AvadhootaDatta Peetham

Discourse on Yoga Vasishtha

Day 70, November 5

Jaya Guru Datta

Sri Ganesaya Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripada Vallabha
Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha

Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Sadgurubhyo Namaha

asato ma sadgamaya
tamaso ma jyotirgamaya
mrityor ma amrtam gamaya
Om Santissantissantihi

Please lead me from untruth to Truth, from darkness to light, from death to immortality. May there be peace.

Yoga Vasishtha Dhyana Slokas:
yatassarvāṇi bhūtāni pratibhānti sthitāni ca
yatraivōpaśamaṁ yānti tasmai satyātmanē namaḥ || 1
jñātā jñānaṁ tathā jñēyaṁ draṣṭādarśana dr̥śyabhūḥ
kartā hētuḥ kriyā yasmāt tasmai jñaptyātmanē namaḥ || 2
sphuranti sīkarā yasmāt ānanandasyāṁbarē vanau
sarvēṣām jīvanam tasmai brahmānandātmanē namaḥ || 3

Om santissantissantihi

Viswamitra encouraged and urged Vasishtha to speak to Sri Rama not only for the benefit of the prince but for the benefit of all those who were assembled there. Sage Vasishtha recollected the teaching given to him by Brahma to dispel his ignorance, and began his instruction to Sri Rama, as per tradition, with prayers offered to Guru and God. He also prayed for peace which implies a prayer for spiritual knowledge.

Regardless of how great a person might be, any noble effort must be begun with a prayer to Ganesha, then to the Goddess of Knowledge Saraswati, and to Guru. This tradition must never be forgotten. Any noble effort always suffers hurdles and disturbances. Wicked deeds get fulfilled effortlessly. Therefore, one must always pray for the success of a worthy endeavour, especially so if it is the study of Vedanta. All three worlds and all directions must be at peace and must cooperate with the noble effort.

Vasishtha used the word kathayaami, meaning that he would make it entertaining by interspersing the teaching with many stories. Children’s stories contain many morals and ethical teachings. Because Vedanta is too deep a subject for children, they are first taught the principles of Dharma, so that as they grow up, they can gradually enter the path of Vedanta with ease.

Sri Rama expressed a doubt in the meantime about Sage Vyasa concerning his liberation. This instruction is referred to as Moksha Samhita. It grants liberation and benefits the listeners in many ways. Rama is still preoccupied in his mind about the story of Suka Yogi. In a direct manner Rama asked why despite getting liberated, Vyasa is going around in a human form. Vyasa was sitting there in the assembly.

Suka yogi left his body after completing his penance for ten thousand years and became freed completely. Why has Vyasa not given up his body? How is he able to retain his body if he is in fact liberated like his son? Why is he still bound in a body?

If in the family there is at least one person who made a serious attempt to attain Brahma Jnana/Self-realization, seven generations on both sides (past and future) will become purified. It means that even if they had followed unfavourable ways in the past, they will now begin to follow the path of virtue. Liberation is not something that can be given to another like a spoonful of Teertham. Sadguru helps us by giving us the strength to engage in the spiritual pursuit. But the disciple has to make the effort. Sadguru gives both Bhukti and Mukti, it is said. He gives food and liberation. He does not spoon-feed you. He gives you the guidance and strength to obtain your requirement. Mother Goddess is described as Mukunda Mukti Nilaya. Mukunda means one who gives liberation.

Therefore, the question occurs in the mind why we should struggle for liberation if it is readily going to be given to us by God or Guru. It is a prayer. When we pray, God grants us the required urge to follow the path of liberation which will ultimately give us the experience of the Self. By God’s grace the tendency to pursue Advaita will be created within us. It is the eagerness to seek the truth, as to what is truth, what is untruth, what is real, what is unreal, and so on, which needs to be cultivated. God and Guru stimulate this interest in the mind for us to pursue our investigation.

No matter how many boons we wish to ask from God, like Kartaveeryarjuna, who had a big list of boons he asked for, in the end we should ask for God’s grace to attain liberation. Kartaveeryarjuna specifically asked: if I should ever forget you and become egotistical, I should meet my death at the hands of one who is equal to you. I should have the interest in attaining salvation. For this second request, Swami Dattatreya told him: This I will grant you without your asking. Datta is an ocean of mercy. He is full of compassion. He will satisfy our worldly desires and alongside, He will also stimulate our interest in seeking liberation.

It is not easy to get rid of ignorance. We are not even aware that we are ignorant. We live in darkness and believe that we are in light. We consider darkness to be pleasing. We are convinced that what is unreal is in fact real. Datta in his infinite mercy shows us that we are living in darkness and that we should travel towards light.

Although Sri Rama interrupted Vasishtha with his question, the sage did not show any displeasure. He acknowledged that what Rama has asked is a genuine question. Rama needed to be given a convincing answer that one can be liberated and yet lead a life in the world occupying a body.

Rama’s mental state and behaviour were a cause of concern for everyone since he had stopped eating, sleeping, or interacting with others. People should not shun spirituality observing his strange behavioural pattern. One who is enlightened should be glowing with spiritual radiance. Rama needed to be told that enlightenment does not necessarily occur only when one sheds the body. As per destiny if one has to remain in the body for a certain period of time, it is inescapable. One has to endure the Prarabdha karma even after attaining Self-realization.

Giving up the body is not of paramount importance here. One should not have to wait for the body to go to be liberated. This Rama should understand. Gaining this knowledge is important for him now.

Liberated souls with body and without body are like twins with a very minute difference, the way Vali and Sugriva were identical and Rama could not recognize Sugriva while the two were fighting against each other. Rama had to place a garland in Sugriva’s neck so that he would know who Vali was and he was able to kill Vali.

King Janaka, Sri Krishna Paramatma, and Suka were all Jeevanmuktas. Krishna lived in luxury. Suka renounced everything. Janaka and Rama lived as kings. Vasishtha was engaged in seriously dispensing his duties. They were all equal in terms of their spiritual knowledge. Rama, enlightened, was able to kill Ravana, rule for 11,000 years, and establish Dharma on earth. This is the intent of Yoga Vasishtha. It is immaterial how you lead your life as long as you are constantly engaged in the thought of Paramatma and identify yourself with Him. There are several Maha Vakyas/profound statements from the Vedas which should be continually meditated upon. That is the quality of a Jeevanmukta.

A Jeevanmukta will not engage in forbidden actions. He will not move about *** in society. The scriptures do not permit it. If he chooses to remain ***, then he would have to retire to the jungle. In a forest it is acceptable to remain unclothed. One should not cause confusion or be a bad influence in society by one’s behaviour. Sri Ramana Maharshi wore a *** cloth. On one occasion he mentioned that he disliked wearing it. But to give up wearing it would be wrong. It would be going against acceptable behaviour. If people follow an avadhoota to a jungle, that is the people’s problem, not the avadhoota’s. These days jungles are turning into cities.

Sri Rama needed the knowledge that the state of Jeevanmukti exists. Then, as a Jeevanmukta he could rule the kingdom as was required and expected of him. We look upon Rama as in incarnation. Vedanta regards him from the viewpoint whether or not he is a Jnani.

Sri Bhamati who wrote commentaries on scriptures, was so engrossed in his work that he even forgot that he had a wife. When at the end of his assignment he heaved a sigh, the wife asked him if he remembered her. He had even forgotten that he had been married. He wrote in his work that because a father is enlightened, it does not mean that the son will also be enlightened, nor does it follow that if a son is enlightened, the father should also be enlightened. Liberation is not something that one gets by inheritance. Each has to make an effort and obtain it individually.

Suka was by nature dispassionate. He received initiation from his gurus Vyasa and Janaka and got liberated. That being so, since Vyasa was a Jnani, why was he not liberated and freed from the burden of his body? This was Rama’s question which troubled him.

Many people get that doubt even about Sadguru. Seeing Sadguru who looks like them, talks like them, and eats like them, they wonder what the difference is, between him and them.
Vasishtha decided that Rama should first be convinced that there are people in this world who are living in the body and at the same time are also liberated. The two states appear to be mutually contradictory. It is like being good and bad at the same time. In the worldly sense we may accept it but in Vedanta, such a thing is not accepted.

Although it appears as if Vasishtha is diverging from the topic, he is actually giving an answer to Rama. Valmiki in this work has given us the essence of all philosophical works. He accepts that a state called Jeevanmukti is possible and exists.

This sarga is called Bhooyo bhooyaha sargaanuvarnanam. It means that it is a description of creation in its various forms. It also means it is a description using different methods in trying to explain this multi-varied Creation.

Paramarka ...

It is Paramatma’s power which gives radiance to the sun. Everyone should pray to the sun daily. Water should be offered to the sun. Surya Namaskara should be performed daily. The sun protects this world. As he rises, a couple of demons called Vandeharuna obstruct his path. This happens every single day. The water that we throw up towards him with our prayers will destroy those demons. Therefore, it is very important for us to do this ritual every day. Modern science is not aware of this very subtle point. To the sun who benefits us in innumerable ways deserves our gratitude. We would be failing in our duty if we neglect to do this little bit for him in return for his blessings. We would be the worst ungrateful sinners.

In the Bhagavad Gita there are five important verses considered as its life or essence.

Yadaditya ...

Know that the radiance of the sun and the moon which sustain this world are my radiance, says Sri Krishna Paramatma.

The sun rises in fear of the Paramatma. Rising does not mean the way we see him rise and set. The sun is ever shining in the sky as the earth revolves and rotates. What if he stopped shining? We will not exist. The worlds will not exist.

At sunrise and sunset, when you look at the rays of the sun streaming in through the window, you will notice countless particles floating in the light. They are called Trasarenu. We get surprised at the minute dust particles which keep floating in the light. They are so subtle that a vacuum cleaner will not pick them up.
It appears as if they are incessantly getting created. Observing them carefully for half an hour will reveal to you certain truths. A keen observation of Nature will yield us many invaluable insights. Although illusory, this world will give us some beneficial clues about Truth if we study it carefully. Observe the waterfalls where the water flows down incessantly and tirelessly. We get tired watching. The waters do not get tired.

These galaxies in Creation resemble those tiny specks floating in space and are as impossible to count or to estimate their numbers. How does this answer the question posed by Rama? This is an indirect answer. These galaxies come and go through eternity. It is pointless to try to count them. They are not even visible to us. We do not see the end or the beginning of this ocean-like cosmos.

Let us assume that this Brahmanda is one egg and inside it are the three worlds, the earth, the sky and the cosmos all the way extending to Brahma Loka. This one egg is equivalent to one speck of dust for Paramatma. Contemplate on this for some time with concentration. Your body will become heavy because this Creation is all within ourselves. We thus reach the state of the Paramatma. Such is the power of the Paramatma. We carry all these worlds within us. This is called Gurutva (heavy) dhyana/meditation. Such dust particles are countless. The count is not significant or useful for us.. How do we know how many blood cells we carry?

Once, Vyasa accosted an insect and questioned it why it had so many anxieties. The insect retorted: you turn into an insect and then you will know why.

These galaxies are constantly coming into being, existing, and dissolving. We cannot perceive their scope. To teach children we have subjects like astronomy, geography, and so on. But these will not aid us in our search for the ultimate Truth.

Like the North Pole and the South Pole we have the past and the future. In the middle is the present which is like an ocean which we cannot comprehend. This entire creation is like waves in an ocean. It is impossible to count the waves in an ocean. Do not even attempt it.

Even the scientists keep adding and subtracting from their findings. There is always a comma and never a full stop in scientific discovery. What they claim is good today they will say tomorrow that it is harmful to us. Scientific theories keep changing. This Creation is illusory to start with.

Jnanis like Vyasa may appear to be in a physical body but they are not bound by it. They assume a body as per their free will. There are numerous Vyasas through eternity. They keep assuming forms as they wish. Vyasa is in fact a fully liberated soul. He is a Jeevanmukta. There is no point in counting the number of Vyasas. We need to benefit from his knowledge and liberate ourselves.

Rama has a very sharp intellect. He grasps subtle points very quickly. Given one precious gem, he has the capability of turning it into a necklace of gems. Rama understood the concept but has not experienced it yet. He agrees that counting the numbers is not going to give a satisfactory answer. Vyasas are also like the Trasarenus in Paramatma, ever coming into being and disappearing. Vasishtha was happy with Sri Rama’s response.

Generally, speakers like to impress their audiences with the profundity of their knowledge. The listeners are lazy to investigate and learn on their own. Hence, they are willing to readily accept that the speaker knows his subject thoroughly. The speakers should never assume that they know everything. Similarly, the listeners should not assume that they know nothing. They should listen attentively and grasp the subject. Rama spoke conveying that he has a need to learn, that he is willing to listen and become better informed. He is a true disciple.

Vasishtha speaks in this sarga about the individual soul and his journey through this life. What lies outside is not important for us to learn about. That knowledge does not really benefit us. We are the creators of our own worlds. How we create these worlds, and how that process affects us, is what we should grasp.

The source for everything is the Paramatma. We will understand everything gradually.

Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta

Om santissantissantihi