On the mental world of Vitahavya

Sri Vasista

1. -8 O Rama, having decided thus, the vasana-free sage Vitahavya sat in 'samadhi' in his cave in Vindhya mountain. He was still like an ocean. He was totally inactive. He looked beautiful with beatitude in his Self. The movement of breath came to a standstill inside him. It was like the upward movement of flames subsiding as the firewood feeding them get burnt. His eyes are not aware of the external world and they were half-shut. The open part was directed inside. His eyes looked like semi-open lotuses. His head, spine and throat were erect in a straight line. In such a posture that wise sage appeared like a statue carved on the slopes of a mountain. Thus three hundred years passed as if in a trice. He was a 'jivanmukta' and so during all this period, he neither cast off his body nor did he rise up from his samadhi.

9. -13 During this period that beautiful and blessed sage was never shaken either by thunders from clouds, or by the low rumbling sounds of falling rain water, or by the hubab and uproar of hunting squads of kings and princes or by the noises of monkeys or by the roars of elephants or by the roars of angry lions, or by the hissing sound from the cascades on the slopes, or by fierce thunders, or by the loud noises of people moving around, or by the sounds from arrogant 'Sarabha' animals, or by the heart-rending sounds from earth quakes or by the forest fires or by the heat of fiery summers.

14. -15 . Time passed in its own course. Many rainy seasons passed and Vitahavya's cave got filled by mud that flowed in. Vitahavya who was unaware of any happenings, got enveloped by mud. Even so he was unmoved like a stone.

16. -19 . After three hundred years, he got up from samadhi by himself being squeezed out by the mud. His mud-harassed body was saved by consciousness only and not by the movement of 'prana'. His body was subtle filled with the vital airs. To complete the grandeur of creation (of him by the Supreme) he conceived in his heart his own mind and started experiencing the grandeur in his heart.

20. -21 . He spent hundred years as a muni under a 'kadamba' tree in 'kailasa' mountain. This was possible because of his Jivanmukta state and absolute purity. Then he spent another hundred years as a Vidyadhara without any mental afflictions. For five yugas, he enjoyed as Indra, revered and adored by gods and 'Charanas'.

Sri Rama

22. O Sage, all these Indrahood etc were because of his great capability and genius. But what about the laws of time and space? They seen to be simultaneously both obeying and violating law.

Sri Vasista

23. -24 . All manifest forms are born out of the consciousness-form. This manifestation of the power will be according to the form and nature of manifestations at a place, its context and time. It will be as per the law that is conceived by the intelligence. The entire manifestation will be according to space time laws, regulations and order.

25. And so the vasana free Vitahavya saw in his heart-space of consciousness many kinds of creations.

26. Vasana of 'jnanis' is not really vasana. When vasana was burnt by the fire of knowledge where is even a seed of vasana?

27. After that Vitahavya acquired skill of many 'vidyas' and was with pure knowledge in the three times. He experienced the commandership of the armies of Lord Maheswara.

28. Whatever is the 'samskara' of a person, he will see everything through that. Vitahavya experienced all the above according to his firm mental conceptions (sanskara).

Sri Rama

29. O sage, can there be/will there be perceptions like bondage and liberation even for 'jnanmuktas' like Vitahavya?

Sri Vasista

30. O Rama, for jivanmuktas, all this world is that pure and peaceful Brahman alone. Where is the question of bondage and liberation for them?

31. -32 . The way consciousness- ether manifests radiantly at any place that way it exists at that place. Vitahavya is Brahman-form in all aspects. So he experienced all the forms of Brahman manifestation. He still continues to experience them.

33. -36 . The consciousness of Vitahavya is the same as the consciousness in us. And so all our experiences will be the experience of Vitahavya. He was Indra, earlier, now he is the king of 'Dina' kingdom. He is now ready to hunt in a forest. When he was in kailasa as Ganapati during the 'Padma' aeon of Brahma, he had a swan as his pet. That swan is now king of 'Nishadas' (a hunting tribe). Similarly, a former king of Saurastra is now living in a village in Andhrapradesh.

Sri Rama

37. O sage, all creations of Vitahavya are mental. And so Indra and swan are also in that mental creation. How can they be living with bodies (and remain active)?

Sri Vasista

38. -40 . O Rama, you are saying that Vitahavya's mental worlds are illusory. If so, this world of ours should also be illusory. This world of yours is an aspect of the Transcendent, similar to being mental illusion. Similar is the world of Vitahavya. In fact his world is neither similar, nor special. Even this world will be illusory. Only Brahman is shining in the shape of world.

41. -44 . Even the future worlds will be mere illusions. All visible, phenomenal worlds are only full of sentient mind. As long as this world is not known as such, it will be firmly known as consciousness-ether alone. Just as waves that rise in a sea, this world which is a mental creation will be expansive and wide with change and evolution. World sprouts in consciousness-ether through what bears the name, 'mind' and all worlds are made thus. There is nothing other than Brahman.