THE STORY OF MITHYA -PURUSHA THE ILLUSORY PERSONAGE.
Summary This Ahankara is concreted in the shape of a MithyA-Purusha and illustrated.
May you attain Atma-Jnana and enjoy supreme bliss after giving up all conceptions of diversities. Do not afflict thy self, oh Rama, like the Mithya-Purusha. So said Yasishta, when RAghava asked him thus How did Mithya-Purusha rove about with an afflicted heart and without the least bene fit to himself? Please explain it to me lucidly ; however sur feited it may be, with the ambrosial Jnana.
Yasishta continued This story will be provocative of great laughter and marvellous in its incidents. In a certain retired nook of Chidakas where there is not the universe, a certain male personage arose. He was accoutred in full with the panoply of Maya and replete with Ajniina. He was base in his tendencies, puerile and of dull head with the lowest intelli gence. He arose like rolls of hair appearing in the Akasa or water in a mirage. He was nothing one but a void out of a void.
He went by the name of Mithya-Purusha. Unobservant of his own growth and the Chit (Consciousness) that manifests itself as if distinct from the universe, he contracted the Sankal- pa (or thought) of creating the highest Akasa without any impediments and did create one. Then in order to set a limit to it, he constructed (an enclosed) abode. With the idea that the Akasa was pent up and protected by him in that habitation, his desires were bound by that Akasa as identical with it. In course of time, it began to grow dilapidated and at last gave way, like a hill worn away by (Manwantaric) gusts of wind or like rain ceasing with the close of the rainy season.
Then this Mithya-Purusha bewailed the disappear ance of the Akasa in the following manner, “Oh Akasa, in an instant hast thou vanished with the disap pearance of my house. Where hast thou gone to ?” “ Having finished his lamentations over this house Akasa, he created a fresh well and entering into it without any disturbance from without, became fondly attached to the Akasa therein. Being disappointed as ever in this second effort of his, when the well became quite useless with time and was gradually filled up, he again was afflicted in mind and cried aloud. Then again to preserve the Akasa, he created a fresh pot ; and enamoured with its beautiful struc ture, he gladly entered it and was chained in it with affection.
Time, oh sable coloured Rdma, set again its Rudraic hands on this vessel and disposed of it. Finding that all the things, he created with great belief in their permanency, became the victims of time, he dug a pit in the ground and becoming greatly attached to the Akasa therein, lived in it, as if per manent. Even this was done away by the elephant of time, like light dispelling darkness. Crying over its loss as usual, he built again a circular abode with the four quarters in it and dwelt in it with great joy.
When the time of destruc tion arrived for doing away with this house and all the other mundane eggs, he drooped like a dry leaf in a whirlpool of wind. The usual cries being over, he created a grange for the Akasa, which having served him for a time succum bed to time. Thus did he grieve for a long period over the loss of these many creations of his, mz.^ house-Akasa, well- Akasa, &c. Now this personage was no other than an ignoramus in that he enclosed the Akasa within an earthly tenement and having identified himself with the house, &c., fancied he worked and lived and died with it.
Rama asked What do you drive at, in this story ? What do you mean by enclosing the Akasa?
Vasishta said thus The Mithya-Purusha is no other than the idea of “ I” Ahankaras arising in the void which is like a sable-colored cloud. This Akasa in which all the universes exist, is self-existent before creation, all full and endless. In it the idea of “ I”, arises like the sense of touch in Vayu (air); and then this void of Ahankara fancied itself protecting the Chid-Akasa of Atma. Then encased in the several bodies of well, etc., which he created himself, he again and again subjected himself to pains. With his body, he contracted the thought arising from Bhuta-Akas that he imprisoned the Chid-Akas Atma.
Through it, he rendered himself obnoxious to all sufferings. Therefore, oh lotus-eyed Rama, do not render yourself liable to pains, like Mithya-Puru sha who, being imprisoned in the different bodies of house- Akas. etc., identified himself with Bhuta-Akas. The imperish able 6iva who is more all-pervading than Akasa, stainless and immaculate and cannot be guaged by the mind, is the natural Atma-Tatwa. Can this Atma-Tatwa be easily visited or attained by all ? Such being the case, the ignorant despond that the “ I”, the heart-Akas perishes while the body perishes. Will the indestructible Akasa disappear when pots and others which seem to limit it are destroyed ?
Akasa will never vanish with the disappearance of the pot ? So with the des truction of the body, Atma will never be destroyed. It is only through direct spiritual vision that Brahmic-Reality which is the transcendental Chinmatra and Sat, more subtle than Akasa and the atom of atoms will shine everywhere ; but AhankaTa which is the idea of “ I” is destroyed like a pot. There is really no such thing, as birth or death in any place or time. It is only Brahman which manifests itself as the universe through forms. Therefore having considered all tlie universes as the supreme Principle without beginning, middle or end, without differences or non-differences, without existence or non-existence, may you be without pains.
Should this idea of * I be destroyed through the desireless Atma-Jnana this idea which is the source of all accidents, non-eternal, dependent, discrimination-less, seed of all sins, Ajnana and the seed of birth and destruction then this very destruction is the seat of the stainless Jivanmukti state.
