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Upasama Prakarana

 

Deliberation by Janaka

Sri Vasista

  1. O Rama, when the king heard these Sama - like chants of the Siddhas, he shivered like one who had heard a great thunder.

  1. He proceeded towards his home accompanied by his entourage like a river flowing toward the ocean following the banks studded with trees.

  1. -4 At his house he went up alone to the top floor of his palace, leaving the servants behind. He was like the sun rising up the morning - mountain. He observed the flying birds flapping their wings. The unstable ways of the world came to his mind. He felt sad in his mind (and said to himself).

  1. Alas! What a miserable thing is this state of wavering and instabality. I am rolling like a stone on a stone helplessly in a compulsive manner.

  1. In this infinite time, my life time is for a little while. Even so I am gripped by the feeling for life. Fie unto me! What a lowly mind is mine!

  1. This kingship of mine is for much less time. Why then am I stuck with the feeling that there will be only grief without it (the kingdom)?

  1. This life is an interlude in the infinite existence of mine. Why then am I foolishly losing my confidence and courage when this 'I' is merely like a moon in a painting by a child?

  1. I am (in fact) free from this world magic by the magician. By what, then, am I enticed and infatuated?

  1. There is nothing in this world that is beautiful that is not artificial, that is generous. Why then am I devoted to this world?

  1. 'What is far away is not (really) far. It is in my mind' - with this belief and determination, I am throwing away the feeling of anything being external (to me)

  1. The sense of speed in the world - movement is momentary and transient. The very perception of such movement is grief causing. How can one look for joy in that?

  1. Every year, every month, every day and even every instant of this movement is solid grief. Even joys are forms of sorrow.

  1. Even the best of things is ruinous to think of. What seems to exist will soon disappear. All that exists will (soom) die.

  1. What is today at the peak, falls into the deeps in no time. How can one place faith in such a smitten mind?

  1. Alas! I am bound by a nonexistent rope! I am stained without any mud. Staying on top, I am fallen. Oh! what a state of destitution is mine!

  1. How did this delusion overwhelm me in spite of my intelligence? The golden - rayed sun has been hidden by a dark cloud.

  1. What are these immense pleasures of mine? Who are these relatives of mine? Like a child whose imagination is full of demons, my mind is disturbed by these symbolic things.

  1. Why am I binding myself with these death and time bound things which cause anguish and cowardice?

  1. All these joys are born of untruth and illusion. What does it matter to me whether they come or go away?

  1. All those great good friends and wealth, immense pleasures, all are now part of memory. What do they mean today?

  1. Where are those ancient kings, brahmins and worlds? Where have they gone? Of what concern are they to me now?

  1. Millions of Indras have gone before (swallowed by time). It is like bubbles breaking into waters. I am limited by this short span of life (and attached to it). Will not wise people laugh at me?

  1. Innumerable Brahmas and their creations have come and gone. Millions of kings were swept away like dust particles. What then of me with this short life?

  1. If I remain in the illusion of a body and the bad dream of this world and remain bound by them, fie unto me!

  1. 'I am this body, this being' - thinking thus, why am I am living in this stupid illusion, struck by the demon of ego like an ignorant person?

  1. I see that this life is damaged and destroyed minute by minute. Why am I remaining like one who is blind even though I notice this?

  1. Struck by the 'Kapalika' of Time, Brahma and Vishnu and such are kicked around like dolls and sporting balls. Why am I slipping into that state?

  1. Unceasingly days are coming and going. I have not seen a single day when the 'real' thing is seen.

  1. Only pleasures are flashing in the minds of people like scores of birds flying near a lake. The Self is not coming into their view.

  1. From difficulties and afflictions, greater difficulties and afflictions emerge. From sorrow emerges greater sorrow. Even so, I am not disgusted with them. Fie unto my lowly state!

  1. Whatever I thought of as good things turned out to be injurious (to me). What, then, is good in this world?

  1. What is enchanting and beautiful in youth turns out in the end to be depressing. All is impure. If it perishes, there is nothing improper.

  1. What one believes in, those things are giref-causing only. This is clearly seen.

  1. These stupid people are slowly moving into sin, cruelty and sorrow.

  1. They are hurt by ignorance in child hood. They are struck by cupid in youth. The rest of the time they are worried about family.When will they come out of these?

  1. Sapless and corrupted by these states, this world is uninteresting. Even so why are these foolish people unable to see this (truth)?

  1. -39 . Even great sacrifices like 'Aswamedha' bring only celestial heavens as boons - nothing else. But which is this heaven? - not on the earth, not in the nether worlds.

  1. Mental and physical diseases are respectively like serpents in the tunnel of mind and leaves on the surface of earth, called body. How to avoid these?

  1. Non-being rests on top of existence. Ugliness stands on top of beauty. Sorrow stands on top of joy. What should I choose among these?

  1. Plebian beings are born and they die (in course of time). Earth is full of such people. It is difficult to find saints and truth seekers.

  1. Women of grace with lotus eyes and who are fond of jewels are to be pitied since they too are transient.

  1. Worlds are born and dissolutions take place when some great beings open their eyes a little. Even these are prone to perish. If so, what to talk of people like us!

  1. Even the most beautiful of the beautiful, the steadiest of the steady perish. The ultimate result/ fate of things is grief. Then why want them?

  1. In my opinion, all varieties of wealth and riches are calamitous.

  1. Some calamities cause equislibrium of our mind. Such, in my opinion, are real riches.

  1. This world of ours is a mere modification of the mind. It is as unstable as the moon reflected in waters. If so, where from did this 'I and mine' arise?

  1. This world has come into being due to an accident in a casual manner. In such a context, mind has created the feelings of agreeable and disagreeable in a purposeless manner.

  1. The perceptions about joys and happiness are pure differentiated afflictions. Why am I interested in them?

  1. It is better to jump into fire or fall into the "Raurawa" fires than bend and pass through the tunnel of worldly affairs.

  1. This mutable world is the last word/acme of all sorrows When one is stuck in the middle of that, where is the question of happiness?

  1. When a person is established in the world of unadulterated sorrows, lesser griefs sound and feel nice and sweet.

  1. Alas, I also, am like a foolish person whose state is that of a stone, bereft of any inquiry into truth.

  1. This tree of world, which is laden with millions of branches, fruits and leaves, has its roots in the mind.

  1. I think, mind is 'sankalpa' (mental resolutions). By quietening this 'sankalpa' mind will wither away. And there -upon this tree of world will wither away.

  1. The ways of the monkey of mind are graceful only in form. Knowing this (fact), I shall not take any more interest in them.

  1. These worldly activities are woven around by the ropes of desires and calamities with ups and downs. I have experienced all these in good measure. I shall now take rest from them.

  1. The times have gone when I lamented - 'I am dead and gone, I am fninished' and such. I will no longer bemoan like that.

  1. I am awakened (now). I am delighted. I have seen the enemy, the thief. Mind is that thief.

  1. All these days my mind is unpierced. Now it is pierced and has be come one of quality.

  1. The fog and dew of mind is melted by the sun of discrimination. What was prevailing for long will now be dissolved soon.

  1. Enlightened by many great saints and siddhas, I shall go on the trail of Self. It shall take me to that ultimate bliss.

  1. I shall acquire that gem of Self. Looking at that to the exclusion of all activities, I shall be like the autumn clouds on high mountains.

  1. 'I am this body. All is mine' - I shall discard all such thoughts and cast away the mind by force, annihilate it with all my might and abide in tranquil peace. O discrimination, O intelligence, my salutations to you (for such enlightement).


 

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