THE STORY OF BHASA AND VILASA.
Summary Through this story, it is sought to show that manifold pains will arise to the mind in the absence of Samadhi which leads to Brahmic bliss.
Thus did Suraghu and Parigha enquire into the nature of the world, evincing true love and respect towards one another and perform their respective functions. No pains will afflict those who are ever engaged internally in Adhyatma-Jndna and taking delight in the same, ever enjoy Ataia-Jnana, Oh valiant Rama, the bull of Jiva sleeps its long sleep under the large .umbrageous shadows of Aloha (delunionj ii: .the dire forest of Samsara, weltering in the mire of sinful actions,goaded, by the goad of Ajniina and lashed by the whip of the stainful enjoyments, while it is bound by the strong cords of desires and is ever and anon startled by the flea- bites of rare diseases.
Power, if it can be called real, lies in lifting, through unintermittenc efforts, this bull which, groaning under the heavy load of pains and being quite lacerated through ceaseless motion backwards and forwards, has fallen into the deep pool of numberless births. With the contraction of friendship with the wise, disciples should devise means for crossing this Samsara, like passengers crossing on their vessels, Whatever place there is, which is not inhabited by Atma- Jna”nis whose very presence is like cool topes full of juicy fruits and fragrant flewers will be but an oasis full of venomous toads (though abounding with cool flowers, &c). Are not persons who dwell therein but Ajnanis ?
Wealth, friendship, Sastras, kindred actions and such like are not the (real) means (for Moksha); but a well-trained mind alone constitutes the means of reaching the higher state of Atma. Jf the mind only is made friendly (to the higher influence) and spiritual enquiry is thereupon set afloat in it, then it will reach a higher life. If a ripe mind regard this poisonous tenement of .flesh in the same light as a fuel or a tile, then there is no doubt that the all-full Jnana, longed after by the Devas, will be attained. Should the unobscured Turya (fourth stage) vision be developed in which Jnana-light shines with its flames stainlessly and immovably that Jnana-Light which is like the great ocean above all words, incomparable, altractionless and alone, then such a state has not its pa- ral.lel and can, best be described by Sushupti which rs its nearest approach and is but a poor simile.
This Turya state is all-pervading like Akasa which contains potentially in itself all forms. If the Ahankara ot the base mind dies, then the mind will shine as the Brahmic bliss in all objects and as the Paramatmic Reality. The evidence for its charac teristics can be found only in one-self like iSushupti. No lords can describe it. It can only be experienced by each one within himself only. All things limide^s arc of the nature of Atma only. If this mind of excessive differentiations is absorbed without parts, then the Reality of Brahman -the stainless Deva of Devas who manifests himself as these moveable and fixed objects, external as well as internal one, -will shine in his own nature. It is only after this experience that all Vusanas for objects will cease; that the light of thfe differenceless Principle will dawn; that through an equal vision over all, the destruction of heterogeneity will take plack as a matter of course.
It is this experience that Maliatmas* are alwavs in. If after having” destroyed the materially-mincf- ed Manas through the discriminative (or higher) Manas, one does not visit his Atmic Principle, never will the Sams&rrc pains cease. With the extinction of the mind, bliss will arise and then Atma^Jnana will shine.
To illustrate this experience, I will narrate to thee, OH sweet flower of thy (viz., Solar) race, a story. So said Vasishta to Sri Rama and then continued “Two Munis lived in the hermitage of Miini Attri of great Tapas on thd hills of Sahya as hrs two noble sons. rThey went by the appefc lations of Bh4sa and Vil&sa and \vefe Very friendly towards one another, which good feelings waxed day by day. “Tlre tf minds were so united with one another, as if they were off shoots of one and the same. trunk. With the death of their parents, they sorrowfully went through all the necessary ebsequies.
Then grief-struck and in great tears tlirougli their mental bondage, they bid adieu to one another and parted fif different directions. After they had abode for a long tirhe iir* the woods and emaciated their bodies through extremeTa pas, they completely denuded themselves of all desires. Tlien* they again-met together.
With his mind “and eye glowing, with love, Muni Vilasa opened the conversation first in the following manner. “ My- true kinsman in this ever-growing world, -thou -hastexrotned me as my Prana. Where hast-thou been living -all this while?
Hast thou been freed- from thy mental pains ? Hast though rcognized thy Atmic Reality one as common in all Philosophies thot acquired ?. Oh Bhasa, please reply? : To which Bhasa replied “Oh great kinsrnan ! who rejoice asdenr as my Praan, through the sheer force of my destiny have I been fortunate enough to visit thee. My mind has been rendered quite cool. How can I who am whirling in this stainful Samsara obtain the noble happiness ?
How can the absolute good arise in me, so long as I have not known all that should be known, so long as the mind is not destroyed, so long as the wheel of births is not arrested ? How can the transcendental happiness arise in me, so long as the seed of desires in my mind along with its strong root is not des troyed like a tree felled by an axe, so long as Jnana is not cognized directly, so long as the homogeneous state is not attained without the myriads of differences, so long as B.rahma-jnana is not attained ?
Till then, pains alone will accrue to a person. In persons who have given up all the good results of Atma-Tatwa which forms the panacea for the cure of the disease of Ajnana, the poisonous disease of dire re births will wax in strength more and more. All the hosts of Jivas whirling in this world being entangled in the midst of pleasures and pains and fluctuating in the tips and downs of births and deaths will never make true progress, like parched up leaves.
