Discourse on Yoga Vasishtha
Day 61, October 11
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Ganesaya Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripada Vallabha
Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Sadgurubhyo Namaha
asato ma sadgamaya
tamaso ma jyotirgamaya
mrityor ma amrtam gamaya
Om Santissantissantihi
Please lead me from untruth to Truth, from darkness to light, from death to immortality. May there be peace.
Guru Dhyanam: Gurur Brahmaa, Sri Bhooyuta.. , Ajnana .. Akhanda, Dehe …, Akhandam ..
Yoga Vasishtha Dhyana Slokas:
yatassarvāṇi bhūtāni pratibhānti sthitāni ca
yatraivōpaśamaṁ yānti tasmai satyātmanē namaḥ || 1
jñātā jñānaṁ tathā jñēyaṁ draṣṭādarśana dr̥śyabhūḥ
kartā hētuḥ kriyā yasmāt tasmai jñaptyātmanē namaḥ || 2
sphuranti sīkarā yasmāt ānanandasyāṁbarē vanau
sarvēṣām jīvanam tasmai brahmānandātmanē namaḥ || 3
Brahmanandam, Sri Vasishtham Namami, Ramaya, Aapadaamapahartaaram, Om Purnamadah,
Om Santissantissantihi
Yesterday we began the 29th sarga. Sri Rama says that the wildfire of worldly life is burning him up. He says that the enlightened ones alone are spared from being deluded by the mirages of this world.
We are now studying the Vairagya Prakarana which is the first section of Yoga Vasishtha. Vairaagya/dispassion is most essential in life, not only to attain liberation, but also to succeed in any field in the world. We have been stressing the point right from the start. Now the Upadesa or Sri Rama is reaching its highest point since we are approaching the end of this section where he fervently pleads with Sadguru to enlighten him.
Pratyaham ..
There is a saying that even the creepers that twine around neem tree will become bitter in taste in their leaves, buds, and fruits. They acquire the bitterness by their association with the bitter neem tree.
Samsara means birth and death, this repetitive cycle. Instead of becoming sweet and delicious as honey as it ripens, this wheel of repeated births become most bitter and unpleasant as time goes on. Samsara here does not refer to family life with spouse and children. This strange feature I notice in this world says Sri Rama. It is because this Samsara gets ripened in the syrup that gets thickened with Time. Only Sadguru’s intervention can prevent this. Those whose lives are under the guidance and direction of Sadguru are sweet and pleasant. Those who lack that guidance will find that their lives have turned bitter.
Buddhi maayaa..
We have been told that we have fallen under the delusion that this materialistic life is great. That is why we cling to it. But it is not so. We have to make the effort to analyze it properly and recognize all its defects to realize the truth about this illusory world and guard ourselves against becoming its victims.
We are keeping fire at home and are placing it on a heap of cotton due to our delusion. The cotton goes up in flames. We are not realizing that we are causing our own destruction by falling prey to the delusion. Our intellect keeps going astray. We keep getting bad thoughts. We become cruel and drawn towards evil deeds. Our good qualities are getting destroyed. Our evil qualities are growing. Like a thorny bush, this life has become very hard to bear. This is the way to recognize the defects in life. We should be aware if we are also becoming hard and cruel. We have to be aware if our gentle nature is vanishing.
Bhajyate
We are forgetting courtesy, respect, drowned in the passions of this world. Rama is a perfect example of respect and courtesy. Like the ocean that never crosses its bounds, Sri Rama also ever remained within his limits of courtesy.
People these days speak ill of even parents, elders, and gurus. If it was so in the Treta Yuga, what to say about Kali Yuga.
In a field of black gram, when the shrubs are dying, the breaking twigs make a noise as they fall to the ground, indicating their decay. But when our good qualities die, we do not even become aware of that fact. It happens quietly without ringing any alarms. This Samsara destroys our respectful ways.
Rajyebhyo..
Similar to Arjuna in Arjuna Vishada Yoga, Sri Rama says all kingdoms which are seemingly filled with luxuries, are filled with nothing but problems. He is addressing his gurus Viswamitra and Vasishtha. This mind becomes filled with anxieties. As per Vedanta, one should seek solitude. But here and now, we should seek the company of Sadguru, since we are still beginners in spiritual pursuit. One should go deep within oneself while sitting alone. Life will be unbearable if one cannot sit quietly even for five minutes. This should be practiced by everyone. Listen to Swamiji’s music. Chant a mantra or sit still for a few minutes with closed eyes without any thoughts or any preoccupations. Morning and evening, at least for five minutes, please do this daily. There is nothing greater than that.
Varamekanta sheelataa is the Mahaa Vaakya in this sarga.
All the friends, relatives, mothers, the citizens, the king, and others are encouraging Rama to become the king. Rama says neither the royal gardens, nor the company of women give him any pleasures. Wealth is also not attractive to me, he says. All I need is peace of mind.
Vidya is the answers to our questions. Guru kulam or Patha sala/educational institution means, we question and guru gives us answers. Guru gives answers to the questioning mind. Please give me instruction and assurance that in the future I will find peace.
Anitya..
He continues to describe the world. Everything is fleeting in this world. The mind is extremely unsteady and flickering. God and Guru are eternal. Only they can give us permanent joy. That is why we should pray to them. What appears as pleasure-giving actually gives pain in this world.
This life is very burdensome. It is said that without desire one cannot live. But grown to excess, even a desire, like a creeper if it grows on a house will make it collapse. The mind is ever unsteady. How will I ever find the ultimate peace?
Only he, who makes an effort towards it, will obtain peace. Sri Rama is implying.
This is a very important verse.
Naabhinandaami maranam ….
We delude ourselves if we think that ending one’s life deliberately will solve anything. We will only be reborn to suffer even more intensely.
Sri Rama never wished for death. If anyone thinks that death gives relief from all these troubles of the world, he is highly mistaken.
Sri Rama says, I am not praising death. Neither am I praising life. I have neither desire for birth nor death. I wish to remain at peace ever. I wish to be free from this feverish yearning for answers. Only Sadguru can give me the remedy for this distress.
What will I do with kingdom, wealth, and desire? It is only with ego and arrogance that we ask for these things. Sri Rama boldly says that he has swallowed up his ego. Those who claim to have given up ego are the most egotistical of all. How long should I wait? People get impatient out of ego. Just relax. Give up your ego. People get angry out of ego. Do you know who I am? Why should we give up ego? People say that without ego one cannot live in the world. In spirituality we have to give it up. We must surrender totally to Paramatma to earn His grace.
Can Sri Rama claim to have given up ego? Is he most egotistical? No. He is humbly praying for initiation from Sadguru.
Subhashitam is now given by Sri Rama.
Janmaavali
With the rope made with skin, the line of births has been tied. There are knots made of senses. They are dangerous. Brahma Mudi, the knot that ties us with Guru is good. We must remove the knots of our sense organs. We must do sadhana with focus while living in the ashrama.
Sri Rama is giving us the hint how to rise higher spiritually. There is not even one verse here that can be skipped. Each is a precious gem.
Manmatha has created a churning of emotions between the opposite sexes. Like an intoxicated elephant that destroys the lotuses in a pond, Manmatha destroys our lives which are very delicate. Therefore, we have to be careful.
Adyachet
If I do not cure the disease of my mind now, then in the future llife will become most difficult. As a plant, if it cannot be controlled, then as a tree, it will not bend.
Many say, why spirituality at this young age? It is wrong to think like that. Children have to be given values. With satsang. Bhajans, pravachans, the intellect should be cleaned. With a pure mind, we should perform sadhana.
Right now, in this early youth, I require the remedy for my illness. There is no muhurtam for beginning a japa. It is always an escapist tendency that one tries to postpone doing spiritual sadhana.
Visham
There are many types of tempting things and affairs. This is true poison. This maze, this dangerous net captures us and binds us in the world. Poison kills only one person, and only in that one lifetime. But this poison of Vishayas/affairs of this world affects us for a series of endless lifetimes.
People ask: Why was I born? They do not question this when they are happy. Only when unhappiness comes, this question arises in their minds. They conclude that it is because of parents and so the parents are blamed. Then they blame Sadguru and they blame God.
We are responsible for our births. Our desires have been saved in the internal computer. To satisfy them God gives us repeated births. We are the reason for our birth. God gave me this life and is tormenting me, we thus blame God. We do not appreciate the gift of life. Would God do that deliberately to harm us? Does He enjoy this? Is this a sport for Him? All these are at the first stage of spirituality. We must agree that God controls everything. But you have sown the seed and you will reap the fruit. You have to be very careful.
Na sukhaani
You are generalizing and you are including everyone in placing the blame, you may say of Sri Rama. Sri Rama says, to the one who is enlightened, nothing causes bondage. From Vasishtha to our Sadguru, they are not bound by anything despite being engaged in affairs.
This is the way to beg for initiation. Sadguru tries with compassion to share his knowledge with us, and share his experience of bliss. We are neither asking for instruction properly nor are we ready to receive what He is intending to give us.
Our past lifetimes are known to Guru. He also knows the reasons behind everything that occurs. O Sadgurudeva, please give me instruction. I wish to give up sorrow, fear, and exhaustion. This is very important in Vedanta. I too wish to attain enlightenment and enjoy eternal bliss.
Vaasanaa
Some are afraid of attaining Jnana. They are afraid that then they will not be able to recognize their own parents, spouse, children and relatives. That will only happen to Avadhootas, and not to ordinary people like us.
Here there are all types of Vaasanas. Our ignorance is the cause of our birth which causes sorrow. We are here in this world which is full of ups and downs. It sometimes gives good results and sometimes bad results. We experience the joys of heaven and the torture of hell. We must cross this jungle of worldliness.
Sri Rama says I can bear the pain of getting sawed by a saw. But I cannot bear the pain caused by the things of the world. I wish to be freed from this.
How long will the pleasures last? They will not last long. Only peace of mind is eternal.
Idam naasti
We say we have lost our happiness. We forget to do spiritual sadhana. The mind is wavering. The way the breeze raises dust and carries it way, Time is taking us away.
Thrishnaa
We have prepared a huge garland with all the things of the world as if they were pearls. The thread is avarice. All the people of the world are the pearls. The consciousness which is like a witness is watching. The pendant is seen by the Chittam. Kalam/Time, like an elephant wears this garland as an ornament. I wish to snap this garland worn by Time, the way a lion snaps the net.
Sri Rama is teaching us how to pray to Sadguru to remove the darkness from the mind, which has spread everywhere like mist. Sri Rama says I am unable to penetrate deep into my own heart.
With spiritual knowledge we learn about Truth. Vijnana is Sadguru’s teaching. The experience of it is Jnana. There are five koshas/sheaths. After Vijnanamaya kosha comes the Anandamaya kosha.
The greatness of Satsang is described. All Datta devotees must engage in it daily. At home you do Satsang. Play bhajans, and sing. Before dinner the entire family can gather and listen. All can chant the prayer that all should be well. Sarve cha. Chant Datta Stavaam. Read Datta darsanam. Paint will not change the house. Satsang will certainly change the atmosphere in the home. Regardless of how busy you may be, do it at least once a week, if you cannot do it every day. People will drop the wife at the temple and the men will stand outside and speak politics. Do not do that. Focus your mind on Satsang. It will benefit you.
Vidyanta
There is no mental affliction that will not be cured by Satsang says Sri Rama. Satsang is a great psychiatric treatment. Even physical ailments will reduce. We must associate with those who are much nobler than us. If physically Sadguru’s presence is not available, use his teachings and bhajans.
Like with the rise of the full moon darkness is dispelled, with Satsang darkness of the mind is dispelled.
Aayur
The last verse summarizes this sarga. The life span is blown away the way the breeze blows away the clouds. We feel that there are many tomorrows but life suddenly ends most unexpectedly. Very quickly the days get spent. Life is like a rain drop dangling at the tip of a fresh leaf. You never know when it will suddenly drop to the ground.
Lambaa
There are joys and sorrows that come and go like flashes of lightning. Our stages in life also change very quickly. Especially in youth, the experiences do not last very long. The life span, pleasures, are all fleeting. I have a firm impression in my mind that these are all fleeting and I need instruction from Sadguru. I pray for peace of mind. Sri Rama is offering his prayers. This concludes the sarga.
Sakala Padaartha anaastha is the name of this sarga. Disinterestedness should be cultivated towards all things of this world.
I pray to Sadgurudeva to bless all those who make a genuine effort to ponder over all these important topics.
Prayojana Kathanam is the next topic. We will discuss it tomorrow.
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta
Om Santissantissantihi.