Discourse on Yoga Vasishtha
Day 64, October 30
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
By Sadguru’s grace we have completed the first Prakarana, which was Vairagya Prakarana. We learned the general meaning of the word Prakarana. In any subject, there will be several subtopics. For instance, in mathematics, you have multiplication, division, addition, subtraction and so on. Each of these will be a separate section. We must first study thoroughly each specific small unit. When all such sections are combined, it will become the comprehensive subject matter called mathematics. Similarly the comprehensive subject matter pertaining to the Soul also consists of many small subtopics. Each Prakarana teaches us thoroughly each single subtopic.
Just as all the different parts of the body constitute the whole human body, similarly, each specific separate topic in Yoga Vasishtha is a Prakarana. When all such Prakaranas are put together, we get this comprehensive philosophical compendium that we know as Yoga Vasishtha. A Prakarana explains one specific topic in complete detail.
This chapter is called Mumukshu Vyavahara Prakarana because it specifically speaks about the nature and concerns of a Mumukshu/one who seeks liberation.
The first chapter of the book was Vairagya Prakarana. In it Sri Rama announced his findings and discoveries about life and sought answers to his doubts, and affirmation of his facts. He also pleaded that he be granted the personal experience of his theoretical knowledge gained from observation.
All the sages, those who were physically present in the royal court, as well as those who were in their subtle forms hovering above in their invisible aircrafts, such as sages, seers and Siddhas and Charanas/demi-gods, were listening to the statements of Sri Rama and his final plea for affirmation of his findings, answers to his questions, and an experience of the knowledge that he had gained. Sages Narada and Vyasa had also come down to the assembly assuming physical forms.
All the listeners were completely impressed by Sri Rama’s intellectual acuity, sincerity and humility.
Unanimously they praised Rama for his keen observations and deep insight. They made a thunderous shout that Sri Rama’s questions must be answered. If his requests are not fulfilled, then all the knowledge in the possession of the great seers is a mere waste. What is the use of having a heap of cooked rice available, if it is not used to feed the hungry? If a fistful of rice is not given to one who comes to the door hungry, then what is the use of having so much food at home? To Rama, who is sincerely asking for answers to his questions, if we are unable to provide the answers, all our penance, all our fund of knowledge is a waste. We must make every effort to clear the doubts of Sri Rama.
Sri Rama is questioning on our behalf so that we will gain by the answers that he receives. Rama is a manifestation of knowledge. He is giving us an example of how we should be eager to dig out the truth that lies hidden.
Upon hearing this thunderous demand, this sarga begins.
The sages made a resolution that Sri Rama’s query should be addressed to his satisfaction.
Viswamitra took the lead. Why? Why did Vasishtha not speak first? This entire episode began because of Viswamitra’s arrival at Dasaratha’s court. Up until now, in the recent months preceding this, Sri Rama remained isolated in his quarters not speaking with anyone. It is only when Viswamitra brought up the topic of Rama that Dasaratha disclosed to the sage Rama’s condition at that time. Rama was not speaking with anyone. He was not eating food. He had lost weight. He was appearing dejected. No one knew the reason for his depression or his physical and mental deterioration.
Vasishtha had tried to comfort and satisfy Sri Rama but failed to offer him solace. Viswamitra was the one who demanded that Sri Rama be brought to his presence. He was the one who directly questioned Rama as to what ailed him. Therefore, since it appeared as if Sri Rama responded to Viswamitra’s query, by expressing clearly what was on his mind, Sage Viswamitra has now decided to speak first.
Since Guru’s Upadesha is most important, eventually Viswamitra had Vasishtha give the philosophical teaching to Sri Rama. But he has initiated the process here.
Viswamitra is in a hurry. His main interest was in taking Sri Rama with him to protect his Yajna. He was impatient to go back to his pressing mission. He sat here and listened patiently all this time to everything that Sri Rama had to say.
Viswamitra was one, who gained all his knowledge and experience entirely by his own most severe penance.
Sage Bhrigu performed penance and realized the Truth that Bliss is Supreme. Similarly, Viswamitra felt that by doing Yajna, karma, and penance, one can realize the Truth. We learn it the easier way from the guidance of Sadguru.
Viswamitra assured Rama that he had nothing to fear or worry about. He told Sri Rama that he had already attained all the knowledge that there was to attain. He already knew everything. There was nothing new that he needed to be informed about. All that was required now was just some sweeping away of the dust that had gathered in his mind. The mind of Sri Rama was pure and crystal clear. Only some dust had gathered upon it which now needed to be wiped off.
The floor is clean. When dust collects on it, it appears dirty. If we sweep it away, the clean floor becomes visible again. The same thing happens with a mirror which is naturally clean. But when dust covers it, it becomes soiled. Once the dust is removed, the mirror will be clear again. The Hanuman Chalisa begins with that statement that the mind is like a mirror. With the pollen dust from the lotus feet of Sadguru, one should wipe off the dust from the mind which is like a mirror. The mirror-mind is inside us. We have to look inward to look at ourselves. That is the extraordinary fact about spirituality.
Viswamitra now proceeded to give Upadesa to Sri Rama. He spoke about Sage Suka. He said that just like Sage Suka, Sri Rama also would attain enlightenment.
Viswamitra told Suka’s story and mentioned that he also had similar questions and doubts and that his father’s explanations did not satisfy him. Since Suka felt that Vyasa was only repeating things that he already knew, he had to seek clarifications to his questions from King Janaka. Ultimately all of his doubts were resolved by King Janaka and he attained full Self-realization and became liberated.
Similarly, Sri Rama, you also require some sweeping away of dust from your mind.
Viswamitra took the lead in addressing Sri Rama’s problems. Sri Rama had addressed both Viswamitra and Vasishtha. Although Sri Rama had addressed all the gurus who were present there, it was Sage Viswamitra who responded first.
It was he, who in fact asked king Dasaratha to send for Sri Rama. It was he, who questioned Rama about his concerns, his doubts, troubles, and anxieties. He was the one who inquired about the dispassion that had overtaken Sri Rama. Hence, it was Viswamitra who began speaking to him first.
At once Rama asked who Suka was and how he managed to attain the knowledge of Truth.
Now, a question may arise in our minds as to how in the Treta Yuga, (the Yuga preceding the Dwapara Yuga), the time of Rama’s incarnation, there can be a mention of Suka, who was born afterwards in the Dwapara Yuga. It must be understood clearly that Creation occurs in repetitive cycles. The four Yugas keep occurring over and over again. The same persons are born again and again until they attain mukti/liberation. Everyone is born as per their own individual Sankalpa/wish or intention. Paramatma took the Sankalpa to be born as Vyasa and Suka was born to him as his son. There is not just one Vyasa or one Suka, his son. In every Dwapara Yuga they will be born. In fact there are said to be 24 Vyasas, not just one.
All the sages and seers, just like Lord Dattatreya are forms of light. The moment you think of them, they assume a physical form and make their appearance. It is as if they are behind the curtain and your thinking of them opens the curtain and reveals them. They are of the past Dwapara Yuga no doubt, but they also exist eternally.
When we speak about the Suka Yogi of the Bhagavatam, we are speaking about the Sage Suka of the Dwapara Yuga that preceded our Kali Yuga. The Suka Yogi whom we are referring to in the Yoga Vasishtha here, is Suka Yogi who existed in the Dwapara Yuga which preceded Treta Yuga in the previous Maha Yuga. They are the same. Yet they appear different. It is like two idols of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha. They are the same and yet, the figures are different.
You take a morsel to eat. You find a fly in it. You throw it away. You pick up a second morsel. You find a mosquito in it. What do you do? You simply clean it and eat what you can. Flies, mosquitoes and hairs will off and on appear in one’s food. Just be happy that you are not finding elephants in your food. Then it would be difficult to eat the food. If you stop eating because of finding a fly or a mosquito in the first couple of morsels, you will never be able to finish your meal.
At the very outset we got a question preventing us from moving forward. Now we got that resolved. So let us proceed.
Naraa ..
Rama, you are fully knowledgeable. Knowledge, means of knowing, and the knower are called Triputi/threesome. Swamiji has mentioned Triputi in his bhajan. Wherever you go in this world, you find the threesomes.
What should be understood, is falsely understood; and knowing that it has been mis-understood, is the actual knowing; that is the definition of knowing given in Vedanta. It may appear confusing. But there is no confusion here. When we talk about what is to be known, we at once exclaim, Oh, there is so much to know in this world. That is not correct. Things appear to be. But what really is, that alone is appearing differently, or actually is not appearing at all. It is not being experienced by us. That is Atma/the Soul. Other things that appear as if they exist, are all illusory and have no real existence.
Knowing that what I am seeing is unreal, and by the strength of that knowing, to see what is truly real, that is actual knowing. It is very important to remember this.
Other things of the world, the illusory things will automatically be known to us, without any effort on our part. But Atma alone is elusive and requires great effort on our part to know it. It cannot be seen, heard, smelled, tasted, held, or captured. That alone needs to be known. All others are perceivable by the senses. They are not important to know about. They will become known, regardless, without much effort. When you ask, what is this? It is easy to say, it is a pillar, it is a microphone, and so on. But regarding the soul, you cannot even point at it to ask what it is. It is not seen. That principle is what we should know.
Some people are thorough in the knowledge of their subject and out of that confidence, they remain contented and satisfied. They are happy. Some people have half knowledge and are always chasing after new topics. They are never contented.
Sri Rama, you have studied the concept of what the Soul is. You have understood it. You have learned everything there is to know about it. Hence, I call you the greatest amongst all the knowers of the world. Nobody has taught you. You have realized it by your own inner analysis.
This is very rare. Because he is an Avatara Purusha, he gained that knowledge with minimal effort. But when we are unable to know by ourselves, we must listen and learn. Sadguru is there to teach us. But Sadguru will remain silent if we are disinterested in listening. We must request Sadguru to teach us. Then, he will teach and we must listen to the teaching. By such listening, our ignorance gets removed. We become enlightened.
In the Bhagavatam, Sage Vyasa expresses his regret that people are not listening. People are not naturally inclined towards Jnana or Bhakti. They do not wish to learn from others. They are not drawn towards the right path of Truth.
He does not know. He will not listen and learn. How can such persons be helped?
How did Sri Rama become aware of so much knowledge? It is because of his sharp intellect. We all must cultivate such a sharp and subtle intellect. A subtle intellect is not a miniscule intellect. It is a sharp intellect that can penetrate into the subtlest of truths. Scientists discover many truths. We never would have even imagined many things. Even in a dream many of us will not imagine that an aircraft can fly up in the sky or that a rocket can reach Mars. A scientist envisions and makes things function the way he visualizes.
We cannot simply build a ladder in space. A Chinese king knew that a different plane of existence is there and he attempted to build a ladder in space to reach it. He failed. Such plans are not fruitful. Such methods are not subtle.
One who reaches the destination and guides others to reach it, is one with a subtle intellect. Atma/Soul cannot be physically captured. It has to be realized by a subtle intellect.
Sri Rama spoke only about the soul. But Viswamitra says that Sri Rama knew everything about everything. Is that true? The answer lies in the question itself. One who knows about the soul knows everything because the soul alone exists. There is nothing else to know.
When a man has the king under his thumb, wouldn’t the servants of the king and the kingdom itself naturally be subservient to him? Of course. If the director of the company is under his control, then the entire company is under his control.
Once the concept of the Soul is experienced, then all other types of knowledge are insignificant. What if Sri Rama is unable to recite the 13 times table? Does it mean that Rama knows nothing? We cannot dismiss that he is ignorant. Of course, Sri Rama will know his multiplication tables.
If really Sri Rama knows everything, why is Viswamitra continuing to talk? He could simply leave. There is a tiny layer of dust in the form of lack of assurance whether what he knows is truth or not, that layer of dust is lingering in Sri Rama. Knowing everything is one thing. But that is not enough. Knowing with certainty that what one knows is the absolute Truth is also essential. The person should also know with certainty that all else is untruth. That is important in Vedanta. Such is true knowledge.
Lack of certainty, dilemma, and confusion are still pestering Sri Rama. The reason for that is that all the elders of the court, including King Dasaratha are prompting Sri Rama to become the Crown Prince and become the future ruler of the kingdom. Sri Rama is not inclined towards doing that.
Hence, Viswamitra says that for Sri Rama’s intellect to become pure, radiant, and crystal clear like that of Sage Suka, the dust that has gathered has to be swept away.
Sri Rama then asked Viswamitra about Suka Yogi. How could the great enlightened son of Vyasa suffer from confusion? Does not enlightenment automatically give bliss at once? How could he have a dust covering his intellect? Why did he suffer from lack of composure and how was it eventually removed? How did he attain liberation?
Viswamitra explained: Suka was born enlightened. Although he knew everything that had to be known, he lacked the personal experience of that knowledge. Hence, he was troubled by doubts. He approached his father for answers to his dilemmas. The answers given by Vyasa did not satisfy him. He felt that his father was not telling him anything new. He was merely repeating the facts that Suka already knew. He stated so to his father Vyasa. Vyasa understood that Suka was fully knowledgeable but needed to experience that knowledge. He referred him to King Janaka, who, Vyasa claimed was of higher spiritual caliber than himself.
Suka went at once to the kingdom of Videha and announced his arrival at the royal court. The messengers conveyed to King Janaka the message of Sage Suka’s arrival. He acknowledged the message. But he did not react or respond to it. He did not at once run to receive the sage with due honors. He simply remained indifferent. Sage Suka knew the rules of decorum. He did not barge in to gain the audience of the king. He waited patiently at the gates for the king to respond to his message. He was not upset at the indifference shown. A whole week passed. There was no disturbance in Sage Suka’s mind. He was neither upset nor elated. He remained calm and composed. After a week’s time had elapsed, King Janaka told his aides to receive Sage Suka and provide him the best accommodation that was available and shower him with all possible luxuries and comforts. He will have my audience only when I am ready, he said.
Sage Suka was given luxurious quarters to stay. He was provided the best food, drink, entertainment, and amusements, including the company of beautiful women. Suka’s mind did not lose its composure in spite of being surrounded by all types of worldly pleasures and indulgences unmatched by the best superstar hotels.
Suka was the same whether he received total neglect or total attention and honors. King Janaka observed that Sage Suka was ripe for initiation. He sent for him and asked the purpose of his visit. Suka explained to King Janaka his state of mind and his questions, and how his father, unable to satisfy his needs had sent him to seek Upadesa from King Janaka.
Suka asked Janaka, “What is this Creation? What is the nature of this world? Where and why has it originated? How long will it remain? When will it end? What is liberation? How is it attained? Will the sorrows and joys of the world continue like this forever? How many eons will this last like this unchanged? If it should end, how will it end and when will it end?”
This is a great barrage of questions pertaining to Truth.
Janaka revealed to Suka all the philosophical truths.
What he told Suka has not been revealed to us.
Suka respectfully listened and in the end felt that this was all known to him already. There was nothing new in what King Janaka had spoken. Whatever was in the Upanishads is what Janaka had reiterated.
Whatever there is to be said has all been said by the Vedas. There is nothing that the Vedas have not covered. People simply present the same facts in different ways.
Janaka understood that Suka now needed to probe deep into himself to gain personal experience of the knowledge that he had gained. Janaka told Suka Yogi that while he himself was more exalted than Suka’s father Vyasa, Sage Suka was even more exalted than King Janaka himself. Suka now needed to remain isolated and perform deep penance to bring into experience all the knowledge that he possessed. Janaka praised Suka to encourage him to rise even higher spiritually. Suka realized now what he needed to do. He proceeded to Mount Meru and performed severe penance for ten thousand years. He rid himself of all needless thoughts and tendencies and attained perfect liberation.
This sarga called Suka niryana or Suka nirvana has been given to us by Sage Valmiki through the words of Sage Viswamitra.
Jaya Guru Datta
Sri Guru Datta
Om Santissantissantihi