Philosophy and Religion / Yoga Vāsistha / Yoga-Vāsistha (1): Vairāgya-Prakarana

    Válmiki

    Yoga-Vāsistha, Book 1: Vairāgya-Prakarana (On Moral Apathy). Chapter 9 - Visvāmitra’s Wrath and his Enraged Speech

    Vālmīki said- On hearing this speech of the king with his pitious look and eyes full of tears, the son of Kuśika became highly incensed and replied.

    You are about to break your promise after pledging yourself to its performance, and thus wish to behave as a deer after having been a lion (before).

    This is unbecoming of the race of Raghu, it is acting contrary (to the rules) of this great family. Hot rays must not proceed from the cool beamed moon.

    If you are so impotent Oh king! let me return as I came. You promise-breaking Kakutstha live happily with your friends.

    As the high spirited Viśvāmitra now moved with ere, the earth trembled under him, and the gods were filled with fear.

    Vasistha the meek and wise and observant of his vows, perceiving the great sage and friend of the world thus influenced by ere, gave vent to his speech (as follows).

    Oh king that are born of the race of the Iks vākus, and are a form of virtue itself, and called Daśaratha the fortunate, and are adorned with all the good qualities known in the three worlds.

    Being famed for your meekness and strictness to your vows, and renowned in all three worlds for your virtues and fame, you can not break your plighted faith.

    Preserve your virtue and think not to break your faith, comply with the request of the sage who is honoured in all the three worlds.

    Saying, you will do it, if you retract your promise, you loose the object of your yet unfulfilled desires. Therefore part with Réma from you.

    Descended from the race of Iksvāku, and being Daśaratha yourself, if you fail to perform your promise, who else on earth will ever keep his word?

    It is in pursuance of the conduct of great men like you, that low people even do not dare to transgress the bounds of their duty, how then do you wish to violate it yourself.

    Guarded by this lion-like man (Viśvāmitra) in the manner of ambrosia by fire, no Rāksasa will have power to prevail over Rāma, whether he he accoutred and aimed or not.

    Behold him here as the personification of virtue, the mightiest of the mighty, and superior to all in the world in his intelligence, and devotedness to asceticism.

    He is skilled in all war-like arms that are known in the three worlds, no other man knows them so well nor shall ever be able to master them like him.

    Among the Gods, the Sages, the asuras, the Rāksasas, the Nāgas, the Yaksas and Gandharvas, there is none equal to him (in might).

    In bygone days when this son of Kuśika used to rule over his realm, he was furnished with all the arms by Krśāsva, and which no enemy can baffle.

    These arms were the progeny of Krśāsva, and were eqally radiant and powerful as the progncy of the Prajāpati, and followed him (in his train).

    Now Daksa (the patriarch) had two beauteous daughters Jayā and Suprabhā (alias Vijayā), who had a hundred offspring (as personifications of the implements, that are invincible in war.

    Of these the favoured Jayą has given birth to fifty sons of old, who are implacable agents of the destruction of asura forces.

    In like manner, Suprabhā gave birth to fifty sons of very superior qualities, who are very powerful and terrible in their appearance, and indomitably aggressive.

    Thus Viśvāmitra is strengthened and grown powerful (by means of these). He is acknowledged as a sage in the three worlds. You therefore must not think otherwise than deliver Rāma to him.

    This mighty and virtuous man and prince of sages being nigh, any one even at the point of death in his presence, is sure to attain his immortality (on earth), therefore be not disheartened like an insensible man.




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