Discourse on Yoga Vasishtha
Day 150, June 18
Sri Sadgurubhyo namaha
Om Santissantissantihi
In the Utpatti Prakarana, we have completed the first sarga. Now we commence the second sarga.
Vedanta is a wonderful science. Before one question is answered, another question arises. In other Sastras, the answers are not all satisfactory. But in Vedanta, in the end, all questions are fully answered and leave one with no further questions.
How does bondage arise in the first place? This world is all make-believe, it is made up, fabricated, like a dream. It is difficult to know what the individual was, before birth. How to deny that death does not exist? But we see people dying. What happens after death?
If this is a dream, how to explain it? If death is certain, life must be certain. One is connected to the other. How can this be false?
Aakaasaja Upaakhyaanam is the present story.
How did this fake world come into existence? What is its cause? The answer is Avidya, ignorance. That is what is the reason for its existence. Maya. We think that others employ deception upon us. That is wrong.
Where science ends, spirituality begins. Our own ignorance is the reason for this world to exist.
Hiranyagarbha, Brahma is called Akasaja. His story we now learn.
Many are afraid of Vedanta. There is no need to be.
We are all manifestations of Jnana, Knowledge. But we are veiled by Ajnana, ignorance.
We are going to attend an important function. We get caught in a traffic jam. There is just half an hour to go. The traffic does not clear. One cannot even open the door of the vehicle to get out. We think it is all in God’s hands. We cannot do anything. We call and inform the hosts that we are helpless and cannot attend. Our Jnana makes us reconcile to this fact. We remain at peace. Whereas, one who is in Ajnana, ignorance, will honk, perspire, and get all anxious and flustered.
We all have that Jnana within us that God is in charge. We realize and reconcile to the situations.
Samaadhaana is given only by Vedanta. It means both answer and peace of mind. If one question is answered, another arises. All questions eventually merge in Vedanta and only one answer remains.
This complete peace and acceptance can only be granted by Vedanta. Only One remains. Realize that.
Bandhahetu Varnanam we have studied in the Utpatti Prakarana, which explained the reason for bondage.
Rama first asked, what is it that perishes? What is it that is born? What is it that grows? in that sequence.
Vasishtha said there is no death. Hence, there is no birth.
Wonderful answer. What is it that appears to be born? It is like a dream. It is not real. It is an illusion.
In a dream you see an entire world, with people and incidents. If it is like a dream, then who is the one dreaming the dream? When was I, the dreamer, born? What about my death?
One subtle word or expression is mentioned – there are two options: Eka jeeva vaadam or Naanaa jeeva vaadam.
Eka jeeva – only one jeeva bhava arose from the Paramatma. There is only one individual and none other. All others are illusory.
He re-created from His past recollection, this entire world, as if in a dream. It is like a mirrored hall, where all around there are mirrors. One who sees himself as innumerable ones, in the endless, infinite reflections he sees in the mirrors.. Different colored mirrors are used to reflect as if there are different colored persons. They do that in the Mirror Hall in Temples where the Lord is offered service in a Dola or swing.
In the Naanaa jeeva Bhaava, one imagines that all the reflections are separate individuls, separate from himself.
When he wishes for liberation, he wishes that not only that himself, but that each individual gets merged in Brahman.
Based on samskara, people prefer one or the another concept. Many see and accept the many people theory. It is a more common feeling.
We wish for liberation only for ourselves if we accept the concept that Eka Jeeva or only one person exists.
In the beginning, man thinks he is learning, acquiring knowledge and feels sorry for all the others who appear to him as if they remain ignorant. I will get liberated. What about the others? That is his concern.
To get rid of that involvement with others is difficult, due to one’s attachments, bondage.
Swami Vivekananda was told by Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, you do not need to make much effort. You sit and at once you will go into Samadhi. That is what happened to Vivekananda. He had that power. It gave him great happiness.
Mahatmas always are concerned about the happiness of others. Sadguru is like that. Swami Vivekananda thought Vedanta must be spread all over the world. My getting liberated is not enough. All must get liberated. He went to the Himalayas, and did penance. Met many sadhus. He observed all of them. No one spoke to him. One of them finally asked the purpose of Vivekananda’s visit.
Vivekananda asked, You and I are liberated. Fine. What about the rest of the world?
Now the other man asked: What should I do?
You should stop your penance. Travel all over the country and give Upadesha to all, said Vivekananda.
The Sadhu said: I will tell you a story:
There was a man who found no means to earn his livelihood. So he began thieving. He got caught. They cut off his nose and let him go. He was ashamed to show his face in public. He went around wearing a mask. Everyone asked why he wore a mask. So he left his town. He went to the Himalayas and began doing penance. Only his eyes were seen. This swami thereafter became very famous as a holy man whose eyes alone were visible. One man came and asked for his power to be shared with him. The man insisted. He would not leave this Sadhu alone.
Are you ready to do anything? the masked Sadhu asked.
Yes, the man replied.
The Sadhu held his nose. The man perhaps thought he was going to be initiated into Pranayama. But the Sadhu cut off the nose. The man shouted and screamed. The Masked Sadhu told him: You also wear a mask and become famous like me, after performing penance in the Himalayas.
Vivekananda asked the Sadhu, why did you tell me this story?
First you get Jnana. Then, you worry about sharing your Jnana with others, was the answer.
The trouble with us all is that even before attaining Jnana ourselves, we worry about all the others. There is no greater ignorance than that.
Vivekananda had such a Sankalpa that he roamed and taught Vedanta. It is only the job of a Sadguru to do so. It is not for everyone.
One should not stop questioning because questions are endless. You must seek answers.
If this is a dream, what about the dreamer who is subject to death?
For past creation that existed, Ajnana is the reason.
Valmiki told another story.
Akasaja Upakhyanam is the name of the story. Aakaasa is the sky. Ja is one who is born (from).
It is about one who is born from the sky. How can one be born from the sky? He cannot be. It means, no one can be born from the sky.
Therefore, if you think that you are the dreamer, you are only imagining that you are dreaming.
Triputi – seer, scene, vision. All the three must vanish. The seer must also vanish. How is it possible?
Aadya srishti varnana – a description of the original creation – is another name for this.
Creation took place gradually, step by step.
From the sky, it began.
How did space come into being? Aatmanaa aakaasa sambhootaha. From the Atma, the Soul, the Akasa, sky or space was born.
Your idea became transformed inot the sky. Your concept took shape as space. Mind is a myth. It came into existence due to Maya. Maya is due to Ahankara, ego, the sense of ‘I’ or ‘I’ exist.
Time is the greatest. Death is the most powerful. None is greater than Death. These things we believe.
But Mrityunjaya, the Lord of Death you must seek. He is the Lord even of Death .
Even countries perish, not just people. What about it? Avidya is the reason.
Sravana bhooshana – this story is called. This story is an ornament to the ears.
This must be listened to. Afterwards, if you lose hearing, it is not a problem. If you already know what the others are saying, there is no need to listen again to their words.
The greatest Jnana this story gives. This is the essence of the Utpatti Prakarana, of the 48 verses we have studied. The remaining doubts will now get cleared.
Akasaja was a brahmin scholar who lived eons ago. He was born from the sky. Just space. Not with the five elements. Pure Consciousness. Paramatma. He was Hiranyagarbha. He was born from Him. How can one be born like that? He thought he was born.
Parama Dhaarmika (most virtuous) He was. He shows the good path to all others. Sadguru is Parama Dharmika. He follows the teachings of the Vedas. If you have the intention to do so, Vedas will guide you. He will protect the Lokas that follow Dharma. He is ever in Dhyana. Kshana Samadhi (fleeting Samadhi) that gets disturbed, is useless. To wake up from Samadhi, and to fall back in the muddy waters of the world, is worthless. One must always remain in Samadhi and help others.
You say: You have dropped us into darkness. In the dark we hear a sound. Veda or Guru Vakya. A light is seen. You dropped yourself into darkness. You previously created the solution to the anticipated problem, so that a light will become visible to show the way out, once you lose yourself in the darkness.
Thus, Veda came into being first. Then Hiranyagarbha came into existence. He always helps others. Jnana is Parama Hita. Greatest benefit. It prevents sorrows from even taking birth.
Sadguru does that. He is Chiranjeevi. He has no death.
Death (the power called death) thought: no one is left in this world who is not gobbled up by me. Only this Akasaja remains. How to swallow him? Death made all kinds of efforts to consume Akasaja. He tried his best to destroy Akasaja and failed miserably. How to make him succumb to death? He went to Satya Loka where Akasaja existed. Death, Mrityu had no entry into Satya Loka.
Some people dream that even in the ashram there are ghosts. It is only your illusion and imagination. Lord Dattatreya destroys all ghosts. Swamiji has declared that.
Mrityu somehow tried to enter into Satya Loka.
verse
No matter how many difficulties they may face, the great ones do not take a step back.
Death went forward. A dreadful fire-compound, Agni Praakaara was there, built by Akasaja for him to remain undisturbed.
Mrityu, Death, with difficulty broke that ring of Fire and entered Satya Loka.
Padma Sambhava, Brahma with four faces, was there.
With a thousand arms, Death tried to grab him but he failed. No matter what measures he took, Death could not get a hold of Akasaja. Death was very powerful and yet, he failed to capture Brahma.
You imagine a creature. You wish to catch that imaginary creature. In your dream, a fellow is running and you chase after him. You can never catch him. You get tired after the chase in the dream. Generally, in the dream, you never catch the things or persons you are chasing after. You simply get exhausted, that is all. Even animals get such dreams and move their limbs trying to catch the thing being chased in the dream.
Death is trying to catch what does not exist. He sees a body and cannot catch it. All his efforts failed. Who gave me this impossible job? Death wondered. Yama, the God of Death gave this job to me. Have I lost my power? Let me go ask Yama. Yama had declared that I am the most powerful. Yet, now this Veda scholar, Akasaja is escaping my grip. What is his power? What makes him more powerful than me?
Lord of Death, Yama answered the question posed by Death:
You have asked me a question. You need to realize one thing. You have become arrogant. Your ego is an illusion. You have no power to catch Akasaja.
Wherever you go to catch individuals into the trap of death, the karma of the individuals goes with them. With the help of their karma, you swallow them. If they have no karma, they cannot be swallowed. Karma alone is death. Mrityu, you, Death, are only a tool.
Each one’s karma causes their death. There is nothing you can do.
verse
O Death, I will tell you a secret, an idea. Find out where Akasaja’s karmas are hidden. If you find them, you can capture him. You wish to kill him. So, seek out his karma.
Death searched in all the three worlds. Any Swiss bank account, where Akasaja might have hid his karma? He failed to find any karma. Such a mission he was on, as if he were searching for a son who had been killed.
Inside an imaginary mountain, as if he were searching, he searched. This Veda scholar, Akasaja’s karma was nowhere to be found.
Death returned to Yama and asked:
verse.
Sadguru, the guide, the one who shows us the path, is the greatest.
Yama, I follow you. You have to clear my doubt. Where are his karmas hidden? I have searched everywhere. I cannot find them.
Yama Dharmaraja began his discourse. This is like Kathopanishat, where Yama promised to give three boons to the boy Nachiketa. Nachiketa asked for Atma Jnana, Self-realization. Yama had to fulfill his promise.
Yama Dharmaraja himself gives Upadesha now.
akasava…
This Akasaja has absolutely no karma. When there are no karmas, you cannot find them, no matter how hard you search for them.
There are three types of karmas. 1. Prarabdha, 2. sanchita, and 3. aagami.
1. Diseases of the body, all that is physical, insults, etc. are praarabdha karma. Jeevanmuktas also wear a body to exhaust the karma related to the body they have chosen to wear. If forcibly, the physical life is made to end, like if suicide is committed out of unbearable pain or distress, or even through mercy killing, it is a dosha, a sin, even out of compassion, if they give an injection to end life. Prarabdha karma does not go with physical death. It has to be endured.
2. Sanchita karma comes from whatever karma has been accumulated in the present life through one’s actions. If absolutely no Avidya/ignorance exists, it is not possible to have any accumulated karma like this.
3. Aagaami is not possible in the case of Akasaja because, he has no future.
Kevalakha – merely space, he is born from. No karma whatsoever touches him or attaches to him, just as nothing contaminates or sticks to space. He is that pure space. No raga, dwesha, or abhimana affect him, no like, dislike, or attachment.
Death follows these attributes, like, dislike and attachment, which make individuals commit and accumulate sin. This jeevi, this individual Akasaja, has nothing to support Death or to co-operate with Death. He has absolutely no Karma.
verse
This Akasaja has no connection with any acquired karmas.
This is just the beginning of the teaching, by Yama, the God of Death, to clear our doubts. This is a great Upadesha ghatta (stage). We will begin to understand about creation and growth, that they are nothing but imaginary.
The nature, we cannot even call it that, because no nature or attribute, or anything describable actually exists for space, but Yama Dharmaraja explains space. We will learn the lesson tomorrow.
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta
Om Santissantissantihi