Sri Vasista
Men of wisdom acquire the Truth perception, adopting such an attitude (towards life) and move about in this world as if they acquired a kingdom.
They do not grieve. They do not desire or beg for any good or bad things. They act and do everything as if they are not doing anything.
They abide and live in purity. Whatever they do acquires transparency and purity. They do not make distinctions like `this is mean; this is acceptable'. (with such a char- acter). They abide in their self.
There is neither arrival nor departure. All is as it is achieved or occurs. There is neither doing nor nondoing There are neither declarations nor non-declarations.
What are seen as their initiatives and actions are the perceptions of others. These (judgemental) perceptions like acceptable and nonacceptable decline as people arrive at the Supreme state.
Discarding all desires and with a mind full of delec- table thoughts, they achieve allround happiness as if they reside in the orb of moon.
One can be without any thinking or thoughts. One can be devoid of any sense of wonder or curiosity about things. Even so ambrosian delight can be experienced only in the Self. Not in any other way or from any other thing. It is like the delight from the moon.
(A knower of truth) does not do any magic or jugglery. He does not chase or run after the vasanas. Discard- ing the childish whims and fickleness, he shines effulgently in Self.
Such a state of existence is gained only through the knowledge of the nature of Self - not by any other means.
Therefore, one should acquire the knowledge of Self through life long meditation, worship and inquiry into the Self. This can not happen by any other means.
Through personal experience and practising the teach- ings of Guru and scriptures, one should see one's Self.
It is impossible to gain the Supreme, while ridiculing the scriptures and disregarding wise and noble people. Fools and stupids can not achieve equality.
Even poison, disease, calamity, mental afflictions can not cause a man the kind of grief that stupidity and fool- ishness can cause.
The way listening to this scripture and sacred text with a pure mind, destroys stupidity (and ignorance) , noth- ing else (other scriptures) can do.
This sacred text, with appropriate beautiful illustrations and examples is worthy of listening. There is complete unity between phrases and words, their meanings and interpretations, without any contradictions.
All calamities arise out of foolishness and ignorance like thorns out of `khadira' plant.
O Rama, it is better to wander about with a begging bowl among the houses of lowly people than live a fool's life.
The life of an isolated blind insect in the hollow of a tree or in a densely dark well, is no more sorrowful than that of a foolish, ignorant fellow.
Once people obtain the light of the path to liberation they will not fall back into the darkness of attachment and delusion.
So long as the effulgence of the sun of discrimination does not shine, desire keeps the lotus of man warped (as a bud).
-22 . For the sake of liberation from the grief of this world, know the form of Self as declared by the authority of Gurus and scriptures. And then move about in the way of Hari and Hara, the Brahmarshis and others who are liberated while in life (Jivan muktas).
(In this world) sorrows are endless and infinite while happiness is mere trifle. Do not, therefore, stray your sight on the joys of this grief ridden world.
And so it is worthy and wise to strive for the infinite,, stainless, Supreme state, the acme of all essence.
The best of men (Jivas) are those whose mind is free of feverish agitation and is supported and stayed (on course) by the Supreme state. They alone are worthy of the accomplishment of human goals.
Know that those men of vicious and depraved mind are like blind frogs who are happy with sensuous plea- sures, good food, kingdoms and such enjoyments.
-28 . Those deluded, stupid people who are devotees of pleasures of vicious and vile people, sinners and of wicked activity go to hell of hells, the most sorrowful of sorrows, of the most fearful of the fearful.
O Rama, Happiness and joy are mutually destructive. They never cause good. They are as transient as a light- ning.
Those great people, like you, who are devoid of pas- sion and attachment and who are pure are worthy of reverence and are fit at once for both pleasures and liberation.
The fierce calamity of the river of samsara can be crossed by practice of dispassion and detachment guided by discriminatory intelligence.
It is not proper (and wise) for an intelligent person to succumb knowingly to the delusive and deadly swoon of deception of samsara.
One who does not strive to get out of this samsara out of disregard (for Truth) is like one who is lying on a bed of straw in a burning tenement.
That state after obtaining which there is no turning back and that state when obtained there is no grief, that state can be achieved only by knowledge alone. There is no doubt in this.
If not (knowledge is not gained) who would become bad or evil by such inquiry? If Truth exists then that will help to cross the ocean of samsara.
When the actions and movements are guided by de- liberations about the ways for liberation, then such a person is called `mokshabhogi'(enjoyer of liberation).
Without the sense (and mood) of the holistic essential nature, people with freedom from danger, freedom from doubt, freedom from confusion and sense of comfort, are not seen in the three worlds.
When that Supreme truth is obtained, affliction does not arise. For this neither riches, nor friends, nor rela- tives will be useful.
Neither the feverish activity, nor pilgrimages nor tor- menting and distressing of body will be useful.
The Supreme State is obtained only by conquering the mind through concertrated human effort directed to- wards eliminating vasanas.
The Supreme knowledge is possible only through in- telligent inquiry into that. For this, one should discard all sorrowful things.
One who gains the Supreme knowledge through per- sonal inquiry into That -sitting in a comfortable posture shall neither grieve nor will be born again.
Saints and sages know that Supreme State is the ulti- mate of all limitless happiness. It is the incomparable ambrosia.
There is no happiness in both heaven and earth due to the nature of decay in all dispositions and states of existences in these two. It is like mirages which do not contain water.
And so it is apropriate to think of conquering mind through the instruments of peace and joy. Through that infinite union with equilibrium and equality is obtained resulting in Bliss.
This is valid for anyone-gods or demons,humans- whether they are moving or diving or sitting or static.
The Supreme Bliss is the fruit of the tree of viveka (dis- criminatory intelligence) bearing the flower of peace. This Bliss is born out of the tranquil and peaceful mind.
This state is the purest, totally composed and devoid of any bewilderment with the mind in total tranquility.There are no desires, no likes, no discardings.
Though engaged in wordly action, such a one, like the sun in the sky, does not have any preferences or de- sires. He neither desires nor abandons anything.
I am now talking about the gatekeepers at the gates of (palace) liberation. One can enter the gate of libera- tion even if he engages one with diligence, one can enter the gates of liberation.
The expansive and long blemishful state of worldly hap- piness in the (hot) desert of samsara can be cooled by the soft and cool light of tranquility.
Through divine calm good is obtained. Divine calm and peace is the Supreme State. Divine calm and peace is most auspicious. It is the highest spiritual peace (santi). It destroys bewilderment.
Even enemies will turn friends to one who is a cool, satisfied soul and is embellished with a quiet mind.
Perfect purity emerges out of the people, like a water fountain throwing up waters, where minds are bedecked by the moon of quietude.
Those in whose heart lotuses, the lotus of quietude blos- soms, such twin- lotussed people are like Hari.
Those best of men, on whose face the moon of qui- etude shines, they are worship-worthy. Their beauty ex- ceeds that of moon.
The kind of joy that master powers of quietude gives, even the lordship of three worlds and the prosperity there of can not give.
Sorrows, uncontainable desire and such evil things are destroyed by a quiet, peaceful mind like darkness by sun.
The kind of tranquility and joy attained by men of peace is never attained by ordinary people. It is more than that of even the quiet cool moon. Among all beings the Supreme Truth will be manifest- 60. ing (in an evident manner) in a spontaneous way in noble people of peaceful temperament.
Both gentle and harsh and wicked -natured people fol- low a man of peace with faith like they follow their moth- ers.
The way one gets happiness with a mind of peace can- not be obtained with either nectar or money.
O Raghava, console and comfort your mind with the nectar of peace which is pulled and agitated by mental and physical ailments and the triad of desires.
My child, anything done or eaten with a cool and peace- ful mind will be (delightrully) sweet, not possible in any other way. A mind diffused with the nectar of cool and peace 65. achieves expansive, unbounded delight. Even if cracked (here and there) the fabric will unite again.
Neither `pisachas', nor demons, nor `daityas', nor en- emies not even animals like tigers and serpents-hate a man of peace and cool.
Sorrows will not trouble one who is covered with the armour of peace and quiet like diamond which can not be broken by arrows.
Even a king cannot shine the way a person of quietitude with an equal and pure mind shines.
When people see a person of peace and quiet, they feel a greater sense of pleasure than when they see a most beloved friend. People applaud him who moves about in this world do- 70. ing works with a sense of equality and cool attitude, and not any other.
All people praise the deeds done by a peaceful, saintly person with unagitated mind.
A man of peace is one who does neither gloat nor grieve about by eating, seeing and teaching good or bad things.
A man (peaceful person) of peace is one who is equal towards all beings; who does neither looks to future nor discards it; who has conquered his senses by per- sonal effort.
When viewed with a pure mind, there is harmony be- tween internal intentions and external occurences of a person's actions; such a person is called a peaceful person (a man of peace)
Though living steadily, if one does neither feel happy nor sorrowful like an unsteady person, such a man of ease is equal to one who is in a state of `sushupti' (deep sleep) . Such a one is called a peaceful man (a man with spiritual peace)
Even at the time of death or war, if one's mind is unagitated like that of a clear moon such a one is called a man with spiritual peace.
He whose looks fall on people like a stream of nectar, such a pleasing person is called a man with spiritual peace.
One whose mind attains coolness and who is not sub- merged in moods and dispositions, and who is not thoughtless in behaviour, he is called a man with spiri- tual peace.
One who does not set his mind on this mean body and despicable sense of I-ness even when faced with ca- lamities of the deluge-type, he is called a man with spiri- tual peace.
One , whose mind is pure like sky and is not polluted by worldly movements is called a man with spiritual peace.
A man with spiritual peace shines better than even `tapasvis', kings, mightymen, men of great qualities, men with many learnings and people who perform sac- rifices.
Happiness bursts out effulgently like moon beams from a noble person of high qualities whose mind is drenched with spiritual peace.
In frightful times of calamities only peace, which is the jewel of all the qualities of manhood.
O son of Raghu dynasty, spiritual peace can never be stolen. It is the secret of all noble people. Practice it perfectly and attain the Perfect state. The way great men of experience and accomplishment have adopted and followed it, you also follow and accomplish.
