Discourse on Yoga Vasishtha
Day 14, July 27
Jaya Guru Datta
Listen with the awareness that we are studying the great Yoga Vasishtha. Do not feel that your head is getting heavy. Feel light about it and listen. Even a swimmer sometimes cannot swim if he is afraid, disinterested, or unwilling. Even knee deep water will scare him.
Yesterday Vasishtha Samasvasana Chapter we discussed. Vasishtha, the guru of Dasaratha is dispelling the king’s fear in sending Rama with Sage Viswamitra.
Vasishtha says:
Viswamitra is a Sadguru. To be in his company is very beneficial. There is nothing to fear. Dasaratha, you are afraid for no reason. Viswamitra knows everything. If you send Rama with him he will be benefited and will become famous. Viswamitra is in possession of 100 astras/divine missiles. In the presence of Sadguru even a dead person becomes immortal and enlightened. With this upadesa/counseling, Dasaratha became confident. He decided to send Rama with Viswamitra. He sent for Rama. He was going to bless him and get him blessed by his mother also and then send him with Sage Viswamitra.
With the 10th sarga the actual Yoga Vasishtha begins. Today is the first day of Sravana Masa. It took 13 days to complete 9 sargas.
The actual teaching begins with this sarga. Sravana masa is good for listening. Sravana means hearing. The presiding deity of Sravana star is Lord Venkateswara, an incarnation of Lord Narayana, like Rama.
Yesterday after hearing of the greatness of Sadguru, we learned that Dasaratha sent a messenger to fetch Rama along with his brothers Lakshmana and Satrughna. The guard who carried the message felt very happy to go on such a wonderful mission. The messenger returned at once. He went with eagerness but returned somewhat troubled. When asked why he appeared troubled, the messenger spoke about Rama’s condition.
What was Rama’s state at this stage in his youth? It is described herein the words of the messenger.
Night is not a safe time for a bee. Some flowers close up at night. There may another harmful insect inside the flower. A fly or a mosquito is also very cautious, if you have observed. Only when you are asleep the mosquito relaxes and drinks its fill of your blood.
The bee is very greedy for honey. A bee with its six feet lands on a flower, enjoys the honey and flies away, normally. But one day when it sat on a lotus and began drinking the honey, it did not leave in time. It was evening. It did not fly away. It kept eating, digesting, and even eliminating. Yet, it remained inside the lotus out of greed. At sunset, the lotus closed up. The bee noticed it closing. Yet, it did not attempt to leave. It did not make any effort to bite into the petals and get out. It thought, night will pass and at dawn the sun will rise and the lotus will open up again.
Time is very powerful. It is more powerful than us. We must always bow down before Time. That is why Sri Jayalakshmi Mata explained to Satyanarayana about Kala Purusha, the God of Time.
Before dawn, elephants go to the waters to drink water, bathe and revel in the water while it is safe, before the hunters arrive. An elephant came to the waters, played around, and it became all muddy. It does things that are of no purpose. Its eyes fell on the folded up lotus. It picked it up and tossed it aside on the ground. The dead flower will not open again. The bee died inside.
Rama’s face looked like that bee’s face when it realized that it got imprisoned inside the closed up lotus.
Once must always be aware of Time and meditate upon God who transcends Time. The face of the bee in despair, as it appeared inside the lotus is how Rama appeared now.
The messenger said, he conveyed to Rama the message that his father beckons him. Rama said, yes, I will come at once. He spoke the words mechanically but his attention was elsewhere. Rama normally would come running to his father upon hearing such a message. Rama would not simply say, Yes. I will come. Rama’s mind is now fully preoccupied.
Rama is becoming physically weak and emaciated. He is not interested in even having meals. He avoids having anyone’s company. I feel sad to look at Rama in this manner. We are losing our spirit seeing Rama this way. He does not appear happy. He is not doing any of his regular ritualistic duties.
When we feel dispassion, we neglect to bathe, we sleep for 15 to 18 hours, but we do not neglect to eat. We eat more food then. Before doing the required daily rituals, Rama normally does not eat. Now Rama is neither doing the rituals nor eating. Rama is remaining still like a pillar, a tree. He is disinterested even in eating.
One may declare: This is my body. I can do as I like. But is your body really yours? No. It belongs to God. It has to follow a certain system. It must follow a certain discipline. One must follow Dharma. It is the food that is eaten that makes the body grow. If food were not responsible for growth, and you were in full control of your body, then why were you not born all fully grown? We have to pay rent to God with great devotion for occupying this body. Can anyone get away without paying rent? You will be punished. We have to first offer grains of rice, without their touching our teeth to God with prayers for good health, strength, and intellect, prior to eating a meal. In the Life History of Sri Swamiji, Krishnamurthy was taught by Sri Swamiji the principles of making such an offering.
The messenger continued: No matter how much we try to distract Rama, with dramas, comedy, jokes, and entertainment, Rama seems disinterested. He does not bathe. Rama does not care about wearing any ornaments. He refuses everything.
When our mood is not good, we go into the city or to a park to get some fresh air and change of scene.
Rama is not interested in finding any change of scene. He is in an Avadhoota state. He seems to feel no hunger or thirst or any need for diversion.
Pongal is given on Sankranti festival. Vadamala is given to Karyasiddhi Hanuman. Eating those as prasadam at the appropriate time is stipulated by the scriptures. People fast for a day or two but after that they have to consume some food. Rama is not even following the scriptural injunctions.
Some are under the illusion that we have to forcibly give up this world to gain spiritual knowledge. Rama is also behaving like that. Yoga Vasishtha is called Maha Ramayana. It is not included in the Ramayana. The topic discussed here is different.
Good practices are acceptable. In total dispassion all practices are given up. Examples are Avadhootas, and persons like Madalasa, Alarka, and others. Some practices are accepted by the scriptures. If you bathe in freezing waters in winter, what purpose is served? In the Himalayas there are natural hot springs arranged by God. During winter and snowy conditions, one can bathe there and preserve one’s health. You cannot jump into the Ganga and become sick. Scriptures do not endorse such practices. Those who have the Hatha Yoga siddhi are able to undertake such challenges. That is different.
Rama is shedding tears constantly. He is uninterested in girls or watching them dance. Food, sleep, recreation, going out, luxuries, enjoyment, all such activities have been given up by him. All the above are accepted by the scriptures and yet, Rama is not interested in any of them. This is not because of practice of Hatha Yoga. He is in a state of Jnana/spiritual awakening. He does not relish good news. He is not saddened by bad news. He is immersed in absorption in himself. He is without action. He is rejecting everything. He is not in any type of fear or alarm about any possible hazards. He has no desires whatsoever.
Rama believes that all this is unreal. Sat Chit Ananda is Guru’s name. Sat is real. Rama looks upon everything as unreal. If someone laughs, he sees no humor in it. Rama simply remains silent. He neither praises nor blames anyone. He does not initiate any conversation. Like a tree in a forest Rama is simply still. Can a deer prancing about distract a tree?
Rama looks as if he is going to become a sanyasi.
Gautama saw a funeral procession and became transformed into Buddha.
Rama just returned from a pilgrimage. He is now all transformed. He is not interested in clothes, delicacies, or anything else. He is not weeping. He prefers solitude.
Cleanliness is very important in asceticism. Renunciation does not mean using dirty linens. Yoga Vasishtha consists of a Sadguru’s answers to clear philosophical doubts.
Rama simply sits in Padmasana with his chin resting on his hand. He is always lost in thought. He does not show either joy or sorrow. We are unable to figure out what is going on in his mind. Seeing Rama becoming feeble, we feel, looking at him, like trees with all the fruits falling to the ground. His brothers also appear troubled and are behaving like Rama.
Bharata is away visiting his grandfather. Sadguru’s vibrations have their positive influence on us and bring about a transformation in us, without our being aware of it. The brothers of Rama are now under Rama’s influence and are also changed.
Even the royalty and the ladies of the court give him advice. When he finds that their concern is genuine, Rama gives them advice. He tells them: Because our senses fall upon them we get comfort from things of this world. If the senses are not attracted to them we feel no such comfort. Avoid allowing your senses to interact with the objects of the world. Keep your thoughts focused on God.
Unless asked, no one should advice others about dispassion. Rama was only giving advice to like-minded persons. Rama is giving advice only to those who have the discretion and the interest in understanding Truth. He is telling them to focus their thoughts on God, and not on worldly things.
Those who come here should have the inclination to listen to these discourses. If your mind is elsewhere, it is no use listening to Yoga Vasishtha, Life History or Sivananda Lahari. If your interest is merely on getting an interview, and receiving a homa prasadam, it is useless sitting in the audience and hearing a discourse. You will gain nothing.
Whatever distractions were placed before Rama, he was not moved.
Whatever we may try to achieve, there is effort involved. No pain no gain is a common saying. Yet, we are ready to put in the effort. Sadguru’s compassion gives us knowledge without our having to put in any great effort. In receiving Jnana, there is no pain. Only bliss exists in Truth. But people are not experiencing this happiness. Their days are getting exhausted and life is passing by. This is the concern that Rama feels about those who approach him.
One boy beating a drum, goes around town, shouting, “Tasmat Jagrata Jagrata” Wake up! before it is too late. He was an incarnation of Lord Dattatreya. Everyone in the town was irritated at this disturbance at dawn. Only the king felt that there was some secret important message in the boy’s words and so went to him and fell at the feet of this boy, who had no worldly qualification whatsoever and belonged to the lowest caste of untouchables. The boy then gave initiation to the king in spiritual knowledge.
Sometimes a pundit or a psychiatrist is sent to give Rama some counseling. Such persons try to give him hope and temptation by declaring that Rama will soon become the emperor.
While young, one must try, Rama keeps chanting this same line to those who go to him. In a strange tone of voice Rama keeps singing this same line.
The elders tell Rama: O prince, you have nothing to worry. All your ancestors and elders have earned a huge kingdom for you. You will be the future emperor. Like a sage, Rama laughs at such words of blessing, “May you be a great emperor!”
Rama smiles and says, Yes, I will be the emperor. The counselors are happy that Rama has accepted their greeting and blessing. What Rama’s definition of emperor is: one who is self-effulgent. God alone is such, who shines with His own light. Rama takes that meaning of the blessing and laughs. Rama is not talking to anyone. He does not recognize anyone. He does not accost anyone. He is sitting still like an ascetic.
Many people ask the question. What is wrong in enjoying this astonishing world? So much of wonder and amazement are there in this world. What is wrong in expressing surprise at seeing such things? It is explained by Rama: The sky is the great forest. Is it possible for lotuses to be blooming in the sky? The soul has no mind.
Rama feels no wonder at anything. He recognizes everything as transient. He is determined in his conviction that God alone is eternal. He has transcended the mind. He is in such a state. The door keeper/messenger conveys the physical and mental state of Rama to king Dasaratha.
This is very important for us to listen to this description of Rama. When we get similar doubts, Sadguru clears our doubts.
Viswamitra is not bothered by this description. Is this all? He is placid. He said, just bring him in. Only two words from Sadguru straightened out Rama. The two words are: You’re right. What you believe is true. Then Rama says, in that case, I will remain like this. But Guru explains that Rama has to perform actions, perform his dharma. Ravana also did karma but did so without Jnana. Rama did all his actions with Jnana. That is why we worship Rama as God. Knowing information is one stage. But experiencing is more important. It is like knowing the theory and also knowing its application.
Raw rice and pulses is not food. Mother has to prepare the meal using those. The proper means is to listen to Guru. Only then the knowledge that is earned becomes a direct experience. By Sadguru’s grace alone it will occur.
It is an eternal truth that we get excited at the dinner bell.
To come to Mysore you can approach from Bangalore, Kodagu, or some other direction. To reach here, you begin your journey somewhere. But to reach this Mysore, you begin your journey right here in Mysore, and keep going round and round on the ring road.
One message to viewers on Yoga Sangeeta. Koti Kunkumarchana with Sri Lalita Sahasranama Parayana is being held at the ashrama. Sri Chakra archana and Kalasa sthapana are done. Maha Purnahuti of Digvijayeshti will take place.
Our children witnessed a gory incident recently. That which should give joy results in disaster. The children were screaming but the person was distracted talking on the cell phone. A terrible accident occurred and many children perished. The parents are in grief from bereavement. Praying for the welfare of the whole world, and an avoidance of such terrible events we are offering these special prayers through these powerful rituals.
This evening the discourse on Sivananda Lahari begins. It gives bliss. It is in praise of Lord Siva. Tomorrow we have Ekadasa Rudrabhishekam. Hence, we will not have time for the discourse on Yoga Vasishtha.
Tomorrow afternoon our Sadguru returns to the ashram. We look forward to having His darshan.
Om Santi Santi Santi. May there be peace.
Sri Guru Datta