Philosophy and Religion / Yoga Vāsistha / Yoga-Vāsistha (4): Sthiti-Prakarana

Válmiki

Yoga-Vāsistha, Book 4: Sthiti-Prakarana (On Ontology or Existence). Chapter 25 - Narrative of Dāma, Vyāla and Kāla

Vasistha said: O intelligent Rāma! that does shine as the delight of mankind in this world, and endeavour after the attainment of your chief good, by the accomplishment of your best objects.

Do not let the instance of the demons Dāma and Vyāla or the snare and snake, apply to your case; but try to extricate yourself from vain sorrowing ¹, by the lesson of fortitude as given in the story of Bhīma and Bhāsa.

Rāma asked: What is that parable of the snare and snake, which you say must not apply to my case? Please relate it in full, to remove the sorrows of my mind and of all mankind.

And how is that fortitude which you point out for my imitation, from the instance of Bhīma and Bhāsa, inorder to get rid from all earthly sorrow?

Kindly relate the whole, and enlighten me with your purifying words, as the roaring of the rainy clouds, serves to alleviate the summer heat of peacocks.

Vasistha replied: Here me Rāma! relate to you both these anecdotes, that you may derive the benefit of aping according the same.

There lived one Sambara- the chief of demons, and a profound sorcerer in a subterraneous cell, filled with enchanting wonders like a sea of gems.

He constructed a magic city in the sky, with gardens and temples of gods in it; and artificial suns and moons emblazoning its vault.

It was beset with rich stones, resembling the gems of the Sumeru mountain; and the palace of the demon was full with opulence and treasures of every kind.

The beauties in his seraglio, vied with the celestial dames in their charming strains; arid the arbours of his pleasure garden, were shaded by an awning of bright moon-beams on high.

The blue lotuses blooming in his bed room, put to blush the blue eyed maids of his court; and the gemming swans in the lakes, cackled about the beds of golden lotuses in them.

The high branches of laureate plants, bore the blossoms of artificial lotuses on them; and the rows of Karañja arbours dropped down shouters of mandāra flowers on the ground.

His garden-house consisted both of cold and hot baths, and refrigeratories and fire-places for the hot and cold seasons; and the tarku (?) weapons of the demons, had baffled the arms of Indra himself.

The flower-gardens on all sides, had surpassed the mandāra groves of paradise; and the magical skill of the demon, had set rows of sandal trees, with their encircling snakes all around.

The inner compound which was strewn over with gold dust, vanquished the glory of heaven; and the court-yard of the palace, was filled with heaps of flowers upto the knee.

The earthen figure of Śiva which was exposed for show, had surpassed the image of Hari holding his discus and the mace; and the gems sparkling as fire-flies in the inside apartment, resembled the twinkling stars in the arena of heaven.

The dark night of the subterrene dwelling, was lightened by a hundred moon-lights like the starry heaven, and he chanted his martial songs before his idol deity.

His magical elephant, drove away the Airāvata of Indra; and his inward apartment was hoarded with the precious treasures of the three worlds.

All wealth and prosperity and grandeur and dignity, paid their homage to him; and the whole host of demons, honoured him as their commander.

The umbrage of his arms, gave shelter to the whole body of demons; and he was the receptacle of all sagacity, and reservoir of every kind of treasure.

This destroyer of the devās (gods), had a gigantic and terrific appearance; and commanded a large army of Asura-demons to defeat the Sura- deities.

The gods also sought every opportunity of harassing the demoniac force, whenever this exorcist demigod, went to sleep or somewhere out of his city.

This enraged Śambara to a degree, that he broke the trees in his rage, and employed his generals for protection of his legions.

The devas finding their fit opportunities, killed the demons one by one; as the aerial hawks pounce upon and kill the feeble and timid sparrows.

The king of the demons then appointed other general over his army, and they were as swift­footed and hoarse sounding as the waves of the sea.

The Devas destroyed these also in a short time; when the leader of the demon band, pursued his enemies to their station above the heavens.

The gods fled from their heavenly abode for fear of them, as the timorous dear fly from before the sight, of Śiva's and Guarī's bull into the thick thickets.

The gods were weakened with weeping, and the faces of Apsarās were suffused in tears. The demon saw the heavenly abode abandoned by the celestials, as it was the desolation of the world.

He wondered about in his rage, and plundered and took away all the valuable of the place. He burnt down the cities of the regents of heaven, and then returned to his own abode.

The enmity between the deities and demons, was so inveterate on both sides, that it forced the Deva; to quit their heavenly abodes, and hide themselves in distant parts of the world.

But the enraged gods, succeeded at last by their perseverance, to defeat and slay all the generals and combatants, that were set against them by Sambara.

The discomfited demon, then gave vent to his fury, and began to breathe out living fire from his nostrils like a burning mountain.

He after much search in the three worlds, found out the hiding place of the gods, as a wicked man succeeds in his purpose by his best endeavours.

Then he produced by his sorcery three very strong and fearful Asuras for the protection of his army, with their hedious appearances as that of death.

These horrible leaders of his army, being produced in his magic, flew upward with their enormous bodies, resembling the flying mountains of old.

They had the names of Dāma- the snare, Vyāla- the snake, and Kata- the mat given them for their entrapping, enfolding and enwrapping the enemy, according to the demon's wish.

They were preadamite beings and devoid of changing desires; and the want of their prior acts ², made them move about as free as spiritual being in one uniform tenor of their course.

These were not born as men from the seeds of their previous acts, with solid and substantial bodies; but mere artificial forces and airy forms, as facsimiles of the images in the demon's mind.

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