THE STORY OF SIKHIDWAJA.
Summary In this story, it is sought to show that the path to the higher goal will be rendered smooth by an A charya who is able to make his disciple progress through various means as well as by true renunciation, though many obstacles may intervene.
“Oh mayest thou merge thyself in thy all-peaceful Atma, like the King Sikhidwaja who annihilated that Great Bird called mind.” So spoke Vasishta to Rama, whereupon the latter questioned him thus: “Tell me, O Guru, who was this King Sikhidwaja, who was absorbed in the ecstatic enjoyment of all-embracing bliss ? Be pleased to bestow on me thy bless ing, so that Jnana, which is the basis of every thing, may arise in me and wax to its fullest strength.” Thereupon the Muni thus replied : “This king who bore the name Sikhid waja was born in the Dwapara Yuga after the seven Manus* who presided over the country like the sun had passed away.
His justice knew no bounds, and he was moreover devoid of the bad qualities arising from desire. For he was replete with the goodness of charity and other virtues, and preserved that silence which avoids the discord born of words. He had cultivated mental and also bodily restraint and other powers of will, and especially delighted in doing good toothers. The partner of his marriage was Chudalaif born through Tapas in the womb of the Queen of the Sourashtra country, who resembled the peacock in beauty, and could not in the space of the whole world find one to compare with her in her imperishable virtue. And these two lived together in perfect happiness with their two minds interblended performing all actions without the least difference of opinion, having mas tered all the departments of knowledge. Delightfully indeed they passed their youth, as if but one breath of life pervaded in common their bodies. As the years glided sweetly by.
The present story, though intended to illustrate the idea of Acharya s grace and true renunciation, has itself an esoteric meaning underlying it. For instance, Chudalai is composed of two roots mean ing, resting on the head. Hence that which rests on the head, or the Pineal Gland, is Buddhi the Atmic Ray. It is Chudalai who though the wife of Sikhidwaja yet initiates him into Jnana. S ikhidwaja means one having the peacock flag. Close students will understand from the color of the peacock that he typifies the higher Manas. Their ephemeral youth passed away like water from a broken pot, and middle age fell upon them, like flakes of snow on lotuses in the waters of a rivulet.
Like water trickling from the palm of the hand, so their lives sped away, day by day. Then the desires, which had in youth expanded themselves more and more like a gourd plant that grows in the rainy season, ever winding itself round and round, began to lessen like waters in the time of autumn. All the pleasures that once arose in the body now darted from out it, like arrows from a bow. Just as a plantain tree grows useless after it has put forth its fruit-bunches, so they became indifferent to worldly actions after tasting of their fruit. In unison of heart they thus both began to contemplate. Of a surety that is the most beneficial state from which the mind, when it once reaches it, never returns to another. But such a discriminative state is impossible in the case of those plunged in mundane existence. Therefore the most exalted Adhyatmic-Jnanic knowledge alone is the sure panacea for the cure of the disease of re-birth.
Coming thus to the conclusion that re-birth cannot be avoided except through Atma-Jnana alone, both betook them selves to such a life, with their minds absorbed in it and with true meditation. And for the attainment of their wish they ever associated with the wise and learned. Thus did they live long together, exulting over their store of accumulated knowledge and leading a practical life of spirituality in ac cordance with that knowledge. Then the Lady Chudalai, of true discrimination, having heard and clearly understood the real signification of the Sastras, taught by the wise for the attainment of the different stages leading to the realms of the higher spirituality, thus began to commune with herself:
“ While there exists Atma (as I clearly perceive it), to what do we apply the term 1 ? Whence is this delusion in the mind ? To whom is it due ? How and whence did it arise ? How can we apply the term 1 to the body visible to us ? As the body is inert and ignorant, therefore the term * T cannot be applied to it. Again, can the term I be applied to the ten organs which vitalise the body ? No, since like a tile which is moved by a rod, the ten inert and separate sense- organs (Indryas) are moved by the flitting mind. Can the term I be applied to the Manas which agitates, through its power of Sankalpa, the organs ?
No, since even the Manas is inert, being goaded on to action by the certainty of Buddhi, like a stone flung from a sling. Nor is * I* Buddhi,* as it is in turn galvanised by Ahanka”ra. Nor is it the baneful Ahankdra which galvanises Buddhi, as it (Ahankdra) is the inert seat of Jiva (the higher ego). Once more, can I be applied to Jiva which moves Ahank^ra ? Being of the nature of actions and Prna, it rests in the heart and there enjoys the bliss of Pratyag&tma. Hence Jiva is not I ; thus I have now learnt through this enquiry that what renders Jiva blissful is Atma, the true Jnna. Such a Jnana will never be bedimmed by objects, but will ever become clearer and clearer.
My own Jiva exists only through Atmic reality, the eternal Jnana. Verily the state of Jiva, which gets, ensnared by objects through Jncina, may well be likened to that of water standing in a deep pool, or an odor wafted by the breeze. This Jndna- power, ensnared by the perception of objects which are illu sory and composed of Tamas, becomes besmeared and conse quently inactive : hence is the present Jiva oblivious of its true state, like heat in a copious supply of water. Thus does the true Chit-^akti, become the Jiva, and, having become unreal and Tamasic through longing after objects, cognises again its true state through Atma-Jnana (by re-becoming that Jnna).
This Atma-Jndna is known only through one s self and not through another. I have now cognised Atma-Jna”na, which can be done only after endless geons of time. Through the non-cognition of the all-pervading nature of the Supreme Consciousness, there arose in us the six organs, but if that true Chit is thoroughly cognised, then Manas and the others are found to be quite illusory.
The immeasurable Plenum of Jn&na alone truly is. This Jnna is also called Maha. This self-light that is stainless, without suffering, inequality or egoism, goes also by the appellations of Parabrahm or Param, and shines everywhere at the same time, being eternal, all- pure and all-potent.”
And thus it happened that through her divine intro-vision, the queen enjoyed daily the consciousness of the reality of Atma, and remained steadfast in that condition. Also through the strict performance of her daily actions, without the least onging after their fruits, all her desires and the tendency of her mind towards objects entirely ceased nor was she troubled by the pairs of opposites , or desires, or hatred. Thus in the performance of actions without attachment to results, her mind ripened and became the receptacle of bliss. Then through the unceasing practices which developed in her, Atmic reality that true realisation of certainty which is beyond all compare and cannot be estima ted by any except one s self became to her direct cognition, and she shone with a radiant spiritual light* and became like a soft tendril bearing flowers.
Now it came to pass that King Sikhidwaja, noticing with pleasure the glorious effulgence that shone more and more round the form of his wife, and marvelling to see a glory which surpassed any he had seen before, gave utterance to the following words:
