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whether il performs external actions or not, through THE STORY Oh VKKTHAHAVYA. 2O$ At this, Sri Rama asked thus — * What is meant by attrao lion (or association) ? What is that attraction which leads to Moksha? and what to bondage ? How is this bondage to be annihilated ?' To which Vasishta replied thus— "Belief in (the permanency of) the body without discriminating- between the body and its presider and contemplating1 upon the body alone is what is meant by attraction. Such a course leads to bondage. The conception that all is Atmic Reality and that there is nothing for one to love or hate (in this world) is non- attraction. Such a non-attraction arises in the body of those Jivanmuktas who have been freed from all pains. That state of non-attraction of the mind when neither I nor any other self exists for it and when, at its will, it doffs or dons the pleasures of the world, should be known as the path leading to Moksha. Such persons will court neither actions nor in actions ; abdicating all fruits of actions, they do not care which of the above two courses they will adopt. The wise say that these are persons without attractions. Know also that there is no attraction in one, if he renounces all fruits of actions through the endeavours of the mind and not through the (abdication of the) Karmas themselves. Through it, all the stains of the ever-growing actions will cease and Moksha will be gained. It is through this attraction that the long c!tain of births as worms, bees, &c., has been undergone, disappear ing at every stage like bubbles on the surface of the ocean. This attraction is two-fold. One is called Vandhya (fruit less) and the other is called Avandhya (fruitful). The former pertains to the ignorant while the latter is the ornament of all those who have cognized the Atma-Tatwa. It is this latter which generates Atma-Jnana and discrimination and through them arrests re-births which gradually arose in Jong eons of time. The former brings on the ever-recurrent cycles of existence in this world through the absence of Jn£na and the devotion to worldly objects. Know, my son, clearly the true nature of the two kinds of attractions. The red-eyed Vishnu wearing discus and conch, protects through his grace all the universes without in the least being disconcerted by the manifold actions done by him through his Avandhya attrac tion. Similarly are Siddhasof true Jndna, the protectors of thi* earth, by sporting on this earth through the above attraction. The mind, mistaking- thing's bad for good and attracted by the glossy enjoyments, wallows in them, like a vulture preying upon a carrion; To those who are immersed in the evils of Vandhya attractions, all the hells are their dwelling places. With this fuel of Varidhya attractions, they feed the flames therein. But when the JnAna-vision of one is diverted from the visibles of M&ya and the mind is di vested of all its attractions towards material desires, then is the Jivanmukti state attained. Now hear the true nature of the mind of a JivanmuktA who will be always in different Avasthas (states), who will be in the minds of all creatures and who will perform all actions. Without in the least attaching themselves to actions, thoughts, objects, Akasa, ups and downs, quarters, external enjoyments, the five organs, the internal Pranas, head, face, tongue, eyes, nose, brow, Ahankdra, Jiva, the Ak'asa of the heart, the waking state, the dreaming state, dreamless slum ber, the five colors beginning with white, the diversified colorsj fluctuation, or steadiness, beginning, middle, or end, proxi mity or distance, the limbs of the body, the many substances,1 Atma, the Tanm&tras (rudimentary properties) beginning with sound, the much boasted-of bliss, going and returning and the attributes of time, the mind of a Jivanrttukta will be4 quiescent in Jnana and enjoy Brahmic bliss in a state- of Vairaggya, though associating with the visihles. Suchr Jivan- m'uktas who, having no material attractions, do not associate themselves with the distorted consciousness of the world should and ougfht to perform their actions in this world. The effects of actions whether performed or not by a Jivanmukta, the enjoyer' of -bliss will 'never affect him, like sable clouds never sullying the Akask above. : Such a Jiva will commingle with Atma as pellucid as crystal, becoming replete with Jnana and quiescence after attaining the end of all objects. They will be great men, full of Jn^na bliss' and £reat* intelli gence and will float in their organs like peacocks' feathers. Their minds will never falter like the mountain, Mahameru. ' With the ,' mental) refrarnment from sensual objects, the mind will be destroyed/ Such a state can be called the' Sushnpti 'of Jagfat^ devoid:'of all: actions'/ -With the ceaseless practice in this stale", the AViSe 's'aV :th*t Trie fart less' irtfd THE STORY OF VEETHAHAVrA. state, is induced. Through firmness in this Turya State, thati one. above all bliss (Anandatheetha) is reached, which state of bliss is indescribable and pertain:; to one's Self. The Ananddtheetha is the great bliss of JnAnatheetha. A person in this state is he who can be called the secondless Yogi. This, state is also called Turyatheetha. Freed from the bondage- giving" re-birth as well as from the diverse kinds of self- identification with objects arising out of Tamo-Guna, the supreme bliss (of Jiva) will merge itself into its imperishable Reality of Sat, like salt with water. Brihadaranya Upanishad and other Srutis treating of the true path, deal, oh Rama, with the solitary Reality of Para-Tatvva which occupies the neutral centre between inert ness and intelligence. When objects and Jndna are absorbed into one another, then is the Paramdrtha (real) state attained, wherein is the direct supreme experience of the happiness achieved. This itself may be stated to be the Brahmic essence itself. When the seen and the sight merge into one another(in: the seer), then is the experience of Ananda (bliss). Bondage is so called because of the subjection to objects ; otherwise Moksha ensues. That state of direct experience, when the seen and the sight merge into one another is unattended by • pains. Therefore let the mind have always this state as its beacon-light This state is called Jagrat-Sushupti. It is also the, Turya state. Then Atina is neither gross nor subtle, neither perceptive nor non-perceptive, neither intelli gent nor inert, .neither Sat nor Asat, neither 1 nor -any other, neither one nor .many n.or the universe ; but it is: the • seat: or source of mind, Indryas - and others. As it is above all. states, it is not conditioned.. tmt.it is the. All. • • • ... That which is called Moksha is neither in Devajoka nor PatAla nor earth.. "When -all- desire's -are- destroyed, the- extinction of the expansive -mind alone is Moksha. If at any time there arises in- the mind, within,, any longing to attain Moksha, then it will begiu-to revive again. "VVith th£ increase of the. Manana (or the- meditations) of the mind, births -a-n-d deaths will not cease -and bondage will firmly take its .root, r If Atma-Tatwa is attained- which is -above- all-.and pervades :- aU .objects, where then, will be- bondage,-? Where tjjen Ayrll be.- Mukslia, the resultant: of good iiction-s ?. Therefore -destroy )t : 2o8 YOGA-VA'SISHTA. the root mind and its thoughts. Those who, through their im maculate and all-full mind, have attained quiescence and known their own Self will never in the least long for anything1. This non-desire is the axe with which the forest-trees of acci dents are felled, and is the seat of Brahmic bliss and the flower-bunch in the tree of contentment and quiescence. With the development of non-desires, all weaknesses of the heart will fly away. Jn the eyes of those who have decorated themselves with the ornament of non-desires, the whole earth is nothing but a cow's foot-print, even Mahameru is but a paltry seed, all the quarters are but a bird's nest and the three worlds are but a trash only. Those who have worshipped their Atmic Reality which is other than the body, will not be conscious of the existence of the body, through working in it. Like a sugar-candy which, though exposed to heat or any cutting instrument, does not lose its taste, an illuminated Jnani will never lose his centre even amidst the many illusions of the world.