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

Válmiki

Yoga-Vāsistha, Book 4: Sthiti-Prakarana (On Ontology or Existence). Chapter 32 - On Good Conduct

Rāma said- Tell me sir, how Dāma, Vyāla and Kata obtained their liberation at last like all other virtuous souls, and got released from the torments of hell, like children getting rid of the fear of Yaksas and Piśācas.

Vasistha replied: - Hear, O you support of Raghu's race! what Yama said in respect of Dāma, Vyāla and their companions, when they be sought for their liberation through his attendants in hell.

That Dāma and others would obtain their liberation, upon their release from their demoniac bodies by death; and upon hearing the account of their lives and actions.

Rāma said- Tell me sir, how, when and from what source, Dāma and others, came to learn the accounts of their lives, and in what manner they obtained their release from hell.

Vasistha replied: These demons being transformed to fishes in a pool, by the bank of the great lotus lake in Kashmir, underwent many miserable births, in their finny forms in the same bog.

Being then crushed to death in that marshy ground under the feet of buffaloes, they were transformed afterwards to the shapes of cranes, frequenting that lake of lotuses.

There they fed upon the moss and mushrooms and tender petals of lotuses, and had to live upon the leaves of aquatic plants and creepers, that floated on the surface of the waves.

They swung in cradles of flowers, and rested on beds of blue lotuses; and dived in vortices of the waters, or flew under the cooling showers of rainy clouds.

These charming cranes and herons, were at last becleansed of their brutish foulness, by their vegetable food of sweet fruits and flowers, and by their pure beverage of the crystal lake, the food of holy saints.

Having by these means obtained a clear understanding, they were prepared for their release from the brutish state, as men when enabled to distinguish and get hold of the qualities of Satva and rajas ¹, from that of tamas or wrong and evil, are entitled to their liberation.

Now there is a city by name of Adhisthāna, in the happy valley of Kashmir, which is beset by mountains and trees on all sides, and very romantic in its appearance.

There is hill in the midst of that city known as Pradyumna Sekhara, which bears resemblance to a pistil, rising from the pericarp within the cell of a lotus-flower.

On the top of that hill, there is an edifice towering above all other buildings; and piercing the sky with its high turrets, which appears like pinnacles above its summit.

On the north-east corner of that edifice, there is hollow at the top of its towering head; which is overgrown with moss, and is continual resounding to the blowing winds.

There the demon Vyāla built his nest in the form of a sparrow, and chirped his meaningless notes, as one repeats the Vedic hymns without knowing their meanings. ²

There was at that time a prince in the same city, by name of Yaśaskara or the renowned, who reigned there like Indra over the gods in heaven.

Then the demon Dāma became a gnat and dwelt in that dwelling, and continued to buzz his low tune in the crevice of a lofty column of that building.

It then a came to pass, that the citizens of Adhisthāna, prepared a play ground by name of Ratnāvalī-vihāra in that city.

There the minister of the king known as Narasimha by name, took his residence. He understood the fates of human kind, as the astronomer knows the stars of heaven on a small celestial globe, which he holds in his hand.

It happened at that time, that the deceitful demon Kata, is as reborn as a parrot, and became the favourite of the minister, by being kept in a silver cage in his house.

It then turned out that the minister recited this poetical narrative of the Titan war to be the inmates of the house.

And the parrot Kata, happening to hear it, remembered his past life, whereby he was absolved of his sins, and attained his final liberation.

The sparrow dwelling on the top of the Pradyumna hill, also chanced to hear the narration of his life in that place, and obtained his emancipation thereby.

Dāma who in the form of a gnat, resided in the palace, happened also to hear the minister's recital of his tale, and obtained thereby his peace and release.

In this manner, O Rāma! the sparrow on the Pradyumna mount, the gnat in the palace, and the parrot on the play ground, had all their liberation.

Thus I have related to you the whole of the story of the demon Dāma and others, which will fully convince you of the vanity of the world.

It is the ignorant only that are tempted to vanity by their error, as they are led to the delusion of water in a mirage; and so the great also are liable like these demons, to fall low from their high stations by their error.

Think of one of these, that reduced the high Meru and Mandara mountains with a nod of his eye brows, was constrained to remain as contemptible gnat in the chink of a pillar in the palace. ³

Look at another who threatened to destroy the sun and moon with a slap, living at last as a poor sparrow in a hole of the peak of the Pradyumna mountain.

Look at the third who balanced the mount Meru like a flower bouquet in his hand, lying imprisoned as a parrot in the cage at the house of Nrsimha.

When the sphere of the pure intellect, is tinged with the hue of egotism, it is debased to another form without changing its nature (by another birth).

It is because of the wrong desire of a man that he takes the untruth for truth, as if by the excessive thirst of a person, that he mistakes the mirage for water, and thereby loses both his way and his life.

Those men only can ford across the ocean of the world, who by the natural bent of their good understanding, are inclined to the study of the Śāstras, and look forward to their liberation, by rejecting whatever is vicious and untrue.

Those who are prone to false reasoning and heresy, by rejecting the revelations, are subject to various changes and miseries, and fall life the running water into the pit, by loss of their best interests in life.

But those who walk by the dictates of conscience, and follow the path pointed by the Āgama (Veda); are saved from destruction, and attain their best state (of perfection and bliss).

O high-minded Rāma! he whose mind always longs after having this thing and that, loses the best gain of his manliness (parama purusārtha) by his avarice, and leaves not even ashes or traces behind.

The high-minded man regards the world as a straw, and shuns all its concerns as a snake casts off its slough.

He whose mind is illumined by the wondrous light of truth, is always taken under the protection of the gods, as the mundane egg is protected by Brahmā: ⁴.

Nobody should walk in paths which are long and wearisome, crooked and winding, and encompassed by dangers and difficulties; because Rāhu- the ascending node, lost its life by its courvilinear course, to drink the nectarine beams of the moon.

He who abides by the dictates of the true śāstras, and associates with the best of men, are never subject to the darkness of error.

Those who are renowned for their virtues, have the power to bring their destiny under their command, convert all their evils to good, and render their prosperity perpetual.

Those who are unsatisfied with their qualifications (but wish to qualify themselves the more), and those who thirst after knowledge and are seeks of truth, -are truly called as human beings, all others are but brutes.

Those, the lakes of whose hearts are brightened by the moon-beams of fame, ⁵; have the form of Hari seated in their hearts, as in the sea of milk.

The repeated desire of enjoying what has been enjoyed and of seeing what has often been seen, is not the way to get rid of the world; but is the cause of repeated birth, for the same enjoyments.

Continue to abide by the established rule of conduct, act according to the gastras and good usages, and break off the bonds of worldly enjoyments, which are all but vanities.

Let the world resound with the renown of your virtues reaching to the skies; because your renown will immortalize your name, and not the enjoyments you have enjoyed.

Those whose good deeds shine as moon-­beams, and are sung by the maidens of heaven, are said to be truly living, while all others unknown to fame are really dead.

They that aspire to their utmost perfection by their unfailing exertions, and act according to the precepts of the gastras, are surely successful in their attempt.

Abiding patiently by the Śāstra, without hastening for success; and perfecting one's self by long practice, produce the ripe fruits of consummation.

Now Rāma, renounce all your sorrow and fear, your anxieties, pride and hastiness; conduct yourself by the ordinances of law and śāstras, and immortalize your name.

Take care, that your sensuous soul do not perish as a prey in the snare of your sensual appities, nor as a blind old man by falling in the hidden pits of this world.

Do not allow yourself henceforward to be degraded below the vidgar; but consider well the śāstras as the best weapons, for defeating the dangers and difficulties of the world.

Why do you endanger your life in the muddy pit of this world, like an elephant falling in a pitfall under the keen arrows of the enemy? Avoid only to taste of its enjoyments, and you are free from all danger.

Of what avail is wealth without knowledge; therefore devote yourself to learning, and consider well your riches to be but trash and bubbles.

The knowledge of heretical Śāstras; has made beasts of men, by making them only miserable and unhappy by their unprofitable arguments.

Now wake and shake off the dullness of your long, deep and death like sleep, like the torpor of the old tortoise lying in the bog.

Rise and accept an antidote to ward off your old age and death; and it is knowledge of this prescription, that all wealth and property are for our evils, and all pleasures and enjoyment, tend only to sicken and enervate our frames.

Know your difficulty to be your prosperity, and your disrespect to be your great gain. Conduct yourself according to the purport of the śāstras, as they are supported by good usage.

Acts done according to the śāstras and good usage also, are productive of the best fruits of immortality.

He who acts well according to good usage, and considers everything by good reasons, and is indifferent to the pains and pleasures of the world; such a one flourishes like an arbor in the spring, with the fruits and flowers of long life and fame, virtues and good qualities and prosperity.

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