AvadhootaDatta Peetham

Discourse on Yoga Vasishtha

Day 109, March 2

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 his Upadesha, Sage Vasishtha extolled the nature and benefits of developing Shama. The peace of mind and bliss that it grants are eternal and untainted by any type of pain. Any worldly enjoyment is always under the shadow of pain. We cannot fully enjoy anything because happiness comes and goes. It does not last. To regret that one has not obtained the desired job will also negatively affect one's performance in the present occupation.

Manojayam or conquering the mind involves fixing the mind in devotion towards God. The bliss attained by peace of mind is itself very great. This is a forerunner of the transcendental bliss of enlightenment.

Anxiety as to how to protect the enjoyment that is being experienced, itself causes stress. It is our experience that the enjoyments quickly end. Even residence in heaven causes stress because it is known that the residence there is also temporary. There is always tension as to when the end comes and what the future lifetimes hold, once the merit earned is exhausted.

Those who refute the existence of heaven, and those who abuse the Vedas ask why good deeds should be performed. People not only enjoy on borrowed resources, but even on stolen resources. They are not concerned about punishing others for their pleasures.

One complains to a dentist about toothache. The dentist says, it has to be extracted because the tooth has rotted. The dentist does not pamper the dead tooth. He mercilessly pulls it out.

Even those who perform good deeds to earn heavenly pleasures also suffer from uncertainty and fear of losing their position in heaven. Merit earned also gets exhausted and people are kicked out of heaven.

We do not know our future lifetimes. We do not know what will happen to us after death. It is good that we do not know. Those in heaven know what lies in the future. Yet, he does not have the power to change his future. He will know about his future birth, as to where and how he will be born, which instills fear in him. Such special knowledge occurs to him by the power of the place and the company of the celestials. The knowledge about the future births fills the minds of such people with fear.

Instead of anticipating the future, and suffering from such fear, some wise ones, by virtue of their acquired positive tendencies, continue their sadhana even in heaven. It is not wrong to perform good deeds desiring only heavenly pleasures. Because there is danger in that. It gives benefit to perform good deeds regardless of whether one believes in a life hereafter or not.

About heaven, it is there if one believes that it is there. If not, it does not exist. This entire existence is only a fabrication of the mind. Even heaven is a figment of our own imagination. We create our own worlds but attribute it to God as His work. That there are great souls there, and by whose association, we can rise to higher worlds is a good thing to anticipate. In imagination, man travels thus. Without such hope or conviction, man loses any anchor and will have no direction to follow.

In the Bhagavatam, it is described how the messengers of Vishnu, or Yama can transport a soul instantaneously to a different world, be it heaven, ***, or Brahma Loka. It is all a matter of the fabrications created by the mind. Earlier, in the Yoga Vasishtha we learned how a soul, the moment it gives up one body, at once weaves the web of another body around itself. One must grasp this subtle concept properly. Misunderstanding it also can cause harm.

The bliss of the Soul is free from any type of uncertainty or negativity.

Peace of mind and equanimity are gained by the practice of Shama. The mental disturbances resulting from being attracted by worldly things have to be calmed. This must be achieved gradually. Conquering the mind or restraining the mind is the same thing in different terms. The power to do this develops gradually through constant practice. Sage Vasishtha is explaining this topic to us.

Yesterday we learned that this Purushartha is the highest goal. Vasanas which lead to dualities have to be overcome. Me, mine, he and his are all concepts of dualities which we find and experience in this world. This sense of duality has to be given up. We must perform the sadhana with determination to experience the oneness of God who pervades all. We must learn to see everything as one.

Our minds are very small. Our perceptions are very limited. We cannot even see the leaf that is at the very top limb of a tree. How can we possibly comprehend the magnitude of the sun and other spheres in the cosmos? The Vedas have given us a comprehensive picture of this entire Creation. Hence, we have to accept as truth, everything that the Veda says. We cannot selectively choose some parts only, to suit or convenience and taste. The Veda will never give us misinformation. It will never tell us what would harm us. Would our own parents and Guru ever tell us anything other than what will be of benefit to us? Never. They only tell us what is good for us.

Similarly, the Veda tells us that there are heavenly pleasures to be obtained, no doubt, but even they get exhausted in course of time. They do not last forever.

Some are tired of living in this world, and wish for an end. That is some strange attitude. They feel as if they have lived for a very long time. Some others feels as if they have not had enough time to enjoy life here. They feel that time is flying by. They are surprised that they have already spent 70 or 100 years of their lives here.
In heaven also the time one can spend there is limited and one is always afraid of the end of heavenly pleasures and falling out of heaven. After all, in heaven there are no discomforts to suffer like hunger and thirst. That is why one is afraid that soon their stay in heaven will come to an end.

But the experience of eternal bliss is never ending.

A very poor man gets only one meal a day. A wise person in that situation will enjoy his meal. A foolish one will worry about the lack of food that he has to suffer the following day, and will spoil the experience of his present good meal.

We are all poor in terms of our enjoyment of life. We do not enjoy the moment but worry about the future.
Nothing else is important but acquiring peace of mind. Pranayama, and listening to good advice is most important. We even become unaware that such a wonderful state of peace exists, because our minds constantly experience unrest and disturbance. Once such peace of mind is obtained, life will be good. Health will be good. Peace of mind is highly enjoyable. It is referred to as Shama and Shanti.

dwaita vasana

One should get rid of all vasanas, all acquired tendencies. One should meditate for at least ten minutes a day and ponder over the oneness of all and get rid of the feelings of duality and differentiation between mine and his and hers.

Inner happiness is possible only if the mind is conquered.

It is normally assumed that people fight only out of anger. But when one who is totally at peace fights, such a battle is the most frightening. Lord Vishnu is described as Shantakaram - a manifestation of peace. His form is itself Peace. Yet, when He fights against evil forces, His battle is fearsome. Peace itself is His weapon when He fought as Ugra/ferocious Narasimha or Yajna Varaha Swamy. As Rama, Krishna, Parashurama, and Balarama, He fought furious battles. When evil forces are defeated, perfect peace is experienced. It is His peace that is waging war against the unrest that prevails in the mind, and also the sense of duality which causes such unrest. Merging of the mind in God/Paramatman is the goal of life that must be attained.

vichara

A technique is there for achieving such control over the mind. The result or fruit of it, is peace of mind. Only with discretion the mind will be controlled. What is discretion? Knowledge. It is the discrimination between what is eternal and what is impermanent. Only Paramatman is eternal. All else is fleeting. Everything else in this world is transient. Unless this fact is constantly kept in mind, the mind will not be conquered. The logic behind this statement must be continuously pondered over and perfectly absorbed. Deep thought is required on this topic. What part of this concept is beyond my comprehension? What is the proof that this statement is a fact. There is a consciousness that transcends this visible and comprehensible world. That is where the mind should merge. One must give up all sorrows and troubles of the world which result from the mind chasing after things. The mind must be persuaded to remain calm and still. The mind must be curbed from its natural habit of running after things.

We experience and comprehend the body and the sense organs. Paramatman is beyond these. One must control the mind from running towards external objects. The mind gets tired by this constant chasing after outside affairs. The mind must be restrained from doing so. Only those who are able to control the natural tendency of the mind to run around restlessly, just the way toddlers do, who have just learned to walk, can succeed in their efforts. The child is jubilant that it has learned to walk. It wants to show off proudly its newly acquired skill to everyone around. The parent grabs the running child and keeps him in his lap. But the child escapes again. Similarly the mind keeps running away. It simply loves to keep moving and flitting from topic to another or one object to another. It is the nature of the mind to do so.

During the chanting of the Hanuman Chalisa, the mind keeps straying away from the thoughts of Hanuman. The mind is stubborn in straying away tirelessly. To control the child from running away, the mother asks for a piece of candy from a neighbor to tempt the child to remain on her lap. The mother keeps tempting the child with the taste of the candy without giving it to him altogether. Some children are unruly when they come to the ashram. They run all over the place as if they own it. They never remain in one place steadily. Some children are well behaved when they come to the ashram. It depends on the natural tendency of the child and the training given to the child by the parents, prior to coming to the ashram.

Whenever we make the determination to control the mind, it is the right time to begin the training, just as training a small runaway child. The mind is always like a small child. It is never too mature to be beyond control. The power of determination from the soul is far superior to the power of the mind. It is possible for everyone who puts in a steady and resolved effort, to succeed in controlling the mind. Like smoke, illusion covers the mind. Once the smoke is dispelled, the illusion vanishes and the clear picture is seen. Every individual who has the inclination to control the mind has the capacity to control it.

verse

It is good to follow the rules and regulations to get proper results. A good, comfortable posture should be assumed, such as Padmasana, Veerasana, or Sukhasana. One must assume the posture that is suitable to the body's condition. Some who have aches and pains may not be able to assume all desired postures. The mind should be directed towards thoughts of inner peace and bliss. One who practices in a regulated manner will be successful. He will transcend all sorrow. One who has attained liberation will not be born again. The mind that becomes merged in Vishnu, or Atma/Soul will never return. Different terms are used. The mind dissolves, the mind is controlled, or the mind becomes merged in God. When the mind vanishes, there is no chance for rebirth.

It is the nature of a monkey to be constantly moving. It keeps jumping from one branch to another. The monkey mind should be made to remain still.

Lord Hanuman, despite having the form of a monkey, has conquered His mind and ever remain still in the contemplation of Lord Rama. He cannot be referred to as a monkey. He is the future Brahma.

One does not conquer death. It is not possible. In the Kala Mahima section in Yoga Vasishtha, it was mentioned that even the Trinity are not beyond Death. Even they are subject to the power of Time. Mrityunjaya means not having future births. Only birth causes death. The liberated ones are free from rebirth. Hence, they are free from death.
That transcendental state is free from the dualities of joy and sorrow as experienced in worldly life.

verse

That bliss is incomparable. It has no boundaries. It has transcended all other limited happinesses. The bliss of the Soul is like a flow of nectar. Sri Bhagavadpada has described it in the Soundarya Lahari. Swamiji has composed a wonderful bhajan - Sri Bhavani Bhavuni Rani - akasame chullulugaa amritame varshinchagaa - when the nectar of immortality comes down as a shower through the holes in the sky - that describes this Supreme Bliss. When the shower of nectar falls upon it, even a dead stump will begin to sprout new leaves again. There is no greater joy than this. Those who attain that state by serious sadhana and contemplation, experience that medicine that cures the ill of rebirth. Rasayanam is not consumed like a medicine, but as food. It is famous in Ayurveda. There are different types of Rasayana for promoting certain things such as intellectual power, memory, digestion, and so forth.

verse

Why should one obtain this transcendental bliss? It is because all worldly and heavenly pleasures are like mirages. They are unreal and are fleeting. They are all illusory. It is not worth chasing after them. We should only attempt to acquire that bliss which is eternal and everlasting.

ato

Great happiness is earned by those who overcome the power of the mind. Peace and bliss are acquired by conquering the mind. The practice of Shama is the instrument for achieving such a state of perfect peace. One must make an effort for doing so. The all-pervading supreme consciousness comes into one's personal experience.

One wonders and doubts whether one can actually achieve it. Most people believe that this is beyond their ability to achieve it. They have no strong desire to attain it. They want to appear diplomatic. When everyone has a spark of divinity within, each one has the capacity to merge with God. Sadguru urges every individual to pursue this path that leads to this transcendental peace and joy. People are generally reluctant to put in the required effort. They are too lazy to exert themselves.

Even a small mound appears too high for us to climb if we are lazy and unwilling to make an effort. But to the one who has scaled Mt. Everest, because he had the determination to do so, mountain climbing appears quite easy.

There is no one in the world who is incapacitated. Many discourage themselves out of fear, laziness, escapism, unwillingness, and inertia. It is possible for anyone to achieve this transcendental bliss. Demons, and even birds and beasts can attain it, if there is determination. It is not like the bunch of sour grapes that is imagined to be unreachable.

We will continue tomorrow.

Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta

Om Santissantissantihi