Sri Vasista
-3 O Rama, when a firebrand is rotated, an (illusory) disc of light appears. Similarly a nonexistent world makes its appearance as real as the mind throbs and quivers. When water rotates, a vortex appears as a separate entity in the same waters. Similarly a world appears when mind vibrates. It is the same as the appearance of peacock tail in the sky due to reflections of sun's light.
Sri Rama
O great soul, by what does a mind shake? By what does it not shake? Please tell me since we have to cure that movement.
Sri Vasista
-8 O Rama, shaking is nature of mind. They are not two different things. It is like snow and its whiteness, flower and its fragrance and fire and its heat. They are like a quality and one having that quality. One will disappear if the other disappears or destroyed. To destroy mind there are two ways; one is through yoga and the other is through knowledge. Yoga is conquest of the waves in the mind. 'Jnana' is holistic and integral perception.
Sri Rama
O Lord of the sages, please tell me the way to restrict and control the in and out movement of vital air (prana). How can one achieve mental peace through that method?
Sri Vasista
O Rama, there are several tubular structures (like arteries and veins) in a body. Through them the vital air (prana) moves around. This air is called 'Prana'. It is like water flowing through tubes.
-16 . Because of its nature of vibration and movement, this air performs many interesting and surprising actions. For these many names like 'apana' and such are given by accomplished people. Flower is the source and support (also a reservoir) of fragrance. Snow is the support for its whiteness. Similarly this fluid (of air) is the support for mind with which the air becomes integral. Because of the movements and vibrations inside (a being), a consciousness, which is oriented towards ideations and determinations (sankalpa kalana), is generated. This, O Raghava, know is mind. Thus because of vibrations and movements of air (vital) arise movements in consciousness. Because of such movements, arise the sentient/relative perceptions and knowledge (samvit). It is similar to the generation of waves and vortices in water due to fluidic movements of water. The knowers of Veda call this vital air movements as 'chitta', mind. So when this movement of air (prana) is controlled and restrained, mind will become quiet. When mental movements subside, this world also dissolves. It is like people retiring to inaction after the disappearance of sunshine.
Sri Rama
O Sage, this 'prana' moves relentlessly inside the body-house space. How can one restrain and control such an air?
Sri Vasista
-20 . O Rama, this can be done by association with scriptures and learned people and by practicing dispassion. Through this one has to develop disinterest and disregard for old activities and habits. By practising the kind of meditation, suitable to them, concentration can be achieved. And by intense practice of such meditation, control of prana (breath) can be achieved.
Utter 'OM' and (try to) experience the meaning and essence of its last 'matra'. A feeling of deep sleep will then arise and breath will be controlled.
When 'rechaka' (outflow of prana) is practised properly and with vigour 'prana' will assume the form of expansive sky. And so it will not touch the holes in the limbs. Then 'prana' will be controlled and restrained.
When 'puraka' (inflow of prana) is practised properly and vigorously, the entire inside will be filled. The inside will be like a solid mountain. Prana movement will be extinguished completely. Then 'prana' can be controlled and restrained.
Then when breath is suspended during 'kumbhaka' phase of breathing, the body become still like a pot (as long as the breath is held). When 'prana' is held inside through practice, prana can be controlled and restrained.
Prana also can be restrained and controlled by redirecting Prana towards 'braharandhra' (the hole at the top of head) by closing the entrance to the throat by folding the tongue and touching the valve at the begining of the throat.
-31 . Abandoning all comprehensions and apprehensions and merge all perceptions and consciousness in the subtle ether, through meditation, then prana will be controlled and restrained. This can be done even by dissolving all perceptions in the pure space within a span of twelve inches from the tip of nose, prana can be controlled and restrained. The latter can be done by restraining prana movement in the tube from tongue to the space on the head (brahma randra)with the help of tongue. This same can be done by concentrating sight on the space between the eyebrows for a longtime. This happens by the discriminating awareness that consciousness is located in the space. If by chance, knowledge is gained (through some means) and is established firmly in a person, prana is restrained due to nonunion with any modifying aspects. Breath control and restraint can happen even by long practice of meditation when vasanas get dissolved.
Sri Rama
O knower of truth, what is it that is called heart in a person, in which the entire world reflects as in a mirror?
Sri Vasista
O Rama, there are two kinds of hearts of people in this world. One is agreeable and one is detestable. Listen.
-35 . In the time and space based body there is a heart inside the chest. It is a piece of flesh. This a detestable one. The other is full of knowledge. This is an agreeable one. This is both in the inside and outside of everyone. In fact it is neither outside nor inside. This is the most important heart. This entire world is in this heart. This is the mirror for all things and is the receptacle for all knowledge and perceptions.
-39 . The knowledge that is in everyone is called 'heart', not the flesh ball which is like an inconscient stone. If mind is forcefully attached to this heart by removing all vasanas, then prana can be controlled and restrained. This can be done by many more such methods designed and articulated by many masters.
-41 . For one who is in the yoga mode, all methods of Yoga can yield fruit through (proper) practice. When practice becomes firm and established and is marked by dispassion, prana control becomes fruitful as the vasanas come under control.
As a cascade flows down, it becomes lean with distance and gets extinguished. Similarly the space in the span starting from nose, eyebrows and tongue can be quietened with practice.
If the tongue can be folded to touch the valve at the root of the tongue, prana can be restrained and controlled.
There are many modifications of 'samadhi' depending on type of practice. However perfect quietitude without deformation can be gained (with all these practices).
O Rama, only by practice can one become sorrowless and happy inside and delighted in Self. There is no other way. So take to practice.
Through practice, vibrations in prana will completely subside. Mind will be perfectly calm. Only Nirvana remains.
Vasana-ridden mind takes body, birth and prana. Vasana free mind takes to liberation. O Rama, do as you please.
Vibration of prana is a form of mind. Consequent on this is the illusion and perplexity of world. When these vibrations are quelled, the fever of mutable world is gone.
When modifications and deformations die down what remains is the supreme state. This state is where all verbal descriptions and ideas become purposeless.
Whenever the 'All' is, everything there emerges out of it. Since 'All' is everywhere, everything everywhere emerges out of it in all ways. Because the world is not, it can never be anywhere. And so it can never be like the all.
Because of tendency to decay and modification, there can be nothing in the world comparable to attributelessness in the world. There is nothing in the world to serve as an illustration for attributelessness.
The moon of consciousness that arises inside a 'jivanmukta' is sweet with all dispositions and natures, is like an effulgent lamp. It puts on apprehensions and comprehensions of all kinds of desires.
-54 . O great intellect Rama, He is called a 'jivanmukta' who abides with steadfast wisdom in that highest state, which is the very end of all regions. From that state of Absolute arise in a great procession numerous worlds like juicy fruits of wide variety flowing out of a 'wish fulfilling' tree called 'kalpa' tree. These worlds rise and fall/grow and decay/ are born and are dead.
A jivanmukta becomes the best of people, 'Purushottama', being liberated from mind, devoid of all normal curiosities, with all good and bad ideations totally dissolved. He will be a person of equal mind in all activities.
