Discourse on Yoga Vasishtha
Day 27, August 12
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Ganesaya Namaha
Sri Saraswatyai Namaha
Sripada Vallabha
Narasimha Saraswati
Sri Guru Dattatreyaya Namaha
Sri Ganapati Sachchidananda Sadgurubhyo Namaha
Yesterday was Sravana Somavara. We did the Ekadasa Rudrabhishekam. (There was no discourse on Yoga Vasishtha). In the evening we discussed Sivananda Lahari. Sri Bhagavatpada asked, what can I offer you, Lord Siva? It is my mind alone that I have which you do not have. Therefore, I offer my mind to you for your use. You have everything else.
16th sarga – Chitta Dauraatmya – describes how the mind leads us away from soul-consciousness. Sivananda Lahari and Yoga Vasishtha go along parallel lines. Both the scriptures teach us that this mind has to be surrendered to God.
Showing the negative aspects of the mind is the aim of Sri Rama. We caution children not to touch a sharp knife, fire, or go near deep water, and so on. Like that Sri Rama is telling us how dangerous the uncontrolled mind is.
Like a match stick can start a huge fire, this mind sets me on fire. Mind is destroying the body. Like a peacock feather flutters in the wind constantly, this mind is also ever unsteady. It acts like a mad dog. It gets chased by everyone and beaten up. Yet it goes to the same people. It seeks all undesirable things. You cannot hold water in a bamboo basket. With this mind we cannot realize God. This mind is doing me great harm.
While in the midst of other devotees, we feel strong. But if we become isolated, we are without strength. We feel happy to see a group of deer. A single deer is not so attractive to look at. Satsang gives the mind some steadiness. It should be sought always. Mind drags us away from good company. It does not allow us to concentrate on God. Even when there is no ant or mosquito to disturb us, still the mind distracts us with some imaginary sounds and noises. The mind always draws away from proper studies or mantra japa. The mind says friends are enjoying their play. You are missing the fun. It tempts us to do bad things and spoils our interest. It does not allow focusing on anything.
Even normally an ocean is frightening to look at, and is dangerous. But when it is being churned by the Mandara Mountain, how turbulent the ocean will become! Such is the condition of the mind. Even with friends, the mind will not make you behave well; it makes you wish them ill, not just enemies. Even friends are subjected to envy and ill-will and ill-treatment because of the mind.
Two friends were conversing. One said it is most difficult to remain silent. The other said it is easy for me. The discussion grew and argument ensued. Envy and jealousy grew. One was challenged to prove himself. The friendship vanished. The one who agreed to accept the challenge was poor. The other was wealthy. He offered 75% of his wealth if the other person won the challenge. They wrote a contract that the person has to remain isolated and silent for 15 years. He went into isolation and remained in silence. Frustration increased for him. He grew angry. He somehow overcame the anger and frustration. This man remained silent for a year, two years. He was in a closed room. He almost gave up and was ready to concede defeat. He was receiving food regularly. He picked up a stone and wrote God’s name on a wall. It helped him. 14 years passed. In the 15th year, the person who challenged him thought if he comes out at the end of this year, I will have to part with my wealth. Then I will become poor. No. I must get rid of him before he comes out. It was a 15 year contract. He took a dagger and went in to kill him. Only the family members knew of this contract between the two persons. The moment the door opened, the man inside came out calm like a yogi. He said I do not need your money. You are my Guru. I have attained a great siddhi. He had reached a high spiritual level. The man who was intending to kill him felt very ashamed of himself. I have stooped so low in my thoughts whereas he has become so noble.
Mind breeds cruelty.
The deer keeps looking for comfort. It never stands still. Who is it running it away from? Like the deer that is ever running, the mind is taking us away with it far away from God. It is only concerned with the body. The caged lion is angry and paces up and down inside a small cage. The mind is like that. It never rests. If you give rest to the mind even for a very short time, it gains immense strength. Rest for the mind is meditation. Mind is riding on a chariot called illusion. Mind destroys repose. Even when virtue is at hand, it turns away from it. This entire world is created by the mind.
The same food item is liked by one person and disliked by another. The mind remains asleep even if Sadguru tries to wake it up with His instruction. It stays awake when it should not be awake. It sleeps when it should not sleep.
The hunter spreads the net, holding the knotted rope in his hands. Once the birds land, he pulls in the net.
We have immense love for children. We get angry at them out of love. That is green anger. Such anger helps to correct the children. Yellow anger is towards colleagues. When anger turns red, it destroys you. One should learn how to manage anger. How to constructively use anger is to be learned.
Mind creates anger due to ego. Flames and thick smoke erupt because of the mind. Like dried grass erupts into flames, I get burned with the mischief of the mind, laments Rama.
We must study the nature of the mind. We must recognize the harm that mind causes to us.
Kauleyaka –Mind is like the wolves that reside in a cremation ground. The mind tears to bits my peace like the wolves tear up the dead bodies. The mind is cruel like them. It keeps following its spouse called desire. It is gobbling me up. Who will rescue me from it? It is so powerful that it simply drags me away from all good things. For the intellect to become strong it takes time. The mind is with us for many lifetimes, gaining immense strength. The intellect is only of this lifetime, and hence, it is still weak. Like a flooding river uproots huge trees and carries them away, the mind also is uprooting me and carrying me away in its rapid flow.
Where is the mind located? It is all over our body. It is spread wherever our consciousness or physical body travels. It cannot be captured. Mind is subtle. Body is gross. Mind is elusive and difficult to be captured. How to pinpoint its exact location?
This Brahman/Guru/Paramatma – we have to apply the knowledge that they are all the same in all the verses.
Mind throws us in a void where there is no support from any side. Like a tornado simply picks up anything that it finds in its way, my mind picks me up and tosses me far away. It takes me away from following Guru or God. I wish to get extricated from this worldly life. We have built a dam to travel across it and also to contain some water for our use. But like a dam this mind is blocking my way, as a dam stops the flow of the river. It is deep and filled with wild and cruel aquatic creatures. I am caught amidst them.
Koopa … Some places in villages you see it. (Etam – in Telugu) – A wheel with pots hanging on it that pick up water from a well and drop the water into a huge container or a canal. The water is used for irrigation. Sometimes a man and sometimes an ox is made to make the wheel turn. My mind keeps whirling like this wheel going up and down. God has tied me to this wheel. I go underground into the well, to the Patala Loka/Netherworld and rise up to the Manushya Loka/Human plane alternatively. Why is it that we are unable to see the Devaloka/celestial plane of existence? Manushya Loka, the human plane is blocked from seeing the higher planes. We go to the nether regions into animal planes, but are unable to rise to celestial planes.
In the Bhagavad Gita also this idea is stated. This mind is more powerful than fire. It is easier to climb a mountain but to win over or understand this mind is quite impossible.
The mind is harder than a diamond. What kind of a creation is this Mind! We can enter into a fire pit or climb a mountain with practice, but to control the mind is next to impossible. It is none other than Rama who is saying these words. Our bad tendencies are responsible for us becoming slaves to the mind. A bird flies high up in the sky. People throw pieces of meat on the ground for it to pick up. The bird makes a beeline and picks it up. We do not go in such a straight line to Guru. Another bird goes straight to the net and gets caught by the hunter. We, likewise, get caught in the hunter’s net called mind. The mind behaves okay for a short time and then it skips away from it. Like a small child it is fickle-minded. One moment a child plays with a toy. The next moment it breaks it by banging mercilessly.
Pediatrics is a difficult subject. Children cannot express themselves to tell the doctor the problem they are suffering from.
We have to somehow understand the nature of the mind and practice controlling it. Rama is giving us so many similarities and examples to help us.
Jada prakrtihi – Mind is inert, yet, it keeps whirling like a whirlpool that pulls everything into it, including even houses that get swallowed. Mind swallows up our entire lives. Its nature is to simply suck us into it with a tremendous force. It is like an ocean. Like a most wicked snake the mind poisons us, Unlike Adi Sesha with Vishnu or Vasuki with Siva, which are noble serpents, this mind is an evil snake.
Abdhipaanaan .. An entire ocean may be swallowed, like Sage Agastya did, or Mount Meru may be uprooted and lifted. Yet, to control the mind is impossible. Unless there is concentration, no progress will be made in making the mind behave properly.
The following is the most important verse in this sarga:
Chittam ….Artha does not mean money here. We see everything because of the mind.
We say my mind is not okay today. All delicacies are placed before us. We have no mood to eat. Our friends come to visit. We are not in a mood to entertain them. The mind plays tricks with us.
We do not see objects because they are there. We see them because our mind has created them and makes them appear before us. All the three worlds are created by the mind. Unless the worlds disappear, we cannot focus on God. We must give treatment to this mind by forcibly concentrating on God. We have to keep giving it medicines like pranayama, Nama Sankeertana, and good thoughts. We feel that if we let the mind run free, it will settle down. No. It does not work like that. We must do sadhana regularly. For one joy, a hundred sorrows it creates. To catch it, there is a hook in the intellect called discretion. We have to employ this hook to capture the mind and control it.
How do they tame an intoxicated elephant? They starve it until it becomes weak. Then they give it small quantities of food. Then it comes around. Arjuna said it is not possible to control the mind. Krishna conceded. Yes. It is difficult. But it can be done with steady practice. Here Rama also says the same thing.
I am thinking that once the mind is controlled, delusion and despair will be dispelled, says Rama.
We say that we must cultivate virtues. Every single day we must examine ourselves. What new noble ideas have I learned today? What have I learned from my Guru today? Great souls in the end attempt to give up even Satva Guna. Spirituality teaches that you must be even-minded in both good and evil. Preference only for good or hatred or indifference towards evil also indicates ego. Even 0.1% ego is unacceptable in spirituality.
Here and now, in this lifetime, if you realize the Truth, you will make progress. If you put it off, you will end up with a great loss. Use this lifetime itself for Self-Realization.
Rama Jaya is Yoga Vasishtha. First he conquered his inner enemies, and then he defeated the outer enemies.
Jada malina .. When the clouds spread in the sky, the Moon is obscured. When the mind spreads itself like the world, the Soul gets obscured.
Is it necessary to have so many examples and similes? Yes. This is like a supermarket, this Yoga Vasishtha. Whatever appeals to you in this sarga, you take those ideas and concepts, concentrate on them and practice them.
Sri Guru Datta