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They will ever be in this uniform practice, whether walking or standing, whether waking, dreaming or soundly sleeping. They will never be afflicted with bondage or pains. They will encompass all legitimate longed-for results. Prana having flown out, will again be absorbed in the heart having run back 12 digits. Similarly will Apana be absorbed in the heart, having issued out of the heart and running back 12 digits to it. Apana, being the moon, will cool the whole body in its passage. But Prana, being the sun, will generate heat in the system and cook (or digest) every thing in it. Will pains arise in one who has reached that supreme state when the Kalzls (rays) of Apana, the moon, are drowned by Prdna, the sun? Will re-birth arise in one who has reached that powerful Seat when the Kalas of Prana, the sun are devoured by Apana, the moon ? Those will arrest at once the seven births who reach that neutral state when they find Apana Vayu consumed by Prana and vice versa. I eulogise that Chidatma who is in that intermediate state when Prana and Apana are absorbed in one another. I meditate ceaselessly upon that Chidatma who is in the Akasa directly in front of the end of my nose, when Prana and Apana become both extinct. Thus I attained the Supreme Seat worshipped by Devas through my faultless vision and surrounded by rays. Thus it is, through this path of Prana's control, that I attained the Supreme and immaculate Tatwa devoid of pains. Through this vision palpably in me, I never look back (with any re morse) upon the past or the future. I concern myself with the present only. And the result has been that I have reached this state. Never will I contemplate upon this or that, as my goal. Through such a course have I been able to prolong my life from age to age without any cares at all. In the com pany of merry persons, I would be merry; in the company of the afflicted, I would also be afflicted. As I am the friend of the whole universe, I have been able to live long and happy without any pains. I would never droop amidst excessive prosperity or dire adversity. I would be an universal bene factor. My longevity is due to the absence of Ahank&ra in 31 242 YOGA-VA'SISHTA. me, oh Lord of Munis. Moreover it is due to thy grace that I have been blessed with much of Tatwa-Jnana and long life." Thus did Bhusunda end, when Vasishta addressed him thus — " That which you have deigned to relate to me is equally marvellous. It has enchanted my ears and captivated my heart. Whoever on lending his ears to it will not be in raptures over it P May you prosper gloriously. As the sun is about to reach the meridian now, I shall wend my way to Devaloka. May prosperity be with you." So saying I rose and steered my way in the Akasa, where in spite of all my entreaties to stay where he was, he accom panied me many Yojanas. Then through dint of sheer force, I compelled him to stay and return. Is it not, oh Rama, heart-rending to part from pure Jnanis ? I parted from Bhusunda, the great Yogi once in Krita- Yuga. Then I visited him again in this Treta-Yuga, when, Rama, thou didst incarnate. Therefore thou shouldst know that this is the path of Bhusunda, the great Yogi. THE STORY OF DEVA-PUJA — THE WORSHIP OF GOD. Summary — Having, jn the previous story, described that Nirvanic bliss wherein all are Brahman only will result through Jnana and Yoga, the author gives out the rationale of the Puja (or worship of God) made by the Hindus in order that they may know that what they worship is the perishable matter only and that they may rise to a higher ideal. All these things composed of the five elements are appearances only. So also is time through right discrimina tion. Moreover, it is quite false on our part to identify the k I." with this body to which the terms " I," he, &c., are ap plied. Therefore may you free yourself from the illusory con ception of this body composed of net work of bones, muscles, &c., being the " I". Is there any limit to the myriads of forms created through Sankalpa? Oh R£ghava after sleeping on cushioned beds at home, you roamed about in all directions and lost your equilibrium of mind in the contemplation upon the dreamy things of the world. Where is the body which THE STORY OF DEVA-PUJA. 243 can be called yours ? Please reflect well upon it. Through letting loose the reins of mind in the waking state, it wanders about in diverse places such as Mahameru or Devaloka and is lost in a labyrinth. Where has the body, which can be called yours, taken its refuge in? Know this Samsara to be a long dream or a mental sovereignty or delusion. This universe which is nothing but a manifestation neither is nor is not. Tatwa-Jnanis say that the annihilation of the differentiated thought leads to the worship of the All-benefi cent. It is certain that one and all of us are destined to die. Therefore why should people in this world weep in vain over the death of a person ? Oh valiant Rama, persons born in this world enjoy but a tittle of happiness. Therefore why should Ahankara be manifested in actions which bring on but a tinge of bliss ? Having given up all conceptions of duality, may you look equally upon all in this reflection of an universe, it is nothing but a stain in the glass of the mind. Whoever renders his mind free of all diversities and reflections and does not allow the serpents of love and hatred ingress into the hole of his mind, will be like a Kalpa tree which yields anything and everything to its owner. Oh intelligent Rama, erudite persons who are self-presumptuous through their ability to solve any doubts are only like an ass carrying much burden and not worthy of being approached, if they are not devoid of love and hatred. Should the axle called Sankalpa of the car of existence, having the wheels of illusory re-births, be stopped completely, then the car will come to a dead halt ; but if the axle of San kalpa be a little in motion, then none, however mighty, will be able to arrest the motion of the car. Such a stoppage should be made through the power of Jnana, subtle intellect and self-efforts. The whole universe contains not an object which cannot be encompassed by the efforts of true Jnana, the qualities of the wise and a study of Atma- Jnana Sdstras. This mischievous and powerful imp of the lower mind is the generator of all pains and all fears, and the destroyer of all noble (spiritual) wealth. Having slain this slayer, may you become " That" which you are. Should this dire imp of mind take a firm possession of a person, any amount 244 YOGA-VA'SISHIA. of study or kindred will not exorcise it. Even Acharyas will find it difficult to scare it away. But if this evil spirit be divorced from one without even the shadow of thought, then will the Sastras and others be of help to lift him out of re-births, like a beast that, falling into a shallow pool without mire, can be easily lifted up. If one after re lieving himself from all objects of enjoyment as well as the enjoyment itself wishes to attain his non-dual and all-full Atmic Reality through the graces of the Guru and his own discriminative enquiry, then he should hear what passed bet ween me and Parameswara wearing the moon in his matted locks, in order to divest himself of all garments of illusion. Now I will relate it to you which you will presently hear with a clear mind. Once upon a time, I spent a long time most instruc tively and delightfully in Kailasa* hills in the worship of Para- meswara, in the performance of Tapas in a raised shed on the banks of the Ganges and the study of many books in the com pany of Siddhas. One night on the 8th day of the first half of the lunar month of Simha (August — September), it was 15 Ghatikas (12 o'clock) when bustle in all quarters was hushed up and nature was, as it were, in a state of Samadhi with utter silence. Not even a single footstep was heard. The darkness was so thick as to be cloven by the sword. Mountain caves, forests, &c., melted into thin void in the sable gloom. I then returned from Samadhi and let my mind rove in the heterogeneous objects of the universe. Then flashed before me in that darkness an incomparable light which I had never witnessed before.