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His royal partner went by the name of Lila and had the good qualities of strictly con forming to her husband's mind. She lived inseparable from him, like his shadow and mind. Lilcts doings. — In this state, a thought flashed across her mind to adopt some means by which she could ever perpetuate the youth of her lovely lord, free from dotage and death and so enjoy his company always. For this purpose, she consulted with the Brahmins well versed in all the ancient four Vedas. They were unable to hit upon any means of arresting death in this world ; Japas (utterances of Mantras), Tapas (religious austerities) and others condu cing to the mere development of Siddhis (psychical powers). Thereupon Lila soliloquised within herself thus — * If I should pre-decease my lord, then I shall enjoy Nirvanic bliss unatten ded by any pains. But if he should die before me, I can be happy only in the event of his Jiva living in my house and casting it's gladsome glance on me. To this end, I shall wor ship the feet of Saraswati, the imparter of the Vedas and eulogise her.' So without apprising her lord of her intentions, she strode the path pointed out by those great men, the masters of powerful Mantras and Sastras and worshipped the Devas and Brahmins. Having refrained from tasting food for three nights together, she took a slight refreshment on the fourth day and that only once. Thus she was engaged in sweet Nishta (meditation) for ten months, when Sarasvati THE STORY OF LILA. 47 overjoyed (at her meditation), appeared visibly before her with the radiance of a full moon in the sky and said " Oh Lila, what is thy desire ?" Whereupon the spouse of Padma saluted her and ad dressed her thus — " Oh thou, who art like the moon's rays which do not disappear before Agni (the fire) or like the sun's light which dispels the gloom of mental grief, please grant me the two boons (ist) of allowing my lord's Jiva (ego) to remain in my house, even after his death, and (2nd) of thyself appearing before me visibly, whenever I should think of thee." Which boons, the noble Saraswati conferred upon her with good grace and returned happily unto her seat. Then the wheel of time rolled on rapidly with its nave of Paksha (fortnight), month and Rithu (seasons, each of two months), its spokes of days, its axle of years, and its axle- hole of moments with all the vibrations. When thus Lila had passed her days in the company of her lord in illimita ble bliss, he suddenly in a short time died. Fearing lest the elegant Lila should pine away under the fire of her excessive grief, Saraswati stayed in the Akasa invisibly prior to the separation of the king's Jiva (from his body) ; and in order to dissipate her delusion, gave vent (on her husband's death), to the following words — "Cover up thy deceased husband's body with flowers. Then the flowers only will fade and not the body. The (king's) Jiva without quitting the body will rest in the golden harem. Then resting on the arms of the king, thou shalt assuage thy grief." So saying, Saraswati vanished from view. According to the words of the " Voice of Silence," vis., Saraswati, Lila buried her husband's body amidst flowers. ^ Then fainting at the separation from her lord, Lila con templated internally upon Saraswati who, no sooner appeared before her than she addressed her thus — " I can no longer endure the parting from my lord ; thou shouldst take me soon to where he is." Thereupon Saraswati said thus — " Of the three kinds* of Akasa, vis., Chit-Akasa, (Chidakasor Spiritual Akasa), Chitta- Akasa, (or mental Akasa) and Blmta-Akasa (or elemental Akasa), * These three kinds of Akala correspond to the three halls or bodies referred to in our books, vie., the Karana, subtle and gross. 48 YGUA-VA'SISHTA. Chittakas is that intermediate state in which the mind is, when it flits from one object to another in the elemental Akasa of objects. When the hosts of Sankalpas (in us) perish, then it is that the light of Chit will shine in us which is \ quiescent and immaculate and manifests itself as the universe. If one becomes convinced of the unreality of the visible objects, then, through that Jna*na, he will attain at once Chidakas. Mayestthou attain through my grace that Chidakas." Through this blessing, Lila went into Nirvikalpa Samadhi and was able to escape, like a bird from its cage, out of her body which is generally replete with stains and desires through the long ing mind. There in the heart of Jnana-Akas (or Chidakas), she saw, in a large town, a mucli beloved valiant prince six teen years old, reclining on a soft cushion and surrounded and extolled by innumerable kings, women of intense desires and the four-fold armies* Having recognized him to be her dear lord, she entered the king's synod which she found graced on the eastern side by Munis and Brahmins well versed in Vedas, on the southern side by handsome ladies, on the western side by kings, and on the northern side by the four fold armies and others. Then having visited many fertile tracts of earth, hills, cities, towns, many holy rivers and others, she, sparkling like lightning, returned unto her abode and entered her body lying entranced in her harem, where she contemplated with great love upon Saraswati of white com plexion. Having saluted Saraswati who made herself visible as seated in her supreme throne, Lila questioned her thus — '' How is it that my lord even after his death, has subjected himself to another Amurtha (formless) creation which is as illusory and bondage-giving as the present state? Please remove my doubts with reference to this, so that I may know the real truth." To which Saraswati replied thus — " The original evo lution of the supreme Brahmin differentiated out of the one Jnana-Akas brought about in its turn through delu sion of (mental) regality the Padma creation and thus it is, a fresh creation arose. Similarly has thy husband now a second birth as Viduratha. Therefore after giving thy ears to what I am going to relate to thee, thou shalt THE STORY OF LILA. 49 have thy doubts therein cleared by me. In the stainless and immaculate Chiddkas, there is, on one side of it, a Mdydvic dome. This vault is covered by countless pea cock's feathers, viz., the immeasurable Akasa. On its golden pillars, large and small, viz., Mahameru, are engrav ed the picturesque beauties of Indrani and others, the spouses of Indra and the regents of the quarters. On one side of that dome are hillocks called (the elemsnts), Prithivi (earth) and others as well as the tiles called the seven mountains. It is the seat of the residence of the revered and old Brahma surrounded by his sons,* Marichi and others full of desires. It is ever reverberating with the songs of Devas, roving on their beautiful vehicles which songs vibrate from the Vina (flute) of Akasa. It is ever resonant with the buzzing sounds of the gnats of Siddha hosts living in the Akasa. It resounds with the never ceasing sound arising out of the strife between Devas and Asuras, the mischievous imps of great egoism. It is, in such an incomparable Mdyavic dome, that there was a town called Girigrama in the midst of a certain tract on one side and that, in a certain spot of that dome. That town was a fertile tract boasting of the possession of hills, rivers and forests. There lived in it a great Brahmin householder who had sacrifical fire and was well versed in Sastras and Dharmas, away from the reach of kings. He equalled Vasishta in beauty, wealth, age, humility, actions, and education, but could not be called Vasishta himself in real knowledge. In name at least, this Brahmin may be called Vasishta. The name of her who worshipped his feet (as his wife) was equal unto Arundhati but had not her knowledge; yet she passed by the name of Arundhati. The wife of Vasishta was this lady on Bhuloka (earth) but the true Arundhati in Devaloka. No compeers to these two ladies could be found in all the three lokas. "While this Vasishta, the lord of the above mentioned Arundhati, was residing with her in the valleys, a crowned king came to the forest there on a hunting excursion along with his retinue. The Rishi saw them and reflected within * Marichi and other Rishis are associated here with those of desires, in accordance with the doctrine of " The Secret Doctrine" which calls them as Barhishads yielding to humanity their bodies of desires. 50 YOGA-VA SISHTA.