On the Yoga of dalliance of manifestation

Sri Vasista

1. -7 O Rama, become a 'jnani' like Vitahavya, knowing what is to be known and casting off attachment, fear and anguish. Abide as such always. Vitahavya sauntered about with joy in this world for thirty thousand years. In the same way you also live and ramble along in this world. Many kings and sages lived in the same way. You also follow their way. Self will never come into the grip of joys and sorrows. Being such Self yourself, why are you grieving? Many knowers of Self are living in this world. But none of them are crying like you. Be at ease. Become a generous person of equal nature. Be happy. You are the all immanent Self. There is no rebirth for you. None of the 'jivanmuktas' will ever submit to the influence of joys and sorrows like you.

Sri Rama

8. -9 O great soul, I have one doubt. You have to wipe it out. Why are the powers like ability to move across the skies, not evident in jivanmuktas?

10. -18 . O light of the Raghu dynasty, such accomplishments are natural to material things. They are like flames of fire which blow upwards. Such powers are natural properties of living bodies like the ability of mosquitoes, flies etc. Even a person without knowledge of Self or without liberation can acquire these powers through 'mantric' practices or through some herbal potions, or yoga practices. These are not to be desired by knowers of Self. A knower of Self delights in his Self. He does not run after ignorance. All objects and things associated with this world are full of ignorance. When one has abandoned the latter, why will he drown himself again in it? Since all the powers, like flying in the sky, are ignorance - ridden, knowers of Self do not run after them. Everyone can acquire these powers, provided he follows the rules and practices of matter and time. A knower of Self is beyond all these things. He has no use for these powers.

19. -24 . A knower of Self is always contented. He is always calm and composed. He is free of attachment. He is delivered of all vasanas. He is as expansive as sky. He always abides in his Self. He will never leave his state of contentment even when joys and sorrows stop on him suddenly without notice. He respects both good and bad things that come to him, like rivers into sea, and abides in his Self. He has no use for (the fruits of) any work he does. Nor does he get worried about any work he does not do. He has no necessity to seek refuge in anything for the sake of any gain. If he wants any 'siddhis', he can get them through effort. These efforts have to follow a law and sequence laid out for them. Even great gods cannot violate them.

25. -30 . These laws are natural. They are like coolness to man. Whether one is all- knowing, or multifaceted or whether he is Vishnu or Maheswara, these laws cannot be violated. These powers are natural to 'mantras', matter, time and works. Poison kills animals and humans. Liquor causes intoxication. Honey causes vomitting. People who are skilled in mantras, yoga and such practices involving time and space can acquire these powers. O Rama, all these belong to the realm of ignorance. For a knower of Self, there is no need of these things.

31. -38 . These powers, which are dependent on matter, time and space, are not useful in attaining the supreme state. Whoever is with desire for these powers, can acquire them. A knower of Self has no desire of any type. How can such a desire arise in a person in whom all desires have subsided. When a desire arises in a 'jnani' or 'ajnani', he works for the fulfilment of that desire and he will get it fulfilled in course of time. Vitahavya always strove for the Absolute and accordingly he proceeded to the forest. O Rama, what you call 'siddhis' are the ultimate fruits of the tree of effort. For those great souls, who are always contented, these powers have no purpose and use.

Sri Rama

39. -40 . O Bhagawan, I have one doubt. How is it that Vitahavya's corporeal body was not eaten away by insects? It was not even worn out by mud and such. Why is it that Vitahavya did not get liberation after life even when his body was enveloped by mud and slush?

Sri Vasista

41. -43 . O gentle Rama, one who is enveloped by sentient consciousness is bound by ropes of vasana. That experiences all joys and sorrows. When one is delivered of all vasanas, his body is full of pure consciousness. No one can cut or incise such a body. Now listen. I shall tell you what yogic device prevents the body of 'jivanmukta' from decay even for hundreds of years.

44. -51 . As and when a mind fixes itself upon something, it becomes that soon. It is the experience of everyone that this mind becomes happy when it sees a friend and becomes angry/feels nausea when it meets an enemy. It is also the experience of everyone that when a person, free of attachments and hate, sees a mountain or tree he does not feel any hate or attachment. It is also the experience of everyone, that his mouth waters when he sees something he relishes and he does not like a pungent eatable. When the consciousness of a yogi falls on an insect, the insects consciousness will be overpowered and it cannot do any harm to the body of a yogi. Even those violent insects acquire the characteristic of equality when they are overpowered by the consciousness of a yogi. And so the violent beings lose their violent character for the time being. When a yogi leaves his body, then the insects will get back to their violent ways. Because of these reasons, Vitahavya's body was not attacked by the insects and wild animals.

52. -56 . Consciousness is all pervasive. It abides in wood, stone and such, as pure existence like a dumb child. Only in 'puryastaka' (consisting of five sense organs of knowledge, five organs of actions, five pranas, mind and intellect) the consciousness-power abides as a reflection in water which is shaking, moving and trembling. And so the body of Vitahavya, who has attained the perfect state, did not get deformed by the consciousness of earth, water and such which are in the same state of pure existence-consciousness. Listen O Rama, of another reason for destruction. Vibration is a cause of destruction. Such vibration is present in the wordly activities which emerge out of mind and prana. Vibration is the movement of 'prana'. When that prana is stilled like a stone, they abide firm. And so Vitahavya's body remained unaffected and without decay.

57. -61 . When there is no such vibration generated by mind or vital airs, either externally or internally, then the body of such a person will neither decay nor grow. Even the 'dhatus', like skin and such do not change their state. These dhatus, which are stilled by yoga, remain firm and steadfast like Meru mountain. This is seen in the world about the bodies of great yogis. The bodies of such yogis are preserved even for thousands of years.

62. -68 . Now listen to the reasons for preservation of Vitahavya's body. Men of great intellect, who are delivered of attachments, who are knowers of what is to be known abide independent of their bodies. The mind of yogis, who have come into the world to live out their past destiny, can not be shaken by any disturbance. Jnanis choose to go through their destiny in a programmed manner and they 'will' it as such. They start living out the fruit of that Will. In a casual manner, Vitahavya's consciousness mused about life. And it happened so. When his geniues got directed to liberation after life, he became liberated in that way. He could leave his body at his will. When his jiva, emerged as Self, he was Maheswara himself. What he wanted or willed, he got it as such immediately.