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Upasama Prakarana

 

Teaching on peace

Sri Vasista

  1. O Rama of attractive form, now listen to the discourse on tanquility, full of elegant propositions and proofs.

  1. O Rama, this long deception (maya) of cyclical and mutable existence of the world is sustained and kept moving by beings with 'rajasic' and 'tamasic' qualities. They are like the strong and stable pillars of a hall.

  1. People like you who are of the 'sattwic' nature, having a mature perception, discard such a world with ease, like a snake which sheds its skin (periodically).

  1. Those among the 'rajasic and tamasic' types, who are wise like the 'sattwic' people reflect upon the origins and nature of the worlds.

  1. These people acquire a sense of discrimination, which makes them perceive the essence (of existence), by association with wise people, study of scriptures and performance of good works. With the latter activity all delusions will decline and subside (ultimately). Such discriminatory intelligence is like a lamp (which leads one on the path).

  1. As long as one does not rise beyond these qualities, by reflection and analysis of Self by oneself, the truth to be known will not be attained.

  1. O son of Raghu dynasty, you are the best of those 'rajasic' high-born men of intelligence, wisdom, rectitude and courage.

  1. O man of wisdom and intelligence, reflect and muse on the inner luminous seizings of consciousness about the genesis of the world. Then determine/ realize what is truth and what is untruth. Become thus a person devoted to truth.

  1. How can one attribute any truth to something that does not exist at all, right at the beginning? What is eternal right from the beginning is one that is true and real. Nothing else.

  1. How can 'viveka' (discrimination) arise in a stupid (person) whose mind is seized by reality of nonexistent objects right from the beginning?

  1. World is born of this mind and mind alone is grown by this world. Only by an integral perception is mind freed (from this world).

Sri Rama

  1. O Bhagawan, I understand that mind alone is this worldly being, afflicted by aging and death.

  1. Please tell me a certain way of crossing this ocean of world. You alone can pull, like a sun, the Raghus from this darkness.

Sri Vasista

  1. O Raghava, at the outset one should orient the mind towards virtue by study of scriptures, association with wise people and practice of detachment.

  1. Touched by wisdom and goodness, when the mind arrives at detachment and dispassion, one should seek a guru. He should be one with idealism and with a knowledge of truth.

  1. Under the guru's guidance, one should undertake worship and meditation. In course of time, one will reach that high state of purity.

  1. One will be able to perceive the Self by inquiry into Self by the self. It will be like a sky brightened by cool moon-beams. Inquiry will light the internal universe of a person.

  1. People swing like straws afloat on the waters of this ocean of a mutable world, so long as mind does not attain repose and stability on the shores of inquiry (into Self)

  1. Inquiry will lead the mind of a person to the thing to be known, by making it easy (to move towards truth). It is like water which can move easily when the (obstructing) sand is removed (or parted).

  1. It is like the clean knowledge of a goldsmith that 'this is gold, this is ash or not ash.' (On inquiry a seeker will get such a power of discrimination)

  1. 'This Self never perishes; it is imperishable' - when one realizes this within himself, where is the opportunity for any delusion about this world?

  1. When one is not aware (of the truth), his mind wavers and falls under delusion. When the Self is known without any doubt and vagueness, how can stupidity survive?

  1. O folks, all sorrow is when Self is not known. When the Self is known (realized), there will be only endless joy, happiness and peace.

  1. Through inquiry bring out to the surface the Self that is smitten by the five elements which are totally blended with it. Become happy, residing in the Self for ever.

  1. In fact this body has no relationship with the Self. It is like gold which has fallen into mire.

  1. Self is separate. Body is separate. They are like a lotus and water. Even when I thunder about this fact with raised hands, no one is listening to it.

  1. Mind is stupid, inert, and inconscient as long as it stays like a turtle in a deep hole/ditch. Forgetting about Self and the search for it, mind runs after pleasures with all stupidity.

  1. And the darkness and deep blindness about the mutable world can not be rent even by moon or fire of the twelve suns.

  1. When the mind is awakened and enlightened and understands the real state, only then darkness (of ignorance) takes flight, like night flying away on the arrival of sun.

  1. Mind gets into the path of 'yoga' by constant instruction teaching about truth. Then it understands the schism of the world, that this world is the source of all sorrow.

  1. Just like sky which is untouched by dust, just like a lily/lotus which is unaffected by water, in the same way is the connection between body and Self.

  1. Gold remains untouched by the mud (in which it may find itself). Similar is the relationship between the stupid body and the Self. They do not grow into each other.

  1. To think that Self expereinces joy and sorrw is untrue. It is like a sky being stained.

  1. Happiness and grief are not for the body nor for the Self which is beyond everything. They are due to ignorance. And so there is no harm ever (for anyone).

  1. O Raghava, there is in fact neither happiness nor grief. All is full of Self. All is quiet and infinite peace. View all from that point of view.

  1. All these widely-held perceptions about the world are like waves in water, like peacock feathers seen in the sky.

  1. A lustrous diamond flashes light rays from itself without any (perceptible) reason. Similarly the splendorous Self sends out these creations (without any obvious reason).

  1. O good natured Rama, Self and this mutable world are neither one nor separate as two. This world is a mere swollen reflection of the Self.

  1. All is, indeed, Brahman. All is the spread of Self. Leave/Discard the illusion that 'I am one and the world is another'.

  1. In this majestic, eternal Brahman, imaginations, inventions and fancies are impossible. In this pure existence divisions and disjoints are not possible as in a body of water.

  1. In the one Paramatmam, there is no room for any second fabrication. There can be no snowflake in fire.

  1. The Self contemplates the tanscendental forms within itself and swells out. Theseare radiant, luminous, honest and truthful transcendence itself.

  1. O Raghava, there is neither delusion, nor sorrow, neither birth nor anything that is born. Whatever 'is' that alone exists. Be free from anguish and fever.

  1. O Raghava, become one without any duality, eternally established in bliss of Self, without any concern for security of what you have and with no concern for any welfare. Be one free of sorrow and anguish.

  1. O Raghava, be one equal in attitude with a stable and steady mind. With all sorrow quietened, be a man of silence in mind. Be free from fever and be pure and transparent like the best of gems.

  1. Wise without any mental resolves, be courageous, having conquered all desires. Acting on what comes to you, be one without fever and anguish.

  1. Without any attachment become one with pure and unstained mind. Without accepting or rejecting anything, become one free of anguish and fever.

  1. Attaining that state beyond the universe, be like a full, unperturbed ocean, having obtained that which is to be obtained. Thus be one free of fever and anguish.

  1. Freed of all modifications and deformations, with no deceptive illusions, be one satisfied with the Self by the Self. Thus become one without fever or anguish.

  1. O best of the knowers of Self, O Rama, with a vast and wide spread of body, be one like a majestic mountain, steadfast and stable, wise and noble. Thus become one without fever or anguish.

  1. Without desiring anything, enjoying what comes to you, become one without fever and anguish, neither receiving nor rejecting anything.

  1. Worship and adore with self the magnamity of Self like an ocean that is full. Worship and adore bliss of Self by the self like the disc of full moon.

  1. This manifest form of the Universe of phenomena is unreal. O Rama, those who are aware of this do not run after such unreality. Be one aware of this. Be free of imagination and fancy. Be always one freshly born. Be one beautiful with all grief subdued and quietened.

  1. Rule this kingdom, guided by your teacher. Give good holistic governance with equal attitude, giving delight to everyone. Do not have any attitude of attachment or renunciation in any of your actions.


 

Sri Yoga Vasishtam
Translation by :
Dr. P.N. Murthy