English
It is only by the exercise of a deter mined will that persons, although ignorant, can transform poison into nectar, and the reverse, thus entirely chang ing the nature of things. By contemplating the body, it becomes gross ; and thus also the visible body, through the conception of its unreal nature, again becomes a subtile one, All psychic powers, such as Anima, and others acquired through meditation, are awakened by this course (of Will- Thought) alone. This will be self-evident only to those who have mastered the Siddhis of Yoga through self-illumination." " Having by these means developed the powers of Anima, &c., Chudnlai instantaneously moved and disported herself in all the universe, encircled by the ocean full of jewels, simply for the purpose of bringing home conviction to her husband's mind. This lady who was not, at any time, a celibate, tried by all available arts to give her husband some idea of the bliss-giving Jnana ; but he was unable to benefit himself there by, nor even for a moment to gain repose in that pure Jn£na. Like a child entirely ignorant of what education means, he 283 YOGA-VA'SISHTA. was quite oblivious to all the noble qualities of that grand Yogini Chudalai. As he did not rest peacefully in the Atmic Jnana within himself, she never initiated him into the real secrets of Jnana. Would any one be so foolish as to com municate to Sudras (who have no longing for knowledge) the real secrets of Yajna (sacrifice) ?" At these words of Vasishta, Rama questioned him thus: — " How can others obtain Jnana, O Acharya, when even King &ikhidwaja failed to do so, notwithstanding the repeated inculcations of it by Chudalai of great Siddhis ? What is therefore the right way of obtaining the true end ?" To which Vasishta thus replied: — "It is faith in the words of the Guru that paves the way for Brahma-upadesa (initiation into Brahman). The pure and unalloyed intelligence of the dis ciple is alone the means of attaining to the rare Atma-Jndna." Here again Rama asked the Muni why an Acharya's words should be necessary for the development of Atma-Jna"na, if the disciple's pure intelligence is alone the means of it ? At which Vasishta continued thus : — *' In a certain forest in the Vindhya Mountains, there lived a hunter, who was a man of great pedigree. One day, having lost a cowrie-shell whilst travelling along a grassy road in the forest, he went in quest of it, filled with grief. Having vainly searched for it three days, he came at last in contact with a gem radiant with the lustre of the full-moon- But the hunter passed by the gem — a gem so invaluable as to purchase even the seven worlds — in his anxiety to find the lost cowrie. Similarly, Jn&na will come to a man in due season through the initiation of a Guru. When the mind is concentrated on one thing, there v\ill arise in it, through the action of the Guru, another kind of know ledge, not anticipated. Though the initiation by an Acharya will rot of itself enable a person to obtain Jn£na, it will be the rowans of developing Jn^na in him, as the lost cowrie was the cause of the hunter finding the &'em." With this, Vasishta returned to the story of Sikhidwaja. " Being without Atma-Jnana, the King began to reel under illusion and gave way to grief, regarding the enormous wealth he had so easily acquired as destructive as a great forest-fire. He therefore gave various rare gifts, underwent many religi ous observances, and bathed in the holy water ; but yet he THE STORY OF S'IKHIDWAJA. 283 was not free from the load of grief in his mind. Sorely afflicted at heart, he drew to him his wife Chudalai, and poured forth his heart to her thus : — ' I have now abandoned all love of sovereignty and wealth, and 1 desire to enter the forest life. Neither pleasure nor pain, danger nor wealth, will there haunt those who live noble lives. Let me no longer associate with the delusions of this earth. A forest life is, in all respects, preferable to the regal one, wherein the long ing after life and property do not die. Even the cool moon or the God Brahma, or Indra, the Lord of the Devas rolling in great wealth, cannot enjoy that bliss which comes to a self- centred mind free from desires. Therefore, do not blame me for leaving you thus, and going to the forest Married women, O well-beloved ! will not oppose the desires of their husbands.' To this Chudalai replied : ' Flowers begin to blossom in the spring season, while autumn sees them yielding fruit. Thus do our Karmas begin to fructify in their due time. If the body should begin to droop with old age, when bodily desires sub side, then is the forest a fitting abode. But, at this period of your life, it is not meet that you should retire ; wherefore it behoves you not to go now.' To this the King made answer ; — * Do not impede me in my plans. I will go to the forest for solitude ; but as thou art young, it is not proper that yon should accompany me. Thou shalt reign over the earth unfailingly in my stead. When a husband goes from home, it is the wife's duty to protect those around him, and not to languish at his absence.' Thus saying he retired to his bath. The day beng over, he performed his Sandhyavandhana* rites, and, having quietly slept by his wife upon the floor, he stole out in the dead of night, unperceived by her. Having given out to the people outside that he was going on a city patrol, he desired them to stay where they were, and departed from the town. Then, bidding adieu to his great, but enslaving posses sions, he entered into the forest, crossing, in the course of twelve days, many rivers and hills. At last he reached the in accessible forest on the slopes of the Mandara Hills, and took up his abode there, in a spot surrounded by tanks replete with * The daily prayers wherein the Gayatri and other Mantras are recited every morning, noon and evening. 284 YOGA-VA'lISHrA. lotuses, and by delicious flowers. There he erected a parna- £.i!a (raised shed), and furnished himself with a bamboo- rod, a rosary for recitation of Mantras, a cloth, vessels to hold fruits, &c , and deer skins. Then, in order to perform Tapas, in the first Yama^three hours), he performed the San- dhyavandhana rites ; in the second, he gathered flowers ; in the third he performed worship to Devas ; and in the fourth he fed upon fruits fit for food. All night through he was en gaged in the chanting of Mantras. Thus did the King per form Tapas. Chudalai 'who :was sleeping in the palace, awoke; and not finding her lord who had lain by her, was greatly afflicted ; and then she melted with compassion at the condition of the King, who she inferred must have abandoned all his wealth and gone to the forest. Then she resolved to find out the where abouts of her husband, for the husband is a wife's only goal. She sprang forth (in her double), and passing through the win dow, went up into the sky, journeying through the air with so bright a face that the Siddhas in the skies exclaimed, " Lo ! another moon has arisen here !" Then seeing her husband travelling in the forest with a bright scimitar in his hand, she meditated as to what course she should pursue in regard to him. Having done so, this sweet-tongued one came to the following conclusion : — " It is right that I should see him only after his desires and hatred have ceased." With that she returned to her palace. This divine lady gave out to her subjects that her hus band had gone to a certain place on matters of a private nature. So she wielded the sceptre alone for eighteen years with true regal justice and an equal eye to all, thus passing her time in her palatial mansion ; while at the same time the King eked out his life of suffering in the forest. Finding that the time was ripe for her to see her husband, she went forth one night and walked the skies. Having mounted on the shoulders of Vdyu (airj, invisible to all, she alighted on the Mandara Hills, and saw there a decrepit and melancholy body, which, at first, she did not know for her husband ; but having, by her powers of great Yoga, discover ed it to be none other than he, she yielded to her grief and gave vent to these words : — ' Lo ! dire is Ajn&na 1 Through THE STORY Of s'lKHIDWAJA. 285 it the King is groaning1 in pain.