THE STORY OF BHRINGI.
Summary This story will illustrate the fact that actorship, etc., arise through the idea of “ I”.
Such is the true nature of this universe. It manifests itself out of Atma-Jnana, like the misconception of serpent arising in a rope and is no other. To those who contemplate upon the rays of the sun as no other than the sun itself, the sun alone exists. This is the much-longed-for Nirvikalpa state. But if the sun and its rays are considered as two separate ones, then there will appear a diversity between the sun and its rays- Having given up all heterogeneities, may you, oh Rama, be in that direct spiritual experience wherein is not the universe.
Like the wind agitating the waters, Brahman produces the fluctuating motion of Sankalpa. As soon as Sankalpa was set afloat, it expanded itself and differentiated itself into this form-world, when it became the Manas which began to see itself through itself. Therefore know this universe to be nothing but replete with Sankalpa. This universe is neither real nor unreal ; but it manifests itself like dream creations. Know that the seer, hearer, speaker, feeler, smeller, walker and doer are no new creations ; but are the one Truth.
All acts of yours are no other than the stainless Jndna itself. As the real nature of Mahat is Brahmic Reality itself, there is really no such thing as the universe. As all things are no other than the aspect of Chit, the sable clouds of universes are no other than Chinmdtra. As the one Chit pervades all objects without any illusion, all objects do not really exist. Where then is Bandha (bondage) or Moksha (emancipation) ?
Having therefore abandoned firmly all the differentiated conceptions of bondage and emancipation and having observed Mouna (taciturnity) without the least tinge of Ahankara, may you, oh Rama, be engaged in the performance of your higher actions without Ahankara, pride and others. Having cleared up your mind of all doubts arising from illusion and clinging fast to certitude, may you live as the great actor and enjoyer, but yet as the great renouncer of all. At these words of Vasishta, Rama queried him thus What are these three gunas of actorship, enjoyment, and renunciation ?
To explain which, Vasishta began thus To understand the real sig nificance of these three and thus attain the supreme seat without any delusion, Lord Bhringi went to the northern summit of Mahameru and having worshipped and eulogised Parameswara who was like Chidakas itself, submitted the following “Moving in worldly delusion and not getting quies cence in Jndna, I have in vain roved about in perfect igno rance. How can I live with a quiescence of mind in this decayed body of the world? Please throw light upon the path of certitude which I can tread without any the least fear ?”
Parameswara deigned to answer in the following terms u If after destroying thy doubts, thou clingest to Truth, thou wilt become the great actor, the great enjoyer, and the great renouncer.”
Bhringi queried him thus What dost thou mean by the great (true) actor, the great enjoyer, and the great renoun cer ? Parameswara replied He is the incomparable great actor who is indifferent to the inevitable fruits or otherwise of dire love and hatred, pleasures and pains, Dharma and Adharma and performs actions in that manner without any desires. He is the great actor who, being silent, is free from the ideations of “ I” or self-identification with objects or from surprise, performs actions without any despon dency or fear or without any desires in objects so as to be merely a witness to all, is never affected by fear or happiness and does not rejoice or repine, through an equal vision over all. Know also that his mind will be undisturbed, whether in birth or death, appearance or disappearance (of objects).
Now to the second. He is the great true enjoyer who does not, through anger, long for or reject anything but enjoys fully only those things that befal him. We shall say more about him. He will not lose his equilibrium of mind even in the enjoyment of the illusory pleasures and pains productive of excessive fear and no bliss ; he will con sider in the same light and enjoy things productive of dotage or death, regalty or adversity ; he will taste, with neither joy nor sorrow, dainties of all tastes whether bitter, sour, sharp, or saltish.
Like salt, he will associate with both the virtuous and the vicious. Such is the true enjoyer.”
“ Now hearken to the description of the great or (true) re- nouncer. Thou shouldst know that such an intelligent person age will abandon, in toto the stainless Dharmaand Adharma, pleasures and pains, birth and death. He will not have even a scintilla of desires, doubts, actions, and certainties. Oh Bhringi, the S rutis also say that his heart will be free from Dharma and Adharma, mental thoughts and actions. He will also have rooted away from his mind all thoughts of the visi- bles.”
So said Parameswara of the form of grace to Lord Bhringi in days of yore. Having developed through practice this kind of vision over all, may you, oh lotus-eyed Rama protect your subjects. Brahmic reality alone is that which is ever shining, has neither beginning nor end and is immaculate and non-dual. Nought else is. Thus shall you contemplate and being filled with bliss, perform all actions, so that the stainless quiescence of mind may be in you and thereby in all. The Jnana-Akas alone is which is Brahman, devoid of the stainful pains, the seed of all illusions, Paramatma the great, the grand One in which all thoughts merge. Here there is none else but “ That”.
Destroy all Ahankara with the firm conviction that there is nothing else foreign to “That” and that Sat and Asat will never affect It. You will therefore relieve yourself of this formless Ahankara through developing Introvision, making the internals harmonize with the externals and being unaffected by the pains of past actions. Summary In this story, another means of medita* tation besides the three modes mentioned in the previous story is given to cognize that all is Brahman.
Rama asked When the Ahankaric mind is divested of its illusory form and maintains its real state, what is its dis tinguishing characteristic ?
Vasishta replied Now listen attentively to the charac teristics of a mind which has perished, while yet its (spiritual) form survives. No amount of desires, illusions and other stains will unsettle a person who is firmly under the influence of his Atma, like water on a lotus leaf. The good qualities of benevolence, &c., will ever sweetly beam in his face. All sins he will destroy ; the bondage of Vdsanas will gradually loosen their hold on him. Anger will be slain ; the tendency of the mind towards desires will be lost ; all the bad impulses of Kama(passions) will be dispelled.
All illusions in him, will look about for some befitting quarters elsewhere. The five organs will not be active in the discharge of their functions. Neither pains will arise and afflict him nor pleasures will increase. Through internal contentment and freedom from pains, there will arise in him an equanimity of mind over all and in all places. Even when pains and the rest attaching themselvestohis body, exhibit themselves on his face, his mind will never writhe under them or their antitheses. If the mind should only perish, then Devas even will contract his friendship through sheer love and he will enjoy great felicity.
He will then regard all equally. A perfect harmony and beauty will prevail in him, rendering cool even his very marrow and he will be glorified everywhere. Samsaric illusions, oh gracious Rama of large expanding eyes, will never affect those painless wise person ages, however much such illusions are productive of great surprises, or make them oscillate ever with their never- ceasing changes of birth and destruction or generate many myriads of pleasures and pains. Fie on those low-minded persons of the world who do not long for and attain that Supreme Principle which can be cognized through Jndna. Vision only and wherein all accidents are unknown.
