Ever dally, oh Rdma, in this world as you list, acting up to the external observances of life while internally you are Chidakas itself, devoid of these false desires, attractions of life and Vasanas. Amuse yourself, oh Rama, in this world creating commencement (or end,) only in the external actions of the world but not in the solitary mind, thus seeming to perform ac tions in the world while they are not performed within. Amuse yourself, oh Rama, in this world according to your free will, after having differentiated “ I” from the body and destroyed thereby all Ahank&ric ideas, and rendered the mind as im maculate as Akasa without stains and the diverse characteris tics.
Amuse yourself freely oh Rama, in this world with per fect liberality of spirit without undergoing the difficult obser vances of life but yet trying to understand the rationale of all things by following the easy ones. Oh Rama, amuse yourself ever in this world with acute intelligence and non-desires, full within but seeming to be hot and impetuous without, as if prompted by Karma in the performance of actions whilst you are cool within.
Do not in the least contemplate, oh RaTna, upon such un-realities of distinctions as friend or foe, thou or I. Such is the case with those only who, having the paltry impure mind, are engaged in fruitless endeavours. But to the wise, this whole world is their inseparable kindred. It is only through the delusions of birth that persons consider one as their friend and another as their enemy. Thus is man s delu sion which rejoices every moment (with this or that). But through true vision, all the universes become, at the same time, his friend and enemy.
To illustrate this experience, I shall relate an ancient story which thou shalt hear. In days of old, there lived on the banks of the Ganges two persons, sons of a Rishi named D eerghatapas (of long continued Tapas). These two sons who went by the names, Punnya (Virtue) and Pavana (Purity), abode by the side of the incomparable Mahendra mountains and were well versed in the four vedas, performing great Tapas. Whilst they were performing Tapas on the banks of the Ganges along with their father, the virtuous per sonage Punnya attained Jnana in course of time through the performance of actions, not being actuated by the fruits thereof.
But his brother Pavana having attained but partial Jnana was fluctuating in his mind like a rock ing cradle, without true Jnana and with excessive ignor ance, his mind rolling everywhere. The father of great Tapas after giving up all desires for sensual objects, became indifferent to the love of mundane existence and abandoned, on the hills by the side of the Ganges, his body which formed a nest for the birds of Ahankaric actions to nestle in. Like a carrier who, bearing a burden, takes it to a certain destina tion, he (the father), being free to unshackle himself from his body on account of the absence of desires, reached Brahmic bliss which is like the fragrance of flowers permeating the whole atmosphere above.
As soon as the body of this Satwic Muni who had reached his Atmic Reality which is actionless, without the pains of the universe and seat of the dawning of the ancient Jnana, expired, his consort at once breathed her last like a beetle deserting a lotus flower. The eldest son Punnya, finding dead both parents who were like eyes unto him, began to devise measures for the performance of obsequies in accordance with the established usage, while his brother Pavana began to reel in the ocean of sorrow, exclaiming * Oh my dear mother, Oh my dear father, how shall I bear this burden of grief ? where shall I go ?” Having grown quite fidgetty and unset tled like a person treading the flames, he roved about all throughout the forest.
He was not able to control his grief even in the presence of his calm brother and became quite enfeebled in mind. But the eldest brother who was not even a little dispirited, being quite convinced that it is but natural for even lightning like (subtle) bodies to fade away, perfor med all the funeral rites without the least flurry.
After all the Vedic rites were duly conducted, Punnya of full Jnana addressed his brother who was yet yell ing aloud with his mouth wide open, in the following manner “ How is it, my boy, you have not as yet overcome your grief which harrows you quite. Now hearken to my description of the transcendent seat, which our father and mother have secured for them selves. It can be called that stainless Moksha which is in capable of either repletion or depletion, which is its own place and which is its own Self, It is the goal to which all tend. It is the Tatwic Reality of all Jnanis. Is it wise, my brother, for you to wail at your parents attaining their own Seat ?
Is there any limit to the number of fathers and mothers or of wives and sons that you had in the many in carnations you underwent previously like the countless pitfals in a river-bed. One may rather count the number of fruits yielded by the trees of a vast forest in the fruit-bearing season than the many relatives which one had during his previous innumerable births. And if we begin to bewail on their behalf, do you think, brother, a Kalpa will suffice for exhausting our grief on that score ?
The torrent of mirage- waters (undulatory waves) meandering in the season called Visanas over the valley of mirage which is the formless Ajnana, sweeps along its current the hills of pleasures and pains and dashes without limit or differences. This universe which has arisen in the form of wife and other relatives, foes and kindred love and hatred, nobleness and lowness as well as other pairs, exists and expands by virtue of its name (and form) only and none else. Think of one as a good friend of yours and there the thing is created as a reality. Think of him as your foe and then also the mind perfects the thought into an actuality.
Like the properties of the murderous poison or the rejuvena ting nectar which accomplish their desired ends, so also if once the bondage-giving thoughts are completely destroyed by one, then they will never resurrect from their grave. How can we attribute enmity or friendship to the intelligence in diverse forms arising from the one Atma ? If we begin to enquire, as to who are in the tabernacle (of body) which is nothing but a net work of bones filled with flesh, blood and skin and which, though non-existent, deludes us with its existence as real, then what remains is this “ I.” Then contemplating still further with the mind, we find through the stainless Brahmic Vision gradually developed, that neither you nor I nor Punnya nor Pavana nor anyone else exists but the one Jndna which then shines alone.
In the many Dwipas (islands) long passed out of existence, the births you under went are incalculable. In the great Dwipa called Jambu, you were born as a cuckoo, as beasts, clouds, hills, trees, reptiles and birds ; the series of births you had in them and in each of those sub-divisions are indeed indescribable. Such being the case, why do you not now grieve over the deaths of those who were related to you in those many incarnations ? Nay this is not all.
Listen again to the repeated births you had in other countries. In the countries of Kosala, Desarna, Poundra, Gurjara, Tushara, Konkan, Bosala, Kaikeya and Salwa, you were born as King, monkey, vermin, stag, water- crow, birds, serpent, ass and others. Now then why do you not bewail over the death of those departed relatives also whom you created then through your Vdsanas? In lieu of counting the parents of many individuals born on this earth, we may rather reckon the number of dried leaves with ering from a large forest tree which rears its head aloft in the skies.
Therefore there are no grounds for you, my boy, to grieve. Without a faltering heart may you, my boy, attain without any obstacles your AtmicReality which is without ex istence or non-existence, birth or death and cognize it firmly through your mind. Having freed yourself from all pains and Ajndnn, may you cognize, through your intelligence, your AtmicReality perse. In that spiritual introvision, many kinds of desires will spring to retard your progress.
Free yourself from their trammels, make the lotus of your heart as pure as possible and cognise through your (higher) mind your own Reality. Then all illusions will vanish completely and you, my brother, will attain Nirvanic Bliss.” So said Vasishta to Sri Rama.
