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The intelligent cleanse a dirty cloth with the dirty earth only. A murderous Agni-Astra (missile) is counteracted by Varuna- Astra. The venom of serpent-bite is removed by its antidote of an edible poison. So also is it in the case of Jiva. THE STORY OF A MUNI AND A HUNTER. 329 The Jiva has got three forms (or aspects). The first two are the base ones, vts., the gross and the subtle. The third is the supreme Brahman. Having gained this Brahman, may you free yourself from the first two forms. The gross body was designed for the purpose of enjoyment with hands and feet, eyes and the rest. The painful mind which is of the form of Sankalpa and produces the conception of Samsara is the subtle mental body. The third aspect is, to all Jivas, the Jnana Reality which is without beginning or end or hetero geneities. Oh Rama with lotus hands, the immaculate Turya seat is above this. Being absorbed in this Turya seat, may you not identify yourself with the first two forms but destroy them both altogether. At these words of Yasishta, Ragava asked the Muni thus: — Please describe to me in detail this Turya or Brahmic state which is higher than the three Avasthas (J£grata, Swa- pna, and Sushupti). To which Vasishta, with words shed ding ambrosial showers, replied — Remaining in the certitude of Atma without desires and with an equal vision over all, having completely eradicated all conceptions of differentia tions of (i I or he", existence or non-existence is Turya. That state of Jivanmukti free from delusions, wherein there is the supreme certainty of Atma, equal vision over all and the witness-ship to all worldly acts is Turya state. Being without the painful Sankalpa, it is neither the waking state nor the sleeping state. Nor is it the ordinary Sushupti state, as there is (in Turya) the absence of the knowledge (of enjoy ment). All the world becomes then absorbed in the benefi cent Atma. To ripe Jndnis, this world is itself Turya (or they can enjoy the Turya state in this state) ; but to the ignorant, the universe is their settled abode (or they pinion their minds to the visibles only). If after the idea of " I" vanishes, the mind sees all things equally and performs all actions in such a manner that it cannot be said to perform them, then that is the Turya state to it. Though you are the prince of men full of Jnana, please hearken, oh intelligent Rama, to a story that occurred in days of yore. In a spacious forest, a Tapaswin was in a state akin to that of a Mourn.* A warlike hunter who was a veteran * A person engaged in a vow of taciturnity. 42 330 YOGA-VA'SISHTA. in archery approached this Muni, and addressed him thus : — "Through the infliction of my arrows breathing fire, a stag ran up to this place. Will you please tell me where it fled to ?" To which the stainless Tapaswin replied thus : — Oh person of good qualities, we are only a band ofTapaswins, tenanting this forest, having equal vision over all. We never involve ourselves in the stainful Ahankara prompt ing men to worldly actions. Is it not the mind that associ ates itself with the actions of the organs in objects? It is long since the mind of the form of Ahankara left me truly and completely. I now know nothing of the waking, dreaming, or the sleepless dreaming states. I am now become of the Turya state. All the diverse visibles do not exist in the pure Turya state." The hunter without understanding the dis quisitions of the Muni quitted that place. Therefore please listen to me attentively. There is no state other than Turya ; Jn3na divested of all its stainful diversities is Turya. Nought else is in this world but It. The Jagrata state is coupled with terrible actions ; the dream ing state, with becalmed actions and the dreamless sleeping state, with Ajn£na (ignorant) actions. These are the three states of consciousness to a discriminative mind. If the lower mind perishes, it becomes the Sat and the non-dual and the all-equal state. Such a certitude of mind it is, the Jndnis develop and attain. In that Turya state in which the differenceless and ancient Jivanmuktas do abide as the great and the transcendent Rishis without any bondage, may you, my son, ever live firmly without the painful Sankalpas and Vikalpas and free yourself from all pains. THE CONCLUSION OF NIRVA'NA-PRAKARANA. Summary — In this chapter is given a summary of all the foregoing fourteen stories leading to Brahman, the Turya- theetha State. Is it not the certain conclusion of all Atma-Jna"na fetstras that all the whole world should be seen but as a dream ? Neither Avidya exists nor the dire M£ya generating the pains of actions. But Brahman alone is, which has not the least iota of pains and is quiescence itself. Diverse reli- THE CONCLUSION OF NIRVA'NA-PRAKARANA, 331 gionists, super-imposing many attributes upon this Brahman which is the quiescent, Chid£kas, the equal in all, the imma culate, the Atma and having endless potencies in it, dub it with different appellations, Some call it a void. Some Para- meswara ; and some others Mahd-Vijnana. Therefore having avoided all things, may you rest in that great silence. May you rest ever in the full Jnana of the immaculate Atma with true introvision which is the Moksha devoid of the painful Manas, Chitta, Buddhi, and Ahankara and be like a deaf, mute and blind person. Having reached the Jagrat-Sushupti stage and thrust all things within (or made the mind to con template internally), perform all things externally according to your free will. With the growth of the mind, the pains increase ; with its extinction, there will be great bliss. Hav ing lorded over your mind, may you free yourself from this world of perceptions, in order that you may be of the nature of Jn£na. Though surrounded by pleasurable or painful objects to disturb your equilibrium of mind, may you be immovable as a rock, receiving all things equally. So long as you free yourself from the delusions of the endless births, do not, oh mountain-like Rama endeavour to attain pleasures or pains, bliss or non-bliss through thy efforts. Such kinds of efforts will enable you to get the endless Brahmic seat. One whose intelligence is filled with the cool ambrosia, like the moon replete with nectary rays, will enjoy bliss. Having under stood first the Be-ness (Principle) of all the worlds, he is in Moksha, performing actions though not really performing them. Here Rama queried Vasishta thus: — 'What are the means by which the seven Jndna states can be cognized ? And what are the characteristics of those Jnanis who have cognized them ? To which Vasishta replied thus — ' There are two classes of Jivas (or egos), those that get under the yoke of (material) enjoyments and that do not do so. Now listen to the characteristics of these two aspirants for enjoy ment and Moksha. Not caring for the glorious Moksha, the first class will estimate greatly the worldly path and will perform actions therein with great certitude of mind. Their tendencies will be towards the vast enjoyments of the world. Such a path will render them liable to fresh re-births, 332 YOGA-VA'SISHTA. generating discrimination to all. Like a tortoise thrusting its neck into the hole of an yoke floating on the surface of an ocean, he incarnates in repeated re-births associated with the dire organs and then through discrimination developed in them, begins to contemplate thus — " These dire re-births have been utterly fruitless. Enough of the (worldly) delusion. Of what avail are these Karmas ? All my days have been vain ly spent in them. If there is a diminution in these excessive Karmas, then all pains will cease." He who has an indomi table heart to find out this seat, will abandon quite (the world), and become a Nivarta (or freed personage). Engaged in ceaseless enquiry, overcoming all illusions and contriving means to cross this Samsara, such a person will every mo ment of his life be engaged in the renunciation of all his de sires, without devoting a special day to it. Ever bent upon the higher spiritual pursuits, such a per son will daily revel in the bliss of his own Self. He will be loth to participate in frivolous and stainful Karmas. He will perform, but slightly, virtuous actions and will never disclose them to others. He will be engaged secretly in those Kar mas only which do not bring home fear in the hearts of the worldly. He will shrink from dire ones. Never will he long for enjoyments.