duality of the world, is wholly untrue from first to last; but the
true knowledge of the wise, neither recognizes a duality herein; nor
acknowledges the production hereof; (but views it in the light of a
nullity and void).
74. Ráma rejoined:--Whatever is not produced in the beginning, can
not of course exist at any time; but how is it, that this unreal and
unapparent nothing, could come to produce in us its conception of a
something?
75. Vasishtha replied:--This causeless and uncaused unreality of
the world, appears unto us as a real entity; like the daydream that
presents the false sight of the cosmos as a reality in our waking.
76. Ráma rejoined:--The sights that we see in our dreams, and the
images that we conceive in our imagination; are but perceptions derived
from our impressions of them in our waking state.
77. Vasishtha replied:--Tell me, O Ráma, whether the things that you
see in your dream, or conceive in your imagination, are exactly of the
same forms, that you see in your waking state.
78. Ráma replied:--The things that we see in our dream, and conceive of
in our fancy or imagination; do all of them appear unto us in the same
light, as they show themselves to us in our waking state.
79. Vasishtha questioned:--If the impressions of the waking state,
come to represent themselves in our dreaming (and if our dreams are
alike our waking sights), then tell me Ráma! why do you find your house
standing entire in the morning, which you beheld to have fallen down in
your dream.
80. Ráma answered:--I see that the things seen in waking, do not appear
the same in dreaming; but tell me sir, why they seem to resemble those
that have been seen before.
81. Vasishtha replied:--It is neither the notion nor idea of anything,
that appears as a reality in our minds; but the inherent impression of
the world in the soul, that exhibits it to us from first to last.
82. Ráma said:--I find it now, that this world is no better than a
dream; but tell me sir, how to remedy our fallacy of its reality, which
holds us fast as a goblin.
83. Vasishtha replied:--Now consider how this dream of the world has
come into vogue, and what may be the cause thereof; and knowing that
the cause is not different from its effect, view this visible creation
in the light of its invisible origin.
84. Ráma said:--But as the mind is the cause of the sights, seen in our
dreams in sleep, it must therefore be the same with its creation of
this world, which is equally unsubstantial and undecaying as itself.
(The world is the permeation of the Divine mind--its maker or pervader).
85. Vasishtha replied:--So it is, O most intelligent Ráma, the world is
verily the _manas--mens_ or the mind of God, which is no other than the
consolidation of the Divine Intellect or intelligence. Thus the world
being situated in the mind, and this in that, it is this mind only that
exhibits these dreamlike shows, which originate from it, and have no
other source besides.
86. Ráma rejoined:--But why am I not to think the identity of the
world with Brahma himself, as there is the identity of the divine
mind with him, and that of the mind with the creation. And likewise
as the relation of sameness subsists between a component part and its
_ensemble_ or the integral whole, as there is between the branch of a
tree and the tree itself? (because these are but parts of one undivided
whole). But it would be absurd to identify the undivided and formless
Brahma, with the divided and formal world.
87. Vasishtha replied:--It is impossible, O Ráma, to identify this
frail world with the eternal Brahma, who is increate to identify this
perishable, quite calm and quiescent and intact in his nature.
88. Ráma added:--I come to find at last and by a haphazard, my
erroneous conception of the world from first to last; as also the error
of my attributing the qualities of activity and passivity, to the
nature of the transcendent being.
89. Vasishtha concluded with saying:--Now I have fully exposed
the erroneous views of the world (entertained both by the wise and
ignorant), both by the elegance of my poetical diction, as also by the
enlightening reasonings of the learned; both of which are calculated to
remove the mistaken views of the vacuity and delusion of the world, by
establishment of the truth of the whole, as being composed of essence
of the One sole and Supreme entity.
CHAPTER CLXXXXI.
SOLUTION OF THE GREAT QUESTION OF UNITY AND DUALITY.
Argument:--Concerning the identity of the world and God, or the
total absence of the universe.
Ráma rejoined:--If it is so sir, as you say, the world must be a great
riddle; as it can neither be said to be in existence with all its
contents, or it is a perfect nullity with every thing quite extinct in
it.
2. This existence that shows itself as the world to sight, appears as a
delusion or deception of vision in view; though it cannot properly be
called an illusion, if it is composed of divine essence as you mean to
say.
3. Vasishtha replied:--The fortuitous appearance in which Brahma,
manifests himself of his own accord; is known to him as the world and
subsisting in himself.
4. Ráma rejoined:--How does Brahma manifest himself as the world,
before existence of space and after its extinction (at the ultimate
dissolution of creation); and how does the divine spirit shine itself
as the world in want of the light of the luminaries?
5. Vasishtha replied:--The world shines in this manner in the light of
the Divine Intellect; and know this light to proceed from the Divine
spirit, which is thus diffused all over the universe.
6. As the light of the lamp or chandelier, enlightens the house with
its lustre; it was thus the holy light of the Divine spirit that shone
itself, without presenting its outward appearance, or having any one to
look upon it (before creation).
7. Thus it is an immaterial and imperishable entity, without any
appearance of or looker on it; it shines with the light of the
intellect, upon the basis or stand of the Divine spirit.
8. It shines in its visible appearance, in the sight of the spirit
only, that constantly looks upon it, as it sees its dreams in sleep.
9. It shines only in the light of the intellect, and appears as the
created world before its creation; all its visible and shining sheen
being derived from the Supreme.
10. The One supreme intellect alone, assumes the triple forms of the
sight, seer and seeing (_i.e._ the subjective, objective and the
attribute), in the beginning of creation; and shows itself as the
created world of its own nature and accord.
11. We have the resemblance of such like appearance, presenting unto us
in our dreams and creatures of our fancy; and it is in the same manner,
that this creation shines before us with the light of the intellect.
12. This world (shining so bright and fair), is like a vacuous body
appearing in the vacuity of the intellect; the creation has neither
its beginning nor end, it is a development of the intellect, which is
distributed through it.
13. It has become habitual to our nature, to suppose the existence of
the world, but the false impression of its visibility, is lost in the
consciousness of high-minded men.
14. To them this creation presents no visible forms, nor any sensible
appearance at all; it is to them a representation of fallacy only, as
the mistake of a man in a statue, or taking a false apparition as real.
15. In this manner the blunder of a duality in the soul, produces a
dualism in the mind; but ere the existence of creation, there existed
no dualism of the creator and the created, or of the manifester and the
manifested.
16. The want of a cause causes the appearance of a duality (_i.e._ of
the causal agency and its effect, in the vacuity of the intellect);
but tell me how could there be a cause when there is no creation in
existence. (The creation presupposes a cause, but not otherwise nor its
absence).
17. It is the Divine intellect alone, that manifests itself in the
manner of the world, in the total absence of all visible objects; and
though this seems to be the waking state of the Supreme soul, yet it
is neither its waking, sleeping nor dreaming state.
18. The visible world is no production of dream, but a manifestation
of Brahma himself; and there existed the Divine intellect only, in the
manner of the infinite void, before the birth of the atmospheric vacuum
of the world.
19. The intellect which beholds this universe as its body, without
being distributed or changed in the form of the world; is purely of a
spiritual or vacuous form, that manifested itself in this visible form
before it came to existence.
20. And this visible world that is so manifest to view, is as void and
vacuous as the empty air.
21. Now knowing this in your own understanding, you must remain devoid
of all dualism in your mind; be as mute as a block of stone, nor give
heed to the words of the universe in your heart, nor care for their
sayings of earthly enjoyments, (for fear of losing your spiritual
bliss).
CHAPTER CLXXXXII.
ON THE ATTAINMENT OF SPIRITUAL ANAESTHESIA.
Argument:--Ráma’s coma and trance, and his revival by the
spiritual lecture of his preceptor.
Ráma rejoined and said:--Alas! that I have so long strayed about, in
the erroneous maze of the world; without the knowledge of its being a
mere void and vacuum.
2. I now come to know the fallacy of my conception of the world, which
is but a mere nullity; which never is nor was, nor shall ever prove to
be a positive reality.
3. It is all still and supportless, and existing in our false knowledge
of it; it is an endless formation of the solid intellect, and a mere
vacuous conception of ours, without any figure or form or colour or
mark of its own.
4. It is the transcendental vacuum and of a wholly inconceivable
nature; and yet how wonderous it is, that we call this our world, our
earth and the sphere of our action.
5. How it appears as a duality (apart from the unity of God), and
how these worlds and mountains seen as separate and solid bodies of
themselves; when they are in reality but the pellucid sky appearing as
thick and opaque to our misconception of them.
6. This creation and the future world, are as the dreams that we see,
but working of our imagination; while it is the intellect only that
shows itself as these intelligible objects, which could not otherwise
present their visible aspects to our conceptions of them.
7. The thought that I am situated in heaven or hell in this life, makes
this world appear as such unto us; because the visibles are all objects
or creatures of our consciousness of them. (It is the mind that makes a
heaven or hell).
8. There is nothing as visible or its vision, nor this world or its
creation, unless it is caused as such, by the intellect within us; it
is neither a scene in our waking or sleeping, nor is this anything as
real in its nature.
9. If this be but an erroneous sight, how could the negative error
produce this positive spectacle, should it <be> but a false conception
of the mind, then tell me, O sage, how could this blank fallacy bring
forth the thought of this real existence.
10. It is not possible for error, to creep into the infallible mind
of omniscience; nor is it probable that error should reign over this
perfect creation at large; it is therefore the Lord himself, that
exhibits his glory in this manner.
11. What can we think otherwise of the continuity of space, infinity
of vacuum and infinity of time, than they are the attributes of
omnipotence; and how are we to look on the transparency of the air and
crystal, without thinking them as manifestation of his nature?
12. An erroneous notion is as false, as the sight of one’s own death in
a dream; but how can this world which is so palpable to sight, be lost
to or expunged from our sight, without losing our sight of its great
manifester also? (To ignore the world is to ignore its maker also, as
the denial of God leads to that of the world).
13. The sights of the mirage, fairy cities and double moons in the sky,
are of course deceptions of vision and productions of our error; but
the same analogy does not apply to our sight of the world.
14. The boys’ apparitions of ghosts, never lay hold on adults and the
waking, nor on any one in the day light and open air; this and similar
errors arise in our ignorance only, but they vanish upon our second
thought and true knowledge of them.
15. It is improper in this place to raise the question, regarding
whence this bug bear of error could rise among mankind; since it is
evident from our own reasoning, that there is no such thing as _avidyá_
or ignorance (which is the cause of error) ever in existence, nor an
_asat_ or not being even in being. (Because the Veda says सदेवईदमग्र आसीत्
the existence existed from before).
16. It is evident by rational reasoning, that whatever is invisible and
imperceptible to us, the same is called as _asat_ or not being, and the
conception of idea or that is termed an error.
17. That which is not clearly obtained by any proof or reasoning, and
is as impossible as the sky-flower or the horn of a hare, how can that
be believed to be as anything in existence.
18. And a thing however apparent to sight, but having no cause or
evidence of its reality, cannot be believed as <a> thing in existence,
but it must be a nullity like the issue of a barren woman.
19. Therefore there can no error at any time, nor can an error ever
produce anything whatever; it is therefore the manifest omniscience of
Providence, that is conspicuous in every part of this wide and grand
display.
20. Whatever then is seen now to shine before us, is the manifestation
of Supreme being itself; the same Supreme spirit fills this plenitude,
and is full with it in itself. (So the Veda पूर्ण मदः पूर्णमिदं &c.).
21. There is nothing that is either shining or unshining here at any
time, unless it be the calm and quiet and transparent spirit of God,
that inheres in its body of the mundane world.
22. It is the one unborn, undying and unchanging everlasting Being,
that is the most adorable and ever adored Lord of all, that fills
and pervades the whole with his essence. He only is the word ego,
selfmanifest--pure and all pervading, while I and all others are
without our egoism, and shine only in that unity (literally, without
our duality).
CHAPTER CLXXXXIII.
MENTAL TORPOR OR TRANQUILITY.
Argument:--Ráma’s ecstatic hybernation and union with the Supreme
unity.
Ráma rejoined:--There is the only One alone whom neither the gods nor
the _rishis_ know or comprehend; He is without beginning, middle and
end, and it is that being that thus shines himself, without this world
and these phenomena.
2. It is useless to us to mind the difference, between the unity
and duality, and to be led to the doubts created by the misleading
verboilogy of erroneous doctrines; without relying in the state of one
tranquil and unvarying Spirit.
3. The world is as clearly a vacuous body, appearing in the womb of
vacuity; as the string of pearls and the aerial castles, that are seen
in the open sky.
4. The world is attached in the same manner, to the solidity of the
invisible intellect; as vacuity is inherent in vacuum, lapidity in the
stone, and fluidity in water.
5. Though the world, appears to be spread on all sides of space; yet it
is no more than an empty vacuity, lying calm and quiet, in the hollow
womb of the great intellect.
6. This world appearing so fair and perspicuous, to the sight of
ignorant people; vanishes as a phantom into nothing, at the sight of
the boundless glory of the transcendent God.
7. The impression of difference and duality, existing between the
creator and creation, among worldly men; vanishes upon reflection, like
waves into the waters of the sea.
8. The existence of the world, together with all our miseries in it,
before the light of our liberation; as the darkness of night flies away
at sunrise, and the light of the day disappears, before the gloom of
night.
9. Whether in plenty or poverty, or in birth, death or disease; or in
the troubles and turmoils of the world, the wise man remains unshaken,
though he may be overpowered by them.
10. There is no knowing nor error in this world, nor any pain or
pleasure, or distress or delight in it; but they are all attributes of
the deity, whose pure nature is unsullied by them.
11. I have come to know, that this existence is the immaculate Brahma
himself; and is the want of our knowledge, which says anything to be
beside the spirit of the Great God.
12. I am awakened to, and enlightened in divine knowledge; and find
external existence cease to exist in any presence.
13. Perfect knowledge tells us, all these worlds to be but Brahma
himself; but want of this knowledge says, I was no Brahma before, but
have now become so by my knowledge.
14. The known and the unknown, the dark and the bright are all but
Brahma, as vacuity and unity, and brightness and blueness, do all
appertain to the one and same sky.
15. I am extinct in the deity (in my divine knowledge), and sit
dauntless of anything; I am devoid of all desire, with my leaning in
perfect blessedness; I am as I am, ravished in my infinite bliss,
without my sensibility of what or which.
16. I am wholly that one and sole entity, which is naught but perfect
tranquility; I see nothing but a calm and quiet, which utterly absorbs
and enrapts me quite.
17. Knowing the knowable (the unknown One) is to unknow one’s self
and ignore the visible; as this cognition continues to dawn in the
soul, the whole cosmos sinks into oblivion and seems a block of stone,
without the name and sign of anything being known.
CHAPTER CLXXXXIV.
RÁMA’S REST IN NIRVÁNA INSENSIBILITY.
Argument:--Ráma’s feeling of his comatosity, and _his relation_
of it to his preceptor Vasishtha.
Ráma said:--In whatever manner and form, the living or individual soul
conceives the universal soul within itself; it has the same conception
or idea presented before it, agreeably to its concept thereof. (_i.e._
The divine spirit appears in the same form in us, as we think it to be).
2. All these worlds lie in concert in their spiritual state, in the
boundless spirit of the great Brahma; but they appear to us in various
lights, like the different rays, radiating from the one and same gem.
3. The great and bright quarry of the Divine Mind, contains all these
gemming worlds in its unbounded bosom; all of which unite to shed and
scatter their conjoined light upon us, like the commingled rays of the
gems contained in the womb of a vast mine.
4. All these several worlds, shining together like so many lamps of a
lustre; are clearly perceived by some and are imperceptible to others,
as the blaze of day light is dazzling to the clear-sighted, but quite
dim to the blind.
5. As the rushing of the contrary currents, describe the whirlpools
in the waters of the deep; so do the contact and conflict of the
elementary atoms, produce the consolidation and dissolution of worlds,
which are no acts of creation.
6. The creation is everywhere but a coagulation, of the drizzling drops
of the gelid intellect; who can therefore count the countless watery
particles, that are incessantly oozing out of it, and are condensed in
the forms of worldly spherules.
7. As the part is not different in its substance, from that of the
whole; so the creation is not otherwise than its creator, except in
the difference of the two terms of devious significations.
8. The causeless and uncausing unity, being the archetype of infinite
variety; these numberless multiplicities are only ectypes of that sole
moiety, and neither a duality nor pluralities whatever; nor do these
copies and counterparts, ever rise or fall apart from their original
prototype (but the both are showing the same).
9. It is that intelligence which shows the intelligibles in itself; it
produces these unproduced productions to view, as the sun light exposes
the visibles to light.
10. It is from my inappetency of all things in existence, that I have
accomplished that perfection, and acquired that prosperity for myself,
which is termed _insouciance_ or the nirvána extinction.
11. It is not by our understanding this bliss, nor can we have any
knowledge of it by our percipience; neither is there any knowledge
whereby we may know, the unknown one which is alone to be known. (Here
is a pun and play of the word bódha or knowledge, which is explained in
the gloss to a great length).
12. It is a knowledge that rises of itself, and a waking of the soul
resembling its somnolence; it throws a light as that of the midday sun
in the inmost soul, and is neither confined in or absent from any place
or time. (_i.e._ The full blaze of spiritual light, fills the soul at
all times and places or as Pope says: It wraps my soul, and absorbs me
quite).
13. It is after the subsidence of all desire within, and desistance
from all actions without accompanied with one’s desistance from all
wishes, that this stillness attends upon the enlightened soul.
14. The saint of awakened understanding, that is confined in himself,
and absorbed in his meditation; is neither inclined to the prurience of
any thing, nor to the avoidance of aught whatever. (“Have what I have,
and dare not leave, enamoured of the present day.” Young).
15. In this state of rapture, the mind of the saint, though in full
possession of its mental faculties; remains yet as fixed and inactive,
and unmindful of all worldly things and bodily actions; as a burning
taper, that consumes itself while illumes others, without any
shaking or motion of its own. (_i.e._ Thoughtful and inactive).
16. The soul becomes as Viswarúpa or incorporated with the world, in
its condition of thoughtfulness, when it is called the Viswátma or
the mundane soul; or else it is said to be situated in the state of
the immense void of Brahma, when it is devoid of and unoccupied with
its thoughts. Hence creation and its cessation, both appertain to the
Divine Intellect, in its states of activity or thoughtfulness and its
wants or stupor.
17. He who is enrapt in divine ecstasy, and settled in his belief of
the identity of the Deity with his excogitation of him, remains closely
confined in himself with his rapture and secure from distraction of his
mind (and perturbation of worldly thoughts).
18. He who relies only in the cogitation of his self, regardless
of all other things in the world; comes to find the reality of his
self-cognition alone, and else beside, to be as _nil_ as empty air.
(Literally: as empty air is not distinct from vacuity).
19. The man of enlarged understanding, has an unbounded store of
knowledge in himself; but this ultimately ends in the knowledge of the
unspeakable one. (The end of all knowledge is the knowledge of God).
20. It is therefore in our quietism, that we feel the very best entity
of our consciousness, to be either dormant or extinct; and this state
of tranquility of the mind, is unutterable in words.
21. That which is the acme of all knowledge, is the abstract and
abstruse knowledge of all as the true One; hence the world is a real
entity, in as much as it abides in the eternal One (in its abstract
light).
22. The felicity of Nirvána--ecstasy, with the utter extinction of all
desire, and the consciousness of a cool and calm composure of one’s
self, is the _summum bonum_ or highest state of bliss and perfection;
that is aimed at to be attained even by the gods Brahmá, Vishnu and
Siva.
23. All things (desirable to the soul), are always present with it,
in all places and at all times; they are ever accompanied with our
concepts of them in the intellect, which is the only pure entity that
is ever in existence, and is never dissolved. (The thought survives the
thing it represents).
24. Too hot is the busy bustle of the world, and very cooling is the
bliss of Nirvána insensibility; it is therefore far better to have
the cold heartedness of _insouciance_, than the heart burning heat of
worldliness.
25. As an artist conceives in himself, the contrivance of a statue
sculptured in relief, in the slab of his mind; so the Great Brahma sees
this universe inscribed in him, in rilievo and not carved out of him.
26. Just as the spacious ocean looks upon the waves, heaving upon the
surface of its waters; so doth the great Brahma see the myriads of
worlds, rolling about in the midst of its intellect.
27. But ignorant people of dull understandings, behold those fixed
inseparable spectacles, in the light of separate spectres, appearing in
various shapes and forms, in the spheres of their intellect.
28. In whatever manner doth any body conceive anything in his mind, he
verily thinks and beholds it in the same light, by his habitual mode of
thinking the same as such.
29. As a man waking from his sleep, finds no truth in aught he saw in
his dream; whether it be the death or presence or absence of a friend
or other; so the enlightened soul sees no reality in the Life or death,
of any living being seen in this visible world because none lives by
himself, nor dies or departs away of himself, but all are deputed alike
in the tablet of the eternal mind.
30. The thought and conviction of this truth in the mind, that whatever
appears to pass under and away from our sight, is the fixed inert and
quiescent _réchauffé_ of its divine original, is sure and enough to
forfend the mind, from its falling into the error of taking the copy
for its mould.
31. This lesson will certainly tend to lessen the enjoyments of your
body, that none of them will ever serve to prevent its fall to naught;
as also to protect you from the error of accounting for the reality of
these numberless, that are at best but passing sights in your dream.
32. Inappetency of earthly enjoyments increases our wisdom, as wisdom
serves to diminish our worldly desires, thus they mutually serve to
augment one another, as the open air and sunshine.
33. The knowledge which tends to create your aversion to riches, and
to your family and friends, is of course averse to your ignorance and
dullness; and the one being acquired and accomplished by you, serves to
put an end to your ignorance at once.
34. That is the true wisdom of wise men, which is unalloyed by avarice,
and that is the true learning of the learned, which is not vitiated by
any yearning.
35. But neither wisdom and inappetency, singly and simply, nor their
combined and augmented states, are of no good unless they have attained
their perfection, but prove as vain as the blaze of a sacrificial fire
in a picture, which has not the power of consuming the oblation offered
upon it.
36. The perfection of wisdom and inappetence, is a treasure which
is termed liberation also; because any body who has reached to, and
remains in that state of infinite bliss, is freed from all the bonds of
care.
37. In this state of our emancipation, we see the past and present,
and all our sights and doings in them as present before us; and find
ourselves situated, in a state of even calm and tranquility, of which
there is no end nor any breach whatever.
38. The self-contented man who finds all his happiness in himself,
is ever cool and calm and tranquil in his soul, and is devoid of all
desire and selfishness in his mind. He relies in his cool hearted
indifference and apathy to all worldly objects, and sees only a clear
void stretched before him.
39. We scarcely find one man, among a hundred thousand human beings,
who is strong enough and has the bravery, to break down the trammels
of his earthly desires, as the lion alone breaks of the iron bars of
his prison house. (The adamantine chain of avarice, binds us all alike
to this nether earth).
40. It is the inward light of the clear understanding, that dispels the
mist of desires that overcasts the cupidinous mind; and melts down the
incrassated avarice, as the broad sunshine dissolves the thickened ice
in autumn.
41. It is the want of desire that is the knowledge of the knowable,
(or what is best and most worthy of being known), and stands above
all things that are desirable or worth our desiring; it bears its
resemblance to the breath of air, without any external action of it.
(_i.e._ The man that is without any desire of his, lives to breathe
his vital breath only, without doing any external action of his; but
breathes as the current mind, to no purpose whatsoever).
42. He sits quiet and firm in himself, with his thoughts fixed in
ascertaining the truths and errors of the world; and looks all others
in the light of himself, without having to do with or desire of them.
43. He sits reclined in the immensity of Brahma, with his enlightened
view of the visibles as subsisting in Him; he remains indifferent to
all things, and devoid of his desire for anything, and sits quiet in
the quiescence of his liberation; which is styled as _moksha_ by the
wise.
CHAPTER CLXXXXV.
LECTURE ON THE ENLIGHTENMENT OF UNDERSTANDING.
Argument:--Vasishtha’s commendation of Ráma’s knowledge, and his
further questions for his trial and Ráma’s replies.
Vasishtha said:--Bravo Ráma! that you are awakened to light and
enlightened in your understanding; and the words you have spoken, are
calculated to destroy the darkness of ignorant minds, and rejoice the
hearts of wise.
2. These phenomenals that ever appear so very bright to our sight,
lose their gloss at our want of desire and disregard of them; it is
the knowledge of this truth, that is attended with our peace and
tranquility, and our liberation and inexcitability.
3. All these imaginary sights vanish from our view, at the suppression
of our imagination of them; just as the want of ventilation in the
winds, reduces them to the level of the one common, and calm still air.
4. The enlightened man remaining unmoved as a stone, or moving
quietly in his conduct in life (_i.e._ who is ever unruffled in his
disposition), is verily said to have his clear liberation.
5. Look at yogis like ourselves, O Ráma, that having attained this
state of liberation, have been cleansed from all our iniquities; and
are now set at quiet rest, even in the conduct of our worldly affairs.
6. Know the great gods Brahmá, Vishnu and others, to have been situated
in this state of quiet and freedom, that they are remaining as pure
intelligences, even while discharging the offices of their godship.
7. Do you, O Ráma, attain the enlightenment of holy sages, and remain
as still as a stone like ourselves.
8. Ráma replied:--I see this world as a formless void, situated in
the infinite vacuity of Brahma; it is an uncreated and unsubstantial
nihility, and with all its visibility, it is an invisible nothing.
9. It is as the appearance of water in the mirage, and as a whirlpool
in the ocean; its glare is as glitter <of> gold in the dust, and of
sands in the sandy shores of seas in sunshine.
10. Vasishtha said:--Ráma! if you have become so enlightened and
intelligent, then I will tell you more for the edification of your
understanding; and put some questions for your answer to them, in order
to remove my doubts regarding them.
11. Tell me, how can the world be a nullity, when it shines so very
brightly all about and above our heads; and how can all these things,
which are so resplendent to sight, and always perceptible _to_ our
senses.
12. Ráma replied:--The world was never created in the beginning, nor
was anything ever produced at any time, it is therefore as nil as the
offspring of an unprolific woman and a creation of our imagination only.
13. It is true that there is no result without its cause, or that
nothing comes from nothing, but can be the cause of the world when it
is a nullity, and a production of our error only.
14. The immutable and everlasting deity, cannot be the creator, without
changing itself to a finite form; how can therefore be there a cause of
this frail and finite form?
15. It is the unknown and nameless Brahma, that shows himself as the
cause of the world, which having proceeded from him is his very self,
nor does the word world bear any other sense at all (nor it can be made
to bear any other sense).
16. The first intelligence named as the God Brahmá, rises from and
abides for a little while, that unknown and nameless category of the
universal spirit, as the conscious soul and having a spiritual body.
(This is called the _jívátmá_ or the living soul with a personal body
of it).
17. It then comes to see on a sudden, the luminaries of the sun and
moon and the heavenly hosts, rising in the infinity of the Divine Mind,
and thinks a small moment as a long year as its reverie of a dream.
(The Morning and evening of the creation of Brahmá, occupying many a
year of mortals).
18. It then perceived the ideas of space and time, together with those
of their divisions and motions also; and the whole universe appearing
to its sight, in the vast immensity of vacuity: (of the Divine Mind).
19. Upon the completion of the false world in this manner, its false
contriver the _soi-disant_ Brahmá, was employed in wandering all over
the world as his creation.
20. So the living soul of every body, being deluded by its mistaken
conception of the world as a positive reality, traverses up and down
and all about it, in its repeated wanderings amidst its false utopia.
21. And though the events of life, takes place according to the wishes
of the soul; yet these are mere accidents of chance; and it is a
mistake to think them as permanent result of fixed laws.
22. Because it is as wrong to suppose the substantiality of the world,
and the permanency of the events; as to grant the birth of a child
born of a barren woman, and the feeding of it with the powder of the
pulverized air.
23. Nothing can be positively affirmed or denied, regarding the
existence of the world; except that whatever it is, it is no other than
the diffusion of the all pervasive spirit of the Eternal one.
24. The world is as clear as the transparent atmosphere, and as solid
as the density of a rock; it is as mute and still as a stone, and quite
indestructible in its nature.
25. The world is originally ideal, from the ideas of the eternal mind;
and then it is spiritual, from the pervasion of the all pervading
spirit of Virát; it is thus a mere void, appearing as a solid body to
us.
26. Thus Brahma being the great vacuum and its fulness, where is any
other thing as the world in it, the whole is a dead calm as quietus,
and a void devoid of its beginning and end (_i.e._ a round sphere).
27. As the waves have been ever heaving and diving, in the bosom of
the waters of the deep; and as the waves are not distinct from those
waters, so the worlds rolling in the breast of the vacuous Brahma, are
no other than the selfsame essence of Brahma himself.
28. The few that are versed in their superior or esoteric, as well as
in the inferior or exoteric knowledge; live as long as they live and
then dive at last in this Supreme, as drops of water mix into the sea.
29. The exoteric (or phenomenal) world, abides in the esoteric (or
the noumenal) Brahma; and is of the same transcendent nature as the
Divine Mind; for it is never possible for the gross, changeful and
transitional nature, to subsist in the pure, unchanged and quiet state
of the deity.
30. For who that knows the nature of dream as false, and that of mirage
as a fallacy can ever believe them as realities; so any one that knows
the visible Nature to be of the nature of Brahma, can ever take it for
dull and gross material substance. (Nature being one with its God, is
equally of a spiritual nature).
31. The enlightened sage, that has the esoteric knowledge of the world,
and reflects it in its spiritual sense; cannot be misled to view it in
its gross (material) light, as the holy man that tastes ambrosia, is
never inclined to drink the impure liquor of wine.
32. He who remains in his _Nirvána_ meditation, by reverting his view
from the sight of the visibles, to the excogitation of his self; and
represses his mind from the thoughts of thinkables, he is verily seated
in the tranquility of Supreme spirit.
33. Vasishtha said:--If the visible creation is situated in
Brahma--their cause and origin, as the germ or sprout of a plant
is seated in its producing seed; how then can you ignore the
substantiality or distinction of either of them from their originating
source the seed or God (who is said in the sruti, as the seed of the
arbor of the world,--sansáramahirúpavíja &c.).
34. Ráma replied:--The germ does seem to be seated or situated in the
seed (as a separate or different substance); but as it is produced
from the essence of the seed, it appears to be the same substance with
itself. (Were it not so, the germ would become another plant than that
of the seed).
35. If the world as it appears to us is inherent in Brahma, then it
must be of the same essence and nature as Brahma; and these being
eternal and imperishable in Brahma, needs have the world to be so also
(and not of the seed and sprout, or the begetter and begotten).
36. We have neither seen nor ever heard, that any finite, formal
or perishable, has ever proceeded from an infinite, formless and
imperishable cause (therefore this world is not as it appears to us).
37. It is impossible for a formless thing, to remain in any form or
other whatsoever; as it is never possible for an atom, to contain a
mountain in its bosom.
38. It is the voice of an idiot only who says, that the stupendous
world with its gigantic form, abides in the formless abyss of Brahma;
as bright gems are contained in the hollow of a box or basket. (The
basket has a base to support any thing, whereas the vacuity of Brahma
has no basis at all).
39. It does not befit any body to say that, the transcendence and
tranquility of God, supports the material and moving world upon it; nor
that a corporeal body (the corpus mundi), is an imperishable thing (as
the divine spirit).
40. Our perception of the world having a form, is no proof of its
reality; because there is no truth whatever in the many curious forms,
that present themselves before us in our dreams. (This is a refutation
of the Buddhists’ reliableness in perception).
41. It is an unprecedented dream, that presents us the sight of the
world, of which we had no innate or preconceived idea in us; while our
usual dreams are commonly known, to be the reproduced representations,
of our former impressions and perceptions, and the results of our past
remembrances of things &c.
42. It is not a day dream as some would have it to be, because the
night dreams disappear in the day time; but how does a dreamer of his
own funeral at night, come to see himself alive upon his waking in the
day? (This continuous sight of the world day by day, is not comparable
to a transient dream by day or night, but a permanent one in the
person of the Great God himself).
43. Others again maintain that, no bodiless things can appear in our
dream, since we dream of certain bodies only; but this tenet has no
truth in it, since we often dream of, as well as see the apparitions of
bodiless ghosts both by day and night.
44. Therefore the world is not as false as a dream, but an impression
settled like a dream in our very conscious soul; it is the formless
deity, that manifests itself in the various forms of this world, to our
understandings.
45. As our intellect remains alone and in itself, in the forms and
other things, appearing as dreams unto us in our sleep; so doth Brahma
remain solely in himself in the form of the world we see: for God being
wholly free and apart from all, can not have any accompaniment with him.
46. There is nothing that is either coexistent or inexistent in him
(that is what can be either affirmed or denied of him); because we have
no concept or conception of him ourselves, nor do we <have> any notion
or idea we are to form of him.
47. What is this nameless thing, that we can not know in our
understanding; it is known in our consciousness (_i.e._ we are
conscious of it), but it is in _esse_ or _non-esse_, we know nothing of
(this world).
48. It is an inexistence appearing as existent, as also an existence
seeming to be unexistent; all things are quite manifest in it at all
times and in all forms (but how and whence they are is quite unknown).
49. It is the development of Brahma in Brahma, as the sky is evolved in
vacuity; for nothing can be found to fill the vacuum of Brahma, except
Brahma himself (or his own essence).
50. There I, my seeing and my sight of the world, is all mere fallacy;
it is the calm and quiet extension of the Divine intellect only, that
fills the infinite vacuity of his own spirit, and naught beside.
51. As the ærial castle of our imagination, has no building nor reality
in it; so is this world but a calm and quiet vacuity, and unfailing
vacant ideality.
52. It is a boundless space full with the essence of the Supreme
spirit, it is without its beginning and end, wholly inscrutable in its
nature, and quite calm and quiet in its aspect.
53. I have known my own state also, to be without its birth and death,
and as calm and quiet, as that of the unborn and immortal Brahma
himself; and I have come to know myself (_i.e._ my soul) also, to be as
formless and undefinable, as the Supreme soul or spirit.
54. I have now given expression, to all that I find to be impressed in
my consciousness; just as whatever is contained in the seed, the same
comes to sprout forth out of it.
55. I know only the knowledge that I bear in my consciousness, and
nothing about the unity or duality (of the creation and creator);
because the question of unity and duality rises only from imagination
(of the one or other).
56. All these knowing and living liberated men, that have been
liberated from the burthen of life by their knowledge of truth; are
sitting silent here, and devoid of all their earthly cares, like the
empty air in the infinite vacuity.
57. All their efforts of mixing with the busy bustle of the world,
are here at an end; and they are sitting here as quiet and silent as
yon mute and motionless picture on the wall, medalling on the bright
regions in their minds.
58. They are as still as the statues engraven in a rock, or as people
described in fancy tales, to dwell in the ærial city built by Sambara
in air (_i.e._ as the inhabitants dwelling in the Elysian of Plato, or
in the utopia of Sir Thomas Moore); or as the airy figures in our dream.
59. This world is verily a phantom appearing in our dream of the
creation; it is a structure without its base, and a figure intangible
to our touch. Where then is its reality? (Its tangibleness is a
deception of our sense).
60. The world appears as a positive reality to the blinded ignorant,
but it <is> found to be a negative nullity by the keen-sighted sage;
who sees it in the light of Brahma and a manifestation of himself,
and as still as the calm air, reposing in the quiet vacuity of that
transcendent spirit.
61. All these existences, with their moving and unmoving beings, and
ourselves also, are mere void and vacant nullities, in the knowledge of
the discerning and philosophic mind.
62. I am void and so are you too, and the world beside but mere blanks;
the intellect is a void also, and by having all several voids in
itself, it forms the immense intellectual vacuum, which is the sole
object of our adoration (being as infinite and eternal, as well as all
pervading and containing all as the supreme spirit).
63. Being thus seated with my knowledge of the infinite vacuity of
Brahma, I take thee also, O thou best of biped beings, as indistinct
from the knowable One, who is one and same with the all comprehending
vacuum, and so make my obeisance to thee.
64. It is from the all comprehensiveness (_i.e._ omniscience) of the
vacuous intellect, that this world rises and sets in it by turns; it is
as clear as the transparent air, and has no other cause of it but the
undulation of the same.
65. This hypostasis of Brahma is beyond all other existences, and
above the reach of all sástras, it is by attaining to this state of
transcendentalism, that one becomes as pure and superfine as empty air.
66. There is nothing as myself, my feet and hands, or this pot or
aught else that I bear, as any material existence; all is air and
empty and inane as air, and knowing this, let us turn ourselves to our
airy intellects only. (_i.e._ I think ourselves as intellectual and
spiritual beings only, in utter disregard of our bodies and earthly
things).
67. You have shewn me sir, the nullity of the world and the vanity of
all worldly things; and the truth of this doctrine is evident in the
light of our spiritual knowledge, in defiance of the sophistry of our
opponents.
68. The sophist that discomfits the silent sage with his sophistry, can
never expect to see the light of spiritual knowledge to gleam upon him
(spirituality is got by silent meditation and not by wrangling).
69. The Being that is beyond our perception and conception, and
without any designation or indication; can be only known in our
consciousness of him, and not by any kind of reasoning or argumentation.
70. The Being that is without any attribute, or sight or symbol of his
nature, is purely vacuous and entirely inconceivable by us, save by
means of our spiritual light of him.
CHAPTER CLXXXXVI.
STORY OF A WOOD-CUTTER AND HIS GEM.
Argument:--Illustration of the efficacy of knowledge derived from
Books and Preceptors. In the story of the Wood-cutter, and his
obtaining a precious Gem.
Válmíki relates:--After the lotus-eyed Ráma, had said these words, he
fell into a trance and remained silent, with his mind reposing in the
state of supreme bliss. (The ecstatic state of rapture and transport of
the devout).
2. He felt himself supremely blest at his repose in the Supreme spirit,
and then awaking after a while from his holy trance, he wistfully asked
his sagely preceptor, saying:--
3. Ráma said:--O Venerable sir, that art the dispeller of my doubts, as
the clear autumn is the scatterer of dark clouds; that the doubt which
had so long rankled in my breast, has at last quite set at rest.
4. I find this knowledge of mine to be the best and greatest of all,
and capable of saving me from the boisterous ocean of this world; it
transcends all other doctrines, which are mere verbiology to ensnare
the heedless minds of men.
5. If all this is certainly the very Brahma, and our consciousness of
him; then O Venerable sir, he must be unspeakable and inexpressible in
words, even by the most learned and wisest of men.
6. Remaining thus in the meditation of the knowable One, and without
any desire in our minds of any earthly good; we are enabled to attain
the consciousness of our highest bliss (The Turíya state), which is
unattainable by learning and unutterable in words. (The divine state is
only known <to> one’s self, but never to be spoken or expressed).
7. How can this certain and invariable state of felicity, be obtained
from the dogmas of the sástras; which are at variance with each other,
and are employed in the enumeration of their several categories. (The
ever varying sástras cannot give us any knowledge of this invariable
felicity).
8. We can gain no true knowledge from the tenets of the different
sástras, that are <at> best but contradictory of one another; it is
therefore in vain to expect any benefit from them, that are based upon
mere theories of our pretended leaders.
9. Tell me therefore, O Venerable sir, whether it is of any good to us,
to learn the doctrines of the sástras or attend to the teaching of our
preceptors (when our true knowledge is derived from within ourselves:
_i.e._ from our intuition, self-consciousness and our personal
experiences).
10. Vasishtha replied:--So it is, O mighty armed Ráma, the sástras
are not the means to divine knowledge; those being profuse in wordy
torrents, and this beyond the reach of words.
11. Yet hear me to tell you, O thou best of Raghu’s race, how the
dictates of the sástras and the lectures of your preceptors, are of
some avail towards the improvement of your understanding.
12. There lived in a certain place some wood-cutters, who had been ever
unfortunate and miserable in this lives (or who were miserably poor
all their lives). They pined and faded away in their poverty, like the
withering trees in summer heat.
13. Excessive poverty made them cover themselves with patched up rags,
and they were as emaciated in their despair as the fading lotus flowers
for want of their natal water.
14. Being parched by famine, and despairing of their lives; they only
thought of the means of filling their bellies.
15. In this state of their distress and despondence, one thought
gleamed in their minds; and it was to carry the woods day by day to the
town, and to live upon the profits of their sale as fuel.
16. Thus determined they went to the forest to fell down the woods,
because any plan that is hit upon in distress, is best to be availed
of, for the preservation of life.
17. Thus they continued daily to go to the forest to fell the woods,
and fetch them to the town for sale; and to fill their bellies and
support their bodies with the sale proceeds thereof.
18. It happened that the skirts of the forest whither they went, were
full of woods with hordes of treasures, consisting of gold and precious
gems, lying hidden under the trees, and also exposed to view.
19. It then turned out that some of the log-bearers, happened by their
good luck to espy the brilliant gems, which they took with them to
their homes from the forest.
20. Some saw the valuable sandalwood trees, and others beheld beautiful
flowers in some place; some found fruit trees somewhere, all which they
took and sold for their food and livelihood.
21. Some men of dull understanding, slighted all these goods; and kept
collecting the blocks of wood, which they bore to the way side of the
forest, and there sold at trifling prices. (Nothing is valued at home
unless it is taken to a distance).
22. Among all these wood men, who were employed in common in collection
of woods, some of them happened by their good luck, to find some
precious gems there, which set them at ease for every care.
23. Thus amongst all of these that had been toiling and moiling in the
same field of labour; now it happened to obtain their desired boon the
Philosopher’s gem. (That converts all things to gold, and is desired by
all but found by few).
24. Now they having obtained the desirable gem, which bestowed upon
them all the blessings of affluence and prosperity; they became
preeminently happy with their fortune, and remained quite content in
the very woods.
25. So the seekers and sellers of worthless wooden blocks, being
gainers of the all bounteous gem of their heart’s desire (Chintámani);
remained happily with themselves, as the gods dwelling together in
harmony in the Elysian field.
26. Thus the Kir woodmen, having obtained their best gains of what
forms the pith and gist of every good in the main, remained in quiet
and quite content in themselves, and passed their days without any
fear or grief, in the enjoyment of their everlasting equanimity and
felicity.
27. This world is compared to the wilderness, and all its busy people
are as the day-labouring Kiri foresters, daily toiling and moiling in
their hard work, for their help of daily bread. Some amongst them are
happy to find the precious treasure of true knowledge, which gives them
the real bliss of life and lasting peace of mind.
CHAPTER CLXXXXVII.
ON THE EXCELLENCE OF LEARNING.
Argument:--Study of the sástras whether for temporal ends or
ultimate bliss tends mainly to the edification of the Mind.
Ráma said:--Do thou, O greatest of sages, deign to give me the best
treasures of knowledge, as the wood-cutter obtained their precious
treasures of the Philosopher’s stones, and whereby I may attain to the
full, perfect and indubitable knowledge of all things.
2. Vasishtha replied:--The woodmen that I have mentioned bear allusion
to all mankind in general and their great poverty that I have
described, refers to the extreme ignorance of men which is the cause of
all their woe (three fold miseries--_tritapas_ of the body, mind and
soul, or of this world and the next. Gloss).
3. The great forest which is said to be the place of their residence,
is the vast wilderness of knowledge, which the human kind have to
traverse under the guidance of their preceptors and the sástras; and
their labour in felling and selling the wood for their daily food, is
the hard struggle of human kind in their life time for their simple
fare and supportance.
4. The unavaricious men that are unemployed in business, and are
yet desirous of the enjoyments of life; are the persons that devote
themselves to the acquisition of learning. (Such is the literary body
of students and scholars).
5. And those people also, who pursue their callings for the provisions
of life, and are dependents <on> others for their supportance; become
successful in the acquirement of learning in their minds, by their
practice of the precepts and studious habits.
6. As the wood-cutters, who sought for the worthless wood at first,
get the very valuable gems at last; so men prosecuting their studies
for a paltry maintenance and self supportance, succeed to gain divine
knowledge at the end. (Secular knowledge often leads to the spiritual).
7. There are some sceptics who say by way of derision, what is the good
to be derived from poring upon books? but these have been found to have
turned to true believers at last. (Those who came to deride, returned
believers at the end and confessed the truth).
8. Worldly men devoted to the objects of their fruition in life, and
acquainted with the objects of mental and spiritual truths; coming
distrustfully to listen to the doctrines of the sástras, have become
fully convinced of their truths at last.
9. Men are led away to many ways by the different tenets of the
sástras, and by direction of their various desires and inclinations;
but they come to meet at last in the same path of glory, as the gemming
forest of the woodmen.
10. He who is not inclined to the injury of others, but goes on in his
own beaten course; is called the upright man, and it is his judgement
which is sought and followed by every one.
11. But men ignorant of truth, are dubious of the result of righteous
conduct, in earning their livelihood; and are doubtful also of the
benefit, which is derived from the study of the sástras. (Hence they
fall to misconduct and neglect their studies also, in order to earn
their bread by foul means).
12. But men persisting in their righteousness, gain both their
livelihood and liberation at once; as the honest woodmen obtained their
wood as well as the gems together, and in the same place.
13. Among these some succeeded to get the sandal woods, and some to
gain the precious gems, while others met with some common metals, and a
great number of them, found the wood of the forest trees only. (So are
our lots differently cast among different individuals, according to our
respective deserts).
14. Some of us gain the objects of our desire, and some acquire riches
or deeds of virtue and merit; others obtain their liberation; and
attain their proficiency in the sástras.
15. Know, O Ráma, that the sástras deal only with instructions for the
acquirement of the triple blessings of our livelihood, riches and
virtue; but they give no direction for our knowing the supreme One,
who is inexpressible in words. (Because no word nor thought can ever
approach to the unknowable One).
16. The words and their significations (which are used in the sástras),
serve only to express the intelligible objects which are signified by
them, as the seasons denote the seasonal fruits and flowers which they
bear; but the knowledge of the supreme being, is derived from one’s
intuition, and is felt in our consciousness alone.
17. Divine knowledge is said in the sástras, to transcend the knowledge
of all other things; and the transparency of the Divine person,
surpasses the brightness of all objects, as the beauty of the female
body excels the lustre of the brightest gems. (The personal grace of
females, transcends the beauty of all their decorations).
18. The transcendental knowledge of the Deity, is not to be derived
from the doctrine of the sástras, nor from the teachings of our
preceptors; it cannot be had by means of our gifts and charities; nor
by divine service and religious observances, can we ever know the
unknowable One.
19. These and other acts and rites, are falsely said to be the causes
of divine knowledge, which can never be attained by them; now attend
to me, O Ráma, and I will tell you the way to your rest in the Supreme
soul.
20. The study of the sástras, serves of course to purify the mind
from vulgar errors and prejudices; but <it> is the want of desire or
aversion to worldly enjoyments, that makes the mind look within itself,
wherein it sees clearly the image of God shining in it.
21. This sástra stablishes right understanding in lieu of ignorance,
and this right reasoning serves to drive away all gross errors from the
mind at once.
22. The sástra or learning serves principally to cleanse the mirror of
the mind, from its dross of errors at first, and then it purifies the
person of its possessor, by the force of its doctrines. (So the sástra
has the power of purifying both the body and mind of the learned man).
23. As the rising sun casts his image spontaneously, on the dark bosom
of the ocean; so doth the luminary of sástra or learning, shed of its
own accord the bright light of truth, in the minds of ignorant.
24. As the sun enlightens all objects, by his presence before them;
so doth the light of learning illume the dark understandings of the
illiterate, by its benign appearance therein.
25. In this manner there is an intimate relation, between the learning
derived from the sástra, and the mind of the man that is desirous of
his liberation; in as much as the sástra alone affords the knowledge of
the otherwise unknowable One to our minds.
26. As the sight of the sun and the ocean, shows us the blue waters of
the one, turning to a bright expanse by the rays of the other; so the
instance of the sástra and its doctrines, shows the enlightenment of
human intellect by means of the other.
27. As boys in their play with pebbles, rub them against one another
in the water, and have their hands cleansed of dirt by abrasion of
the stones; so the discussion of the sástras, clears the minds of the
disputants of their errors, by refutation of discordant opinions.
28. So also do learned men, by their confutation of repugnant
doctrines, clear their minds of doubtful questions; and become
perfected in forming right principles, and ascertaining the truth from
falsehood.
29. The sástras distil with sweetness of the holy texts, and infuse
the sweet balm of true knowledge into the mind; they are as profuse of
dulcitude, as the sugarcane exudes with its saccharine juice, which is
so delectable to taste.
30. As the rays of sunlight falling on the walls of houses, become
perceptible to us, by means of our visual organs; so the light of
spiritual knowledge, pierces into the souls of men, by means of our
hearing the sástras through the medium of our ears.
31. Learning acquired for the acquisition of the triple good of this
world, namely virtue, wealth and the objects of our desire; is no
learning at all without the knowledge of the sástras leading to our
liberation. Much learning both in theory and practice, is worth nothing
without the salvation of our souls.
32. That is the best learning, which gives us the knowledge of truth;
and that is true knowledge, which causes our equanimity in all states
of our being; and that is called perfect equanimity, which produces our
hypnotism in waking (_i.e._ whereby we may sleep in insensibility over
the waking and tumultuous world).
33. Thus are all these blessings obtained from learning of the sástras,
therefore let every one devote himself to the study of the sástras with
all diligence.
34. Hence know, O Ráma! that it is the study of the sástras, and
meditation of their recondite meanings; together with one’s attendance
on his preceptor, and audience of his lectures and counsels, as well
by his equanimity, and observance of his vows and discipline, that he
can attain his supreme bliss, in the everlasting God, who is beyond all
worldly things, and is the supreme lord God of all.
CHAPTER CLXXXXVIII.
EXCELLENCE OF UNIVERSAL TOLERATION.
Argument:--Sama-darsana or equanimity agreeing with stoic
fortitude under all the various shades of its meaning,
elaborately treated here.
Vasishtha continued:--Hear me Ráma, to tell you again for the
perfection of your understanding (after what I have said already in
praise of the virtue of equanimity); because the repetition of a
lesson, serves to impress it the more in the memory of inattentive
persons.
2. Ráma! I have told you before about the existence of the world, after
I had related to you in length regarding its creation or production;
whereby you have come to know, that both the appearance and subsistence
of the world (_i.e._ its coming to and being in existence), are mere
fallacies of our understanding.
3. I have next explained to you also, in the Upasama-Prakarana or my
lecture on Insouciance, of the necessity of observing and maintaining
a total indifference in regard to the whole creation (which is here
repeated as leading to our _nirvána_ or lukewarmness in this our living
state).
4. In my discourse on indifference, I have described to you the
different stages of nonchalance; the attainment of the highest pitch
of which, will conduce ultimately to your obtaining the blissfulness
of the _nirvána_ numbness, which is treated of in this book on
_anæsthesia_. (From the stage of Upasama or allaying of all excitements
to that of _upasánti_ or absence of excitability, there are some
intermediate states spoken of before).
5. You shall have here to hear (or learn) from me, regarding the manner
in which the learned are to conduct themselves in this phenomenal
world, after they have learnt and obtained, whatever there is to be
known and obtainable herein (_i.e._ after their attainment of divine
knowledge and wisdom).
6. A man having received his birth in this world, should habituate
himself from his boyhood, to view the phenomenals as they are of
themselves, and without any concern with himself; in order to have
his security and happiness apart from all others. (_i.e._ Constrain
yourself to yourself, and without any concern of yours with any).
7. Regard all in the one and same light with yourself, and observe
a universal benevolence towards all beings, and then placing your
reliance in your own equanimity, conduct yourself safely and securely
every where.
8. Know the plan of your even-mindedness, to be productive of the
fruits of purest and most delicious taste; and bearing the blossoms of
unbounded prosperity, and the flowers of our unfading good fortune.
9. Meekness of disposition, yields the fruit of universal benevolence,
and makes the prosperity of the whole world wait at its service.
(Blessed are the meek; for they shall enjoy all the blessing &c.).
10. Neither the possession of a kingdom on earth, nor the enjoyment
of the best beauties herein; can yield that undecaying and essential
happiness, which is derived from the equanimity of the meek.
11. The utmost limit of a cool disposition, and the entire want of all
anxious cares, are the two antidotes that set at naught the fervour and
vapours of sorrow from the human mind.
12. It is very rare to meet a person, amidst the spheres of all these
worlds; who is fraught with the ambrosia of cool insouciance, who is
friendly to his enemies and whose enemies are his friends, and who
looks on all alike as he does to himself.
13. The mind of the enlightened man, shines as brightly as the luminous
moon; and dazzles with drops of ambrosial dews; the sages all lived to
drink the cooling draught of immortality, as you learn from the lives
of the royal sage Janaka and others of immortal fame.
14. The man practising his demureness, has his faults described as his
qualities, his sorrows seem as his pleasure (_i.e._ he rejoices in his
misery); and his death is eternal life unto him.
15. Sámyam or stoicism is ever accompanied, with a good grace, good lot
and placidness; all of which are constant attendants on the stoic sage,
as faithful wives fondly cling to the sides of their beloved husbands.
16. Equanimity is the perpetual prosperity of the soul, and not the
transitory hilarity of the mind; therefore there is no treasure (_i.e._
spiritual bliss) whatsoever, which is a stranger to the meekness of
spirit.
17. He that is honest in all his dealings, and steady in his own
professions; and liberal in his minds (_i.e._ taking no heed of the
faults of others); are men as valuable as richest gems, and are deemed
and desired by all as gods upon earth. (Because men with godly virtues,
are deemed and deified as gods).
18. The even minded man, that is righteous and upright in all his
doings and dealings, who is magnanimous in his soul and benevolent
in his mind; such a man is neither burnt by fire, nor ever soiled or
sullied by water (_i.e._ nothing can alter the even tenor of his mind
and the smoothness of his conduct).
19. Who can foil that man that does what is right, and observes things
in their true light; who is not susceptible of joy or grief (but goes
on in the even course of his life).
20. The righteous and unflinching man, is relied upon and esteemed
by all his friends and enemies also; he is honoured by his king and
master, and loved by all wisemen with whom he has any dealing.
21. The wise and even sighted men are of indifferent minds, and do
not try to flee from evil, nor rejoice to receive any good; they are
content with whatever comes to pass upon them, as aught of good or bad,
they care for naught.
22. These meek minded men are unmindful of any good or desirable thing,
which they may happen either to lose or leave from them; because they
have to resort to the happy state of their equanimity (Samatá or stoic
sameness); of which no calamity or chance can deprive them.
23. Men enjoying the felicity of equanimity, laugh to scorn at the
tribulations of the world; and live uninjured under all the varying
circumstances of life; they are venerated by the gods also, for the
invariable samatá or sameness of their minds, (as those of the gods
themselves).
24. If the (unfavorable) course of events, ever happened to ruffle the
countenance of the forbearing man; yet the inward equanimity of his
mind, serves to shed the ambrosial beams, of a placid moon light within
himself.
25. Whatever the even minded man acts or does for himself, and
whatsoever he says in opprobrium of the misdeeds of others; are all
lauded with applause by the majority of men (who like to see the
goodness of others, and to learn of and correct their own faults).
26. Whatever good or evil is known or seen to be done by the impartial
observer, at any time whether past or present; are all approved of by
the public (under the impression of their being done for common good).
27. The man that sees all things in the same light (of indifference),
is never displeased or dejected in his countenance at any calamity or
danger, that may betide him at any time.
28. The prince Sibi of old, is recorded in history to have passed
pieces of flesh from his own body, and to have fed a hawk therewith,
in order to save the life of a captive pigeon from his claws. (This
is an instance of samadristi or fellow feeling even towards the brute
creation).
29. Again mind the impassible prince, who did not sink into despondence
seeing his beloved consort to be maltreated before his sight. (This is
an instance of unimpressible fortitude).
30. Mind also how the king of _Trigarta_, offered his only son who
was accomplished and successful in all his desires to the horrible
_Rákshasa_; upon his being vanquished by the fiend, at a certain wager
he had laid with him.
31. Look at the great king Janaka, how he remained undismayed and
undejected, at the burning of his well decorated city of Mithila.
32. Look at the quiet and submissive prince of Sályadesa, how he
calmly struck off his head from his body, as if it were the plucking
off of a lotus leaf or flower from its stem, in order to satisfy the
demand of a deity for the same.
33. The Sauvíra sovereign, who had won the big Airávata elephant of
the god Indra, in a combat with him; made at last a gift of him to the
very god, with as much unconcern, as one offers a heap of white kundu
flowers, or huge heaps of rotten straws upon the sacrificial fire.
34. You have heard how the elephant named kundapa, employed his trunk
in sympathy to the Bráhman’s kine, in lifting them from being plunged
in the mud; and afterwards devoted his body to the service of the
Bráhman; wherefore he was taken up to heaven in a celestial car.
35. Let your continued observance of toleration, preserve you from acts
of intolerance, which tend at best to the oppression of others; and
know that the spirit of intolerance, is as the goblin of the kadamba
forest (whose business was the havoc and depredation of all living
beings). (_i.e._ By want of forbearance, you make yourself an enemy to
all, and make them as enemies to you).
36. Remember the young and gentle Jadabharata, who by the natural
hebetude of his mind, devoured the firebrand that was thrown into his
almspot, thinking as a piece of meat, and without any injury to himself
(To the meek and tolerant, a furnace of fire, becomes a bed of roses
and flowers).
37. Think of the soberminded kura, who notwithstanding his following
the profession of a huntsman all his lifetime, was at last translated
to heaven, and placed by the souls of the righteous men after his
demise.
38. Think of the listlessness and want of concupiscence, in the person
of the royal sage Kapardana, who being seated in the garden of paradise
in his youth, and beset by celestial damsels all about, felt no desire
for any of them.
39. Know how many princes and Lords of peoples have from the
unperturbed apathy of their souls, resigned their realms and society
of mankind, and betaken themselves to lonely forests and solitary
caves of Vindhyan Mountains, and there spent their lives in motionless
torpidity.
40. Think of the great sages and saints, and of divine and devoted
adepts, who were adored by even the gods, for the steadiness of their
holy devotion, that have passed away in the observance of their rigid
and unruffled vows of an universal indifference.
41. Call to your mind the instances of many a monarch, of ordinary men
and of base and mean huntsmen also, that have been honoured in all ages
and countries, for their observance of an unimpressed equality in all
states and circumstances of their lives.
42. All intelligent men strictly observed the rule, of preserving
their equanimity in their course through life; whether it be for the
achievement of their acts for this life or the next, as also for the
success of their understandings of every kind.
43. They neither long for longevity nor desire their death in
difficulties; but live as long as they have to live, and act as they
are called to act, without any grudge or murmur.
44. It is the business of the wiseman, to conduct himself in the career
of his life, with a contented mind and placid countenance, both in his
favourable and unfavourable circumstances, as well as in the happiness
or misery of himself or others.
CHAPTER CLXXXXIX.
STATE OF LIVING LIBERATED MAN.
Argument:--The liberated man neither gains nor loses anything,
by his observance or neglect of the acts of life; and yet he
is enjoined to act in conformity with the prescribed rules of
conduct of his society and country.
Ráma said:--Tell me sir, why the wise and liberated man is not freed
from his subjection to the prescribed rules of conduct, when his soul
is beatified with the spiritual light, and his mind is emancipated from
all earthly cares.
2. Vasishtha replied:--The observance and avoidance of all ritual and
pious acts, are equal and of no avail to the truly enlightened man;
who is indifferent to aught of good or evil to his life (_i.e._ who
is neither solicitous to have anything desirable or leave what is
unfavourable to him into the world).
3. There is nothing whatever in this frail world, which may be
desirable to the man of right understanding, not aught of positive
evil, which deserves the avoidance and abhorrence of the wise man.
4. The wise man derives no positive nor permanent good, by his doing of
any act prescribed by custom or usage; nor does he lose anything by his
neglect of them; wherefore it is best for him to stand in the middle
course, and according to the common rules of society and his country.
5. As long as there is life in the body, it is called a living body and
has its motion also; therefore measure your movements according to the
breathings of your life, nor accelerate nor slacken them beyond their
just measure (_i.e._ neither outrun thy breath, nor halt in thy course).
6. If it is equal to any one, to walk either by this way or that to his
journey’s end, yet it is much better for him, to walk by the beaten
path, than in a strange and unknown one. (So if it be the same thing to
sleep at home or abroad; yet it must be safer and more comfortable to
every one to sleep at his own lodge than elsewhere).
7. Whatever actions are done at any time, with meekness and mildness
of disposition, and with a placid frankness of the mind, is ever held
as perfectly pure and contrite in its nature, and never blameable in
anywise.
8. We have seen many wise, learned and farsighted men, to have
conducted themselves very honorably and blamelessly in this world,
which is full of faults and pitfalls, and beset by traps and snares on
every way.
9. Every one is employed with perfect compliance of his mind, in
discharging the duties of the particular sphere in which he is placed;
some commencing their career in life, in the state of householdership
and others ascending gradually to state of living liberation (when they
are not exempted from observances of particular duties also).
10. There are many wise and well discerning kings and princes, like
yourself and those sitting in this assembly who are vigilantly employed
in the ruling of their respective states, without their attachment or
tenacity to them, and without their desire of reaping any fruition from
them, and by way of the disinterested discharge of duty.
11. There are some that follow the usages, according to the true sense
of the Vedas, and take their food from what is left after their daily
offerings to the sacrificial fire. (The early Aryans ever fed upon
cooked food, after their first offerings to the gods by their mouth of
the fire (_Agner vaidevanam Mukham_)).
12. All men belonging to any of the four classes, are employed in the
observance of their respective rites and duties, and in the acts of the
worship of the gods, and in their meditations with different ends and
views (Kamya-karma).
13. Some men of magnanimous minds, and higher aims of future liberation
or _Moksha_, have renounced all their ritual acts _karma kánda_; and
remain inactive as ignorant people, with their spiritual knowledge of
the only One.
14. Some are seen to be sitting silent and insensitive, in their
posture of deep and unbroken meditation; in dreary and dismal deserts
untraversed by the deer and wild beasts; and in distant and lovely
solitudes, where no trace of a human being was never seen even in a
dream.
15. Some are found to resort to some sacred place of pilgrimage, and
there to perform their acts for future rewards; while others are known
to recline in some holy hermitage or sacred shrine of saints, and there
to pass their lives in the practice of resignation and indifference and
quite unknown to men.
16. Many are seen to leave their own houses, and quit their native
countries, in order to avoid the enmity and scorn of their fellow
countrymen; and betake themselves to other lands, where they settle as
strangers.
17. There are many who being dissatisfied with their families, forsake
their company and desert their homes; and rove about as wanderers, from
forest to forest, over hills and dales, and cities and towns, without
being settled any where.
18. How many are there that travel to the great city of Benares, and
to the holy city of Allahabad and visit the holy hills and cities, and
the sacred shrine of Badarikásrama (for performance of their acts of
righteousness there).
19. How many are seen to resort <to> the holy places at Sálagrama, and
to the sacred cell in Kalapagráma, how many are on their way to the
holy city of Mathura, and the sacred hill at Kalinjar.
20. See the numbers of pilgrims thronging in the woodlands on Mahendra
mountains, and upon table lands of Gandhamádana hills; see also the
pilgrims on the plains of Dardura hills; as those also upon the level
lands of Sahya Mountains.
21. See the pilgrims thronging on the craigs of the Vindhyan range,
and those dwelling in the hollows of the Malaya Mountains; see them
that dwell in the happy groves of Kailása, and those in the caverns of
Rikshavata mounts.
22. In these as well as many other holy places and mounts, you will
find a great many hermits and far-sighted devotees dwelling in peace,
and wholly devoted to their holy devotion.
23. Those among them that have become _sannyasins_, are deserters of
their prescribed duties, while they that are _Brahmacharins_, are
strict observers of the law and their sacred rites: but those that have
the faith of Buddha, are apostates from the holy faith, and fanatics in
their practices.
24. Some of these have left their native homes, and others have quitted
their natal lands altogether; some have their settled habitations in
some place, and others leading their nomadic lives from place to place.
25. Among these, O Ráma, that dwell in the sublunar sphere of this
globe, as also among them that live at the antipodes, and are known as
daityas:--
26. Some are of clear understandings, and well acquainted with the
civil laws of their society; some are of enlightened understanding, and
others again are acquainted with the past, and have a foresight of the
future.
27. Some are of unenlightened understandings, and are always in
suspense, and suspicion of their minds; they are addicted to vice, and
unable to govern themselves, are always under the government of others.
28. Some there are who are half-enlightened, and proud withal of their
knowledge of truth; they break loose from the observance of customary
duties, and are not yet the esoteric yogi or spiritualist.
29. Thus among these great multitudes of men, that are wading in the
vast ocean of life, every one is striving to get the end, according to
his different aim and object.
30. But it is neither one’s confining himself at home, or remaining
in his native country, nor his betaking him to hermitage or dwelling
in some solitary forest; nor the observance of customary duties;
nor practice of painful austerities, whereby one may ford over the
unfordable gulf of this world.
31. Neither dependence on righteous acts nor the forsaking of them;
nor one’s employment in the observance of customary usages, or his
attainment of great powers, can be of any avail to him, in saving him
from the turmoils of the world.
32. It is one’s self-control only, that is the means of his salvation
(lit., getting over the sea of the world); and the man whose mind is
not attached, or tied down to anything in this world, is said to have
got or gone over it.
33. It is no matter whether a man does or neglects, the righteous deeds
of his religion and society; provided he keeps the contriteness of his
mind in both, and is never attached to nor affected by either: such a
man is deemed a sage and saved from his return to this nether world.
34. The man that does neither any righteous or unrighteous action in
his life, but has his mind fixed in this earth, and attached to earthly
objects, is deemed a hypocrite, and destined to revisit this earth in
his repeated births.
35. Our minds again are of the nature of nasty flies, which are prone
to fly about and pour upon the sores of worldly pleasures; from which
it is hard for us to deter them, as it is impossible for us to kill
them at once for attainment of our salvation (or, our minds are as
surfeited bees, cloyed with the honey of their cells from which they
cannot fly away. Gloss).
36. It sometime comes to happen and by the good fortune of a person,
that his mind turns of itself towards its perfection; and then by a
flash of inward light within itself, comes to see the presence of the
divine spirit in the very soul.
37. The mind being enlightened by the flash of spiritual light in the
soul, becomes enrapt at the sight, and losing all earthly attachment,
is unified with the supreme unity.
38. Being unmindful of everything, and conscious of thy entity as a
particle of the infinite vacuity, remain perfectly happy with thyself,
and in the everlasting felicity of thy soul.
39. Being replete with the knowledge of transcendental truth, and
devoid of the faults and frailties of thy nature, have the magnanimity
of thy soul, with the equanimity of thy mind and elevation of thy
spirit; and thus remain O thou support of Raghu’s royal race, without
sorrow and fear of death and rebirth, and be as holy as the holy of
holies.
40. Know the translucent state of the most Holy Brahma, to be quite
clear of all the grossness and foulness of nature, and free from all
the qualities and properties that are attributed to Him. He is beyond
our conception and above the reach of our thought. He is increate and
ever existent of Himself, and manifest in his abode of our intellect.
Knowing him then as thyself, remain quite free and dauntless for ever.
41. There is nothing more that can be gleaned, from greater verbosity
on this subject; nor is there anything remaining to be communicated to
you, for your best instruction in divine knowledge. You are roused, O
Ráma, to your full knowledge of the essential doctrines of divinity,
and you have become cognizant, of whatever is knowable and recondite in
nature.
42. Válmíki says:--After the chief of sages had spoken so far, he
saw Ráma rapt in his ecstasy and bereft of his mental efforts; and
the whole assembly sitting fixed in the one and same tenor of their
meditation. They were all entranced in their reveries and musings, in
the mysterious nature of the Divinity; as the humming bees ramble over
the lotus petals with their soft and silent murmur, and revel upon the
sweetness of the honey cups of flowers.
CHAPTER CC.
THE LOUD APPLAUSE OF THE COURT ON THE SAGE’S SPEECH.
Argument:--Narration of the plaudits of the assembly, accompanied
with the showering of flowers and uproar of musical instruments,
at the end of the holy sermon.
Válmíki continued:--Upon the termination of the holy sermon on
Nirvána--anesthesia, there arose loud hubbub without the court house,
which put a stop to the sage’s proceeding further in continuation of
his discourse.
2. But the whole audience in the court hall, was immerged in a state of
stead fast hypnotism, and settled intentiveness in the Supreme; and the
faculties of their mind were quite clear, and their workings at rest.
3. The whole audience on hearing the lecture on investigation after
intellect, became passengers on the raft of _sat_, and they all gained
their salvation.
4. Immediately there arose a loud chorus of applause, from the mouths
of the emancipated sages or siddhas, dwelling in the upper regions of
the skies, and it filled the concave of heaven, with the acclamations
of praise to the venerable sage.
5. In the same manner there rose shouts of praise also, from the holy
sages seated in the assembly; together with the loud acclamation given
by the son of Gádhi--Viswámitra, who sat at their head.
6. Then was heard a swelling sound, filling the face of the four
quarters of the firmament; just as the blasts of wind filled the
hollows of the withered bamboos in the forest, and make them resound
with a sound with a soft sweet melody.
7. Next arose a flourish of trumpets from the celestials, mingling with
the hosannahs of the siddhas; which rumbled together and resounded
loudly, amidst the hollow caves of distant mountains and dale.
8. Along with the flourish of celestial trumpets, there fell showers of
flowers from above, resembling the driving rain of snows, which blocked
the faces on all sides of heaven.
9. The floor of the court hall was strewn over with flowers, and the
fanfare of the drums and timbals, filled the mouths of hollow caves and
caverns; the flying dust covered the face of the sky, and the rising
odours after the rain were borne upon the wings of the winds to all
sides.
10. Then there rose a mingled rumble of the shouts of applause, and
the peal of heavenly trumpets; joined with the whistle of the hissing
showers of flowers, and the rustling of the winds all about.
11. The courtiers all looked around with their uplifted faces and eyes,
and were struck in their minds with wonder and surprise; while the
beasts all about the palace and in the parks, remained amazed at the
event with their pricked up ears.
12. The women and children in the inside, sat staring with their wonder
stricken eyes; and the princes sitting in the court hall, looked
astonished on one another with their smiling faces.
13. The face of the firmament became exceedingly brightened, by the
falling showers of flowers from above; and the great concavity of the
world, was filled with the hissing sound of the falling rains.
14. The showers of flowers and drizzling rain drops, with their hissing
sounds, made the royal palace an appearance of festivity. (With the
scattering of fried rice, sprinkling of rose water and blowing of
conchshells).
15. Not only the palace, but all places in the worlds, seem to
celebrate their festive mirth, with tossing of flower garlands, joined
with celestial music.
16. The shouts of the siddhas and their ejaculations of joy, rolled
and growled as high in the upper sky; as the rolling billows and
rebillowing waves, howled in the depth of the ocean and sea.
17. After the hubbub of the heavenly hosts had subsisted, (in the lull
of the rains and rackets); the following words of the siddhas proceeded
from above, and were heard to be uttered in an audible and distinct
voice.
18. The siddhas said:--We have erewhile since time erst began, listened
to delivered thousands of sermons, in the assembly of siddhas or
perfect beings, on the means of attaining liberation, (which is the
highest pitch of perfection of the living soul); but never heretofore
heard a lecture so impressive on the mind, as this last locution of the
sage.
19. We see boys and women and the bending brute creatures, together
with the creeping and crawling animals, are all enrapt by this soothing
speech, which will doubtless enrapture its readers and hearers in
future.
20. The sage has used every argument and example, for rousing Ráma to
his beatification; such as it is doubtful whether he had ever shewn
such affection to his Arundhatí or not.
21. Hearing this lecture on liberation, even the brute creation of
beasts and birds, become emancipated from the burthen of their base
bodies; and as for men, they forget altogether the trammels of their
bodies in their embodied state.
22. Our draught of these ambrosial drops of divine knowledge, through
the vessels of our ears; has not only satiated our appetite for wisdom,
but renovated our understandings, and added a fresh beauty to our
spiritual bodies.
23. On hearing these words of the heavenly host of siddhas, were struck
with wonder, and looked upward with full open eyes; and then as they
cast their looks below, they beheld the surface of the court-hall, to
be strewn over with flowers and lotuses, falling in showers from above.
24. They saw heaps of _mandara_ and other celestial flowers, piled
up to the roof of the lofty hall; and observed the court yard to be
covered over with blossoming plants and creepers, and with wreaths and
garlands of flowers without an interstice.
25. The surface of the ground, was strewn over with buds and blossoms
of Párijata plants; and thick clouds of Santanaka flowers, shadowed
over the heads and shoulders of the assembled people in the court.
26. The saffron flowers of Harichandana (yellow sandal wood), hung
over the jewelled crests of the princes; and seemed as an awning of
rainy clouds, spread over the glittering chandeliers of the court hall.
(Harichandana is a tree in the garden of Paradise).
27. Seeing these events in the court, the people all gave vent to the
repeated shouts of their loud applause; and talked to one another of
this and that, as was fitted to the solemnity of occasion.
28. They then adored the sage with the prostration of their bodies and
limbs, and made him their obeisances, with offerings of handfuls of
flowers.
29. After the loud peals of applause had somewhat abated; the king also
rose and prostrated himself down and then worshipped the sage, with the
tray of his presents and wreaths of flowers held in his hands.
30. Dasaratha said:--It was by your admonition, O thou Lord of
Arundhati; that I was released from this my mortal frame; and gained
the transcendent knowledge which filled my soul, and joined it with the
supreme essence in perfect bliss.
31. We have nothing in this nether earth, nor is there anything with
the gods in heaven, which I ween is worthy enough to be given, as a
proper offering in thine adoration.
32. Yet I beg to pray you something in order to acquit myself of my
duty to you, and to render my services to thee prove effectual to me,
and hope you will not be irritated at this address of mine.
33. That I adore you myself with my queens and my weal in both worlds,
together with all these dominions and servants of mine (all which I now
offer humbly at your venerable feet).
34. All these possessions of mine are yours entirely at present, so
my lord take them as yours, and make them as parts of your hermitage;
please to dispose of these as you please, or use them as you like.
35. Vasishtha replied:--Know, O great king, that we Bráhmans are
pleased, only with the mere obeisances of people; we are verily
satisfied with receiving reverence of men, and these you have already
done and shown to me.
36. You know to rule the earth, and therefore its sovereignty is
suitable to thee; nor can you show a Brahmin to have ever reigned as a
king, keep therefore what is yours to yourself and prosper therein.
37. Dasaratha answered:--What is this trifle of a realm to me, which I
am ashamed to call and own as mine; it cannot lead me to the knowledge
of its true Lord, therefore do so as I may clearly and truly know the
most high.
38. Válmíki relates:--As the king was saying so, Ráma rose from his
seat, and threw handfuls of flowers on the sacred person of his
preceptor; and then lowly bending himself before him, he addressed him
as follows.
39. Venerable sir, as you have made the king speechless, by telling him
that you are pleased with mere obeisance of men; so I am taught to wait
here, with my bare prostration at your venerable feet.
40. Saying so, Ráma bowed down his head, lowly at the feet of his
guide; and then scattered handful of flowers on his pure person, as the
trees on the sides of a mountain, sprinkle their dew drops at the foot
and base of the mount. (Gloss. The branches of trees serving as their
hands, and the leaves as their palms).
41. Then the pious prince made his repeated bows of reverence to his
venerable preceptor; while his lotus like eyes were suffused with the
tears of his inward joy and piety. (Ánandásru--tears issuing from pious
and joyous feelings).
42. Next rose the brother princes, of Dasaratha’s royal race; namely
Bharata, Satrughna and Lakshmana, together with their equals in kith
and kin; and they all advanced to the sage, and bowed down to him with
their respectful reverence.
43. The other chiefs and nobles and regents, that sat in their order at
a distance; together with the saints, sages and the clergy at large,
rose in groups from their seats, and did their homage to the sage, with
flinging handfuls of flowers upon him.
44. At this instant the sage was almost covered with and hid under the
heap of flowers, that were poured upon him from all sides; in the same
manner as the snowy mountain of Himálaya, is wrapped and concealed
under the snows of water.
45. After clangor of the assembly was over, and the peals of their
_pranáma-hailings_ had ended; Vasishtha remembered his saying with the
assembled sages, of proving to them the truth of his doctrines, and
of removing the doubts of his audience regarding the miracles he had
wrought.
46. He then shoved off with both his arms, the heaps of flowers from
about his sides; and showed out his fair face from amidst them, as when
the disc of the moon, shines forth from within the hoary clouds.
47. Then there ensued a hush over the flourish of the trumpets, and a
silence upon the fanfare of applauses; the falling of flowers was at a
stop, and the murmur of siddhas above, ceased with the clamour of the
assemblage below.
48. After the princes and assembled nobles, had made their obeisances
and greetings, there occurred a calm stillness in the assembly, as when
a lull takes place in the atmosphere after a storm.
49. Then the chief of sages Vasishtha, upon hearing the applauses
poured upon him from all sides; spoke softly to the royal sage
Viswámitra, from the unblemished purity of his soul.
50. Hear me, O sage, that art the lotus of the princely race of Gádhi,
and ye sages that are assembled here, namely Vámadeva, Nimi and Kruta,
together with Bharadwája, Pulastya, Atri, Nárada and Ghrishti, and
Sándilya.
51. Hear me also, O ye sages Bhása, Bhrigu, Bharanda, Vatsa and
Vátsyáyana, with all others that are assembled here at present, and had
the patience to listen to this contemptible discourse of mine.
52. Please now with your well known affability to me, point out to me
whatever you have found as meaningless or unintelligible and ambiguous
in my discourse.
53. The audience responded:--O Venerable sir, we have never heard or
marked in <a> single word in this spiritual and divine discourse of
thine, that is meaningless or unintelligible to anybody.
54. We confess that whatever foulness was inbred in our natures, by our
repeated births in this sinful world; has been all purged out by your
holy lecture, as the alloy in gold is burnt away by the purifying fire.
55. O sir, our minds are as expanded by your divine sermon, as the blue
lotus buds are opened to bloom, by the cold and ambrosial beams of moon
light.
56. We all bow down to thee, O thou chief of sages, as our best guide
in divine knowledge; and the giver of true wisdom to us, with regard to
all things in nature.
57. Válmíki relates:--The sages said so far and then hailed and bowed
down to Vasishtha again, and their united applause of him, rose as high
as the loud roar of raining clouds.
58. Then the speechless siddhas, poured down again their showers of
flowers from above; and these hid the body of the sage under them, as
the clouds of winter cover the rocks under ice and snows.
59. Afterwards the intelligent and learned men in the court, gave
their praises to King Dasaratha and to Ráma also; saying that the four
princes were no other than the four fold incarnation of the God Mádhava
or Vishnu himself.
60. The siddhas said:--We hail the four princes of Dasaratha line, who
are the quadruple forms of the self incarnate Vishnu, and are quite
liberated from the bonds of flesh, in these their living states of
humanity.
61. We hail king Dasaratha, as having the mark of the sovereignty of
the whole world. (Imprinted in his person); that is of this world which
extends to the limits of the four oceans, and lasts forever in his race.
62. We hail the sage Vasishtha, who is as bright as the sun, and
stands at the head of the whole host of sages; and also the royal sage
Viswámitra of renowned fame and dignity.
63. It is through their means (_i.e._ because of their assemblage in
this court), that we had this fair opportunity of hearing this divine
discourse, which is so full of knowledge and fraught with reason, that
it serves to dispel the great gloom of error at once.
64. So saying the siddhas of heaven again let fall their handfuls of
flowers in showers; and made the assembly look up to them in silence,
with their uplifted eyes and gladdened minds.
65. And then there was a mutual greeting of the siddhas from above, and
of the assembled people to them from below.
66. At last the assembly broke, with their respectful greetings to
one another, accompanied with their mutual offerings of flowers and
salutations. And the celestial and terrestrial, the great _Munis_ and
sages, the Pandits and Bráhmans; together with the princes and nobles,
bade adieu to and took leave of one another (in order to repair to
their respective abodes).
CHAPTER CCI.
EXPLANATION OF REST AND REPOSE IN ULTIMATE AND PERFECT BLISS.
Argument:--Ráma’s conclusion on the lecture of Vasishtha, and
Viswámitra’s request over Ráma.
Válmíki related:--After the assembly had rejoined the next day,
there was observed a profound silence over it; and there appeared a
cheerfulness in the countenances of princes from the enlightenment by
the last lecture.
2. The people seemed to be smiling in their faces, by reflecting on
their former errors and follies, after their coming to the light of
truth. (The reminiscence of the freaks and follies of boyhood, is a
source of delight in old age).
3. The wisemen in the assembly, appeared to be sitting fixed in their
steadfast meditation, by having the feelings and passions of their
minds, curbed and subdued upon their access to the relish of true
knowledge.
4. At this time, Ráma sat with his brothers, in their posture of
_padmásana_--having their legs crossed upon one another; had the palms
of their hands folded together, and their eyes fixed steadfastly upon
the face of their preacher.
5. The king Dasaratha remained in a sort of entranced meditation, and
thought himself as liberated in his life time, and placed in a state of
infinite bliss.
6. The sage after holding his silence, as long as he was adored by his
reverential audience, spoke to them at last in distinct words, and
wanted to know what they would now like to hear about.
7. He said, O lotus eyed Ráma, that art as the cooling moon in the
clear sphere of thy race, tell me what thou now wishest to hear, as
most desirable and delightsome to your mind.
8. Tell me the state in which you find yourself at present, and in
what light you view the appearance of the appearance of the world now
before you.
9. Being thus addressed by the sage, Ráma looked at his face; and then
bespoke to him in his distinctly audible voice, and his plain and
unfaltering accents.
10. Ráma said:--It is all owing to thy favour only, O Venerable sir,
that I have attained to my state of perfect holiness, and become as
pure as the clear atmosphere in autumnal calm and serenity.
11. I am entirely freed from all the errors, which are so detrimental
to the right course of our lives in this world, and an act as pure as
the clear sky, in the true and very state of finite vacuity. (The very
state of the deity).
12. I am set free from all bonds, and released from all attributes and
adjuncts; I find myself situated in a crystalline sphere, and shining
there as clear as crystal.
13. I am quite pacified in my mind and am neither willing to hear or do
anything else; I am quite satiate in myself, and require nothing more
for my satisfaction. I am quite at rest as in the state of hypnotism.
14. My mind is quite calm in its thoughts, and entirely pacified in its
wishes; all my desires have fled from it, and I find my mind to rest in
its perfect peace and supreme bliss.
15. I am staid in all my thoughts and allayed in my desires, whilst
living in this waking world; I am enrapt and entranced, while I am
quite sane and sound and sleepless at all hours by day and night.
16. With my soul devoid of all wishes and expectations, I live while I
am destined to live in this material body of mine; and remain smiling
(_i.e._ rejoicing) as long as I sit to listen to your inspiring lessons.
17. Now I am no more in need of admonition or instruction of the
sástras, or of the acquisition of riches or friends; nor am I
willing either to get rid of them at any time. (Because of my utter
indifference to them as is theirs also to me).
18. I have found and am in the enjoyment of that unalloyed happiness,
which attends on one in heaven or Paradise, or in his attainment of the
sovereignty of the whole world.
19. The world which I perceive within myself by my outward senses, is
conceived to be brighter far and more transparent than the outward
atmosphere, by being viewed in the light of the intellect, and
considered as a part of its infinite vacuous sphere.
20. This world I ween, is certainly a vacuum; and it is by my belief
in the nihility of the phenomenal, that I am awaked to my immortality.
(The visible world is a passing and vanishing sight, and it is by our
belief in the spiritual only, that we see the everlasting scene).
21. Let me remain content with all that is, or comes to pass on me,
whether they are desirable to me or occur themselves; and let me act
as the law enacts to its full extent and without fail, but without any
object of mine or expectation of reward.
22. I am neither content nor discontented with anything, nor rejoice
nor repine at any event; I do what is my duty in society, without
retaining the erroneous conception of reaping their reward.
23. Let this creation be otherwise or go to perdition, let the winds of
the last destruction blow with their fury also; or let the land smile
in its plenty and beauty, yet I sit unmoved by them, and remain in the
divine self or spirit.
24. I rest in myself which is unseen or dimly seen by others, and is
undecaying and untainted in itself; I am not enchained to my wishes,
but am as free as air, which you cannot compress in your clutches.
25. As the fragrance of flowers upon the trees, is wafted by the breeze
and deposited in the air, so is my soul borne away from the confines of
my body, and posited in empty vacuity (where it ranges at large in its
freedom).
26. As these princes and rulers of people, live and enjoy themselves in
their realms at pleasure; and whether they are enlightened or not, they
are employed in their respective occupations.
27. So do I enjoy myself with the steadiness and equanimity of my
mind, which is freed from all fear, grief or joy and desire.
28. I am happy above all happiness (derived from this frail world); my
happiness is in the everlasting One, than which there is no happiness
to be preferred by me. But because I live here as a human being, you
are at liberty to appoint me to any duty, in common with all mankind
and becoming to humanity.
29. I cannot be averse, to manage myself with the trifles of this
world, as long as I am destined to them; in the same manner as boys
are never to be blamed, for indulging themselves in their playthings
in their boyhood. So long sir, as I shall have to live in this body of
mine, I must do my bodily acts, with my mind fixed in the sole One only.
30. I must live to eat and drink, and continue in the course of my
business in life; but I am freed from all fear of my failings in them,
by the kind counsels to me. (That the liberated man is at liberty to do
or undo his duties).
31. Vasishtha replied:--O Bravo Ráma! that you have chosen for yourself
the most meritorious course of life; wherein you shall never have to
repent, from the beginning to the end of your career.
32. By this cold indifference in thy self, and complete equanimity in
every state, you have verily secured to the unbroken rest in your life,
as the visible firmament has found in infinite vacuity.
33. It is by your good fortune, that you have got rid of your sorrows,
and it is fortunate to you to be set so well composed in yourself; it
is your good luck to be freed from the fears of both worlds, and it is
happy for you to be at your heart’s ease and rest.
34. You are lucky, my lord, to be so fraught with your holy knowledge;
and to have purified the lineage of Raghu, with your knowledge of the
present, past and future.
35. Now prepare yourself to accomplish the object, of the chief of
sages--The great Viswámitra’s request and by completion of his holy
sacrifice at your sire’s behest, continue to enjoy the sovereignty of
the earth; in subordination to your royal parent.
36. May the mighty king reign for ever in prosperity, over this
prosperous realm of his; in conjunction with yourself and his other
sons, relatives and nobles and in possession of all his infantry,
cavalry, his chariots and his lines of elephants &c., and without any
disease and fear of his enemies.
CHAPTER CCIL.
RECUMBENCE OF THE ASSEMBLY TO THEIR HYPNOTIC REST.
Argument:--Entrancement of the audience to a state of somnolence
known as Hybernation, hypnotism and Ecstasis in Theosophy.
Válmíki related:--Upon hearing these words of the sage, the assembled
princes and lords of men in the court, felt a _sang froid_ or coolness
in their souls, as if they were all besprinkled with ambrosial waters
upon them.
2. Ráma with his lotus like eyes and moon like face, remained as
resplendent, as if they were filled with ambrowaters, or the nectarious
liquid of the Milky ocean.
3. Then the sage Vámadeva and others, who were fraught with divine
knowledge, exclaimed with their admiration for the preacher; O the holy
instruction, that you have imparted unto us this day!
4. The King with his pacified soul and joyous mind, shone as shining
in his countenance, as if he had a new light infused in himself (and
causing the hairs on his body to stand on their ends, from his inward
gladness).
5. After many other sages, who were well acquainted with the knowledge
of the knowable One, had thus pronounced their praises; the enlightened
Ráma (lit. who was purged from his ignorance), oped his mouth again,
and spoke in the following manner.
6. Ráma said:--O thou seer, that knowest the past and future; thou hast
cleansed away all our inward dross, as fire serves to purge gold from
its impurity.
7. Venerable sir we have now become cosmognostics or all knowing, by
our knowledge of the universal soul, though we are confined in these
visible bodies of ours, and seeming to all appearance, as knowing
nothing beyond them.
8. I feel myself now as perfect and full in all, and to have become
quite undecaying in myself; I am freed from all fear and apprehension,
and am quite cognoscent with all things.
9. I am overjoyed to no end, and am happy beyond all measure; I
have risen to a height from which there is no fear of falling,
and am elevated to the supreme acme of eminence and perfection.
(Parama-purushártha).
10. Alack! how am I cleansed by the holy and cooling water of divine
knowledge, which you have so kindly poured forth in me, and whereby I
am as joyous, as a full blown lotus in the lake of my heart.
11. I am now set, sir, by your favour to a state of happiness, which
brightens to me the face of universe with ambrosial delight.
12. I now hail myself, that have become so fair within myself with the
clearness of my mind, and by disappearance of all sorrow from it. I
have received a grace in my face, from the peace of mind and purity of
my wishes. I am joyous in myself with my inward joy, and I <am> wholly
pure with the purity of my soul.
CHAPTER CCIII.
DESCRIPTION OF NIRVÁNA OR SELF EXTINCTION IN DIVINE MEDITATION.
Argument:--Sounding of midday trumpet, performance of daily
ablution, and description of the setting sun. The meeting of the
assembly on the next morning upon the discourse on Nirvána.
Válmíki related:--As Ráma and the sage had been remonstrating in this
manner, the sun advanced towards the zenith, to listen to their holy
conversation in <its> royal dome.
2. The solar beams spread on all sides, with greater force and
effulgence; as if to expose to clearer and greater light the sense of
Ráma’s speech.
3. Then the lotus beds in the tanks of the pleasure gardens, all about
the royal palace, began to expand their embosomed buds to bloom before
him, as the princes shone forth in brightness amidst the royal hall.
4. The air was exhilarated with joy at hearing the holy lectures of the
sage; and seemed to be dancing with the sunbeams, glistening in the
strings of pearls, suspended at the windows of the palace.
5. The premature gleams of the sun, glistened as bright at the
glittering glass doors and shining chandeliers of the court hall; as
the gladdened hearts of the audience, glowed at enlightening speech of
the sage.
6. After Ráma was settled in his sedateness, his face shone as bright
as a blooming blue lotus by its reflexion of the rays of the sage’s
look upon it. (Here the blue complexion of Ráma, is compared to a
blue lotus, blooming under the moon bright look of fair Vasishtha’s
countenance).
7. The sun advancing towards the summit of the horizon, like the marine
fire rising on the surface of the blue ocean; sucked or dried up by
his darting flames the dewy humidity of the sky, as the submarine heat
resorbs the waters of the deep.
8. The cerulean sphere of heaven, appeared as the lake of blue lotuses,
and the shining sun seemed as the golden pericarp of the flower; his
bright beams resembled the aureate farina of flowers, and his slanting
rays likened the aslant pistils in the air.
9. He shone as the dazzling crown upon the head of the azure queen of
the worlds; and was hanging down like the resplendent earring, pendant
on the ear of heaven; while the little lay hid under his glaring light,
like bits of diamonds lying concealed under the effulgence of a blazing
ruby.
10. The ethereal maids of all the quarters of heaven, held out the
mirrors of silvery clouds before his face, with their uplifted arms of
the mountain peaks all around; and these are emblazoned by solar rays,
like the rainless clouds on mountain tops.
11. The sun stones in the quarries on earth emitted a fury blaze, which
emblazoned the skies around, with a greater light than that of the sun.
12. The trumpets sounded aloud, with the wind blown by the mouths of
trumpeters; and the conchshells blew as loudly at midday, as the winds
of the last deluge, set the sea waves to their tremendous uproar.
13. Then the spherules of sweat, appeared on the faces of the princes,
as the dew drops falling on lotus leaves; and they were so closely
connected together, as to give them the appearance of strings of pearls.
14. The thickening noise of the hurry and flurry of men, resounded as
hoarsely within the hollow walls of the hall, that they filled the ears
of men, as the dashing waves fill the concave of the hollow sea.
15. The waiting maids then came forward with cups of liquid camphor in
their hands; in order to sprinkle them on the persons of the princes;
to assuage their fervour of the solar heat.
16. Then the assembly broke, and the king rose from his seat in company
with Ráma and the princes and Vasishtha, together with all the lords
and nobles, that were present in the assembly.
17. The assembled lords and princes, the ministers of the state and
religion, together with the high priests and sages; rose from their
seats, and having gladly made their greetings to one another, took
their leave and departed to their respective abodes.
18. The front of the royal inner apartment, was fanned with flappers of
palm leaves, wafting the clouds <of> camphor powder, that was scattered
for allaying the midday heat.
19. Then the chief of sages--Vasishtha, oped his mouth and spoke out
to Ráma, amidst the sonata of noonday music, that resounded amidst the
walls of the royal hall.
20. Vasishtha said:--Ráma! you have heard whatever is worth hearing,
and known also all that is worth your knowing; and now I see nothing
further, that is worth communicating to you for your higher knowledge.
21. Now you have to reconcile in yourself, and by your best
understandings, all that you have been instructed by me, and what you
have read and learnt in the sástras, and harmonise the whole for your
guidance.
22. Now rise to do your duties, while I hasten to the performance of
sacred ablutions; it is now midday, and the proper time of our bathing
is fastly passing away.
23. And then whatever else you have to enquire about, for the
satisfaction of your wishes, you can propose the same to me tomorrow
morning, when I shall be happy to expatiate on the subject.
24. Válmíki related:--After the sage had spoken in this manner, the
mighty king Dasaratha saluted the parting chiefs and sages, and
honoured them according to their proper ranks and degrees.
25. And then being advised by Vasishtha, the virtuous king with Ráma by
his side, proceeded to give their due honours, to the sages and siddhas
and to the Bráhmanas also one after the other.
26. He gave them gems and jewels, and monies and bouquets of flowers;
and he gave to others riches equivalent to the values of the gems and
jewels; while he gave strings of pearls and necklaces to some also.
27. He honoured some with his respects and civilities, and others with
monies suited to their worth and degree, while he gave his gifts of
cloths and seats, food and drink, and of gold and lands to others.
28. He saluted others with perfumeries and aromatic spices and wreaths
of flowers; he honoured the elders with due respects, and gave his bare
regards to others.
29. Then the king rose from amidst the assembly, with the whole body
of his courtiers, and the holy sages and Vasishtha with him; as the
splendid moon rises in the sky, with the train of stars about him. (The
moon is masculine in Sanskrit, and twin brother of the sun).
30. The rising of the assembly and its people, was attended with a
rumbling noise, as it is heard in the treading of men, over a bog of
knee deep mud and mire.
31. The clashing of the concourse against one another, and the cracking
of their armlets and wristlets by their friction with each other;
joined with the broken jewels and scattered pearls, slipped from the
torn necklaces of the nobles, gave the floor of the court hall, the
appearance of the spangled heaven.
32. There was a close concussion of the bodies, of sages and saints,
of Bráhmans and princes and nobles all jumbled together; and there was
a rapid undulation of the chourie flappers, waving in the hands of
fanning maid servants.
33. But there was no huddling or dashing or pushing one against the
other; as they were intent upon reflecting on the sense of the sages
preaching, and rather asking excuses of one another, with the gestures
of their bodies, when they came in contact with others.
34. At last the king and the sages and nobles, accosted one another
with sweet and soft words; and took their parting leave (for repairing
to their respective abode for the day).
35. They then left the palace, and proceeded to their residences, with
their gladdened faces and contented minds; as when the immortals
repair to all parts of heaven, from the synod of the king of
gods--Indra or Sakra.
36. After every one had taken leave of others, and arrived at his
house; he employed himself in the discharge of his ritual services of
the day.
37. Thus the king and all, performed their daily ablutions and services
as usual, until the end of the day.
38. As the day ended with the discharge, of the duties of the daily
ritual; so the sojourner of the etherial path--the tired sun, sat
down to rest in the west (as the birds of air repair at eve, to their
respective nests). (The sun is said to be the _unka_ or falcon of
heaven; resting at his _aspiand_ or nest in the west, by a poet of
Persia).
39. After the performance of their vespers, the prince Ráma and the
people at large, passed their nights awake and fastly, with talking
about and thinking upon the discourse of the day.
40. Then the rising sun advanced in the east, with sweeping away the
dust of darkness from before his path, and strewing about the starry
flowers on his way, in order to fix his seat in the midst of his dome
of the universe.
41. The infant or rising sun, reddened the skies with his rays,
resembling the crimson hue of kusambha flowers; and then he embarked
on the board of his bright orb, amidst the wide ocean of the etherial
region. (The sun sailed in the etherial sea, through the scattered
island of the hidden stars and planets on his way. Gloss).
42. Then the regnant princes and lords of men, together with the
nobles, peers and their ministers, met at the court hall of King
Dasaratha; when there gathered also the great saints and sages, with
Vasishtha at their head.
43. They entered into the court and took their seats, according to
their different degrees and ranks; just as the stars of heaven appear
and occupy their places, in their respective constellations and circles
in the expanse of heaven.