English
The excessive Tama sic intelligence has the Ajnana body of trees, &c. Here on being questioned by Rama as to how intelligence came to be embodied in trees and other bodies and so subject to the trammels of excessive Ajndna, Yasishta replied— The Intelligence will be (first) in that fierce state when it is with out Manana (meditation) or non-meditation and when it occupies the intermediate state between Sat and Asat. Then Jnana will be with the Puriashtaka body dormant in the tree and will be inert like an idiot or the blind without pains through Satta Mdttra. Again Rama, with an eager desire to know, questioned the Muni lovingly — "Why not consider the state of the fixed objects in the universe as Moksha itself, inasmuch as the Intelligence in that state is in harmony with Satta (Be-nessV? Vasishta replied — " The attainment of the seat of Satta common to all mankind after a discriminative enquiry between the real and the unreal constitutes the supreme Moksha. If after having clearly and completely experienced and renounced all Vasanas of objects, one reaches the Satta Samanya state, then it is Moksha. Like the sprout in the seed, the Vdsanas rest dull in the heart within. This is Sush- upti and this is it which generates all re-births. It is only be cause all the Vasanas are latent in the heart, after the hetero geneous worldly thoughts (of the waking state) are extinct, that the dire Sams^ric pains arise. Trees and others are inert only. Though going into Sushupti, they are again and again born. Like flowers latent in seeds and pots in earth, the un ceasing Vasanas will be potential in the tree. Therefore this Sushupti which is the seed of the all-expansive Vasanas can not be called Moksha ; but the pure Vasanas which are not the seed of that state are themselves Turya and hence it is Moksha. It is not necessary to have much to do with our THE STORY OF BHUS'lJNDA. 231 enemy of impure Vasanas, fire, debts, disease, poison, enemy, anger or love ; but a slight association with any of them is enough to afflict us all our life. Persons who have burnt up Ajmtna, the seed of impure Vasanas and have reached the Satta-Samanya state will never suffer from pains, whether embodied or disembodied. The Chit-Sakti is of the nature of Vasanas and their seed Ajnana, Sleep alone is (to us) the characteristic of the Chit- Sakti. Persons, well-versed in all departments of knowledge, state that non-cognition of this eternal Jnana is Avidya. Having burnt up completely Rajas and Tamas through the primeval Satwa and Avidya, may you become the non-dual one without any misgiving. The certitude of conviction that the Supreme Brahman is not the universe is itself Avidya ; hence the certitude that Brahman alone is this universe is emanci pation, devoid of Avidya. May you be blessed with that certitude of conviction which is to be found in the pure minds of &va and other Devas as well as of Narada and other Rishis. At this portion of the narrative, Rama asked thus — " Please describe to me the painless state of Sankara (&iva) and others." To which the Muni replied — '* All the mani fold things of the cosmos, whether great or small are the stainless Brahman only ; Jnana is Brahman only ; the world is Brahman only ; the five elements are Brahman only ; we are Brahman ; our enemies are Brahman ; our friends, kins men are Brahman only. Such is the doctrine of Sankara and others. Just as this universe appears dark to the purblind, and shining to those having eyes to see, so it appears blissful to Jnanis and painful to the Ajnanis. Who ever contemplates upon all as the partless Brahman, he alone is Brahman ; he alone is the drinker of ambrosia. He will never fail to attain immortality. The Self-Light alone is immaculate. To all, their con- ciousness is everywhere. That the quiescent Jnana is Brah man, will then become an object of direct perception. When a person sees an utter stranger without in the least noticing him in his mind, the knowledge which exists then might be stated to be the all-pervading Jnana of Brahman which is no other than " we." Let us eulogise that non-dual Jnana-Atma 232 YOGA-VA'SISTTTA. which yields us the fruits of all Sankalpas, which is the light of lights and which is devoid of all Gunas. Let us offer our salutations to that Jnana-Atma which is devoid of all San kalpas, pleasures or beginnings. Those who have this cer tainty of conviction with nothing of thoughts and who act according to truth only, will enjoy their final beatitude in the Brahmic seat, replete with Satya (Truth), quies cence and equality. Those sturdy persons who, being filled with the Plenum of Jna"na, have their minds of equal vision over all and free from desires will never droop with the thirst of anything, whether living or dying." RAma at this stage interrupted the Muni thus— " Please explain, in exfenso, the two paths of true Jnana-sport and control of Pra"na through which Jivanmuktas are able to give up all Vasanas and pains"— To which the Vedic Muni replied— "There are two means of Yoga to avert the dire melting pains of existence. The two means, vt's., true Jnana and control of Pr&na should, right ly speaking, be classed under Yoga ; yet in ordinary usage, the control of Prana alone is called Yoga. Both these paths have been given out by Paramesvara. To the temperament of some, Yoga is most desirable ; to the temperament of others, Jnana is most desirable. Of these two, I have already expa tiated upon the true Jnana. Now I shall deal with Yoga. To illustrate it, I shall recite to you a nectar-like sweet story. Once upon a time, I was in the august synod of Devendra along with Deva Rishis and others. Thfire I heard, from the lips of NArada and other Munis, the stories of Siranjivis (the long-lived). Please lend your ears to one of them. A big nest like a mountain was built on the southern branch of a Kalpa tree which reared its head aloft on the north-eastern side of the summit of Mahameru dazzling like a diamond. In that nest, lived a crow named Bhusunda, a Yogi. Who could, either before or after this Yogi, vie with him in all the worlds — Svvarga world even — in the length of time a Yogi can sit in Yoga ? This Bhusunda was the longest lived and desireless ; had the wealth of Moksha, the greatest intelligence, extreme quiescence and the faculty of a seer to cognize clearly all the three periods of time. THE STORY OF BHUS'UNDA. 233 When all in the celestial assembly had heard this story of Bhusunda, as related by Satatapa Muni, I was filled with an intense desire to go and witness him in person. Accordingly, I went and observed, like a Kalpa tree, Bhusunda in a fragrant Kalpa tree on the tops of Meru. In its slopes and caves and on plants filled with flowers as well as on the branches of trees were seated large birds. The young ones of the moon- coloured swans, the vehicle of Brahma chaunted S£maveda and other Mantras with the sound Swdha. I saw there Kokilas, parrots and other birds as well as many peacocks which develop Siva Jnana* taught by Subbrahmanya. Then the moment I appeared before Bhusunda, amidst a crowd of crows — who was Atlantean in form, of tall stature, of full mind, observing silence, without the fluctuation of Prana and enjoy ing bliss in his own self, he came to meet me half way and being frantic with joy at recognizing me to be Vasishta, poured forth kind words. Then welcoming me with the flowers in >his large hands generated through his Sankalpa, he pointed me to a seat hard by. After I was seated, he kindly treated me with Arghya, &c.f, and gave vent to the following dulcet words — "I and my suite are exhilarated in heart at the nectar-like shower of thy visit. Thow hast afflicted thy body with thy long travel. Through the visit of thy reverend feet, I have known all. All the great ones thought4of the longest- lived and hence of me too. Thou hast come here on that errand only. I wish to drink the nectar of thy words." Thereupon I addressed him thus — -"King of birds, true it is as thou hast stated. I came here to visit thy gracious self who has been deathless here from a very long time. To what race dost thou trace thy lineage? How didst thou attain Tatwa-Jnana? What is the duration of thy present life? What hast thou learned of nature's laws ? Through whose unlimited wisdom hast thou been here ? Please answer them all in such a manner, so that I may understand them little by little.