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Though slight, this mind will rear up its thousand-headed hood and think in diverse ways through unceasing contemplation and enquiry. But the blooming tree of right enquiry will root itself so firmly in this pedestal of earth that no whirlwind of flitting thoughts will ever be able to shake it from its stable position. It is averred by the great ones that those who perform, like the brutes, the offices of walking andjstanding, eating and sleeping and such like without devoting their minds to any (spiritual) enquiry are mere carcases. Through the indestructible Jnana vision, you should either through yourself or the aid of the exalted Ones be ceaselessly engaged in the pursuit of this gentle enquiry of, who am " I" ? and " what is this universe ?" It is this true enquiry alone that generates Jnana in the path of Adhy- atma science which concerns itself with the discovery of truth without any doubt. Through right enquiry, the object of en quiry can be found like the essence in milk. One who has equa lity of vision though the enjoyment of the final beatitude will wear it as his foremost ornament ; will never degrade himself from that state; will be able to digest all things taken in — like sugar candy by a swan — whether such things are polluted or mixed with poison or are injurious to health or adulterated. Whether they swallow virulent poison or counter-poison or milk or sugarcane juice or food, they will preserve a per fect equanimity of mind. Whether one points his dagger deep in their head or preserves it, they will regard them nei ther as foes or friends. Since persons of equal vision will look upon all equally, their heart will be filled with bliss. The wise will always arrest their mind through their intelligence from entering the visible filled with the illusion of the inert senses. THE CONCLUSION OF UPAS'A'NTHI PRAKARANA. 227 The ignorant who have not known their own self which is of the nature of Jndna without the least despondency of heart, will be preyed upon by their senses, like the grass nibbled by a company of deer. Through Sanga (association or attraction of the mind), material objects are caused ; through it, all accidents are generated ; through it all desires arise ; through it, this mun dane existence arises. Therefore it is the renunciation of this Sanga that is said to be Moksha. Through its destruction, all re-births do cease. Having destroyed the association of the mind with objects, may you, Oh Rarna, attain the Jivanmukti state. Here Rama questioned Vasishta thus — Oh Muni, who resembles the hot winds meeting the snow of doubts, what do you mean by Sanga? To which the Muni replied — Sanga is the impure Vasanas of love or hatred entertained (by the mind) in the existence or non-existence of the diverse objects of the world. In fact, Sanga is the impure Vasanas themselves. To the Sariri (ego) of a Jivanmukta, the pure Vasanas which annihilate all pleasures and pains without any re-births will cling firmly. But in the case of Ajnanis who are not Jivanmuktas, the impure Vasanas imply Sanga. If you remain unaffected by joys, envy or sorrows, you can be said to have relinquished all Sanga without desires, fear ,or anger. If without re joicing in joy and pining under pains, you do not subject yourself to the trammels of desires, then you alone can be said to have rid yourself of Sanga. Being indifferent to pleasures or pains, if you are content with whatever you get, then you can be said to have cast off all Sanga. With an equal vision over all and a Satwaguna in your heart, if you be performing all actions with a renunciation of all the visibles here, then you will attain Brahmic bliss, Oh Reghunatha (Rama). 3ft. NIRVANA PRAKARANA. THE STORY OF BHUSUNDA. Summary — Having traced in the previous Prakarana all from Samsara up to Turyatheetha at the end of Satta- Samanya and having also given out the quiescence of the mind and thereby the whole universe, the author states the means of directly cognising that Turyatheetha state in this, the Nirvana Prakarana. Therefore, in this story of Bhusunda, the Yogic mysteries are given out to attain that end. Yasishta again continued — As the quarters and the time do not exist, the immutable and non-dual Brahman alone shines as Absolute Consciousness without any environment and without any fluctuation, destruction, beginning or end ; but none else exists. With this thought in your mind, you should not identify yourself with objects ; and having become a Jivanmukta, may you reach the non-dual quiescent silence and enjoy the final beatitude. So long as the idea of Ajnana exists, so long will the Brahmic state not be attained. So long as there is the sense of the illusory enjoyment in this legerdemain of the world, so long will the false creations of the mind, &CM not wear off. In fact neither Chitta nor Maya nor Manas nor Jiva exists ; but the effulgent Brahman alone is, like one vast ocean ebbing and falling. So long as this ** 1" which identifies itself with this body of nine avenues has the conception of reality in the visibles of this universe, so long will the illusions of Chitta, &c., exist. So long as there are desires in objects with the idea, "They are mine, &c.", so long will the illusions of Chitta, &c., exist. If, oh cloud-colored Rama, through the stainless internal, "That", the light straw of the three universes be sacrified in the fire of Jnana, then the illusions of Chitta and others will never approach him. Those who, contemplating upon the all-per vading Self which is the one partless Jnana without this or that limit and without Sankalpas, regard without any dupli- THE STORY OF BHUS UNDA. 229 city of mind as friends even those who are hired as as sassins to kill them — those only can be said to have truly worshipped their immaculate Atma. Like a cataract which washes away the trees on its banks, those who have des troyed material desires and the injurious ill-will of the mind would have purged themselves of all stains with true glory of heart. Those who have contemplated internally upon the true meaning of Tatwa-Jnana Sastras and discrimi nating thereby have put an end to all desires, are like a sun that dispels darkness. Those who have known the (real) express meaning (of the Vedas) fit to be known, will find it to be clearly impinged in their mind like water in a burnt ground. Those who through incessant practice have not cognized the Brahmic Principle — those who have not seen directly the eye of Jndna will ever whirl with their mental modifications like a withered leaf. Even though this Jn&na is imperishable, all persons do not try to know it and are ever of a drooping heart. And all the egoisms and threats of the ignorant ring for their destruction in our ears, like arrows hissing in the battle fields from the bows. These worthless persons will but loiter their time and not cognize the imperishable Jnana. To the ignorant, the express significance (of the Vedas) is like a thing sunk in mire. It is like the howling of a dog with its eye cast up in the heavens. Ajnana is the cause of all dangers ; but no dangers will befal a knower of truth. This Maya is the necessary attendant upon the ignorant. This universe is in the mind of a Jnani, only like the foot prints of a cow ; but to the Ajnanis, it is an immutable ocean of pains. Nought is but the one Sachidananda Reality which is illimitable, unperceivable by the senses, quiescent, the all and above thought. Out of this Sachidananda which is the witness of all, an intelligence arose and being subject to change created the. three states subtle, middling, and gross through the three Gunas Satwa, Rajas and Tamas. These three kinds of Avidya do generate re-births to all Jivas. It is the destruc tion of this Avidya that is the Brahmic seat. But the Gunas of this Avidya are the forms themselves. All these three can be made nine through the triune divisions of each. Under the heading of Satwa in the originial Avidya are classed 230 YOGA-VA'SISHTA. Rishis, Munis, Siddhas, Nagas, Vidyddharas, Devas and the virtuous Jivas. Vidyadharas and Nagas come under the Tamasic aspect of the abovementioned Satvva. Munis and Siddhas under the Rajasic aspect of the same ; the Devas, Jivas and others under the Satwic aspect of Satwa. Out of this Avidya, is Vidya. This Vidya is no other than the pure Satwa of Avidya. Again, it is stated, that Rajas and Tamas have each their three divisions.