THE MIND, NOT REAL}

असंकपो $य*वPयाया नrहः कDथतो बधै ु ः यथा गगनपVयाः स भात सकरः वयं || ु Non-conception alone is said to be the subduer of Avidyaa, by the wise, like the lotus seen in the sky. It can be easily mastered by anyone. {IGNORE THE BLUE COLOR: DO NOT EVER BOTHER TO GIVE IT A STATUS OF REALITY}

^मय जागतयाय जातयाकाशवण7वत ् अपनःमरणं मये साधो *वमरणं वरं || ु

The illusion of the world rises like the color of the empty sky. I think ‘complete forgetfulness’ so as to ‘not remember it again’ is the best method of getting rid of it. {WHAT YOU CONCEIVE SO YOU BECOME! WHY NOT CONCEIVE KNOWLEDGE INSTEAD OF ILLUSION?}

न टोऽह मत संकपाPयथा दःखे ु न नRयत TबHोमीत संकपाeजनो $येत यथा सखं ु ु || तथा संमूढसंकपामढतामे त वै मनः ू Tबोधोदारसंकपा-Tबोधायानधावत || ु ‘I am ruined’ – by such a conception one suffers and perishes. ‘I am enlightened’ – by such a conception a man attains happiness. The mind similarly attains idiocy by idiotic conceptions. By the noble conception for enlightenment, it runs after enlightenment. !णा-संमरणादे षा $य*वPयोदे त शाRवती यमािPवमरणादतः प5रणRयत नRवरF || The moment the identity with the body is remembered, this Avidyaa rises as a permanent feature. When the superimposed limitation is forgotten, she of an impermanent nature perishes instantly.

{TRY TO MINIMIZE THE IDEAS ABOUT THE WORLD}

मनो यदनसध-ते त-सविhय व-तयः ] ु ृ !णा-संपादय-येता राजा\ा मव मिQणः || तमा-मनोनसधान म ् भावेषु न करोत यः ु अतRचेतनय-नेन स शाितमDधगKछत || Whatever the mind thinks about, all the sensory actions produce it instantly like the ministers obeying the command of the king. Therefore, he who does not connect the mind to the objects attains peace by identifying with the Supreme Self.

{HAVE NO DESIRES FOR PLEASURES}

परं पौSषमाD -य य-ना-परमया Dधया भोगाशाभावनां Dच-ता-समल ू ामलमHरे ु त ् || One should completely uproot the idea of enjoying sense pleasures from the mind by taking recourse to courage and extreme effort with the help of the discriminating intellect. {VAASANAAS CREATE THE ILLUSORY WORLD}

यददेु त परो मोहो जरामरणकारणं आशापाशशतोला स वासना तिPवज:भते || ृ मम पुQा मम धनमयं सोsह मदं मम इतीय मhजालेन वासनैव *ववगत || The extreme peak of delusion (ignorance), which rises causing old age and death and which sports around as hundreds of desires and attachments is nothing but the Vaasanaa play. ‘My sons; this is my wealth; I am such and such a person; this is mine;’ - in this manner, Vaasanaa alone keeps jumping about creating illusions.

{SELF (BRAHMAN} IS THE REALITY}

परमाथन ] त--व\ ममाह मद म-यलम ् आ-मत--वाdते स-यं न कदाचन 9कkचन || O Seeker after knowledge! Enough of these ideas of ‘I’ and ‘You’! There is no other reality other than the Self ever!

{AVIDYAA ALONE CAUSES PERCEPTIONS}

खा'hPयव=न'द े यो dि टस ृ [या पनः ू ु पनः ु सैवायेव *वDचQेयम*वPया प5रवत7ते ||

Through creating series of skies, mountains, earths, rivers as perceptions again and again, this Avidyaa herself appearing as a different phenomenon (from the Self) amazingly keeps on changing. {
िटरे व सिटः – Perception is creation. ृ An ignorant mind perceives differentiations and creates a field for some or other Vaasanaa fulfillment. Again and again a universe is created for the fulfillment of the Vaasanaa because of Avidyaa. The varieties created by this Avidyaa are indeed amazing. The Avidyaa in the mind appears as the world outside as if different.}

{AVIDYAA ALONE CAUSES DIFFERENTIATIONS}

उदे -य\ानमाQेण नRयत \ानमाQतः समाQे प5र*वKछे Pया रeeवा मव भजOगधीः || ु She rises because of ignorance. She perishes only through knowledge. Like a snake seen in the rope, she creates divisions all around in the ‘Unchanging Reality’. {IGNORANT SEE THE WORLD OF DIFFERENTIATIONS AS REAL: KNOWER SEES THE WORLD AS ‘UNDIFFERENTIATED STATE OF BRAHMAN’}

खाwय_Jयव= ु नदF सेयं या*वPया अ\य राघव ना*वPया \य तP)$म वम'ह:ना Uयविथतं || For an ignorant person, this ‘Avidyaa’ is the sky, mountain, water, earth and river. For a knower there is no ‘Avidyaa’. Brahman alone is established as all these (sky etc.), by its own power. {Perceptions are caused by Avidyaa for an ignorant person. Perceptions are the expression of Brahman for the knower. He is not blinded by ignorance.}

{WHAT ROPE? WHAT SNAKE? BRAHMAN ALONE IS THERE}

रeजसप7 ु *वकपौ Pवा\ेनैवोपकिपतौ \ेन -वेकैव नण=ता )$मdि टरकbQमा || ृ In the analogy of ‘the snake in the rope’, both the snake and rope are the made-up imaginations of the ignorant. The knower has only one ascertainment- ‘the obvious reality of Brahman’.

{DO NOT BE IGNORANT AND SUFFER}

मा भवा\ो भव Tा\ो ज'ह संसारवासनां अना-मया-मभावेन 9कम\ इव रो'द*ष || Do not become ignorant. Become a knower. Discard the Vaasanaa for the world. Identifying the Self with the non-self (body), why do you cry like an ignorant? कतवायं जडो मको ू दे हो भवत राघव यदथg सखदःखाoयामवशः प5रभयसे || ु ु ू What connection do you have, with this inert, dumb body Raaghava, that without control, you disgrace yourself with pain and pleasure for its sake? यथा 'ह का ठजतनोय7 था बदरकुडयोः ु िRल टयोर*प नैक-वं दे हदे हवतोतथा || The stick and the gum, or the hole and the plant are not one and the same, even if they stick to each other. Similarly, the body and the embodied are not the same. भQादाहे यथा दाहो न भQातरवत7नः पवनय तथा दे हनाशेना-मा न नRयत || Just like when the bellows are burnt, the air inside the bellows does not burn away, the Self does not perish by the destruction of the body. दः?खतो sहम ् सखा ु ु iयोsह मत ^ाितं रघPवह ू मग बPJवा -यज स-यं समा य || ु ृ त णोपमं ृ ‘I am sad’ ‘I am enriched by happiness’ – discard these delusions Rama, likening them to mirages, and take shelter in the Truth. अहो नु DचQं य-स-यं )$म तिPवमत ृ ं नणां ृ यदस-यम*वPयाqयं तननं ू मत ृ मागतं ||

Alas! It is really amazing that Brahman the reality is forgotten by men and that which is untrue and termed as Avidyaa instantly rises in their minds.

{WHAT THE AVIDYAA CANNOT DO!}

Tसरं -वम*वPयायाः मा TयKछ रघPवह ू अनयोपहते Dच-ते द पा ु रे ह कदथ7ना || Do not ever give way for the rise of Avidyaa Rama! If the mind is afflicted by her, the suffering can never be crossed over. अनया वेDधतं चेतो bबसततावा*प !णात ् पRय-य?खलसंसारसागरानथ7*व^मं || The mind penetrated by her sees the entire ocean of worldly existence filled with all disastrous delusions, in a second, even in a lotus fiber. अनयोपहते Dच-ते राeय एव 'ह संिथताः ताताdRयो जना याित या न यो;याः Rवपा9कनः || When the mind is afflicted by her, even people of such great status attain such undeserving states of dog-eaters (Chaandaalas), staying within their own kingdom.

{RAMA, REMAIN PURE LIKE A CRYSTAL!}

तमाhाम प5र-यeय वासनां भवबधनीं सव7रागमयीं त ठ नीरागः फ'टको यथा || Therefore Rama, completely renounce the Vaasanaa which binds you to this delusory existence and which is made of all types of attachments. Remain like the pure crystal without any color (attachment).

त टततव कायष ] ु मातु रागेषु रkजना फ'टकयेव DचQा?ण Tतbब:बान ग$णतः || ृ As you engage yourself in actions, let there not be the coloring of attachments, similar to the crystal stone which reflects the images caught by it without getting affected by them.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE वािम9कSवाच Vaalmiki spoke एवमIतो भगवता व स टे न महा-मना ु रामः कमलपQा! उमी लत इव आबभौ || *वका सतातःकरणः शोभामलमपाययौ ु आRवततम स !ीणे पVोsका7लोकना'दव || O Bharadvaaja of lotus eyes! Thus instructed by Lord Vasishta the great Sage, Rama shined as if his eyes were opened up. With a mind fully blossomed with contentment, he shone with abundant luster, relieved like the lotus, at the sight of the sun with all darkness gone. बोध*वमयसंजातसौ:यिमत सताननः दतरिRमसधाधौता ममां वाचमवाच ह || ु ु His face lighted up with a gentle smile caused by the wonderment of understanding. He uttered words bathed by the nectar flowing out of his smile. ी राम उवाच Rama spoke अहो नु DचQं पVो-थैबH 7 ातत भरhयः ु अ*वPयमाना या *वPया तया सव] वशीकताः || ृ

Ah! It is indeed amazing that the mountains are bound by the lotus stalks! All beings are under the control of the ‘knowledge that is absent’! इदं तPव…तां यातं तण ृ माQं जग-Qये अ*वPयया*प यनामासदे व स'दव िथतं || In all the three worlds here, a mere straw has become hard like a diamond. The entire creation is tightly bound by something which does not exist! अयKच संशयोऽयं मे महा-मन ्x'द वत7ते लवणोsसौ महाभागः 9कम ् नामापदमाMतवान ् || O Great one! There is another doubt that is in my mind. For what reason did the noble Lavana attain such a state of suffering? संिRल टयोराहतयोPव7योवा7 दे हदे 'हनोः )$मक इव संसारF शभाशभै ु ु कफलैकभाक् || Sage! When the body and the embodied self are so conjoined, who actually suffers the good or bad of the actions in this world? लवणय तथा द--वा तामापदमन-तमां ु 9कं गतRचkचलार:भः कRचासावैhजा लकः || After making Lavana suffer through such states, did the illusion end once for all? Who was that sorcerer? ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke का ठकु‚योपमो दे हो न 9कkचनैहानघ वMनालोक इवानेन चेतसा प5रकMयते || Raaghava! The body which is like a wooden stick has no ‘real existence’ at all. The mind alone conceives all this as in a dream.

चेततु जीवतां यातं DचKछिIतप5रभ*षतं ू *वPया-संसारसंर:भं क*पपोतकचkचलं || Mind alone acts as the Jeeva. It is adorned by the power of CHIT and exists as this flurried existence, as restless as a monkey-kid. तयेमायTबHय न TबHय राघव ु ु सखदःखायनतान शरFरय न कानDचत ् || ु ु These endless pleasures and pains belong not to the body but to the unenlightened one and not at all for the enlightened one. अTबHं ु मनो नानासं\ाकिपतकपनं व-तीरनपत गतं || ु िKचQा *वDचQाकततां ृ ृ The unenlightened mind alone conceives various names and forms followed by appropriate actions and has become endowed with multifarious nature. अTबHं ु मनो याविन'hतं तावदे व 'ह सं^मं पRयत वMने न TबHं ु कदाचन || The unenlightened mind perceives this flurried existence only when asleep (in ignorance) and dreaming (this illusory existence); not so the enlightened one. अ\ाननhा!ु भतो जीवो यावन बोDधतः ताव-पRयत दभदं ु ] संसारार:भ*व^मं || As long as the Jeeva suffering through the sleep of ignorance is not woken up, he will continue to perceive this delusory state of worldly existence, very difficult to break through. संTबHय मनसतमसः सवg *वलFयते ु कमलय यथा हादg 'दनालोक*वका सनः || The ignorance melts off in the mind of the enlightened one, like a fully blossomed lotus at the sight of the Sun.

Dच-ता*वPयामनोजीववासनेत कता-म भः ृ कमा7-मेत च यः TोIतः स दे हF दःखको*वदः || ु That embodied one, who is spoken of as the KARMAATMAA, the action bound soul, becomes a synonymous name for the ‘sufferer’ by identifying oneself with the inner faculty, ignorance, mind, Jeeva and Vaasanaa. जडो दे हो न दःखाहL दःखी दे $य*वचारतः ु ु अ*वचारो घना\ानाद\ानं दःखकारणं || ु The inert body is not capable of suffering. Undoubtedly the embodied one alone suffers due to non-enquiry. Non-enquiry rises out of the dense state of ignorance. Ignorance causes the suffering. अ*ववेकामयोनHं मनो *व*वधवि-तम त् ृ नानाकार*वहारे ण प5र^मत च`वत ् || Chronically ill being infected by the virus of ignorance, the mind engages itself in a variety of activities and donning many forms rotates like a wheel. उदे त रौत ह-यि-त यात वगत नदत मन एव शरFरे sिमन शरFरं कदाचन || Rama! Mind alone rises, cries aloud, kills, eats, goes, jumps, blames, inside this body; the body does not do anything. यथा गहपतगहे ] *व*वधं 'ह *वचे टते ृ न गहंृ तु जडं राम तथा दे हे 'ह जीवकः || The person who owns the house alone performs various actions; not the inert house; so is the embodied one inside body. सवष ] ु सखदःखे ु ु षु सवा7सु कलनासु च मनः कत7ृ मनो भोIत ृ मानसं *व*H मानवं ||

In all the experiences of pain and pleasure, in all the activities that one undertakes, mind alone is the doer; mind alone is the experiencer; mind alone is the man.

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO {WHAT CAUSED LAVANA’S SUFFERING?}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke अQ ते शण ृ ु वBया म व-तात मदमjतं ृ ु लवणोsसौ यथा यातRचाडाल-वं मनो^मात ् || Listen I will relate to you this amazing account of how Lavana attained the state of a Chaandaala through mind-born illusion! मनः कम7फलं भOIते शभ ु ु म ् वाsशभमे ु व वा यथैतPबुJयसे ननं ू तदाकण7य राघव || Mind alone experiences the fruit of actions, good or bad. Listen to what I say, Raaghava, so that you can understand this truth. ह5रRचhकलो-थे न लवणेन परानघ ु ु एकातैकोप*व टे न Dचिततं मनसा Dचरं || O Taintless one! Once Lavana, born in the dynasty of Harishchandra, was sitting alone and thought like this for a long time. *पतामहो मे सम याजकः ु हाpासयय ू अहं तय कले ु जाततं यजे मनसा मखं || “My grandfather was a great man; he had performed the Raajasooya Sacrifice. I am born in his dynasty. So I will perform the sacrifice in my mind itself.” (RAJASOOYA-YAJNA: A sacrifice performed by a monarch as a mark of his subduing all other kings.)

इत संDच-य मनसा क-वा संभारमाdतः ृ राजसयय दF!ायां T*ववेश महFपतः || ू Having thought like this, he earnestly collected all the materials necessary for the sacrifice in his mind and got initiated into the performance of the sacrifice. ऋि-वजRचा$वयामास पजयामास समुनीन ् ू दे वानामQयामास eवालयामास पावकं || He invited the officiating priests. He worshipped the great Sages. He invoked the gods. He lighted the sacrificial fire. यथेKछं यजमानय मनसोपवनातरे ययौ संव-सरः साrो दे व*ष7िPव7जपजया || ू As he performed the sacrifice in the ‘garden of his mind’ in this manner, one year passed off in the worship of gods and Sages. भते ू oयो िPवजपव7 ू oयL द-वा सव7वदv!णां *वबJयत 'दनयाते व एवोपवने नपः ु ृ || He offered sacrificial gifts to all beings preceded by the Brahmins, in his own ‘garden of the mind’. At the end of the day he woke up. एवं स लवणो राजा राजसयमवाMतवा न् ू मनसैव 'ह तु टे न यIतं तय फलेन च || ु In this manner, that king Lavana performed the Raajasooya sacrifice. As he had the satisfaction of the performance in the mind itself, he obtained the fruit of that performance also (in the mind). अतिRच-तं नरं *व*H भोIतारं सखदःखयोः ु ु तमनः पावनोपाये स-ये योजय राघव || Therefore know the mind to be the experiencer of pain and pleasures. Raaghava, in order to purify the mind, direct it towards the Truth.

पण *वनRयत ू ] दे शे ससं ु पूण7ः पमान टे ु दे होsह मत येषां तु नRचयतैरलं बधाः || ु Within the boundaries of space and time, a man feels complete and secure; if it is destroyed he also gets destroyed. So enough of the people who believe in their identities as bodies! O wise one, be not like them.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE ी राम उवाच Rama spoke राजसयफलं TाMतं लवणेन 9कल Tभो ू Tमाणं 9क मवाQ यात ् कपनाजालशा:बरे || O Lord, the fruit of the performance of the Raajasooya sacrifice was attained by Lavana. What connection has it with the magical network created by the sorcerer? ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke यदा शा:ब5रकः काले संTाMतो लावणीम ् सभां तदाहमवसं तQ त-T-य!ेण d टवान ् || At that time when the sorcerer entered the court of King Lavana, I was also present there and was a direct witness to all that had happened. अहं सoयैतततQ गते शा:ब5रकम7?ण 9कमेत'दत य-नेन प ृ टRच लवणेन च || Dचतय-वा मया d [वा तQ त-कDथतं वचः शण ृ ु त-ते TवBया म राम शा:ब5रके'हतं ||

After the magical show of the sorcerer got over, I was questioned with effort by the courtiers and Lavana as to what had really happened and the reason thereof. I meditated for some time and explained to them everything. Listen Rama, I will tell you the reason for the sorcerer’s visit. राजसयय कता7रो ये 'ह ते Pवादशाि_दकं ू अतदःखं नानाकारUयथामयं || ु TाMनवित ु Those who perform the Raajasooya sacrifice will get twelve years of life filled with extreme sufferings containing various types of afflictions. अतः श`ेण गगनाcुःखाय लवणय स: T'हतो दे वदतो || ू 'ह राम शा:ब5रकाकतः ृ Therefore Rama, Lord Indra had sent from the heavens, a messenger-god in the form of a sorcerer to give a painful experience to Lavana. राजसय9`या कत7ुत7य द--वा महापदम ् ू अगKछ-स नभोमागg सर सHनषे *वतं || ु He gave the experience of the worst kind to the performer of Raajasooya sacrifice and went off in the divine path sought by gods and Siddhas.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke

तमा-T-य!मेवेतhाम नाQ संदेहोsित || Therefore Rama, there can be no doubt about this event. It was directly seen by me. मनो 'ह *वल!णानां 9`याणां कत7ृ भोIत ृ च तदे व नघ7 ृ य संशोJय Dच-तर-न मह 'हमकण मवातपेन *वलFनतां *ववेकेन नी-वा परः ेयं TाMय स ||

Mind alone is the doer of all types of varied actions and experiencer of the fruits thereof. Rub it well; and completely purify the mind-gem. Dissolve the false identity through discrimination like the snow flake by the sun rays. You will attain the highest good. Dच-तमेव सकलभता ू डंबरका5रणीम*वPयां *व*H || सा *वDचQकेhजालवशा'ददम-पा ु दयत || Mind alone is the other name for the ‘Avidyaa’ which causes the grand show for all the beings. She alone magically produces all this. अ*वPयाDच-तजीवब*Hश_दानां भेदो नाित व!तSश_दयो5र वेत \ा-वा Dच-तमेव *वकपनं ु ृ कS ु || There is no difference between the words like ‘Tree’ or ‘plant-life’. There is no difference between the words like ‘Chitta’, ’Jeeva’, ‘intellect’ and ‘ignorance’. Endowed with this knowledge, de-conceive the mind. {Words are invented by the human minds to name the differentiations in the world, similar to the ocean getting described as having bubbles, foam, waves etc. For the ocean, there is no such differentiation. It is one whole abundant state of water, existing as the foam, waves etc. Similarly Brahman is the nameless state beyond the grasp of language. The differentiations we see and name are the play of Avidyaa again.}

अoय'दते Dच-तवैमयाक7bब:बे सकलOक*वकपो-थदोषत मरापहरणं ु न तदित राघव यन dRयते यना-मी9`यते यन प5र-यeयते यन यते यना-मीयं यन परकlयं सवg सव7दा सवL भवतीत परमाथ7ः || When the Sun of the pure mind rises, the darkness of all faults connected to the conceptions vanishes. (In such a state) – That is not there – that is not perceived, that is not made yours, that is not renounced, that does not perish, that is not one’s own or others’. (Everything gets perceived, everything is yours, everything is renounced, everything is destroyed, everything of others is yours)

‘That’ which is everything always exists as everything. This is the truth.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE ी राम उवाच Rama spoke एवं मनःप5र!ये सकलसखदःखानामतः TाMयत इत भवता TोIतं ु ु त-कथं महा-मRचपलवि-तYपयाय मनसोsस-ता भवत || ृ When the mind is destroyed, all the pains and pleasures also end. That is what you say! Then tell me O Lord, how this restless mind is made to disappear? ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke रघकले यं \ा-वा ववाचारदरेू मनः संDधरयमे य स || ु ु दो शण ु ृ ु मनः Tशमने यिIतं O Moon of Raghu dynasty, listen. I will tell you how to control the mind. Knowing this, you will direct your thought-flow towards that which is far from the grasp of the senses (Brahman). इह 'ह तावƒ)$मण: सव7भूतानां bQ*वधो-पि-त5रत त-पवLIतं || ू Already it has been explained to you that there are three types of beings in the world, Raajasic, Taamasic and Saatvic. तQेदं Tथमया मनःकपनया दे हFत सा )$मY*पणी संकपमयी भ-वा यदे व संकपयत ू तदे व पRयत तेनेदं भवना डंबरं कMयते || ु At first, that Supreme state of Brahman, through the conception of the mind becomes embodied as it were (Aakaashaja/Brahma); takes on the nature of conceiving power; perceives whatever it conceives; and thus this grand show of the world rises. तQ जननमरणसखदःखमोहा'दक ं संसरणं कपयती ु ु कपानरचना बहनाममथरं िथ-वा वयं *वलFयते 'हमक?णकेवातपगता || ु ु Then conceiving the worldly existence filled with births, deaths, pleasures, pains, delusions; remaining in that churning state of creating the universe of multifarious names and forms; it dissolves off by itself at the end, like snow flake in sunlight.

कालो'दतः संकपवशात ् पनरयतया जायते ु सा*प पन*व7 लFयते ु पनरMयदे || ु ु त सैवेत भयो ू भयो ू sनसं ु सरती वयमपशा:यत ु In course of time,( as a random wave in Chit, again with the idea of time and space) through the power of conception, again it rises as another identity; then that also dissolves and another one rises; in this manner it again and again spreads out and dissolves off repeatedly. इ-थमनता )$मकोटयोsिम)$माडेsयेषु च समतीता भ*व यतीत सित चेतरा अनता यासां संqया*प न *वPयते || In this manner, in this universe itself and in others, infinite numbers of Brahmas have already appeared; will appear in the future. There are not enough numbers to count the other endless appearances of Brahmas and other universes which are there now. {This is the brief explanation of how the Universes and Jeevas arise through the conceiving power of Brahman. An ignorant mind continuously is in the hold of Avidyaa and is always bound by perceptions of some form or other and goes through various experiences. How is it that, among these countless Jeevas, only some particular Jeeva aspires for the truth and gets liberated? Vasishta answers that question here.}

एवामयां ताdशी वत7मानायामीशवरादाग-य जीवो यथा जीUयते *वमKयते तKछण ु ृ ु | As this is how all this exists, listen now as to how a Jeeva comes out of the Supreme Ruler and lives in bondage and gets liberated later. {As already explained before, Brahma is the conceiving power rising out of Brahman. He is the mind principle. He is a collection of some random Vaasanaas. He is the Ishvara, the Lord of all who has control over the universes created by him. All Jeevas rise out of him and act as channels for the Vaasanaa fulfillments through various fields of experiences.}

)$मणो मनःशिIतरoय'दता परःिथताकाशशिIतमवलं _य तQथा पवनतानपातनी ु ु ु घनसंकप-वं गKछत || The mind-power of Brahma rises; attaches itself to the ‘power of space’; remaining there, following the nature of air, it attains the dense state of conception.

{‘Mind power’ is the conceiving power of Brahma or the Akaashaja principle. The first conception of Brahma is ‘space’ which includes also the phenomenon of time. Space makes movement possible. (Air is synonymous with movement) Now (Time begins), all the Vaasanaas as if densely placed in the Mind named Brahma are ready to become experiences through Jeeva channels.}

ततः परःTाMतभततमाQपkचक तामे-यातःकरणतां नी-वा सा-वसBमा Tकतभ7 ू-वा ु ू ू ृ गगनपवनतेजोYपतासंकपा-TालेयYपतामपे ु -य शायोषDधं *वशती Tा?णनां गभ7तां च गKछत || Next connecting to the five subtle elements that are in its presence (by conception), it attains the state of the mental faculty; becomes the non-subtle prakriti; conceives sky, air, fire, form and becomes like mist; enters the crops like rice etc and enters the womb of the animals. {Each Jeeva finds itself enveloped by subtle elements and gets individuality as it were. The thinking process begins instantly. As an Aativaahika body, as some collection of thought processes, the Jeeva mist-like or water-like in nature, enters the grains like rice; gets consumed by some animal or other; may be by a man belonging to a noble family; becomes the virile seed; then enters the womb of the female partner.}

तेन पSषे || ु ण जातमाQेणैव बाया-Tभत ु sनगतUयाः ु ृ *वPयाrहणं कत7Uयं गरवो This Jeeva so-born of a man should start the education process from the very state of childhood itself and seek the masters. {The Jeeva gets into the process of learning (or such opportunities arise) from childhood itself.}

ततः `मा-प:सतवे व चम-कृतजा7यते || ु Later gradually the wonder occurs as it happened to you who are embodied. {As the child gets educated, if he is intelligent he will soon develop a desire to understand the universe he is born in and analyzing in his mind well, will develop discrimination like Rama.}

वKछdशा Dच-तव-ते हे योपादे य*वचार उ-पPयते || ु ृ ः पSषय With a pure vision of the mind, the Jeeva discriminates and understands what is to be sought and what is to be rejected. {With a mind freed of desires and attachments, that particular Jeeva seeks to realize Brahman and turns away from the worldly existence.}

ताdि;ववेकवत संक लता भमाने पंु स िथते *वमलस--वमयाsयजातौ सMताि-मकावतरत `मशः शवाय चेतः TकाशनकरF ननु योगभ मः || ू When such a discrimination state is reached; when an identity of a noble character of a man born in a higher class of the society is accepted as oneself; the Yoga-Bhoomi arises gradually, which is seven-fold in nature, which enlightens the mind, for the attainment of auspiciousness. {Usually the chances of dispassion and discrimination is more, if born in a family of Brahmins (of old times where Brahmin meant one who studies about Brahman), or Rishis (Sages who have realized Brahman), or kings and noble men where education is a must for every child of that family. By chance if the child has already passed many births seeking Self-knowledge and is meritorious enough to pursue a path of liberation, then in the final state of his existence he will enter the ‘YogaBhoomi’- the ‘Arena of Yoga’ – where he is fully devoted to the attainment of the ‘Yoga’- ‘the identity of the individual Self with the Supreme Self’. This Yoga-Bhoomi has seven levels leading up towards the state of liberation. By understanding these different levels, an aspirant can understand the level he is in and strive hard to reach the next higher levels.}

ी राम उवाच Rama spoke कldशो भगवयोगभ मकाः सMत स*Hदाः ू समासेनेत मे )'ह ू सव7त--व*वदा:वर || What are the distinguishing factors of these seven-fold domains leading to the final goal, O Lord? Tell me in brief, O Knower of all!

SEVEN LEVELS OF YOGA BHOOMI SEVEN LEVELS: The mind is always said to exist in one or the other of these three states namely JAAGRAT, SVAPNA and SUSHUPTI (Wakeful-state, Dream state and Deep sleep state). The fourth state is known as TURYAA (Transcendental), a state which transcends these three states and can be reached by only those who have realized the Self. Sage Vasishta gives a brief introduction to the Seven-Level theory of knowledge and ignorance. He uses the terms wakeful state, dream state and deep sleep state to explain the levels of ignorance. Levels of Ignorance: 1. When the Vaasanaas are ready to sprout into various experiences of the wakeful state of the Jeeva, it is known as the BEEJA-JAAGRAT. The First level of ignorance is the un-manifest state of Vaasanaas ready to sprout. These will give rise to the wakeful state experiences of the Jeeva. The JAAGRAT is here in seed form. 2. When the mind learns to be aware of its existence as separate from the Self as ‘I’ and cognizes objects as belonging to it, it is in the state of a new-born and such a state is known by the term JAAGRAT. These ideas do not arise due to any past actions of the Jeeva. They are the inherent ideas of the mind. The SEED-JAAGRAT now has manifested into gross experiences and the Jeeva is awake in the worldly experiences. This state is known as JAAGRAT. 3. ‘I am such and such a person, these experiences are mine’ – such affirmed thoughts belong to the MAHAA JAAGRAT.

In this level the Jeeva is certain about the reality of the world and is completely engrossed in his experiences. This level is MAHAA JAAGRAT, full wakeful state. 4. When one has developed a conception of the world according to his own capability, then it is termed as a JAAGRAT-SVAPNA, a dream while awake. In this fourth level, the Jeeva has created his own mental world inside the solid world of the wakefulness. His attachments, desires, wants, emotions all make up a unique world known only to him. This level is known as ‘dreaming while awake’ – JAAGRAT-SVAPNA. 5. The Jeeva in this state is completely deluded. There is not an iota of knowledge in his mind. For him what he believes is only real. He struggles only to make the unreal narratives of his life perfect. He never wants to get out of it. He does not want to wake up at all. This deluded dreamer’s level is known as ‘Dream’. 6. The dream state is perceived as wakeful state because of long term habituation and known as SVAPNA-JAAGRAT.

A person can understand that he is dreaming only when he wakes up and compares the dream experiences to wakeful experiences. He finds out that the dream experiences are of short duration and so unreal. But the ignorant man dreaming the dream of the world is completely absorbed in it without waking up at all. How will he understand the unreal state of his perceptions? Enveloped by dense ignorance the Jeeva is fully awake in his dream of the world. There is no chance of him ever waking up out of this world-dream. This level where the Jeeva is awake in a dream is known as Svapna-Jaagrat. 7. The last one is known as SOUSHUPTI, where the Jeeva has reached an inert state by the long term attachments to the inert objects. This is the dense state of ignorance. The Jeeva is now in the inert state of darkness where no knowledge is ever possible but will soon experience manifold sufferings in the future. Summary: the Jeeva acting as the channel for Vaasanaas wakes up and dreams the dream of the world and at last ends in the blinding darkness of inert existence.}

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke अ\ानभःू सMतपदा \भःू सMतपदै व 'ह पदातारायसqयान भव-ययायथैतयोः || The state of ignorance has seven levels and the state of knowledge has seven levels. The intermediate states between these levels are countless and overlap each other. वय-नसाधनकरसामहास-ताभरोनतेः एते Tतपदं बHमले ू संफलत: फलं || These levels are attained by one’s own effort. At each level one inculcates the essence of those levels. These states at every level remain deep-rooted and give out their own fruits. They lead towards the heights of the greatest realization. {The Jeeva coming out of the Brahman principle has two choices. It can ascend upwards towards the ‘state of Brahman’ through the seven levels of knowledge or descend downwards towards the ‘never ending bondage state’ through the seven levels of ignorance. Nowhere a Jeeva is condemned to fall or blessed to go up. One causes one’s rise or downfall by one’s own effort. A Vishvaamitra can be ensnared by passion and fall or a dacoit can strive hard and become a Vaalmiki. From any level of existence a man can strive hard and ascend these steps leading towards the Supreme state. One must be careful not to fall down into the levels of ignorance and get bound. Each level has its own sub-levels divided many more times again and again. Life situations are variegated and there is no one way of describing all levels a man has to goes through. At each level of knowledge or ignorance, a man experiences the fruits of his own efforts or mistakes.}

तQ सMतTकारां -वं अ\ानय भवं ु शण ृ ु ततः सMतTकारां -वं ो य स \ानभ मकां || ू Now first listen the seven levels of ignorance. Later you can understand the seven levels of the Knowledge domain.

{WHAT IS ‘UP’ AND WHAT IS ‘DOWN’?}

वYपाविथतम7ुिIततP^ंशोsह-ववेदनं एतPसि!Mय त-TोIतं तe\-वा\-वल!णं || Liberation is remaining as the Self. Deviation from that state is the feeling of oneself as the limited ego. This is a brief rendering of the characteristics of the ignorant one and the knower.

{THE TOPMOST LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE}

शHसमाQसं *व-तेः वYपान चलित ये ु रागPवेषोदयाभावा-तेषां ना\-वसंभवः || Those who do not swerve from the true nature of the Self which is pure consciousness in essence, do not entertain emotions like attachment or hatred, and so never have the possibility of being in the ignorant state.

{THE WORST STATE OF IGNORANCE}

य-वYपप5र^ंशाKचे-याथ] Dचत मeजनं एतमापदपरो मोहो न भतो ू न भ*व यत || Swerving from the state of the Self with the mind drowning in the cognized objects; a delusion that surpasses this, was never there and never will be.

{‘REMAINING IN THE SELF STATE’ MEANS WHAT?}

अथा7दथा7तरं Dच-ते यात मJये तु या ितDथः नरतमनना यासौ वYपिथतSKयते || That is said to be the state of the Self which is completely free of mental processes and which is the intermediate state that exists when the mind moves from one cognition point to the other.

संशातसव7संकपा या शलात5रव िथतः जा‚यनhा*वनम7ुIता सा वYपिथत: मता ृ || That is known as the state of the Self where all the conceptions are subdued, which is like the inside state of a rock, yet completely free of the inert sleep. {Rock-like empty mind; but completely filled with ‘knowledge-awareness’}

अहतांशे !ते शाते भेदे न:पदतां गते अजडा या Tकचत त-वYप मत िथतं || That is known as the state of the Self where the ego has been destroyed, where the differentiations have ceased to exist, and which shines as the state of non-inertness. {SEVEN LEVELS OF IGNORANCE}

तQारो*पतम\ानं तय भ म5रमाः शण ू ृ ु बीजजाr-तथा जाrमहाजाr-तथैव च जाr-वMनतथा वMनः वMनजाr-सषMतक ं || ु ु इत सMत*वधो मोह: पनरे ु व परपरं िRल टो भव-यनेकाqया: शण ृ ु तय च ल!णं || Now listen to the classification of seven levels of ignorance that blocks such a Self-state. ‘BEEJA JAAGRAT, JAAGRAT, MAHAA-JAAGRAT, JAAGRAT-SVAPNA, SVAPNA, SVAPNA-JAAGRAT, SUSHUPTAKA’

Delusion is thus divided into seven levels. Those levels again overlap each other in many ways and have many names denoting those states. Listen to their characteristics. {SEVEN LEVELS OF IGNORANCE: 1. SEED-WAKEFUL STATE 2. WAKEFUL STATE 3. GREAT WAKEFUL STATE 4. WAKEFUL-DREAM STATE 5. DREAM STATE 6. DREAM-WAKEFUL STATE 7. DEEP-SLEEP STATE}

I {BEEJA-JAAGRAT/SEED-WAKEFUL STATE}

Tथमे चेतनं य-यादनाqयं नम7लं Dचतः भ*व यिKच-तजीवा'दनामश_दाथ7भाजनं बीजYपं िथतं जाr-बीजजाr-तदKयते || ु एषा \Mतेनव 7 ावथा At first, the Supreme consciousness which is nameless and taintless becomes the receptacle of names like mind, Jeeva etc. The waking state which remains in the seed-form is known as BEEJA-JAAGRAT. This is the newly arisen state of the Self which is ready to manifest as the Jeeva. {The Jeeva as a Vaasanaa-channel rises out of Brahma. He is the potential state for many experiences. He is the ‘seed-state’ of some Vaasanaa fulfillment. This is the ‘Beeja Jaagrat state’ where the Jeeva is a seed for the future experiences of the worldly existence where he will ‘wake up’ to the perceptions.}

II {JAAGRAT/WAKEFUL STATE}

-वं जाr-संिथतं शण ृ ु || Now you listen to the nature of the JAAGRAT. नवTसतय परादयं चाह मदं मम ू इत यः T-ययः वथतeजाr-Tागभावनात ् || The pure ideas rising in the newly-born coming out of the Supreme ‘This’, ‘I’, ‘This is mine’ these ideas make up the JAAGRAT, where there exists no past. {A new born baby when it is first able to cognize, understands vaguely that it is a different entity, there is some nice feeling when some other contact is there of some warm touch (of a mother), ‘I have my needs like food’ etc. The baby has no understanding of all that is happening around it. The baby has no analyzing capacity. It acts instinctively reacting to outside circumstances. A vague idea of one’s existence is there but not selfawareness or an established ego. ‘Something is nice’; it smiles. ‘Something hurts’; it cries. It is just a blank state of existence without any thinking process as such. It is in the bare level of animal existence. Here the Jeeva is in the sprout-state. It has just opened its eyes into the powerful mind-arena which is in the ready-state to create innumerable perceptions for that particular Jeeva as per its Vaasanaas.}

III {MAHAAJAAGRAT-GREAT WAKEFUL STATE}

अयं सोsह मदं तम इत जमातरो'दतः पीवरः T-ययः TोIतो महाजाr'दत फर ु न ् || ‘This one is different’, ‘I am so and so’, ‘This and that is mine’such expanded ideas which arise due to past births is said to rise as MAHAA JAAGRAT. {Now the Aativaahika body which is a collection of the previous Karma results and belief systems takes over. The blank mind of the Jeeva recognizes the outside world as different from oneself. Ideas of selfishness creep over. Ideas of possessions take over. Likes and dislikes start appearing in the mind-arena. There is more awareness of the world with the limited ego as the center of existence. ‘I’ starts binding itself with attachments and desires prompted by the unfulfilled Vaasanaas and Karmaresults of previous existences.} IV {JAAGRAT-SVAPNA/WAKEFUL-DREAM STATE}

अYढमथ वा Yढं सव7था तमया-मकं यeजाrतो मनोराeयं जाr-वMनः स उKयते || Deep rooted or not, absorbed into it completely, that which is the kingdom of the mind is known as JAAGRAT-SVAPNA. {In this level Jeeva is caught in the net of day-to day affairs. There need not be a deep rooted idea about anything. The Jeeva goes on living just reacting to outside circumstances without any control over emotions or thoughts. It is a survival game deep rooted in selfishness. There is no time to pause; there is no time to think and act. Like a leaf caught in a whirlpool, the Jeeva is lost in the world arena. In dreams we have no control over the dreams that rise in our mind. We just go through whatever the mind imagines. The Jeeva also is caught in the dream of the world just experiencing whatever comes to his lot without any control over them. He ‘dreams’ though ‘awake’. He is awake in the ‘world of dream’ concocted by Avidyaa.} V {SVAPNA/DREAM STATE}

िPवचhशिIतकाYMयमगत णा'दभे दतः ु ृ ृ अoयासा-TाMय जाr--वम ् वMनोsनेक*वधो भवेत ् || Two-moons, silver in the conch-shell, mirage- with such classifications, getting habituated into such delusory states after entering the waking state, is the state of SVAPNA. It is of many kinds.

{Misunderstandings, Misconceptions, irrational belief systems, wrong actions, negative thoughts, anxiety, tension, apprehension, desires, passions, attachments, rudeness, self-importance etc. etc. become the way of life for the Jeeva now. Always making the limited self as the center of all his actions, the Jeeva is deluded by Avidyaa – Absence of knowledge. That means there is not an iota of reason or knowledge that has a place in his mind. Intellect is blurred. Always maintaining negative states of anxiety, depression, anger, frustration, passion, desire, the Jeeva continuously keeps opening up the negative world of suffering and disappointments. He sees the inert body as himself. He makes the inert body as the center of his existence. The geographical place the body is born is considered sacred. Those genetically connected to the body are considered as his best possessions. He loves his inert possession namely ‘the body’; pampers it and cares for it and worries about its destruction. Though deathless by nature as Self, he identifies with the inert cellular structure made of elements and ‘dies’. He is afraid of the non-existing death. He mystifies death; invents ghosts and spirits; propitiates divinities to save him from death; imagines various worlds that may arise after death; tries performing various rituals to have better experiences after death. The utter foolishness is imagining a ‘dying inert stinking body’ as oneself and crying about its destruction. This is the height of foolishness. This is a state of extreme delusion and suffering. The Jeeva is not ‘awake’; it ‘dreams’ the dream of the body-centered world. It is completely drowned in the unreal mirage waters and withers in pain as it swallows the dirty poisonous experiences of waters forced into its mouth.} VI {SVAPNA-JAAGRAT/DREAM-WAKEFUL STATE}

अपकालं मया d टमेवं नो स-य म-य*प नhाकालानभते ु ू sथ] नhाते T-ययो 'ह यः स वMनः कDथततय महाजाrि-तथे'f7'द || ‘This has been seen by me for only a short time; is this true or not’such analysis rising at the end of the sleep about the objects seen in sleep, is termed as ‘Dream’ which rises in the heart, in the state of the ‘Great Wakefulness’. {‘Dream’ can be classified as a ‘dream’ only when you wake up. To the mind infused with ignorance, there is actually no difference experienced either in dream or wakeful state. The difference is understood only when you analyze the dream process after waking up and decide that it was a discontinuous experience, it was of short duration and so on. Dream experience is part of the waking state experienced by the ignorant mind. What data is collected during the waking state goes through a sorting out process in the sleep state and sometimes gives rise to some odd experiences. This is ‘Dream-state’ in the ‘Great Wakeful state’ of the ignorant Jeeva.}

Dचरसंदश7नाभावादTफलबहPवपः ु ु ृ वMनो जाr-तया Yढो महाजाr-पदं गतः अ!तेवा!ते दे हे वMनजाrमतं 'ह तत ् || The ‘Dream-state’ SVAPNA, where there is the absence of long-term perception, and which does not expand into a gigantic form, rises as JAAGRAT by long-time habituation. This level is known as SVAPNA-JAAGRAT in the body whether dead or not dead.

{What is ‘Dream’? It is not a prolonged experience. It is not expansive continuous experience like the wakeful state. What we call wakeful state, is it also not a ‘dream’? We seem to have a prolonged experience and continuity in this state. But while dreaming also we believed the ‘dream experience’ to be prolonged and continuous. Only when we wake up from this ‘wakeful state of ignorance’ can we understand that this is also a ‘dream experience’ and not valid. This dream is also of not a long duration. This is also a limited world projected by an ignorant mind. It appears as if it is a ‘wakeful state’ because we are still dreaming ‘this’ in our ignorant state of the mind. We are habituated to believe it to be real and permanent. This level where we believe the ‘dream-state’ as ‘wakeful state’ is known as ‘SvapnaJaagrat’ – ‘Dreamwakeful state’. It does not matter whether the present-body experience continues or not; experiences continue unceasingly fulfilling the unending Vaasanaas.} VII {SUSHUPTI/DEEP SLEEP STATE}

षडवथाप5र-यागे जडा जीवय या ितDथः भ*व यदःखबोधा †या सौषुMती सोKयते गत: || ु एते तामवथायां तणलो ट शलादयः ृ पदाथा7ः संिथताः सव] परमाणुTमा?णनः || That inert state of the Jeeva which rises When all the other six states have been gone through; the state which is enriched with the possibilities of the future suffering is known as SOUSHUPTI (Deep sleep). The world dissolves into blinding darkness in that state. Objects like grass, rock etc. remain in that state with the Supreme alone as their essence. {Deep sleep state is where the Jeeva withdraws all his thought processes and remains as a seed for future experiences. It is a rock like state with complete blankness without any experience of the world. The mind ceases from its task of projection and conceptions and remains quiet. The last level of ignorance is also termed as Sushupti or Deep sleep. The Jeeva in this level is sunk deep in ignorance. The intellect has lost its reasoning capacity. The Jeeva is completely lost in the worldly existence. Believing himself to be the inert body, he acts as the body, lives as the body and dies as the body. Imagining the death of the body as his death, he goes through countless deaths and births. He is just a conscious rock; that is all. He is as inert as a rock or a grass shoot but sunk in deep ignorance. He is now just a dark state of the mind with countless seeds ready to burst into experiences again and again. Avidyaa dominates and the Jeeva exists in a blind state of ignorance no better than a rock or a grass piece. Yet the Supreme alone is the true essence of even that blind ignorant Jeeva who has forgotten the Self completely. }

सMतावथा इत TोIता मया\नय राघव Raaghava, I have spoken about the seven levels of ignorance. एकैका शत शाखाQ नाना*वभवY*पणी || Each one has hundreds of branches rising out of it with manifold characteristics. {THE KINGDOM OF MIND}

जाr-वMनिRचरं Yढो जागतावे व गKछत || ृ नानापदाथ7भेदेन स*वकासं *वज: ृ भते || The ‘wakeful-dream’ is a prolonged habit deep rooted in the minds and is experienced in the wakeful state itself. It expands expressing itself as differentiations of various objects. अयामMयदरे सित महाजाrcशाdशः ु तासामMयतरे लोको मोहामोहातरं >जेत ् अतःपात जलावत7 इव धावत नौ^7मम ् || The experiences of Mahaa-Jaagrat (Great wakeful state) are contained within its womb. Even within them, the person moves from delusion to delusion uncontrollably like a boat caught in the whirlpool in the middle of the river is dragged deep inside. कािRच-संसत ृ यो दFघg वMनजाr-तया िथताः कािRच-पनः ु वMनजाreजाr-वMनातथेतराः || Some existences have longer time-span and remain as ‘Dream-Wakeful’ states. Some are again ‘Dream-wakeful’ and also ‘Wakeful-Dream’ and as also others. {Jeevas are ‘endless waves’ rising from Brahma acting as ‘Vaasanaa channels’. The degree of ignorance in each of them cannot be defined exactly. The seven states of ignorance overlap each other and a Jeeva keeps on moving from delusions to delusions passing through different levels of ignorance. The basic state for all levels of ignorance is ‘Wakeful-Dream’ state, where one is awake in the ‘dream – world’. The dreams are never ending as long as the dream continues. Rest of the ignorance levels are all contained within the one great delusion of believing in the reality of the dream. One can know that it is a dream only when he wakes up. Since the Jeeva is lost in the dream world, there is no question of waking up. Sunk in the deep dark ignorance of deep sleep, the ignorant Jeeva suffers as if caught in a perpetual torture machine.}

CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN {SEVEN LEVELS OF KNOWLEDGE}

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke {Levels of knowledge: 1. The first level of knowledge is the desire to realize the self. 2. Then one starts studying scriptures, seeks the company of noble men and starts enquiring after the truth. He practices dispassion and engages in actions leading towards the goal of self-realization. 3. Then he feels disinterest in sense pleasures. Freed of wants, his mind is cheerful and light. 4. Now he is able to contemplate on the Self. 5. In this level he is completely detached. 6. He now is able to understand the illusory nature of the world and does not entertain the idea of objects in his mind. 7. The final level is complete absorption in the Self.}

इमां सMतपदं \ानभ ममाकण7 यानघ ू नानया \ातया भयो ू मोहपOके नमeज स || Listen taintless one, to this state of knowledge containing seven levels. By knowing this you will not again drown in the mire of delusion. वदित बहभे ू ु देन वा'दनो योगभ मकाः मम-व भमता नन ममा एव शभ ू ु Tदाः || The upholders of other theories speak of the state of Yoga as having many divisions. According to me these alone (what I am going to state) bestow the Supreme auspicious state. {Yoga is usually referred to as the Ashtaanga Yoga of Yama, Niyama etc. The Yoga-Bhoomikaas referred to by the Yoga-Saankhyavaadins bestow only lower types of Siddhis, the Sage argues. According to Vasishta the following Bhoomikaas mentioned by him are the correct steps in the path of knowledge. They alone lead to the Supreme bliss of Brahman according to him.}

अवबोधं *वद\ा7 ं ु नं त'ददं सMतभ मक ू मिIतत भ मकासMतका-परं || ु ु \ेय म-यIतं ु ू Knowledge is direct experience. That is of seven levels. Liberation is the state of complete knowledge which exists beyond the seven levels.

स-यावबोधो मो!Rचैवेत पया7यनामनी स-यावबोधो जीवोsयं नेह भयः ू Tरोहत || The understanding of the truth is synonymous to liberation. The Jeeva who has the understanding of the Truth never again rises here as the limited Self. {SEVEN LEVELS OF KNOWLEDGE}

\ानभ मः शभे ू ु Kछाqया Tथमा समदा ु xता *वचारणा िPवतीया तु ततीया तनमानसा || ु ृ स-वापि-तRचतथ‡ ु या-ततोsस:सिIतना मका पदाथा7भावनी ष टF सMतमी तय7 ु गा मता ृ || The first level of Knowledge is known as the ‘Desire for the auspicious state’. Second one is ‘Enquiry’. Third is ‘Light-mind’. ‘Absorption in the Self’ is the fourth one. Then comes the ‘Non-attachment’. ‘Non-conception of objects’ is the sixth one. Attaining the TURYAA state is the seventh one. आसामते िथता मिIततयां भयो ु ू न शोचत एतासानां भ मकानां -व मदं नव7चनं शण ू ृ ु || The state of liberation exists in these levels. One, who remains there, does not again grieve. You listen now to their definitions. I {SHUBHECCHAA/DESIRE FOR AUSPICIOUSNESS}

िथतः 9कं मढ ू एवािम TेBयेsहम ् शाQसeजनैः वैरा;यपव7 ू मKछे त शभे ु Kछे -यK ु यते बधै ु ः || “Why am I acting like a fool? I will understand the Truth with the help of scriptures and the company of the noble.” Such a desire accompanied by dispassion is known as ‘the desire for the auspicious state’.

{When the Jeeva immersed in the ‘Dream-wakeful state’, by chance understands the worthlessness of the worldly life and wonders about its impermanent nature, he instantly enters the domain of knowledge. He starts then seeking answers for his innumerable doubts about the nature of truth, through the study of scriptures and the company of realized saints. His mind slowly feels disinterested in the objects of pleasures. His only aim is to seek knowledge. This is the first level of knowledge. It is the state of ‘Mumukshutva’ (aspiring for liberation).} II {ENQUIRY}

शाQसeजनसंपक7वैरा;याoयासपव7 ू कं सदाचारTवि-तया7 TोKयते सा *वचारणा || ृ The contact of the noble men and study of scriptures along with the practice of dispassion, performing only the ordained good actions is known as ‘Enquiry’. {The discipline ordained by Scriptures like ‘Vaasishta’ is followed and qualities like Shama, Vichaara etc. are cultivated with effort.} III {TANUMAANASA/LIGHT-MIND}

*वचारणाशभे ] सIतता ु Kछाoया मिhयाथ व याQ सा तनता || ु भावा-TोKयते तनमानसा ु In the level of ‘enquiry’ and ‘auspicious desire’, disinterest is shown towards sense pleasures. Since one feels light-hearted there, that level is known as ‘Lightened mind’ {As one starts practicing the discipline whole heartedly, the aspirant slowly develops natural disinterest towards pleasures. He is more attracted towards the peaceful state of contemplation. He studies the good scriptures regularly with effort. He learns new things from the realized people. His mind is now cheerful, calm, and very light. This level is known as ‘Tanumaanasa’.} IV {SATTVAAPATTI /ABSORPTION IN THE SELF STATE}

भ मकाbQतयाoयासा िKच-तेsथ] *वरतेवश 7 ात ् ू स-या-मन िथतः शHे ु स-वापि-तSदाxता || Through the practice of the first three levels, because of the dispassion rising in the mind about the objects of the world, remaining in the pure, true state of the Self is known as ‘Absorption in the Self’.

V {ASAMSAKTI/NON-ATTACHMENT}

दशाचत ट ु याoयासाƒसंसOगफलेन च Yढस-वचम-कारा-TोIताsसंसिIतना मका || By the practice of the fourth level giving rise to the attainment of detachment, the magic of getting established in the Self is known as ‘non-attachment’. {There is no fixed time as to when the aspirant attains the state of Brahman. Like Rama he may need just a little push. Like Shuka he can reach the state without any effortful practice. These levels are just namesake. As soon as one aspires for liberation, naturally he will feel disinterest towards the world and start the process of enquiry. At what moment he will understand the entire truth of the Self depends on him only. ‘Absorption in the Self state’ is a state possible at any level.} VI {ABSENCE OF OBJECTS}

भ मकापkचकाoयासा-वा-मारामतया dढं ू आoयतराणां बा$यानां पदाथा7नामभावनात ् || परTयIते ु न Dचरं Tय-नेनाथ7भावनात ् पदाथा7भावनी नाम ष टF संजायते गतः || By practicing the fifth level, by intense contemplation on the Self, due to the non-conception of the inner and outer objects, only intent on attaining the Supreme state, when the objects are conceived with long time effort , the sixth level arises which is known as ‘absence of objects’. {The objects do not vanish off but they no more hold reality for the aspirant. They do not affect him or disturb him. The life narratives do not trouble him whatever scenes they may create. His mind is steady; he remains always as the ‘Self’; he no more identifies with the inert body; his mind does not conceive new objects prompted by Vaasanaas; he uses the mind only as a tool to act properly in the world; thoughts rise up only when he wants.} VII {TURYAA/TRANSCENDENTAL STATE}

भ म ू ष[कDचराoयाjे दयानपलं ु भतः य-वभावैकन ट-वं सा \ेया तय7 ु गा गतः || By the practice of the six levels for a long time, losing the sense of differentiations, and firm adherence to one’s true nature is known as the TURYAGAA state.

{तय ु जादायवथायनमुतं शवमवैतं चतथ ु म"य"ते | The aspirant is now firmly established in the state of the Self. JAGRAT, SVAPNA, SUSHUPTI states all now merge into the TURYAA state. There is no more danger of slipping down at this state. He is a JeevanMukta now.} {VIDEHAMUKTATAA/BODILESS LIBERATION}

एषा 'ह जीवमIते ु षु तया7 ु वथेह *वPयते *वदे हमIत*वष यतय ु ु ा7तीतमतः परम ् || This state of TUYRYAA alone exists in the Jeevan-Muktas. The state of ‘bodiless-liberation’ is beyond the level of TURYAA and therefore supreme. {THE STATE OF REALIZATION}

गताः ये 'ह राम महाभागा: सMतमीं भ मकां ू आ-मारामा महा-मानते मह-पदमागताः || Rama, those who have reached the seventh level are excellent souls. They remain in the state of Self. Those great ones have reached the most excellent state. जीवमIता न सeजित सखद ु ु :ु खरसिथतौ Tकते ु ित वा न वा || ृ नाथ7काया7?ण 9किच-कव7 Those who are liberated while living do not bother about the pain or pleasure arising out of the experiences. Prompted by their own nature, or with the intention of fulfilling some mission, they perform actions; or they may not also. पाRव7थबोDधताः सतः सवा7चार`मागतं आचारमाचर-येव सMत ु बH ु वद!तं || Those noble men, requested by their companions perform actions which are commonly performed by all without attachment (to the fruits of actions), as if asleep yet awake. आ-मारामतया तातु सखयित न काRचन ु जगि-`याः ससं ु सुMताpप ू ालोकाः िQयो यथा ||

The actions of the world do not ever give pleasure to those established in the Self like the beauty of the pretty maidens does not affect those who are in deep asleep. {ANYONE IS QUALIFIED TO REALIZE}

भ मकासMतक ं चैतHीमतामेवगोचरं ू न पशथावरादFनां न च :लेKछा'दचेतसां || ु TाMता \ानदशामेतां पशु:लेKछादयोs*प ये सदे हा वाMयदे हा वा ते मIता नाQ संशयः || ु The seventh level is available only for the knowers; not for the animals or plants and not for those with wretched minds tainted with worldly attachments. Those who live at the animal level or belong to the lowest class, even if they reach this level of knowledge, are doubtless liberated whether they are with the body or without. {KNOWLEDGE}

\िMत'ह7 rिथ*वKछे दतिमसत 'ह मIतता ु मग शाितमाQा-मक-वसौ || ु ु ृ त णा ृ :बबPJया'द Knowledge alone is the ‘cutting asunder of knots’. That alone is liberation. It is equal to getting rid of the belief in the reality of the mirage waters. ये तु मोहा-सम-ती ु णा7 न TाMताः परमं पदं आितथा भ मकावास ू ु वा-मलाभपरायणाः || Those who have completely crossed over the dense delusion but have not attained the Supreme state, they alone remain in these levels intent only on realization of the Self. {Once the desire for liberation arises, the aspirant naturally is in one or the other of these levels. How much time he spends in each level depends on his own effort and sincerity. It is not easy to feel detached towards the family members and friends who are equally attached to you. Till the aspirant understands that detachment in no way will hamper his character in the worldly drama, he will outwardly act rigid and zombie like, as if he is in a higher state than others, and fall into delusion. A truly realized man cannot be distinguished at all from other ignorant beings.

As Krishna mentions in the Geeta, you cannot identify a SthitaPrajna (established in the stable state of the Self-Knowledge} at all. Krishna or Rama never ever revealed their true state of Self to each and everyone. In fact a realized man never keeps boasting he is realized; nor does he get magical powers of healing and floating in the air unless he strives for those Siddhis separately under a suitable Guru. He just lives detached, happy, cheerful, without any anxiety, doing what he was doing without apprehension, loves his family as usual, and is a guide to his friends. There is nothing more to be achieved and nothing to strive for. He is almost at the peak of perfection. He is a perfect husband (or wife), perfect father (or mother), perfect friend, perfect worker and so on. He need not wear a saffron robe to exhibit his superiority (to whom? All are projections of the Self!)

The seven levels of knowledge more or less are the common states an aspirant has to pass through. Some have to pass through all levels step by step. Some are either in the second or third level. Some are at the sixth, some at the seventh. Some are at the third level; some at the last. Some are in the fourth level; some at the second. Some step in and out of levels. Some are at the same time in three levels and a half. Some are at the level of four and a half. Some are at the level of six and a half. The time taken to realize the Self may vary from a second to the span of many births. For the courageous ones who have reached the topmost level of knowledge, victory in the battlefields equals a piece of straw. ये तासु भ मष ू ु जयित 'ह ये महातो वPयात एव 'ह िजतेिhयशQवते संरािiवराड*प च यQ तण ृ ायते वै तमाPपरं जगत ते समवाMनवित || ु Those who rise through these levels are great achievers. They are indeed worthy of salutations. They have conquered the enemies namely the senses. In this world, they attain the most supreme state where the state of an emperor or even Brahma seems worthless like a straw piece.

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT ‘GOLD AND THE RING’ DISCOURSE ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke ऊ म7कासं*वदा हे म यथा *वम-य हे मतां ृ *वरौत नाहं हे मेत तथा-माहतयानया || Like the gold forgets its gold-ness and sees itself as a limited form of a ring and cries saying ‘I am not the gold’- so does the individual Self suffer by the conception of the limited ego. {There was this gold piece. It was happy and shapeless. It knew it was gold. One day someone made it into a ring. The gold in the form of the ring, forgot its true nature of gold and thought it was just a ring. It was worn by many and it had to go through so many hands and suffer. It cried saying “O why am I a ring? Who made me...” and so on. It had forgotten its gold nature. Chit as a Jeeva cries identifying with the limited Self.}

ी राम उवाच Rama spoke ऊ म7कासं*वददयः कथं हे :नो यथा मने ु ु अहं ता चा-मन इत यथावP)'ह ू मे Tभो || How does the ‘idea of the ring’ arise in the gold? How does the ‘ego’ arise in the Self? Explain O Lord! ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke सत एवागमापायौ T टUयो नासतः सता अह-वम म7 ू का-वं च सती तु न कदाचन || You should question about the appearance and disappearance of the real, not the reality of the unreal! The ‘I’ ness and the ring-ness never are there at all! हे मं हे :य म7 य'द ू कां च -वं गहा ु ृ णे-य'दतो यcीयते सो म7केण त-तदित न संशयः ||

When you tell anyone to accept the gold which is shaped as the ring, the value assessed by the buyer is for the gold in it. {Only a real thing can appear and disappear; not that which is not there at all. So Rama, ask why Brahman is not seen or the gold is not seen. Ego and ring both are unreal. Actually when gold ornaments are sold, the buyer will not see the shapes at all. For him shapes do not exist at all. He will only see how much gold is there in them. Similarly, ego is not at all there for a knower. So the question should be, ‘Why we do not see the gold as the ring? Why we do not see Brahman as the world?’ You cannot say why we see the ring, because ring is not real at all. It is a conception of the ignorant mind. Similarly Ego is a conception which has no reality. That which is unreal can’t even be produced or destroyed.}

ी राम उवाच Rama spoke एवं चे-त-Tभो 9कं याद म7 ू का-वं तु कldशं अनयैवाथ7निRच-या \ाया म )$मणो वपःु || If it is so, then how and what is this ring-idea? I will know then the nature of Brahman by understanding this. ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke Yपं राघव नीYपमसतRचेिनYMयते तPवJयातनयाकारगुणा-वं समुदाहर || Raaghava! If the form of the unreality has to be proved formless, then illustrate well the qualities of the barren woman’s son. ऊ म7का-वं मधा ु ^ाितः मायैषा स-वY*पणी Yपं तदे तदे वायाः Tेv!ता यन dRयते || The ring-ness is a worthless delusion. This delusory power of the Supreme appears real. Her form is not seen at all, when observed carefully. मग ृ त ृ णा:भ स Pवीदावह:ताYपका'दषु एतावदे व Yपं य-TेBयमाणं न लoयते ||

The waters of the mirage, the double-moon vision, ‘I’ ness, all these have the same nature; they do not exist when properly observed. यः शIतौ रजताकारं Tे!ते रजतय सः ु न संTाMनो-यणुम*प कणं !णम*प IवDचत ् || He who sees the silver in the conch-shell can never ever obtain even a tiny bit of it; not even for a second! अपया7लोकनेनैव स'दवासिPवराजते यथा शIतौ रजतता जलं मSमरFDचषु || ु When not observed (understood) only, does the unreal shine as the real like the waters in the mirage or silver in the conch shell. यनाित तय नाित-वं TेBयमाणं Tकाशते अTेBयमाणं फरत मगत णािववा:बधीः || ु ु ृ ृ That which is not there, its ‘unreality’ shines forth when observed properly. When not observed, the water alone is seen in the mirage. असदे व च स-काय7करं भवत च िथरं बालानां मरणायैव वेताल^ाितसं^मः || The ‘unreal’ only affects as if it is ‘real’ and remains firm like the imagined ghost frightening children to death making them scream and cry. हे मतां वज7य-वैकां *वPयते हे ि:न नेतरत ् ऊ म7काकटका'द-वं तैला'द सकतािवव || Apart from the gold-ness nothing else exists in the gold. The ring and bracelets are in it like the oil in the sand. नेहाित स-यं नो म4या यPयथा TतभाUयते त-तथाथ79`याका5र बालय!*वकारवत ् || There is nothing called ‘real’; nothing called ‘false’! Whatever is conceived as whatever, that that acts like that that way like the ghost imagined by a child.

{There cannot be discussions about the existence or non-existence of the ghost because the very concept of the ghost is just an imagination. It is as meaningless as trying to prove the reality or unreality of the tiger seen in the dream. Tiger is real only for the dreamer. It exists in the mind of the dreamer. This world also exists in the ignorant minds affecting them as if it is real. To the enlightened, the existence or non existence of the world has no meaning like the dream-tiger’s existence is meaningless for the awakened one.}

सPवा भव-वसPवा*प सY ु ढं xदये 'ह यत ् त-तदथ79`याका5र *वषयेवामत9`या || ृ Real or unreal, whatever idea is well-established in the mind, that alone affects, like the poison acting like nectar. परमैषैव सा *वPया मायैषा संसृ त$य7सौ असतो न Tत टय यदह-वय भावनं || She is herself Vidyaa (knowledge) the supreme. She is Maayaa, the deluding power also. The ‘I’ feeling is based on the unstable unreal appearances only. हे :यित नो म7का'द-वमहाताPयित ना-मन अहताsभावव-वेमे वKछे शाते सते परे || In the gold there exists not the ring. In the Self there exists not the ‘I’ ness. In this quiescent pure taintless Supreme state, the ‘I’ ness is a non-existing phenomenon. न सनातनता काDचन च काDचिPव5रिचता न च )$माडता काDचन च काDच-सुता'दता || न लोकातरता काDचन वगा7'दता IवDचत ् न मेSता नासरता न मन-वं न दे हता || ु न महाभूतता काDचन न कारणता IवDचत ् न च bQकालकलना न भावाभाववतता ु || -व-ताहता-मता त-ता स-ताsस-ता न काचन न IवDचjे दकलना न भावो न च रkजना ||

There is nothing called ‘ancient-ness’; there is nothing called ‘Brahma-ness’; there is nothing called ‘cosmic egg -ness’; there is nothing called the ‘sons of the Creator’; there are no universes of various natures; there is no heaven or hell; there is no ‘Meru-ness’; there is no ‘demon-ness’ (ASURATAA); there is no ‘mind-ness’; there is no ‘body-ness’; there is no ‘element-ness’; there is no ‘cause-ness’; there is no network of three time phases of past, present and future; there is no existence or non-existence of objects; there is no ‘you’-ness, ‘I’-ness, ‘self’-ness, ‘that’-ness; there is no ‘existence’, ‘non-existence’; there is no classification or division; there is no occurrence; there is no coloring! सवg शातं नराल:बं जग--वं शाRवतं शवं अनामयमनाभासमनामकमकारणं || न सनासन मJयातं न सवg सव7मेव च मनोवचो भरrा$यं शया ू Kछूयं सखा-सख ु ु म ् || There is only ‘THAT’ which is everything; quiescent; unsupported; world-ness; eternal; auspicious; bereft of afflictions; unchanging; nameless; causeless; ‘THAT’ which ‘not produced and perishing’; ‘not staying and getting destroyed’; ‘not perishing in the middle’; ‘not everything’, ‘everything’; ‘THAT’ which is beyond the grasp of mind and words; emptier than emptiness; more blissful than bliss!

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE ी राम उवाच Rama spoke अवबHं ु समं )$म सव7मेव मयाधना ु तथा*प भयः ू कथय सग7ः 9क मव लोIयते || Yes! Now I understand that there is only the state of Brahman and nothing else! However, explain to me how this Creation is perceived as such? ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke परे शाते परम ् नाम िथत म-थ मदतया नेह सगL न सगा7qया काDचदित कदाचन || The term ‘Supreme’ is there for that transcendental quiescent state because of the appearance seen as ‘This’. There actually is no creation! Something termed ‘Creation’ is never there. {If you perceive ‘this world appearance’ as real, then you have to invent the word ‘That Supreme’ also, to explain the difference. But actually only ‘That Nameless one’ alone is there. ‘This world’ is not there at all. If you have understood the truth, then this world will be seen as the shine of Brahman only.} {‘THAT’ IS LIKE THE OCEAN; BUT, ‘THAT’ DOES NOT MOVE}

महाण7वा:भसीवा:बु संिथता परमेRवरे जलं hव-वा-पदFव नपदं परमं पदं || All this is in the supreme Lord like the water in the huge ocean. The water moves because of its fluidity. The Supreme state is bereft of movement. {‘THAT’ IS NOT THE SHINING LIGHT}

भाः वा-मनीव कचत न कच-येव त-पदं भासां त--वं 'ह कचनं पदं -वकचनं *वदःु ||

The light shines because of its own innate nature. ‘That state’ does not shine like the light. The principle of light is to shine. ‘That state’ is non-shining. {OCEAN IS TOP, BOTTOM AND MIDDLE ALSO}

अध ऊJवg वज7य-वा यथा_धेSदरे पयः फर-ये वं परे Dच--वा'ददं नानेव त-परं || ु The waters are said to rise in the central part of the ocean leaving out the bottom and surface. All these multifarious things also are said to rise from the Supreme. {How can there be a sky for the sky; another sky for that sky and so on..? If this world has a supreme thing which made it; then who made that supreme thing; who made that thing..so on..? This will lead to logical fallacy.}

सग7तु परमाथ7य सं\े-येव *वनRचयः नानाित नायम-यतमंबरय यथा:बरं || ‘Creation’ is a term denoting the Supreme; this is an ascertained fact. There is not ‘many’ in that ‘One’ like there does not exist a ‘sky’ for the ‘sky’. Dच-ता-सग7समापि-तरDच-ता-सग7सं!यः परे परमसंशाते हे :नीव कटक^मः || Because of the mind there occurs the delusion of the world. By the absence of the mind, the (reality felt about the) world vanishes in the state of the Supreme Quiescence, like the delusion of the ring vanishes when gold is understood. यदयं लBयते सग7तP)$म )$म?ण िथतं नभो नभ स *व ातं शातं शाते शवे शवं || What is seen as ‘Creation’ is Brahman and exists in Brahman. The sky rests in the sky; the quiescence in the quiescence; the auspiciousness in auspiciousness.

{The mirror is not nine Yojanas wide. Yet the mind can conceive distances inside that mirror.

In this century we can use the example of the TV screen, where the mind can easily conceive a normal world on the tiny flat screen. Even outside the screen the mind conceives all the space/time phenomena with multifarious objects in the void of the Supreme.}

मकरTतbब:ब थे नगरे नवयोजने ु ु यथा दरमदरं ू ू च तथेशे तदत-`मः || What is seen as distance and non-distance in the mirror which reflects the city which is nine Yojanaas wide, so is ‘that’ and ‘not-that’ in the Supreme! {The world is an appearance which we believe to be real. Reality can only be that which will not disappear when we stop believing it. This whole world is a projection of the mind, rising out of the mind. But the undifferentiated Brahman is not produced; it is always there whether we believe it or not.}

असदoय'दतं *वRवं सदoय'दतं सदा ु ु Tतभासा-सदाभासमवत-वादसमयं || ु The world has risen as the ‘unreal’; the Supreme is always in the risen state. The unreal shines as real because of the differentiations seen; but as it does not exist, it is unreal. आदश7नगराकारे मग ृ त ृ णा:बु भावरे िPवचh*व^माभासे सग]sिमकैव स-यता || What reality is there in this Creation which is seen like a city in the mirror; ( in the mind) which shines forth like the mirage water; (delusion) which falsely is seen as the two-moon phenomenon? (infection/ignorance) मायाचण7 ू प5र!ेपाPयथा Uयोि:न परु^मः तथा सं*व'द संसारः सारोsसारRच भासते || When the magician scatters his magical powder, the on-lookers get deluded into seeing a city in the sky. Likewise, the worldly existence appears in the consciousness as real yet essence-less.

याविPवचार दहनेन समलदाहं द;धा न जज7रलतेव बलाद*वPया ू शाखाTतानगहनान बहन तावनाना*वधान सखदःखवनान सते ु ु ू || ू As long as the ‘old creeper of ignorance’ is not forcefully burnt away by the ‘fire of proper enquiry’ along with the roots it will keep on producing multifarious forests of pains and pleasures dense with thick branches enveloping everything.

CHAPTER THIRTY LAVANA’S STORY CONTINUES ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke हे मो म7का'दविम4या कDथतायाः !योमखं ु -वं मह-वम*वPयायाः शण ृ ु राघव कldशं || Raaghava, you have seen how AVIDYAA (ignorance) creates the world which is as unreal as the ‘ring’ in the gold. Listen now to the greatness of this AVIDYAA. लवणोsसौ महFपालातथा d [वा तदा ^मं िPवतीये 'दवसे गतंु Tव-ततां महाटवीं || ृ After having gone through such an illusory experience at that time, King Lavana started on his journey the next day, in search of that great forest. यQ d टं मया दःखमर यानीं मरा म तां ु Dच-तादश7गतां *वJया-कदाDचलoयते 'ह सा || ‘I remember well that huge forest where I suffered so much. It is well-imprinted in the mirror of my mind. Somewhere among the Vindhya mountains there may be just a chance of finding that forest.’

इत निRच-य सDचवैः Tययौ दv!णापथं पन'द7 ि;वजयायेव TाMय *वJयमहFधरम ् || ु पव7 ू दv!णपाRचा-यामहावनतटथलFं ब^ाम कौतुका-सवा7म ् UयोमवीDथ मवो णगःु || Having decided thus, he journeyed towards the southern regions. Having reached the Vindhya Mountain as if desiring to conquer that place once again, he wandered all across the eastern, southern and western part of the forest region filled with curiosity, like the Sun moving across the skies. अथैकिमन ् Tदे शे तां Dचता मव परोगतां ु ददशLrामरयानीम ् परलोकमहF मव || At last in some place he saw that terrible huge forest like ‘worry’ manifested in front of him appearing like the land of death. स तQ *वहरतांताव-ृ तातासकलानथ d टवाप ृ टवाRचैव \ातवाRच *व समये || He wandered all over that area and saw all the places he had lived; enquired about those events from the people there; and understood all the events of the illusion to be true happenings and was amazed. ताप5र\ातवाRचासीPUयाधापुकसजापनः ु *वमयाकलया बPJया भयो ु ू ब^ाम सं^मी || ु He was again able to recognize those hunters born of the Chaandaala clan. His mind stuck with surprise, he wandered again those places in a highly excited state. अथ TाMय महाटUयां पय7ते धमधस ू ू रे तमेव rामकं यिमसोsभव-पु टपIकस : || ु Then he reached that very dusty smoke-filled village, at the borderlands of that huge forest where he had lived as a fat Chaandaala.

तQापRयeजनाताताताः िQयता: कुटFरकाः नानाकाराkजनाधाराताताRच वसधात टान ् | ु ताRचाकाडप5र^ टाताव! न् ु ृ ाता-वन>जा तातथैव समcे ु शाताUयाधानेकलासता ु न ् || He saw there those very men, those very women, those very small huts, those very activities; those very lands, those very people shattered by the famine, those very trees, those very followers of his, those very personalized things, those very hunters, those very orphaned sons. अयासु वHास ु सबा पनेQावाता7त7युIतासु च वण7यती ृ अकालकातार*वशीण7बधद qयान सखीषु वcा ु ःखायसं ु ृ I वHा Qबा पा कंथावत कशाOगी ु ु ृ TवHोeवलने ृ ृ ा श ककचा ृ अवrहोrाशनद;धदे शे तQात7नादा प5ररो'दतीदं || Among all those old people there, the king recognized a very old lady who was describing to her companions all the sufferings she and her family went through by the unexpected famine that stuck that area. She was crying profusely; tears were flowing incessantly; and eyes had turned red. Some torn patched up rag covered her emaciated body. She was all bones and hanging folds of skin. She was moving all over that area burnt by the blazing fire and crying in a pitiable manner. हा पbु Q पQावतसव7 गाQे 'दनQयाभोजनजज7रािOग ु ृ हा पbु Q गkजा फलदामहारे नीता स मे द*ु व7Dधनातदरंू || ु हा राजपQे *वला सनीताः ु दस ु मानकात सं-यeय शHात ु रतं Tयातोs स ममा-मजायां न सा*प ते सिथरतामपे ु ु ता || संसारनPया वतरOगभOग9`या*वलासै*व7'हतोपहासै: 9कं नाम तKछं न कतं || ु ु ृ शो यPयोिजत: पIकसकयकायां ृ नपे

“Ha my daughter, you were always surrounded by your children! You had become so thin by not eating food thrice a day! Ha my daughter, you always wore the necklace made of Gunja seeds! My misfortune has taken you away from me! Ha prince, you were so handsome like a moon! You had rejected all the pretty maidens of your palace and had loved my daughter! Even she did not live for long with you! Ha what worst thing could happen that the king was married to a Chaandaala girl! It is as if the river of the world with its many waves of good and bad fortunes plays with the lives of the people and laughs at their plight!” एवं लपतीमवलोIय वHां ृ दासी भराRवाय नपः ृ िQयं तां पTKछ 9कंव-त म है व का -वं का ते सता ु कRच सत ु तवेत || ृ Observing that old lady lamenting like this, the king got her consoled through his maids and questioned that old woman, “Why are you here? Who are you? Who is your daughter? Who is your son?” षनामा उवाच सा बा प*वलोचनाथ rाम-वयं पIकसपो ु इहाभव-पIकसपः पतम] बभव सतै ु ू तयेदसमा ु ु का || सादै वयोगा-पत मदतयं इहागतं Tाप धरातलेhं ु ु सा तेन साधg सDचरं सखान भI-वा Tसता ु ु ु ू तनया: सुताRच || केनDच-वथ कालेन rामकेsिमkजनेRवर भ;नमानवं || अवि टदःखमभवjीषणं ु ृ महतानेन दःखे ु न सव] ते rामका जनाः *वनग7-य गता दरंू सव] पkच-वमागताः || तेनेमा दःखभाDगय : शये ु ू वय मह िथताः सौ:य शोचाम सPबा पमाचाते!णधारया||

Her eyes were filled with tears and she said, “This village is known as PUKKASAPOSHA, the shelter of the Chaandaalas. My husband was the chief of this village. He had a daughter pretty like a moon. By her good fortune she got a king who had come here, as her husband. He was equal to Indra. She lived happily with him for long and had sons and daughters by him. O king, in course of time a terrible famine stuck this village destroying all the people here. Facing extreme difficulties, all the villagers left this place and went away and died. Because of that we who were left back here are alone and eking out a living with great difficulty. O Good man! We are now shedding all that we swallowed, as tears, from our eyes.” इ-याकया7OगनावIQाhाजा *वमयमागतः मिQणां मखमालोIय DचQा*प7त इवाभवत ् || ु Hearing these words from the mouth of the lady, the king was surprised. He looked at the faces of his ministers and remained frozen like a painted picture. भयो ू *वचारयामास तदाRचय7मन-तमं ु भयो वानत || ू भयो ू sथ पTKछ बभवाRचय7 ू He again analyzed the amazing horrifying events he had experienced. He again and again questioned them in many ways; then was amazed by the answers he obtained. तेषां समुDचतैदा7न:ै स:मानैद7:ु खसं!यम ् क-वा कSणया*व टो d टलोकपरावरः ृ िथ-वा तQ Dचरं कालं *वमRय नयतेगत 7 ीः ृ आजगाम गहंृ पौरै वि7 दतः T*ववेश ह || He who had seen the people of another life was filled with compassion and offered them suitable charities and made lots of gifts alleviating their pains. He remained there for some more time analyzing in his mind the peculiar ways of the Creation. Then he returned home. He entered his city hailed by the citizens.

TाततQ सभाथाने मामपK ृ छदसौ नपः ृ कथमेवं मने ु वMनः T-य! मत *विमतः || In the morning he entered the court and questioned me. He said that he was surprised that the dream events were real. यथावततया तय तत उIतः स ताdशः ु संशयो xदयाननो वातेनेवा:बदो ु ु 'दवः || I told him the truth about everything and the doubt in his heart cleared up like the cloud blown away by the wind. इ-येवं राघवा*वPया महती ^मदायनी अस-स-तां नय-याशु सKचास-तां नय-यलं || Raaghava, this is how the great AVIDYAA with her deluding power makes unreal look real and real as unreal.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE {HOW COULD ALL THIS HAPPEN?}

ी राम उवाच Rama spoke कथमेवं वद )$मवMनः स-य-वमागतः ^मोदार इवैषोsथL न मे गलत चेत स || O Sage, tell me how the dream became a reality. Still I am confused and still not able to clearly grasp the meaning thereof. ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke सव7मेतद*वPयायां संभव-येव राघव घटे षु पटता d टा वMनसं^ मता'दषु ||

All this is possible in the AVIDYAA state, Raaghava! Cloth-ness (PATA) can be seen in pots (GHATA) in a dream or illusory states. दरंू नकटवjात मकरे ु ु sत5रवाचलः Dचरं शी}-वमायात पनः ु े टे व या मनी || Distant thing appears closer like the mountain seen inside the mirror. A long span of time appears short when the night passes in a good sleep. असंभवKच भवत वMने वमरणं यथा असKच स'दवोदे त वMनेि वव नभोगतः || Even impossible things happen in the dream like one’s own death. Unreal appears as real like floating in the sky in the dreams. सिथतं स ट वत ् ु ु ु चलत ^मे भप5रवत7 ू अचलं चलतामेत मद*व!ु_धDच-तवत ् || What appears stable appears moving, as when we spin, the land around us rotates. That which does not move, moves, in the mind confused by intoxication. वासनाव लतं चेतो यPयथा भावय-यलं त-तथानभव-या शु न तदित न वाMयसत ् || ु The mind which is goaded by the Vaasanaa experiences whatever it thinks is there, though it is not there; nor is it (the experience) unreal. *वपय7तमतज7तःु पRय-या-मानमेडकं bबभत7 स:हतामेड़ो वासनावशतः वयं || The deluded mind-animal believes itself to be a goat. Influenced by Vaasanaas, the goat fears the lion-ness itself! {The individual always is happy to be a limited being bound by space time restrictions, for better or worse. He does not even have the courage to find out his true identity as the Self which transcends space–time ideas. The goat is actually a lion which believes itself to be a goat. It is happy to be a goat and eat grass. Even the thought of the lion frightens it; how can it ever know its true identity as a lion?}

काकतालFयवKचेतोवासनावशतः वतः संवदित महारं भा Uयवहाराः परपरं || There is a maxim which says, ‘the crow sat and the palm fruit fell’. The crow sitting is not the cause of the fruit falling, but a matter of co-incidence only. Similarly, the Vaasanaa controls the mind and happenings in the world become realities through exchanges of thoughts with each other. {How does an event become real? Suppose you are alone and you experience an event, say you see an elephant fighting a lion. Another person comes on the road. He sees the same elephant fighting the lion. His mind is now reflecting the thought in your mind. So now you are sure that what you saw was real. You saw the elephant; another man came; he saw what you saw. Your cognition was made real by him. But he was also your cognition only. Since he is also a conceived object in your own dream, he will surely see what you saw. Whereas, ‘you’ are a conceived object in his dream; so you will see what he saw. From his point of view, ‘you’ are his conception. He saw you as his dream-object; and he saw what you saw and felt the event to be real. This entwined perceived phenomenon alone is known as the ‘world’. Each person acts as a channel for a Vaasanaa. Some possibility becomes a reality and the cognizing channel is Jeeva (you or me, or some one.) Each Vaasanaa creates a field of experience in some space time boundary. When two Jeevas meet, both are connected to the same space-time boundaries and witness an event as a common happening. Immediately the event is recognized as a reality. In this manner the countless affairs of the world become realities because of countless Vaasanaas affecting the minds and creating countless realities by the exchange of ideas or reflection of ideas in each other.}

व-तं TाIपIकणे रा\ः कयDचलवणय यत ् ृ Tतभातं तदे तय सPवासPवा मनोगतं || The reality or unreality of the experiences of some Lavana in the Chaandaala colony belongs to his mind only. {The experiences of Chaandaala life occurred only in the mind of Lavana. It was his personal experience. The courtiers saw only the frozen structure of the king for an hour or so. The Chaandaala world was not in their minds.}

*वमर-य*प *वतीणाg कतां चेतः9`यां यथा ृ तथा कतामMयकता ृ ृ मत मरत निRचतं || Though forgotten, the mind can give a detailed account of an event as occurred by imagination. It can also remember an event that had occurred as not having occurred. {We are all completely dependent on the brain to give us an explanation of an event. At the present moment, what the brain presents as occurred in the past is our data of the past. What the brain has deleted out of memory is a non-occurrence for us. Or what it adds up to give a coherent picture of the world is our proof for the occurrence of an event. Even the past and future are ideas concocted by the brain. Brain is the only tool that presents the picture of the world. We are what the brain collects as data. We are the brains. We are the minds. We are the cognizing minds.

What the mind cognizes as per the Vaasanaa is the world we perceive. Reality or unreality of the world is only proved by the mind. Mind can remember things that have not occurred. Mind can forget events that had occurred. But in the end what it says as true only holds good.}

तथा न भIतवान िम भIतवानत चेत स ु ु वMने दे शातरगमे Tाकतो || ु ृ sMयवबPJयते Even an ordinary man who dreams that he has gone out of the town can understand ‘I have not eaten’, I have eaten’, in his mind. {Leave out Lavana; even an ordinary man can remember the details of his dream which occurs just for a few seconds when asleep. He can present a detailed version of the dream as if he had experienced it for hours. The mind is capable of giving a detailed account of any event by the power of imagination. }

*वJयप कससrामे Uयवहारोsयमीdश: ु ु Tतभासगततय वMने पव7 ू कथा यथा || The events that occurred in the village of Chaandaalas also are like that only, like the events of the dream getting explained in detail. {The events that occurred for sixty years in the Chaandaala colony were only the detailed description of the events given by the king. It is similar to an ordinary man describing the events of his dream in detail; nothing special about it.}

अथवा लवणेनाशु d टो य: वMन*व^मः स एव सं*वदं TाMतो *वJयप कसचे त स || ु Or, the delusory dream experience of Lavana was reflected in the minds of the Vindhya Mountain Chaandaalas. लावणी TतभाssYढा *वJयाप क ु सचेत स *वJयपु कसं*वHाssYढा पाDथ7वचेत स || Lavana’s cognitions were produced in the minds of the Vindhya mountain Chaandaalas, or the events perceived by the Vindhya Mountain Chaandaalas were produced in the mind of the king. यथा बहनां सdशं वचनं नाम मानसं ू तथा वMनेs*प भवत कालो दे शः 9`या*प च || Just like the words of many poets become real in the minds of the people, the time, space and action become true likewise in a dream.

Uयवहारगतेतयाः स-ता स Tतभासतः स-ता सव7पदाथा7नां नाया संवेदनाdते || All the events of the world are real only when perceived. All the objects in the world exist only because of perception. ना*वPया *वPयते 9किच-तैला'द सकतािवव हे :नः 9कं कटकादय-पदं याcेमतां *वना || ‘Absence of Knowledge’ is not there at all, like oil in the sand. Will gold be anything else other than gold even as a bracelet? हे मसं*व-प5र-यागे कटका'द^मो यथा कटका'द^मो हे ि:न दे शाcेशं भवाjवं || When the gold is not cognized, the bracelet delusion occurs. The delusion of the bracelet in the gold (the misconception) spreads from place to place; from Creation to Creation. d;दश7नप5र-यागे ना*वPयाित पथIसदा ृ कटका'दमहाभेदमेकं हे म यथामलं || When the cognized along with the cognizing act ceases AVIDYAA will never exist as a different reality. As when the various divisions of bracelet etc. are not seen, gold alone remains in all its purity. जलमेकं तरOगा'द दावक ] ं शालभिजका ममाQमे कं क:भा'द )$मैकं bQजगP^मः || ु ृ Water alone is the waves. Wood alone is the sculpture. Clay alone is the pot. Brahman alone is all the three worlds. संबधे dRयd टFनाम ् मJये h ट'ह7 ु यPवपःु h nदश7नd या'दविज7तं त'ददं परम ् || The Seer is the connecting principle between the seen and seeing. When the Seer exists bereft of the seen and seeing, that is the Supreme state.

दे शाcेशं गते Dच-ते मJये यKचेतसो वपःु अजा‚यसं*वमननम ् तमयो भव सव7दा || When the mind moves from one place to another, there is an in-between state of the mind which does not cognize any inert object. Remain as that state always! अजाr-वMननhय य-ते Yपं सनातनम ् अचेतनम ् चाजडं च तमयो भव सव7दा || That ancient state of yours which is not in the waking, dream or deep sleep states, which is neither conscious nor inert, remain as that state always! जडतां वज7य-वैकां शलाया xदयं 'ह तत ् अ!ु_धो वाथवा !ु_धतमयो भव सव7दा || Discarding that inert nature of the rock, understand its innermost essence without the mind, and O mighty one, remain as that always whether engaged in the worldly affairs or not. {A rock is inert so it does not perceive anything. But if it was conscious and did not perceive anything, then that would be the nature of the Self.}

कयDचि-कkचनापीह नोदे त न *वलFयते अ!ु_धो वाथवा !ु_धः वथित ट यथासखं ु || Nothing whatsoever of whomsoever rises or dissolves here. Whether engaged in the worldly affairs or not, remain in the state of the Self happily. ना भवाछत नो Pवेि ट दे हे 9किच-IवDच-पमा ु न् वथित ट नराशOकम ् दे हवि-तष ु मा पत || ृ The Self does not desire or hate anything from anyone when embodied. Remain as the Self without anxieties. Do not get identified with the bodily actions.

भ*व यPrामकrा:यकाय7Uयव सतो यथा Dच-तवि-तष ु मा त ट तथा स-या-मतां गतः || ृ Like being engaged in the actions of a city which has to be built in a future, keep unattached to the thoughts of the world, remaining established in the truth of the self. यथा दे शातरनरो यथा का ठं यथोपलः तथैव पRय Dच-तं -वमDच-तैव यदा-मना || A man in another city, a stick or stone on the road does not engage your attention. Treat the thoughts regarding the worldly affairs the same way and ignore the mind. Remain in the Self state as if without mind. यथा dष'द ना-य:बु यथा:भयनलतथा वा-मयेवाित नो Dच-तं परमा-मन त-कुतः || There is no water in the stone. There is no fire in the water. There is no mind even in the Self. How can it be there in the Supreme Self? TेBयमाणं न यि-किच-तेन यि-`यते IवDचत ् कतं ृ भवत तनेत म--वा Dच-तातगो भवेत ् || Whatever is seen by the mind, or whatever is done by the mind is not actually a real occurrence. ‘Mind is not at all there’; with this ascertainment transcend the mind. Tे!ायामित नो Dच-तं तिPवहFनोs स त--वतः स 9कमथ7मनथ]न तPUयथन ] कद4य7से || When scrutinized, the mind is not at all found to be there. You are actually without a mind phenomenon as such. Then what for are you wastefully polluting yourself with that meaningless thing? असता Dच-तय!ेण ये मधा ु ववशे कताः ृ तेषां पेलवबHीनां चhादशनSि-थतः || ु

Those who are possessed by the non-existing ghost of the mind have lost their reason and will even see thunderbolts rising from the moon. Dच-तं दरेू प5र-यeय योs स सोs स िथरो भव भव भावनया मIतो यI-या परमयािवतः || ु ु Cast afar the mind, and remain stabilized as whatever you are. Be free of the idea of the world. Be endowed with the supreme means of realization. असतो येsनवत7 ु ते चेतसोsस-यY*पणः Uयोममारणकमzकनीतकालािधगतु तान ् || Those who follow the unreal perceptions created by the unreal mind waste their time hitting at the empty void. Fie on those fools!

CHAPTER THIRTY TWO ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke

Tथमं जातमाQेण पंुसा 9किचिPवक सतब*Hनै वं स-सगमपरे ण भ*वतUयं || ु At first, as soon as one is born, a person who has purified his mind should keep oneself in the company of the noble ones. अनवरतTवाहपततोsयम*वPयानदFनवहः शाQसeजनसंपका7dते न त5रतंु शIयते || This person who has fallen into the flood waters flowing incessantly is getting carried away by the river of Avidyaa. He cannot cross over it without the company of the noble ones and the study of scriptures.

तेन *ववेकतः पSषय हे योपादे य*वचार उपजायते || ु Because of that (शा-सजन-संपक ), the embodied Jeeva attains discrimination; the analysis of what is to be sought (Brahman) and what is to be rejected (desires and attachments) is understood. तदासौ शभे भवत || ु Kछा भदां *ववेकभवमवतीणL ु Then he steps into the ground of discrimination which is known as (शभे ु छा) ‘auspicious desire’. ततो *ववेकवशतो *वचारणायां || Then through discrimination he gets into the state of ‘Enquiry’ or ‘reasoning about the truth’. संय;\ानेनासंय;वासनां -यजतः संसारभावनातो मनतनतामे त || ु तेन तनमानसा:नाम *ववेकभ ममवतीणL भवत || ु ू By proper understanding, one discards the improper Vaasanaas of the world and the mind becomes lighter (because of fewer thoughts, no anxiety, no apprehension, no desires, no attachments... so on). Because of that, he now steps into the ground of discrimination which is known as ). ‘Thinned out Mind’ (तनमानसा ु यदै व योDगनः संय;\ानोदयतदै व स--वापि-तः || When the true understanding rises, then alone the absorption in the Self state becomes possible. तPवशाPवासना तनतां कम7फलेन न बJयत इत || ु गता यदा तदै वासावसंसIत इ-यKयते ु Because of that, the Vaasanaas slowly decrease and that level is known as ‘Unattachment’ (असंसत); here one is no more bound to the results of his actions. अथ तानववशादस-ये भावनातानवमoययत ||

Because of the decreased Vaasanaas, one then practices lessening of thoughts (Contemplation of the Self). यावन कव7 ु ु िथतोs*प ु न*प UयवहरनMयस-येषु संसारवतष वा-मयव!ीणमन-वादoयासवशाPबा$यं वतु कव7 ु न*प न पRयत नालंबनेन सेवते ना भJयायत तनवासन -वाKच केवलं मढः ु ू सMतTबH ु ु इव कत7Uयं करोत || He performs actions; goes through his day to day life; lives in the midst of all the objects that exist in the world; yet his mind does not ever swerve from the state of the Self. Because of constant practice, though engaged in external actions he does not see them as real; he does not chase them madly; does not brood about them. He no more is under the control of Vaasanaas. He now acts as if he is just an idiot, or as asleep while awake. तनभा*वतमनकते न योगभ मका मभावनामDधYढ: || ु ू With a mind free of conceptions, he now ascends the level of ‘non-conception of perceptions’ (पदाथा भावना). इ-यतलŠनDच-तः कतDच-संव-सरानoयय सव7थैव कव7 ु न*प बा$यपदाथा7भावनां -यजत तया7 इ-यKयते || ु -मा भवत ततो जीवमIत ु ु Thus his mind absorbed in the Self; after practicing for a few years; though performing actions of all sorts; he renounces the conception of outside objects. He transcends the three states of the mind - waking, dream and deep sleep. Then he is known as a JeevanMukta. {What is ‘non-conception of perceptions’? Whether you think it is there or not, the world is going to be there, you argue. No! The world is there only when you think of it. When the idea is absent, the mind is not projecting the object for you. The object does not bind you any more. The silver plate in the kitchen cup board exists only in your mind. When you move your organs of action, the mind creates some space measurement and lo, the silver plate is there. But was it there when you did not have ‘the silver plate idea’? You create objects when you perceive. So instead of creating the whole earth with its millions and trillions of objects, practice silence of the mind. Be absorbed only in the Self; act only as an unattached witness and the world no more binds you. Do understand that every second your mind keeps projecting the pictures of the objects as long as you entertain the reality of the objects. Ghost attacks you only when you conceive its reality. Do not conceive the ghost! You are free of its torture! Do not conceive the world! You are free of the delusion! Remove thoughts! ‘You’ alone will be there! You will voluntarily resign from being a part of Brahma’s mind and stop from conceiving a part of the world for him. When the conceiving medium of the Jeeva vanishes, there is only the pure quiescent state of Brahman. }

CHAPTER THIRTY THREE ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke {JEEVANMUKTA-LIBERATED WHILE LIVING}

ना भनदत संTाMतं नाTाMतम भशोचत केवलं *वगताशकं संTाMतमनवत7 ु ते || He does not get excited about what is attained. He does not worry about that which is not obtained. Without entertaining any anxiety, he just acts properly towards whatever is attained.

{RAMA!}

-वया*प राघव \ातं \ातUयम?खलातरं ननु ते सव7कायoयो वासना तनतां ] ु गता || Raaghava! You also have understood whatever needs to be understood fully. Haven’t your Vaasanaas about all actions diminished already! शरFरातीतवि-त-वं शरFरथोsथवा भव ृ मागाः शोकं च हषg च -वमा-मा *वगतामयः || You have already crossed over the idea of bodily actions. Do not bother whether you have a body or not. Do not feel depressed or overly excited about anything. You are the Self without any afflictions. -व‹या-मन सते वKछे सव7गे सव7दो'दते कतो दःखसखे मरणजमनी || ु ु राम कतो ु ु When ‘you’ are the self-shining, pure, all pervading, always existing ‘Self’, where is the question of pain and pleasure, or birth and death!

अबधरु*प कमा--वं बधदःखान शोच स ु ु अिPवतीये िथते $यिमबाधवाः क इवा-मन || Though you have no relatives, why are you worried about the relatives? When the ‘Self’ is the non-dual principle, what relatives can be there as such! अ*वनाशोs*प कमा--वं *वनRयामीत शोच स अम-ृ यवसतौ वKछे *वनाशः क इव आ-मन || ु Even though you are imperishable, why are you worried that you will perish? How can the Self which is pure and deathless ever perish? घटे कपालतां याते घटाकाशो न नRयत यथा तथा शरFरे sिमन टे s*प न *वनRयत || If the pot is broken, the space inside the pot does not perish. Similarly, even if the body dies, you as the Self will not perish. Uयं पRयं तथा dRयं रयं }ेयं च राघव ृ न 9किkचदित जगत Uयत5रIतं यदा-मनः || Raaghava! There is nothing that is heard, seen, tasted, smelt in this world as differentiated from the Self. मनःTशमने सHे वासना!यनामन कम7!या भधानैव मायेयं T*वनRयत || If the subduing of the mind is achieved, the Vaasanaas perish; the actions and their results perish; Maayaa, the power of delusion also perishes. स:सारोrारघŒेsिमया dढा यQवा'हनी रeजतां वासनामेतां छिद राघव य-नतः || ु

In this terrifying ARAGHATTA of worldly existence, the Vaasanaa acts as the thick rope moving the wheel. O Raaghava! Cut it away with effort. {The water in the well is raised by the wheel or machine and a rope is attached to the wheel with spokes. The strong thick rope moves the wheel and lifts the water from the well. It is called ARAGHATTA.} {MAAYAA}

Dच-ताhाघव Yढे यं bQलोकlललनो'दता bQ*वधेन `मेणेह जमना जनतTभा || This well established Maayaa, the lady named tri-worlds rises from the mind. She shines forth as the three-fold patterns (Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas) from the time she was born. अप5र\ायमानैषा महामोहTदायनी प5र\ाता -वनताqया सखदा )$मदायनी || ु When not understood she gives the greatest delusion. When understood, she who is known as ‘Endless’, bestows the ever-blissful state of Brahman! आगता )$मणो भOI-वा संसार मह लFलया ु पन)7 )$मयेव *वलFयते || ु $मैव संम-य ृ Coming out of Brahman, playfully enjoying the worldly appearance here, remembering Brahman again, she dissolves into Brahman again. {BRAHMAN}

कटका'द यथा हे ि:न तथेदं भवनQयं ु तिमनेव िथतं जातं तमादे व तदे व च स एव सव7 भतानामा-मा )$मेत क4यते ू तिम\ाते जगe\ातं स \ाता भवनQये || ु Like the bracelet seen in the gold, the three worlds exist in ‘That’; are born from ‘That’; are ‘That’. ‘That’ alone is the essence of all beings. ‘That’ is known by the name of ‘Brahman’. If ‘That’ is known, the world becomes known. In all the three worlds ‘That’ alone is the ‘knower’.

पवg परमा-मत-वात ् तेनाततं जग'ददं व*वकपजालः ू मनः सम'दतं ु शये तेन यथा:बरे ण नील-वमलसत चाSतरा भधानं || ू न शयम*प ू ु First the mind arose out of the Supreme principle of the Self. Like the sky though empty, with the emptiness itself produces the pleasant blue color, the mind alone pervades this whole world with its network of conceptions. संकपसं!यवशाPग लते तु Dच-ते संसारमोह म'हका ग लता भवित वKछं *वभात शरदFव खमागतायां DचमाQमेकमजमाPयमनतमत: || When the mind dissolves by the lessening of conceptions, the mist of delusion namely the worldly existence also dissolves. Pure consciousness alone which is one, unborn, the first one, imperishable, shines taintless like the sky in autumn.

PART SIX OF SECTION THREE - UTPATTI PRAKARANAM COMPLETE

समातमदं उपितकरणम ्

About the Author: Maa Tejasvini In searching for Truth, the author spent many years doing research on ancient Sanskrit texts in the Himalayan region. She was exposed to many unique spiritual experiences which are beyond human comprehension. Her mission in life was to translate all renowned spiritual texts and literature of Sanskrit and bring them to the light of the public.

YOGA VAASISHTA A PHILOSOPHICAL TREATISE COMPOSED BY

VAALMIKI MAHARSHI आदकवीम वाि मकमहषणीतोयोगवासठः

योगवासठसारं ESSENCE OF YOGAVAASISHTA Compiled by तेजिवनी Tejasvini

िथतकरणम ् चतथ ु

आदकववाि मकमहामन णीतः ु

योगवासठः िथतकरणम ् चतथ ु

PROLOGUE The Fourth Prakarana is named as Sthiti (Staying firmly). If as explained in the Utpatti Prakarana, the world is not produced at all, then what validity do our experiences in life have? What makes everything look so stable and real? How does this all come about without an intelligent being as the sole designer of such a wonderful experience called the world? These questions are tackled here in this section. This part of Sthiti Prakarana begins with a refutation of Saamkhya theory and then proceeds to present the unreality of our life-narratives and describes also in length the ugliness of the fragile body we pamper as our sole treasure. This part also contains the story of young Shukra, who later on became the Preceptor of non-gods (Asuras) as renowned Shukraachaarya. The story refers to how he experienced many lives in his mind, forced only by his desires.

OM TAT SAT

STHITI PRAKARANAM SECTION IV - PART ONE ‘MAINTENANCE’

CHAPTER ONE

{THERE IS NO PRODUCER OR PRODUCED} ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke

अथोपितकरणादनतर मदं शण ृ ु िथ"तकरणम ् राम $ातं "नवा%णका&र यत ् || You have heard the discourse about the ‘Creation’. Now listen to the discourse on STHITI which when understood, straight away leads to the final beatitude. {STHITI means – standing, remaining, continuance in one state etc. In the last Section on Creation it was proved that the world we see around us is just a projection of the mind. Now the next topic naturally has to be how the world looks solid and continuous as a reality, even if it be just an illusion created by delusion.} {WORLD IS AN ILLUSION}

एवं ताव)ददं *व*+ ,-यं जग)द"त िथतं अहं चेया0यनाकारं 1ाितमा2मसमयं || Understand that, all that is perceived in this manner, appearing as this world, is made up of ego and mind which are shapeless things of illusory nature.

{WORLD IS A PICTURE IMAGINED IN THE VOID}

अकत%क ु ृ मर3गं च गगने 4च2मिथतं अ5 6कं चानभवम"न5ं व8नदश%नं || ु It is a painting not created by anybody. (No efficient cause) It is not painted with colors. (No instrumental causes) It is a picture appearing in the empty sky. (No solid material) There is no one to see it. (Happens within the mind) It is just an experience. (Due to ignorance) It is not a sleep. (The witness is awake) It is a dream. (Imagination of the mind) {There is no intelligent cause or material cause or purpose that creates the illusion of the world. It is just an experience like dream. The dreamer and his experience exist as a single unit, as just a random experience, like a picture in emptiness.}

{WORLD IS A FUTILE ATTEMPT IN GETTING HAPPINESS}

भ*व यपर"नमा% णं 4चतसंथ मवो)दतं ु मक%टानलतापातमसदे वाथ%साधकं || This world rises in the mind like the imagination one has about a future city. It is as worthless as the red shining objects collected by the stupid monkeys with the purpose of producing fire.

{WORLD IS LIKE PATTERNS RISING ON THE WATER}

;वावत%वदािथतं त5पम*प "नःशयं तेजः सौर मवाBबरे || ू ू Though not different from Brahman, the world shines differently like the circular patterns seen on the surface of the water. Though it is of the same nature as ‘That’, it is bereft of emptiness. It is lustrous like the sun in the sky (but not hot).

{WORLD IS NOT SOLID BUT AN APPEARANCE ONLY}

रनाभापDज मव खे ,-यमानम भितमत ् ु गधवा%णां पर मव ,-यमानं "नयम भितमत ् || ु This world is like the dense shine of the gems filling the sky and is not solid (wall-like) in nature. (unsupported) It is seen like the illusory cities of Gandharvas (magical beings) and is never solid in nature. {WORLD IS LIKE THE WATERS OF THE MIRAGE}

मग ृ त ृ णािB>ववासयं सयवययदं सBकFपपरवौ ढमनभतमसमयं || ु ु ू This world is unreal like the mirage waters; yet makes one believe it is real. It is experienced vividly like a city in imagination; yet is not in the least real. {WORLD IS LIKE A STORY NARRATED BY THE MIND}

कथाथ%"तभानाम न Gव4चिथतमिथतं "नःसारम8यतीवातःसारं व8नाचलोपमं || It (World) appears as if filled with objects imagined in a story. Nothing actually exists and is therefore unreal. It is without essence; yet appears as if filled with essence like a mountain seen in the dream. {SKY IS LIKE AN INVERTED BLUE POT}

भताकाश मवाकारभासरं ं ू ु शयमा2क ू शरद1 मवाHथमलमIयमIतं || It shines like a huge sapphire pot looking downwards, completely empty. It is as flimsy as the autumn cloud yet can block whatever is in front like a wall. It cannot be destroyed; it cannot be broken.

{When we look up, what do we see? A blue shining sky extending to every point our eyes can reach. It is as if a huge sapphire pot has been inverted over us. It blocks all that is out there from our vision and looks as if a solid shield is there which we cannot cross over. But it is nothing but void space which cannot be broken or destroyed by any one. It is as flimsy as a cloud of the autumn.}

{BLUENESS OF THE SKY IS NOT REAL}

वणJ Kयोममलयेव ,-यमानमवतक ु ं व8ना3गनारताकारमथ%"न टमनथ%कं || Like the dust of the sky seen as the blue color, though seen it is unreal. Like union with a girl in dream it is meaningless though experienced as real. {The blue color of the sky is real; it is beautiful; it is not imagined; our eyes prove it so. But it is not the real character of the sky. Sky is a colorless void. The world is also seen; experienced; but is as unreal as a dream experience.}

{WORLD IS A PAINTING SEEN ON THE EMPTY CANVAS OF THE VOID}

4च2ो0यान मवोफFलमरसं सरसाक"त ु ृ काशम*प "नतेजि-च2ाका%नलविथतं || Like the garden painted on the canvas it is bereft of essence, though pleasant to the eyes. It is like a sun or fire painted on the canvas, lacking heat and light, though shining bright.

{WORLD IS A PAINTED PICTURE; PLEASANT BUT UNREAL}

अनभतं ु ू मनोराMय मवासयमवातवं 4च2पNाकर इव सारसौघQयविज%तम ् || It is experienced like a kingdom built in the mind. It is not real and not true. It is bereft of fragrance or true essence like the lotuses painted on a canvas. {WORLD IS LIKE A RAINBOW}

शये क4चतं नानावण%माका&रतामकं ू अ*प=डHहमाशय म5चाप मवोिथतं || ू

It shines in emptiness. It is made of various hues. It cannot be grasped like a solid lump. It is complete void-ness. It rises like a rainbow.

{WORLD IS LIKE A BANANA TRUNK}

परामशSन श य"Tभ% ु ूतपेलवपFलवैः कतं ृ जडमसाराम कदलVदलतBभभासरंु || It is made of inertness; is completely without essence and shines like the inert dried up banana trunk, which produces lots of delicate leaves (which is filled with fragile beings) which dry by the mere contact of others (sun, wind or people) (which disappear by reflecting on the Supreme). {Similar sounding words with different meanings: परामश

–Reflection, analyzing;

पर आमष

– friction}

{Like the overlapping leaves alone make the banana trunk, the world is made of overlapping experiences of the mind. If you remove the layers of the trunk, nothing is left. The world is also a ‘nothingness’ made of only dream-like experiences.}

{WORLD IS A PERCEPTION OF AN IGNORANCE-INFECTED MIND}

फ&रते Iण, टाधकारचWकवत%नं ु अयतमभव5पम*प यIविथतं || ू When the eyes throb (due to some infection) the darkness whirls around as it were. The world-appearance is similar. Though it is completely non-existent by nature, it remains as if directly experienced.

{WORLD IS LIKE BUBBLES OF WATER}

वाब%ु0बद मवाभो 4ग शयमतः फुर0वपःु ु ू रसामकं चा8यरसम*विXछनIयोदयं ||

Like the bubbles forming on the surface of the water, the world is just a meaningless appearance; not real. Though bursting out as a physical structure, it is all emptiness inside. Though seemingly full of essence (in the beginning) it is truly bereft of any essence (at the end) with its unceasing appearances and disappearances (births and deaths).

{WORLD IS INERT, EMPTY, AND IS LIKE THE SUBTLE ATOM}

नीहार इव *वता&र गहVतं सन ZकDचन ृ जडशयापदं शयं केषािचपरमाणव ू ू ु त ् || It spreads out like mist; but not a bit of it can be grasped in the hand. It is of the nature of sheer inertness (Saamkhya); emptiness and inertness (Avidyaa of Vedantins); emptiness (Maadhyamikaas); momentary existence like the subtle atom (Yogaachaarya); momentary in space and time like the subtle atom (Soutaantrika Vaibhaashika); subtle atom like in space (KanaadaGotami): unpredictable like the subtle atom (Arhataas). {WORLD IS LIKE THE IMAGINMED VAMPIRE}

ZकिचTतमयो sमी"त िथतं शयमभतक ू ू ं ू गि6न,वस6नु/पत6पतन ् असदे वेदम/य6त:न5ि,च/याथां प9र/यज || Standing, going, sleeping, awake, exhaling, climbing up, climbing downat all times be completely without attachments, with the in-born understanding that the world is unreal. समतामलमा+ /य सं(ा?तं काय5माहरन ् अ+च6तय6तथाs(ा?तं 3वहरे ह @ह राघव || Endowed with utmost equanimity; performing whatever actions fall to one’s lot; not thinking about what is not attained; live in this world Raaghava! यथा शवCs3प लगा:न न Dबभ:त5 Dबभ:त5 च /वमेवमह काया5Fण कG ु मा कG ु चानघ || The Supreme Lord Shiva supports all the eightfold varieties of creation (by his very presence); yet does not support also (as he is the Self of all). You also likewise do and yet don’t do any actions, O Taintless one! /वमेव वे/ता /वमज/वमा/मा /वं महे ,वरः आ/मनोs#य:त9रIतः सं/वये/थमदमाततं II You are the one who is aware of all perceptions. You are unborn. You are the essence of all. You are the Supreme Lord. You alone pervade everything in this manner, being not distinct from the Self.

राग1वेष3व:नम5ुIतः समलो टा,मका=चनः यIत इ/य-छते योगी /यIतसंसारवासनः || ु ु Free of attractions and repulsions, equally viewing a lump of clay and gold (as just illusory appearances) a yogi who has renounced all Vaasanaas connected to the world is said to be one with the Self. स य/करो:त यKIते य)दा:त :नहि6त यत ् ु तL मIत+ध यतय समता सखदखयोः || ु ु ु Whatever one does, whatever one eats, whatever one gives, whatever one destroys, he who is completely free of attachments is equal-minded in pains and pleasures. (ा?तं कत5#यमेवे:त /यIते टा:न टभावनः (वत5ते यः कायष ' ु न स मNज:त कL+चत ् || ु He who has removed from his mind all thoughts of likes and dislikes and performs the actions that fall to his lot as his prescribed duties never drowns in the delusions.

{MIND IS INERT/MIND CANNOT ACT BY ITSELF}

मनः (क/यै ु ृ व जडं +च/त/वमनधाव:त मांसगधन यथा || ' माजा5रो वने मगप:तं ृ The mind by nature is inert and follows the objects revealed by the principle of consciousness like the cat following the lion greedy for the meat. सPहवीय5वशाQलRधं मांसं भ6Iते sनगो ु ु हरे ः +च1वीय5वशा/(ा?तं S,यमा यते मनः || Any worthless animal following the lion gets to eat the meat obtained by the lion’s own prowess. The mind likewise experiences the objects revealed by the power of consciousness.

मन एवमस/कQपं +च/(सादे न जीव:त भावयि6व,वमेवैकं +च6तामे/य +चद?यत ु || In this manner, the unreal (mind) lives by the grace of Chit, (conceiving the unreal world as real) by conceiving this ever changing phenomenon of the world; and by remembering the Self, attains the Chit State too! जडं यि/कल :नहUनं +चता दV3पकयौजसा त6मनः शवस6काशम+चदि/त टते कथं || ु As the mind is inert, how can it ever rise up without getting empowered by the light of consciousness, as it is equal to a corpse bereft of consciousness? +च/वभावपराम टा प6दशिIतरस6मयी ृ कQपना +च/तम/युI/या कXयते शाLSि टभः || The unreal conception, the power of vibration arising by the contact of consciousnessthat alone is termed as the mind by those learned in scriptures. यि,च/तफFणफ/कारः सैवेयं कलनो-यते ू +चदे वाहम:त Zा/वा सा +च/तामेव ग-छ:त || The hiss of the hooded serpent namely ‘mind’ alone is known as the perceived appearance of the world. By realizing ‘I am the Chit’, all that is perceived also is realized as Chit. चे/येन र@हता यैषा +च/त[\म सनातनम ् चे/येन स@हता यैषा +च/सेयं कलनो-यते || The consciousness bereft of perception is the ancient principle of Brahman. The consciousness with perception is this perceived appearance of the world.

+च/तम/येव ]ढे यं यदै व कलनो@दता तदै व +च//वं 3वम/ृ य सा जडेव #यविथता || When the perception rises, the perceiving principle of consciousness becomes widely known as the mind. In that state it forgets its conscious nature and remains as if inert. {PERCEIVED WORLD ALSO IS INERT}

चेतनेन जडा राम कलनोपल]3पणी प:_नीवातपेनासौ परे णव ै (बो`यते || Like the lotus blooming by the contact of the sun, this perceived appearance of the world, which is inert like a rock rises because of the principle of consciousness. {BODY IS ALSO INERT}

यथा शलामयी क6या चो@दता3प न न/य:त ृ तथेयं कलना दे हे न aकि6चदवब`यते II ु Just like a statue of a girl will not dance even when you push it, this perception cannot arise in the body even in the least. {PRAANA AND MIND}

यदे त/पि6दतं नाम त6मनोs+धगतं शठै : मGतां 3व3* तां शिIतम6तः (ाणशरV9रणीम ् || That which vibrates, is known as the mind, by the ignorant. Understand it to be the power of the wind, the inner sheath of vital force. अयं सोsहमदं त6म इ:त या कलना3वला (ाणा/मत//वयोतयाः संZा जीवे:त कXयते || ‘This one; he; I; this; that; mine;’ all these tainted ideas in totality is termed as Jeeva; which arises by the conjoining of the principles of the vital force and the Self.

धीि,च/तं जीव इ/येताः संकQपयासतो मताः संZाः किQपतातZैन5 राम परमात5थः || Intellect, Mental Faculty, Jeevaall these differently known terms are just the names invented for the ‘unreal conception’ by the wise. Actually they are not different. मनो नो न म:तना53प धीरे षा न शरVरकं अतीह परमाथन ' वा/मैवेहाित सव5दा || In actuality, there is no mind; no thinking; no intellect; no physical body. Always the Self alone exists as it is. परय पPसय संकQपमय/वं +च/तम-यते ु ु अ+च/त/वमसंकQपा6मोतेनाभजायते || The ‘conceiving phenomenon’ which imagines an embodied person as differently existing, is known as the mental faculty. Non- conceiving and remaining without the mind leads to ‘liberation’. (ाणशIतौ :नG*ायां मनो राम 3वलVयते b#य-छायानत1b#यं (ाण]पं @ह मानसं || ु When the power of the vital force is controlled, the mind melts off like the image in the mirror vanishing off along with the destruction of the mirror. Mind exists in the form of vital force alone. दे शा6तरानुभवनं (ाणो वेि/त c@द िथतं प6दवेदनतो य/त6मन इ/यभदVयते || The experience of extended space is sensed by the vital force seated in the center of individual consciousness through the vibrating perceptions; that alone is termed as the mind. (Consciousness + vital force=Mind ->world perception)

वैराdयात ्कारणाeयासात ्यिIततो #यसनयात ् ु परमाथा5वबोधा-च रो`य6ते (ाणवायवः || Through dispassion, through the practice of Praanaayaama etc, through contemplation methods, through the control of the outgoing tendency of the mind, and by understanding the true nature of the Self, the vital airs gets controlled. Sषदो 3व1यते शिIतः कदा+च-चलनैधसां न पनम5 ु नसामित शिIतः प6दावबोधने || Maybe the power of burning may exist in a stone sometimes; but there never is there the power for the mind to vibrate or perceive. प6दः (ाणमG-छिIत,चलbपै ू व सा जडा +च-छिIतः वा/मनः व-छा सव5दा सव5गैव सा || The vibration is the power of the vital air; it is of the nature of movement; it is inert. The power of consciousness belongs to the Self; it is pure; it is always everywhere. +च-छIतेः प6दशIते,च संब6धः कQ?यते मनः मXयैव त/सम/प6नं मXयाZानं तद-यते || ु ु The mind conceives a connection to the vibrating power and the power of consciousness. This connection is not real and is known as unreal knowledge. एषा \य3व1या क+थता मायैषा सा :नग1यते परमेत/तदZानं संसारा@द3वष(दं || This alone is known as Avidyaa; it is called as Maayaa. This is the extreme level of ignorance. This produces the poison called the worldly existence. +च-छIतेः प6दशIते,च संगे संकQपकQपनं न कतं ृ चे/प9रीणात@दमा भवभीतयः ||

If the imagined conception does not occur conjoining the power of Chit and the power of vibration (Praana), then all these fears of the worldly existence will vanish away. वायतः ु प6दशिIतया5 सा +चता चे/यते यदा सचे/या +च/तदै वा6तः संकQपा1या:त +च/ततां || When the vibrating power of the wind produces the perceived phenomenon through the power of Chit, that Chit which appears as the perceived phenomenon attains the state of the mind through conception inside. +च/ततैषा +चतो मXया किQपता बालयवत ् अखfडमfडलाकारप6द]पा +चदे व यत ् || This state of the mind of the Chit is a misconception like the ghost conceived by a child; It is Chit alone of the nature of the vibration in the form of the unbroken sphere of the world. सैषा +च/ता तद6येन केन संबा`यते aकल अखfडशIते9र6bय केन या/सह संगरः || How ever can this level of the Chit be affected by something else? How can anyone fight the Lord of un-diminishing power?! अतः संबि6धनोsभावा/सPब6धोsL न 3व1यते संब6धेन 3वना कय स*ं त/कgSशं मनः || Therefore because of the absence of the connecting thing, the connection does not exist here. Without any connection what can ever happen? Where is the question of the so-called mind? +च/प6दयोरे कतायां aकं नाम मन उ-यते का सेना हयमातगसंगसंगhनं 3वना || The oneness of the Consciousness and Praana alone is known by the name of mind. What is an army without the collection of horses and elephants at one place?

{MIND IS UNREAL: MIND DOES NOT EXIST AT ALL}

तमा6ना/येव द टा/म +च/तं राम जग/Lये ु सैषा संयIप9रZाना-चेतसो जायते :तः || Therefore there does not exist at all anything called the mind the rascal, anywhere in the three worlds Rama! This thing called the mind perishes by the true understanding of reality. मधा ु मैवमनथा5य मनः संकQपयानघ मनो मXयासम@दतं ना/यL परमाथ5तः || ु O Taintless one! Do not wastefully imagine this thing called mind and get into difficulties. Mind has arisen as a false conception. In reality it is not there at all. मा /वम6तःIव+चि/कि6च/संकQपय महामते मनः संकQपकं राम यमा6नातीह कL+चत ् || ु O Intelligent one! Do not conceive anything anytime. Mind is just the other name for conception; it does not exist anywhere as a reality.

{MIND AND IGNORANCE}

जड/वाि6नःव]प/वा/सव5दैव मतं ृ मनः मते ृ न माय5ते लोकि,चLेयं मौiय5चajका || Being inert and without any form, the mind is dead always. Yet, the dead one kills the ignorant person! This wheel of ignorance is amazing! यय ना/मा न दे होsित नाधारो ना3प चाक:तः ृ तेनेदं भkयते सवl +चLेयं मौiय5वागरा ु ||

(Mind) That which has no essence, no body, no support, not even a shape eats up everything! The trap of ignorance is amazing! सव5सामmयहVनेन ह6यते मनसा3प यः नीलो/पलदलाघातैम6 5 ये दलतमतकं || He who gets killed by the mind which has no equipment at all, should be thought off as his head crushed by getting hit by the petal of a blue lotus. जडेन मक ू े ना6धेन :नहतो मनसा3प यः म6ये स द\यते मढः ू पण5 ू च6bमरV+चभः || He who is killed by the mind which is inert, mute and blind should be thought off as burning by the cool rays of the full moon. 3व1यमानोs3प यः शरो ू लोकतेनाभभयते ू अ3व1यमानमेवेदं ह6यते मdधतो@दता || ु A valorous man who is real and living can indeed defeat a weak person. This mind rising from ignorance kills a fool, though not real and existing. प,य मौiया5@दयम ् सि टर Zानैव ज6यते ृ हा क टम3प दब5 ु ु*ेः सि ट ृ मniय5वशम ् गता || Understand that this creation is born because of ignorance due to foolishness. Alas! ‘Suffering’ also is the creation of the ignorant mind rising due to foolishness! {THE IGNORANT SHOULD NOT BE TAUGHT THE ABSTRACT KNOWLEDGE OF THE SELF}

मख5 ू लोकमयी सि ट ु ृ म5न एवासदि/थतं यः शIतो न वशीकतlु नासौ रामोप@द,यते || This creation filled with ignorant persons is only the mind, which has arisen falsely. He who cannot control his mind should not be instructed at all about all this. अभजाताsव]पैषा (Zा ोदे षु न मा नोपदे श+गरां योdया प9रपूण'व संिथता ||

This thing called mind (ignorant person) has a form produced all around oneself. It is not capable of abstract thinking. It is not fit to receive instructions about Brahman. It is established complete in itself projecting itself outside. Dबभे/येषा3प वीणायात6Lीगण ः ु तन`वने ु ब6धोर3प स:नbय Dबभे:त वदन1यते ु ः || The ignorant fool jumps with fear even if a slightest sound of a Veena-string is heard (suddenly). He fears even the facial contours of a sleeping relative! असतोs3प जनाद-चै ु गoताKीता पलायते वेनैव मनसा?यZा aकलैषा 3ववशीकता || ृ The ignorant fool runs away frightened if any one just shouts loudly (about some danger). He is indeed completely under the control of his own mind!

CHAPTER TWO

ी वस ट उवाच Vasishta spoke {THIS SCRIPTURE IS NOT FOR THE IGNORANT MINDS}

संसारसागरसारकQलोलैG\यमानया मतेमा5नद मक/वं यया जनतायािज5तं || ू आ/मलाभमयोदारकलाभ9रह सा मया 3वचारोिIतभरे ताभः शाLेsिम6नोप@द,यते || Dear Rama! The populace ‘which is carried uncontrollably by the turbulent waves of the worldly existence, and which remains dumb in the mind (without any enquiry or understanding)’is not given instructions through this scripture (discourse) which contains thought-provoking ideas describing in various ways, the path towards the attainment of the Self-state! न प,य/येव योs/यथl तय कः खलु दम5 ु :तः 3व+चLम=जरV +चLं संदश5य:त काननम ् || Which fool will exhibit a beautiful painting of colorful panorama to a person who is excessively blind? कः क टघघ5 रpाणं नानामोद3वचारणे ु मख5 े (माणीकGते ू मा/मोपदे शन ु sम:तः || Which brainless idiot will discuss about various scents with a person afflicted by leprosy and whose nose makes a gurgling noise? Or which brainless idiot will discuss about Self-knowledge with a fool drowned in worldly attachments? 3वपय5तेि6bयं म/तं म@दराघूFण5तेणं धम5:नण5यसाq/वे कः (माणीकरो/यधीः ||

Which idiot will get his words proved by inviting a drunkard with his rolling eyes and faltering limbs to act as a witness in judging a case? कः शवं वा ,मशानथं समवायकथाशतं प9रप-छ:त संदेहे क,च मखl ू (शाित च || ृ Who will clear his doubt by questioning a corpse or the crowd assembled there in the cremation ground (weeping madly) absorbed in talking about hundreds of occurrences connected to the dead ones? Who can ever teach that fool? येनाशयDबलथोs3प मको ू s6धोs3प न :निज5तः मनो#यालः स दब5 ु ु3*ः कथं नाम उप@द,यते || How can anyone teach the idiot who has not been able to subdue his mind-snake which resides in the snake-hole of his own heart (brain) and which is dumb and blind? िजतमेव मनो 3व3* वततः ु य6न 3व1यते :नकटा/सा +चरातैव या शला नैव 3व1यते || Understand the mind to be already conquered when it is non-existent actually! The rock which is close by is very far, as it is non-existent! (One can never catch a rock which is seen but not really there)

{A KNOWER}

Zः प,य:त सदै वा/मा प6दने (ाणशIतयः इि6bयाFण वधमष || ' ु मनो राम aकम-यते ु A knower is always conscious of the Self alone, Rama! He sees the power of Praana vibrating and the senses engaged in their functions. Where is, the thing called ‘mind’? (ाणानां प6दनी शिIतZा5नशिIतः परा/मनः इि6bयाणां :नजाशिIतरे कः कोsL :नब`यते ||

The ‘vibrating power’ of the Praanaas is nothing but the ‘Knowledge-power’ of the Chit. The power of the senses also is one such power of the Supreme Self. Who is bound here? सवा5तांशवतय सव5शIतेः aकला/मनः पथ नाम तवोि/थता || ु ृ Iता वा-यता चेयं कतो All that is there is the expression of the ‘Omnipotent Self’. Why should you attribute different names to all these? {WHERE IS THE JEEVA? WHERE IS THE MIND?}

aकं नाम जीव इ/यIतं येनेहा6धीकतं ु ृ जगत ् +च/तं चैवासदे व /वं 3व3* का तय शIतता || What is thing called ‘Jeeva’ by which the world is blinded? Know the mind to be unreal only! What power does it have?

{ALAS! THE IGNORANT!}

मनो:नद5 dधS टVनां S rवा दःखपरं परां ु म:तम' कGणाjा6ता राम मdधे ु व त?यते || Rama! Observing the continuous pain experienced by those whose understanding is completely burnt away by the unreal mind, my mind is filled with compassion for them and is worried as it were. कः aकलाL कतः खेदो य6मख5 ू ः प9रत?यते ु दःखायै व @ह जाय6ते करभाः (ाकतातथा || ु ृ Who is there as such (as different from the Chit)? Wherefore starts this pain (which is not one’s true nature)? What for is this fool suffering so much (imagining the world)? These donkeys and idiots are born only to suffer! 3वनाशायैव जाय6ते जडा दे हे वब*यः ु अनारतोदयाः पापा ब1बदा ु ु जलधे9रव || These blockheads, these fools get born in these bodies only to perish. Like bubbles in the ocean, wicked acts rise out of them continuously.

CHAPTER THREE {The Sage ends the topic on ‘Mind’ by showing pity for the ignorant minds which never can grasp the abstract truths explained by him in this text! However he now warns Rama how that very feeling of compassion can become an obsession if it exceeds the limit. One can act kindly towards anyone who is directly in trouble. That is true compassion. But one cannot sit and cry about each and everyone who dies in this world. A seeker after liberation of course should cultivate all Saatvic qualities of friendship, kindness, helping nature etc. But he should not act through attachments. He must have equanimity of mind always. Whether a mosquito dies somewhere in a corner of the earth or a relative dies in his very presence, he cannot afford to break down. He should never swerve from the state of the Self. When mind has been proved as unreal, when the world conceived by the mind also has been proved as unreal, when the body also has been proved as unreal, how can one cry about the people in the world or people in the family when they die? They also are unreal; just appearing as connected to this particular body-shape in the present mode of space and time! Sage Vasishta is not advising Rama to be cruel or rude to others. He is not asking him to discard the noble quality of compassion. But he is advising him to stop ‘worrying’ about things which are beyond our control.}

ी वस ट उवाच Vasishta spoke {WHEN COMPASSION EXCEEDS THE LIMITS, IT BECOMES IDIOSYNCRASY}

aकय6तः प,य पशवः (/यहं (:तमfडलं सनाव:K:न5 ह6य6ते कैवाL प9रदे वना || ू Look- how many animals daily get killed by the butchers in every country! Why lament about it? अब5ुदा6य:नलो हि6त माजातेषु चा6वहं दं शानां मशकानां च कैवाL प9रदे वना || Every moment wind kills countless biting insects like mosquitoes born on this earth! Why lament about it? @दशं (:त +गरV6bे षु पल6दा1या वने वने ु :नsनि6त मगलाFण कैवाL प9रदे वना || ृ

In every direction, in each and every mountain, in each and every forest, hunters kill lakhs of animals! Why lament about it? जले जलचर#यहा6सkमा6थलो ू ू ू :नक6त:त ृ >ासाथl :नद5 यो म/यः कैवाL प9रदे वना || In the water holes, the big fish kills cruelly countless groups of subtle life-forms! Why lament about it?

“The lice are eaten by the mosquitoes! Mosquitoes get eaten by spiders! Frogs eat spiders! Snakes eat the frogs! Birds eat the snakes! Mongoose kills the snake! Cat kills the mongoose! Dog attacks the cat! Bear fights the dog! Tiger kills the bear! Lion attacks the tiger! Sharabha (a fabulous animal having eight legs) kills the lion! When thundering clouds fill the sky, ‘Sharabha’ unable to bear the sound, falls down from the mountain and dies! Clouds get scattered by the wind! Wind gets blocked by the mountain! Mountains get hit by the thunderbolt weapon which belongs to Indra! Indra is controlled by Vishnu! Vishnu takes the form of so many animals! (Incarnations/ or exists in all the created beings as Vaasudeva) Thus the world is filled with various types of pains and pleasures! Births and deaths are occurring everywhere! Even huge animals depend on the parasites that cling to them! The living things that exist in this creation depend on each other for their survival and their number is beyond counting! Each kills the other! Each protects the other! Continuously these beings get born! Continuously they die! Water, land, sky, forests, bodies, plants, stones, feces- in all these objects, various types of living things get born continuously and die! एवमेते वसंiयेषु ज6मवपचयेषु च अजtं कGणाव6तो न6दतु (Gद6तु वा || Looking at these countless living things getting born and die the compassionate ones can feel happy or cry!

अनारतमत ु ृ ाविम6ननारतसमKवे संसारसंuमे यIता तुि टन5 च दःFखता || ु ु In this pompous show called the world, where things get produced and destroyed ceaselessly, one should not be excessively happy or sad about anything. पIतय/वेवमेवेमा वप ृ ण5गणैः समाः उ/प/यो/प/य लVय6ते भतानां भ9रसं भवाः || ू ू Rows and rows of multifarious beings abundantly rise and perish like hosts of leaves coming again and again on the tree only to fall on the ground and dry up. यः (व/तः कब*ीनां दयावा6दःखमाज5 ने ु ु ु ृ वगत-छL:नम5 ृ टसयाl ू शु Fख1यते नभः || The compassionate idiot who wants to eradicate all the pains from the whole world, is struggling hard to bring the entire sky bearing the heat of the sun, under his little umbrella!

CHAPTER FOUR

ी वस ट उवाच Vasishta spoke

{THE IGNORANT CAN NEVER BE TAUGHT}

न :तय5Iसमधमा5ण उपदे ,या नरा भ3व ु कथाथ5कथनेनाथ5ः कः थाण:नकटे वने || ु The men who live like lowly animals (eating and reproducing) should never be given instructions on knowledge. In a forest where only trees stand like wooden pillars what meaning is there in any words addressed to them?

aकं aकल फारमनसां पशनां ू च 3वशेषणं क य6ते पशवो रNNवा मनसा मढचे ू तसः || ृ What is the similarity between the cows and the people whose minds chase after the sense pleasures? The cows are pulled by ropes tied to their necks; the foolish are pulled by the mind! व+च/तपकमdनानां वनाशारRधकम5णां मखा5 अ3प || ू नामापदं S rवा (Gद6/यपला ु Looking at the fools who are sinking in the mire of their own minds and who are doing actions leading to their own destruction, even stones weep! अ:निज5ता/म+च/तानां सम6ता)ुःखदा दशाः त6माज5नं कत ृ (Zो नातः सं(:तप1यते || For those who have not conquered their minds, the painful states abound all around. A man of wisdom never tries to eradicate all the pains of everybody.

{A KNOWER IS NOT AFFECTED BY ANY PAIN}

3व:निज5ता/म+च/तानां दःखा:न रघन6दन ु ु स3वचाया5 Fण तेनाL ZातZेयः (वत5तां || ु O Joy of Raghu dynasty! For those who have conquered their minds, pains are to be hunted for! (not at all there!) Therefore get engaged in knowing ‘That which is to be known’! मनो नाित महाबाहो मा मधोप (कQपय ु अनेन किQपतेन /वं वेतालेनेव ह6यसे || O Mighty armed Rama! There is nothing called mind at all. Do not imagine such a thing meaninglessly. By imagining it, you will get tormented as if by a ghostly spirit!

यावि1वमत ू भKवान ् ृ वाना/मत//वं मढो ताव/तव मनो#यालो बभवाeय@दतततः || ू ु When you forgot the principle of Self and became ignorant, then the wicked rascal of you mind made its appearance. S,यमा यसीदं चे/त/स+च/तोsस बा6धवान ् S,यं सं/यजसीदं चे/तद+च/तोsस मोवान ् || If you are going to believe this world as real, then you ‘are’ ‘with the mind’ and are bound for sure. If you renounce the perceived world, then you ‘are’ ‘without the mind’ and are indeed liberated. नाहं नेदम:त `यायि6त ट /वमचलाचलः अन6ताकाशसंकाशcदयो vदये,वरः || ‘I’, ‘the limited ego’ is not there; this perceived world is also not there. Contemplate on this statement and remain unmoving like a mountain. Be the lord of the heart (center of all existence); and be taintless like the endless space. आ/मनो जगत,चाय /वमग कलनामलं राम ि1व/वमयीं /यI/वाशेषथः सिथरो भव || ु Child! Renounce the dirt of this perceived phenomenon which is made up of the ‘Self and the world’; and is of a dual nature. Be in the state of the Self with nothing else remaining; and be stabilized in your true nature.

CHAPTER FIVE

ी वस ट उवाच Vasishta spoke {CONTEMPLATION ON THE SELF}

आ/मनो जगत,चा6तb5 wS,यदशा6तरे दश5नाiये वमा/मानं सव5दा भावय6भव || Contemplate always on the Self which is known as ‘perceiving’ which is in between the state of perceiver and the perceived, in this two-fold phenomenon of the ‘world and your individual self’. वा1यवादकस6/यIतं वा1यवादकम`यगं वादनं केवलं `यायि6न/यमा/ममयो भव || Contemplate on the state which ‘tastes’ only, which is in between the tasted object and the tasting subject, renouncing both the tasted and the taster; and remain as the Self. रामानभवनीयय तथानभ3वतः ु ु ु वयं अवलPRय :नरालPबं म`यं म`ये िथरो भव || Rama, catch that state which is in need of no support, which is in-between the ‘experienced object’ and the ‘experiencing subject’ and remain stable in that middle state. आ/मैवेदं जग/सव5म/य6तः सं3वदोदये Iव चेता Iव च वा +च/तं aकं चे/यं चेतनं च aकं || When the realization arises that the entire perceived phenomenon of the world is just the Self, where is the seer, where is the mind, where is the seen, where is the conscious principle?

अहमा/मे:त जीवोsमी:तयेतावि-च/तकम ् 3वदःु अनेने/थामना1य6तं दःखं राघव त6यते || ु ‘I am the Self and I am the Jeeva’ Such thoughts alone make the so called mental structure. Because of this, the pain which has no beginning or end continues. अहमा/मा न जीवाiयाः स/ताः संतीतराः Iव+चत ् इ/येव +च/तोपशमः परमम ् सखम-यते || ु ु ‘I am the Self! The factors called Jeeva and others do not exist at all’ This subsiding of the mind is the greatest bliss ever. एतां दःख(स3वनीमना/म6या/म भावनां ु न भावयस चेbाम तदा तZेषु गfयसे || If you do not entertain the idea of the Self in the non-self thus giving rise to pains then Rama you will be revered as one of the knowers. एतामहPभावमयीमपfयाम ् ु :छ/वानहPभावशलाकयैव वभावनां भ#य भवा6तभमौ ू भवाभभताFखलभत ू ू भी:तः || Cutting away this un-holy idea of ego with the sword of the ‘non-ego’ contemplating on the Self, O Noble one, remain in the state beyond the worldly existence with all the fears of the world subdued.

CHAPTER SIX

‘TRISHNAA’- THIRST FOR SENSE-EXPERIENCES

ी वस ट उवाच Vasishta spoke सवxव लोकयाLेयं (ोता त णावरLया ृ रNजब6धाि/वम-य6ते त णाब6धा6न केचन || ु ु ृ तमाbाघव त णां /वं /यज संकQपवज5नात ् ृ मा दरा ु शां महाबाहो संकQपय तमोमयीं || The entire world is threaded by the leather rope of Trishnaa, ‘Thirst for pleasures’. One can escape from the binding of a rope; but not from the binding of Trishnaa.

ी राम उवाच Rama spoke वभावगPभीरमेवैतKगव6वचनम ् तव यदहकारत णां /वं मा गहाणे :त वq मां || ृ ृ Your words O Lord, are innate with deep meaning as you are instructing me not to entertain this desire named ego. (attachment to the identity of the body) य1यह6कारस6/यागम ् करोम त@ददं (भो /यजाम दे हानामानं सि6नवेशमशेषतः || If I renounce this ego completely, O lord, then I will be renouncing also the idea of the body completely.

जानुतPभेन महता धाय5ते सतGय5 था ु अहं कारे ण दे होsयं तथैव aकल धाय5ते || A huge tree is supported by its main trunk coming out of the earth. The body is also supported likewise by the ego. अह6कारये दे हः aकलाव,यं 3वन,य:त मले पादपः || ू jकचसंलूने समहा:नव ु If the ego is destroyed, the body also perishes, like the huge tree falling down when its base is cut off. त/कथं सं/यजाPयेनं जीवाम च कथं मने ु एनमथl 3व:नि,च/य वद मे वदतां वर || Then how will I renounce it and yet be alive, O Sage? Clear my doubt O ‘Best among orators’! {“If the limited identity is gone, ‘I’ will also be not there! If ‘I’ am not there, ‘body’ cannot be thought of as belonging to me! Or, it may just vanish off! Then how do I act in the world?” – is Rama’s doubt. Vasishta explains-‘renouncing the ego’ means renouncing the idea of the limited self. ‘Contemplation on the Self’ or just ‘understanding the Self-state’, both these methods lead to the state of ‘liberation while living’. The body does not vanish away; but is not identified with the Self. The body remains as an appearance only unconnected to the Self. }

ी वस ट उवाच Vasishta spoke

{RENUNCIATION OF THE VAASANAAS}

सव5L वासना/यागो राम राजीवलोचन ि1व3वधा: कXयते तNZैZ'यो `येय,च मानद || O Lotus-eyed Rama! The renunciation of Vaasanaas everywhere is said to be of two types by the learned; one is through knowledge, the other is through meditating.

{DHYEYA-MEDITATION METHOD}

अहमेषां पदाथा5नामेते च मम जी3वतं नाहमेभ3व5ना कि,च6न मयैते 3वना aकल || इ/य6त:न5,चयं /यI/वा 3वचाय5 मनसा सह नाहं पदाथ5य न मे पदाथ5 इ:त भा3वते || अ6तःशीतलया ब1`या कव5 ु ु तो लVलया ajयाम ् यो ननं ू वासना/यागो `येयो राम स कg:त5तः || ‘I exist only in these objects. These are necessary for my life. I am nothing without them. They are nothing without me ’. Renouncing such an ascertainment; analyzing well in the mind, if one contemplates ‘I do not belong to these objects. All these objects do not belong to me’; and performs action without anxiety and with a cool intellect, such a method of renouncing the Vaasanaa is known as the meditative method.

{JNEYA-KNOWLEDGE METHOD}

सवl समतया ब1`या यं क/वा वासनायं ु ृ जहा:त :नम5मो दे हं Zेयोsसौ वासनायः || The renunciation of the Vaasanaas which is done with complete understanding of the Truth and where the body identification is completely gone, it is known as the ‘understanding method’.

{BOTH METHODS LEAD TO LIBERATION}

अह6कारमयीं /यI/वा वासनां लVलयैव यः :त ट:त `येयस6/यागी स जीव6मIत उ-यते || ु

One who follows the meditative method and renounces the Vaasanaa of ego easily, is known as a JeevanMukta. :नम5ूलकलनां /यI/वा वासनां यः शमं गतः Zेय/यागमयं 3व3* मIतं तं रघन6दन || ु ु He who follows the method of renouncing the Vaasanaas through ‘understanding’ and has renounced the delusory world from the root onwards and has attained a quiescent state is a liberated one, O Joy of Raghu dynasty! 1वावेतौ राघव /यागौ समौ मIतपदे िथतौ ु 1वावेतौ [\मतां यातौ 1वावेतौ 3वगतNवरौ || Both these renunciations O Raaghava, are equal and are established in the state of liberation. Both these renunciations are the states in Brahman. Both these renunciations are bereft of the fever of delusion.

{CONTEMPLATION OR NON-CONTEMPLATION DOES NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE SELF-STATE OF A REALIZED KNOWER}

यIतायIतमती वासे केवलं 3वमलेsनघ ु ु एकः िथतः फर)े ु हः शा6तदे हः िथतोsपरः || Both of them, the one absorbed in contemplation (Yuktamati) and the one performing actions in the world (Ayuktamati) remain in the taintless Self-state only, O Taintless Rama! One remains acting projecting a body-image; the other remains with the subdued body-image. एकः सदे हो :नम5ुIतित ट/यपगतNवरः /यIतदे हो 3वमIतो s6यो वत5तs े Zेयवासनः || ु One is with the body-idea and remains liberated with the fever of the delusion gone. The other has renounced the body-idea and remains liberated without any Vaasanaas.

{After realization, a knower can maintain the appearance of the body or discard it away. He may remain in ‘Nirvikalpa Samaadhi’ always and give up the body like Shuka. Or, he may keep the appearance of the body and act in the world like Vyaasa. Both states may appear to be different for the ignorant mind. But from the state of the knower, it makes no difference. With or without the body, he is the same; he is Brahman in essence!}

{THE KNOWER WHO APPEARS TO BE WITH A BODY}

आपत/सु यथाकालं सखदःखे ु ु वनारतं न c य:त dलाय:त यः स मIत इ:त कXयते || ु When difficulties occur in the course of time, when met with pains and pleasures again and again, he who neither gets excited or distressed is known as the liberated one. ईि?सतानीि?सते न तो यये:न टा:न टवतष ु ु सष?तव -चर:त स मIत इ:त कXयते || ु ु ु There are no wants or dislikes for him. He who moves as of in deep sleep when met with desired or undesired events, is known as the liberated one. हषा5मष5भयjोधकामकाप5fयSि टभः न पराम य उ-यते || ु ृ ते योs6त: स जीव6मIत He who does not entertain in his mind, the states of excitement, distress, fear, anger, thirst for pleasures, meanness etc. is known as ‘liberated while living’. सष?तव/(शमतभा ववि/त ु ु ृ ना िथतं सदा जा>:त येन चेतसा कलाि6वतो 3वध9रव यः सदा मदा ु ु :नषे#यते मIत इतीह स मतः ु ृ || He who goes through life with all thoughts silent as if in deep sleep; yet awake in the mind always and cheerful like the crescent moon always, is known as ‘liberated while living’.

ी वािQमaकGवाच Vaalmiki spoke As the Sage was speaking words profound with knowledge, the day ended; the people in the court saluted the Sage and left to attend to their evening duties of bath etc; they returned again with the Sun’s rays.

CHAPTER SEVEN

ी वस ट उवाच Vasishta spoke {The Knowers who do not have bodies cannot be seen by anyone unless they will it by themselves. But the Knowers with the body can be seen by one and all. How they behave is explained here.}

{KNOWERS WHO HAVE DISCARDED THE BODY}

3वदे हमIता ये राम ते +गरामह गोचरे ु नैव :त टि6त तमा//वं जीव6मिIतममां शण ु ृ ु || Those who are liberated and are without the body like spoken words, do not become the objects for the eyes. Therefore you listen to the characteristics of the ‘state of liberation while living’.

{KNOWERS WHO HAVE NOT DISCARDED THE BODY}

(ाकता6ये वकमा5Fण यया विज5तवा=चया ृ ajय6ते त ण 3वदःु || ु ृ येमा:न तां जीव6मIततां Maintaining the desires as per one’s position in life, yet doing the needed actions without attachment is the state of JeevanMukti according to the wise.

{EXPERIENCE ANYTHING; BUT WITHOUT A VAASANAA}

बा\याथ5वासनो-छूना त णा ब*े:त राघव ृ सवा5थव 5 ासनो6मIता त णा मIते ु ु :त कXयते || ृ Raaghava! The wasteful desire for the sense pleasures which arises from the ‘Vaasanaa to enjoy the objects outside in the world’ is binding. That ‘desire for sense objects which is freed of all Vaasanaas’ is liberating. इदमतु ममे/य6तयषा ' राघव भावना तां त णां श ृ ृ कलां 3व3* कलनां च महामते || Raaghava! The idea – ‘Let this be mine’ is the desire in the mind which chains you and causes the delusion. तामेतां सव5भावेषु स/वस/सु च सव5दा सं/यNय परमोदार: परमे:त महामना: || The great minded ones completely remove the attachment to all the objects which are there and not there, and attain the Supreme excellent state. ब6धाशामथ मोाशां सखदःखदशाम3प ु ु /यI/वा सदसदाशां च :त टाुRधमहािRधवत ् || Renounce from the mind all ideas of bondage and liberation, all states of pain and pleasure, and remain like a huge ocean without any movement. अजरामरमा/मानं ब1`वा बु3*मतां वर ु जरामरणशकाभमा5 मनः कलषं || ु कथाः ृ O Best among those of excellent intelligence! Realize the Self as birth-less and deathless. Do not taint the mind with the anxieties about old age and death.

पदाथ5त//वं नेदं ते नायं /वमस राघव aकि6च/तद6यदे वेदम6य एवास राघव || The phenomenon of objects does not exist for you Raaghava! They are no there; you (as the limited identity) are not there! That is all something different; you are different from them all, Raaghava! असदeय@दते 3व,वे सतीवास:त संिथते ु /व:य त/ताम:तगते त णायाः संभवः कतः || ु ृ When this changing flux called the universe is understood to be an illusion arisen falsely; when the nature of the non-existing phenomenon existing as reality is understood; when you have attained that Supreme state of Self; where there is a chance for the ‘desire for pleasures’ to arise?

{FOUR TYPES OF ASCERTAINMENTS}

अ6य-च राम मनस पGषय 3वचा9रणः ु जायते :न,चय: साधो फाराकारचत3व5 ु ध: || And again Rama, for a person who engages in enquiry, four types of ascertainments of extensive nature occur. आपादमतकमहं मात3पत3व:नम5 तः ृ ृ इ/येको :न,चयो राम ब6धायासि1वलोकनात ् || ‘I am this physical body from head to toe, born out of a mother and father’ This sort of ascertainment Rama, arises out of mistaken understanding and leads to bondage. अतीत: सव5भावेeयो वाला>ाद?यहं तन:ु इ:त ि1वतीयो मोाय :न,चयो जायते सतां || ‘I am subtler than the tip of the hair, transcending the physical phenomenon of body etc.’ This second type of ascertainment develops in the good ones leading towards liberation.

जगNजालपदाथा5/मा सव5मेवाहमयः ततीयो :न,चयो?येवं मोायैव रघ/तम || ू ृ ‘I am the essence all the things that exist in this network of worldly appearance’ This third type of ascertainment also leads to liberation, O Best among those born of Raghu’s dynasty! अहं जग1वा सकलं श6यं #योमसमं सदा ू एवमेष चतथC ु s3प :न,चयो मोस)ये || ‘I or this world and everything is empty like the sky’ This fourth type of renunciation also leads to the attainment of liberation. एतेषां (थमः (ोIतस ्त णायाः ब6धयोdयता ृ श*त णाL य: व-छा जीव6मIत3वलासनः || ु ृ ु Among these, the first one mentioned shows the power of the desires to bind. The other three desires are pure and lead one to the state of Jeevan Mukti. सव5मा/माहमेवे:त :न,चयो यो महामते तमादाय 3वषादाय न भयो ू या:त मे म:तः || O Wise one! The ascertainment that’ I am the Self of all’, when cultivated, my mind will never grieve. {IDENTITY WITH THE SELF}

श6यं या [\म3वZानम/य3प ू त/(क:तमा5 ृ शव: पGष ु ईशानो :न/य आ/मैव कXयते || Void, Prakrti, Maayaa, Knowledge of Brahman, Shiva, Purusha, Ishaana – all these terms refer always to the Self only.

अतः स/यमत ृ ं :न/यं नानतं ृ 3व1यते Iव+चत ् वायव ' सकलांभो+धन5 तरगादयः Iव+चत ् || Therefore the ‘identification with the Self’ alone is real. The unreal does not exist at all. The waters alone are called the ocean; not the waves etc. पथ न का=चनात ् ू ू ु ृ Iकटककेयरनपरा@द भ6नातGतण ृ ाकारकोटय,चैव ना/मनः || The bracelet, armlet or the anklets do not differ from gold. The manifold varieties of trees, plants and other things do not differ from the Self. 1वैता1वैतसमKे 5 ि6नमा5णलVलया ु दैजग ै 3वजPभते || परमा/ममयी शिIतर1वैतव ृ The non-dual power of the Supreme alone shines with the sportive creation of the world which is divided by non-dual and dual natures. आ/मीये परकgये वा सव5िम6नेव सव5दा न टे वोप+चते काय' सखदःखे मा || ु ु गहाण ृ Always in every event of yours or another’s life in each and every action, do not feel pain or pleasure whether met with loss or gain. भावा1वैतमपा+ /य स/ता1वैतमया/मकः ु कमा51वैतमनाS/य 1वैता1वैतमयो भव || Existing with the complete vision of non-duality, established well in the state of non-duality; without disregarding the duality caused by performance of actions, be in the state of both duality and non-duality.

CHAPTER EIGHT {THE STATE OF A JEEVANMUKTA}

ी वस ट उवाच Vasishta spoke 3वहर6न3प संसारे जीव6मIत ु मना म:नः ु आ@दम`या6त3वरसा 3वहसेNजागतीग5तीः || The Sage who is liberated while living, though acting normally in the world, will laugh at the worldly affairs which are completely essenceless from beginning to the end. सव5(कतकाय5 थो म`यथः सव5Sि टषु ृ `येयं तं वासना/यागमवलंRय #यविथतः || Engaged in works which belong to him as per his station in life, acting neutral in all situations, he remains established in the ‘Dhyeya’ (Contemplative) type of renouncement of Vaasanaas. {Though the ‘understanding’ is also there of the ‘Self-state’, the JeevanMukta who maintains the bodyappearance acts as if with Vaasanaas, yet is without any Vaasanaas in reality. He has no identification with the body. He looks at the body only as a camera to perceive the world; a vehicle to move about in the world; a cell-woven cloth where others can see him centered in that point.}

{HOW A JEEVANMUKTA ACTS?}

सव5L 3वगतो1वेगः सवा5थप 5 9रपोषकः 3ववेको1योतS टा/मा (बोधोपवनित+थः || सवा5तीतपदालPबी पण6द ु ' शशराशयः ु संसारे नावसीद:त || नो1वेगी न च त टा/मा ु

‘Never anxious about anything; co-operating with any good actions of others; vision lighted up by discrimination; staying in the garden of enlightenment; sheltered in the state which transcends everything; mind cool and pleasant like the full moon; never getting worried or over-exited about anything’ A person with these qualities never has to grieve. सव5शLष ु ु म`यतो दयादाqfयसंयुतः (ा?तकम5करोsmयाणां संसारे नावसीद:त || ‘Neutrally behaving towards enemies and friends; filled with compassion and concern; always performing actions that are his as ordained by the teachers’ A person with these qualities never has to grieve. नाभन6द:त न 1वेि ट न शोच:त न का:त मौनथः (कतारं भी संसारे नावसीद:त || ृ ‘Does not like; does not dislike; does not worry; does not want anything; silent in the mind; doing just what needs to be done’ A person with these qualities never has to grieve. प टः सन ्(कतं थाणवि/थतः ु ृ ृ ृ विIत न प टः ई@हतानी@हतम5I ु त: संसारे नावसीद:त || ‘When questioned, answers appropriately; when not questioned remains unaffected like a pillar; free of wants and don’t wants’ A person with these qualities never has to grieve. सव5याभमतं वIता चो@दत: पेशलोिIतमान ् आशयZ,च भतानां संसारे नावसीद:त || ू ‘Talking as per the nature of the other person; when forced to talk, utters soft words; understands the intentions of others’ A person with these qualities never has to grieve. परPपदमपा] ढो भगरां ु ु जागतीं िथ:तं अ6तःशीतलया ब1`या हसि6नव :नरVते || ु

Having ascended the Supreme state, with a mind cool and cheerful, he observes the state of the world as if laughing.

{WHAT ABOUT THE IGNORANT?}

िजत+च/ता महा/मानो ये @ह S टपरावराः वभाव ईSशतेषां क+थततव राघव || These qualities of those great men who have conquered their minds and realized the Supreme were explained till now Raaghava. वयं तु वIतंु मखा5 ू णामिजता/मीयचेतसां भोगकद5 ममdनानां न 3व_ो अभमतं मतं || We do not know how to explain the thoughts of those fools who have no control over their minds and who wallow in the dirty mire of sense pleasures. फलसंधी:न कमा5Fण नानाचारमया:न च सखदःखावपणा5 || ु ु ू :न ता:न वIतंु न शIनमः ु We are not capable of explaining ‘their varied behavior patterns; their actions aimed at various goals; all events of their life infected with pleasures or pains’. {BE FREE OF THE FEVER OF IGNORANCE}

पणाl ू Sि टमव टeय `येय/याग3वलासनीं जीव6मIततया वथो लोके 3वहर राघव || ु Taking recourse to a vision of complete understanding; becoming a JeevanMukta with all the Vaasanaas renounced through the meditative method, wander in the world O Raaghava, free of all ailments.

अ6तः सं/यIतसवा5शो वीतरागो 3ववासनः ब@हः सव5समाचारो लोके 3वहर राघव || Having renounced all the desires in the mind; freed of all attachments; freed of all Vaasanaas; wander in the world O Raaghava externally performing all actions with interest. उदार: पेशलाचारः सवा5चारानुवि/तमा न् ृ अ6तःसव5प9र/यागी लोके 3वहर राघव || Munificent; tender and soft when moving with others; adjusting to all sorts of people; mind completely empty of desires and attachments; wander in the world O Raaghava. (3वचाय5 दशाः सवा5ः यदत-छं परम ् पदं ु तदे व भावेनालंRय लोके 3वहर राघव || After analyzing well all states of existence, embracing the Supreme state which is far higher than the wretched state of the worldly men; remain as ‘that state’ only and wander in the world O Raaghava. अ6तनxरा,यमादाय ब@हराशो6मखे ु @हतः ब@हत?तोs6तराशीतो लोके 3वहर राघव || Keeping the mind free of all wants as the internal state; externally performing all actions as if with desires; burning outside but completely cool inside; wander in the world O Raaghava. ब@हः कDL ृ मसंरंभो c@द संरंभविज5तः कता5 ब@हरकता56तलCके 3वहर राघव || Externally acting excited as it were; yet internally remaining extremely calm; a doer outside, a non-doer inside; wander in the world O Raaghava.

Zातवानस सवषां ' भावानां संयग6तरं यथे-छस तथा S rया लोके 3वहर राघव || You now have the correct understanding of all the perceptions that occur around you. Now wander in the world, Raaghava perceiving it in whatever way you like. कDLमोQलासहष5 थः कDLमो1वे गगह5णः ृ ृ कDLमारPभसं रPभो लोके 3वहर राघव || ृ Wander in the world Raaghava, acting out the emotions of ‘joy, happiness, excitement, censure’ artificially; artificially showing interest in all the enterprises. /यIताहं कृ :तरा,वतम:तराकाशशोभनः अगहV ृ तकलकाको लोके 3वहर राघव || (Renounce all these qualities of the Moon!) (Moon shines with reflected light yet acts arrogant with false pride) But you renounce the ‘ego’ (and remain as the Self)! (Moon diseased by waxing and waning acts restless) But you maintain a calm disposition (by maintaining equanimity)! (Moon shines in emptiness and gets happy by the emptiness) But you remain as the Self bereft of emptiness! (Moon is tainted) But you remain free of the taint of the world-conception! and wander in the world Raaghava. आशापाशशतो6मIतः समः सवा5सु वि/तष ु ु ृ ब@हः (कृ:तकाय5थो लोके 3वहर राघव || Freed of all hundreds of desires and attachments; equal minded in all situations; engaged in doing actions belonging to you; wander in the world Raaghava.

CHAPTER NINE {GET RID OF ANXIETIES AND WORRIES RELATED TO RELATIVES}

न ब6धोsित न मोोsित दे @हनः परमाथ5तः मXयेयम6bजाल ीः संसारप9रव:त5नी || Bondage and liberation do not exist for the embodied one actually. This grand show of magic where the entire scene of the world keeps changing, is unreal. अब*य एक]पय सव5गया/मनः कथं ब6धः या/तदभावे तु मोः कय 3वधीयते || Self is not at all bound; it is One; it pervades all. How can bondage be there for Self? When bondage is not there who is supposed to get liberation? अत/वZानजातेयं संसारuाि6तरातता त//वZाना/यं या:त रNNवामव भज6गधीः || ु This expansive delusion of the world arises because of not having proper understanding of the truth. By understanding the truth, it disappears like the snake idea vanishing when the rope is understood as just rope. भोगब6धजगKावै ः कम5भ,च शभा ु ु शभै ु ः आ/मनो नाित संब6धः aकमेताननशो ु चस || The Self is not at all connected to enjoyments, relatives, objects of the world, actions -good or bad. Why do you worry about them? आ/मत//वैकसारोsहम:त जात+धयो भयैः न ते रामाित संब6धः aकं Dबभे3ष जग1uमात ् ||

When you have realized ‘I am the essence of the principle of Self’ Rama, you do not have any connection with fears at all! Why do you fear the delusion of the world? अजातय सतोः ब6धोः ब6धदःखसखuमै ः ु ु ु कते राघव संब6धो यदे ताननशो ु चस || You are unborn and real. What connection do you have with the delusions of pain and pleasures of those related to those who are supposed to be related to you? Why are you worried about them?

{‘Rama! If you had other births before this, you had relatives there. Now you are here as this identity due to some Vaasanaas carried over. Here also you have relatives connected to this identity. These relatives are recognized by you in this birth as connected to you! Do you want to worry about all the relatives of all the births?’ Though Rama is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu, he identifies now with the limited form of the prince, the son of Dasharatha. In order to raise dispassion in him about the bodily connected relatives like father, mothers and brothers, Vasishta talks about the futility of worrying about relatives of one birth when there are countless numbers of relatives of countless births which the mind does not remember now in this birth. These statements pave a way to the story of Punya and Paavana which will be narrated next}

/वं चे1बभ3वथ परा ू ु तथेदानीं भ3व यस अ1य चेह िथतोsसी:त Zातवानस :न,चयं || What you were before, that alone you are now.You are here now! You already know that for certain. {‘Rama!If you want to cry for those relatives who are dead in this life of yours, then what stops you from crying about the relatives of a future birth who will die anyhow? Or why don’t you cry about the dead relatives of past births?’}

तदान6तरगान6या6(ाणादVि6नकटिथतान ् ब6धनतीता6स ब नानशो ू ु ह6कमा//वं ु चस || ू Then why do you not cry for those others who are going to be dead later, who will be closer to you like your lives; and those abundant relatives of other lives who have gone already? {‘If you are certain that you are a Jeeva going through many births, then cry for all those relatives who belong to all the various births of yours! Or remain as the Self which is one, birth less and deathless! Which birth is real? Which relatives are real?’}

पव5 ू म6यतथेदानीं बभ3व ू थ भ3व यस य@द राम तथा3प /वं सbपं ू aकं 3वमु\यस || Before this you were another. Now you are like this. You will be different later. If this is what you believe, even then why do you attach reality to it? {‘If you believe that you are a Jeeva who went through many births in the past; that you are practicing SelfKnowledge now ; that you will have no more births; even then, why should you bother about the relatives connected to this particular body?’}

परा भ/वा च भय,चे 6न भ3व यस ु भ/वा1य ू ू ू तथा3प ीणसंसारः aकमथ5मनशो ु चस || In the past you were born again and again; but you will not be born again. If you believe this also, even then why should you cry – for, the world is only a temporary phenomenon. {REMAIN UNAFFECTED AS THE SELF}

मा ग-छ दःFखतां राम सFखताम3प मा 7ज ु ु समतामे@ह सव5L परमा/मा @ह सव5गः || Do not feel sad about anything Rama. Do not feel happy also. Be equal minded everywhere. The Supreme self is only everywhere. संसारिथ:तरे वेयं यK/वा भयते पनः ू ु ू अZेनैव न तNZेन Zोऽस राम सखी भव || ु The very world-phenomenon is like this. It keeps on appearing and disappearing incessantly for the ignorant; not for the knower! Rama, be blissful! सब6धः ु ु कय+चत ् कः या@दह नो कि,चद?य9रः सदा सव' च सव5य सवl सव,वरे -छया || '

Who is a true relative or a true enemy? Always everyone is related to everyone by the will of the Lord! (as the Self) ये ये महाभागा बहवो बा6धवातथा 3वन टा एव S,य6ते ते ते क:तपयै@द5 नैः || All those great people, all those relatives are observed to have disappeared within just a few days. परता/मीयता6य/व/व/वम/वा@दभावना नेह स/या महाबाहो ि1वच6bा@दSशो यथा || ‘Belongs to other; belongs to me; another one; yours; mine’ All these ideas are not real O Mighty armed, like seeing two moons when the eyes are infected. अयं ब6धःु पर,चायमयं चाहमयं भवान ् इ:त मXयाSशो राम 3वगल6तु तवाधना ु || ‘This one is related to me. This one is different. I am so and so. You are so and so’ Let all such misconceptions melt away from now onwards Rama! jgडाथl #यवहारय एताभह5 तSि टभः आमलम6त :ि-छनाभब5@ह3व5हर हे लया || ू Inside your mind completely uproot and cut off all such ideas. Yet externally maintain these misconceived notions as if playing a game, and wander with ease. अयं ब6धरयं ु ने:त गणना लघचे ु तसाम ् उदारच9रतानां तु 3वगतावरणैव धीः || ‘This one is related to me. This one is not.’ Such notions belong to only ordinary minds. For those broadened minds, the intellect is not blocked by misconceptions.

न तदित न यLाहं न तदित न य6मम इ:त :नणoय धीराणां 3वगतावरणैव धीः || The intellect of the wise is free of the misconception and has the ascertainment‘There is nothing where I am not. There is nothing which is not mine.’ सवा5 एव @ह भतजातयो राम ब6धवः ू अ/य6तासंयुता एतातव राम न का,चन || All the beings whatever species they belong to are related to you Rama! It can never be a fact that they are not at all connected to you in some way or other, Rama. 3व3वधज6मशता@हतसंuमे जग:त ब6धरब6ध9रतीणं ु ु uमदशैव 3वभा:त न वततः ु DLभवनं +चरब6धरब6`व3प || ु ु In this grand show of the world enacted with hundreds of births, the notion of ‘related’ and ‘not-related’ occur because of delusion alone! It is not an actuality. The entire tri-world is connected to you (as Self) though not actually connected (to the limited identity). अLैवोदाहर6तीममम:तहासम ् परातनं ु uाLोिLपथगातीरे संवादं म:नपLयोः || ु ु अयं ब6धरयं ु ने:त कथा(तावतः मतं ृ इ:तहासममं पfयमा ,चयl शण ु ृ ु राघव || Here let me introduce from the ancient history, a conversation that occurred between two sons of a Sage on the bank of River Ganges, where the discussion is mainly about who is a relative and who is not! Listen to this sacred tale, O Raaghava!

CHAPTER TEN STORY OF PUNYA AND PAAVANA

ी वस ट उवाच Vasishta spoke अ/यय जPब1वीपय किमि6,चि1ग9रक=जक े ू ु वन#यहमहो/त Pसो महे 6bो नाम पव5तः || ू In some mountain region of Jamboo Dveepa there is a very tall mountain named MAHENDRA filled with many groves of forests. तयैकदे शे 3वतते र/नसानौ मनोरमे म:नभः नानपानाथl #योमगगावता9रता || ु तयािLपथगायातु तीरे 3वकसतbमे ु आसीदeय@दत ZानतपोराशGदारधीः ु म:नदUघ5 तपा नाम तपोम:त5 ु ू 9रवापरम ् || In some corner of that mountain; on the banks of the River Gangaa descended down from the heavenly river Gangaa, where all the Sages performed their bathing rituals and drank its water, where the banks shone with trees covered by blossoms; on the beautiful summit land shining like a jewel; there lived a Sage named DHEERGHA-TAPAS whose intellect was shining with supreme wisdom, who had the knowledge of the Supreme, and who was like the personified form of penance. मने 5 ूवततय पLौ ु बभ ु ु 1वा3व6दस6दरौ ु ु पfय ु पावननामानौ 1वौ कचा3वव वाIपतेः || The Sage had two sons handsome like the moon named Punya and Paavana like two Kachas born to Brhaspati, the preceptor of Gods.

स ताeयां सह पLाeयां भाय5या च सहै कया ु उवास स9रततीरे तिम6सफलपादपे || He lived along with the two sons and his wife on the river bank covered with trees full of fruits. अथ काले तयोतय पLयो : Zानवानभत ु ू ् पfयनामा तयोNय' टो गण ु ु Nये ट,च राघव || In course of time the eldest of the sons named Punya who was also mature in virtues attained the ‘Knowledge of the Self’. पावनोsध5(ब*ो ु अभूत ्पव5 ू सं`याPबजं ु यथा मौiया5+धगतो ना?त: पदे दोला:यतः िथतः || Paavana was not fully enlightened, like the unblossomed lotus before the rise of the dawn. Still he was filled with ignorance; had not attained the supreme state; was oscillating like a swing (between knowledge and ignorance). ततो वह/यकलते काले कलतकारणे संव/सराशते जीण5दVघ5देहलताय3ष ु || अमाKगुरभता भीषणात ् ू {यात ्व/ता6तशत ृ र:तम/स ु N ृ य संसाराNजराजज5रजी3वतः || कलनापqणी नीडं दे हं दVघ5तपा म:नः ु जहौ +ग9रगहागे हे भारं वैव+धको यथा || ु As the immeasurable time which caused all the measures of life passed; as hundred years were completed; as the long span of life and the creeper of the body both deteriorated; Sage DeerghaTapas renounced the attachment to the worldly existence filled with beings of momentary existence and hundreds of terrifying events of birth, death, old age, heaven and hell; having lived through the experiences of an old shattered body infected with ego; discarded his body like a bird leaving its faulty nest; like a peddler getting rid of his load.

(शा6तकलनारPभं चे/य9रIत+चदापदं पदं जगाम नीरागं प पग6ध इवाPबरं || ु He attained the ‘state of Chit free of all perceptions’ with all the’ conceptions giving rise to the delusory world’ silenced; like the ‘fragrance of the flower’ melting off into the colorless sky. अथ भाया5 मने ु द' हं (ाणापान3वविज5तं S rवा 3वललतं भमौ ु ू 3वनालमव पकजं || +चरमeयतया योगयIतया प:त3वतीण5या ु त//याज तनम ु Pलानां षटपदV प:_नीमव || भता5रमेवानययौ जनयाS टतां गता ु (भागगनकोशथमतं यातमवोडप ु म ् || The Sage’s wife saw the ‘body of her husband’ without the functions of Praana and Apaana; stretched out lifeless like the lotus plucked out of its stem. She immediately discarded her body like a bee leaving the lotus, though her body was in full bloom of health; through the method of ‘Yoga as taught by her husband’ which she had practiced for long. Unseen by any mortal she followed her husband who was in the ‘innermost space of the Supreme light’ and who had set like the Moon. (She also attained the state of Brahman like her husband). माता3पLोतु गतयोरौ`व5दे@हककम5Fण पfय ु एव िथतोs#य>ः: पावनो द:ु खमाययौ || With the parents departed, Punya alone attended to the funeral rites without getting distressed. Paavana was extremely sad. शोकोपहत+च/तोsसौ uमन ्काननवी+थषु Nयाया6समनवेkयैव पावनो 3वललाप ह ||

His mind drowned in deep sorrow, wandering in the forest paths, without even observing what his elder brother was doing, he wept aloud. अथो`व5दै@हकम ् क/वा माता3पLोGधारधीः ृ आययौ 3व3पने पfयः पावनं शोकलालसं || ु After finishing the funeral rites of his parents by himself, alone and unaided by his brother, Punya with the enlightened intellect went after Paavana who was crying in some desolate corner of the forest. पfय ु उवाच Punya spoke aकं पL ु घनतां शोकं नयया6`यैककारणं बा पधाराधरं घोरं (ावr ृ काल इवाPबुजम ् || Son! Why are you immersed in such dense sorrow (cloud) which will only cause your mind to go blind (dark)? Your eyes are covered by the terrible torrent of tears (rain) and have faded like the lotus in the monsoon season! 3पता तव महा(ाZ गतः साधl /वदं बया वामेव परमा/मा/मपदवीं मोनामकां || Your father was a great knower! He, by his own will, has gone along with your mother to that state of the Supreme Self named liberation. त/थानं सव5 ज6तनां ू तbपं ू 3विजता/मनां वभावमभसंप6ने aकं 3पतय5नुशोचस || That is the state to be reached by all living beings; that is the nature of all those who have realized the Self. When your father has attained his own natural state, why are crying for him? ईSशी तु /वया ब*भावनेह 3वमोहजा संसारे यदशो-यो3प /वया तातोनशो-यते || ु

This sort of binding idea you entertain is caused by delusion. That is why you are grieving about those who need not be grieved about, in this world. न सैव भवतो माता नासावेव 3पता तव न भवानेष तनयतयो:न5ःसंiयपLयोः || ु She is not your mother! He is not your father! And you are not their son, though they have countless sons (in many births)! माता3पतसहtाFण समतीता:न ते सत ु ृ बह6यं ू बु(वाहय :नPनानीव वने वने || Thousands of mothers and fathers of yours have gone, O son, like the countless holes that get crossed over by a flooded river. असंiयपLयोनx व भवानेव सततयोः ु ु स9र/तरगव/पL ु गताः पLग ु णा नणां ृ || They also had had countless sons; you were not their only son! Hosts of sons get born to all men like waves rising in a river. अमाि/पLोरतीता:न पLला fयनेकशः ु पLबा6धवव6दा:न ज6तोज56म:न ज6म:न || ु ृ Many lakhs of sons have been born to our parents and died also. Sons and relatives are there for a creature in each and every birth. शोचनीया य@द नेहा6माता3पतस ु ृ ुताः सत तदतीता न शो-य6ते aकमजtं सहtशः || If all the dead mothers, fathers and sons have to be mourned due to affection, then my dear son, why not mourn for all the thousands and millions of beings who have died? (प=चोयं महाभाग S,यते जागते uमे परमाथन ' ते (ाZ नाित मLं न बा6धवाः || This collection of elements, O Good one, is perceived as a real world, because of delusion. In truth, O Wise one, there are no friends or relatives for you.

न नाश इव @ह uातः परमाथन ' 3व1यते मह/य3प +चरात?ते मरा3वव पयोलवाः || My dear brother! Actually nothing gets destroyed. The water drops never evaporate even if there is excessive heat in the desert (for they were never there at all)! एता यः (ेसे लkमी,-छLचामरच=चलाः व?न एव महाब*े ु @दना:न LीFण प=च वा || Whatever you see here as wealth is ephemeral like the unceasing movements of the chowries! O Wise one, whatever you number the days as -whether three or five, everything is but a dream-experience! S rया तु पारमा+थ5Iया पL ु स/यं 3वचारय नैव /वं न वयं चैव uाि6तम6तः प9र/यज || See everything with the eyes of knowledge my son, and analyze the truth. Neither you, nor me are real (as limited selves). Discard the delusion clouding your mind. अयं गतो मत,चायम:त दS ु 5 टयः परः ु ृ वसंकQपोपतापो/था S,य6ते न तु स/यतः || ‘This person is gone’, ‘This person is dead’These perceptions seen in front of you appear because of your own conceptions clouded by delusion. They are really not there. अZान3वतीण5मरौ 3वलोलं शभाशभप6दमयै तरगैः ु ु ववासनातापमरV+चवा9र प9रफर/ये तदन6त]पं || ु The waters (river) appear by the heat of one’s own Vaasanaas. Waves of good and bad rise up ceaselessly beautifying the desert of ignorance which spreads far and wide. This alone shines forth as multifarious shapes and forms.

CHAPTER ELEVEN पfय उवाच ु Punya spoke का 3पता aकं च वा मLं का माता के च बा6धवाः वब1`यै वावधय6ते वा/यया जनपाPसवः || ु ू Who is the father? Who is a friend? Who is the mother? Who are these relatives? The so called people are like sands rising up by the winds of one’s own ideas. ब6धमLसतने ह1वेषमोहदशामयः ु ु वसंZामाLकेणैव (प=चोयं 3वत6यते || This world keeps going on only through self-invented terms for imagined states like relation, friend, son, affection, hatred, attachment, etc. ब6ध/वे ु भा3वतो ब6धःु पर/वे भा3वतः परः 3वषामतदशे वेह िथ:तभा5व:नबि6धनी || ृ If one is thought off as related, he is a relation. If one is thought off as not-related, he is an outsider. Like the poison and nectar in objects are different for different beings, all states of objects are imagined only. एक/वे 3व1यमानय सव5गय aकला/मनः अयं ब6धःु पर,चायम/येषा कलना कतः ु || For the Self which is in all the objects as a single principle, where can arise the fault of ‘This one is related’ ‘This one is an outsider’? रIतमांसािथसंघाता)ेहादे वािथप=जरात ् कोsहं याम:त +च/तेन वयं पL ु 3वचारय || My son! Enquire within yourself as to who you are other than this cage of bones filled with the collection of blood, flesh, and bones.

S rया तु पारमा+थ5Iया न कि,च//वं न वाPयहं मXया Zानमदं पfयः पावन,चे:त वQग:त || ु As seen from the level of truth, neither you nor do I exist. The wrong understanding alone keeps jumping about as Punya and Paavana. कते 3पता क,च सुc/का माता क,च वा परः वयान6त3वलासय aकमवं aकं वम-यतां || ु Who is your father? Who is your friend? Who is your mother? Who is an outsider? In the great expansive state of the Self, who belongs to one, who does not? Tell me! अस चे//वं तद6येषु यातेषु बहज6मस ु ु ये बा6धवो ये 3वभवाः aकं तान3प न शोचस || If you as this limited form only are real, then why don’t you cry for those relations, those riches of other countless births of your other limited forms? बभवते ू ु सुपुfयासु थलVषु मग ृ यो:नषु बहवो ब6धवो मागा5ता6कथं नानशो ु चस || You had many relations who were in the wombs of animals and lived as animals in many sacred places. Why don’t you cry for them too? बभवते सप_ासु तटV वPभोिजनीषु ते ू ु हं सय बा6धवो हं साता6कथं नानशो ु चस || When you were born as a swan, you had many relations who were the swans living in the lotus groves in the lotus lakes. Why don’t you cry for them too? बभवते ू ु महो>ेषु शखरे षु महVभतां ृ बहवो बा6धवाः संहाता6कथं नानशो ु चस ||

You had many relations who were lions living in the impassable peaks of mountains. Why don’t you cry for them too? “Many trees were related to you when you were a tree in some birth. Why don’t you cry for them too? Many fish were related to you when you were a fish in some lotus lake. Why don’t you cry for them too? You were a wild yellow monkey in Dashaarna. You were a prince in Tushaara. You were a forest-crow in Pundra. You were an elephant in Haihaya. You were a donkey in Trigarta. You were a dog and also a bird living on a tree in Shaalva. You have taken many births as an ant, as a wood-worm, Brahmin, etc. You were my brother also in many births as an ant, as a scorpion, as a bee, etc.”

एताव6यासु ब\वीषु जनयो:नषु पLक ु जातोsस जPबू1वीपेsिम6परा ु शतसहtशः || Son! In this manner, in so many other wombs, you have been born hundreds and thousands of times in this Jamboo Dveepa in the past! इ/थं तवा/मन,चैव (ाIतनं वासनाjमं प,याम सkमया ब1`या संयdदश5नश*या || ू ु ु In this manner, I see with my subtle intellect purified by the true vision of the Self, all the past births of yours and mine as induced by various Vaasanaas. ममा3प ब\#यो बहधा योनयो मोहम6थराः ु समतीताः मराPय1य ता Zानो@दतया Sशा || I have also passed through many wombs and lived in a deluded condition. I remember them with my vision of knowledge.

“I was a parrot in Trigarta. I was a frog on the river bank. I was a lowly bird in this very forest. I was a sand particle; I was a tree; I was a chaataka bird; a king; a tiger; a vulture; a lion... and so on! You were my brother in many lives. I remember so many births; so many lives; so many actions; so many sufferings. Hundreds of relations have died in all those births. Countless mothers, brothers, and friends have died in those births.”

काPता6समनशोचावो न शोचाव,च कान3प ु ब6ध:नहा:तशोचाव ईS,येव जग1ग:तः || ू For whom will we cry? Or we do not cry for any of them! We cry for these relations here, now! This is the way of the world! अन6ताः 3पतरो याि6त या6/यन6ता,च मातरः इह संसा9रणां पंुसां वनपादपपण5वत ् || For the men born here, countless mothers die; countless fathers die; like countless leaves appear in the tree and fall off. aकं (माणमतः पL सखय च ु दःखयाL ु ु तमा/सवl प9र/यNय :त टावः व-छतां गतौ || What measure is there my son, for pain or pleasure here? Therefore let us renounce everything and remain in the pure state of the Self. (प=चभावनां /यI/वा मनयहम:त िथतां तां ग:तं ग-छ भbं ते यां याि6त ग:तको3वदाः || Discarding completely the belief in the reality of the world, which shows itself as the ‘I’ in the mind, reach that state which all the knowers of the Self have reached. May auspiciousness befall you. भावाभाव3व:नम5ुIतं जरामरणविज5तं संमरा/मानाम#य>ो मा 3वमढ ू मना भव ||

Without any anxiety, contemplate on the Self which is bereft of existence and non-existence, which is bereft of old age and death. Do not have a deluded mind. न ते दःखं न ते ज6म न ते माता न ते 3पता ु आ/मैवास न स1ब*े ु /वम6यः कि,चदे व @ह || There is no pain for you. There is no birth for you. There is no mother for you. There is no father for you. O Intelligent one! You are the Self alone! You are not any other thing whatsoever! सव'षणामयकलक3वविज5तेन वथा/मभावकलतेन cदRजम`ये | पLा/मना/म:न महाम:न ु ु नामनै ु व सं/यNय संuममलं प9रतोषमे@ह || Son! Getting rid of faults in the form of various wants, realizing the Self in the ‘lotus of the heart’ by the contemplative Self, completely renouncing the dirt of this pompous show of the world, attain the ‘Bliss of the Self’, which is what is ‘left over’!

CHAPTER TWELVE

ी वस ट उवाच Vasishta spoke एवं (बो+धततेन तदा पfये ु न पावनः (बोधमाप (ाका,यं (भात इव भतलं || ू Thus enlightened by his brother Punya, Paavana attained enlightenment like the earth getting lighted by the sun rise. उभाव3प ततः स*ौ Zान3वZानपारगौ 3वचेरतव5 ु ने तिम6याव@द-छम:नि6दतौ || Both of those blameless brothers who had achieved the final state of realization and had crossed the limits of knowledge and understanding, wandered in that forest as long they liked. ततः कदा+च/कालेन :नवा5णपदमागतौ तौ 3वदे हौ गतनेहौ दVपा3वव शमं गतौ || Then after sometime, they attained the state of final beatitude. Freed from the bodies, having no attachments (Sneha) for anything or anybody, they subsided into the Supreme like the lights of the lamps disappear when the oil (Sneha) is over. एवं (ाdभIत ु दे हानामन6ता जनब6धत ु ा आ: कैः aकं ग\यते ताeयः aकं वा स6/यNयतेsनघ || ृ In this manner, for those who have gone through many births in the past, the relatives connected to the bodies are countless. Ah! What is got from them, by whom or what is lost because of their absence, O Pure one!

तमादासामन6तानां त णानां रघन6दन ु ृ उपाय/याग एवैको न नाम प9रपालनम ् || Therefore, for all these types of attachments and desires, the only treatment is renouncement and not maintenance. +च6तनेनैधते +च6ता ि/व6धनेनेव पावकः न,य/य+च6तनेनैव 3वने6धनमवानलः || Thinking increases worries like the fire blazing high by the addition of fuel. Non-thinking will kill the worry like the fire by the lack of fuel. `येय/यागरथा]ढ: कGणोदारया Sशा लोकं आलोकय6दVनमा:त टोि/त ट राघव || Climbing aboard the chariot of ‘Dhyeya-Tyaaga’, with a broadened vision filled with love, observing the state of the world as something to be pitied, remain in the world and rise up. एषा [ा\मी िथ:तः वथा :न कामा 3वगतामया एनां (ा?य महाबाहो 3वमूढोs3प न म\य:त || ु This is the state of Brahman; the established state of the Self; without any desires; free of all afflictions. O Mighty armed Rama! After attaining this state, even an idiot will not get deluded. एकं 3ववेकं सcद ु मेकां (ौढसखीं +धयं आदाय 3वहर6नेवं संकटे षु न म\य:त || ु Having two companionsone the friend called ‘Discrimination’ and the other, the mature girl-friend called ‘Intellect’, if one wanders in the world, he never gets deluded when met with problems. 3व:नवा9रतसवा5था5दपहिततबा6धवात ् न वधैया5Sते aकि6चदeय)र:त संकटात ् || ु

Except for an inbuilt-courage through whichone renounces all types of riches, and throws the relatives out of his mind by shaking off their handsnothing else lifts one out of difficulties. वैराdयेणाथ शाLेण मह//वा@दगणै ु र3प य/नेनापि1वघाताथl वमेवो6नमये6मन: || The mind has to rise up by itself through effort and get rid of the problems facing it, through dispassion and help of scriptures and inbuilt virtues. न ति/Lभवनै ु ,वया56न कोशाb/नधा9रणः फलमासा1यते +च/ता1य6मह//वोपबं@ृ हतात ् || Neither by all the riches of the three worlds, nor by owning the treasure box of diamonds that the mind can attain the fruit of Self-knowledge other than the expansive view of its own greatness, as the’ State of Brahman’. पण : ू ' मनस संपूणl जग/सवl सधाbवै ु उपान1गूढपादय ननु चमा5स ्ततै ृ व भःू || For the mind which is filled with the bliss of the Self, the entire world becomes filled with the essence of nectar. For a person whose feet are covered by soft leather, the ground feels soft wherever he walks. वैराdया/पण5 ू तामे:त मनो नाशावशानगं ु आशया 9रIततामे:त शरदVव सरोमलं || The mind becomes filled with dispassion, and does not chase the desired objects anymore. It completely dries up the desires and becomes empty like the dried up ocean. It remains clear like the lake in the autumn season. cदयं श6यतामे :त (कटVकत ू ृ कोटरं अगितपीताण5ववदाशा3ववशचेतसां ||

For those who have freed their minds of desires, the heart (mind) becomes empty and reveals what is inside the hollow, like the ocean which has become empty by Sage Agastya drinking all its waters. न तथा भा:त पण6दन5 ू ' ु पण5 ू ः ीरसागरः न लkमीवदनं का6तं पहा ृ हVनं यथा मनः || The full moon has no shine like thatthe overflowing milk ocean has no shine like thatthe pretty face of Goddess Lakshmi has no shine like thatlike the desire-less mind. +च6तनं वि/त9र/यIतं वत5ते +च/तमाशया ु ृ +च/तवि/तमतो \याशां /यI/वा :नि,च/ततां 7ज || ृ Thinking is called the quivering or vibration of the mind. The mind remains alive because of desires. Renouncing the quivering nature of the mind which is actually an unfulfilled want, move in the world without a mind. (शमतसकलैषणो महा/मन ् भव भवब6धमपाय मIत ु +च/तः मनस :नगडरNजवः कदाशाः प9रगलतासु च तासु को न मIतः || ु O Great one! Remaining in the state of the Supreme Self, with all wants completely destroyed, remain bereft of the mind, throwing away the shackles of Samsaara. When the base desires which act as the binding ropes of the mind have melted off, who does not become free!

PART TWO OF SECTION FIVE – UPASHAMA PRAKARANAM COMPLETE

About the Author: Maa Tejasvini The author spent many years doing research on ancient Sanskrit texts in the Himalayan region. She was exposed to many unique spiritual experiences which are beyond human comprehension. Her mission in life was to translate all renowned spiritual texts and literature of Sanskrit and bring them to the light of the public.

YOGA VAASISHTA A PHILOSOPHICAL TREATISE COMPOSED BY

VAALMIKI MAHARSHI आदकवीम वाि मकमहषणीतोयोगवासठः

योगवासठसारं ESSENCE OF YOGAVAASISHTA Compiled by तेजिवनी Tejasvini

उपशमकरणम ् पचमं

आदकववाि मकमहामन णीतः ु

योगवासठः उपशमकरणम ् पचमं

INTRODUCTION

Herein the story of the demon king Bali is given, as to how he by just analyzing well within, the words of his father Virochana and his Guru Shukraachaarya, attained the Self state through his own effort. OM TAT SAT

UPASHAMA PRAKARANAM SECTION V– PART THREE ‘QUIESCENCE’

CHAPTER ONE

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke अथवा रघवं ु शायनभ:पण ू नशाकर ब लव$ब%&भे देन (ानमासादयामलं || ु Rama- the full moon shining in the sky of Raghu dynasty! Otherwise you try to attain the taintless knowledge like Bali who got it just like a flash in the intellect. ी राम उवाच Rama spoke भगवन ् सवधम( -व-.सादा/मया 01द .ा2तं .ा2त3यम4खलं %व ा/तं चामले पदे || Hey Lord! You are an all knower! By your grace I have attained whatever has to be attained and I am resting in the taintless state. बले%व(ानसं.ाि2तं पनम ु $बोध%वव&ये ृ %वभो कथय 4ख$य/ते स/तो नावनतं .त || Please tell me O Lord, how Bali attained knowledge, for my better understanding. The great ones never get agitated by the humble student.

ी व स ट उवाच Vasishta spoke शण ु ृ ु राघव ते व8ये बलेव-ृ ता/तम-तमं ते ु न येन तं त--वबोधं .ा2य स शा9वतं || Listen Raaghava! I will tell you the story of Bali, listening to which you will understand the eternal truth.

In the hollow of the universe, in some bower of the quarters, there is a world famed as ‘Paataala’ situated under the earth. The demon king Bali, the son of Virochana ruled that world. Having conquered easily all the worlds he ruled the kingdom for ten crores of years. As abundant Yugas came and went, as the gods and demons went through victories and defeats, after enjoying countless pleasures of the three worlds, the demon king Bali felt disinterested in all the pleasures. Seated near the window of his palace made of gems on the peak of Meru Mountain, once Bali started pondering about the mysteries of the worldly existence.

{Bali thinks} :कय/त मदम;ु