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As he acts always in concert with the king, he is able to do all things. Though the minister does all acts in the presence of the king, yet the latter is always alone." So said the father to his son. At which the son heard with an exulting heart all that his father had told him and then questioned him thus — " What is the nature of the resplendent country which is without mental disease and all-pervading? What are the means by which it can be reached ? Through what, can it be attained ? Who is the imperishable king in that country ? and who the minister ? And who is that potent king with his minister that cannot be controlled by my puissant arms which brought under my subjection, as if in sport, all the earths in this universe ?" To which the father was pleased to reply thus — " Who will be able to over-step the rigorous law of the speedy and powerful minister ? Even should countless hosts of Devas and Asuras league together to over-power him, they will never be able to do so. Even though such rare weapons as discus, spear and others be hurled at him, their powers will be deadened like flowers aimed at a stone. When overpowered by the King, the minister will pay obeisance to him. Otherwise one can more easily move the mountains of Mahameru than this person. He will never be completely subdued otherwise than through an intelligence of much experience and skill. If you long to get at the minister, he will hiss at you like an angry serpent and burn you. In order to remove the doubts under which you are laboring, I will 21 l62 YOGA-VA'SISHTA. now proceed to state what the king, his minister, country, &c., do symbolize. The country in the story aforemen tioned, stand for the incomparable and eternal Moksha. The king mentioned therein is the Atmic Reality inseparable from Moksha and shining with the lustre of a stainless gem. The creation of his, vis., minister typifies the mind (or intelli gence). The real supreme skill lies in the thorough eradi cation of sensual pleasures and the complete development of Vairaggya. When the mind is overpowered by non-desires, then it resembles a ruttinir elephant caged within Keddhas. Persons unacquainted with the true Jnana-books, main tain that out of the four parts into which they divide (the actions of) mind (or time), two parts should be devoted to sensual objects, a quarter, to a study of Jndna-books and the remaining quarter, to the worship of the really blessed AchArya ; and that if so done, Jnana will shine in them after the removal of the darkness of Ajnana. But the partially- knowing maintain that if, out of the four parts above- mentioned, one should devote two parts to the con templation and worship of Acharya, a quarter to the meditation upon the truths contained in Jnana-books and the residue in the actions of the organs, Jnana will prevail in him so as to cognize the Supreme Truth ; while the third class, vis., persons of full Jnana affirm that Moksha will be easily attained by those who, dividing the mind into four parts, devote it to the four purposes of a study of the Jnana-books treating of the path of Atmic Reality, of non-desires, of self-cognition and of the pursuit of the path of the worship of Acharyas. May you through your excessive intelligence and enquiry always master Atmic worship and the subjugation ot desires simultaneously. Through a determined subjugation of desires, Atmic enquiry is induced ; and this Atmic enquiry breeds again renunciation of desires. They are both mutually dependent upon one another, like the full ocean and the clouds. Having earned, in proper ways, wealth for relieving one's kindred and others without violating the rules and observances of a country, one should through that wealth resort to the wise of rare Satwaguna and there attain their Vairaggya through which he should develop Atmic enquiry. When thus he is THE STORY OF THE GREAT BALI. 163 illumined with true Jn£na through Atmic enquiry, then Moksha is attained." Thus did my father enlighten me before. Through divine grace, I have been able to remember now all that my father told me and attain Jnana thereby. Having been freed from the longing after enjoyment and coming into the possession of the wealth of non-desires, I have been rendered cool with supreme bliss, through the ambrosia of the quiescence of mind. Oh, I have been in complete ignor ance of this, my present blissful enjoyment for so long a period. How shall I describe it in words ? This is the seat where all thoughts are absorbed and where all persons suffer ing from the effects of pleasures and pains do find an end of all their sufferings. This is the seat reached by all those who lead their lives in Atma. This is the glory of all-quiescence." Having soliloquised within himself thus, he began to cogitate in his mind over the questions • who am I ? and what is my real nature ?' Then he reflected for a moment and concluded that if he should invoke and salute his guru Sukracharya (Venus) who had cognized the Reality and having enquired of him, should meditate upon the truth, then all Ajnana would cease. Therefore with closed eyes* and true affection, he meditated intently upon his Guru. Thereupon Sukracharya, whose form was the true Sachidananda Akasa only, appeared before Bali wishing to attain Atma. With an enraptured heart, the king saluted him and having wor shipped him with a handful of precious gems and good flowers said the following— " Please deign to hear my words prompted by the advent of thy grace and bless me ac cordingly. What is there now ? what is there beyond ? what is that which is limited ? who am I that speak ? who are you that hear? what is this stable universe? please favour me with adequate replies so as to remove all my doubts." Having heard all things, he analysed them and explain ed them clearly to the king in the following manner : — " 1 came here, on my way to speedily journey to Devaloka con taining the immortal Kalpa tree. Of what avail is it to waste my time in unnecessary words ? In fine, I have to tell you thus. All the manifestations here before us are Jnana * Here SukrAcharya was summoned by Bali by mental will. 164 YOGA-VA'SISHTA. only ; all that are now external to us (or above our present perception) are Jnana only ; that which is conditioned is Jnana ; that which is not conditioned is Jnana also ; 1 that speak am Jnana ; you that hear are Jnana only ; and all the universe is nothing butthe all-full Jnana only. This in brief is the Truth. Being impressed with this firm con clusion in your mind, may you meditate upon the one Reality of Jnana with the intelligence that is requisite for it. If without any modifications of the mind, you cognize and per ceive it, then you will attain your goal of the supreme seat. Now have the Sapta-Rishis of rare Tapas entered newly upon a divine mission (or into a new seat). Therefore we shall pass." So saying Sukra retired. Thereafter, the king fell to meditating upon the universe and became convinced of the truth of the words of his Acharya exclaiming thus — "This supreme earth is no other than Jnana ; the three Lokas are Jnana ; my real nature is Jnana ; all the ordained Karmas are Jnana only. I have now become that resplendent Brahmic One which shines in its real nature, devoid of the visibles and the visual. I have now become that all-full Principle which, being of the nature of Jnana without any objects to bind it, pervades all objects at one and the same time and is the quiescent Jnana-Akas and intelligence, itself." Then contemplating upon {or uttering) Pranava (Om) mentally which is the real significance of the Absolute-Jnana, he entered trance-like into Dhyana (meditative) state and then freed from Sankalpas, karmas, the three kinds of desires (for wife, sons and wealth), doubts, contemplation, intelligence and objects as well as their substratum the knower, he was statue-like in Sama- dhi for a long period. Thus did the Emperor Bali remain immobile like the light of a lamp in a windless place. And .since he shone as the Absolute Sat without the stains of love and hatred and with a replete mind, such a state can best be likened to a clear sky in the autumnal season, when no clouds mantle it.