Feb 23, Vasishtha
Discourse on Yoga Vasishtha
Day 103, February 23
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
Yesterday in the Mumukshu Vyavahara Prakarana we were discussing the attributes of Sthitaprajnas, yogis, Jnanis, Jeevanmuktas, the enlightened ones, their lifestyle, behavior and attitude. Great souls have pure intellects just like the Trinity.
There are 3 beautiful verses which describe the above.
Pariksheene
After infatuation or delusion (which causes our downfall by projecting things to us in a wrong perspective) leaves one, the cloud called Jnana appears in the sky. Then Truth gets revealed (drenching one in the shower of Realization). Truth or Tatvam is the nature of the Paramatman. One has the realization of the Self and the complete understanding comes that none other than the Self exists. Those with the purest of devotion also experience this same oneness. Such an experience comes with the guidance of Guru. It is very important to discuss, question, and remember the answers given by Guru. The answers should be constantly remembered and churned over in the mind. There are 4 gate keepers, Shama, Vicharana, Santosham, and Sadhu Sangama that we spoke about yesterday. Association with Sadguru is most important for Self-Realization.
vishaala
Once the delusion leaves, that one is not the body, and when one realizes the inner consciousness as one's true identity, one sees the Self everywhere. With that fully blossomed world view when one looks at this Creation, only bliss is experienced. Such a one feels nothing but happiness. Guru explains this clearly. By a close association with Guru, the interest in attaining this state should be developed. We all are of the nature of happiness, and we should eagerly seek this identification with bliss itself.
Sri Rama, I am going to describe further the nature of the enlightened ones.
Prasanne
Their mind is joyful. They have experienced pure bliss. Their heart is fully in control and at peace. Such peace is obtained by performing good deeds. By the performance of good deeds, the grace of deities is obtained. Doing rituals and pilgrimages gives peace of mind. The mind becomes calm and focused. Such a mind dances with joy. The Supreme Entity is experienced by such pure minds. We see bad qualities in people. But Sadguru sees only the pure consciousness in the individuals who approach him.
Shamaa
As Brahma has created this universe, we each of us creates our own worlds and we fall into the pit that we ourselves have dug. We are the creators of our own worlds. Who will understand this concept? We falsely feel that this world has existed before us and will certainly continue after us.
Therefore, to make it easy for ordinary people to understand, we say that the four-faced Brahma has brought this world into existence.
The enlightened ones see nothing but the Paramatman. They do not see any disturbances or unhappiness. A true disciple sees only Sadguru when he comes to the ashram. He sees nothing else. We must develop the habit of viewing the world like this.
verse
The Knower ever remains unperturbed. During travel, when the journey goes smoothly with no obstructions or hurdles, we feel happy. The unevenness of the road, our ill health, the obstacles in the path make us wish for the journey to end soon. We do not enjoy it. Vedanta makes our minds even. It removes the ups and downs that we feel during this journey through life. We must practice this even-mindedness every day at least for a few minutes. In an ECG we see the ups and downs on the graphs. Just as it happens in our blood circulation, in the mind also ups and downs occur. By daily practice one can attain a balanced mind that is enjoyed by the realized souls.
The one who remains undisturbed in the mind, is not bothered by the sense organs interacting with the objects of the world. The rising sun is beautiful and mild. We enjoy seeing him. But noon time sun is difficult for us to rest the eyes on. Mahatmas are equally happy to sit either on a throne, or on a thorny bush. Wherever they go, they see and experience nothing but bliss. How did this come about? By the power of the intellect, they have succeeded in realizing the Supreme. What is responsible for all that happens? It is our own intellect. It is the intellect that creates our world and its ups and downs.
Sri Rama, now I will tell you something else.
ratha ..
How to understand this body, these sense organs, this world, this individual soul, and so on? This chariot, these reins, the destination, the rider, and so on, are all explained. This body does not move without the soul residing in it. It will just be like a parked vehicle. It is only in our imagination that a car starts on its own and goes somewhere. A cart without the horse harnessed to it, will not move. The inert body without the soul is like a chariot. The sense organs are the horses. Unless they are harnessed to the chariot, the vehicle will not move. Unless they are restrained, the sense organs will run amok. O Sri Rama, Oxygen is what makes this chariot move. The life force and the inhalation and exhalation make it move. The mind is the reins that should be held firmly in the hand to keep the sense organs in control. We should learn how to maneuver the reins. The reins should be strong enough so that the horses do not snap them and run wild.
The subtle truth is revealed that it is the mind that has the power to control the sense organs. Some people mistakenly do excessive fasting/Upavasam, and holding excessive night time vigil/Jagarana, and with stubbornness try to control themselves by tormenting the body. It is more effective to use the mind to control the senses, rather than harming punishing the body to gain control.
Where does the chariot run towards, in the world? Why it runs, and where, it does not know. In the spiritual world, the chariot runs towards bliss. We forget our true aim of attaining bliss and wrongly run towards grief. We must seek the guidance of Sadguru and lead the chariot towards bliss. The rider in the chariot who goes towards bliss, either through devotion, selfless action, yoga, or jnana, or any other means shown by Sadguru, thinks that while he may be very small, he is in fact none other than the Paramatman. He begins to enjoy that feeling. He will become freed from all sin. We know about Anagha Swami, Anagha Mahalakshmi, and the Anagha Vratam (Anagha means sinless). He feels that he is traveling to merge with the Paramatman. No one should ever think small about oneself. At the same time one should not become arrogant and abuse Guru, elders, and parents. One's thinking should proceed in the proper lines. Anjaneya Swami/Hanuman is so valiant, strong, and smart, and yet, he is so humble and ready to serve. Ahankara/ego is hot and spicy. Ahambhava/identifying with the Self is mild and tasty. Venkataramana is one who removes sins and bestows bliss. Contemplation on God ever grants bliss.
Understanding the above concept that Life energy is the fuel that energizes this chariot, one should lead this chariot towards God while still living. Many people ask whether it is that easy to control the sense organs. Even Arjuna asked Krishna. Krishna has assured that with practice it is possible. Sadguru grants us the power to change our direction from the wrong path to the right path. He teaches us how to know whether we are on the right track or the wrong track . He instructs us on how to do sadhana. He teaches us how to perform good deeds. He shows how to persuade the horses/the sense organs, to go in the desired direction. Such a one who follows Sadguru's instructions, does not mind if the road is bumpy. He is happy that he is traveling towards happiness. He does not mind the distance. He is not deterred by any hurdles. We travel individually. In Sadguru's chariot, there is place for all of us. Once we have boarded Sadguru's chariot, we are safe. There is no danger of our going away in a wrong direction. We will not go astray. Traveling with Sadguru makes our travel very easy and comfortable. It is hence important to maintain close association with Sadguru.
It is possible to enjoy bliss even while living. If one is told that happiness will come only after death, one will not be interested in pursuing spiritual study. That is why it is important to study the spiritual science called Vedanta. It grants happiness here and now, in this lifetime itself, if one follows the lead of Sadguru.
O Sri Rama, You will certainly enjoy such eternal bliss.
Rama is ever in bliss. But here, since Vasishtha has assumed the role of Guru to Rama, using Rama as an excuse, he is teaching us this valuable lesson in spirituality.
This concludes the sarga called Tatva Mahatmya Varnanam/Description of the greatness of Truth. In the end it is said that knowledge of Truth gives one the attributes of a Jeevanmukta/a realized soul, as described above.
Next, we are going to discuss Shama Niroopana, the next topic.
verse
O Rama, in this Samsara, those who are noble-minded, pursue spiritual knowledge. Once they have obtained it, they feel on top of the world as if they have gained a great kingdom itself. Those who have had no children for a long time, feel immense happiness when they finally are blessed with a child. A person born blind, when he gains the gift of sight, feels overjoyed. A poverty stricken man, when he finds a great treasure feels indescribable joy. But the bliss of an enlightened soul exceeds all of these.
Some great scientists and some great people are sometimes seen wearing tattered clothes. They appear as if they know nothing. But they are drenched with happiness and contentment. When we go for a bath in the Ganga, we take repeated dips in the holy water, and forget ourselves. We do not even care to wipe ourselves dry. We keep applying the sacred ash Vibhooti and again and again dipping in the waters. We get immersed in the happiness of dispassion/Vairagya. Whereas at home, we are very different when we take a bath. We are very much aware of our bodies. It is because we do not have the darshan of Kasi at home. If we are able to feel wherever we are, that we are in Kasi, then, that same ecstasy will be experienced by us all the time. Great souls like Sadguru are always blissful as if they are always in Kasi.
Once, around Swamiji's 60th Birthday time, some 40-50 devotees planned a trip to Kasi to fetch Ganga water for the rituals, and had me ask Swamiji whether he would also join them on the pilgrimage. Swamiji told me: Wherever I am it is Kasi. When Swamiji is Visveshwara, naturally, wherever he is, it has to be the holy city of Kasi. Such is the state of Jeevanmuktas. We have to develop such a state of mind. We must grow to that level by constant practice. Merely saying it verbally is not sufficient. We must experience it.
Wherever Guru's foot is placed, that place is the holy Gaya, as it is mentioned in the Guru Gita.
The enlightened ones feel no sorrow, no grief. It is because they have no desires. We feel sadness because we do not give up our desires. They do not even have the desire to go to Kasi. The Kasi that we refer to, when the name of that city is uttered, is only there, at Kasi. But the Kasi that we experience in our hearts is everywhere. There is no need to actually be there. But, it is important for the ordinary persons to certainly make pilgrimages. That is Karma Yoga. It has to be done. Because there are no desires, the enlightened ones never beg for anything.
You may wonder whether the realized ones desire good things. No. They desire neither good things nor bad things. They appear as if they are constantly engaged in action. Yet, they are not actually doing anything. That is because, they have no wishes, no happiness, and no sorrow. They are not bound by actions. They have no sins. All actions are bound to the intellect. Actions performed without a deliberate intention are not bound by the law of karma.
More wondrous things are revealed by Sage Vasishtha. We will learn about them tomorrow.
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta
Om Santissantissantihi