Philosophy and Religion / Yoga Vāsistha / Yoga-Vāsistha (6.2): Nirvāna-Prakarana

Válmiki

Yoga-Vāsistha, Book 6: Nirvāna-Prakarana (On ultimate extinction) - part 2. Chapter 156 - Expostulation of Sindhu by his Minister

The Huntsman said: Tell me Sir, what will then become of my soul in its aerial position, and of my body in its situation on earth.

The sage replied: Hear me attentively to tell you, about what is to become of your lost body on earth, as also of your living soul sustained in the air.

The body being subducted from your whole self, your soul will assume an aerial form, and will remain in empty air, united with its vital breath.

In that airy particle of your soul, you will find the surface of the earth, situated in the recess of your mind; and you will behold it as clearly, as you view the world in your dream.

Then from the inward desire of your heart, you will see in the amplitude of your mind, that you have become the sovereign lord of this wide extended globe.

The will of this idea rises of itself in your mind, that you have become a king by name and in the person of Sindhu, who is so highly honoured by men.

After eight years of your birth, your other will depart from this mortal world, and leave to you this extensive earth, reaching to its utmost boundaries of the four seas.

You will find in the border of your realm, a certain lord of the land by name of Viduratha, who will rise as your enemy, and whom it will be difficult for you to quell.

You will then reflect in yourself, of your past and peaceful reign of a full century; and think of the pleasures you have so long enjoyed in company with your consort and attendants.

Woe unto me, that this lord of the bordering land, has now risen against me in my old age; and has put me to the trouble of waging a formidable warfare against him.

As you shall be thinking in this wise, there will occur the great war between you and that lord of the land; in which all your quadruple armaments, will be greatly worsted and thinned.

In that great war, you wilt succeed to slay that Viduratha, by striking him with your sword, and keeping your stand on your war-car.

You will then become the sole lord of this earth, to its utmost of the four oceans; and become to be dreaded and honoured by all, like the regents of all the sides of heaven.

Having thus become the sovereign monarch of the earth, and reigning over it and the name of the mighty Sindhu, you wilt pass your time in conversation with the learned pandits and minis­ters of your court.

The minister will say, It is a mighty wondrous deed, O lord, that you have achieved, by slaying the invincible Viduratha in your single comat.

Then you wilt say, tell me O good man, how this Viduratha waxed so very rich, and possessed his forces as numerous as the waves of ocean; and what cause impelled him to rise against me.

The Minister will reply: This lord has Līlā as his lady, who had wont he favour of the fair goddess Sarasvatī; who is the supportress of the world, by her extreme devotion to her. ¹

The benign goddess took this lady for her foster-daughter, and enabled her to achieve all her actions, and even obtain her liberation with ease. ²

It is by favour of this goddess, that this lady is able to annihilate you at a single nod or word of hers; wherefore it is no difficult task to her to destroy you all at once.

Sindhu then will answer him saying: If what you say is true, it is wondrous indeed, how then could the invincible Viduratha come to be slain by me in warfare.

And why he being so highly favoured by the goddess, could not get the better of me in this combat ³.

The Minister will reply: Because he always prayed the goddess with earnestness of his heart, to give him liberation from the cares and troubles of this world.

Now then, O lord, this goddess that knows the hearts of all men, and confers to all the objects of their desire, gave you the victory you did seek, and conferred him the liberation he sought by your hands.

Sindhu then, will respond to it; saying: If it is so, then I must ask, why the goddess did not confer the blessing of liberation on me also, that have been so earnestly devoted to her at all times.

The Minister will then say in his reply: This goddess resides as intelligence in the minds of all men, and as conscience also in the hearts of all individual beings, and is known by the title of Sarasvatī to all.

Whatever object is constantly desired by any one, and earnestly asked of her at all times; she is ever ready to confer the same to him, as it is felt in the heart of everyone.

You lord never prayed for your liberation, at the shrine of this goddess; but craved for your victory over your enemies. Which she has accordingly deigned to confer unto you.

Sindhu will then respond to it and say: Why is it that prince did not pray the goddess of pure wisdom for his obtaining a kingdom like me; and how was it that I slighted to pray her for my final liberation as he did?

And why is it that the goddess knowing the desire of my heart for liberation, left me only to desire it without attempting to seek after the same? ⁴

To this the minister will reply saying: The propensity of doing evil ⁵, being inherent in your nature ⁶, you neglected to stoop down to the goddess, and pray unto her for your liberation.

It is well known since the creation of the world, that the intrinsic gist forms the nature of man; and this truth being evident to all from their boyhood to age, there is no body to ignore or repudiate it at any time.

The purity or impurity of the inner heart, to which one is habituated by his long practice or custom, continues to predominate over all his qualities and actions to the very last, and there is no power to contravene it in any manner.

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