Sri Vasista
O mighty intellect, association with saints and noble people will always be greatly helpful in the purpose of crossing ( the ocean of ) samsara.
Those great souls, who protect the white flower of `Viveka' sprouting on the tree of association with saints, will be eligible for all good consequences.
Meeting with people of knowledge will make a de- serted place congested with people. It will make death look like a festival. It will make calmities appear like riches.
Association with saints is like snow to the lotuses of calamities. It is like wind for the fog of delusion. In this world only saints are victorious.
Know that association with saints unfolds purity, weak- ens ignorance and drives away mental illnesses.
Due to association with noble people, discriminating intelligence gets illuminated, effulgent, enchanting and intense.
The powers of association and meeting with saints pro- mote strength, happiness, and freedom from affliction and calamity. Men should never give up association with saints and 8. noble and wise people even in times of great distress and affliction.
The association with saints is the light of good con- duct. The sum of knowledge shines (bright) dispelling the darkness in the heart.
For those who bathe in the cool waters of Ganga of association with noble saints, where is the need for donations, pilgrimages, `tapas' and sacrifices?
O sinless one, if there are great saints without doubts (about Truth), who are without any attractions, and whose mental knots are untied, where is the need for `tapas' or pilgrimages?
These mentally reposed blessed souls are worthy of seeking by even effort like the seeing of diamonds by impoverished people.
The mind of the wise acquires a charm and grace by association with noble and saintly people and shines radiantly like Lakshmi among celestial nymphs.
Thinking of the Supreme and wearing the Supreme state as a crest jewel, the one who becomes famous and blessed (will not ) does not leave his association with the wise and saintly people.
Those universally accepted saints, who have broken asunder all knots to realise the supreme truth, and who are the most worshippable, are the (best) means to cross the ocean of `samsara'.
Those who look upon the saints,-who are like clouds to the fire of hell - with a sense of ridicule will them- selves become the fodder for the fires of hell.
Association with saints and noble people is like an effective remedy for the diseases of poverty, death, un- happiness. All those diseases will subside with such association.
Joy of contentment, association with saints and noble people, an attitude of inquiry, calmness - These are the best ways of crossing the ocean of `samsara' for hu- man beings.
The best gain or acquisition is delight (in contentment, `santosha'). Association with saints and wise men is the best that can happen. The highest knowledge is (the ability for) inquiry. Quietude is the greatest happi- ness.
Those who practise these four untainted ways to break the net of `samsara' , they alone will cross the ocean of samsara filled with waters of delusion.
O best of thinkers, among these, even if one is followed and practised with pure heart, it is as if the four have been practised.
From one practice the others will arise one by one. And so, to accomplish all the four, one should start with one.
Association with noble and saintly people, delight in contentment and ability to inquiry will flow to one who is pure with divine peace, like boats stride towards the sea.
All good will flow (or reach) one who has the four char- acteristics of `santosha', `vichara', `satsamagama' and `sama', the way wealth flows to one who seeks refuge under the `kalpa tree'.
For one who is endowed with `santosha', `satsanga', `vichara' and peace, grace and charm come flowing (naturally) the way beauty and such qualities are natu- ral to full moon.
Victory chooses those who are with the four qualities of `santosha', `vichara', `sama', and `satsanga', the way ministers follow the king.
And so, o son of Raghu dynasty, practise the best one among them (the four), conquering the mind with per- sonal effort.
There is no question of reaching the highest state, so long as the elephant of mind is conquered with the best personal effort, following and nurturing one of the (four) qualities.
O Rama, strive with the grit of your teeth till your mind possesses (is established on ) these (four) qualities.
O mighty armed one, you may be a god, an yaksa or a human or a tree- there is no way (to achieve the Su- preme) till you acquire these (four) qualities.
If atleast one among the four qualities gathers strength and yields fruit, then all the weaknesses and faults of the ensnared person will vanish.
When the (four) qualities increase intensely, the quali- ties of a person which overwhelm bad qualities will increase or develop. When faults increase in strength, the faulty qualities that destroy good qualities will in- crease.
The river of vasanas flows between the banks of good and inauspicious in the forest of delusion of mind of men.
This flow turns towards that bank to which you strive to swing it. (Knowing this) do what you like.
O best of minds, with your great effort try to swing the river of your mind to the auspicious bank ( side ). Then your great mind- river does not turn in the wrong direc- tion.
