Discourse on Yoga Vasishtha
Day 110, March 3
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.
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
Om santissantissantihi
We have been speaking about the techniques for attaining control over one’s mind to attain peace of mind. Which is a good time to begin one’s effort towards this? Any time is a good time to begin practicing it, regardless of what occupation one may be engaged in.
Shama is the flower of the Kalpa Vriksha. Those who experience this supreme peace will experience no sorrow whatsoever. Shama is the leader of the four gatekeepers at the doorway to Liberation. Whoever makes an attempt to seek the achievement of Shama will be granted the cool comfort of an oasis in a desert or moonlight to someone parched with the heat of worldly troubles which are akin to a travel in a hot desert. Shama bestows the greatest gift of the highest status that exists at the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu. Liberation occurs only with peace of mind.
Happiness is possible only with peace of mind. There is nothing else that dispels delusion and illusion except peace of mind. It is imperative that one should practice this Shama. With Shama enemies turn into friends. Without Shama even friends become enemies. As an ocean swells with joy at the sight of the moon, the heart swells with joy with Shama. Sri Hari has two lotuses, one in his heart and another in his navel. Shama or Shanti will make us equal to Lord Hari. The benefits of Shama are extolled here to the highest degree. This episode called Shama Niroopanam spells out the reasons why Shama should be practiced. The duty of a king is to remove the slightest trace of unrest that occurs in his kingdom. If left neglected, even a small degree of unrest will burgeon into a huge conflagration.
Who is eligible to attain this?
tishtatha
Anyone can practice this without any distinction. Whoever wishes to achieve this is qualified to practice this. Those whose occupation requires them to be seated, standing, walking, or doing any other thing, may make an effort towards this.
Just as we spoke yesterday, as a parent brings back a straying toddler, we must bring back our straying mind and focus it on the Lord. Not only humans but demons, celestials, animals, and any other creatures may attain it by making a sincere effort.
manah
Prashamana means Shama – ita means that which has quieted down. It has become peaceful.
Shrama is strain. Remove the ‘R’ syllable from it and it becomes Shama. ‘R’ signifies fire that scorches us. Shama arises when the mind becomes calm either by worship, japa, pilgrimage, charity, meditation, or any such activity.
When the ocean is rough, all the contaminants will come out. We cannot even take a dip in the waters or even sprinkle that water on the head. It will be full of pollutants. Thereafter, the ocean will become clean and calm, once all the debris is thrown out. Similarly, the mind, when the turbulence is quelled, becomes calm.
Discretion and Knowledge is the Wish-fulfilling tree, the Kalpa Vriksha. The fruit that is borne by this tree is Shama. For a tree to bear fruit, it must first put forth blooms. The bloom is peace and calmness of mind.
Either individually or communally, this peace has to be earned and established. Even among the demons, there are great ones like Prahlada, Bali, and others. They had all achieved this Shama by doing sadhana. Caste and creed are no bar for the practice of Shama.
prashantam
When the mind becomes serene, it will be very pure. When the mind is given rest, which is most essential, longevity increases, health will improve. Pranayama, yoga asanas, chanting of Aditya Hridayam, Hanuman Chalisa and so forth will aid in giving rest to the mind. The mind will then become free from disturbances. All anxieties and desires will subside. How is it possible to make the mind still? Once the mind stops desiring things and stops disliking whatever come its way, it becomes peaceful.
vyavahara
Even when engrossed in activities, the peaceful mind is not affected by the success or failure that arise from actions performed and the the mind remains tranquil. The sun remains the same always. By the earth’s rotation we experience the various seasons.
moksha dvare
It was mentioned at the beginning of this sarga that Liberation may be likened to a mansion which is guarded by four gatekeepers, the first of which is Shama. To answer the question whether all four guards have to be approached, or if one guard’s cooperation is sufficient for us to gain access into the doorway, the answer is given that even the favor of one of them is sufficient.
If one concentrates on any one of the four requirements to enter the doorway that lead to liberation, one will be successful. Right now we are focusing on Shama/peace of mind.
sukha
Shama’s greatness is further described.
The never ending desire for enjoyments is a terrible thirst. One who is hungry but is never satisfied with whatever is offered as food, but keeps complaining about taste or heat, or some other feature, is a miserable person. Such a discontented mind prevents one from enjoying what is at hand. Even when joys are presented, the mind refuses to acknowledge those because it is busy craving for something else.
Sukha dosha – how can comfort be undesirable? Thirst for comfort is undesirable.
Our birth has not come as per our wish. It has come as a result of our karma. This thirst makes our tongue parched.
The man traveling in the desert keeps chasing after mirages. The distance keeps increasing. The destination seems too far away. One cannot find one’s direction. The man cannot find water. Even the footprints left behind him get erased in the breeze in the vast desert.
He has water with him but is worried about tomorrow and will not drink any of the water that he has in his possession to quench his thirst to protect his life.
This Samsara is a terrible desert where man is caught. If during that journey if he were to find peace of mind in the form of Sadguru, like the full moon that makes the atmosphere cool, he feels very comforted. The man finds his shoes to be too heavy and uncomfortable to walk in the sand. but without them, the feet get burned in the heat. Once the moon cools the atmosphere with its soft rays, the traveler’s mind begins to work normally, and he will really look for water with a sane mind, because at night there will be no mirages to fool him. Peace of mind is as comforting as the moon rays one relishes in the desert.
Shamena
We may ask a question. The man traveling in the desert is now finding solace under the moonlight. But still, he has no water still, to quench his thirst. So what is the use of the cool moon rays? The cool atmosphere may reduce the intensity of his thirst, that is all. It is said that Shama’s benefits are immeasurable.
We have heard certain scriptural stories: On certain occasions, even while living in Vaikuntha, in close proximity to Lord Vishnu, Garuda, Sudarsana, Jaya and Vijaya begin to feel restless in their hearts. Seeing the troubles of humans on earth, they begin to feel troubled and wish to help them. It is not their job. While Lord Vishnu is there to protect all creatures, when one desires even to do something good to others, one gets into trouble.
When Swamiji is there to protect others, one should not give him advice on how he should do his job or assume the responsibility upon oneself. One must be very careful in making wishes.
Sudarsana expressed his desire to protect others, as an expression of arrogance, and hence was forced to be born as Kartaveeryarjuna, by Vishnu granting his unwise desire.
Once, Garuda also felt uneasy. Vishnu noticed it. He asked him what was troubling him. Garuda said: once you told me that you will be my son-in-law. To make his wish true, Vishnu acceded to his request. Despite being ever in the close proximity of the Lord Himself, still sometimes the mind wavers and causes trouble to even great souls. Vishnudatta, Godadevi story is known to us.
Sadguru’s nearness we must appreciate and hold him firmly in our hearts. We must use discretion in making wishes and feeling unrest in our minds.
verse
Shama is peace/Shanti. It destroys all anxieties such as mistaking a rope for a snake in the dark. Until the sun rises, and the misunderstanding is removed, he is worried that the rope moving in the breeze is a snake and may enter his home. He remains in the corner in trembling with fright.
A brave person with clear thinking, may make further investigations using proper caution, to see what the object really may be, by using a flashlight, a stick, or some other means. Peace fills the intellect with light. Illusion gets destroyed. When the mind is not at ease, fear takes hold and destroys discretion.
Shama is the ultimate experience. Peace of mind is not something that can be given by someone. Guidance may be given by others. But one has to receive the guidance and act accordingly. Otherwise, the good advice or teaching given, does not offer any benefit. The man who fails to do sadhana, continues to remain miserable.
Sadguru will give guidance but the disciple has to do his sadhana. How will a student get benefited if the teacher writes all his exams for him? The student may even graduate by his teacher writing all his exams for him, and the student may even find a job, but if problems occur on the job later, without the proper knowledge, he will have no clue as to how to address the problem that has been faced.
Many times people lend help to those who are weak and disabled. There is nothing wrong in that. But those who have the ability, must never place burden on Guru. One cannot claim to have devotion and love for Guru and place the burden of sadhana on Guru’s shoulders. One must do one’s own sadhana to dispel wrong understanding.
Prashama triptasya
Contentment and peace always coexist. The person who is at peace will never wish ill upon another. One who wishes ill upon others is not a happy person. Scientific research has taken place and has proven that our negative traits spoil our health. Stress and anger affect the heart. Tension is harmful and causes high blood pressure. A state that is free from like and dislike is the most desirable state. Peace of mind is the adornment for such a person. Suddenly even unfavorable people’s attitude towards them changes favorably when peace envelops the is individuals. Peace has the power to change the mindset of others. One’s smile, actions, and words will affect the behavior of others.
Shama is thoroughly described in all its aspects and its benefits are praised to the highest. Each of these topics is covered so completely that an entire book may be written upon each of these subjects. Yoga Vasishtha is the source work that explains many topics in detail.
Praying for peace in all the three worlds, and praying for the well being of all living beings will grant peace of mind to the one who prays thus.
Sadguru is providing us various means to attain peace of mind. Now he has made this sankalpa of 130 crore repetitions of the Hanuman Chalisa chant. It will be chanted during the Sri Chakra Puja. Everyone should participate and derive the benefit from it.
We will continue tomorrow.
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta
Om Santissantissantihi