Sri vasista
O Rama, the videha muktas do not move in the world. And so there is no point in talking about them. Listen to what I say about liberation - while - in life.
Wise men call that desire as liberation-while-in life by which works are done as they come naturally without any craving or longing.
Bondage is that state of desire with which people feel bound by a purpose external (to them and their nature) Wise men say that desire binds one to the phenomenal world firmly.
Jivanmuktas move in this world with their hearts free from wills and volitions. The desire (for action) is not born out of any vasana.
O Raghava, whoever is attached to external purposes is bound by desire. One who is liberated from all attachments is one who is free of all desire. It is said so.
Because of avid desire some action has been done in the past. Because of that even in the present there is no sorrow; there is no anugish. Such avidity (trishna) is called as liberation by wise people.
O Rama of great intelligence, feelings such as 'this is and it is mine' are chains and fetters of avid desire and are deceptive apprehensions and comprehension. Know this.
O man of great reflection, noble-minded people reach/attain the perfect/ supreme by discarding all apprehensions and comprehensions about existence and non existence, reality and nonreality at all times.
Settle and abide like a passive, unruffled ocean disregarding and discarding all feelings and states of sorrows, joys, bondages and liberation.
Self is immortal without aging and death. Know this, O best of intelleligent people. Do not pollute your mind with worries and doubts about old age and death.
O Raghava, you are neither this physical material essence or principle, nor are they you. Never is any thing like thus. All this is something other than this (what is visible). Be that other thing.
This universe is born out of untruth and yet it abides as true. You are beyond this. How and where is desire possible in you?
O Rama, on reflection and enquiry through one's mind four other wide issues arise.
O Rama, first one is 'From head to foot I am built by my parents'. This conviction will surely lead one to bondage.
'I am beyond all feelings and states. I am subtler than the tip of a hair' - this second conviction will surely lead one to liberation.
'I am the Self of all this net of worldly things. I am inperishable'. This third conviction too results in liberation.
'I and all this world are all a void and same as ether' - this fourth conviction is definitely liberating.
Among all these the first one causes bondage. The other three lead to liberation, being a product of pure feelings and ideas.
The first one can be said to be bondage causing desire and avidity. The remaining three are pure avidities of a 'Jivanmukta'.
O great intellect! my conviction is that 'I am this all-Self'. And so distress and dejection never seize my mind.
'In all things and species only the Self is immanent. Its glory, power and grandeur are present.' One never gets bound by such a conviction.
This self is called by several names: void, Nature, deception (maya), Brahman, Vijnana (gnosis), purusha, Ishana and Nitya (the eternal).
All this world is Pure Existence. There is no other thing. There is no duality. This entire world is pervaded by truth, not by anything else.
Like a sea completely and totally full with water, this world, from Brahma to a pillar, is pervaded by the Infinite Self.
And so Truth is immortal and eternal. Never is untruth seen or manifest. An ocean is only water, not waves.
Bracelets and anklets are no different from gold. Similarly trees, grass and such are not different from the earth.
The energy of non-dual Paramatman swells and overwhelms in constructing the world with a sportive division as dual and non-dual.
O Rama, do not accept joy or grief in all the activities of the world, whether yours or of others. They always accumulate harm and injury.
Be non-dual in mind. Be full with non-duality in your existence. Disregard nonduality in action. Thus be both dual and nondual.
The fields of the world are fierce due to the dispositions of mind and ideas and fantasies. Do not fall into that portentuous and calamitious, phenomenal world. It will be like an elephant falling into a pit.
O great soul, duality is full of sentient mental consciousness. And so it is not possible. Otherwise Self is one. There are no two conditions like one and two in the Self. There is no form other than that of Self.
There is nothing called world here. All is the manifestation of the changeless one. Only the gnosis the Divine Truth shines quietly and passively. All is pure existence. Know this (truth).
(The supreme Brahman) is perfect, immortal, with no beginning. It is the light of all light, the effulgence of all effulgences. It is beyond thought and is changeless. It is free of any instruments. It is the life Energy of Life. It is free of all masks and putting-ons. It is the great cause of all causes.
The Lord is always in delight. The consciousness - effulgence is all pervading. It is stable and steady and is the seed of all experiences. It is worthy of being taught (and learnt). This bliss of Brahman is always immanent in the world of 'you and I'. Be firm in this conviction.
