Yoga Vasishtha - 3

Jan 15, 2013 10:52




Shri Valmiki, author of Yoga Vasishtha, is not only a Brahma Nishtha but also a Shrotriya - of the highest order. Brahma Nishatha is one who always & effortlessly revels in his transcendental truth; while Shrotriya is one who is adept in the art & science of effective communication, even of that which is beyond words & comprehension. Using all tools at his command he effectively communicates the subtle truths to all kinds of people. Inspiring & enlightening stories after stories follow to not only make the whole discourse highly interesting, digestible but also relevant - and all in an amazing sequence, like blossoming of a flower. It is like a travel where scenery never stays the same. It reminds one of soul’s travel from life to life, from birth to death and another birth, each one being in unique conditions, with different notions and emotions, surroundings and relations. From mendicant to a king, from king to a deer, from deer to swan, flower, creeper, bird, bee, fish, sage, snake - in a seemingly neverending sequence. Till one is mesmerized with things around, striving for some and leaving some others, getting in and out of relations and exchanging one place for another, world after world and life after life give an abundant field for various experiences. He is like a child who plays with toys, so deeply engaged into his play that he forgets about everything else. In the book, we are getting a full view of many lives and Valmiki draws our attention to never-changing reality which transcends all these lives, notions and experiences, however different they seem to be, and instead of being just another of many wonderful amazements, they become pointers to subtle truth lying behind and through all happenings. Like a thread connecting many beads in a necklace, not seen from outside, but essential for keeping these beads together, here is a reality behind and through all things and experiences, which holds all of them together. Instead of looking out for wonderful and amazing beads, you start looking inside for the thread which is always present, but stays as if hidden for these who never look for it. Each story is a pointer - instead of casually looking out, look within yourself to discover that one indivisible reality which makes the whole world possible

Besides stories which go one after another, Yoga Vasishtha is full of stories within stories within stories within stories. The process begins on the very first page and also may appear as having no end, like a series of dreams within dreams, and coming out of the one, you go right into another one. Without a wise knowledgeable guide this process goes with almost random transitions, which depend on many factors. With wise guidance of Valmiki, stories sequence and development are not random, they set to bring one to understand its own self. Central story of Yoga Vasishtha, set up in the middle of several other stories surrounding it, is the teaching of sage Vasishtha to Shri Rama, and with Rama reaching enlightement, all other stories neatly come to a final conclusion. With one dream ending with understanding of your own nature, all other dreams end also, karmas are destroyed, and one is set free from the spinning wheel of samsara. All what is seen in the dream, from a mountain to people, is nothing but the dreamer himself, here is no materiality in stones, buildings and relations. If any personage of a dream realizes what he is not a dream character, having separate existence, and wakes up to his true nature, the whole dream ends, and all its worries and joys are seen as not really existing. So, with one dream character being enlightened by Shri Vasishtha, all stories, all dreams are bursting like soap bubbles, and what is within merges with that which is without.

Narration of Yoga Vasishtha starts with sage Sutikshna asking wise Agastya about the problem of liberation - which one is conductive to liberation, work or knowledge? Agastya replies - ‘Verily, birds are able to fly with their two wings: even so both work and knowledge together lead to the supreme goal of liberation’. To explain it further, he tells the story of Karunya, who seeks liberation and approaches his father with a question, and his father Agniveshya tells him the story of celestial damsel Suruchi who asks divine messenger Devadutta, who tells her the story of king Arishtanemi asking the sage Valmiki, who tells him the story of teaching of sage Vasishtha to Shri Rama, incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Vasishtha, giving explanations to divine Rama guiding him and helping to realize his own nature, is also answering the question of sage Sutikshna about connection between liberation, actions and understanding. Does it remind you the teaching of immortal Gita? In Bhagavat Gita, Krishna, divine incarnation of Shri Vishnu teaches his human friend Arjuna on the field of Kurukshetra about the science of the right action. The problem which Arjuna and Sutikshna face is the same fundamental problem any person faces many times in his or her life, as old as life itself, - should I engage in actions or should I shun actions and be quiet in meditation. Gita, as well as Yoga Vasishtha offer holistic approach for acting in life, Gita does it in a short form while Yoga Vasishtha goes into detailed explanations.

While actions are essential and unavoidable, alone they are not enough for understanding fundamental truth of whole existence. Actions clean one’s mind, and only clean mind can successfully find answers to the most important questions only a human being can ever think of - who am I, what is this world around, what is it which makes my existence and existence of the whole world possible? And truth found by the shining and capable mind cleaned by righteous actions, transcends any division, including between action and knowledge. Having attained the highest realization “I am the Divine Self”, Shri Rama, as well as Arjuna, engage themselves in the actions reflecting their understanding of their true nature and their roles in this divine play called life.

vasishtha

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