To which Vasishta of immeasurable Tapas replied thus It is the transcendental Jnana of Brahman which does not manifest itself objectively in the visibles, is the Plenum, and the one that is, possessing no name. All the things in the world that are pointed out as this or that are no other than the eternal Brahman of the nature of Jnana. The illusory stainful mind is not. All things such as birth and death in the three worlds are not really in them ; nor are the six changes.
But the non-dual Absolute Consciousness which can be known by its pervading nature is alone objectively existent. Out of that Jnana-Atma which is absolute, self-shining imperishable, immaculate, all-pervading, impartite with Jnana alone and without the least pains and quiescent, and which commingling with all objects is yet unaffected by them, arose through its own power an intelligence generated through its desire of Sankalpas. This Jnana generating countless Sankalpas permeates all. This intelligence consti tutes the mind of Brahman itself. In this Brahman are infi nite Saktis. In this fleeting mind which pervades equally in all without a second, arise the diverse supreme Saktis like waves in water.
Now this mind which arises through Sankalpa perishes through it alone like a flame of fire which, though fanned by wind, is yet extinguished by the same. The non-cognition of oneself as Brahman which is the Laya (neutral) centre of all, is itself the bondage of the mind ; but the firm cognition of oneself as Brahman is itself Moksha. The conception as real of I, Ajnana, pains and the forms of bodies having limbs, &c., and the conduct of life in accord ance thereto, generate desires and bondage ; but if such thoughts arise in persons as “ I am not these inert objects, I am neither the flesh nor nerves, nor bones nor ulcer water, &c.,” and if they identify themselves with Brahman which is beyond all bodies, then only they disentangle themselves from the folds of Maya and become the knowers of their own Self.
The base Maya of Ahankaric conception which arises through the identification of “ I” with bodies and others is gifted with a living reality only through the fancy of the ignorant, but to the wise this Maya is non-existent. Like a minister obeying a king, the five organs of the body act in accordance to the dictates of the mind. Therefore you should, through your own pure mind and proper efforts, eradicate the V^sanas of desires for objects. All the Vdsanas which are generated in one through his identifying himself with his sons or wealth or creating the differences of I, he, thou, this or that, do wax more and more like Indrajala (psychological trick) which is as ephemeral as lightning. Having become the beneficent knower and relinquished all Ajnana qualities, may you abandon all thoughts of the visibles.
Why should you pine like the ignorant, being bewildered in the illusions of son and others who are not your Self? What is this body which is dull and inert? Who is that “you” which, on account of this body, is drowned amidst pleasures and pains and is ever chafing therein without the least avail ? Truly a wondrous riddle is it ? You have not cognized these diversified things in their true state of unity. While the self-shining Brahman, which is non-dual and true, is pervading everywhere, this painful and illusory Maya, though uncreate, yet manifests itself. Like a crystal which, though tinged by the five colours, is yet unaffected by them, you should perform all actions by associating with them and yet be untainted by the desires therein. So said at great length Rishi Vasishta.
Valmiki said “ Oh Baradwaja, hearken to what passed between Sri Rama replete with good qualities and with his heart like a full-blown lotus and Rishi Vasishta.” Rama remarked thus “ Really passing all belief. How is it possible for the universe to be affected with manifold pains through this illusory Maya, like a series of hills bound and crushed by the filament of a lotus ? I can rather believe a straw to assume the density of adamant than this universe to become concreted into its present shape, through the power of Maya which is unreal. Still another doubt has flashed across my brain. Whence the pains of King Lavana previously mentioned by thee.”
Lavana s mental Yajna. Vasishta answered his queries thus As Lavana performed actions through a stainless mind, his body did not share in their fruits. This King was one day spending- his time solitarily in his pleasure garden and then began to fall into the following profound reverie. He thought of performing mentally the Raja-Suya* Yajna which his ancestor, Harischandra had done with his phy sical body. Through his Sankalpa, he willed the existence of ploughs and other utensils and things necessary for Yajna and entering the place of Yajna according to Vedic recitals and observances, appointed and worshipped Munis for the same. Then rearing up a large fire and having invoked the Devas through the chaunting of Vedic Mantras, he conducted the worship of Devas, Tapaswins and Brahmins for one year by feeding them and justly distributing to them all his wealth.
Thus did he conclude his Yajna and awake, from his intense reverie, to find the night approaching. Therefore you should gather from this episode that it is the mind alone which brings on pleasures or pains to itself and enjoys them through its excessive inclination towards any single object.
Now I will here supplement to you some information about Sambarika, the Siddha. When he appeared before the King Lavana seated in a conclave of his courtiers, he deluded the King with his Indrajala and then disappeared. I formed one of the group and witnessed all these things. Being questioned as to the mysterious disappearance of this Siddha by the powerful King and courtiers as well as others, I dived into my heart to probe into the three periods of time and gave the following explanation.
Oh Rama, as it is a rule that all persons who perform Raja Suya Yajna have to under go dire sufferings for a period of twelve years, Lavana had to suffer from his merited suffering after the completion of his mental Yajna. So it was that Indra sent a messenger of his to afflict the King with pains. This celestial messenger assumed the guise of a Siddha, meted out rare pains to the King and departed back to his realm.
Jnana and Agyana. Well, Oh Ramachandra, I have to impart to thee here some piece of instructive information.
There are two states Jnana and Ajnana. Each of them is septenary in its nature. Both these paths or states corre late with one another. They are also mutually inter-depen dent. Infinite are the sub-divisions of paths, which overlap one another in the septenary* divisions of both these states. The Jnana path which enables one to cognize perceptively the one Reality is Moksha, whereas the other, which makes men detract from the one Reality and identify “ I “ with their bodies, &c., is bondage. Thus briefly have I described to thee these two states.
Now about the leading characteristics that go to differ entiate a person who has cognized the one Reality from ano ther who has not. Those are immovably fixed in the Jnana Reality, the eternal Absolute Sat, who have conquered all passions, anger and delusions, but in the case of those who are not truly illuminated, they will be but the slaves of their passions, &c. The intelligence of one who dotes on the body and its organs, leads him but off the track of the one Reality. The intelligence of men which makes them swerve from the path of Atmic Reality, is itself Moha or delusion. There is really no other than this, which deserves the name of Moha, in all the thre-e periods. (The one) Reality can be defined to be that Jnana which exists without Sankalpa, in a state in termediate between the conception of an object and that of another.
This Jnna is devoid of fancies and fluctuation and of the Vritti-Jna”na of (Swapna) the dreaming state or the Ajnana of (Sushupti) the dreamless sleeping state. That non- fluctuating certainty of mind, wherein it is of the nature of bliss and when all the conceptions of the identification of “ I “ with the body, as well as all differences between Jivatma and Paramatma (the two Selfs) are annihilated, is the true nature of Atma-Jnana.
