Sri Rama
Oh revered sage, you have told about the seed. Tell me the way by practising which one can attain that supreme state in the quickest time.
Sri Vasista
O Rama, I have told about the seeds of sorrow. By following those of my answers, one can attain the supreme state in the quickest possible time.
-6 By casting off all the vasanas with effort in a compulsive manner, one can reach the ultimate of that pure Existence, (the totality of existence). Even if you can stay even for a minute in that state, you would achieve that state immediately. A little extra effort and enlightenment is enough to attain the Self-state. Again if you meditate on the nature of sentient knowledge, by some determined effort, you shall attain the supreme state.
-8 Meditation on pure sentient knowledge or object is not capable of achieving the goal of reaching the supreme state. Because everywhere what is available is only sentient consciousness. Whatever you think, see and do - all are sentient alone.
-10 If you can try to discard vasanas, then, all your mental and physical ailments and disabilities will vanish. But this discarding of vasanas is extremely difficult. It is like uprooting Sumeru mountain.
-14 . As long as mind does not dissolve, vasanas will not die. As long as vasanas remain, mind will not quieten. As long as one does not acquire knowledge of truth, mind will not quieten and vanish. As long as mind does not quieten, it is not possible to get to know the fundamental cosmic principle. Where is the question of knowing the cosmic nature as long as vasanas remain undissolved? As long as vasanas remain, there is no question of knowledge. Dissolution of mind, knowledge of cosmic nature, and dissolution of vasanas : these three are mutually causing. And so very difficult to handle.
-21 . O Raghava, because of such inter dependence one has to distance himself from pleasures with intelligent discrimination with human effort. All the three must be attempted together, again and again. This effort can be for a long time. Even if they are practiced individually, they can not yield the desired fruit. A soldier can not try to face the enemy individually one by one. Only when they are practiced together with a feeling of detachment, the supreme state of Brahman can be achieved.
-26 . When all these three are practiced together for a long time then all the nodes in the heart will be loosened. O Rama, this state of 'samsara' has been practiced through millions of births. And so unless the effort is continued for a long time, this 'samsara' will not dissolve. Whateven one is doing - whether eating, walking, sitting or sleeping etc- one has to continue his practice unceasingly. Along with discarding of vasanas, wise men say that 'pranayama' should be practiced. With this mind reaches the state 'absence of mind.' Do as you please.
-32 . Prana can be controlled by practising a Guru-given system. (astanga yoga too can be helpful). Vasana will not be active if one can see the reality behind phenomena. Then from the very beginning things will appear non-material, real and non-sentient. If form is recognized, then knowledge will not increase while vasana increases. Leaving aside the thoughts about the world, if one works in the world with detachment, then vasana will decline. If one can recognize the nature of body as something that wears out and decays, then vasana will not be active. When the lordship and powers of vasana decrease/ completely destroyed, then mind will become inactive. When wind ceases to blow, dust in space settles down without flying around. Similarly when prana ceases, becomes calm, mind also quietens or ceases its activity. Because mind is movement of prana alone. And so world arises like sweepings of dust. Therefore the best effort of a person is to conquer the movements of prana. In fact it is his duty. This must be done repeatedly.
-38 . O Rama, in case you are not enthused by this kind of sequence and are interested in the way of overwhelming mind, you will achieve your goal after a very long time. Mind can not be vanquished without some strategy and skilful plan/device. A wild and arrogant elephant can not be brought under control without an elephant goad. Spiritual knowledge, association with wise people, control of prana and rejection of vasanas - these are essential devices/ways to vanquish mind. When such powerful ways are available, if people adopt 'Hatha yoga' (which harasses the body) and other such ways, they are like people who try to dispel darkness through some unguents leaving the lamp in their hands. How can one bind a wild elephant with the stalks of a lotus?
-43 . Those who attempt to steady mind and its near neighbour, the body, leaving aside skilful devices one is called perverse and depraved being by wise men. Such people proceed from fear to fear and calamity to calamity. They are wandering around hill slopes eating fruits and leaves like smitten animals, losing all courage and faith. They are scared like deer and are not able to place faith in anything. Their mind is agitated and is dragged away by attachments and such.
-47 . They are in the whirl of rites and activities like sacrifice, gifts, pilgrimages, worships and such agonizing activities. They are living in forests for long times like deer. They are consumed by considerations like heaven, hell, humans, celestials, rises and falls and such divisive ideas. They are being kicked like a playball. They are like vortices in water, journeying between earth, heaven and hell.
-50 . O Rama, therefore leave aside such faulty perceptions and take refuge in pure knowledge. Become steady, delivered of all attachments. The happiest man is one with knowledge. He alone really lives. He alone is a man of power and prowess. And so become a 'jnani'. O great soul, abide in that heart-space, the Brahman space, without any apprehensions or maskings. Even when you perform works that come to you, you will not be the doer. Abide in that consequent Supreme peace.
