English
Vasishta said thus — The Mithya-Purusha is no other than the idea of " I" Ahank^ra^ arising in the void which is like a sable-colored cloud. This Akasa in which all the universes exist, is self-existent before creation, all full and endless. In it the idea of " I", arises like the sense of touch in Vayu (air); and then this void of Ahankara fancied itself protecting the Chid-Akasa of Atma. Then encased in the several bodies of well, etc., which he created himself, he again and again subjected himself to pains. With his body, he contracted the thought arising from Bhuta-Akas that he imprisoned the Chid-Akas Atma. Through it, he rendered himself obnoxious to all sufferings. Therefore, oh lotus-eyed Rama, do not render yourself liable to pains, like Mithya-Puru sha who, being imprisoned in the different bodies of house- Akas. etc., identified himself with Bhuta-Akas. The imperish able 6iva who is more all-pervading than Akasa, stainless and immaculate and cannot be guaged by the mind, is the natural Atma-Tatwa. Can this Atma-Tatwa be easily visited or attained by all ? Such being the case, the ignorant despond that the " I", the heart-Akas perishes while the body perishes. Will the indestructible Akasa disappear when pots and others which seem to limit it are destroyed ? Akasa will never vanish with the disappearance of the pot ? So with the des truction of the body, Atma will never be destroyed. It is only through direct spiritual vision that Brahmic-Reality which is the transcendental Chinmatra and Sat, more subtle than Akasa and the atom of atoms will shine everywhere ; but AhankaTa which is the idea of " I" is destroyed like a pot. There is really no such thing, as birth or death in any place or time. It is only Brahman which manifests itself as the universe through forms. Therefore having considered all tlie universes as the supreme Principle without beginning, middle or end, without differences or non-differences, without existence or non-existence, may you be without pains. Should this idea of * I' be destroyed through the desireless THE STORY OF BHRINGI. 315 Atma-Jnana — this idea which is the source of all accidents, non-eternal, dependent, discrimination-less, seed of all sins, Ajnana and the seed of birth and destruction — then this very destruction is the seat of the stainless Jivanmukti state. THE STORY OF BHRINGI. Summary — This story will illustrate the fact that actor* ship, &c., arise through the idea of " I". Such is the true nature of this universe. It manifests itself out of Atma-Jnana, like the misconception of serpent arising in a rope and is no other. To those who contemplate upon the rays of the sun as no other than the sun itself, the sun alone exists. This is the much-longed-for Nirvikalpa state. But if the sun and its rays are considered as two separate ones, then there will appear a diversity between the sun and its rays- Having given up all heterogeneities, may you, oh Rama, be in that direct spiritual experience wherein is not the universe. Like the wind agitating the waters, Brahman produces the fluctuating motion of Sankalpa. As soon as Sankalpa was set afloat, it expanded itself and differentiated itself into this form-world, when it became the Manas which began to see itself through itself. Therefore know this universe to be nothing but replete with Sankalpa. This universe is neither real nor unreal ; but it manifests itself like dream creations. Know that the seer, hearer, speaker, feeler, smeller, walker and doer are no new creations ; but are the one Truth. All acts of yours are no other than the stainless Jndna itself. As the real nature of Mahat is Brahmic Reality itself, there is really no such thing as the universe. As all things are no other than the aspect of Chit, the sable clouds of universes are no other than Chinmdtra. As the one Chit pervades all objects without any illusion, all objects do not really exist. Where then is Bandha (bondage) or Moksha (emancipation) ? Having therefore abandoned firmly all the differentiated con ceptions of bondage and emancipation and having observed Mouna (taciturnity) without the least tinge of Ahankara, may you, oh Rama, be engaged in the performance of your higher 316 TOGA-VA's ISHTA. actions without Ahankara, pride and others. Having cleared up your mind of all doubts arising from illusion and clinging fast to certitude, may you live as the great actor and enjoyer, but yet as the great renouncer of all. At these words of Vasishta, Rama queried him thus — What are these three gunas of actorship, enjoyment, and renunciation ? To explain which, Vasishta began thus — To understand the real sig nificance of these three and thus attain the supreme seat without any delusion, Lord Bhringi went to the northern summit of Mahameru and having worshipped and eulogised Parameswara who was like Chidakas itself, submitted the following — "Moving in worldly delusion and not getting quies cence in Jndna, I have in vain roved about in perfect igno rance. How can I live with a quiescence of mind in this decayed body of the world? Please throw light upon the path of certitude which I can tread without any the least fear ?" Parameswara deigned to answer in the following terms — u If after destroying thy doubts, thou clingest to Truth, thou wilt become the great actor, the great enjoyer, and the great renouncer." Bhringi queried him thus — What dost thou mean by the great (true) actor, the great enjoyer, and the great renoun cer ? Parameswara replied — He is the incomparable great actor who is indifferent to the inevitable fruits or otherwise of dire love and hatred, pleasures and pains, Dharma and Adharma and performs actions in that manner without any desires. He is the great actor who, being silent, is free from the ideations of " I" or self-identification with objects or from surprise, performs actions without any despon dency or fear or without any desires in objects so as to be merely a witness to all, is never affected by fear or happiness and does not rejoice or repine, through an equal vision over all. Know also that his mind will be undisturbed, whether in birth or death, appearance or disappearance (of objects). Now to the second. He is the great true enjoyer who does not, through anger, long for or reject anything but enjoys fully only those things that befal him. We shall say more about him. He will not lose his equilibrium of mind even in the enjoyment of the illusory pleasures and THE STORY OF IKSHWA'KU. 317 pains productive of excessive fear and no bliss ; he will con sider in the same light and enjoy things productive of dotage or death, regalty or adversity ; he will taste, with neither joy nor sorrow, dainties of all tastes whether bitter, sour, sharp, or saltish. Like salt, he will associate with both the virtuous and the vicious. Such is the true enjoyer." " Now hearken to the description of the great or (true) re- nouncer. Thou shouldst know that such an intelligent person age will abandon, in toto the stainless Dharmaand Adharma, pleasures and pains, birth and death. He will not have even a scintilla of desires, doubts, actions, and certainties. Oh Bhringi, the S'rutis also say that his heart will be free from Dharma and Adharma, mental thoughts and actions. He will also have rooted away from his mind all thoughts of the visi- bles." So said Parameswara of the form of grace to Lord Bhringi in days of yore. Having developed through practice this kind of vision over all, may you, oh lotus-eyed Rama protect your subjects. Brahmic reality alone is that which is ever shining, has neither beginning nor end and is immaculate and non-dual. Nought else is. Thus shall you contemplate and being filled with bliss, perform all actions, so that the stainless quiescence of mind may be in you and thereby in all. The Jnana-Akas alone is which is Brahman, devoid of the stainful pains, the seed of all illusions, Paramatma the great, the grand One in which all thoughts merge. Here there is none else but " That". Destroy all Ahankara with the firm conviction that there is nothing else foreign to "That" and that Sat and Asat will never affect It. You will therefore relieve yourself of this formless Ahankara through developing Introvision, making the internals harmonize with the externals and being unaffected by the pains of past actions. THE STORY OF IKSHWA'KU.